Best Acer Aspire V3-771-33118G75Makk 17.3' LED Notebook - Intel Core i3 Deals

Customer Ratings:

This computer has exceeded my expectations; especially for the price. I did a lot of research on computers with similiar specs; and I could not find even a similiar computer at this price with all the qualities this Acer offered. The Acer Aspire is very user friendly, with a big screen...fast processing speed. The whole package is worth it!

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The Main Title says Windows 8 The operating system in the details says Windows 7 which is what I wanted. Looks like 8 though

Buy Asus U47A-RS51 14.1 Notebook - Intel Core i5 i5-3210M 2.50 GHz

Customer Ratings:

(I'll try to remember to update this in a few months as I'm only 24 hours in to using the laptop, but I know I could have used more reviews when I was shopping so I wanted to share some initial thoughts.)

This unit is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a bigger screen than a netbook, but something small/light enough to easily carry around and this is perfect for that. So far battery life is great and I've had no problems connecting to various wifi networks, printers, etc.

Set-up went smoothly. There was the typical time to let Windows update (this product DOES have Windows 7huge sell for me!) and then it was good to go. I did choose to uninstall some of the existing programs, but that seems to be a standard issue on most units. I have since installed all of my software (skype, itunes, stata, etc) and they are all running perfectly, including some work with a pretty big data set. You do have to make your own back-up discs (which again, standard) and submit some information for the warranty, but I consider that time well invested.

Since other reviews have mentioned the trackpadit's definitely wider than on any of my previous laptops. However, I haven't had any problems with accidental dragging or my palm touching while typing. I'm not sure if I have smaller hands, or just hold my wrists up higher anyway, but if that has you on the fence I would try to find one in a store to test out. I may end up disabling some of the zoom features as I don't intend to use them, but I haven't had any problems so far.

Things that I wish were a little better: the webcam quality is kind of lownot bad, but not any better than my previous laptop (several years old) and I was hoping to see some improvement. However, people I've skyped with have reported hearing me clearly, so the built in microphone apparently works well. The speakers are on the bottom of the unit, and while the volume is fine, the quality is kind of off. The music sounds kind of tinny, or like there's an echo. However, when I plug in headphones, that sound quality is fine. So I guess I'll be using headphones (or maybe external speakers) more often. However, I don't consider either of these to detract from my ability to use the laptop for all its necessary functions, and I expect to lose some of the bells and whistles when I buy a mid-price laptop, so I'm still giving five stars.

UPDATE: Less than 48 hours after first turning on this laptop, I am getting a boot failure screen indicative of hard drive failure. After an hour on the phone with tech support I am being instructed to send it to a service center (I pay for shipping and the box). Since it's still under warranty the actual fix is at no cost, but I am still going to be without my new laptop for weeks while they fix the problem. This is my first Asus product and is likely to be the last the way things are going. I really liked the laptop while it was working but 48 hours to hard drive failure is ridiculous.

UPDATE #2: On the suggestion of a friend I took it to Best Buy before mailing it in. The guy opened it up and the hard drive wasn't connected to the rest of the laptop. For whatever reason, there weren't any screws holding it in place. He found some screws, put it all together and made it stay together, and now it's fine. I'm glad it was such an easy fix, but I'm taking a star off my original review for Asus selling laptops that are apparently not put together well.

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Before this computer I had a Dell Studio 1537. It worked, but not as well as this thing. My main reason for upgrade was because my last computer could not run a DJ software (Traktor 4TRAK edition) and the DJ controller itself (Numark 4TRAK) without freezing. This laptop met all of my must haves. It has a good processor, great RAM, backlit keyboard and more.

I mainly use my computer for web browsing, listening to music, and producing and mixing music. This machine gets the job done with ease. There's rarely any sign it's having a hard time processing my request. I first want to list a few of the things I love about this computer:

What I love:

Backlit keyboard

Chicklet keys (like a Mac!)

Speed of the computer

Comes with bluetooth capabilities

Matte screen (really keeps those finger prints at bay)

Cool to the touch (doesn't get hot at all compared to my old Dell, and it will be even cooler after I install my Samsung 840 SSD.

Touchpads abilities (works like Macbook controllers ex/ two finger tap=right click, two fingers to scroll, and three fingers down to view desktop)

Design (I think this computer looks like a Macbook, it's very sexy, I just hope to God it doesn't scratch easily)

Windows 7 (so glad I didn't get stuck with another awful Vista and I didn't have to go up to Windows 8 which I've heard terrible things about

Starts up quick (comes back from sleep instantly)

I love this computer so far but I'd like to list the things that bug me about it:

Problems:

Bloatware (everyone complains about it, this thing has its fair share, but really only takes about 30 mins-hour to get it all off)

Touchpad(everyone who uses this thing complains about touching the touch pad while typing. I'm having a very hard time not moving the mouse while using it, and I can't seem to find a program that disables the touchpad completely while typing)

HDD (doesn't have an SSD. I purchased a Samsung 840 to put in this thing but couldn't figure out for the life of me how to install Windows on it. I even tried burning an .iso of Windows 7 and booting it up off of that but kept coming back with a "drivers not found". I ordered a SATA cable and will clone the HDD to the SSD. I may update how that goes and comment on the speed of the system if I can get it running properly)

Touchpad continued... this thing drives me absolutely nuts. I can't stand clicking by actually pressing the pad, I need to tap it. The pad is so hard to press down. It feels as though I've broken it in a little but it's still too firm for me.

Overall I can't dock any stars, this machine does everything I need and want it to do and more. I will continue to update this review as I use the computer more and more. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a notebook with an ultrabook look.

