This laptop does not come with ram, hard drive, or cpu. It uses a G2 socket cpu and sandy bridge seems to work just fine. If your WIFI doesn't seem to work i recommend switching the two wires. Mine came with the wifi already installed but the cables were backwards.
Cons:
Some of the materials seem to be cheap
It does not come with ram, hhd, OS, or cpu
Computer gets hot when pushing the graphics card
Pros:
The computer is very cheap
The Graphics card is amazing
The screen is 1080p resolution.
Overall the laptop is a bargain considering the powerful graphics card it comes with. I recommend this laptop to anyone who has opened up their laptop in the past and knows the parts. Very easy installation getting the missing parts would be the hard part. I used a preowned Intel Mobile Core i7 i7-2630QM for cpu.
Showing posts with label what is a good laptop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what is a good laptop. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Buy Sony VAIO Pro SVP11213CXB 11.6-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
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.
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.
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
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.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
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.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Pro SVP11213CXB 11.6-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
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
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Best Dell Latitude D620 Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz 1GB 60GB DVD±RW 14.1" XP Deals
This is a fairly good laptop which runs smoothly on Windows XP. However, the display clock and date does not update automatically. It stays on the last date and time the laptop was used. If you want it to keep an accurate time and date you have to reset the time each time you boot the laptop. Also, the speaker ceases occasionally and if you must enjoy the sound you need to short down and re-start the laptop again. It stays permanently on the dining table where the whole family uses it for all sorts of things, read emails, play You Tube Clips, do home work, etc. On a general note, the machine gives value for the cheap price paid for it.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Landel MailBug Email Appliance (LT-302W) Reviews
I have used the mailbug for the past 11 months, have bought 9 for family members and find the mailbug an unbeliveable tool for me at home. It sits in my kitchen and my wife and daughter use it daily.
My father is literally on the mailbug 5 times a day sending email, checking his stock and being a news buff, checking on the latest political happenings.
I strongly recommend this product for ANYONE that wants easy access to email and news, stocks, entertainment and weather.
GREAT product !
It's been a tremendous success! She loves it, and emails people all the time. I tried it and it's got great usability, the keyboard is very comfortable (standard-sized), easy-to-read screen. This is really for non-computer people who are comfortable being limited to text emails. It has very limited internet functionality (current weather, sports results, etc, all text-based). Anyone who likes to browse the internet or read/send email attachments should not rely on this device. However, as a text-message communication device, it's perfect. My mother has now owned it for 7 months and it has been running solidly the whole time.
My father is literally on the mailbug 5 times a day sending email, checking his stock and being a news buff, checking on the latest political happenings.
I strongly recommend this product for ANYONE that wants easy access to email and news, stocks, entertainment and weather.
GREAT product !
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
My wife was always uncomfortable with my computer, but now she emails a lot with this nifty device. It sits on our kitchen counter. The use of the keyboard is not cramped like some of the other email appliances. The combination of Caller ID and email is godsend for my wife. The only minus is that we are unable to find a cover for the mailbug appliance. FIVE STARS!!!!Best Deals for Landel MailBug Email Appliance (LT-302W)
I bought this device for my mother, who not only is not a computer person, but is also a techno-phobe (she still prefers old-fashioned 'round dial' phones!). However, I thought this would be a good way for her to keep in touch with people.It's been a tremendous success! She loves it, and emails people all the time. I tried it and it's got great usability, the keyboard is very comfortable (standard-sized), easy-to-read screen. This is really for non-computer people who are comfortable being limited to text emails. It has very limited internet functionality (current weather, sports results, etc, all text-based). Anyone who likes to browse the internet or read/send email attachments should not rely on this device. However, as a text-message communication device, it's perfect. My mother has now owned it for 7 months and it has been running solidly the whole time.
Honest reviews on Landel MailBug Email Appliance (LT-302W)
We purchased this for my 80+ year old mother-in-law who has no computer experience thinking it would be simple to use and practicle for sending messages to 4 5 family members around the USA. It was fine for about two weeks then the email account was inundated with SPAM. Mother-in-law could not cope with this and the service provider has NO SPAM filter nor any solution for the problem. We cancelled the email account and removed the appliance from mother-in-law's residence.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Landel MailBug Email Appliance (LT-302W)
My wife's been using this little device for close to a year. It is what it says e-mail only. And that means no HTML, no attachments, no graphics, just text. It's very easy to set-up and use. My only complaint (because I had low expectations) is that you cannot set the automatic mail checking interval it is set at about every 3 hours. One nice extra, though we've got voice mail on our home line and the MailBug detects the odd dial-tone and indicates messages waiting. NOTE: The reason I'm even here writing this is because I'm trying to find the seller Landel or the service provider MailBug.com to re-subscribe. I CANNOT FIND WEB SITES FOR EITHER COMPANY. So, unless that's a temporary problem and you do find them, beware. MEP
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14" Core i5 500GB Notebook
Great little laptop that does most things well. It's not going to be a good gaming laptop due to the relatively underpowered integrated Intel 3D graphics, somewhat slow HDD, and small screen, but for general web surfing, streaming video playback, "light" gaming (i.e. Flash games), non-intensive photo editing (Photoshop Elements), and drawing in Inkscape (if you can stand the small screen), it's more than adequate.
I purchased my unit at 0ffi¢e Depot during the Black Friday sale week. In the course of my research, I found this identical unit was available direct from Lenovo's website during the summer for a price under 450 with various coupons.
And just really quick, my list of negatives with this unit (which may not be negatives to you, depending...) and rational behind my 4-star rating:
no option for a lighted keyboard or keyboard downlight
no option for higher resolution screen
no numeric keypad, not even in the traditional laptop sense of pressing Fn+NumLock to switch the right side of the alpha-keyboard into numeric mode (this is a feature I used occasionally).
no option for a BluRay drive
no USB 3.0 -not that I have a need for this yet, but it's a standard feature on many competing laptops
I liked this laptop so much, I purchased two E420 units (identical 1141-A24 models) and gave one to my dad, who has been using a well-worn IBM T-43 ThinkPad I handed down to him. I had a chance to compare the old school workhorse side-by-side with the E420 and made the following general observations:
The anti-reflective qualities of the matte-finish screens is comparable, but the E420 is brighter by a wide margin
The T43 had an "old school" 4:3 aspect ratio, vs. the wide screen 16:9 of the E420. This results in a narrower but taller screen for the older computer, but with a denser resolution (1400x1050) and more "room" vertically on the desktop. For most web surfing, photo editing and drawing, this older 4:3 is still the preferable aspect ratio.
The E420 is about ¾" wider than the T43, despite the T43 having a "bigger" 14.1-inch screen (this, again due to the aspect ratio)
Whereas the T43 had a parallel port, modem, PCMCIA slot and a PS2 Mouse Port, the E420 boasts an SD card reader, Bluetooth 3.0, 4 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, eSATA, and a 34mm ExpressCard port. Similar features include fingerprint reader, TouchPoint controller, VGA-out, DVD-RW, and an Ethernet port.
Build quality still leans in favor of the old T43, but the E420 is no slouch. The T43 was nearly around ¾ pound heavier, but the body was slightly thinner and the screen more rigid. The E420 body feels "hollow" because it's just not as densely packed, and probably doesn't have the substantial metal subframe of the T43. However, the E420 is far and away stiffer and more rigid than my 2-year old Lenovo value-line G530, which has a flexy screen and feels "squishy" (like the bottom is pressing in) when I grip it.
The E420 has a larger touchpad and a keyboard that's closer to a real PC keyboard, not the "chiclet" style keys with minimal movement that the T43 features.
The E420's Boot time is 35 seconds to the logon screen, and with a quick finger swipe over the fingerprint reader (this one works quickly and reliably!), it's fully booted and ready to use in under a minute. The Windows Experience Index registers at 5.7, singling out the hard disc as the bottleneck in the system speed, followed by the RAM read/write speeds. So a fast SSD would only marginally improve the overall WEI score, and couldn't make too much of an improvement to the boot times.
The screen bright screen is great in the window-lit room I primarily use, and viewing angles are very good side-to-side. There is a sweet spot in the tilt that inverts quickly if not adjusted just so. Yet I find it acceptable for close-in viewing. Sound quality is decent, though not audiophile quality -nothing worse than your average clock radio.
Lenovo has placed most of the system functions (screen brightness, volume, web cam on/off, etc.) to the top-row function keys, then went one step further: they made the function key require a two-key press to activate (for example, instead of hitting F5 to refresh or F11 for full screen, I now have to press Fn-F5 or Fn-F11), but the auxiliary commands are now single-key press (press JUST F5 for the web cam). It's a little something to get used to, and it's a situation where a keyboard backlight would have been appreciated in darker settings to help me find my way.
