Showing posts with label wholesale notebooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wholesale notebooks. Show all posts
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Cheap Dell Vostro V3500 15.6" Notebook, Intel Core i3-350M (2.26GHz), 2GB
We have had our Dell Vostro laptop for a little over a year now and have been happy! Awesome machine! My only complaint is the space bar on the keyboard. You have to strike it close to the middle or else it may not respond. The keyboard does seem a tad chintzy. Other than that, I am glad we have made this purchase!
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Cheap Acer Extensa EX5230E-2177 Notebook PC Intel 2.2GH CPU Webcam DVDRW
We purchased this laptop here on Amazon just before Black Friday 2009. We paid $309 even though it was $249 at Best Buy the following week. After getting it home and realizing the single core Celeron 900 was an absolute dog of a processor, I went on eBay and bid $41.66 for a Pentium dual-core T4300 processor. I installed that and bumped the memory up to 3GB from 2GB using a PC2-5300 chip I had available from another machine. PC2-6400 memory can be used but it does increase temperatures inside the laptop. To put it simply, the computer now flies. Video is clean, clear, and stutter-free. It does not hang at times during booting. It does not freeze or lock up when multitasking. I use it as my primary computer and it blows away every desktop I've owned in the past few years. To be honest, I don't use it as a laptop, but as a desktop. I use an ASUS 23.6" LCD monitor (full 1080p video on a VGA connection), Logitech optical mouse and USB speakers, Kensington Keyboard For Life, and I just stick the laptop in my keyboard tray, put my external keyboard on the desk itself, and it's perfect.
This laptop can game. The Intel HD graphics (X4500MHD) is on-board, but it is THE BEST on-board graphics set you can get today. The performance is comparable to any of the following modern PCI Express cards:
ATI Radeon HD 4550
ATI Radeon HD 5450
nVidia 9400GT
nVidia 9500GS
nVidia 9500GT
nVidia GT120
It delivers close to 8600GT performance as well. I couldn't be happier with this laptop-as-a-desktop.
The computer having 3 USB ports is a slight problem, but a 4-in-1 USB hub solved that. I now have all ports in use and one free plug on the hub for flash drives, camera docks, printers, and other such temporary connections. It does not have a webcam (I use an external model) and it has no card reader (I have a microSD adapter and will be getting a full-size SD to USB adapter soon, but worst case, I can plug an SD card into my Kodak camera and unload it from there using my camera dock). The laptop's case appears to support these upgrades and other models of Extensa (5630 for example) do have these options. But a deep research into the computer's service manual shows that the card reader cannot be added to this motherboard.
Other processors that do absolutely for a fact work with this motherboard, chipset, and BIOS include:
Stock Celeron 900 (2.2GHz)
Celeron dual-core T3000
Celeron dual-core T3100
Pentium dual-core T4200
Pentium dual-core T4300
The T3200, T4400, and T4500 should also work fine as they are in the same processor family (Penryn-3M standard voltage, socket P) they are just newer models than when this GL40 chipset was introduced.
The T4300 does not have a noticeable heat increase over the Celeron 900, a degree or two hotter at idle, but identical under load. A T4500 might see another degree here or there. Other chips like Core 2 Duos may work in theory but may run hotter. These include T6400, T6500, T6600, T6570, T6670, T8100, T8300, and some later T9300/T9500 steppings,
Do NOT discount this computer, or any other cheap laptop with the GL40 chipset, for having a single core Celeron in it. These dual-core Celerons and Pentiums can be bought for $50 or less and provide a much needed kick in the rear as far as performance in daily use. The third GB of RAM just provides an extra cushion against slow operating when you're really busy. A $300 or $400 laptop with a $50 processor and $50 in RAM upgrades is now equal to a $700 model. Anyone who bought one of these at Best Buy for $249 just gets to do it cheaper than the rest of us.Simplemente excelente producto y funcional. Muy bueno sinceramente, cumplió todas mis expectativas y funciona perfectamente. Totalmente recomendable para todas las personas. Muchas gracias
This laptop can game. The Intel HD graphics (X4500MHD) is on-board, but it is THE BEST on-board graphics set you can get today. The performance is comparable to any of the following modern PCI Express cards:
ATI Radeon HD 4550
ATI Radeon HD 5450
nVidia 9400GT
nVidia 9500GS
nVidia 9500GT
nVidia GT120
It delivers close to 8600GT performance as well. I couldn't be happier with this laptop-as-a-desktop.
The computer having 3 USB ports is a slight problem, but a 4-in-1 USB hub solved that. I now have all ports in use and one free plug on the hub for flash drives, camera docks, printers, and other such temporary connections. It does not have a webcam (I use an external model) and it has no card reader (I have a microSD adapter and will be getting a full-size SD to USB adapter soon, but worst case, I can plug an SD card into my Kodak camera and unload it from there using my camera dock). The laptop's case appears to support these upgrades and other models of Extensa (5630 for example) do have these options. But a deep research into the computer's service manual shows that the card reader cannot be added to this motherboard.
Other processors that do absolutely for a fact work with this motherboard, chipset, and BIOS include:
Stock Celeron 900 (2.2GHz)
Celeron dual-core T3000
Celeron dual-core T3100
Pentium dual-core T4200
Pentium dual-core T4300
The T3200, T4400, and T4500 should also work fine as they are in the same processor family (Penryn-3M standard voltage, socket P) they are just newer models than when this GL40 chipset was introduced.
The T4300 does not have a noticeable heat increase over the Celeron 900, a degree or two hotter at idle, but identical under load. A T4500 might see another degree here or there. Other chips like Core 2 Duos may work in theory but may run hotter. These include T6400, T6500, T6600, T6570, T6670, T8100, T8300, and some later T9300/T9500 steppings,
Do NOT discount this computer, or any other cheap laptop with the GL40 chipset, for having a single core Celeron in it. These dual-core Celerons and Pentiums can be bought for $50 or less and provide a much needed kick in the rear as far as performance in daily use. The third GB of RAM just provides an extra cushion against slow operating when you're really busy. A $300 or $400 laptop with a $50 processor and $50 in RAM upgrades is now equal to a $700 model. Anyone who bought one of these at Best Buy for $249 just gets to do it cheaper than the rest of us.Simplemente excelente producto y funcional. Muy bueno sinceramente, cumplió todas mis expectativas y funciona perfectamente. Totalmente recomendable para todas las personas. Muchas gracias
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook Reviews
**UPDATE**
The temps on this laptop can get very hot if you don't watch them. I got to 73C today just watching Netflix. I even wiped the drive and reinstalled from the recovery partition and it still does it.
And to comment on other people saying the screen is glossy, I actually don't find it glossy at all. Its actually a weird middle between glossy and matte. I don't know what Sony did. Its nice though.
**OLD REVIEW**
Just as a intro, I didn't buy this laptop on Amazon, so it wont say verified purchase, but I did buy this laptop and still have it with me, so you can be assured that this is a real review. I absolutely love this laptop. Everything is amazingly fast and snappy, the trackpad is smooth and gestures handle very well, almost as well as a Mac.
The keyboard is also pretty great. It feels like I'm typing on a desktop keyboard because of how much travel the keys actually have. I think this is the most I've ever seen in an ultrabook. Now for the best thing about this laptop.
The weight. Its incredible. When I took the laptop home with me, I was actually worried that the box didn't have the laptop in it! (It did). This thing feels as light as my tablet.
Now for the screen, its a full 1080p screen, the clarity is good, and so are the viewing angles. Surprisingly, they're not as good as an IPS screen, but more than acceptable. The touch is also responsive. The one thing that I did have to do is when I got it, the screen was really sticky and I couldn't slide my finger on it. I cleaned it with some rubbing alcohol and now its as smooth as anything else.
But, there is one major (to me) issue. The fan noise is horrific. Even when I'm just browsing the internet, the fans are on at ~4000-5000 RPM according to Core Temp. And the weird thing, is that they SHOULD be on at the temps I'm getting. On idle, its around 50C. I've used many other ultrabooks and I know that's not normal. In fact, I unplugged the fan of a Lenovo Yoga (It was also loud) and it never exceeded 55C even when watching movies. This can't be fixed with an update because the laptop actually DOES run hot, so the fans are needed. I checked for any CPU hogging apps, but the CPU is never over 10% utilization in Task Manager. I know I don't have a defective unit, because I already took it back and replaced it once. Oh, and the SONY Vaio Control Center fan options don't do anything to control the fan.
I think other than that, this laptop is amazing. If you never use your laptop in a Library, Classroom, or another quiet place, It would be 5 stars for you. But Its just way too loud for me.
I feel that to deserve 5 stars, it need to be perfect, and this laptop comes close, but isn't. If anyone/Sony somehow releases an update to quiet those fans, I'll change my review. It would be 5 stars, but the fan and the flex on the body knock off one star for me.
To sum up:
PROS:
Amazing Screen
Roomy and comfortable keyboard
Smooth trackpad
VERY light
Looks great
No bloatware at all (since I bought it from the Microsoft Store)
CONS:
Fan noise is terrible
Some amount of flex in the body makes it feel weak
===================
(1) Speakers
(2) Build
(3) Temperature/fan noise
(4) Tips
(5) General Thoughts
(1) Speakers: I know some of the professional reviews said they aren't the greatest but they are not terrible for the size. No, you're not going to get blown away and you're not going to get deep bass. The built-in speakers are located around the hinge, facing up and slightly toward the screen. The sound doesn't get distorted at max volume and fills a standard room pretty adequately at max volume. I'm sure the small size also provided some challenges for the engineering team, so I'm not disappointed.
(2) Build: The more I play with it, I'm not convinced that it's mainly carbon fiber. I sense that there is a decent amount of "plastic-y" material in there but I'm not complaining. The only issue it gives me is the accuracy of the trackpad when not on a hard surface (see the second update to this review below).