Update: I installed my Samsung MZ-7TD250BW 840 Series Solid State Drive (SSD) 250 GB Sata 2.5-Inch into my Asus U47A and it is much much faster!! From a cold boot I am able to see the desktop at 18 seconds and the desktop and all of the services and background apps are loaded by 25 seconds. Not only is the boot time faster but also the time it takes to launch programs... it's almost instant. My internet also feels faster, not sure if that's from the SSD but I don't think it hurts. Before installing the Samsung 840 I need to purchase Vantec CB-ISATAU2 SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter Supports 2.5-Inch, 3.5-Inch, 5.25-Inch Hard Disk Drives (Black) and used the Samsung data migration software and was able to clone the Asus U47A hard drive (so Windows 7 would launch) and it worked flawlessly.

Very happy with all of my purchases. Would recommend everything listed, especially the Asus U47A.

Best Deals for Asus U47A-RS51 14.1 Notebook - Intel Core i5 i5-3210M 2.50 GHz

The sticker on the computer itself says 750GB HDD. Came with two separate hard drives, a 254GB (209 w/ OS) and a 419GB (Empty) drive that total to 673GB. This is well below the advertised capacity.

I was pleased that the computer ran so quickly when it first came but it has quickly become sluggish and slow to boot up.

A wireless mouse is a must with this laptop. Absolute worst trackpad I've used in my life. The keyboard is very nice and comparable to my Macbook Pro in quality.

I bought this for schoolwork (engineering) and it fulfills that task adequately, but I will be sticking to my 2012 MacBook Pro for everyday computer use.

Honest reviews on Asus U47A-RS51 14.1 Notebook - Intel Core i5 i5-3210M 2.50 GHz

I received my notebook in a few days from the seller and was still a bit apprehensive to open the box as I had read some unflattering reviews about this product. I had just come off a bad experience with another brand of notebook having to send that one back. I finally got the courage to open this one and got it set up, burning the back up discs, etc... I went on Internet Explorer and it didn't connect. Great... I used the diagnostics and got it to connect but then it disconnected. Hmmm... I went to the control panel and looked it over and saw the Intel PROSet/Wireless tools icon. Clicked on it and used their dignostic tool. It told me the radio wasn't on and instructed exactly what to do. In short, if you click on the arrow on the lower right of the taskbar and then click on the blue antennae with signals coming out of it, click on WLAN, that turns on your wi-fi and you don't have to mess with it any longer. I guess the Wireless Console 3 does serve a purpose other than being there to be uninstalled. Internet speed is fast with no buffering on Youtube, etc... I have no problems with my USB ports even after updating. Boots up fully in about 45 seconds. I guess if I took some programs out and messed with startup programs it could boot up faster but I'm happy with it. Trackpad is sensitive but with any other touchpad device it has to be calibrated or adjusted. I really am happy that I purchased this notebook.

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The laptop is nice looking. I like the back-lit keyboard. It seems plenty quick but then the problems start.

The wifi connection kept turning off. The only way I could restore it was to let the windows troubleshooter fix it. It would tell me that the wifi is not enabled. What? I enabled it five minutes ago, using the same troubleshooter application! I look into it further and the problem is with "wireless console 3" which is an asus add-on bloatware. I mess around with it and I think its stabilized. For now anyway.

The touchpad is too big. There is no way I can type on this thing without brushing up against it and moving my cursor around everywhere. If I'm not careful I'll end up messing with the entire screen, zooming in or out etc. The only way, really, is to hold my wrists up and out from the center of the keyboard. Not comfortable at all.

I'll continue to work with it and see if its something I need to get the hang of. If not then I am going to try and return it.

Reviews of Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)

Customer Ratings:

First things first, this is an excellent machine. Zippy fast, feels rock solid and user friendly. It is a bit bulky but like I said, feels solid. Keys are lit and feel really secure. As a whole, you feel like you purchased a rock solid machine that wasn't built with cheap materials.

Pros:

1) Great specs (i7 core 2nd gen, 6 gb ram, 750gb hard drive) & performance.

2) Rock solid build & feel (keyboard, touchpad & body).

3) User friendly to setup & use.

4) Two USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth.

5) Excellent speakers, best sound I've heard on a laptop.

6) 2.0 mega pixel webcam.

7) Excellent deal for students with free Xbox 360.

Cons:

1) A little bulky.

2) Power brick a little big (but to be expected with needed power).

3) 6-cell battery is ok at best (2-3 hours). A 9-cell is available but currently $179.

In summary, this is not a MacBook Pro in terms of style but it's a great performer and despite it's slightly bulky build, the machine looks really nice & solid. It's also considerably cheaper than a MacBook Pro. On a side note, a bit of a gripe regarding Amazon -despite description being accurate, the last of the item photos shows a Blu-Ray drive (available as an upgrade). A bit misleading, I think. Only the photos of the actual model being sold should be on display.

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This will be a review of the L501x model (1st Generation)Only thing that is upgraded is processor and gpu, which i'll talk about later.

The main upgrade the second generation Dell XPS 15 has are the newer SandyBridge CPUs which run cooler and are up to 30% more efficient than previous generation i5/i7s. The addition of a 1080p WLED multi-touch display is exclusive to the newer L502x model, but in my opinion you might as well upgrade to the BRGLED if you want a nicer display. Lastly the inclusion of Optimus is a big plus on second gen L502x's due to the ability to save more battery and lower temperatures.

The Dell XPS 15 includes the speedy USB 3.0 technology and offers up 2 USB 3.0 ports, one on the left side and one on the back next to the power connector. A USB 2.0 (eSATA/powershare combo) can be found on the right side of the laptop. On the back you'll find a gigabit LAN port and an HDMI 1.4 port. The SD card reader slot is flushed with the front of the laptop covered by hardly noticeable dummy SD card.

