Buy Dell Inspiron i17R-1316sLV 17-Inch Laptop

Customer Ratings:

First off, yes...this is a Windows 8 laptop. Don't let that deter you from purchasing this brilliant laptop. Windows 8 DOES take some getting used to, but what new thing in life doesn't? Besides there is a very simple way get away from the tiled "Metro" look and revert back to the old desktop, it's built INTO Windows 8. I found it tons of fun exploring the new OS and the different apps for it. True, the store is pretty bare compared to what Apple and Google offer, but what is there is pretty good for starters. Now, onto Dell's great bit of machinery and also to let you in on a little secret...this laptop and it's $800 older brother have "pretty much" the same processor regardless of the i5 and i7 names and the $200 difference. They are both DUAL CORE at heart. Period. I've done my research and ALMOST bought the i7 version thinking it was natively a quad-core chip....nope. I looked up both processor names at Intel's websites and the core specs both show they are dual-core, with the ablility to overclock themselves(a power boost). The thing is, they can work as a quad core chip due to Dual Threading(able to handle 4 instructions at once as opposed to just 2). The difference really comes in the RAM, with the i5 laptop having 6GB and the i7 having 8GB. Other than that, you can save $200. They have the same USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, same DVD +/RW drive, same 1TB hard drive, same screen resolution of 1600x900. If anything, the colors offered are different. Now, onto the laptop. If you're looking for a machine that can handle the lightwork of everyday activities or some more higher end things like HD video editing, then this is what you want. Netflix(a Windows 8 app) and all other sort of media look fantastic on it's beautiful 17" , 16:9 screen. Gotta love the extra keyboard real estate with it's separate number pad. Keyboard feedback is fantastic and very responsive, as is the the touchpad. Start up and shutdown are also substantially quicker compared to all the Windows 7 laptops in this category(obviously disregarding the Ultrabooks). True, this isn't as mobile as your standard 13" laptop, but once you open this thing up and power it on...you won't care. I highly recommend this laptop if you want a reliable machine that can take the lower to higher end of your computing needs. Lastly, no, this is NOT a good choice if you are looking to game on this with settings on HIGH and things turned up to 11 ,as the graphics card...just isn't up to par. It can handle things decently on low to mid level, but look elsewhere if you want some serious gaming and unleashing the games' full potential. Thanks for reading and let me know if you have ANY questions on a topic that I did or didn't answer and I'll be happy to help. Thanks again!

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I bought this computer last week and it is AMAZING! Wicked fast, no slow down with multiple programs running in the background. I'm even able to play a lot of games on the highest setting. Great buy!

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This Dell Inspiron 17" laptop computer has exceeded all my expectations for my requirements of a laptop computer and a work unit. Very well engineered and well built with a nice appearance. Well worth its low, economical price.

Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron i17R-1316sLV 17-Inch Laptop

I give it 5 stars based on ease of use, great screen resolution.

Although I would recommend using a wireless mouse since Windows 8 is really intended for touch screen. Once I installed the mouse it was fabulous experience.

There was not a lot of unwanted software and apps installed. Just the usual you'd expect from the manufacturer plus a few others.

Like the trial version of MCAfee was installed. I'm a Norton Guy and do like to have the choice of virus protection. But with MCAfee installed at first it did assist in getting set up online for registration and updates a lot less worrisome. Once all the updates were done I easily uninstalled MCAfee and installed my Norton.

So far so good.... there you have it ... 5 stars with the mouse I had to purchase. Without the mouse ... it would not be a very pleasant experience with Windows 8 unless it's a touch screen.

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I was a little nervous about Windows 8 but find that with some digging you can figure it out. for example i was confused about getting itunes on it since the website (Apple) showed it as downloaded when it wasn't. I had to do it from the "desktop" icon which looks just like windows 7.

I love the laptop itself. It's large, with a huge screen. I did have some trouble finding a case i liked. most stores only stock cases for laptops up to 16", not 17.3". But it's a great desktop replacement and I generally won't be travelling with it but I do want it to be portable because I do tend to move around a lot.

Samsung NP700Z5A-S03US 15.6-Inch Laptop Review

Customer Ratings:

Just received mine and finished going through setup. Not too much crapware installed. Nice option during setup to set partition sizes.

Out of the box Windows Experience Index: 5.9.

Processor: 7.5

RAM: 7.6

Graphics: 6.1

Gaming Graphics: 6.1

Hard disk: 5.9

I wish the arrow keys were a bit larger maybe 3/4 size (if not full size) instead of the 1/2 size that they are (on the other hand, I need to remember that the numeric keypad does double duty with full size navigation keys). I would have preferred to have power connection in the rear rather than the side.

Update Dec 13: The wifi antenna is giving me noticeably worse performance than my previous laptop. Working from the same chair, my 5 year old Dell D620 was getting link speeds of 36-48Mbps. This laptop is getting 5-18Mbps. Loss of 1 star.

Update Dec 14: There's no BREAK key on the keyboard! This forces you to use the mouse to enter/leave full screen remote desktop (instead of ctrl+alt+break). No ctrl+break either. The touchpad is taking some getting used to. It produces an audible click, but the force required to produce the audible is less than the force required for a mouse click to actually register with the OS need to see if that can be adjusted. The display has an ambient light sensor near the delete/home/end/page-up/page-down keys. Using those keys causes the display to dim. Disable the sensor via the easy settings apps.

Figured out the problem with the touchpad. It has a deadzone that is about 3/4" inch long by 1/2" tall. The deadzone is located on the left half of the bottom edge. The right-half works fine for right-click. Left-click is a bad experience. No clicks are ever registered in that zone even though the pad does make an audible click.

The external power supply isn't too large. But it makes a heck of a lot of noise even though it is on the floor underneath a table. I thought I was hearing clicking of disk drive head movement. Nope, the power supply makes a staticy-clicking sound whenever I alt+tab between windows. That sound is also made when using arrows keys to move up and down lists or when using the mouse to reposition scrollbars.