(3) Temperature/fan noise: OK, I'll concede a little here with some of the other reviewers. I'm not so concerned with the noise as much as I am with the durability of components that heat up this much. Yes, when the fan gets going, the exiting air temperature is very hot, and the underside of the laptop is as well. SpeedFan reported temps as high as 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees F)!! That's hotter than any other desktop or mobile computer I've owned without additional heat-mitigating mechanisms. I just hope the components are able to handle that temp--at least it's an SSD instead of a traditional platter. It's also a little bit away from the hot components. The extended battery gives a little relief since it pushes the laptop up a little like a stand.
(4) Tips: There are quite a number of Sony updates to install including a firmware/BIOS update. When you click on the assist button the updates are listed under "software" instead of "updates". I got an error message installing Intel Anti-Theft indicating that the device was not compatible with it. It is. I was able to fix it by going into the BIOS settings and clicking on enable TPM and AT (even though it already was). After a few reboots, it recognized it OK. One thing that drove me crazy until I figured it out... the only way to get to the UEFI and BIOS settings was from a "shutdown" state, then pushing the "assist" button.
Another tip, this doesn't use the camera for light sensor as some have speculated. It uses the dedicated sensor next to the "assist" button. I personally do not like this since if a directional light is shining down on the device but not lighting the surrounding, it is thrown off. I have LED lighting in the main room of my house and it is constantly auto-adjusting the brightness. I believe there is a way to turn this off but I haven't played with it. It also has issues with adjusting brightness when your arm blocks the light for a few seconds. Why would your arm do that you say? Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's a TOUCHSCREEN laptop!! Come on Sony, so perfect in every other way! Again, not so bad that I would return it. I still think it's one of the best Haswell Ultrabooks on the market.
Purchase tips in the first updated review below.
(5) General thoughts: I haven't bothered to fix my Android tablet yet (the Asus TF300T is a pain to replace the digitizer unlike any other device I've owned). This has all but replaced my netbook and tablet that were used previously for separate tasks. All in a footprint smaller than either one individually. I am looking forward to the Windows 8.1 improvements. I have not installed the preview. I want to wait for the more stable release. On another note, the Intel Anti-Theft is $6.99 for one year on Amazon here.Intel 1 Year Anti Theft Service for Ultrabooks and Laptops Totally worth it for me. I take this everywhere.
FIRST UPDATE AFTER flying with this (and for the first time, without an additional tablet)
===================
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS
(2) CASES
(3) OTHER QUIRKS ("Flex", touchpad, wifi, fan)
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT?
(5) PURCHASE TIPS
(6) TAKE APART/DISASSEMBLY
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS At first I thought a 13.3" device would be too big to use on the airplane comfortably especially if someone in front of me reclined. I must say this was not the case--furthermore, this is where the touchscreen really shines. Since it is very light, I can hold it closer to me and use it like a tablet without having the keyboard get in my way. The on-screen keyboard also helps for this. I had to ask my colleague to hold the laptop for a second and when I handed it to him he was shocked at how light it weighed!
(2) CASES: The EasyAcc 13.3 inch Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover Neoprene Shock Resistant Pouch Protective Handbag for Apple Macbook Air 13, Macbook Pro 13, Acer Aspire S3, Asus Zenbook UX31, Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Samsung SERIES 9 NP900X3B, Toshiba Satellite Z830, SONY S... did NOT fit this ultrabook so be careful which MacBook Air Cases you choose. I ended up using this Case Logic QNS-113 13.3-Inch EVA Molded Laptop / Macbook Air / Pro Retina Display Sleeve (Black) because it also lets me use the ultrabook in the case itself and I can also stash my second really thin screen (GeChic OnLap--read my review there) GeChic On-Lap 1302 13.3 USB Powered Thin Slim LCD Monitor with ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port Adapter for Apple Macbook Pro Air 13 in the same case! I can also use the Case Logic 14" Case Logic LAPS-114 14-Inch Laptop Sleeve (Black) but it doesn't let me use the laptop in its case. TSA had no issues with either case and I didn't have to remove the ultrabook.
(3) OTHER QUIRKS: So, I think I have figured out the problem with some people reporting touchpad sensitivity and issues. The chassis is carbon fiber and has some "flex" to it. Therefore, if the ultrabook is not fully on a hard surface, and more specifically, half on a hard surface and the palmrest hanging off, the touchpad must be getting compressed inside somewhere as it bends between the palmrest and the touchpad. That is the only time I had issues. If it were fully on a hard or soft surface it operated normally. Imagine taking the laptop and pushing down on the palmrest while it is half over the side of a desk. That is what seems to be happening with me at least. Easy enough for me to adjust so it's a non-issue for me.
The fan noise that people are complaining about I must admit can get annoying sometimes, but I have not tried too much in the way of intensive operations yet. The initial DropBox sync (about 7GB for me) kicked up the fan a lot and it was noticeable. In airports and other areas, it wasn't too much of a distraction, but time will tell if I will be the "weirdo" with the noisy machine in day to day meetings, etc. Ah well, I guess I will have to avoid playing video games during my business meetings!
I did not experience any major Wifi issues other than with networks that do not broadcast SSID's. There are a large number of Sony firmware updates available so I would suggest installing them if you are experiencing issues with bluetooth, wifi, and NFC (which I haven't tried yet). My problem is that the Sony Vaio Update app keeps getting an error so I will contact Sony shortly.
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT? My Asus TF300T's digitizer broke prior to my flight and it's a pain to replace so I haven't done that yet. Needless to say, I've used the Sony Vaio Pro 13 in many situations that I would have used the tablet for and honestly, I feel less restricted than under Android limitations (read: multitasking, productivity office apps, etc.). I have all but replaced it and since it actually weighs less than my TF300T with keyboard dock, I'm happy to be using this. Yes, it's a little bit large for some situations, so I might hold out and get a decent 8" Bay Trail tablet when they are released later in the year.
(5) PURCHASE TIPS: So, after playing with this for a while, and knowing that some options are pretty expensive, here is what I can offer: most of the components are fixed and not upgradeable. If you can afford it, go with the highest processor and memory that you can. The memory is soldered to the main board. The SSD, however, is Samsung's new XP941 PCIe "M.2" form factor SDD. While they are not available for sale (that I could find) other than to OEMs right now, it is likely they will appear in the market soon. Going from the base 128GB, it costs $220 for 256GB and $720 or so for the 512GB. While the speeds are among the fastest you will see today for SSD, I might be willing to hold off on that, especially since it appears to be user-replaceable (no confirmation on that but see below). Your best shot is to keep searching for them online and see when they pop up cheaper in the future.
(6) TAKE-APART AND DISASSEMBLY: While I have not tried it yet, there is now a good tear-down video and pictures so you can see for yourself.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
===================
In this review:
(1) In the box
(2) PROs (+)
(3) CONs/Quirks (-)
(4) Windows Experience Index Ratings, Battery Life, and Performance Observations
(5) Extended sheet battery thoughts
(6) Thoughts on travel/portability/business use
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on tablet replacement
(1) In the box: power cord and adapter with neat USB port in transformer, brief setup pamphlet, VGA Adapter.
I thought I would include this section because there was some confusion as to whether the USB-powered Ethernet wireless router that attaches to the power adapter was included. Sadly, it is not. It is also not listed as available for sale (as of this date) in the US. If you need the part number (since it's hard to find), it's VGP-WAR100 and is available on Sony Asia's website
(2) PROs
Great battery life (later)
Super thin AND great battery life!
full-size spacing on keys
Tight integration between hardware and Windows 8 (even some 8.1 features done Sony-style on Windows 8.0)
Screen lifts for the most part with one hand (better than I could have expected)
brightness is decent
Carbon fiber build seems flimsy (because it bends) but actually feels and appears to be durable (if that makes sense)
Really light.
Did I mention that it's really thin and light?
(3) CONs/Quirks (not all are really terrible and I've overcome some as described)
Yes, there is a known WiFi issue. Supposedly, Sony is working on a fix though not all their stores and call centers are familiar with it. However, that being said, I did not experience any major issues. Just in case, I have a WiFi adapter I can use if needed.
For me: lack of Thunderbolt port is a disappointment but I understand that Sony had to sacrifice some things for such a thin laptop. I would have preferred Thunderbolt over HDMI but that is just me and the market supports the decision to stick with HDMI right now.
Lack of Gb Ethernet. Really wished it had this but a lot of ultrabooks are forgoing this option these days. To overcome this, I purchased a nifty Asus USB router (see below under travel)
The large amount of flex in the build makes using the touchscreen difficult to use or at least not as "seamless" as it could be. The screen vibrates back and forth a lot with each press making for a slightly uncomfortable but bearable experience. It certainly does not replace a tablet feel (nor is it meant to so no stars deducted). It's just that it feels like the touchscreen could have been left out altogether but I must admit I still use it extensively over the touchpad (but maybe not over a travel mouse).
The sheet battery is not flush to the device (more on that below under the "extended battery" section).
The keyboard is a little awkward for me, but to be fair, I'm accustomed to a 12.1" netbook keyboard. The keys for me are spaced too far apart but I can still type pretty fast and it doesn't seem like it will take a lot of getting used to.
The lights for the backlit keyboard are visible from underneath the keys when you are looking at the device. It's kind of annoying and I wish it were just the letters that were lit instead of an outline of the keys.
Silly dedicated "assist" button launches Sony's troubleshooting and repair/recovery apps. I'd rather be able to customize a dedicated hardware button (and maybe I can?)
(4) Windows Experience Index, battery life, and other performance measures
Overall: 6.3 (internal HD4000 graphics being the limiting factor)
CPU: 7.1 (NOTE: This is for a Core i7 model, the rest of this review is relevant to this model)
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
HDD: 8.6
It isn't meant to be a super high-end gaming machine. The idea here is thin and light...but seriously, it does a pretty darn good job at everything else while it's at it. Data transfer rates are extremely good. If I get a chance, I'll post some samples.