One of the main gripes I have with this laptop is the form factor and weight. The Dell XPS 15 is a whopping 1.5" at its thickest point. With the 9 cell battery plugged in, you're looking at carrying around a 6.33lbs laptop. That is both bulky and hefty compared to its competition, the Macbook Pro 15-inch model (boasting a height of only .95" and a weight of 5.6lbs). The 9 cell battery adds to the height of the laptop, protruding about an inch from the base of the laptop. Although the incline the battery creates makes typing more comfortable, it can become uncomfortable when having the laptop on your lap for too long. The weight and bulky nature of the Dell XPS 15 make the laptop less friendly for frequent commuters. I found it best to unplug the 9 cell battery when storing the laptop in my messenger bag.

I can honestly say I have never listened to laptop speakers as good as the JBL 2.1 speakers on the Dell XPS 15. The laptop includes two speakers on either side (each boasting 4W of power) and a 12W sub-woofer on the bottom of the base. That is a total of 20W total peak audio performance on a 15 inch laptop. The speakers are not only loud, but clear at high volumes. There was no noticeable distortion when playing music and movies at full volume. The bass impressed me the most, achieving a clear booming sound. Without a doubt these speakers make the Dell XPS 15 one of the best multimedia laptops on the market.

The 9 cell battery boasts about 4 hours of general use (web browsing, light video viewing). If you're going to sit down and watch a movie, expect around 3 hours of battery life. Finally if you're going to be gaming unplugged, you'll only get an hour to an hour and a half. The newer generation Dell XPS 15 includes the Optimus technology with their video cards. Optimus claims to give better battery performance by switching to the integrated Intel graphics when you are not gaming or using dedicated GPU based programs.

The back-lit keyboard is phenomenal. Typing is a breeze and the back-lit keys are easy to read in low light. When the Dell XPS 15 first came out, you had the option to add the back-lit keyboard for around US$25, but Dell has since wizened up and now includes the back-lit keyboard automatically with any new purchase of the Dell XPS 15. If you are buying this laptop from a third-party retailer, make sure you check that it has the back-lit keyboard if that is a feature you wish to have.

The Dell XPS 15 was the first laptop to include a Skype-certified webcam. The webcam is a 2.0MP camera capable of recording 720p HD content. While performing a Skype test, the person on the other end, could both hear and see me clearer than my Logitech Webcam Pro 9000. Video footage taken with the webcam was decent, but suffered from heavy noise and framerate issues when recording at 720p.

The wireless card on this review model is the Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300. This model was quickly taken down weeks after the Dell XPS 15 release due to lack supply for the overwhelming demand. It's a shame because this little card is by far the best laptop wireless card I have ever had the pleasure of using. The range on this Ultimate-N 6300 is rated as 2x that of the Centrino Advanced-N 6200 series, but what really makes the card shine is the addition of a third antennae. 6200 cards usually have only 2 antennae. Having a third allows for faster wireless speeds and an overall more reliable connection. Speeds are rated at 450 Mbps compared to the 300 Mbps of the 6200 cards.

The Dell Xps 15 is one warm machine. Notice I used the word warm not hot. If you're using the laptop for general everyday things like browsing the web and working on documents, the temperatures will hang around 55 degrees Celsius. If you're rendering video, expect the fan to ramp up and temperatures to hover around 70 degrees Celsius. Gaming will raise temperatures even higher into the 80s.

While these temperatures are higher than what I'm used to on my personal computer, they are not entirely bad. Most laptops starve for cool air because of the enclosed nature of the chassis, so temperatures around this range are actually normal. For reference, the Dell XPS 15 does not get anywhere near as hot as its predecessors the Studio XPS 16 and Dell XPS M1530. If the warmth the Dell XPS 15 gives out proves to be too much for you, or if you're a heavy gamer, I suggest you invest in a laptop cooler. Nowadays laptop coolers run around US$20 $50 depending on how much cooling force you want.

The Dell XPS 15 is the best multimedia laptop on the market at its price point. If you can live with the slight bulky design and 6lbs weight, you'll be able to enjoy the high quality JBL speakers, brilliant BRGLED display, and more than adequate performance it has to offer. Whether you're a gamer or multimedia enthusiast, this laptop will take everything you throw at it.

Best Deals for Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)

I am very pleased with this Dell XPS (L502X). Solid build, feels expensive. A little bulky, perhaps -but that's why it feels high end and not like cheap piece of plastic.

The great: 1) Specs (I7 2nd Generation, 6 GB RAM, 750 HDD -mine came with 750 instead of the described 640 -thanks!). 2) JBL speakers best sound ever on a lap top -trust me. 3) Keyboard feels solidly in place & backlit love it! 4) Two USB 3.0 slots, an HDMI out & Bluetooth connectivity. 5) Performance you can multi-task all day long.

The good: 1) Machine stays cool. 2) 15.6 screen size shows off nice colors but not quite like a MacBook Pro -nice but not great. 3) Personally, I like having the Power cord, HDMI and a USB in the back. 4) Overall feel of machine -like the metal feel around the mouse pad/keyboard. Power button feels strong, like it won't fall off at some point.

The not so good: 1) Battery life is average. Three hours tops on regular, not extremely intensive use. You're going to need the expensive 9-cell battery if you want 4+ hours. 2) A little large as I mentioned above but don't let that deter you because in the end, the machine's solid build makes you feel as if you bought a quality product.

After a week of putting this machine to the test, I would recommend it. The price for the specs/performance you get is very good. If you're a student, you get an even better deal with the free Xbox thrown-in. Amazon has already run several promotions, including a $100 gift card. So if you've been thinking about buying a laptop, take advantage. You won't regret it.