The bottom of the laptop is very smooth/slick. Keeps sliding around on my legs and requires that I apply downward force with my palms. I'll need to put some textured tape on the bottom.

Starting to regret this purchase...

Update Dec 15: The deadzone on the touchpad is getting smaller. But the lower right corner of the touchpad feels like it has gotten a flat tire. It is now noticeably lower than the rest of the touchpad and right-clicks are more difficult there as there is almost no travel left for clicks.

I now understand what the other reviewer wrote about jumpy cursor. The problem is due to the deadzone. When I do full left-right sweeps on the touchpad, it is very responsive except over the deadzone. Then the cursor hiccups it doesn't jump, it just stops moving, then starts moving again when my finger makes it to the other side of the deadzone.

I really want to like this machine (all the features are there and the form-factor is fantastic 1600x900 in a small 15 inches), but the wifi performance and touchpad durability/performance are killing it for me. Maybe this will also turn into a review of Samsung repair service.

Got AutoHotKey to map CapsLock to Break. Search for the "How to add a Pause/Break key to a keyboard that doesn't have one?" question at superuser com.

At every new user session, there are like 4 or 5 samsung apps (battery, easy settings, harddisk, ...) that require UAC elevation when you login if using a standard Windows account. Administrative accounts are only prompted 2 or 3 times. All of these apps are scheduled tasks that are triggered by login.

And the wifi performance still stinks.

Update Dec 17: I like the display and hardware (other than the wifi and the busted touchpad). I'll buy a new router to see if wifi performance improves. The touchpad will need repair, but I don't want to part with it quite yet. The dmhkcore.exe app that provides oem fn key functionality does not work properly with standard user accounts. It needs to be terminated and then restarted with admin privileges in order for fn+(f1, f2, f3 or f12) to work correctly (the other fn key combinations do work without admin privileges).

Update Dec 20: I got a new Netgear WNDR4000 dual-band N router (the old Linksys router did G). Wifi link speed improved but is still on average lower than my old laptop from my working position (read that as: the N performance of my new laptop is slightly lower than the G performance of my old laptop). If I move about 12 feet closer to the router, then I start to see what N is really about.

Update Dec 21: I checked out the B model that was on display at Best Buy. The touchpad is the same but that one did not have the deadzone that mine has. It does have a similar flat-tire right-click area.

Update Jan 6: check out the samsung forum over at notebookreview dot com.

Update Jan 18: This laptop does not support OpenGL running on the AMD graphics card. See the forum over at notebookreview. /samsung/630666-series-7-chronos-all-:models-push-samsung-implement-fixed-mode-bios-23.html#post8247924 and /samsung/630666-series-7-chronos-all-models-push-samsung-implement-fixed-mode-bios-23.html#post8248124

Update Feb 17: OpenGL issue is resolved with just released drivers. I removed the 4GB stick and replaced with 8GB now I have a total of 12GB. Nice.

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Our biggest concern before buying this Samsung Series 7 laptop was the horror stories relating to poor Wi-Fi performance for units equipped with the Broadcom Wi-Fi card.

But a family member wanted it and asked me to set it up. I have now had a chance to use it for the last 6 weeks.

Fortunately Wi-Fi turned out to be OK (details below).

This laptop is fast, quiet and runs cool. The matte anti-glare display is very pleasing and bright.

It is a pleasure to use, the backlit keyboard is a must, no more fumbling in the dark.

It's also great that it is equipped with a full size HDMI port for connecting to a TV etc. By the way, it switches automatically to the dedicated AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics board when plugging into the HDMI.

Two of the three USB ports are USB 3.0 (great for fast data transfer to external drives)

It has a very large TrackPad which obeys somewhat similar hand-gestures you may have become used to from smart phone displays. I am a mouse fan and turn the pad off because my thumbs rest on it when I type making the cursor jump all over.

This Series 7 SO3US model comes with Win 7 Pro and a factory recovery disk that allows you to do a clean install (nice touch and almost unheard of these days).

The -SO3US model may be the best value as compared to the other models -S0AUS, -S0BUS, -S04US, -S09US etc. because the S03 comes with the maximum 8GB RAM, 1GB of dedicated graphics memory and Win 7 Professional already installed (although one of the other models has 1TB HDD).

It has 8 GB of RAM and a 750 GB 7200 RPM HDD.

This Series 7 is faster than a typical PC equipped with HDD (Hard Disk Drive) because Samsung equipped the motherboard with an 8GB SSD (Solid State Drive) used for faster execution of programs and boot-up (as compared to a PC with HDD only).

The optical drive loads the DVD automatically when partly inserted into the slot (similar to a Mac). Push Fn and Delete simultaneously to eject (not mentioned in the Quick Start instructions).

I personally prefer the old fashioned mechanical tray-loader with a push button for opening. The disadvantage of the slot loader type is that it may not accept the small diameter CDs often containing drivers for accessories (I did not dare try).

But I guess it is a matter of preference because you may prefer to download drivers from the manufacturer(s) website which will ensure that you always get the latest/updated version.

WI-FI PERFORMANCE

As mentioned our biggest concern before buying was the horror stories relating to poor Wi-Fi performance of Samsung Series 7 laptops equipped with the Broadcom Wi-Fi card.

The first thing I did after opening the box was to test the Wi-Fi signal strength using inSSDer 2.1 (free software). A great tool, it will show you all the routers in your area including signal strength (and much more).

My hart almost stopped when comparing the 15" Series 7 with my own 17" Samsung RF711 S03US.

I could only see 3 routers on the 15" Series 7 whereas I could see at least 16 routers on the 17". Also the signal intensity measured in dB (decibel) was significantly stronger on the 17" (a smaller negative number indicates higher signal strength = closer to zero).