Battery Life is really really good. I use Battery Bar and it varies it's estimate based on use but going from a full charge on just the main battery without the extended sheet battery, it varies between 7-8.5 hours, way over Sony's 6.5 hours estimate. To be fair, I have only been installing software and not anything otherwise intensive. With the extended battery which is almost double capacity, I would easily believe Sony's 13-14 hour claim and then some. Time will tell and I will update if this changes.
Performance is pretty snappy and I haven't noticed any major hiccups but to be fair, I haven't done a whole lot other than web browsing and software installation. I'll update as time goes on if it changes.
(5) Extended Sheet battery thoughts:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. Since there are really no pictures for this model, I thought I would post this so you have a good idea of what it is like. I will post a picture soon as well. For starters, it does NOT sit flush with the laptop. In other words, it adds a significant amount of depth (almost double) but at least it is a smaller footprint and not the whole side of the laptop. It serves as a stand while it is attached. One thing I do wish: the cover for the connector for the extended battery can be difficult to remove form the laptop (it has a spot to reattach to the extended batteyr to hold it in place but even that is a pain to do in a hurry. If I have to switch batteries in a hurry or switch to the extended, it can be irritating. A sliding cover would have been more practical (but I'm not sure if it's feasible space-wise)
(6) Travel and portability thoughts:
For me, extended batteries are almost a necessity and I'm so used to just ordering them that I ordered it with the device. As I am using this, I am actually thinking I wouldn't need it if I were just replacing my netbook/laptop. Since the sheet battery adds such significant battery life, I might use it to replace what I normally defer to my Asus TF300T tablet for (notes, travel, work on airplanes/trains, etc.).
I will update this review soon--I have ordered two different MacBook Air cases and will see how they fare.
I also ordered the Asus WL-300NUL pocket WiFi router (ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL). This can be used in much the same way as the Sony part I mentioned above with the added benefit that it can also be used as a USB ethernet adapter and standard WiFi adapter as well.
For travel, I also ordered a USB combo mini outlet surge protector Satechi Compact USB Surge Protector for Charging MP3 Players, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and Windows Mobile Phones and an inline surge protector TRC 90510-10 Lap Top Surge Protector 3-Wire which should arrive soon.
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on Tablet replacement:
I was really hoping for a Haswell ultrabook convertible that would double as my desktop via a nice Thunderbolt dock for two monitors, GbE, USB 3.0 drives, etc. I was hoping for said ultrabook to also double as a tablet and take advantage of Window 8 handwriting recognition with a digitizer (this does not have a digitizer). In the end, while this may have been a purchase out of frustration in waiting or the "perfect" device to come along, I think I am happy with it. The near-instant on feature is nice so that certainly helps in pushing the case to replace my tablet. I can still think of a need for a decent tablet with digitizer (perhaps a future "mini" Windows 8 tablet with Bay Trail?). I thought about the Sony Duo 13 as well but the limited one angle kind of was a dealbreaker for me. In retrospect, it might be more of what I was looking for. The trackpad is becoming more and more of an after-thought for me as I use the touchscreen more so the fact that it is much smaller on the Duo may not be bad. At least it isn't behind the keyboard like on the recently announced Samsung device. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is probably the closest to what I wanted but it may not be released until much later this year. For now, I would say I'm very happy with the purchase and will continue to evaluate my needs as I go on in terms of living without a tablet.
I do hope that Thunderbolt becomes more common and is standard in the near future. Partly due to cost and partly due to ignorance, I think people are missing out on something great that might be too early for it's own good. It's almost like the "Apple Newton" was way ahead of its time and didn't succeed because of ignorance and cost until Palm released their version of the PDA when the market was "ready" for it. I'm hoping this is the time for TB.
I would like to address some issues other owners are reporting with this machine. I have absolutely zero wi-fi problems. I'm getting exactly the same reception, speed and stability from this laptop and every other wi-fi device I own. It worked great for me out of the box.
Some others also say the trackpad is awful. Honestly, I'm not really sure what kind of problems they're having with their trackpad. Mine works near flawlessly. There is an occasional hiccup when it fails to recognize my two-finger scrolling gesture for a brief second, but it happens rarely. Tracking is solid and smooth. Palm rejection is also excellent. No more jumping four lines of text while typing a paper!
The fan noise can be an issue for some. Honestly, simple web browsing or word processing, this machine is silent. I have it running on the battery most of the time in the "silent" mode located in the Vaio control panel, and any ambient noise drowns out the whisper coming from the side of this device. Now, any type of huge processor strain will make the fan whirl just like any other device. My only complaint is the fan can be a little to aggressive while watching HD videos, but the noise from the video still drowns out the fan for the most part.
Speaking of HD videos, the screen on this Vaio is absolutely sublime. Compared to the Macbook Air, screen quality is no contest. The viewing angles and sharpness on the Vaio are unmatched by the Air. Only other Windows ultrabooks(Acer S7, Samsung Ativ 9, Asus Zenbook Inifinity) can compare in screen quality. Some of those might have a higher resolution than the Vaio, but at 13", 1920x1080 looks as sharp as I could possibly imagine. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and whites are pure. There is a slight grain to it, but that's just an anti-glare coating. It's no matte display, but it does a better job at reflecting rays of light than a standard glossy display. For me, it's worth the trade off.
The keyboard, for an ultrabook, is way above my expectations. I've felt some very shallow key strokes on other machines, but the click-clack from this Vaio is satisfying. Key travel is plenty for such a thin device. I have no problems with keystrokes not registering. The back lighting is also very nice. It is very even with very little bleed when looked at head on. I love having the lighting dim when not in use, then suddenly illuminate my keyboard when my fingers begin striking the keys.
Port selection is decent enough. Two USB 3.0 with one supporting sleep charge, full size HDMI, a deep SD card slot with no stick out(unlike some Apple machines), a headphone/mic jack and charging. There is also a very handy USB 2.0 port on the power brick, so I can charge my smartphone from the brick instead of having to take up a USB port. Great add on feature!
Build quality on this laptop has been a highly contested issue. Yes, the frame of the laptop can flex if you put ample force on it. But at normal typing pressure, the keyboard flex is minimal to nonexistent. It's a trade off for the 2.3 pound package. The carbon fiber keyboard deck has a nice matte, textured finish to it. It feels very premium. There are no panel gaps to speak of. The palm rest has a contrasted brushed aluminum which never gets too cold or hot to the touch. Sony also made the design so when the lid is closed, the screen is lifted slightly above the keyboard, so the keys do not rub against this beautiful display. I also love the slight angle created by the bottom of the hinge when the laptop is fully open. It makes for a lovely typing experience.
Overall performance from the machine is blazingly fast. It boots in around 3 seconds, wakes from sleep instantly and opens apps in the blink of an eye. The new PCIe SSD gets 1000 mb/s reads and 900 writes! The processor and integrated GPU are enough for anything you would normally throw at an ultrabook.
Battery life is probably the only let down on the device. I usually can get around 6-8 hours on my normal usage of web browsing, watching videos, and typing. It's enough to get me through the day, but it's no 10 hours from the MBA. If you need more runtime, Sony offers a sheet battery that doubles the runtime, and keeps the total weight of the device equal to the MBA.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this laptop. I was worried reading the horror stories online about the terrible wi-fi and so on, but they are extremely small sample cases. My machine works flawlessly. I would without a second thought recommend this Vaio to anyone looking for a premium Windows ultrabook.
Seven hours battery .
The body is a bit flexy-but I think that was the intention, to keep it flexible so it can stand the rigors of being handled around, and at 1 kilogram-it WILL be handled around.
Track pad misses some tapsbut it is by far one of the best non-apple trackpads.
I went to the Apple store to see if I let my heart rule over the mind (the supposed 12 hour battery life of the new Air), and I simply came back, clenching my Vaio closer to me. Drab heavy silver slabs. No innovationimagine my frustration when the chunky screen didn't respond to my gentle prods.
Believe me-this is the new Z.
Sony, welcome back.
Then came by far the worst part, the track pad. I don't generally use mice with my laptops and a good trackpad is critical for me, and this one is terrible. It is not very sensitive, the cursor jumps around at times, and clicking often doesn't work. Even worse is that when you lightly press on the trackpad, you can feel the whole trackpad move, and it makes a noise when doing this. It does this the whole time you are moving your finger around the trackpad and drove me crazy. And just to be clear, I am talking about pressing lightly enough to where you are not actually "clicking" the trackpad.
The way Sony got this laptop so light is by making it "supposedly" out of carbon fibre, the problem is this makes the entire laptop flex, and really badly at that. I don't know how much it can actually take, and it could end up not being a problem, but just carrying the laptop from one of the corners feels like you are going to snap the palm rest. There just isn't much structure here, maybe it will make it take a fall better, who knows, but it feels horrible.
Lastly, sony loads this up with their software, and that software is terrible as all their applications are slow and crash often. There is one application that gives you a bunch of messages about your system, this program took over a minute to load.... On a laptop with a very fast SSD that can boot in something like 7 seconds.
With all that said, the keyboard itself was pleasant enough (aside from the layout I am not used to), and the screen is great. If anything 1080p might be too much for a laptop this size because some text was just straining to read, hopefully windows 8 will get updated with better scaling for high resolution, smaller screens. The touchscreen also works well enough, but I wish the screen's hinges were stronger as the screen would wobble around a bit when touching it.
The fan was also rather noisy, even on the silent profile in the Vaio Control Center, and speaking of loud the speakers weren't. Battery Life was also rather unimpressive, especially for a Haswell chip, but I'm sure windows 8 has more to do with that than anything.
The SSD is awesome, fast as all heck, and 8 gigs of ram (4 will suffice for most too) is more than enough for pretty much any regular user. The CPU and GPU seemed to hold up to normal use just fine, but will not handle gaming very well.
Overall, the cons just outweighed the pro for me (get it?). Ended up returning the laptop.