Honest reviews on Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)

I purchased this laptop from Amazon a little less than a week ago and truly enjoy this product. It is the seventh laptop I've owned(third Dell). The screen is large and very bright with amazing colors. The keyboard is very nice-I LOVE the backlit feature! The trackpad is large and works very well. The sound system and JBL speakers are the best I've heard in a laptop but still don't compare to my Bose Companion 3 Series II external speaker system. I got somewhat of a bonus in that mine came preloaded with Windows 7 Professional instead of Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. The laptop is pretty fast with the CORE i7 processor and 6GB of RAM. The 640GB harddrive is nice, but definitely more than I'll ever use. It seems to stay nice and cool while running, and is very quiet. So far, so good..My ONLY complaints about this laptop are that the USB ports are not real convenient, in that they are on the side towards the rear and on the rear of the unit, and I think the bootup time could be a little faster(my Asus netbook boots up much faster). Overall, it seems very well constructed and I'm VERY satisfied with my purchase...Thank you Dell and Amazon!!

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Surprised with the overall quality of this laptop as this is the fourth laptop I have purchased, second dell. The other Dell I was disappointed by and ended up not lasting long. However this model is very well built and lighter than I expected even though it is not as slim as some laptops.

Pros:

expectional price to performance ratio

Core i7

6 GB RAM

7200 RPM HDD

Well built with aluminum casing

Excellent sound.. All the other reviews are correct, this is the best sound I have ever heard from any laptop.

Backlit keyboard

Dedicated graphics card

Cons

Not a bluray drive

Graphics card only turns on when software determines it is needed... Could be great to save battery but I would have liked a physical button to turn it off and on.

Overall love this laptop and would recommend it to anyone looking for a high end performer with great speakers and nice design

Discount Samsung ATIV Book 9 NP900X4C-K01US 15-Inch Premium Ultrabook (Ash

Customer Ratings:

This review was written to provide feedback for the average person, NOT computer techs. I am a knowledgeable consumer of technology and wish to help people buy a computer that will suit them, again NOT written for computer techs.

Just bought this Ultrabook to replace my Dell laptop. The motherboard of the Dell fried after only having it for 25 months. Ironically, my Dell desktop's motherboard fried back in January, talk about bad luck. Anyway, I've been looking for a replace laptop for many months and researched all brands and types, from Acer and Asus to Toshiba and Samsung. It was Samsung that won my confidence. As a rule of thumb, I prefer Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean computer products over Chinese and American brands because the former are often built with a greater quality appreciation than the latter which more often than not go for quantity and cheap parts. I loved my Dell and have been a Dell guy for many years, but they have gone down in since Michael Dell sold the company. Two years in the tech world is a long time. Maybe they will make a comeback? Anyway back to this computer...

I needed a computer that was: light, 8GB minimum of memory, can handle the stress of travel, had at least three USB ports, solid battery life, and energy star rated. This led my to the Samsung ATIV Book 9 series of Ultrabooks. The NP900X4C-K01US especially caught my eye because it was got great reviews in Asia (its equivalent) and just arrived in the US. Also, Samsung fixed the WiFi issue that many people seemed to experience on the NP900X4C-A07US. No problems here! Here's the run down...

Pros: 1) Boot up time clocked in at 7.7 secs!

2) Windows 8 very smooth and love the interchangeability between desktop and app page (I'm new to Win 8 by the way)

a) Personalization much improved from Win 7 and taskbar follows color suite of chosen background.

b) Apps Saves time of opening up internet to go to favorite places, i.e. Netflix and news sites.

3) Battery Power Outstanding! My average battery life is 6.3 hours which includes watching YouTube videos, browsing the web, and playing

music for hours.

4)WiFi No problems whatsoever. Strong signal and no drops. I have tested it on private and public networks.

5)Keyboard Backlit Very good. I tested in black out room and the keys lit up nicely. Plus, I like the Fn Lock.

6)Weight Lighter than Air (jab at Apple). At 3.6 lbs, so much better than anything I have tested before or owned.

7)Heat (Bottom) Very manageable compared to other computers. The Apple Air might be a little cooler (I say reluctantly), but the ATIV B9 is a

champ among PC's. Note: This is not a gaming computer! If you want a gaming computer, I recommend the Samsung Series 7 Gamer or the Asus G750.

Cons: 1) Trackingpad (Mousepad) It is smooth, perhaps too smooth. I like pads that are a little more grainy, like I would have more control. The left

and right buttons are both good, but the right button seems a little stiff.

2) No Numeric Pad The price you pay for near perfection. Most laptops have a numeric key pad, but Ultrabooks are few in number with that feature.

I mention this because with a numeric key pad the keyboard itself is longer and it is easier to type, but that's just my opinion. However, I will

say that this Ultrabook keyboard is longer than most, especially in comparison to the Dell XPS 15. The latter is so bunched up that I constantly

made typos.

Conclusion:

This ULtrabook is the way of the future and Samsung as done an outstanding job in making this computer. If you want to be ahead of the game in quality and don't want a MAC, the Samsung ATIV Book 9 NP900X4C-K91US is the way to go.

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This ultrabook weighs less than half of what my previous Sony laptop weighed, and appears to have an aluminum frame. I'm guessing on the aluminum frame, as it doesn't flex like other ultrabooks I've tried. The finish and color give the impression of a high-end laptop, but be prepared to wipe for fingerprints after using. My only concerns were the limited viewing angles and storage. I find the need to adjust the screen more often than with my Sony which is a minor inconvenience. This model does not come with a touch-screen or DVD player, but I purchased a portable Samsung Blu-ray burner to install any additional software I have on disc, a 32 GB Corsair Survivor flash drive for portability between my office computer and this ultrabook, and MS Office 365 for accessing all of my files through the cloud (and in case I forget to bring the flash drive).

Best Deals for Samsung ATIV Book 9 NP900X4C-K01US 15-Inch Premium Ultrabook (Ash

I'm a software engineer and have had A LOT of laptops. HP, Apple, Dell, IBM, etc... The size, weight, and materials have definitely improved over the years for all of my usual manufacturers.