Any difference is significant as 3 dB increase represent a DOUBLING in strength.

I was ready to pack it up and send it back but decided to put it to the test using "LAN Speed Test" a highly effective program to map and troubleshoot transfer speeds in your network.

To my surprise the 15" with the Broadcom Wi-Fi board did better over "long" distances compared to the 17" with the Intel Wi-Fi board. As you will notice the 17" did better at short distances where the speed was 1.5 to 2 times higher but "relatively poorly" at longer distances.

In my opinion the 15" Samsung Series 7 with the Broadcom Wi-Fi card came out as the winner in these tests.

YOU CAN CLICK ON COMMENTS BELOW THIS REVIEW TO SEE THE ACTUAL TEST RESULTS.

SSD UPGRADE

The computer was fast in the factory configuration however if you desire EXTREME SPEED or longer battery life you can replace the original HDD with a SSD.

This is exactly what we did to this laptop and boy it's fast!

To find out how it's done click on this link .... Samsung 830 Series MZ-7PC512N/AM 512 GB 2.5 Inch SATA III MLC Internal SSD Laptop Kit with Norton Ghost 15 and search in the reviews for the heading: "NEED FOR SPEED! You got it... and without losing the factory F4 recovery option. HERE IS HOW!"

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS LAPTOP TO A FRIEND?

Absolutely, the factory configuration and performance is excellent. It is very thin, light and perfect for travel.

Only users that need to manipulate large graphics/video files or perhaps have been "spoiled" by SSD systems may want to consider a SSD upgrade. (This category will also want their computers connected via a wired network).

Some early versions of the Series 7 laptops that hit the market may have Wi-Fi issues (as reported in some early reviews and complaints all over the internet) however if you have problems, the first thing to do would be to verify that you have the latest drivers (I have added the Driver details and HOW TO DO THE TEST as a comment below this review).

Before this purchase, we compared a lot of different laptops and eventually ended up with this one over the Sony Series S VAIO laptop. The Sonys (in the store) were running so hot that the back was unpleasant to the touch.

A couple of important points

This 7 Series is up and running in TWO SECONDS from sleep mode and a reboot takes 22 seconds.

You only reboot once a week when you use the Fast Start feature (it will ask you once a week).

Also the backlit keyboard is fast and pleasant.

I hope this review can bring some facts to the table regarding the ongoing Intel/Broadcom Wi-Fi discussion and also help you find the right laptop.

Best Deals for Samsung NP700Z5A-S03US 15.6-Inch Laptop

I've used Desktop PCs for as long as I could remember and this is the first laptop I've ever purchased. However I did tons of research before I purchased this machine. So as a new laptop user, I just want to say I'm pleased I made the change to mobile computing.

The laptop has a lot pros, but it also has some cons that really stand out. The hardware itself is solid. Aluminum build with a clean brushed look on top. The keyboard is very easy to type on, but the edge of the laptop is sharp and it digs into your wrist while your typing. It's more than a minor annoyance. You'll find yourself lifting your wrist off (mainly your right wrist) to see the marks the edge leaves behind. I'm not going to lie, the edge is sharp enough to put in some pain. I suggest wearing a wrist band while typing.

Another issue that bugged me a little bit was the video graphics. If you don't optimize the graphics to play videos off the web, such as Facebook videos, the video itself will get scrambled. It will continue to play, as you'll still hear the audio, but the video will be glitched. And it just won't happen once. It will continue to happen until you go into the Catalyst Control Center and deal with the issue.

Seeing that I'm coming from a desktop PC, I really don't have much to compare the battery life to. But from using the computer for over 6 hours continuously, with WiFi on, I can say that it's sufficient enough to get you through a full day's worth of work.

The backlit keyboard is beautiful, and the display is straight up gorgeous. The "max screen" technology they added to the display really helps it stand out among other laptops. The viewing angles, however could have been a little better.

For the price of the laptop, I wish a BluRay player added instead of a DVD writer. But in the end, you'll be trading the BluRay for the newest i7 quad core processor, and a top the line graphics card. So in my opinion it evens out. Besides, who uses physical discs for anything anymore? :P

I haven't played any games on this yet so I really can't say much about the graphics itself.

Pros

Backlit keyboard

Fast start up from cold start or sleep

Sleek look

NumPad

Slot load Disc Drive instead of Tray Load

Long Battery Life

Cons

Edge of laptop digs into wrist, leaving marks

Graphics aren't set up out of the box

No BluRay Drive

Jumpy mouse

I would Recommend this item to others.

Honest reviews on Samsung NP700Z5A-S03US 15.6-Inch Laptop

There is a common issue with the space key on this laptop in that pressing it on the edge will often not register even if you press really hard. This is incredibly irritating for a touch typist, but today I solved the problem on my laptop! So if you have the same issue see my video on the quick fix over at . Basically you just need to stick a square of paper between the space bar and its pressure sensor.

Also note that this S03US version is functionally exactly the same as the S01US version, with the only difference being that the first 4GB of RAM is permanently attached to the motherboard on the S03US. The S02US and S04US are likewise functionally identical. The Best Buy version (I don't know the product code) is completely different though. I have no idea why anyone would buy that one.

Among the positives for this laptop are its speedy CPU and GPU, readable resolution on the bright non-reflective 15" display, light weight, stylish form factor, really superb battery life, a great backlit keyboard (once the space key problem is resolved), and a good amount of RAM and hard drive storage.

Because the positives are so great I am giving this laptop 5 stars even though it has several negatives.

First, the space key issue. This is a quality control issue that should have never occurred, and I hope Samsung will send new space bar keys to all the people who bought this laptop. But until then, you can try the quick fix I referenced above.

The choice of DVD instead of blu-ray is odd and perplexing. However, I so rarely use even the DVD and to be honest I would probably never use blu-ray if it were included, so as strange as it is that the feature is missing, I don't mind.