*************
I should also note that I experienced no issues with Wifi, but I believe sony or intel patched that issue. I am not sure if all the reviews complaining of horrible wifi are relevant now.
The temps on this laptop can get very hot if you don't watch them. I got to 73C today just watching Netflix. I even wiped the drive and reinstalled from the recovery partition and it still does it.
And to comment on other people saying the screen is glossy, I actually don't find it glossy at all. Its actually a weird middle between glossy and matte. I don't know what Sony did. Its nice though.
**OLD REVIEW**
Just as a intro, I didn't buy this laptop on Amazon, so it wont say verified purchase, but I did buy this laptop and still have it with me, so you can be assured that this is a real review. I absolutely love this laptop. Everything is amazingly fast and snappy, the trackpad is smooth and gestures handle very well, almost as well as a Mac.
The keyboard is also pretty great. It feels like I'm typing on a desktop keyboard because of how much travel the keys actually have. I think this is the most I've ever seen in an ultrabook. Now for the best thing about this laptop.
The weight. Its incredible. When I took the laptop home with me, I was actually worried that the box didn't have the laptop in it! (It did). This thing feels as light as my tablet.
Now for the screen, its a full 1080p screen, the clarity is good, and so are the viewing angles. Surprisingly, they're not as good as an IPS screen, but more than acceptable. The touch is also responsive. The one thing that I did have to do is when I got it, the screen was really sticky and I couldn't slide my finger on it. I cleaned it with some rubbing alcohol and now its as smooth as anything else.
But, there is one major (to me) issue. The fan noise is horrific. Even when I'm just browsing the internet, the fans are on at ~4000-5000 RPM according to Core Temp. And the weird thing, is that they SHOULD be on at the temps I'm getting. On idle, its around 50C. I've used many other ultrabooks and I know that's not normal. In fact, I unplugged the fan of a Lenovo Yoga (It was also loud) and it never exceeded 55C even when watching movies. This can't be fixed with an update because the laptop actually DOES run hot, so the fans are needed. I checked for any CPU hogging apps, but the CPU is never over 10% utilization in Task Manager. I know I don't have a defective unit, because I already took it back and replaced it once. Oh, and the SONY Vaio Control Center fan options don't do anything to control the fan.
I think other than that, this laptop is amazing. If you never use your laptop in a Library, Classroom, or another quiet place, It would be 5 stars for you. But Its just way too loud for me.
I feel that to deserve 5 stars, it need to be perfect, and this laptop comes close, but isn't. If anyone/Sony somehow releases an update to quiet those fans, I'll change my review. It would be 5 stars, but the fan and the flex on the body knock off one star for me.
To sum up:
PROS:
Amazing Screen
Roomy and comfortable keyboard
Smooth trackpad
VERY light
Looks great
No bloatware at all (since I bought it from the Microsoft Store)
CONS:
Fan noise is terrible
Some amount of flex in the body makes it feel weak
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SECOND UPDATE===================
(1) Speakers
(2) Build
(3) Temperature/fan noise
(4) Tips
(5) General Thoughts
(1) Speakers: I know some of the professional reviews said they aren't the greatest but they are not terrible for the size. No, you're not going to get blown away and you're not going to get deep bass. The built-in speakers are located around the hinge, facing up and slightly toward the screen. The sound doesn't get distorted at max volume and fills a standard room pretty adequately at max volume. I'm sure the small size also provided some challenges for the engineering team, so I'm not disappointed.
(2) Build: The more I play with it, I'm not convinced that it's mainly carbon fiber. I sense that there is a decent amount of "plastic-y" material in there but I'm not complaining. The only issue it gives me is the accuracy of the trackpad when not on a hard surface (see the second update to this review below).
(3) Temperature/fan noise: OK, I'll concede a little here with some of the other reviewers. I'm not so concerned with the noise as much as I am with the durability of components that heat up this much. Yes, when the fan gets going, the exiting air temperature is very hot, and the underside of the laptop is as well. SpeedFan reported temps as high as 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees F)!! That's hotter than any other desktop or mobile computer I've owned without additional heat-mitigating mechanisms. I just hope the components are able to handle that temp--at least it's an SSD instead of a traditional platter. It's also a little bit away from the hot components. The extended battery gives a little relief since it pushes the laptop up a little like a stand.
(4) Tips: There are quite a number of Sony updates to install including a firmware/BIOS update. When you click on the assist button the updates are listed under "software" instead of "updates". I got an error message installing Intel Anti-Theft indicating that the device was not compatible with it. It is. I was able to fix it by going into the BIOS settings and clicking on enable TPM and AT (even though it already was). After a few reboots, it recognized it OK. One thing that drove me crazy until I figured it out... the only way to get to the UEFI and BIOS settings was from a "shutdown" state, then pushing the "assist" button.
Another tip, this doesn't use the camera for light sensor as some have speculated. It uses the dedicated sensor next to the "assist" button. I personally do not like this since if a directional light is shining down on the device but not lighting the surrounding, it is thrown off. I have LED lighting in the main room of my house and it is constantly auto-adjusting the brightness. I believe there is a way to turn this off but I haven't played with it. It also has issues with adjusting brightness when your arm blocks the light for a few seconds. Why would your arm do that you say? Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's a TOUCHSCREEN laptop!! Come on Sony, so perfect in every other way! Again, not so bad that I would return it. I still think it's one of the best Haswell Ultrabooks on the market.
Purchase tips in the first updated review below.
(5) General thoughts: I haven't bothered to fix my Android tablet yet (the Asus TF300T is a pain to replace the digitizer unlike any other device I've owned). This has all but replaced my netbook and tablet that were used previously for separate tasks. All in a footprint smaller than either one individually. I am looking forward to the Windows 8.1 improvements. I have not installed the preview. I want to wait for the more stable release. On another note, the Intel Anti-Theft is $6.99 for one year on Amazon here.Intel 1 Year Anti Theft Service for Ultrabooks and Laptops Totally worth it for me. I take this everywhere.
FIRST UPDATE AFTER flying with this (and for the first time, without an additional tablet)
===================
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS
(2) CASES
(3) OTHER QUIRKS ("Flex", touchpad, wifi, fan)
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT?
(5) PURCHASE TIPS
(6) TAKE APART/DISASSEMBLY
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS At first I thought a 13.3" device would be too big to use on the airplane comfortably especially if someone in front of me reclined. I must say this was not the case--furthermore, this is where the touchscreen really shines. Since it is very light, I can hold it closer to me and use it like a tablet without having the keyboard get in my way. The on-screen keyboard also helps for this. I had to ask my colleague to hold the laptop for a second and when I handed it to him he was shocked at how light it weighed!
(2) CASES: The EasyAcc 13.3 inch Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover Neoprene Shock Resistant Pouch Protective Handbag for Apple Macbook Air 13, Macbook Pro 13, Acer Aspire S3, Asus Zenbook UX31, Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Samsung SERIES 9 NP900X3B, Toshiba Satellite Z830, SONY S... did NOT fit this ultrabook so be careful which MacBook Air Cases you choose. I ended up using this Case Logic QNS-113 13.3-Inch EVA Molded Laptop / Macbook Air / Pro Retina Display Sleeve (Black) because it also lets me use the ultrabook in the case itself and I can also stash my second really thin screen (GeChic OnLap--read my review there) GeChic On-Lap 1302 13.3 USB Powered Thin Slim LCD Monitor with ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port Adapter for Apple Macbook Pro Air 13 in the same case! I can also use the Case Logic 14" Case Logic LAPS-114 14-Inch Laptop Sleeve (Black) but it doesn't let me use the laptop in its case. TSA had no issues with either case and I didn't have to remove the ultrabook.
(3) OTHER QUIRKS: So, I think I have figured out the problem with some people reporting touchpad sensitivity and issues. The chassis is carbon fiber and has some "flex" to it. Therefore, if the ultrabook is not fully on a hard surface, and more specifically, half on a hard surface and the palmrest hanging off, the touchpad must be getting compressed inside somewhere as it bends between the palmrest and the touchpad. That is the only time I had issues. If it were fully on a hard or soft surface it operated normally. Imagine taking the laptop and pushing down on the palmrest while it is half over the side of a desk. That is what seems to be happening with me at least. Easy enough for me to adjust so it's a non-issue for me.
The fan noise that people are complaining about I must admit can get annoying sometimes, but I have not tried too much in the way of intensive operations yet. The initial DropBox sync (about 7GB for me) kicked up the fan a lot and it was noticeable. In airports and other areas, it wasn't too much of a distraction, but time will tell if I will be the "weirdo" with the noisy machine in day to day meetings, etc. Ah well, I guess I will have to avoid playing video games during my business meetings!
I did not experience any major Wifi issues other than with networks that do not broadcast SSID's. There are a large number of Sony firmware updates available so I would suggest installing them if you are experiencing issues with bluetooth, wifi, and NFC (which I haven't tried yet). My problem is that the Sony Vaio Update app keeps getting an error so I will contact Sony shortly.
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT? My Asus TF300T's digitizer broke prior to my flight and it's a pain to replace so I haven't done that yet. Needless to say, I've used the Sony Vaio Pro 13 in many situations that I would have used the tablet for and honestly, I feel less restricted than under Android limitations (read: multitasking, productivity office apps, etc.). I have all but replaced it and since it actually weighs less than my TF300T with keyboard dock, I'm happy to be using this. Yes, it's a little bit large for some situations, so I might hold out and get a decent 8" Bay Trail tablet when they are released later in the year.
(5) PURCHASE TIPS: So, after playing with this for a while, and knowing that some options are pretty expensive, here is what I can offer: most of the components are fixed and not upgradeable. If you can afford it, go with the highest processor and memory that you can. The memory is soldered to the main board. The SSD, however, is Samsung's new XP941 PCIe "M.2" form factor SDD. While they are not available for sale (that I could find) other than to OEMs right now, it is likely they will appear in the market soon. Going from the base 128GB, it costs $220 for 256GB and $720 or so for the 512GB. While the speeds are among the fastest you will see today for SSD, I might be willing to hold off on that, especially since it appears to be user-replaceable (no confirmation on that but see below). Your best shot is to keep searching for them online and see when they pop up cheaper in the future.