All ports to the sides of the body, with the exception of the RJ45 jack. Thank goodness, no audio ports sticking out of the front edge. If you opt for the optional 9-cell battery, it would protrude out the rear by about an inch. And no more confusing the headphone port for the mic port: this computer uses a single integrated "smart" port, though I suppose it requires a new single plug (or USB) headset for my Skype calls.
I am using this laptop successfully with HP's Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse, which requires Windows 7 + an up-to-date network chipset, and doesn't require any port-sucking USB dongles.
The computer comes a little bit bloated with Lenovo's software, most of which is good, some of which is unnecessary. Fortunately, my biggest headache, Norton Anti-Virus, was easily removable via ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS. The others you'll have to pick through depending on what Lenovo features you'll find valuable. Lenovo even saw fit to ship this unit with Google Chrome installed, which manages to make an appearance before Microsoft's Internet Explorer has a chance to pop up. However, in my case, it was Chrome v12 (current version is 15), and it wouldn't automatically upgrade itself. I had to uninstall Chrome and download a clean version of the current software.
A rundown of the included Lenovo software, most of which is optional to keep installed and/or use:
A quick boot utility that speeds boot times
An auto-lock feature that, if no inputs are sensed after a user-determined amount of time, turns on the web cam and looks for a face. If none is detected, it password locks the laptop.
An orientation sensing utility that allows the user to turn the unit sideways to read PDFs and other documents, automatically rotating those docs to fit the portrait view.
A recovery utility to burn a recovery disc from the hard drive's recovery partition.
The fingerprint reader software, which on this unit works reliably, usually on the first swipe, and is quick.
Last thing worth mentioning: if you want a number pad and can stand an extra ~1½ in width, a version of the 15.5-inch E520 model has exactly the same spec (actually, with a faster 2430M processor) for almost exactly the same price. You'll get the num pad, but you'll still be stuck with the stock 1366x768 resolution, with no 1600x900 option available on Lenovo's website).
For a computer I use daily for web surfing, video watching, some light Inkscape drawing, Photoshop Elements editing, and lightweight gaming, the E420 fits the bill in terms of price, value/quality, and speed/functionality. It's by no means cutting edge, it certainly isn't the best looking nor the smallest/lightest of the bunch, but it's designed to be carried around and used in any number of tasks with a minimum of headache. Five to six hour battery life is to be expected (unless under heavy video playback), and 9 hours are achievable with an upgrade to the extended 9-cell battery.
As configured the WEI is 5.9, the HDD and memory are the bottlenecks.
Keyboard is amazing, the touchpad is also great. The trackpoint, thaat is new to me and I am still working on it.
Startup from fully off to any webpage is less than 1 minute.
From sleep it is just seconds.
The ThinkVantage Utilities are nice, makes updating very easy.
I will be increasing the memory to max, and am considering a SSD for future installation.
I dont replace computers that often, every 2 to 3 years, I fully expect this to last that long.
I would, and have, reccomend this to anyone.
If you can find the Core i5 model, go for it.
Update March 2012: The computer did suddenly die again exactly as it did before in early January. After going through weeks of trouble trying to get it fixed, it was finally fixed again. I had to escalate the problem to get it repaired however. It wasn't easy. I've actually had to replace the computer since this one is gone more than with me and I need to get work done.
Update November 2011: Lenovo did finally fix and ship the laptop back to me three weeks earlier than the 'earliest' possible date, but it was still gone for weeks. In order to push the repair through to this earlier time I had to call nearly daily (waiting on hold for an average of 30 minutes each time) as well as send numerous e-mails. They didn't automatically do anything to speed up the process and I'm not sure if the computer will suddenly die again at any minute, so I still recommend looking at a Toshiba instead.
Update October 2011: The motherboard suddenly and completely died while safely resting in its bag (to the point I can't recover data without taking the machine apart and collecting the hard drive, which voids the warranty). Lenovo has been quick to get a repair box out, but after quoting two days and promising six, they now won't tell me when I will see it back. I've demoted the rating because a dead motherboard after less than two months is really sad, especially because I've been ultra-careful with it and it happened while it was turned off and unplugged between uses. Having a repair on a new laptop take several weeks longer than I've owned it is unacceptable.
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Original Review in September 2011:
This is a great sturdy and agile laptop for the price. It includes features not easily found such as a non-glossy screen and fingerprint reader. The hard drive while smaller than others in the same price range is much faster, which is more important when you are multitasking. It is not extremely heavy and the screen is big enough to get things done while remaining portable. A big glossy screen may be great for watching movies, but this laptop wins if you are just trying to get work done.
I have been using this computer to run word processors, engineering applications, and browse the web all at the same time without trouble. I have also installed a Linux partition and it runs dual boot easily.
The computer does have extra features for when you are not working. The fingerprint reader works great and is very convenient. The webcam and mic work well and I thought the speakers were louder and clearer than other laptops I looked at in the same price range.
Reading other reviews I wondered about the wifi. I've found the wifi works great for me in all kinds of places (home, school, restaurants... secure and open) and I've had no issues all at in Windows. If you load Linux, you need to make sure to turn on the wifi and get the settings correct.
That being said, there are minor issues (that I didn't feel were big enough to rate lower based on my usage). One is that the huge touchpad is great and aligned well, but it interferes with the keyboard and you must change your settings to turn it off while you type. Another is that there are no hard drive lights it would have been nice if the read dot of "Think Pad" on the keyboard did this rather than just stay on. The battery didn't hold a charge well at first, but a few full discharges and recharges fixed that. The DVD-combo drive is extremely loud and I definitely wouldn't be able to enjoy playing a video with it because it would be impossible to hear. However for the few times I use these drives, it isn't a huge deal. The power cord to the transformer comes out easily unless you plug it in REALLY tight. Lastly, the function key is placed where I expect to find the left "Ctrl" key, which is annoying when I'm trying to use shortcuts to copy and paste. I'm probably going to change the keyboard layout (in the operating systems) soon in order to deal with this.
Pros:
Non-glossy screen for working in well-it areas
Windows starts up super fast and has great features for students and professionals
Fingerprint reader works great
Speakers are clear and loud
Fast spinning hard drive
Sturdy construction
Good size for carrying around in a backpack
Cons:
No hard drive working light
DVD drive is very loud
Function key is placed where the Control key should be
Points to keep in mind:
Wifi needs to be tweaked in Linux (works great in Windows out-of-the-box)
Touchpad settings much be adjusted to avoid problems when you type
Battery must be cycled when new to hold a charge well
You need to plug the cord into the transformer REALLY well for them to stay connected
Overall, I recommend this laptop for anyone looking for a computer mostly for serious work. If you will be playing videos (especially from a DVD), then this probably isn't what you are looking for.
I purchased my unit at 0ffi¢e Depot during the Black Friday sale week. In the course of my research, I found this identical unit was available direct from Lenovo's website during the summer for a price under 450 with various coupons.
And just really quick, my list of negatives with this unit (which may not be negatives to you, depending...) and rational behind my 4-star rating:
no option for a lighted keyboard or keyboard downlight
no option for higher resolution screen
no numeric keypad, not even in the traditional laptop sense of pressing Fn+NumLock to switch the right side of the alpha-keyboard into numeric mode (this is a feature I used occasionally).
no option for a BluRay drive
no USB 3.0 -not that I have a need for this yet, but it's a standard feature on many competing laptops
I liked this laptop so much, I purchased two E420 units (identical 1141-A24 models) and gave one to my dad, who has been using a well-worn IBM T-43 ThinkPad I handed down to him. I had a chance to compare the old school workhorse side-by-side with the E420 and made the following general observations:
The anti-reflective qualities of the matte-finish screens is comparable, but the E420 is brighter by a wide margin
The T43 had an "old school" 4:3 aspect ratio, vs. the wide screen 16:9 of the E420. This results in a narrower but taller screen for the older computer, but with a denser resolution (1400x1050) and more "room" vertically on the desktop. For most web surfing, photo editing and drawing, this older 4:3 is still the preferable aspect ratio.
The E420 is about ¾" wider than the T43, despite the T43 having a "bigger" 14.1-inch screen (this, again due to the aspect ratio)
Whereas the T43 had a parallel port, modem, PCMCIA slot and a PS2 Mouse Port, the E420 boasts an SD card reader, Bluetooth 3.0, 4 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, eSATA, and a 34mm ExpressCard port. Similar features include fingerprint reader, TouchPoint controller, VGA-out, DVD-RW, and an Ethernet port.