I am not pleased with the choice of the broadcom wifi, which does not support 5ghz wifi. I have opened up this laptop, which is very easy (close the LCD, flip it over, remove the ten screws on bottom, then flip it back over, open the LCD and gently pry the case shell loose along the edges and then close the LCD and flip it over again and gently pull the bottom off), and replacing the broadcom wifi adapter with the Intel 6230 part should be very easy [SEE EDIT BELOW]. There are only 2 antenna wires, so getting the 3 antenna version would be pointless. Also, be sure to get the one with bluetooth if you try this, otherwise you will lose bluetooth since it is provided by the broadcom wifi adapter.

The webcam camera does not work well in low light. Meh. Turn on a light, I guess.

I use the touch pad as little as possible and prefer to use a mouse. It seems to work alright for me when I need it, but I sometimes disable it while typing so I can rest my palms while typing.

Overall the negatives are not a big deal for me.

Edit Dec-2012: It is indeed very easy to replace the broadcom wifi/bluetooth adapter with the Intel 6230 part. Do NOT get the newer Intel 6235 part as it WILL NOT WORK, as I discovered. Some people have also reported issues with getting the 6230 to work, but the trick is to uninstall all Broadcom software related to the wifi/bluetooth BEFORE installing the 6230. This very importantly includes the WIDCOMM Bluetooth SOftware software. You should also download the Intel drivers for the 6230, and install them after you have removed the Broadcom software. Then open up the laptop and swap the parts and reboot. Your mileage may vary, but it worked for me.

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I can tell you right now, this computer is poorly designed and poorly serviced. My laptop has already been back to Samsung THREE TIMES!! The space bar has never worked right! I type with my hands in an upright position and usually only tap the outside edges of the space bar. If you do not hit the space bar within 1 inch of exact center, IT DOESN'T WORK!

The first time I sent my Laptop back it was due to HD failure.

The second time was because the DVD drive was grinding and failing

This time my Video card went out..

SAMSUNG'S RESPONSE: Samsung would like to provide you with an exchange offer of Model: NP700Z5C-S02US.

Based on the features and specifications of your original unit Samsung feels that this is the most comparable unit based on our inventory.

THIS IS A DOWNGRADE!!!

I offered to pay the difference to let me upgrade to a newer version. Their answer was: NO how about a refund??

The worst part is.. I wanted to love this computer, it was my first laptop purchase in years.

If you care at all about your sanity, do everything you can to avoid buying this computer and supporting this company.

Reviews of HP Pavilion DV6-6112NR Notebook Pc

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I have had my share of desktop computers, and I used to hate laptops, mostly because of their not so finger friendly and sluggish little mouse pads. Well, I stand corrected. I have only had this wonderful little laptop for a couple of days, and it has converted me from a laptop hater to a laptop lover. Where can i start?? The mouse area is super responsive, the quad core i5 processor is so fast, that I almost think it reacts before I finish typing, The

Audio is quite good for laptop speakers, and The security measures are a welcomed sight. I plan on beefing up this already great machine by adding some more ram memory, and maybe a Usb sound care later on. I am glad to obtain a laptop with windows 7, and not the bug infested windows8 before they disappear. V. Godfrey

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Apple iBook Laptop! 14" Screen G4 iBook 1.42 GHz Processor, 1GB Review

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I am happy with this computer. I had trouble with some keys not working when I first got it. The keyboard was swapped out and everything was fine. A few days ago I started having trouble when I used the right shift key. Using that shift key caused everything I just typed to disappear. I have been using the left shift key instead and all is well. I will contact the seller for "help" but have not done so yet. The seller has been very cooperative about helping me get used to my new computer and replacing the faulty keyboard. I am just outside the one month warrantee that comes with a refurbished computer. I hope the seller will be able to solve the right shift key malady. I thought getting an Apple laptop for under $400 was reasonable price. I don't know if keyboard problems are common for laptops or if I am just unlucky.

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Mac was delivered over 10 past the last day it was promised. The box was destroyed that it was sent in. When I tried to use the Mac the operating system wasn't installed properly resulting in the WiFi not working. Most of the promised applications wouldn't work because of that. After repeated attempts to resolve this with seller and being absolutely abused by them I ended up having to file an A to Z claim with Amazon. I would never, never, never consider purchasing something from ClasMac EVER again, even if they were giving it away for free! Please take this review very seriously and give them wide berth and save your self lots of frustration, abuse and time. They have another very bad review that they tried to convince me was the purchaser and not them, hmmmm.....

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I Have owned a I book g4 14.1' 60GB For quite some time now. And it preforms very well for all user applications. The shipping was fast thanks to DR Bargains. I currently own one and I'm very Happy with it. I would definitely buy this laptop again. Thank you apple!

Honest reviews on Apple iBook Laptop! 14" Screen G4 iBook 1.42 GHz Processor, 1GB

We bought this for my mother, for Christmas. I am not a Mac user. But, she is coming along. It would've been nice if it had a NEW outer casing. It looked slightly used. But, so far, so good.

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I am always skeptical when purchasing "refurbished" electronic equipment; especially computers. However, I am absolutely please with the quality of both purchases (that's right i came back for a 2nd). Additionally, the vendor was very prompt in replying to my emails regarding set up questions.

Without question i would/will use them for all my refurbished computers in the future and would encourage others to do the same.

Jeff from Texas

Buy Sony VAIO Pro SVP11213CXB 11.6-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Customer Ratings:

The form-factor is great, the screen is very impressive and the overall experience is good. There are quite a few 'buts' however... While, perhaps ironically, the fan noise is fine at high speeds, at slow speeds it's just annoying. In a quiet environment you can hear a constant 'rattle' or 'whir' that changes frequency depending on the fan speed. Initially I thought I had a defective model, but I've heard from others that they noticed the same thing. This is hard to forgive as its main competitor the MacBook Air is dead silent at low fan speeds. This was the biggest disappointment by far for me, and it's a constant reminder I perhaps should've gone for the Air instead.