(6) TAKE-APART AND DISASSEMBLY: While I have not tried it yet, there is now a good tear-down video and pictures so you can see for yourself.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
===================
In this review:
(1) In the box
(2) PROs (+)
(3) CONs/Quirks (-)
(4) Windows Experience Index Ratings, Battery Life, and Performance Observations
(5) Extended sheet battery thoughts
(6) Thoughts on travel/portability/business use
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on tablet replacement
(1) In the box: power cord and adapter with neat USB port in transformer, brief setup pamphlet, VGA Adapter.
I thought I would include this section because there was some confusion as to whether the USB-powered Ethernet wireless router that attaches to the power adapter was included. Sadly, it is not. It is also not listed as available for sale (as of this date) in the US. If you need the part number (since it's hard to find), it's VGP-WAR100 and is available on Sony Asia's website
(2) PROs
Great battery life (later)
Super thin AND great battery life!
full-size spacing on keys
Tight integration between hardware and Windows 8 (even some 8.1 features done Sony-style on Windows 8.0)
Screen lifts for the most part with one hand (better than I could have expected)
brightness is decent
Carbon fiber build seems flimsy (because it bends) but actually feels and appears to be durable (if that makes sense)
Really light.
Did I mention that it's really thin and light?
(3) CONs/Quirks (not all are really terrible and I've overcome some as described)
Yes, there is a known WiFi issue. Supposedly, Sony is working on a fix though not all their stores and call centers are familiar with it. However, that being said, I did not experience any major issues. Just in case, I have a WiFi adapter I can use if needed.
For me: lack of Thunderbolt port is a disappointment but I understand that Sony had to sacrifice some things for such a thin laptop. I would have preferred Thunderbolt over HDMI but that is just me and the market supports the decision to stick with HDMI right now.
Lack of Gb Ethernet. Really wished it had this but a lot of ultrabooks are forgoing this option these days. To overcome this, I purchased a nifty Asus USB router (see below under travel)
The large amount of flex in the build makes using the touchscreen difficult to use or at least not as "seamless" as it could be. The screen vibrates back and forth a lot with each press making for a slightly uncomfortable but bearable experience. It certainly does not replace a tablet feel (nor is it meant to so no stars deducted). It's just that it feels like the touchscreen could have been left out altogether but I must admit I still use it extensively over the touchpad (but maybe not over a travel mouse).
The sheet battery is not flush to the device (more on that below under the "extended battery" section).
The keyboard is a little awkward for me, but to be fair, I'm accustomed to a 12.1" netbook keyboard. The keys for me are spaced too far apart but I can still type pretty fast and it doesn't seem like it will take a lot of getting used to.
The lights for the backlit keyboard are visible from underneath the keys when you are looking at the device. It's kind of annoying and I wish it were just the letters that were lit instead of an outline of the keys.
Silly dedicated "assist" button launches Sony's troubleshooting and repair/recovery apps. I'd rather be able to customize a dedicated hardware button (and maybe I can?)
(4) Windows Experience Index, battery life, and other performance measures
Overall: 6.3 (internal HD4000 graphics being the limiting factor)
CPU: 7.1 (NOTE: This is for a Core i7 model, the rest of this review is relevant to this model)
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
HDD: 8.6
It isn't meant to be a super high-end gaming machine. The idea here is thin and light...but seriously, it does a pretty darn good job at everything else while it's at it. Data transfer rates are extremely good. If I get a chance, I'll post some samples.
Battery Life is really really good. I use Battery Bar and it varies it's estimate based on use but going from a full charge on just the main battery without the extended sheet battery, it varies between 7-8.5 hours, way over Sony's 6.5 hours estimate. To be fair, I have only been installing software and not anything otherwise intensive. With the extended battery which is almost double capacity, I would easily believe Sony's 13-14 hour claim and then some. Time will tell and I will update if this changes.
Performance is pretty snappy and I haven't noticed any major hiccups but to be fair, I haven't done a whole lot other than web browsing and software installation. I'll update as time goes on if it changes.
(5) Extended Sheet battery thoughts:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. Since there are really no pictures for this model, I thought I would post this so you have a good idea of what it is like. I will post a picture soon as well. For starters, it does NOT sit flush with the laptop. In other words, it adds a significant amount of depth (almost double) but at least it is a smaller footprint and not the whole side of the laptop. It serves as a stand while it is attached. One thing I do wish: the cover for the connector for the extended battery can be difficult to remove form the laptop (it has a spot to reattach to the extended batteyr to hold it in place but even that is a pain to do in a hurry. If I have to switch batteries in a hurry or switch to the extended, it can be irritating. A sliding cover would have been more practical (but I'm not sure if it's feasible space-wise)
(6) Travel and portability thoughts:
For me, extended batteries are almost a necessity and I'm so used to just ordering them that I ordered it with the device. As I am using this, I am actually thinking I wouldn't need it if I were just replacing my netbook/laptop. Since the sheet battery adds such significant battery life, I might use it to replace what I normally defer to my Asus TF300T tablet for (notes, travel, work on airplanes/trains, etc.).
I will update this review soon--I have ordered two different MacBook Air cases and will see how they fare.
I also ordered the Asus WL-300NUL pocket WiFi router (ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL). This can be used in much the same way as the Sony part I mentioned above with the added benefit that it can also be used as a USB ethernet adapter and standard WiFi adapter as well.
For travel, I also ordered a USB combo mini outlet surge protector Satechi Compact USB Surge Protector for Charging MP3 Players, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and Windows Mobile Phones and an inline surge protector TRC 90510-10 Lap Top Surge Protector 3-Wire which should arrive soon.
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on Tablet replacement:
I was really hoping for a Haswell ultrabook convertible that would double as my desktop via a nice Thunderbolt dock for two monitors, GbE, USB 3.0 drives, etc. I was hoping for said ultrabook to also double as a tablet and take advantage of Window 8 handwriting recognition with a digitizer (this does not have a digitizer). In the end, while this may have been a purchase out of frustration in waiting or the "perfect" device to come along, I think I am happy with it. The near-instant on feature is nice so that certainly helps in pushing the case to replace my tablet. I can still think of a need for a decent tablet with digitizer (perhaps a future "mini" Windows 8 tablet with Bay Trail?). I thought about the Sony Duo 13 as well but the limited one angle kind of was a dealbreaker for me. In retrospect, it might be more of what I was looking for. The trackpad is becoming more and more of an after-thought for me as I use the touchscreen more so the fact that it is much smaller on the Duo may not be bad. At least it isn't behind the keyboard like on the recently announced Samsung device. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is probably the closest to what I wanted but it may not be released until much later this year. For now, I would say I'm very happy with the purchase and will continue to evaluate my needs as I go on in terms of living without a tablet.
I do hope that Thunderbolt becomes more common and is standard in the near future. Partly due to cost and partly due to ignorance, I think people are missing out on something great that might be too early for it's own good. It's almost like the "Apple Newton" was way ahead of its time and didn't succeed because of ignorance and cost until Palm released their version of the PDA when the market was "ready" for it. I'm hoping this is the time for TB.
Best Deals for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
I absolutely love this ultrabook. If you need to have the most portable laptop, look no further. At 2.3 pounds, this Vaio feels like nothing in my bag. The weight was the main selling point for me. I'm a student who constantly traverses campus with books and a laptop, and having something that weighs far less than my textbooks is a dream. Coming from a laptop that weighed nearly 6 pounds to this featherweight is a huge burden lifted from my shoulders.I would like to address some issues other owners are reporting with this machine. I have absolutely zero wi-fi problems. I'm getting exactly the same reception, speed and stability from this laptop and every other wi-fi device I own. It worked great for me out of the box.
Some others also say the trackpad is awful. Honestly, I'm not really sure what kind of problems they're having with their trackpad. Mine works near flawlessly. There is an occasional hiccup when it fails to recognize my two-finger scrolling gesture for a brief second, but it happens rarely. Tracking is solid and smooth. Palm rejection is also excellent. No more jumping four lines of text while typing a paper!
The fan noise can be an issue for some. Honestly, simple web browsing or word processing, this machine is silent. I have it running on the battery most of the time in the "silent" mode located in the Vaio control panel, and any ambient noise drowns out the whisper coming from the side of this device. Now, any type of huge processor strain will make the fan whirl just like any other device. My only complaint is the fan can be a little to aggressive while watching HD videos, but the noise from the video still drowns out the fan for the most part.
Speaking of HD videos, the screen on this Vaio is absolutely sublime. Compared to the Macbook Air, screen quality is no contest. The viewing angles and sharpness on the Vaio are unmatched by the Air. Only other Windows ultrabooks(Acer S7, Samsung Ativ 9, Asus Zenbook Inifinity) can compare in screen quality. Some of those might have a higher resolution than the Vaio, but at 13", 1920x1080 looks as sharp as I could possibly imagine. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and whites are pure. There is a slight grain to it, but that's just an anti-glare coating. It's no matte display, but it does a better job at reflecting rays of light than a standard glossy display. For me, it's worth the trade off.
The keyboard, for an ultrabook, is way above my expectations. I've felt some very shallow key strokes on other machines, but the click-clack from this Vaio is satisfying. Key travel is plenty for such a thin device. I have no problems with keystrokes not registering. The back lighting is also very nice. It is very even with very little bleed when looked at head on. I love having the lighting dim when not in use, then suddenly illuminate my keyboard when my fingers begin striking the keys.
Port selection is decent enough. Two USB 3.0 with one supporting sleep charge, full size HDMI, a deep SD card slot with no stick out(unlike some Apple machines), a headphone/mic jack and charging. There is also a very handy USB 2.0 port on the power brick, so I can charge my smartphone from the brick instead of having to take up a USB port. Great add on feature!