Build quality still leans in favor of the old T43, but the E420 is no slouch. The T43 was nearly around ¾ pound heavier, but the body was slightly thinner and the screen more rigid. The E420 body feels "hollow" because it's just not as densely packed, and probably doesn't have the substantial metal subframe of the T43. However, the E420 is far and away stiffer and more rigid than my 2-year old Lenovo value-line G530, which has a flexy screen and feels "squishy" (like the bottom is pressing in) when I grip it.
The E420 has a larger touchpad and a keyboard that's closer to a real PC keyboard, not the "chiclet" style keys with minimal movement that the T43 features.
The E420's Boot time is 35 seconds to the logon screen, and with a quick finger swipe over the fingerprint reader (this one works quickly and reliably!), it's fully booted and ready to use in under a minute. The Windows Experience Index registers at 5.7, singling out the hard disc as the bottleneck in the system speed, followed by the RAM read/write speeds. So a fast SSD would only marginally improve the overall WEI score, and couldn't make too much of an improvement to the boot times.
The screen bright screen is great in the window-lit room I primarily use, and viewing angles are very good side-to-side. There is a sweet spot in the tilt that inverts quickly if not adjusted just so. Yet I find it acceptable for close-in viewing. Sound quality is decent, though not audiophile quality -nothing worse than your average clock radio.
Lenovo has placed most of the system functions (screen brightness, volume, web cam on/off, etc.) to the top-row function keys, then went one step further: they made the function key require a two-key press to activate (for example, instead of hitting F5 to refresh or F11 for full screen, I now have to press Fn-F5 or Fn-F11), but the auxiliary commands are now single-key press (press JUST F5 for the web cam). It's a little something to get used to, and it's a situation where a keyboard backlight would have been appreciated in darker settings to help me find my way.
All ports to the sides of the body, with the exception of the RJ45 jack. Thank goodness, no audio ports sticking out of the front edge. If you opt for the optional 9-cell battery, it would protrude out the rear by about an inch. And no more confusing the headphone port for the mic port: this computer uses a single integrated "smart" port, though I suppose it requires a new single plug (or USB) headset for my Skype calls.
I am using this laptop successfully with HP's Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse, which requires Windows 7 + an up-to-date network chipset, and doesn't require any port-sucking USB dongles.
The computer comes a little bit bloated with Lenovo's software, most of which is good, some of which is unnecessary. Fortunately, my biggest headache, Norton Anti-Virus, was easily removable via ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS. The others you'll have to pick through depending on what Lenovo features you'll find valuable. Lenovo even saw fit to ship this unit with Google Chrome installed, which manages to make an appearance before Microsoft's Internet Explorer has a chance to pop up. However, in my case, it was Chrome v12 (current version is 15), and it wouldn't automatically upgrade itself. I had to uninstall Chrome and download a clean version of the current software.
A rundown of the included Lenovo software, most of which is optional to keep installed and/or use:
A quick boot utility that speeds boot times
An auto-lock feature that, if no inputs are sensed after a user-determined amount of time, turns on the web cam and looks for a face. If none is detected, it password locks the laptop.
An orientation sensing utility that allows the user to turn the unit sideways to read PDFs and other documents, automatically rotating those docs to fit the portrait view.
A recovery utility to burn a recovery disc from the hard drive's recovery partition.
The fingerprint reader software, which on this unit works reliably, usually on the first swipe, and is quick.
Last thing worth mentioning: if you want a number pad and can stand an extra ~1½ in width, a version of the 15.5-inch E520 model has exactly the same spec (actually, with a faster 2430M processor) for almost exactly the same price. You'll get the num pad, but you'll still be stuck with the stock 1366x768 resolution, with no 1600x900 option available on Lenovo's website).
For a computer I use daily for web surfing, video watching, some light Inkscape drawing, Photoshop Elements editing, and lightweight gaming, the E420 fits the bill in terms of price, value/quality, and speed/functionality. It's by no means cutting edge, it certainly isn't the best looking nor the smallest/lightest of the bunch, but it's designed to be carried around and used in any number of tasks with a minimum of headache. Five to six hour battery life is to be expected (unless under heavy video playback), and 9 hours are achievable with an upgrade to the extended 9-cell battery.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Compared to my 3 year old Acer 5515 this is a rocketship.As configured the WEI is 5.9, the HDD and memory are the bottlenecks.
Keyboard is amazing, the touchpad is also great. The trackpoint, thaat is new to me and I am still working on it.
Startup from fully off to any webpage is less than 1 minute.
From sleep it is just seconds.
The ThinkVantage Utilities are nice, makes updating very easy.
I will be increasing the memory to max, and am considering a SSD for future installation.
I dont replace computers that often, every 2 to 3 years, I fully expect this to last that long.
I would, and have, reccomend this to anyone.
Best Deals for Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14" Core i5 500GB Notebook
Was able to find this particular configuration at a brick and mortar store with a much cheaper price than offered here. The laptop has a clean look. It's not the keyboard I know and love from my work T400, but the nubbin is right where it should be and I love it! Good battery, good WiFi, quiet fan, and great start-up time. Good little machine that easily out performs my wife's bigger and supposedly better spec'd HP from last year.If you can find the Core i5 model, go for it.
Honest reviews on Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14" Core i5 500GB Notebook
Just as the title says my motherboard died after about 4 months of owning this laptop. Lenovo had me ship the laptop out for repair, and took 4 weeks to finally ship it back. They refused to be flexible with delivery and tried to ship it while I was on vacation. Instead of leaving it for a family member to pick up later, Lenovo refused to change the shipping options and had it shipped back to themselves. After contacting Lenovo support again I won't expect to be able to try this whole shipping disaster again for another 2 weeks. From new to completely dead in 4 months is simply not OK. Six weeks turn-around time on a completely dead laptop is simply not OK. Since IBM stopped manufacturing Lenovo, quality has gone severely downhill.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14" Core i5 500GB Notebook
Update June 2012: The computer died for a THIRD time... same problem... even though it had been used twice since arriving from being repaired. Lenovo kept claiming it only had been repaired once (and sometimes never) and that a replacement wasn't an option. They also kept claiming that my year-long warranty expired (after only eight months... several weeks of which they had the laptop in their facilities) and made me pay for an extended warranty to receive any service even though I provided a receipt and registered it when I bought it. After weeks of waiting and submitting proof that I had the computer repaired before for the same problem, they relented in sending a new computer... though it took so long they sent a different model.Update March 2012: The computer did suddenly die again exactly as it did before in early January. After going through weeks of trouble trying to get it fixed, it was finally fixed again. I had to escalate the problem to get it repaired however. It wasn't easy. I've actually had to replace the computer since this one is gone more than with me and I need to get work done.
Update November 2011: Lenovo did finally fix and ship the laptop back to me three weeks earlier than the 'earliest' possible date, but it was still gone for weeks. In order to push the repair through to this earlier time I had to call nearly daily (waiting on hold for an average of 30 minutes each time) as well as send numerous e-mails. They didn't automatically do anything to speed up the process and I'm not sure if the computer will suddenly die again at any minute, so I still recommend looking at a Toshiba instead.
Update October 2011: The motherboard suddenly and completely died while safely resting in its bag (to the point I can't recover data without taking the machine apart and collecting the hard drive, which voids the warranty). Lenovo has been quick to get a repair box out, but after quoting two days and promising six, they now won't tell me when I will see it back. I've demoted the rating because a dead motherboard after less than two months is really sad, especially because I've been ultra-careful with it and it happened while it was turned off and unplugged between uses. Having a repair on a new laptop take several weeks longer than I've owned it is unacceptable.
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Original Review in September 2011:
This is a great sturdy and agile laptop for the price. It includes features not easily found such as a non-glossy screen and fingerprint reader. The hard drive while smaller than others in the same price range is much faster, which is more important when you are multitasking. It is not extremely heavy and the screen is big enough to get things done while remaining portable. A big glossy screen may be great for watching movies, but this laptop wins if you are just trying to get work done.
I have been using this computer to run word processors, engineering applications, and browse the web all at the same time without trouble. I have also installed a Linux partition and it runs dual boot easily.
The computer does have extra features for when you are not working. The fingerprint reader works great and is very convenient. The webcam and mic work well and I thought the speakers were louder and clearer than other laptops I looked at in the same price range.
Reading other reviews I wondered about the wifi. I've found the wifi works great for me in all kinds of places (home, school, restaurants... secure and open) and I've had no issues all at in Windows. If you load Linux, you need to make sure to turn on the wifi and get the settings correct.