The other issues are currently being fixed with driver updates, but with the standard set of software / drivers I had the following experience:

It would not always go to sleep when closing the lid

When it wakes up from sleep the WiFi doesn't work anymore, and it blue-screens Windows 8 when you fiddle with it

The touch-pad is flaky at times and does not respond to taps

It would take up to 20 seconds before it would restart or shut-down. The start-up time is amazing at almost instant, but I've gotten annoyed with having to wait for it to shutdown or restart.

Even though I've set it to not adjust the brightness automatically, it would continue to continuously adjust brightness

I've re-installed Windows 8 and cherry-picked drivers / software and it seems to do much better now. The latest versions of drivers fix a lot of issues, and some of the bugs are to be expected with a brand new machine, so it's definitely not a major fault.

Because the hardware is so new, Linux is somewhat of a challenge to install (you need a 3.10+ kernel, custom patches from Intel to get the 7260 WiFi chip going and a kernel hack to get the CPU frequency scaling to work correctly,) but the experience is excellent in Linux. I'd say it was better than Windows 8 out of the box.

If it weren't for the fan noise, I'd recommend this little machine in a heartbeat. As it stands, it's a great attempt from Sony, but it falls short for me on a few things (noise and stability).

Update (7/29/2013):

I've been using it for a few weeks now and have taken it with me on travel abroad. In noisier environments (airports, offices, etc) you really never notice the fan noise, it doesn't get very hot and it actually works really well on a plane. While people next to me had to assume yoga positions to still see their screen when the person in front of them reclined their seat, I could comfortably fit it still on the tray-table. Additionally, it feels faster than the Thinkpad T410 from work and I can use it as a software development laptop.

I still stand by my complaints however. In a silent environment the fan noise is annoying, even at the lowest speed and I've caught myself lowering the resolution at times to reduce some eye-strain as the text is tiny at the standard screen resolution. So if you're considering this because of the higher resolution... also consider the downside. And finally, the WiFi still seems to have issues as it drops once in a while.

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Let me start by saying that this Ultrabook was exactly what I expected when I opened the boxed, but shortly after using it the disappointment started to sit in. I bought this item in search of a fast mobile device that I could use on the go without sacrificing performance. Well for starters the Wifi connection kept disconnecting when I would switch between apps. I contacted Sony and they assisted with updating the Wifi Driver and claim that it was an known issue from Intel not Sony. The next issue that made me return this item was after I did a recommended upgrade, the mouse track pad stopped working. I haven't contacted Sony about this issue, I have chosen to return the item since I've had it for less than 2 weeks and who knows what other issues will pop up. I really wanted to like this product but will wait until Sony have worked out their kinks.

Best Deals for Sony VAIO Pro SVP11213CXB 11.6-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Let me try and address some of the negative comments:

1. WiFiAdmittedly there are some intermittent wifi issues... but I'm talking maybe once a day...not every 5 minutes. With heavy use maybe twice. And all I have to do is disconnect and reconnect and I'm good to go for hours. More importantly, Sony is aware and they have been delivering new wifi driver updates about once a week. The last one may even have fixed the issue. Have not had enough time to tell for sure.

2. Fan noiseNo idea what people are talking about...have not noticed anything unusual.

3. Customer serviceamazing! First night I brought it home I had some difficulty with the software updates. They had to be run manually. Called Sony around 10 at night and they stayed with me throughout the process and got everything up to speed. You will find that there are a number of updates available when you bring this baby home. Have called a couple more times and always get great service.

Now for the amazing parts. Light as a feather! I can't believe how much I love the weight of this thing. I just carry it all over the apartment...my ipad never gets opened anymore.

The battery!! The internal battery lasts a good 6-7 hours of normal use. I brought it to a Drupal conference and it lasted from 9AM until about 3:30PM. Still had 17% left but I plugged in at that point. And I was in intensive training sessions with the laptop working the whole time except for lunch. BUT even better...I bought the extended battery...once you get the hang of it very easy to attach and detach... battery life is about 15 hours!!!! I went three days without plugging in!

Those two features alone are just about orgasmic:)

Windows 8I tend to love new apps , so I'm enjoying it. Google Tips and Tricks for Windows 8 and you will find a load of fun shortcuts and features.

So... I was warned...don't buy a Sony... but I am so glad I did. I absolutely love this laptop.

UPDATE OCTOBER 2013: As much as I love the weight, the battery life and I do love windows 8... Sony is not a good company to get involved with. I never got rid of the wifi issues and then this happened!!

I tried updating to windows 8.1. I followed all the instructions and then did the update. It seemed okay but wifi was worse. I called support. They told me there were all these other drivers I needed to add before I could update and I would need to do a full factory reset. I balked. Called the Sony store. They said dont worry...bring it in we can fix it. By this time I was getting all kinds of buggy behavior.

Went to the store... the guy was totally matter of fact and din't really give a hoot. Did a malaware scan. Found a little potential issue...no big deal. Told me he would have to do a factory reset etc and that it would cost $200!!! Still under warranty but this was "software" even though it was the damn operating system. I said never mind. But please order me the free dongle that improves wifi. He said okay. Put in the order.

Came back with the paperwork, I signed it. AND then he said...oh btw... we have to keep your computer until the dongle gets delivered. Then you can come retrieve your computer. I said no way... screw you ...took my computer and went home.

The computer works ...the few issues have disappeared for the moment. If they come back I'll do the reinstall myself. But I will never buy another Sony!!!!