Build quality on this laptop has been a highly contested issue. Yes, the frame of the laptop can flex if you put ample force on it. But at normal typing pressure, the keyboard flex is minimal to nonexistent. It's a trade off for the 2.3 pound package. The carbon fiber keyboard deck has a nice matte, textured finish to it. It feels very premium. There are no panel gaps to speak of. The palm rest has a contrasted brushed aluminum which never gets too cold or hot to the touch. Sony also made the design so when the lid is closed, the screen is lifted slightly above the keyboard, so the keys do not rub against this beautiful display. I also love the slight angle created by the bottom of the hinge when the laptop is fully open. It makes for a lovely typing experience.
Overall performance from the machine is blazingly fast. It boots in around 3 seconds, wakes from sleep instantly and opens apps in the blink of an eye. The new PCIe SSD gets 1000 mb/s reads and 900 writes! The processor and integrated GPU are enough for anything you would normally throw at an ultrabook.
Battery life is probably the only let down on the device. I usually can get around 6-8 hours on my normal usage of web browsing, watching videos, and typing. It's enough to get me through the day, but it's no 10 hours from the MBA. If you need more runtime, Sony offers a sheet battery that doubles the runtime, and keeps the total weight of the device equal to the MBA.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this laptop. I was worried reading the horror stories online about the terrible wi-fi and so on, but they are extremely small sample cases. My machine works flawlessly. I would without a second thought recommend this Vaio to anyone looking for a premium Windows ultrabook.
Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
Bought the laptop in a Sony store after falling in love the moment I saw it. It is simply stunning. There is no going back to my Ideapad now. This is the kind of technology that Sony stopped producing in the last decade. Boot up in 3-5 seconds. Shuts down in 5. Applications start instantaneously, excellent wifi range. Killer display. Responsive touch(on internet explorer, Firefox unfortunately isn't optimized for Win 8)Seven hours battery .
The body is a bit flexy-but I think that was the intention, to keep it flexible so it can stand the rigors of being handled around, and at 1 kilogram-it WILL be handled around.
Track pad misses some tapsbut it is by far one of the best non-apple trackpads.
I went to the Apple store to see if I let my heart rule over the mind (the supposed 12 hour battery life of the new Air), and I simply came back, clenching my Vaio closer to me. Drab heavy silver slabs. No innovationimagine my frustration when the chunky screen didn't respond to my gentle prods.
Believe me-this is the new Z.
Sony, welcome back.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
I was in the market in a powerful yet light laptop and this one seemed to fit the bill. Got it home, and was rather impressed by how light and thin the laptop was, and how beautiful the screen was. Then I started typing and found I really didn't like the keyboard layout, the bottom half of the large return key was notched out in the bottom left quarter, so I ended up often missing the return key hitting the quote key.Then came by far the worst part, the track pad. I don't generally use mice with my laptops and a good trackpad is critical for me, and this one is terrible. It is not very sensitive, the cursor jumps around at times, and clicking often doesn't work. Even worse is that when you lightly press on the trackpad, you can feel the whole trackpad move, and it makes a noise when doing this. It does this the whole time you are moving your finger around the trackpad and drove me crazy. And just to be clear, I am talking about pressing lightly enough to where you are not actually "clicking" the trackpad.
The way Sony got this laptop so light is by making it "supposedly" out of carbon fibre, the problem is this makes the entire laptop flex, and really badly at that. I don't know how much it can actually take, and it could end up not being a problem, but just carrying the laptop from one of the corners feels like you are going to snap the palm rest. There just isn't much structure here, maybe it will make it take a fall better, who knows, but it feels horrible.
Lastly, sony loads this up with their software, and that software is terrible as all their applications are slow and crash often. There is one application that gives you a bunch of messages about your system, this program took over a minute to load.... On a laptop with a very fast SSD that can boot in something like 7 seconds.
With all that said, the keyboard itself was pleasant enough (aside from the layout I am not used to), and the screen is great. If anything 1080p might be too much for a laptop this size because some text was just straining to read, hopefully windows 8 will get updated with better scaling for high resolution, smaller screens. The touchscreen also works well enough, but I wish the screen's hinges were stronger as the screen would wobble around a bit when touching it.
The fan was also rather noisy, even on the silent profile in the Vaio Control Center, and speaking of loud the speakers weren't. Battery Life was also rather unimpressive, especially for a Haswell chip, but I'm sure windows 8 has more to do with that than anything.
The SSD is awesome, fast as all heck, and 8 gigs of ram (4 will suffice for most too) is more than enough for pretty much any regular user. The CPU and GPU seemed to hold up to normal use just fine, but will not handle gaming very well.
Overall, the cons just outweighed the pro for me (get it?). Ended up returning the laptop.
*************
I should also note that I experienced no issues with Wifi, but I believe sony or intel patched that issue. I am not sure if all the reviews complaining of horrible wifi are relevant now.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Toshiba 15.6" Satellite C655-S5225 Intel Laptop Review
Hate it. The trackpad is rough, like cat's tongue, and the cursor does not move smoothly in drag-and-drop. Other laptops, even Toshiba models, offer smoother function. Try the Solitaire (which MSFT has messed up w/ over-design). Like most laptops now, the ports and CD/DVD drive are all on the sides. Add this space-destroyer to the additional width necessary for the numbers pad at the right (duplicating the numbers at the top of the keyboard) and you have little room for papers, binders, etc., and it's easy to dislodge, bump a device. I'm told that motel safes do not accommodate the 15" and over laptops. In addition, the keypad (esp. the trackpad) is off-center so it's easy to hit number keys instead of the key you want. I bought this item at Best Buy b/c $349.99 was such a good price for 4GB memory (not expandable), 320GB HDD. Amazon, Fry's and NewEgg give you 30 days to discover the kinks. Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot give only 14 days -NOT enough. What I learned: buy from shops w/ 30-day return policies.
I will not buy a toshiba again
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I bought this computer from Best Buy in late October for my mother who does very limited and basic processing and computing. She likes to find stuff online and look for ads for garage sales, so she was not utilizing everything the computer can do. For christmas she asked for a Kindle Fire so she gave me the laptop as a trade-off. So far, I absolutely love this laptop. I should start off by saying that I don't mind that it is slightly larger than a lot of other laptops that are trying to be slim and lightweight. It is still light for the size of it but having the 15.6" screen is great when watching videos and movies on it. The processor is plenty fast enough for my computing needs, such as basic word processing and multiple online searching and web browsing. It downloads everything I need very quickly and runs movies and windows media player without a hiccup. Viewing 1080p or 720p movies or youtube vidoes is very smooth and look great on the screen! The graphics card doesn't skip and runs flawlessly as well. Again, I am not a huge processor hog and don't play to many video games on it, but I do watch plenty of youtube video's while searching the web and also try to stream football or hockey games using ESPN 3 or other websites and it runs those extremely well. The only real complaint is that it only has 2 USB 2.0 ports and no HDMI output. It does have a webcam for Skype etc., and the number pad on the far right hand side. I actually thought I would hate this part, and I did when first using the computer but when I had to fill in information on websites or for any type of accounting information, the number pad actually came in very handy. I really enjoy this computer for a basic laptop with good features for a basic to medium user. My girlfriends mother also got a Toshiba Satellite but it was a different version and it came as a glossy silver finish. A couple of notes on this difference. First, the mouse pad is harder to find because the glossy finish blends in with the finish of the mouse track pad so it is hard to know when your actually touching the pad or the computer case. Secondly, she has had some issues with the battery and the WI-FI connection cutting in and out. It is only on that specific version of the Satellite series but it was a major annoyance when the battery would cut out and you have it plugged in! It would also not properly connect to the internet via wi-fi so it would cut in and out because of the same battery issue. I have no issues with any of that on the S5225 version and the matt black finish is nice because you don't see every little fingerprint on the case. It is a great value for what I need and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good quality, but cheaply priced laptop.Best Deals for Toshiba 15.6" Satellite C655-S5225 Intel Laptop
I absoulutely love my Toshiba 15.6" Satellite C655-S5225 Intel Laptop! I have recommended it to friends & family that are looking to buy new laptops.Honest reviews on Toshiba 15.6" Satellite C655-S5225 Intel Laptop
do not buy this computer. My friend and I both have the same laptop and both of us had the hinge break. This laptop is poorly designed. It is big and bulky. Once the hinge breaks it is pretty useless and difficult to fixI will not buy a toshiba again
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba 15.6" Satellite C655-S5225 Intel Laptop
I bought one for mom and she loves it. It's fast and the screen is a good size. Overall, not a bad laptop for the price.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Review of Toshiba Satellite L505D-LS5007 16-Inch laptop (2.0GHz Athlon II
I write this having just been cut off (by phone) with Toshiba's tech support. (Well, actually it was the call center, to which the manager had transferred me in error). I am sending back this computer for the second time in the last two weeks, having purchased it in February (after doing considerable research). It had a myriad of problems including: 1) a non-functioning USB port, 2) a tendency to lock up and then not shut down on command, forcing a shut down by pushing the on/off switch, 3) and on-again-off-again CD burner, 4) an inability to send a daily backup to the reserve hard drive, 5) an inability to send anything greater than three or four songs worth of file space to the back-up drive at one time. With seven or eight songs, it would lock up, and I'd have to go through the shut-down process again.
I got back the computer four days ago. Toshiba had replaced the USB, the optical drive, and the hard drive. Wow, sounded good! But most of the same problems reappeared. Maybe if I had a 32 bit version of Windows 7 instead of 64 bit. Ah, but that's not a possibility, according to the manager I spoke with. My option is to keep sending it back till they repair it, all the way till my warranty runs out.
To say I am angry is putting it mildly. From my experience, I'll never go near Toshiba's laptops again. Maybe that's unfair, but this laptop is screwing up my life to a considerable extent, since I spend many hours a day on the computer.