That being said, there are minor issues (that I didn't feel were big enough to rate lower based on my usage). One is that the huge touchpad is great and aligned well, but it interferes with the keyboard and you must change your settings to turn it off while you type. Another is that there are no hard drive lights it would have been nice if the read dot of "Think Pad" on the keyboard did this rather than just stay on. The battery didn't hold a charge well at first, but a few full discharges and recharges fixed that. The DVD-combo drive is extremely loud and I definitely wouldn't be able to enjoy playing a video with it because it would be impossible to hear. However for the few times I use these drives, it isn't a huge deal. The power cord to the transformer comes out easily unless you plug it in REALLY tight. Lastly, the function key is placed where I expect to find the left "Ctrl" key, which is annoying when I'm trying to use shortcuts to copy and paste. I'm probably going to change the keyboard layout (in the operating systems) soon in order to deal with this.
Pros:
Non-glossy screen for working in well-it areas
Windows starts up super fast and has great features for students and professionals
Fingerprint reader works great
Speakers are clear and loud
Fast spinning hard drive
Sturdy construction
Good size for carrying around in a backpack
Cons:
No hard drive working light
DVD drive is very loud
Function key is placed where the Control key should be
Points to keep in mind:
Wifi needs to be tweaked in Linux (works great in Windows out-of-the-box)
Touchpad settings much be adjusted to avoid problems when you type
Battery must be cycled when new to hold a charge well
You need to plug the cord into the transformer REALLY well for them to stay connected
Overall, I recommend this laptop for anyone looking for a computer mostly for serious work. If you will be playing videos (especially from a DVD), then this probably isn't what you are looking for.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Reviews of 8.9/INTEL/4G SSD/512MB DDR2/LINUX/WHITE ( EEEPC900-W073 )
I bought essentially the same version of the Eee from another store--and as it arrives it's not usable.
Here's why: the Xandros distribution it comes with uses UnionFS. That lets you have one read-only partition that has the file system in its initial state, and another read-write that has changes. If a file exists in the read-write partition, it's used instead of the corresponding one in the read-only partition.
That has a major advantage: if you get things totally messed up, reboot and press a key and it will return things to their initial state--all it needs to do is wipe the read-write partition.
It has a major disadvantage: it uses up more space, and with a 4 GB SSD, I found that after it automatically downloaded updates, there was very little space left. Remember, the original version is still there, taking up space on the read-only partition, while the new version is on the read-write partition--and that's separate from the downloaded file containing the update that gets uncrated into position for use. After updating one or two programs, the SSD was totally full, rendering the system unusable.
You have two choices: (1) get a larger-capacity SSD and reinstall, or (2) download Ubuntu Eee (soon to be renamed Easy Peasy) and install it, wiping Xandros from the SSD. When I did that, there was 1.5 GB left on the SSD, and a couple of updates later, there's still 700 MB left.
That said: the display is gorgeous. The touchpad is respectable, and yes, it understands two-finger scrolling. The wi-fi worked for me at a motel a week or so ago when my wife's Dell Inspiron laptop couldn't get a usable signal. Yeah, the keys on the keyboard are tiny, but I will adapt, even with stubby little fat fingers.
So: as it comes from the factory, I have to wonder whether ASUS wanted to put people off Linux--imagine the fury of a parent or grandparent thinking he was getting little Johnny a computer for Christmas only to find that after a few minutes it says the disk is full and can't be used! With a larger SSD, or with Ubuntu Eee/Easy Peasy, it's a marvelous little netbook.
Couple negative points:
1. Lack of support for wpa2 wifi encryption, though maybe that will be solved in a firmware update?
2. I don't particularly like the two prong power cord, I'd like the option of grounding the power.
3. Occasionally when I plug the power in, it'll freeze and require a reboot. I suspect this has more to do with the sketchy wiring at my house than a problem with the netbook.
Edit: 2013-07-16
This awesome little netbook lasted until October 2012. The original power cord wore out a year previous, but I picked up a compatible brick from iGo. The fatal night was dark, but clear, and calm. It was on, low on power. I plugged it in. The smell of burnt plastic flooded the room. The screen turned black. I disconnected the power, waited a couple minutes, then tried in vain to turn it back on. Alas, its magic smoke is all leaked out.
I'm trying to replace this with a Google/Samsung series 3 chromebook, but the eeepc900 is clearly the superior machine. I ended up running a lean install of Arch Linux in place of the oem OS. Just before it died I was even running Eclipse 3.6 for jsf development! Fat chance doing that on this chromebook.
So I am very satisfied with the software on the eee. I am not a programmer or terribly conversant with hardware, but I work at a University in the department that provides computer services (servers, email, computer labs, etc) so I like to be conversant with different operating systems and easy sorts of computer upgrades and repairs. And the eee provides me with some access to a type of linux (Unix, essentially, right?).
As far as my evaluation of the hardware of the eee is concerned, everything must be measured against its primary quality, its portability. So I am not wild about the keyboard, and while I think the screen resolution is pretty good for applications and how the OS icons are set up, I find the resolution for surfing only acceptable. The eee is hard to balance on my lap (not a laptop or a netbook but a wobbletop). But, again, the thing weighs practically nothing and fits well into any bag that has padding for a laptop. You probably can't use this as a portable DVD player (even with an external DVD drive) and any video you play through media player is likely to be unacceptably small. And this may not have the power to run the most demanding app's (assuming you can find some that will run on eeebuntu). Still, especially if you get this cheap, this is a good ultra moble web surfer. I have found battery life to be around a solid three hours (I may have charged it too long early on, you may get more).
Here's why: the Xandros distribution it comes with uses UnionFS. That lets you have one read-only partition that has the file system in its initial state, and another read-write that has changes. If a file exists in the read-write partition, it's used instead of the corresponding one in the read-only partition.
That has a major advantage: if you get things totally messed up, reboot and press a key and it will return things to their initial state--all it needs to do is wipe the read-write partition.
It has a major disadvantage: it uses up more space, and with a 4 GB SSD, I found that after it automatically downloaded updates, there was very little space left. Remember, the original version is still there, taking up space on the read-only partition, while the new version is on the read-write partition--and that's separate from the downloaded file containing the update that gets uncrated into position for use. After updating one or two programs, the SSD was totally full, rendering the system unusable.
You have two choices: (1) get a larger-capacity SSD and reinstall, or (2) download Ubuntu Eee (soon to be renamed Easy Peasy) and install it, wiping Xandros from the SSD. When I did that, there was 1.5 GB left on the SSD, and a couple of updates later, there's still 700 MB left.
That said: the display is gorgeous. The touchpad is respectable, and yes, it understands two-finger scrolling. The wi-fi worked for me at a motel a week or so ago when my wife's Dell Inspiron laptop couldn't get a usable signal. Yeah, the keys on the keyboard are tiny, but I will adapt, even with stubby little fat fingers.
So: as it comes from the factory, I have to wonder whether ASUS wanted to put people off Linux--imagine the fury of a parent or grandparent thinking he was getting little Johnny a computer for Christmas only to find that after a few minutes it says the disk is full and can't be used! With a larger SSD, or with Ubuntu Eee/Easy Peasy, it's a marvelous little netbook.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I bought the linux variant. It works great out of the box, pretty easy. Detects and connects to wifi wherever I go just fine. The included OpenOffice suite ensures compatibility with both Apple and MS office docs. I did decide to upgrade to 2 gbytes of ram from the default 512 mbyte; it makes heavy simultaneous usage of several apps smoother. I bought Kingston Technology KHX4200S2LL/2GR 2 GB 533MHz DDR2 SODIMM Netbook/Notebook Memory (Retail), swapped it in for a cheap and easy upgrade. Thought I would hate the tiny keyboard, but I adapted just fine within a couple days. Hooking up external monitor/keyboard/mouse is easy.Couple negative points:
1. Lack of support for wpa2 wifi encryption, though maybe that will be solved in a firmware update?
2. I don't particularly like the two prong power cord, I'd like the option of grounding the power.
3. Occasionally when I plug the power in, it'll freeze and require a reboot. I suspect this has more to do with the sketchy wiring at my house than a problem with the netbook.
Edit: 2013-07-16
This awesome little netbook lasted until October 2012. The original power cord wore out a year previous, but I picked up a compatible brick from iGo. The fatal night was dark, but clear, and calm. It was on, low on power. I plugged it in. The smell of burnt plastic flooded the room. The screen turned black. I disconnected the power, waited a couple minutes, then tried in vain to turn it back on. Alas, its magic smoke is all leaked out.