This Samsung out does them all. This is a 15" ultra-everything!

If you're an Apple fan, this is the 15" MacBook Air you always wanted.

Starts in less than 5 seconds.

Trackpad is very responsive and easy to use.

I compile code without issue. Not like a 16 core workstation, but great performance none the less.

The case feels very sturdy because it is made of Aluminum, not plastic.

Super light, super thin.

The power supply is also very small, love it! I have been leaving it at home because the battery last me the whole day.

If you haven't used Windows 8, give yourself a little time getting used to how things are arranged. It's easier than moving from Windows to Mac OSX, but definitely different than previous versions of windows.

If you're still thinking about it. Get it! Like I said, it's the best laptop I've ever had.

Honest reviews on Samsung ATIV Book 9 NP900X4C-K01US 15-Inch Premium Ultrabook (Ash

The computer was working fine for the first two weeks and then all of a sudden I went to turn it on and nothing happened. When I press the power button, the little blue light turns on and that's it. Nothing else happens (and yes I did make sure the battery wasn't dead). This is something that should not happen with a near $2,000 laptop.

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A thin vertical line appeared down the right side of the screen within hours after first use. Also, the hinges were loose so the screen often fell forward without being touched. Product was returned. Extremely disappointed with this purchase.

HP Pavilion DV5-1250US 15.4-Inch Laptop Review

Customer Ratings:

This truly is the best laptop ever. 64 bit OS, 4 gigs of ram, huge hard drive, amazingly fast cpu, perfect screen size, and extremely light! Not to mention this bronze color is really nice too. The other 2 people who reviewed this said they are returning it because they cant see the keys? Sure, the f1-f12 keys are very difficult to see. But return this amazing laptop because its difficult to see that a function key is labeled "f1" is rediculous! As long as you know how to count and have used a computer before this is the best laptop !

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I read some amazing reviews of this laptop. The only one I found that had anything negative to say was S.K.'s review here on Amazon. And he's absolutely right. I also returned the laptop to HP (who offered me a $70 credit to keep it, take note). There are 3 basic design issues which, for me, make this laptop unusable.

1. Keyboard. The keys themselves are a bronze color and the key symbol is black. It makes it virtually impossible to see what the keys are. An unbelievably stupid design decision. Having read S.K.'s review, I thought that maybe the keyboard is back lit, thus making it easy to see which keys are which. The keyboard isn't back lit. Even with good over head light, the keyboard is very difficult to read. I know I tried.

2. Screen glare. Gone are the days, it seems, when laptops came with a readable, easy on the eye, matt finish LCD screen. This laptop, like so many I looked at, has a highly reflective plastic coating which completely covers the screen. Yes, it will protect the screen but the reflections it picks up from everything else to the sides and behind you are incredibly distracting. If I'd wanted a mirror, I'd have bought a mirror.

3. Screen tilt. The screen does not lay completely flat like other laptops I've had in the past. This one goes back to about a 120 degree angle. I sometimes use an external screen with a laptop so need something which can lay flat and not get in the way of the external screen while I use the laptop keyboard in front of it.

Issues #2 and #3 I could maybe have lived with, but the keyboard issue was a deal breaker for me. A great pity because this laptop has a great spec for a great price. HP, what were you thinking?

I bought a Toshiba A305-S6916 instead. It has an almost identical spec to the DV5-1250us. It too suffers with issues #2 and #3, but it was a little cheaper. The small saving will be used up buying an anti-glare filter for the screen. Not much I can do about the tilt. Oh well.

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I had to just give up my 17" screen HP laptop, which over the course of three years, melted down it's own screen, had a bad hard drive and also system board issues. Now I have a DV5 which I cannot get the tracking pad to stop hopping all over my screen, going haywire. The worst tracking pad in the industry. It makes it virtually impossible for me to write an email or a document since the system jumps around the screen and performs functions which I have not commanded, I cannot eve cut and paste or copy and paste without it taking me about 10 minutes to do so after catching the pointer. It is unbelievable. I have to work with this system with an exterior mouse. Which means the level of mobility for my laptop is limited since I have to use an external mouse. Even the controls to disable the pad do not work. Until HP gets their driver and their tracking pad under control, I would reconsider this purchase, unless you like playing hide and seek with the mouse pointer and playing "where will I end up in at any moment on my screen?" I hope that they are working on it.

Honest reviews on HP Pavilion DV5-1250US 15.4-Inch Laptop

This is a terrific computer, but has an extremely strange flaw. The keyboard is illegible. You have to strain your eyes to see the letters and characters printed in light grey on a grey background. With all the fuss made in the description about the design and form factor, it is mind blowing that can they make such a ridiculous error in design.

At first I thought, no biggie... I'll get used to it. I like the graphics card with 512 megs dedicated, the 2 AMD Turion 64 bit processors, the 4 gig RAM, the 400 meg drive. Unfortunatley I have now come to the realization that this is a deal breaker for me and will return the product. Too bad.

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system lagged alot and i had to add additional ram to system. the wireless card was loose and i had to fix that as well

Reviews of Asus A53E-IS51 15.6" Notebook Computer, Intel Core i5-2450m 2.5GHz

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $649.99
Sale Price: $449.99
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

I own a similar computer which has served me well, hence, the ordering of this unit. Asus has a superior warranty ( one year covering drops, spills, power surges and fire damage ) included with all notebooks, no extra charge.

The A53 series has an aluminum inner case which is always cool to the touch, unlike other lap-tops which I have used. The touch-pad is VERY sensitive and some reviewers recommend disabling it when using a mouse.

I do wish that the key-board was under-lit ; it is difficult to see in low-light situations.

This unit came with a defective space-bar key, which works only when squarely struck dead-center and which defect I have found to be a noted in other on-line reviews of similar units.

My over-all experience was a positive one, so far as dealing with Amazon, and even though it was my first purchase through them, it still seemed a simple enough process.