The other thing I notice is that it's bigger than I thought, it's larger because of the numeric pad. But that hasn't been so much of an issue for me yet.
As far as the Internet connectivity, it's fast. It works well on the battery alone and I really like Windows 7.
I also like that it has the vent on one side and it runs smoothly and quietly, you almost can't hear it.
The video quality is pretty good and the volume of the speakers is good, decent.
The only problems I had is that I haven't been able to install a program to do my translations because it's not compatible (Softni Subtitler Suite). It's a 32 bit program, and since this laptop is 64 bit I haven't found I way to install it.
The other thing I can say is that the mouse pad isn't so smooth, I'd rather use an external mouse, it's faster.
Overall, it's a great laptop and I'm really happy with it.
I got back the computer four days ago. Toshiba had replaced the USB, the optical drive, and the hard drive. Wow, sounded good! But most of the same problems reappeared. Maybe if I had a 32 bit version of Windows 7 instead of 64 bit. Ah, but that's not a possibility, according to the manager I spoke with. My option is to keep sending it back till they repair it, all the way till my warranty runs out.
To say I am angry is putting it mildly. From my experience, I'll never go near Toshiba's laptops again. Maybe that's unfair, but this laptop is screwing up my life to a considerable extent, since I spend many hours a day on the computer.
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This is my first laptop and I can recommend it. I like that it has the numeric pad on the side, it's very practical. I can say I'm happy with it. When I took it out of the box, I really liked the color, of course it will depend if you like a black one or a metal looking laptop. For me, it gives it a sense of sophistication.The other thing I notice is that it's bigger than I thought, it's larger because of the numeric pad. But that hasn't been so much of an issue for me yet.
As far as the Internet connectivity, it's fast. It works well on the battery alone and I really like Windows 7.
I also like that it has the vent on one side and it runs smoothly and quietly, you almost can't hear it.
The video quality is pretty good and the volume of the speakers is good, decent.
The only problems I had is that I haven't been able to install a program to do my translations because it's not compatible (Softni Subtitler Suite). It's a 32 bit program, and since this laptop is 64 bit I haven't found I way to install it.
The other thing I can say is that the mouse pad isn't so smooth, I'd rather use an external mouse, it's faster.
Overall, it's a great laptop and I'm really happy with it.
Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite L505D-LS5007 16-Inch laptop (2.0GHz Athlon II
If you type this computer in a search engine you will see I am not the only one who hates this product and has the following problems: Keyboard goes out, hardware problem ubs/sound do not work (Bios problem). This computer has BOTH hardware and BIOS problems! So if you want a laptop that will lose the usb/ sound (not a hardware problem, it is a messed up BIOS problem so no fixing it) and love having to replace the keyboard, then buy it. If you want to actually USE the lap top you paid almost 500.00 for then buy anything but this!
Monday, September 22, 2014
Best Gateway NE71B07u 17.3-Inch Laptop (Satin Black) Deals
I did not give it 5 stars because I think it is a little slow for a brand new computer. I do not like Windows8. but the computer itself is nice, sleek, and shiny. It is very light weight.
I hate Windows 8 ... maybe thats just my bias towards what I am used to. But having to find a separate pane to close out of an existing window sems stupid to me. Worse, that pane that should open up at the top of IE when you move the cursor to the very top often times won't show up. Not sure if this is Windows bug of my failure to uderstand how it should work.
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nice laptop great price....but the windows 8 is not easy to operate. I bought this as a gift for my mother & compared to windows 7 is a nightmare to operate!Best Deals for Gateway NE71B07u 17.3-Inch Laptop (Satin Black)
Price was great and my wife really enjoys her new machine. For the technically non-savvy, a jump to Windows 8 is frustrating, but that's no fault of this machine. Great graphics and the best buy I could find for what's essentially my wife's facebook and email readerHonest reviews on Gateway NE71B07u 17.3-Inch Laptop (Satin Black)
DVD player makes a lot of noise ... unless you hold it. I do love the big screen.I hate Windows 8 ... maybe thats just my bias towards what I am used to. But having to find a separate pane to close out of an existing window sems stupid to me. Worse, that pane that should open up at the top of IE when you move the cursor to the very top often times won't show up. Not sure if this is Windows bug of my failure to uderstand how it should work.
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Should have done more homework/research before purchasing. It is a whole lot of freelance and whimsy! Found it similar to what I would consider "Herding Cats"!! I just couldn't work with it. Not a match with my way of thinking!
Monday, September 15, 2014
Best Gateway NV7310U Refurbished Notebook PC Deals
rapido y seguro el servicio me gusto el producto porque era justo lo que vi es justo lo que me llego
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Jus got the laptop today and it has been peforming great thus far with no defects, keys offer a good feel when typing however feel kinda flimpsy for my taste but the arragement of keys is good. average speaker audio responsive touch controls and good images from the built in 1.3 mp camera. the LED display is large and bright. hardware got a 4.0 rating from windows 7 with the lowest score of 4.0 for graphics. overall, the material doesnt feel very strong but this gives you the benefit of a light machine that easy to move around with. i'm loving it so far and would recommend it to anyone except hardcore gamers. great price too.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Buy Dell Latitude E6330 13.3" LED Notebook (469-3146) - Intel Core i5
List Price: $2,058.00
Sale Price: $889.00
Today's Bonus: 57% Off
I got a decked out E6330 from work. It's a light and very fast computer with long battery life and I like to use it. But, I was totally shocked when I saw the price. I also personally own a 9 month old 13" macbook pro and a two year old Lenovo T400. Externally the Dell is no where near the build quality of either of those machines, not even close. The screen colors look pasty in comparison and the keyboard feels rubbery and is not very nice to the touch. When I type on the Lenovo I get a really satisfying snap to the keyboard. When I put my hands on the macbook the texture and smoothness of the track pad make it a joy to touch.
When I saw the order sheet for the Dell it talked about the Tri-Metal chassis which made me think the case would be really nice, but it's maybe just average. It also gets surprisingly hot just sitting on my desk doing nothing. The fan kicks in and out in an extreme fashion instead of just calming winding up and down. My Macbook almost never gets warm to the touch unless it is really chugging, and I almost never notice the fan. The Dells lid hinges are very stiff and if the laptop is sitting on a desk and I try to lift the lid the whole laptop lifts up and sometimes the lid gives way after it's tilted up and the the bottom part of the machine slams back down onto the desk. The first time I saw this happen I was shocked. I've handled probably a hundred macbooks at my previous job and they never did that even once!
I really don't know why so many IT departments who have to force you into windows buy from Dell instead of at least getting you a Lenovo or Asus.
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Like the other reviewer, my Dell Latitude E6330 was provided by my employer to replace a five-year-old Dell laptop that was pretty sluggish. This new machine zips along, processing Photoshop or Word without hesitation. The start up and shut down are so much faster, I feel like I gain 20 minutes of working time a day. Most days I connect it to a monitor and keyboard via a docking station, so I don't deal with smaller screen size or bit clunky keyboard except on teleworking days. Even then, this PC is passable, though, I agree, the color rendering is not quite true and for real nitty gritty production I prefer my Apple.Still for a basic workhorse this machine works fine and its processing speed is a plus. The screen holds itself up and swivels with no problem for different viewing perspectives. The battery life makes it easier to be untethered and haul the laptop to a back porch or around the house. I use it on a lap desk and have not noticed excess heat on mine.
The list price is a bit shocking and I have feeling mine was part of a group buy for a lower cost. The short and long of it is that I would not pay the sticker price for this laptop, but if you still need a laptop for work, give this one some latitude if you can get one for a more reasonable cost.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Best Dell Latitude D820 Intal Dual Core 1.6GHz Notebook - 2GB RAM, 80GB Deals
I bought it for a gift for my son. He hasn't complained so it must be working okay for him. I'm very satisfied with the product and the service is top rate.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Reviews of Dell Studio s1557-1148CBK 1557 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black Chainlink)
Unless you turn speed step off in the BIOS this laptop will overheat as soon as you reach 20 min watching a video, or video conferencing. This causes the 1.6GHz processor to run in the 900MHz. Another thing to note is that without turning off speed step the Clock speed is actually in the 2.5GHz witch is strange to say the least. The average temp of the processors are 65-70 Celsius with speed step off. With it on it easily reaches 89C-90C until 100C and shutdown. I never complained to Dell, by the time I realized the issue it was passed the 1 year warranty.
I've had 5 Dells. 2 have overheating issues, 1 completely failed. And 1 had a HD fail, which was replaced. They were: Dell Inspiring 1500, Dell XPS GEN 4, Dell Studio 1557, Dell Duo, Dell 11z. If you know how to fix it... Take the risk in a Dell as they are cheap. Otherwise avoid any Dells or any HP machines.
I recommend thinking of the DELL xps instead. It is lighter and has better aesthetics and just a 100 dollars more or so
I've had 5 Dells. 2 have overheating issues, 1 completely failed. And 1 had a HD fail, which was replaced. They were: Dell Inspiring 1500, Dell XPS GEN 4, Dell Studio 1557, Dell Duo, Dell 11z. If you know how to fix it... Take the risk in a Dell as they are cheap. Otherwise avoid any Dells or any HP machines.
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well, i bought this online but when i went to best buy i felt i could have got a better deal. The laptop is a bit on the heavy side and the battery is large (great battery life) but there is a bulge on which the laptop rests. This makes it a bit uncomfortable when you put it on your lap.I recommend thinking of the DELL xps instead. It is lighter and has better aesthetics and just a 100 dollars more or so
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I can't really find anything negative to say about this computer. I love the backlit keyboard and how fast it is. I guess the only thing I can say is that after a while of running, it can get loud sometimes.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Cheap Sony VAIO VPCEG26FX/B 14-Inch Laptop, Intel i5 2.4 Ghz, 4GB Ram
I purchased this item (not through Amazon) after doing some research online visiting various sites. I was not able to find any reviews at the time of my purchase, but as I wanted a faster processing speed than my old laptop, plus Blu-Ray capability, and a host of other things, I am more than pleased with my purchase. I do like the raised keys (like a Mac), the size of the screen is suitable for my needs, the finish is great on it. I am not a fan of the finger pads, so purchased a wireless mouse, which is fine with me. I have only just started using it, but now that I have loaded my Navigator speech to text program on it, look forward to getting a lot of paperwork at home done much more quickly than previously. The start up and close down time is much faster as well. Good all around. I look forward to reading what other users find with this product.