I'm trying to replace this with a Google/Samsung series 3 chromebook, but the eeepc900 is clearly the superior machine. I ended up running a lean install of Arch Linux in place of the oem OS. Just before it died I was even running Eclipse 3.6 for jsf development! Fat chance doing that on this chromebook.
Best Deals for 8.9/INTEL/4G SSD/512MB DDR2/LINUX/WHITE ( EEEPC900-W073 )
I bought this model (cheaper, refurbished from a different vendor, with a gig of ram, sorry Amazon) and while I am not as well versed with different versions of linux as the other reviewer so far, Mr. Jones, I had the same storage space problem. When I started the netbook, it immediately wanted to update, and by the time it had stopped, I had maybe 50 megabytes free. So I actually took both of Mr. Jones options, I ordered a "new" old 14 gigabyte SSD from Newegg (make sure it is compatible with the slightly older M900 architecture), and I downloaded and installed eeebuntu.So I am very satisfied with the software on the eee. I am not a programmer or terribly conversant with hardware, but I work at a University in the department that provides computer services (servers, email, computer labs, etc) so I like to be conversant with different operating systems and easy sorts of computer upgrades and repairs. And the eee provides me with some access to a type of linux (Unix, essentially, right?).
As far as my evaluation of the hardware of the eee is concerned, everything must be measured against its primary quality, its portability. So I am not wild about the keyboard, and while I think the screen resolution is pretty good for applications and how the OS icons are set up, I find the resolution for surfing only acceptable. The eee is hard to balance on my lap (not a laptop or a netbook but a wobbletop). But, again, the thing weighs practically nothing and fits well into any bag that has padding for a laptop. You probably can't use this as a portable DVD player (even with an external DVD drive) and any video you play through media player is likely to be unacceptably small. And this may not have the power to run the most demanding app's (assuming you can find some that will run on eeebuntu). Still, especially if you get this cheap, this is a good ultra moble web surfer. I have found battery life to be around a solid three hours (I may have charged it too long early on, you may get more).
Honest reviews on 8.9/INTEL/4G SSD/512MB DDR2/LINUX/WHITE ( EEEPC900-W073 )
Great little computer, but owner/vendor does not respond to several emails and submit the access KEY for registration and efficiency. So this makes the computer inefficient due to a lack of value with customer service. So I am out of bucks for the moment!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Discount HP Pavilion DV4-1547SB 14.1-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4.25 Hours of
I didn't expect to buy this. First, I *hate* white electronics (they usually look cheap and like they should carry the Fisher Price logo). Second, I know people who have had serious issues with HP laptop motherboards. However, last week Staples had it for about two hundred bucks less than its MSRP which was about two hundred less than I expected to pay for these specs. I couldn't resist.
I'm happy with the design. First, the white is not so bad. It has a shiny "pearl" like surface, a subtle graphic design on the cover/wrist rests and black and silver trim. This all makes it look more grown up and stylish than other white laptops. Second, compared to other laptops with these specs it's not too big or heavy. It's in-between a netbook and most full sized laptops. Also, the weight can be reduced by half a pound by swapping out the DVD drive for a dummy piece which is included.
I'm overall happy with the performance and quality. Seems fast and smooth for the most part, and I'm not currently having any problems with it. But I had a couple of initial problems. First, I had to take the first one I got back due to a stuck pixel that I couldn't unstick with any software programs. I didn't want to risk voiding the warranty with any physical methods. The second one I got was stuck-pixel-free. However, I was having serious issues playing internet video. That was a big deal to me. I tried a live chat rep I think he was illiterate he kept asking for info I had already provided, completely misconstrued my problem and even when I explained it for the 3rd time, he offered completely inappropriate solutions (e.g. program specific solutions, when I had told him it was in all programs). Somewhat dubious, I finally called tech support. I got a guy who was GREAT. Granted it took us over an hour of troubleshooting, but he finally figured it out. The issue was the wi-fi card driver. It just needed to be updated with the newest, which was posted on HP's site. So, I highly recommend checking HP's site for the latest driver updates, especially if you're having this issue.
And I agree with the other reviewer about the battery 2 to 3 hours is what you can reasonably expect, but it depends on what you are doing. And yes, it is very quiet. Also, I should note that I did not get the rectangular remote shown on the bottom of this page with mine. I only got the small card one shown in the pictures up top. So, I don't think that other remote comes with it. (EDIT: Since I posted this review, Amazon has replaced the picture of the remote, it now shows a correct remote).
Just in case, I picked up Squaretrade's 3rd party extended warranty. It was a great price compared to Staples' and HP's plans. And it will protect me if this ends up being a lemon or if my dog flies into the cord and knocks it off the coffee table.
***UPDATE*** Good thing I got that Squaretrade warranty. I was carrying it from one room to the other with the cord and the cord's loop caught on a doorknob forcing everything out of my hand when I took my next step, and that was the end of my DV4-1540US. Hard drive survived, but screen didn't and Squaretrade reimbursed instead of fixing. I had planned on just buying the exact same thing, but learned it's been discontinued. The DV4-2170US seems to be its successor, basically being the same except with an upgraded processor (i5).
You basically have two general choices to make: do you want a powerful laptop that can do lots of things, but has a shorter batter life or do you want a lighter less powerful laptop which has an extended life. I went with the power laptop which the HP is.
In general, I'm very happy and impressed. The HP is a bit smaller 14" vs 15.6", but I actually prefer the smaller form factor. The 15.6 is more a desktop replacement size. They both have the same 320 GB hard drive and plenty of other ports and 4 GB or ram. I wanted an HDMI port and both have this feature. When you connect the HP to my 42" TV the screen looks sharp and stunning. I can now watch internet video and ripped movies on my big screen. One feature the Sony has is the ability to play Blue Ray disks, but since I don't own any of those, it's not a factor.
The HP does have a nice Recovery partition and a few other features, but I don't use them. The Sony has a better metal body, keyboard and track pad area (I use a real mouse.), but the HP is ok.
Windows 7 is a joy to work with and even though I bought a manual, I haven't had to crack it open yet. I've gone from XP to Windows 7 without a hitch.
Pros
Fast bootup and performance
One click to turn wireless on and off.
Fantastic HDMI video to home TV
Cons
Case and keyboard not as nice as Sony Vaio.
Track area doesn't have the nice feel of a Sony
A little bit of junkware you need to uninstall.
Computer was loosely placed in the box without any cover. The power cord was open and placed loosely on the top of the computer....The user manual was open and placed on the computer instead of its designated location...I was very disappointed with the quality of packaging...It felt like the computer was opened used and then sent to me...It was very disappointing to get this kind of service quality from Amazon...
...I was so excited when I ordered the new computer after almost 5 years...(My Dell Dimension 5100 desktop died on me week before!! so decided to get a new computer)..but this made me rethink/doubt about Amazon's commitment to customer satisfaction and quality.
Please keep this in mind before ordering electronics from Amazon.com.
HP Pavilion DV4-1540US 14.1-Inch White Laptop Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)
I'm happy with the design. First, the white is not so bad. It has a shiny "pearl" like surface, a subtle graphic design on the cover/wrist rests and black and silver trim. This all makes it look more grown up and stylish than other white laptops. Second, compared to other laptops with these specs it's not too big or heavy. It's in-between a netbook and most full sized laptops. Also, the weight can be reduced by half a pound by swapping out the DVD drive for a dummy piece which is included.
I'm overall happy with the performance and quality. Seems fast and smooth for the most part, and I'm not currently having any problems with it. But I had a couple of initial problems. First, I had to take the first one I got back due to a stuck pixel that I couldn't unstick with any software programs. I didn't want to risk voiding the warranty with any physical methods. The second one I got was stuck-pixel-free. However, I was having serious issues playing internet video. That was a big deal to me. I tried a live chat rep I think he was illiterate he kept asking for info I had already provided, completely misconstrued my problem and even when I explained it for the 3rd time, he offered completely inappropriate solutions (e.g. program specific solutions, when I had told him it was in all programs). Somewhat dubious, I finally called tech support. I got a guy who was GREAT. Granted it took us over an hour of troubleshooting, but he finally figured it out. The issue was the wi-fi card driver. It just needed to be updated with the newest, which was posted on HP's site. So, I highly recommend checking HP's site for the latest driver updates, especially if you're having this issue.
And I agree with the other reviewer about the battery 2 to 3 hours is what you can reasonably expect, but it depends on what you are doing. And yes, it is very quiet. Also, I should note that I did not get the rectangular remote shown on the bottom of this page with mine. I only got the small card one shown in the pictures up top. So, I don't think that other remote comes with it. (EDIT: Since I posted this review, Amazon has replaced the picture of the remote, it now shows a correct remote).