Update 10/27: Okay...I am over my snit. Removing one star for aggravation. But I finally got the dongle and I get no more wifi issues. The windows 8.1 upgrade worked out fine. I simply ran into a couple of really bad support people. But I have also had some great support. If you suspect the person you are talking to doesn't get it...call back and get someone else. And whatever you do... don't listen if they tell you that you have to reset to factory defaults.

It's a remarkable machine... light as a feather... super long battery life ... and now that I have the external wifi adapter (tiny...like a wireless mouse plug)... my wifi works great. But you may have to push a bit to get things up to speed. Make sure to do all the updates before upgrading to windows 8.1.

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Pro SVP11213CXB 11.6-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook

I question the validity of earlier poor comments regarding wifi. This laptop hooked right up to my wireless network, even before I installed the updated driver and runs very well. It runs quiet and is nice and cool, with no fan noise. The battery also appears to hold up well and does not need frequent charging unless the laptop is run for over 6 hours.

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I bought this computer as a travel companion for long trips, as I was tired of lugging around my 17inch brick of a laptop. This computer is so light in my bag that I often have to double check that I actually am carrying it! This is by far the most portable computer I have ever owned.

In terms of computing power, it has been more than sufficient for browsing, document writing, and even some light gaming (the HD4400 is impressive for an integrated mobile chip, even at 1080p). The screen is amazing, the pixel and color definition are stunning, and the HDMI output makes this a great portable entertainment machine. The touch interface adds some fluidity to Windows 8, and is responsive and convenient.

Any issues I encountered were fixed by using Sony's driver update utility. The fan noise is present as stated in other reviews, but unless you are computing in a silent room it is not noticeable. Sony's included utilities for recovery and assistance are excellent.

Storage and memory are fixed, so before you take the plunge, make sure the 256/8GB option isn't for you. The SD card slot allows for quick expansion, but that is not as stable as an option as an overall larger drive.

Pros:

-Lightweight

-Impressive screen

-HDMI output

-Enough power for everyday computing

Cons:

-Storage Limitations

Buy Toshiba Satellite S875-S7356 17.3-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $749.99
Sale Price: $649.99
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

Great screen resolution, and the built in software that makes older DVDs look better actually works. Energy saver cuts in automatically if you leave the screen open and forget about it. The keyboard feels great, it's just like a full size desk top KB. The two button cursor pad reacts quickly and is easy to use with one hand. It is set up as an on line entertainment PC, so if you want to use it for work, about half the software on the computer is completely useless. Windows 8 comes with a start page, which is just an extra step to get where you want to be. It is obviously designed for internet touch screen devices and it's a useless addition for a device without a touch screen, but that's more a comment about W8 than about this computer. It's plug and play with everything I connected to it so far, so no installation CDs required for any of my devices. Logged on to the internet and it immediately registered Windows and was ready to go. Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 is just as bad as all the previous versions, so I replaced it with the latest version of Firefox. A lot of software on there either expires in 30 days or you have to sign up immediately to use, which is pretty much what you get on every computer, unlike the good old days when you got free full versions of things like MS Word, complete with install disk, which I just installed on this computer and it works just fine, so I don't have to pay Microsoft for new versions of the same old software! For work use, the speed and memory are more than sufficient, but I just spent a few hours playing the free Penguins game on it, and it only stalled once, I don't know why maybe because I touched the pad with two fingers and it was confused. Only had it a week, but no problems yet.

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When I received this I was having problems from the start with connecting to my mobile hotspot. My old computer there was no problems. So the first call they blamed it on interface problems with Windows 8, after asking my Grandson to attempt to hook up with his Dell/Windows 8, he had no problems connecting to my hotspot. So I returned the call and I was given a royal run around. They said they could fix my problem if I purchased a additional $149. level 3 tech assist package. After spending almost 2 hours on the phone with them trying to resolve my problem, one hour with my Son who is a network engineer I finally gave up and returned the computer.

Why should I have to pay $149. to get a new out of the box computer to work? Only plus with this transaction was Amazon's return policy! In addition, the call center is in the Phillipines and the accents are so profound that it's almost impossible to understand.

Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite S875-S7356 17.3-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed

I only wish this came with Windows Vista! I know that many might like Win 8, but the software I use in my business cannot run on it. I'm at a standstill untill I can get Win 8 offand transfer old files via Vista. Not Toshiba or Microsoft's fault, but would be AWESOME if buyers could choose which OS was to be loaded on their purchase.

Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite S875-S7356 17.3-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed

Love everything about the laptop BUT not thrilled with Windows 8. Should have a classic view setup, so you can get around quicker.

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it took me a while to figure out windows 8 but since I have I like the computer. I thought it was the computer but it was me who had to learn something new.

Discount Acer 15.6" Laptop 6GB 750GB | V5-571P-6815

Customer Ratings:

Quick shipping, excellent product and by far the best pricing I could find--this was a great purchase. I would definitely recommend to others!

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Super computer for a great price! This is a great entry-level laptop with touchscreen capabilities. Perfect for basic, general use. No issues thus far.

Buy Acer eMachines E525-2200 Notebook PC - 15.6" LCD / Intel Celeron

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for a fairly inexpensive laptop and came across this one. Originally I had seen it on ebay, but it was more expensive, so I checked Amazon. The laptop has an older processor, but I don't see any difference in the speed compared to a much more expensive and newer laptop that my husband just bought that has the newest processor out. The only con to this laptop is that there is no built in webcam, but its an easy fix. Just would have been nice if it was built in. Other than that, I love it. It works great and the design is awesome. I would highly recommend this to any person looking to purchase it for enjoyment. (I.E. surfing the web, downloading music, print pictures, etc.)

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I purchased this computer a couple of weeks ago and I have to honestly say that I love the hell out of this thing ! It was a great deal, perfect size ( larger than your normal notebooks) and has everything you need on it ! I also purchased a nice router to go along with it. It is fast, clear, nice size screen, great resolution, battery life is about five hours.. I am very, very pleased with this computer !!!