If not for the factory defect, I would have probably given my experience with this Amazon purchase a full 5 stars.

*** UPDATE REGARDING WARRANTY REPAIR SERVICE ***

I sent the unit to ASUS to have it repaired. Shipped on a Tuesday ; notified it had been received on Fri. the same week, in Ca. (I live in Ga); it was repaired and shipped back to me . . . . received it back in Ga. on Wed. 8 days after I had originally shipped it. I believe that they were primed and ready to repair what I had come to understand was potentially a "generic" type defect and so the exceptional turn-around.

No additional problems. I have up-graded my initial rating of three stars, to a four star rating based on the exceptional warranty repair and shipping turn around of 8 days total . . . . from sending it to them, to receiving it fed-exed back to my driveway.

REPAIRS MADE : KEYBOARD REPLACED

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There were many things to like about this product, but the functionality of the keyboard made it unusable.

Things I found that I liked:

Battery life probably average for this class machine

Software load: Not loaded with bloatware

Fit and Finish: Good sturdy aluminum frame

Ran cool and relatively silently compared to an older laptop

Nice clear display

Performance: Acceptable but not significantly better than a four year old laptop based on my light workload requirements(spreadsheets, Word processing, Internet browsing, email) with up to perhaps six sessions running at once.

The thing that made it totally unacceptable:

Keyboard: chiclet style keyboard (found on more laptops these days) without a good tactile feel. Big issue was that my space bar key strikes would be missed about three times for each line of text typed. I found my hands cramped up while trying to position them in such a way that my key strikes would be registered. I worked with it for three weeks, then finally gave up and returned it.

I purchased another Asus machine a few weeks earlier as a gift (Asus 15.6" Laptop 4GB Memory 320 GB Hard Drive-Model X54C-BBK19) for just under $300 and had a totally different experience after having the opportunity to work on it from time to time. It had an Intel I3 processor and only a 300GB drive (vs. an I5 processor and 500GB drive on this unit for a cost of around $450), The keyboard and general operation of the cheaper laptop was superlative. It ran quieter, while just as fast and the keyboard was totally different with no problems what so ever. A big factor in my purchase of both machines was that they both came loaded with Windows 7.

What I learned with this experience was how important the keyboard was to my satisfaction level with a laptop.

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I purchased this laptop for my daughter in order for her to do a on line college course. Within 45 days the plug on the machine broke. I sent it off and had it repaired. The company did a pretty fast repair. I told them of another defect on the machine that was the keyboard doesn't type all the right letters. They did not repair this. My daughter gets by with it. She purchased another laptop when this one was in the shop and between the two she can do her school work.

Honest reviews on Asus A53E-IS51 15.6" Notebook Computer, Intel Core i5-2450m 2.5GHz

I like the computer but the trackpad is too sensitive or something. I am always getting into some kind of zoom screen or scroll all the time. Other than that, for the price, it has everything I need. The camera is a little slow....that could be my connection though. I like the 10-key pad. I had to get used to typing on the left side of keyboard, but that only took a couple of days. So far so good. I have had it for over 3 months now.

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Computer keyboard layout is awesome. You have an actual numeric keypad very strategically placed. Runs great on Windows 7. Using it for business, so I did not upgrade to Windows 8 because of so many incompatibility issues with current programs.

Review of Acer Aspire AS7740-5691 Laptop PC - Intel Core i3-330M 2.13GHz

Customer Ratings:

Cons:

-----

Acer has too low a LCD viewing angle on this one at least. Put on a black image full screen, and you see a "rainbow" on the screen -black is real black only on the rainbow and everywhere else it is gray. Tilt the screen a bit and red turns pale green. It does not both though under normal scenarios. I checked other laptops on the shop floor and they all have this effect more or less, usually much less though. It also seems that contrast-ratio of the Acer screen is very small.

Left and right clicks on the touch pad are too loud.

Pros/Others:

-----------

Great deal! No where else I find a laptop with 17.3" screen with 1600x900 resolution with Core i3 processor (instead of Dual Core or Core 2 Duo) and 4 GB RAM.

Processor speed, even though this is Core i3 and not Core i5 or i7, is just great. Windows experience index is 4.5 for Aero graphics but > 5 for everything else. It played Full HD AVCHD media full screen just fine with around 6% CPU load (even though this is integrated Intel graphics and not dedicated ATI or NVidia graphics card).

There were no dead pixels on the screen.

Touch-pad is multi-touch, which is really nice. This takes you more than half-way to having full touch-screen. I do not need touch-screen anymore given the cost premium!

It has glossy screen which is ideally not preferable but is in fashion these days. I do not like glossy screens as such but found this OK.

No flaws so far with anything. Keyboard keys are good as well. Wireless worked fine. All 4 USB ports, HDMI port, headphones port, DVD drive, all are working fine. Webcam is good as well. Only the costliest Logitech webcams do better than this. Speakers are better than my old laptop.

Only remaining thing to test are wired ethernet connection, burning DVDs, and battery life.

For all the good things people say about Windows 7, it still has the same issues as Vista or XP. I was trying to unplug an SD card and it says "some process is using the file" (windows issue, never tells which process).

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I am very happy with every aspect of this laptop. It fit my budget and had all the features of the more pricey laptops. I have not encountered any problems in any way with this unit. I would recommend this for anyone.

One last thing, I found out that Acer is owned by Sony :) I have always had nothing but great products from Sony, so this only adds to their great product line.

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I've been waiting for months to get a good deal on a laptop, so when this one came up, I jumped. Nearly everything about this laptop is good. It has a big 17 inch screen, it's light, it has an HDMI port and a webcam. It runs cool, and it's quiet. Everything I wanted.