Just in case, I picked up Squaretrade's 3rd party extended warranty. It was a great price compared to Staples' and HP's plans. And it will protect me if this ends up being a lemon or if my dog flies into the cord and knocks it off the coffee table.
***UPDATE*** Good thing I got that Squaretrade warranty. I was carrying it from one room to the other with the cord and the cord's loop caught on a doorknob forcing everything out of my hand when I took my next step, and that was the end of my DV4-1540US. Hard drive survived, but screen didn't and Squaretrade reimbursed instead of fixing. I had planned on just buying the exact same thing, but learned it's been discontinued. The DV4-2170US seems to be its successor, basically being the same except with an upgraded processor (i5).
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Since my Dell laptop is seven years old, I've been looking for a replacement for the last few months. There are so many options that it was hard to make a choice. Since I bought a Sony Vaio for my wife recently the VGN-NW270F, I had a good laptop to compare to this HP DV4.You basically have two general choices to make: do you want a powerful laptop that can do lots of things, but has a shorter batter life or do you want a lighter less powerful laptop which has an extended life. I went with the power laptop which the HP is.
In general, I'm very happy and impressed. The HP is a bit smaller 14" vs 15.6", but I actually prefer the smaller form factor. The 15.6 is more a desktop replacement size. They both have the same 320 GB hard drive and plenty of other ports and 4 GB or ram. I wanted an HDMI port and both have this feature. When you connect the HP to my 42" TV the screen looks sharp and stunning. I can now watch internet video and ripped movies on my big screen. One feature the Sony has is the ability to play Blue Ray disks, but since I don't own any of those, it's not a factor.
The HP does have a nice Recovery partition and a few other features, but I don't use them. The Sony has a better metal body, keyboard and track pad area (I use a real mouse.), but the HP is ok.
Windows 7 is a joy to work with and even though I bought a manual, I haven't had to crack it open yet. I've gone from XP to Windows 7 without a hitch.
Pros
Fast bootup and performance
One click to turn wireless on and off.
Fantastic HDMI video to home TV
Cons
Case and keyboard not as nice as Sony Vaio.
Track area doesn't have the nice feel of a Sony
A little bit of junkware you need to uninstall.
Best Deals for HP Pavilion DV4-1547SB 14.1-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4.25 Hours of
Ordered this over the weekend, what a superb machine i mean super quiet, really fast, doesn't heat up and has all the latest multimedia features. I removed the optical drive (slide and remove) and lost about half a pound on the weight. Battery is great gave me 3.5hrs. I don't have any complaints. Do yourself a favor and ignore the other two reviews. For $689 this is a steal.Honest reviews on HP Pavilion DV4-1547SB 14.1-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4.25 Hours of
I got this laptop this week from Staples deal, around $ after all trade-in, rebates and tax included. It's a very nice laptop w/ white color, look sharp, easy set up, runs very fast, and super super quiet when it's on, almost all features included. I especially like the remote control. The only draw-back is the battery life seems it didn't last 4.25 hrs as it described, only around 3.5hrs. Overall, it's absolutly a good-buy for around hundred bucks.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion DV4-1547SB 14.1-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4.25 Hours of
I paid full price for this HP DV4 1540US laptop on November 5th 2009. I received the delivery of the computer promptly on Monday November 9th 2009. But when I opened the box it felt like I got a used/refurbished computerComputer was loosely placed in the box without any cover. The power cord was open and placed loosely on the top of the computer....The user manual was open and placed on the computer instead of its designated location...I was very disappointed with the quality of packaging...It felt like the computer was opened used and then sent to me...It was very disappointing to get this kind of service quality from Amazon...
...I was so excited when I ordered the new computer after almost 5 years...(My Dell Dimension 5100 desktop died on me week before!! so decided to get a new computer)..but this made me rethink/doubt about Amazon's commitment to customer satisfaction and quality.
Please keep this in mind before ordering electronics from Amazon.com.
HP Pavilion DV4-1540US 14.1-Inch White Laptop Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Discount Hp Consumer 17 3 I3 2370m 750gb 6gb Win8 (c2m31ua#aba) -
The wifi on mine works when it wants to, I've tried reinstalling the drivers etc. and it will go for awhile and then no internet connection. After checking online I found others having the same problem, so beware, and that it could be a Windows 8 compatibility issue, but there are no fixes at this time. So I'm left with an unreliable system as far as internet connections. HP products and support has declined dramatically over the years and as usual Windows has put out an operating system for the public to beta test. This will be the last one I buy.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Cheap Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2903sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)
List Price: $821.99
Sale Price: $699.99
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
I've ordered this notebook on February. Very satisfied with It. One thing makes me annoying is the fan speed, but It is easly fixes by updating BIOS from DELL official web-site. Now there is no heavy fan speed! Just perfect!
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I guess it is the fan in the computer. It makes a lot of noise. other than that it is great.Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2903sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)
Thought this new system with windows 8 and the most recent processor would be amazing but -most of my programs like word-and my media programs for the recordings and musci are constantly "not responding" which is very frustrating -I am actually thinking of returning this laptop and just getting an apple because the Dell service is the worst as well such a run around and no answers just more of a mess gets made -love amazon but this is quite a junky piece of equipmentHonest reviews on Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2903sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)
Excellent Product! That's all I can say. Mine not as noisy as other reviewers have claimed theirs to be. Very quiet machine.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2903sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)
Works great a a computer should. The "keys" are a bit too sensetive, and sometimes skip around. I have been unable to lower the brghtness level on the computer. Other than these too features, it is great...works great, and is fast.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Reviews of Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth
I bought this through Amazon, kept it for two weeks, then gave it to my grandson, who was ecstatic to get it. I ordered it for myself as an all purpose laptop. It met most of my needs. All applications ran very fast, and web surfing was a joy. The backlit keyboard is very good, and you can adjust the settings of the track pad to fit your preferences. The ability to change the colors of the lighting on the keyboard and other components is very cool. I liked being able to select which programs used the dedicated graphics processor, and which use the integrated graphics. It is whisper quiet, and runs very cool. Battery life is very good with the proper settings. Screen resolution and clarity is excellent. And the sound it produces is outstanding loud and clear. The rubberized finish feels so luxurious, and the included sleeve is a nice extra.
The only two things I did not like were the screen and the lack of a built in CD/DVD drive. The screen was simply too small for my aging eyes this is not a negative for this laptop, but rather an indication that buyers should try before buying. It was the small screen that made me to decide to give it to my grandson. And while the absence of a CD/DVD drive may help keep weight and power consumption down, the need to hook up an external drive with two USB cables tends to defeat the whole portability concept, especially if you play games that require the CD to be active.
To summarize:
The pros:
1) Very portable and relatively light weight
2) Excellent performance
3) Good battery life
4) Good screen resolution
5) Great sound
The cons:
1) Small screen
2) Lack of integrated CD/DVD
This thing also never overheats. Its pretty big for a netbook but def worth it!
Thanks to nVidia Optimus technology, the battery life on this thing is fantastic (3+ hours playing online,5+ hours regular web surfing,watching videos...). The 8GB of Ram and the option to overclock the processor make this on-the-go gaming laptop a good future proof system.
Overall I'm very pleased with this system.I recommend it to anyone (especially if you can find it for under a grand)looking to do some gaming on the go and want to have the coolest looking laptop around.
Cons: I've heard about some hinges issues but Dell is working on it and will replace them even if the laptop is out of warranty. Make sure you open the lid with both hands to put less strains on the hinges.
A large disadvantage I think is the factory standard option HD is pretty small. Specially since Dell will partition some of the drive off so you can do a system recovery(inevitable on all computers). I need to use a large amount of hard drive space and 300GB seems rather small for me. Specially if you do a lot of 3D modeling and gaming on the same machine.
Another knock on this little guy, which really isn't a knock against the MX11 but the Optimus Chip. The Optimus only kicks in automatically if the application is in the list already or specifically launched with the graphics accelerator. It will not notice an application if it doesn't use Direct X, I hope that changes (You can get an application to load with the Nvidia GPU rather than the integrated Intel with some work).
Overall this laptop is a great machine to replace your desktop computer. I really enjoy this computer and I will most likely purchase another Alienware in the future, when it comes time to replace this one.
The only two things I did not like were the screen and the lack of a built in CD/DVD drive. The screen was simply too small for my aging eyes this is not a negative for this laptop, but rather an indication that buyers should try before buying. It was the small screen that made me to decide to give it to my grandson. And while the absence of a CD/DVD drive may help keep weight and power consumption down, the need to hook up an external drive with two USB cables tends to defeat the whole portability concept, especially if you play games that require the CD to be active.