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Not a ton of features, but has a fast enough processor for web surfing and MS Office. Goes to sleep and comes back to life quickly with Windows 7. Good alternative to a netbook that has a micro-sized screen. I also have the Acer version (straight Acer brand, not Acer eMachines) and it is almost identical to this laptop, but has an AMD processor. I think this processor feels a little faster. Just wish the processor was a dual-core. Also beware that the screen resolution only has a height of 768, which by today's standards is a little short. But for the money, you can't beat it.

Honest reviews on Acer eMachines E525-2200 Notebook PC - 15.6" LCD / Intel Celeron

I bought mine for about $300 and so far its been a great laptop. My 4 year old watches DVDs on it and cartoons off youtube and its great for surfing the web. It has done everything I have asked it to do and is actually faster than my desktop with a dual core processor. Ive pretty much put away the desktop. It starts right up and shuts down in the blink of an eye as well. My only problem is with the touch pad which seems finicky but I hear theres a fix for that...Im just too lazy to try. This was an excellent value, it does more than a netbook will and at about the same cost. If you just need a basic setup then this is it.

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Just got this today. As a test for the processor and ram I downloaded Wow. It runs at about 23 fps. Which is better than the desktop I had that had an AMD processor. It is a new experience working on Windows 7. It is pretty nice, but will take a little bit to get used too. Over all very satified at the moment.

Dell Inspiron i15RN-3647BK 15-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

If you're looking for a computer worth its weight then search no further because this amazing machine will give you everything you've ever wanted and more. The processor is extremely fast for a 64-bit based system. It comes equipped with plenty of goodies such as Windows 7 Premium, Dell Integrated Webcam software, and McAfee Antivirus to name just a few. I've owned this unit for over a year and it has withstood the test of time. Plus the battery life on it is just as good now then it was the day I bought it. In conclusion, I would recommend this product without a doubt.

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This laptop has everything I wanted. For a 15" screen, it seems huge, and it's very bright. The chiclet keyboard suits my imperfect typing skills perfectly. Although the touchpad is easy to use, I purchased a wireless external mouse which works great. There are plenty of ports, and the DVD drive has come in handy, with the premium sound. I haven't tried Skype yet, but it's nice to know I have it. I use the laptop primarily for email/internet, and creating documents and flyers for work, and I couldn't be happier. Highly recommended.

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This laptop offers a good product for a good price. I am using for a month and I don't have any complaint. I recommend!

Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron i15RN-3647BK 15-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)

No matter what the CPU speed is the bottleneck with most laptops is the slow hard drive, but here is how you can make it faster by switching to SSD:

First I used a 20 dollar software called "Paragon Migrate OS to SSD" to move Windows 7 from the hard drive to a Crucial 128GB SSD.

Then I followed DELL's very clear disassembly instructions on the web, took apart the laptop and swap out the slow 5400 rpm hard drive and put in the 128GB SSD.

Memory is cheap nowadays, so I also double the memory to 8 GB (4GB x 2).

Now I have a laptop with 128GB SSD and 8GB of memory. Buying a similar computer from DELL would have cost me about 1000 dollar.

DIY upgrade saved me a lot of money and turned this slow computer into a speedy machine.

I plan to use the leftover hard drive as an external backup, the leftover memory chips I will sell on ebay. Nothing is wasted.

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I love my new laptop. I find many new option. The 3 new USB 3.0 ports, the web cam and the bluethoot make this laptop a excellent choice for a good price. I recommended !!!

Reviews of 444623U - Lenovo 3000 G530 Notebook Intel Pentium Dual-core T3400

Customer Ratings:

I have purchased this laptop a little over a month now and it is definitely a great buy. The only issue I have with it is I have to wipe off my finger prints regularly because of the quality of its exterior but that is a minor matter. When I first bought this laptop, I thought I would not have been able to do video editing on it because of the limited video graphics but I have been using a video editing program by Magix and it works flawlessly. However, I have been having some trouble with vista recognizing drivers for an audio interface that I have been trying to use with this laptop . For the price of this laptop, this is real deal. Amazon.com had my purchase shipped to Trinidad in a less than a week with no problems. Great service.

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This happens 2 b my 7th computer purchase but it sure wasn't a lucky one

This is the biggest piece of junk I ever bought & I'm stuck with it. There is NO customer service No help of any kind & the paper the warrenty is wriiten on will serve me better in the area of my toilet. I honestly never sen any computer do this b 4; but whenever it fells like it it spins the screen like ur looking at a slot machine in action and when it stops nobody knows. How aggrivating this can b at criticle times. I had thought of giving it to Goodwill And then from this lesson learned go back t an HP; but I then think of how cruel I would b 2 the next person who received it.Then again it's probably only mine that has ever had this problem; the question is do you want 2 take the chance because u will learn there is no recoures once you hand over your hard earned money it's alll yours for better or worse. Just trying to make you aware of the pitfalls at my expense..Wolf

Best Deals for 444623U - Lenovo 3000 G530 Notebook Intel Pentium Dual-core T3400

Purchased this laptop for my cousin and she says it still works great after one year.

Honest reviews on 444623U - Lenovo 3000 G530 Notebook Intel Pentium Dual-core T3400

Very good for the price, but the picture does not so you the machine you will get. The colour of it is actually mantle black and not silver and black.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for 444623U - Lenovo 3000 G530 Notebook Intel Pentium Dual-core T3400

Had this laptop for around 7 months now and very pleased with it. Its fast, works flawless, and got everything I want. DVR, camera, etc etc bonus. The only issue I have is its a bit heavy...around 7 pounds. Had to call customer service and they were excellent. I also bought the additional accidental coverage for 3 years. I am very happy with the graphics card, the speed at which the system runs, good quality keyboard and parts. Good job.