...And it only gets two stars. I've taken very good care of the battery hell, I only use the battery when I'm on the move, or while doing smaller tasks. I rarely do anything multimedia-heavy with the battery in, because I know that those things will strain the battery. And I've also made sure to keep the battery cool as much as possible. So even after taking measures like that to ensure a long battery life, after only a few months the battery started draining faster than a water bottle with a hole in it. Oh, and last month it started getting dead pixels, and they're spreading. So I've only been able to get a little over a year out of this, and now I have to search for a new laptop. :(
But, hey, SONY, what were you thinking when you designed the dvd tray? There is no way you can handle the laptop without accidentaly activating and therefore opening the dvd tray. Every. Single. Time.
If you touch the tray, at almost any point of it, it opens up. Really really annoying....
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I do a lot of multimedia work, and I'm very pleased with how well this laptop works for that purpose. Even while editing large video files and editing photos simultaneously in two processor-heavy programs, this baby doesn't slow down or give me any crap. This speedy laptop can handle anything it seems. It's very well integrated with viewing and working on multimedia files, and the overall speed and performance is to die for. Top tier laptop in my opinion....And it only gets two stars. I've taken very good care of the battery hell, I only use the battery when I'm on the move, or while doing smaller tasks. I rarely do anything multimedia-heavy with the battery in, because I know that those things will strain the battery. And I've also made sure to keep the battery cool as much as possible. So even after taking measures like that to ensure a long battery life, after only a few months the battery started draining faster than a water bottle with a hole in it. Oh, and last month it started getting dead pixels, and they're spreading. So I've only been able to get a little over a year out of this, and now I have to search for a new laptop. :(
Best Deals for Sony VAIO VPCEG26FX/B 14-Inch Laptop, Intel i5 2.4 Ghz, 4GB Ram
This is a very short review. I Love everything about the laptop. It works great, looks great, and has excellent battery life.But, hey, SONY, what were you thinking when you designed the dvd tray? There is no way you can handle the laptop without accidentaly activating and therefore opening the dvd tray. Every. Single. Time.
If you touch the tray, at almost any point of it, it opens up. Really really annoying....
Honest reviews on Sony VAIO VPCEG26FX/B 14-Inch Laptop, Intel i5 2.4 Ghz, 4GB Ram
This laptop is exactly as advertised. The BluRay player, the hard drive size, and the wireless display option were important in choosing this computer.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO VPCEG26FX/B 14-Inch Laptop, Intel i5 2.4 Ghz, 4GB Ram
I bought this for my friend. This laptop is compact, good looking and works efficiently, and I think it's price is justified too.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Toshiba - Satellite P875-s710217.3" Laptop - 8gb Memory-3rd Gen Review
Pros:
-Very nice stats for the price
-Quad Core i7-3630QM 2.4Ghz processor
-Backlite keyboard helps at night
-8Gb ram and I believe it can be upgraded to 32Gb
-Shuts down and Starts up reasonably fast
-Charges quickly
-4 USB 3.0 drives
-17.3" screen, so it's a fairly large laptop
-Wifi Ready
-DVD-CD drive
Cons:
-6 cell battery and there aren't currently longer lasting batteries on the market for this laptop
-Integrated video card is a negative, can't put a new one in
Neutral:
-Hard Drive isn't the top of the line in speeds but because of the processor and ram makes it's hard to notice
-Some sites don't list the Windows 8 is the standard on this laptop, refurbished might be lower though
-The touch pad mouse doesn't respond great all of the time, sometimes it takes more than one swipe to move the mouse to where you want to move it to.
Overall for the price, it's very solid one site even said replace your desktop with it.
-Very nice stats for the price
-Quad Core i7-3630QM 2.4Ghz processor
-Backlite keyboard helps at night
-8Gb ram and I believe it can be upgraded to 32Gb
-Shuts down and Starts up reasonably fast
-Charges quickly
-4 USB 3.0 drives
-17.3" screen, so it's a fairly large laptop
-Wifi Ready
-DVD-CD drive
Cons:
-6 cell battery and there aren't currently longer lasting batteries on the market for this laptop
-Integrated video card is a negative, can't put a new one in
Neutral:
-Hard Drive isn't the top of the line in speeds but because of the processor and ram makes it's hard to notice
-Some sites don't list the Windows 8 is the standard on this laptop, refurbished might be lower though
-The touch pad mouse doesn't respond great all of the time, sometimes it takes more than one swipe to move the mouse to where you want to move it to.
Overall for the price, it's very solid one site even said replace your desktop with it.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Cheap Acer Aspire Ultrabook S7-391-6413 13.3" Touchscreen White Laptop
List Price: $1,399.99
Sale Price: $832.88
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
I've been using this laptop for almost two weeks. The design/weight/thickness of this laptop was the reason that I bought it. I was a little over expected how it was gonna come out. I am gonna be precise on this review
Pro: 1. I bought it for 799 from DealVille which is 200 dollars cheaper than anywhere else.
2. Boot take about 5 sec and stand by / sleep mode takes about 2 sec to turn on
3. Light and Super Thin. Also come with a leather case which is awesome
4. Full HD Screen. The color is amazing
5. Responsive 10 points multi-TouchScreen
6. Come with a free Acer bluetooth mouse
Cons:1. Battery Life Should have been better. 6 Hours on Acer ad but in fact only 4 hours on microsoft office with WiFi completely off. 3.5 hours on web
surfing and video steaming. Last about 2.5 hours on Photoshop.
2. The laptop look a bit like plastic although it is aluminium finish and glass finish on the back. My partner asked if i got it from ToyRus. LOL
3. The Keyboard. The light sensor thing just sucks. The silver keyword and the aqua-blue light just not well lit in the dark. Good luck typing!!!
4. Web Cam!!! Seriously ACER????? For A premium Ultrabook, the Web Cam on this Acer S7 391 look like it was a 1960 Technology. Bad pixel and worse in
low light room. By low light I mean low light not dark. The 5 dollars web cam that i bought on ebay look 10 times better than this ultrabook's
webcam
5. Pricy. Thank God for DealVille. I paid only 799. I would never pay a penny more for this laptop.
6. Spec. Ram is sealed in so you can't upgrade it. The SDD is mSata which expensive to replace. If you can live with 128 GB than good for you.
Other Thoughts: I think this laptop should be much cheaper than the price it listed on Acer Website for 1,300. Thank God for DealVille. I paid only 799. The battery life should have been better or at least reach 6 hours as the ad claimed. If you are looking for a slim easy to carry around laptop. This one is for you. The design and the weight are the two winners for this laptop. Don't expect to play game or do heavy computing on this little laptop. It won't meet your expectation. If you want this laptop get it from DealVille for 799. Don't you dare pay a penny more for it. Cuz it won't worth it.
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Acer Aspire S7 is very well designed ultrabook which has won many awards for 2012-13. I purchased this from Microsoft online store for $699same model with corei5, 4gb RAM and 128gb SSD. Huge discount out there.I'm using this for last 2 weeks. and everything I found which is worth to praise.
PROS:
1. Extremely thin, lightweight, even light than MacBook Air 13".
2. Full HD IPS display for better viewing anglebetter than MacBook Air
3. Good trackpad and backlit keyboard
4. I am big fan of windows 8 touchscreen and it works so smooth and no issues here.
5. Gorilla glass on the topso scratch resistive and tough. Sometimes may feel like this is a toy and may break, but believe me this is a design masterpiece. Aluminium keyboard, gorilla glass top and hard plastic at bottom.
6. Aspire S7 never gets hot but fan may kick on few times when u r watching full hd movies / games. Cooling fans r well built so even if u keep on bed it will not get hot... Easy to type in ur lap.
7. Webcamera is good for Skype video calls.
8. I have 3rd gen core i5 with 4 gb of rAM, which gives excellent performance. If u wanna more battery then go for Haswell processors but don't think that these haswell can give u more performance.
9. Worth to mention Boot time is just 4 seconds from deep sleep and just 1 second from lid sleep.
CONS:
1. Bit low battery of 4 hours. Though acer says of 6 hours I never get it even if I run S7 on power saving mode.
2. Keyboard is shallow, keys travel less distance while typing. Give some time to habit of this.But since ultrabook is very thin, key travel will decrease these days.
I can hardly find any CONs for this ultrabook, all I can say if u can get good deal this holiday, u must buy this.
Best Deals for Acer Aspire Ultrabook S7-391-6413 13.3" Touchscreen White Laptop
compared with other PC manufactures and products, Acer s7 is the best ultrabook. it is very cool even you use it for a long time. and it is beautiful and light. the standard of this ultrabook could be compared with Mac book air.Honest reviews on Acer Aspire Ultrabook S7-391-6413 13.3" Touchscreen White Laptop
Great product. Lived up to expectations. Super thin and light weight. Perfect to travel with. Just what I needed to replace my old out of date laptop.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Toshiba Satellite L355-S7905 Laptop Intel Celeron 585 2.16GHz Review
This computer is a great buy, but it is the low end version, it did not have the built in camera. The tab bar to listen to music is missing. But the basics of this Toshiba L355-S7905 is a great computer. Sorry it was not what I wanted.
Le vendeur est bon
La livraison a temps
Le client est satisfait
Good good good good good
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Un bon produitLe vendeur est bon
La livraison a temps
Le client est satisfait
Good good good good good
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