To summarize:
The pros:
1) Very portable and relatively light weight
2) Excellent performance
3) Good battery life
4) Good screen resolution
5) Great sound
The cons:
1) Small screen
2) Lack of integrated CD/DVD
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Awesome laptop with amazing performance for it size. It will play the latest games from medium (COD MW2) to high/ultra settings (SC2).This thing also never overheats. Its pretty big for a netbook but def worth it!
Thanks to nVidia Optimus technology, the battery life on this thing is fantastic (3+ hours playing online,5+ hours regular web surfing,watching videos...). The 8GB of Ram and the option to overclock the processor make this on-the-go gaming laptop a good future proof system.
Overall I'm very pleased with this system.I recommend it to anyone (especially if you can find it for under a grand)looking to do some gaming on the go and want to have the coolest looking laptop around.
Cons: I've heard about some hinges issues but Dell is working on it and will replace them even if the laptop is out of warranty. Make sure you open the lid with both hands to put less strains on the hinges.
Best Deals for Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth
I have owned this notebook for about 6 months now and I'm really happy that I bought this machine. I really wasn't in the market for a new computer but when I got a new job that requires me to be away from home about 90% of the time, I had to get a desktop replacement to help keep my sanity (TV is over rated). This little guy is awesome small and easy to carry around. The battery can last me between 3 to 6 hours depending on what I'm doing. I have yet to peg this machine out with 8GB of RAM it is really hard to do and I had some pretty powerful applications loaded (MW3, WoW, FFXI, CoH, SWTOR, SolidWorks, 3DS Max, Blender, Visual Studio 2010, Netbeans 6). I usually have at least 2-3 of these applications running at the same time and I have yet to see a major hit on performance.A large disadvantage I think is the factory standard option HD is pretty small. Specially since Dell will partition some of the drive off so you can do a system recovery(inevitable on all computers). I need to use a large amount of hard drive space and 300GB seems rather small for me. Specially if you do a lot of 3D modeling and gaming on the same machine.
Another knock on this little guy, which really isn't a knock against the MX11 but the Optimus Chip. The Optimus only kicks in automatically if the application is in the list already or specifically launched with the graphics accelerator. It will not notice an application if it doesn't use Direct X, I hope that changes (You can get an application to load with the Nvidia GPU rather than the integrated Intel with some work).
Overall this laptop is a great machine to replace your desktop computer. I really enjoy this computer and I will most likely purchase another Alienware in the future, when it comes time to replace this one.
Honest reviews on Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth
I can play all my games on max settings np, the battery life is amazing, and It's so tiny and cute that when you travel with it..many heads will turn! If you are interested in buying this laptop Please note there is no way to change the color of the Alienware Head on the back of the monitor, it's not a big deal but it caught me by suprise. I brought this at almost all max setting with the core i7. I needed something I can travel with, and still be able to game on and the Alienware M11x delivers. The lack of the CD drive is not a con to me..it's a bit obsolete because everything I install is digitally especially my games! I do think that the LCD screen itself could have been a bit bigger because they used up a lot of it to create a black border, which is minimally needed really. Other than that I have no complaints. My computer is almost a dream come true. here is my Unboxing/mini review video, please copy the link into your browser in order to check it out!!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth
very nice laptop with wonderful keyboard colors and the sound of it is high as well good laptop to travel with and play games ;)
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Buy Alienware M15X 15.6-Inch Cosmic Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home
I ordered my Alienware M15x through the Dell website on 12/3/2009. Delivery occurred on 12/18/2009, which was the original order anticipated build completion date. Nice! The laptop is replacing a home-built custom quad-core Cosmos gaming PC.
During the purchase process, I opted for the RAM upgrade to 4GB @ 1333MHz, upgraded the video card to the 260m (and got a $50 Dell promo gift card from this), got the 1080p screen, and upped the hard drive to 320GB. I subscribe to Steve Job's notion that Blu-Ray is a bag of hurt, so I stuck with the DVD/CD slot burner.
Performance-wise, the M15x is Sea Biscuit. I've thrown several games at it, from Crysis (silky-smooth at high resolution), WoW, Torchlight, Fallout 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Half-Life 2, Sins of a Solar Empire, and Company of Heroes. All ran flawlessly, at max or near-max settings. The standard Core i7 1.6GHz (2.8GHz turbo) cuts through these applications like nothing I've seen. While I enjoyed overclocking my custom desktop PC, this machine doesn't really need it. It's greased lightning right out of the box.
Pros:
I liked the price point. I knew I was getting a great machine for the money, and what I spent matches what I received.
Weight. This is a desktop replacement, so I expected some heft. I like the fact that this thing has some meat to it. If I wanted a light, take-anywhere laptop, I would have bought a netbook.
Alienware effects/polish/workmanship worth the price of admission. This is a beautiful machine.
Dell's service. Anytime a company underpromises and overdelivers, I'm a happy camper. The M15x arrived way ahead of schedule, packaged professionally, and came out of the box ready to roll.
My cons are pretty similar to other reviewers:
screen is really reflective, but playing in a darker room mitigates this.
touchpad. I don't know who was driving the boat when they decided on this particular hardware. It's not that bad, but it's not great either. Onscreen movement is pretty herky-jerky, even after software update. Mouse-users won't bother with it.
After years of desktop machines and business laptops, this is my first personal laptop, and start-to-finish, it's been a great experience. It's easily replaced my workhorse desktop for all my uses. I will gladly buy Dell/Alienware again down the road. Can't recommend it enough.
Some things to note:
-Pretty heavy (around 9 or 10 pounds)
-Expectantly low battery life (about 3 hours)
-Kind of a beast, certainly not meant for school/travel
I was really into gaming when I got this laptop and it has treated me well through many online and offline games, never giving me issue. The support/warranty is pretty phenomenal including Next Day Business and Remote service through Dell.
If you're a gamer, I would certainly recommend this laptop. If you're just doing your normal day-to-day, I probably wouldn't buy it. It's pretty pricey, but you get what you pay for.
Once I took this thing out of the box, I had issues within a week. It was overheating CONSTANTLY. I contacted Alienware and got 0 support, and after much research I found this was an issue with the entire line of M15x machines and that I was screwed the only way to cut down on the overheating was to air dust it every few weeks or so, which was VERY annoying to do, and yet the problem still persisted.
The computer also had many bugs that came along with the pre-installed OS, and the DC Port has crapped out on me twice. You only have 2 USB Ports, no HDMI support, its heavy and bulky. Its very glossy, so it scratches easily and the paint chips at ease, and the display is honestly very sub-par for a computer of it's price. It will also sound like an obnoxious washing machine whenever its running louder than most bulky desktops.
The only good thing about this machine was its awesome speed, smooth keyboard, and flashy looks. Playing around with your backlights and other appearance settings in the command center always gets you a nice reaction from others, and just looks simply awesome.
During the purchase process, I opted for the RAM upgrade to 4GB @ 1333MHz, upgraded the video card to the 260m (and got a $50 Dell promo gift card from this), got the 1080p screen, and upped the hard drive to 320GB. I subscribe to Steve Job's notion that Blu-Ray is a bag of hurt, so I stuck with the DVD/CD slot burner.
Performance-wise, the M15x is Sea Biscuit. I've thrown several games at it, from Crysis (silky-smooth at high resolution), WoW, Torchlight, Fallout 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Half-Life 2, Sins of a Solar Empire, and Company of Heroes. All ran flawlessly, at max or near-max settings. The standard Core i7 1.6GHz (2.8GHz turbo) cuts through these applications like nothing I've seen. While I enjoyed overclocking my custom desktop PC, this machine doesn't really need it. It's greased lightning right out of the box.
Pros:
I liked the price point. I knew I was getting a great machine for the money, and what I spent matches what I received.
Weight. This is a desktop replacement, so I expected some heft. I like the fact that this thing has some meat to it. If I wanted a light, take-anywhere laptop, I would have bought a netbook.
Alienware effects/polish/workmanship worth the price of admission. This is a beautiful machine.
Dell's service. Anytime a company underpromises and overdelivers, I'm a happy camper. The M15x arrived way ahead of schedule, packaged professionally, and came out of the box ready to roll.
My cons are pretty similar to other reviewers:
screen is really reflective, but playing in a darker room mitigates this.
touchpad. I don't know who was driving the boat when they decided on this particular hardware. It's not that bad, but it's not great either. Onscreen movement is pretty herky-jerky, even after software update. Mouse-users won't bother with it.
After years of desktop machines and business laptops, this is my first personal laptop, and start-to-finish, it's been a great experience. It's easily replaced my workhorse desktop for all my uses. I will gladly buy Dell/Alienware again down the road. Can't recommend it enough.