Buy Gateway MT6707 15.4" Widescreen Notebook PC

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this item, and when I received it the battery does not charge. I have other battery's of same type from my last computer of same model. It did not come with a windows disk???

I called the # on the package it came shipped in and the person never called me back.

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Light, yes. But it being widescreen makes it a little "bigger" to carry, although it still fits in a standard backpack. After about a year and a half of this the fan started to weaken and now I can hear it run (it's pretty loud). Overall, not bad, but I wish the fan wasn't dying on me.

Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5230 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this computer from a big box store at a price point lower than is being offered here, so I will base my review on the lower price point. If I had paid the full retail that is listed here, I may have a different take on this computer...

First off, this computer is not a powerhouse. It is however substantially faster than My old computer (an original hp mini 1030nr) First off, I am nothing but impressed with the video playback of this computer. HD youtube videos play with no loss of frames, as do local hd videos (please note that this is a new cpu and hardware video acceleration is some what limited at this time, to make full use of hardware decoding you have to use windows media player or media player classic VLC does not play nice yet) The screen is bright and crisp, and it is a decent resolution (1366x768) The back light is even across the screen and overall the picture quality is excellent. The build quality of the whole laptop is good. This does not feel like a cheep budget laptop. The processor may not be great, however, it is perfectly suited for most daily tasks. Being a duel core processor, it is up to the task of multitasking. I have yet to bog it down, though I have honestly not pushed it yet. None the less, It handles an instant messenger, music, video, and the internet all at once with out missing a beat. Another nice thing about this computer is that unlike most similarly priced computers (mostly netbooks) this computer has a built in 8x dvd burner.

Now for some things I do not like about this laptop. First on my list is the lack of USB ports. Seriously Toshiba, only 2 usb port? This is 2011 not 1998! Another point of contention is the horrible mess of crap that comes pre-installed on this computer. Shame on you again Toshiba :( It took about 2 hours to remove all the bloatware on this computer. Yet another thing that bothers me is the flaky on screen display for the fn keys. It works about 50% of the time. Lastly, the cpu is a major bottle neck for the video card in this laptop. If paired with a faster processor, this laptop would be much much faster, and capable of moderate gaming. I get the feeling that the c-50 processor/gpu combo is intentionally crippled so as not to compete with amd's other offerings. I can only hope that the overclockers figure out how to unlock this cpu.

Overall this is a well made computer, and I would recommend it for some one who is looking for a budget computer that is capable of a full web experience including streaming hd video content. It is also more than up to the challenge of most computing except for gaming (though it will play older games often on high settings. I would also not want to use this computer for video editing or other cpu intensive applications. At nearly four hundred dollars, I feel you could do better, but at three fifty (the price I payed at a box store) you cant go wrong.

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I have had this laptop for a few weeks now, it was easy to order and was shipped very quickly! I only needed something to get access to the internet, watch movies & listen to music and this laptop handles that well my only grumble is the speaker volume, when everything is turned right up it is still fairly quiet especially for watching movies with more than one or two people. All up a great buy & has done everything I need with ease!

Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5230 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

I previously had a Toshiba. After several years, it finally died. With newer technology available I did a lot of comparison shopping before making a new purchase. Even with looking at more expensive laptops, I still came back to Toshiba. It is definitely a great value.

Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5230 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

I ordered this laptop cause i needed it for downloading movies, music, pictures etc, emails & skype & web surfing etc. the cover is a fingerprint magnet but i could care less, the keyboard is fullsize, it has built in mic & cam, it has a touchpad it plays dvds. its just good for a regular joe, for a computer guru this may not be for them because they most likely go for expensive brands such as a mac but this toshiba laptop does everything you need it to do & my wireless mouse works great with it but i use the touchpad anyway. great for the price & if you wanna save big bucks but still have an excellent laptop then this is for you but if you wanna spend a whole lot of money then it's up to you.

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Nothing fancy at all but it gets what you need done and for the price tht your paying you really cant complain. I would reccomend this to anyone who needs to do a bit of school work online and some basic web surfing. I havent used any of the video editing software and I doubt I ever will but I do however, get online and use mostly wireless connections. It picks up my wifi signals almost immediately and there have been times where other ppl cant get online but somehow Im still able to. Im currently deployed to iraq and it takes a pretty good beating and still boots up no problem. I wouldnt say its indestructable but I do bang it around sometimes and take it from one place to another in my assult pack and it still never lets me down. The down side to owning this pc is definetly the poor audio speakers but since I almost always use headphones bc I have a roomate so it really doesnt matter to me. Be sure to take out the time to remove all the crap tht comes with toshiba from the memory, I honestly dont understand why it comes with so much junk but alot of it isnt needed I love music so any free memory I can spare is a must for me. I went out and got myself an external to DL bigger files and to back up the system but Im still kinda greedy....lol. If you're greedy too then please do remove the bloatware. Overall not a bad piece of equipment, its a bargain and I dont regret buying it :)

Sony VAIO VPC-EB47GM/BJ 15.5" Notebook (2.66GHz Intel Core i5-480M Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This laptop was purchased as a multi media tool for capturing and editing video. The speakers are the very worst that I have ever owned in a laptop. Volume is very low and fidelity is non-existant. I have three other laptops, including a Gateway net book that have on-board sound far superior to the Sony. I was also unhappy with the media card slot. It will not hold a card firmly enough to maintain a reliable contact. For me those are major drawbacks, because of the intended use of the machine. Other than that, the computer is fast and reliable although pricey.

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This is a great laptop. It could do everything I wanted it to from playing games, surfing the web, anything. Although the speakers where not very good, but I always have headphones so It wasn't a big deal for me. It's fast which I love being a impatient person and the start up for me took around a minute. This was a amazing buy and I suggest it for anytone that is just getting a laptop for the first time.

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The laptop was in good condition, so in short, i like it..I use it now, so there is nothing wrong, everything is operating good.