Acer has very good quality screens, and this one is good, except for the vertial viewing angle. When you open a laptop, you adjust the screen either towards you or away from you so that you get the best viewing experience. The problem with this laptop is that the design prevents the screen from being pushed back much beyond about 20 degrees or so. When I have the screen pushed back as far as it will go, the colors appear washed out, and there's a lot of "light pollution" at the bottom of the screen (meaning that towards the bottom of the screen, too much white light appears, and blacks appear gray or washed out.) I can easily correct this problem by putting an object below the bottom front of the laptop that will lift and rotate it back slightly. However, I don't want to have to do this everytime I use it, so I had to return it.

My current 4-year-old Acer laptop will open up completely to 180 degrees, providing a perfect viewing angle to any user, so I'm surprised that they would create a laptop that limits this important setting. I looked at some other brands of laptops yesterday, and they don't have this limitation. If I could have sat down at a desk with the laptop before buying it, I would have noticed this right away, but they are displayed on shelves that prevent you from really trying them out. Considering the $499 I paid for the unit, I would have given it a full 5-stars because of the cost-value. I would only buy this unit if you can sit down with it and see it in person. I wouldn't buy it online unless the seller has a good return policy.

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire AS7740-5691 Laptop PC - Intel Core i3-330M 2.13GHz

Great value, fast computer. As long as you're willing to lug it around (it's on the heavy side, as are most 17 inch laptops), it's a good deal

The one con i think of it the lack of a dedicated graphics card. Intel integrated Graphics ruins this computer.

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I tried to purchase this laptop at Staples and the salesman highly recommended buying the extended warranty because he said they had people returning these with motherboard burn out.

Review of Toshiba Portege R705-P42 13.3" widescreen Laptop (Magnesium Alloy

Customer Ratings:

Has exactly what you want and none of what you don't. Light, compact, and powerful. Not loaded up with bloat-ware either. Not a computer to get if you're really into gaming, but has all the power you need for pretty much anything else you need and is only a little bigger & heavier than a net-book. With the advantage of having a DVD RW drive.

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Truly an awesome laptop it's exactly the same as the P41, except it has all the bloatware/trial stuff removed that most people delete and don't use anyway. It's Microsoft Signature, so not only do you get the standard warranty, you also get Microsoft Signature phone support as well for both the computer and software (Windows, etc). This is definitely a powerhouse laptop that is not only ultra-portable with the 13.3" screen, but extremely durable with it's magnesium alloy casing.

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Slick sophisticated look. Very light weight for people who travel and significally cheaper than other comparable laptops

No complaints so far

Cheap HP ENVY 14-1210NR 14.5-Inch Notebook PC (Silver)

Customer Ratings:

You might be wondering what the difference between this and the HP Envy 14-1110nr 14.5-Inch Relic Laptop PC Up to 3.45 Hours of Battery Life (Carbon) While this HP Envy 14 has a larger HDD and a slightly faster processor, the HDD is a lot slower (at 5400rpm instead of 7200rpm). This difference in HDD speed is worth going with the other laptop with a slightly smaller (640GB) but faster HDD and slightly slower processor. Plus Amazon has it on sale for $924.99 right now. However if that 110GB of HDD space is really that important to you, you could go with this laptop; just trying to inform people!

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I bought this recently to replace a Dell Studio 1537 that had its share of problems. After using this laptop for a few months (I bought mine this past April) I can say that it is definitely one of the best laptops I've used.

Pros:

1. Very solid feel to it. Being an aluminum body laptop definitely makes it feel better than the cheap plasticky feel that some laptops have. Some reviewers have stated that the laptop is heavy; I haven't really noticed it.

2. The webcam's pretty good... I've had Skype chats lasting for about 2 hours without the webcam shutting off. My previous dell's webcam was notorious for shutting off at random and not coming back on without a restart. The quality seems pretty good for an integrated webcam.

3. It's pretty easy to upgrade/replace parts, which is definitely nice given that previous laptops I've had make you jump through hurdles to get to them. All you have to do is remove 5 screws to take off the entire back plate. Very easy to do a thorough clean using compressed air.

Speaking on this topic, I upgraded the RAM on this computer to 8GB. I ended up using this:

Corsair 8 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory Kit CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9

amazon.com/Corsair-DDR3-Laptop-Memory-CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9/dp/B002YUF8ZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309126699&sr=8-1

Perfectly compatible with this laptop, if anyone was interested.

4. There's a little circle in the top left corner of the trackpad that you can double tap to turn it off. Definitely a nice feature when you're typing alot and accidentally move the mouse by rubbing the base of your hand on the trackpad.

5. There are two exhaust fans in the laptop, one in the back and one on the right side. This helps in keeping the laptop cool... I've ran MATLAB with multithreaded code that takes several hours to run on this laptop and it never gets too hot.

Minor Annoyances:

1. The trackpad takes some getting used to, and sometimes feels unresponsive/stuck. You'll definitely need to invest in an external mouse for dedicated use of the laptop.

2. Although HP advertised the screen as being one of the brightest screens found, I've had laptops that have had brighter screens. The screen does display colors pretty well though.

Neutral Points:

1. Only 3 USB ports. Technically, it's 2 USB ports + 1 USB/e-SATA combo. I've never needed more than those 3 at any one time, although I could see where it could be an issue.

Overall, a solid laptop. Definitely recommended.

Best Deals for HP ENVY 14-1210NR 14.5-Inch Notebook PC (Silver)

Overall I like this laptop alot. If it wasn't for my Cons, I would love this laptop and have rated it a 5 star. It was fast out of the box. It comes pre-installed with Photoshop Elements and Premier Elements which is awesome! It definitely makes me happy to have something better pre-installed than Windows Movie maker and Paint...yeesh! I definitely plan to test this laptop out with some gaming and photo/video editing to see how it performs under intense use, but I'm liking it's performance so far.