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I got this computer last week and I've logged soooo many hours on it already its ridonkulous. Plays wow good. Super fast for editing photos (I'm a photographer so I opted for a larger hard drive). I will use this machine until it dies on me. Screen is crystal clear, boot times are fantastic. Good, solid, stable machine for gaming runs cool and we all know alienware isn't surpassed by looks. Get one and get the enjoyment I have from mine! Hoo-yah alienware!Best Deals for Alienware M15X 15.6-Inch Cosmic Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home
I bought this laptop over three years ago and it still runs like it did the first day. I've only ever had one problem when the power cord died, but who hasn't had that problem? Great graphics, very fast quad core.Some things to note:
-Pretty heavy (around 9 or 10 pounds)
-Expectantly low battery life (about 3 hours)
-Kind of a beast, certainly not meant for school/travel
I was really into gaming when I got this laptop and it has treated me well through many online and offline games, never giving me issue. The support/warranty is pretty phenomenal including Next Day Business and Remote service through Dell.
If you're a gamer, I would certainly recommend this laptop. If you're just doing your normal day-to-day, I probably wouldn't buy it. It's pretty pricey, but you get what you pay for.
Honest reviews on Alienware M15X 15.6-Inch Cosmic Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home
I've had this machine since early 2010 and to start things off it was EXTREMELY over-priced for the specs it has. An Asus or Lenovo of the same, or greater quality would be nearly half the price. You're only paying for the "wow" affect this computer leaves people with.Once I took this thing out of the box, I had issues within a week. It was overheating CONSTANTLY. I contacted Alienware and got 0 support, and after much research I found this was an issue with the entire line of M15x machines and that I was screwed the only way to cut down on the overheating was to air dust it every few weeks or so, which was VERY annoying to do, and yet the problem still persisted.
The computer also had many bugs that came along with the pre-installed OS, and the DC Port has crapped out on me twice. You only have 2 USB Ports, no HDMI support, its heavy and bulky. Its very glossy, so it scratches easily and the paint chips at ease, and the display is honestly very sub-par for a computer of it's price. It will also sound like an obnoxious washing machine whenever its running louder than most bulky desktops.
The only good thing about this machine was its awesome speed, smooth keyboard, and flashy looks. Playing around with your backlights and other appearance settings in the command center always gets you a nice reaction from others, and just looks simply awesome.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Alienware M15X 15.6-Inch Cosmic Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home
My son wanted this laptop as he is an "online gamer'. We couldn't be happier with this computer. Runs great, user friendly and is the perfect gaming computer.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Review of Dell Inspiron 15 15.6" Laptop, AMD Dual-Core E-450 1.65GHz, 4GB
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $499.99
Today's Bonus: 17% Off
I had been looking for some time for a good deal on a below $450 laptop running Windows 7 (not because I like running Windows, it is just outside my budget to purchase a Linux machine also). I always prefer Dell because of the quality and the excellent technical support (just try to get an HP computer repaired under warranty) but was having trouble breaking that $400 line. When I saw this M501R laptop offered for $369, I ordered it very quickly, just doing a quick scan of its capabilities and reputation on the net. 4 GB RAM, dual core processor (don't mind this moderately powerful AMD chip since I am not doing video processing or the like on this machine), 500 GB HD (5400 RPM is slow, but for Internet and document, photo processing it is fine), CD/DVD read and write (don't usually see this included on a below $400 machine), big (15.6 inch) screen with fairly nice resolution (hey, what do you want for this price)---not quite as precise display as the higher priced dispalys but my wife likes it fine for TV and movies anyway, Windows 7 Home Supreme (whatever---no one sells lower than "Supreme") keeps you in the MS monopoly plot for now, though I do recommend using OfficeLibre (used to be Open Office---free superior equivalent to Microsoft Office handles all document processing needs and is compatible with MS) as I did to avoid purchasing overprices MS stuff, and GIMP if you are an Adobe Photoshop user but don't have a spare grand lying around. Good audio---run the output into a laptop stereo stand. Windows Live Movie Maker is a plus with Windows 7, giving you pretty nice YouTube video production capability. Don't need an email application since GMAIL and HOTMAIL have great web interfaces. Jump on this!
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I'm a college student and this laptop does everything I could possibly need, very happy with my purchase. It's been 6 months since I bought it and everything still works as good as the day I bought it.Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 15 15.6" Laptop, AMD Dual-Core E-450 1.65GHz, 4GB
I wanted something simple, without a bunch of bells and whistles, and definitely wanted Windows 7, not Windows 8. This is just right it fires right up, no waiting for a bunch of things to boot up... simple and efficient.Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron 15 15.6" Laptop, AMD Dual-Core E-450 1.65GHz, 4GB
I thougt the low price and the fact that it had Windows 7 made it worth the risk of buying. Never again. With this computer, I have to be very careful when typing a message, even as I'm doing now, because the cursor jumps around to another spot in the message. And frequently, I mean very frequently, I had to troubleshoot to get it to connect to the internet when other wifi devices in the house worked just fine. Annoying. Also no number keys pad, but I could have lived with that. I rarely write negative reviews, but this was a very poor choice on my part. I'm going to save up and get a good one next time.Update: The company has been very prompt in responding, and has said they would accept a return with a restocking fee (which is perfectly understandable since I'm sure they have to go into the computer to make sure you have deleted all your personal stuff, etc.). So the company seems wonderful, but not this particular laptop.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron 15 15.6" Laptop, AMD Dual-Core E-450 1.65GHz, 4GB
My 94 year old mother needed a new computer! Her ten plus year old XP desktop gave up the ghost and she thought a laptop would be a good idea!I shopped around for a Windows 7 OS because I wasn't sure how she would handle the look and feel of Windows 8. She now has her email, solitaire and internet back, and is quite happy with the laptop.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p 59375625 15" i7-4700MQ 2.4GHz 16GB 250GB SSD Review
This thing is a beast! It will play all the latest games and do daily task without breaking a sweat! If you are looking at getting the Y510p make sure you get this model, it has everything you need.
Pros:
Fast!
I7 processor
Sleek metal design
Matte 1080p screen
Decent webcam
Backlit keyboard with 2 different levels.
Stylish
Cons:
Runs a bit hot
Touchpad is a disaster
Fingerprint magnet(impossible to remove them too)
The ultrabay GPU's are still not on the market.
Slow 5400 rpm hdd(really is the only cause for slowdown on this laptop)
For a full review check out my youtube channel
User= CrematedFated
Pros:
Fast!
I7 processor
Sleek metal design
Matte 1080p screen
Decent webcam
Backlit keyboard with 2 different levels.
Stylish
Cons:
Runs a bit hot
Touchpad is a disaster
Fingerprint magnet(impossible to remove them too)
The ultrabay GPU's are still not on the market.
Slow 5400 rpm hdd(really is the only cause for slowdown on this laptop)
For a full review check out my youtube channel
User= CrematedFated
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530c 336633U 15.6-Inch Laptop
This product is absolut rubbish. The laptop randomly crashes when I play videos of any kind. Until now I contacted the customer service about 23 times, I had to send in the laptop three times! and each time they said they had the final solution. They never had. It is a real pain when you need the laptop for work and have sensitive material on it but all they do is saying they will exchange something new. It cost me several hours each time to clear my laptop and to put everything back on.
Now the guarantee expired with all the sending back and forth and they refuse to help me any further without paying.
THIS IS TOTAL RIPOFF!!! Never buy this product!
Now the guarantee expired with all the sending back and forth and they refuse to help me any further without paying.
THIS IS TOTAL RIPOFF!!! Never buy this product!
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My E530C was ordered with Windows 7 and as soon as I opened the box, I saw recovery discs for Windows 8. I almost sent it back on the spot but I hadn't even opened the PC yet so I fired it up and it did come with W7 but it had a "Tech" icon and it needed a password that I didn't have. I suspect this new machine may be a refurb. Anyway, I called the tech support number and was pleasantly surprised to get an American human in Georgia from IBM who offered to take the machine back or else she would ship me W7 recovery discs. I opted for the discs, which arrived 2 days later. The installation took 4 hours, but appears to have worked so I'm still playing with the PC to ensure I can load and use all my software. My daughter has an older Lenovo laptop that is just excellent build quality and performance (don't know what model) but my E530 just feels cheap. I did buy a lower price machine but so far, I'm not impressed.Best Deals for Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530c 336633U 15.6-Inch Laptop
This is a very nice Lenovo Thinkpad. Has everything I was looking for and is a much more reliable product then some other brands on the market.
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