Pros:

-Great design

-Large 750gb hard-drive

-Nice LED screen

-Great graphics (switchable is a very nice feature for a laptop)

-Photoshop and Premier Elements comes pre-installed

-Fences is a cool add-on as you can hide your desktop whenever you want, not sure about the rest of the features but we'll see

Neutral:

-RAM...would have liked 6-8 GB but 4 gigs will do for now

-Envy Theme...I prefer the Windows Aero theme over the "Envy" theme. To me the Envy theme felt dated and dirty in appearance. If you install this theme you have to go into the MyColors app to reset the theme back to the standard Windows theme.

-No Blu-ray player. While obviously not a deal breaker for me, it would have been nice to have one included on this laptop.

Cons:

-Wireless Connection: I don't know what's going on, but my wireless shows Excellent connection (full bars) but lags at times loading pages and downloading. I'm going to look into it further, but it can get a little annoying. When running on a third-party browser (Chrome) internet seems to be better, so I'm thinking it's HP bloatware on the IE8 install, but will also look into driver updates for the wireless card.

-Touchpad: It's bigger and less responsive than I expected. My hand will also accidentally touch a part of it without realizing (this causes the cursor to jump away from what I was trying to do). Also, the left/right mouse buttons also move the cursor which causes the cursor to jump to a different part of the screen sometimes causing miss-clicks.

Honest reviews on HP ENVY 14-1210NR 14.5-Inch Notebook PC (Silver)

This was purchased to replace a HP DV-5. This notebook had several appeals that enticed me want to try it; the backlit keyboard and the included Photo Shop software. Upon getting and using the computer for a couple months there are something's that are amazing and a few bothersome things that could be improved.

Pros:

This notebook is genuinely built of hard quality material and you can feel that it will hold up for a long time. The beats audio is not bad and works great although sometimes the placement of the speakers at the bottom can be a bit awkward, unlike most notebooks that have the speakers at the top of the keyboard, just below the monitor. The included copies of Photoshop are greatly appreciated out of the box for quick editing. On the specs end, getting 4 GB of ram and a 750 GB hard drive up front is great and the processer speed works out great for demanding applications. Least I forget to mention the backlit keyboard that outside of the Mac realm is not standard on many notebooks PC's.

Cons:

There are several things that disappoint me about this notebook. First it has a beautiful screen but it is covered by a plastic cover leaving an "air gap" between the LED display and you. Why this is so bad is it produces more glare than you would normally get with a notebook screen and on top of that placing that plastic on top of the screen makes the picture seem less clear and kind of washed looking. My second major concern is the jumpiness and overall design of the touchpad. Overtime I believe a software update can fix this but for now it's bothersome. I use a regular mouse anyway so it's not that big of an inconvenience. I'm not so concerned with the lack of a VGA port or only having 2 USB + 1 Sata but one could always have more.

Overall I would recommend this computer and would love to give it 5 stars but for the way the display is designed and the jumpiness and inconsistent response of the touchpad I'm giving it 4 stars.

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After many reviews and thorough searching for a good deal, I finally purchased my Envy over a month ago.

I am very pleased with my purchase and loved the overall performance of the components. Only flaw would be the touch pad which doesn't recognize certain actions, but getting a wireless mouse would fix that problem.

The design of the Envy is sleek, and the performance is top notch. I was very impressed with the sound card which is Beats Audio. The laptop speakers are weak but plug in some good headphones and enjoy the crisp thumping of your favorite tunes. I compared my sound card to one of my friends recent laptop purchases and even he was impressed by the sound quality! The interchangeable graphics card is also a neat feature and the display is impeccable.

Coming from a Sony Vaio, I can say that I am pleased with my HP Envy! I'd give it a 8.5/10. If it had Blu Ray capabilities then we would have a perfect 10.

Buy Gateway P-6860FX Laptop w/ Core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB RAM, 320 GB

Customer Ratings:

This is a phenomenal laptop. I have had it for two months now and have only noticed one quirk and I believe that to be software related. As for the first negative review I am somewhat surprised as mine came with the reinstall DVD and the option of either having Vista 64 or 32 bit. There are some things on the partition but it is just the usual bloatware that you get on most retail PCs. I just formatted over it and use the extra HDD space. The only thing I wanted from it was the Lableflash software and you can easily get that online at various locations for free. All in all this is a great laptop with tons of features. One of my favorite things is that it has two HDD bays and unlike many other manufactures which would fill both with smaller drives to total the 320 gigs Gateway left the one slot empty for those who would wish to upgrade. From everything that I read they have done the same things for their processor and graphics card. Both can be removed and replaced. That was my one concern when purchasing this Laptop was the underpowered processor. However again that is easily replaced according to everything I read. In the end this is a highly upgradable laptop with a sweet case design and cost $800 less than the equivalent HP or Dell. I have not dealt with customer service but then again I am a geek and usually do all the repairs myself any way.

P.S. Just for those that are curious about the HDMI and whether you can run the sound through it, yes you can. That was one of the question I could not find answered online.

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I had to review this product after reading the other review. I have not had encounters with Gateway customer support, but the laptop itself it great. Just be careful where you buy it from. I purchased mine from Bestbuy and had the opportunity to return it for any reason within 2 weeks. I highly recommend this laptop for anyone that plays games or just wants to use it for basic computing.

I purchased this laptop about a month ago. My husband and I had looked around for a year or so before making our purchase. When we saw this particular one, we were suprised at the price. We paid $749 for it, and could not be happier. You cannot get another laptop that even slightly compares to the spec's this one has in its price range. It has run everything at exeptionally high frame rates.

The battery life is not wonderful, but we have the cable and an adapter for our vehicle. So that problem does not concern us. It also gets a little hot, but I've not run across a laptop that doesn't. Just make sure you have a cooling pad to prevent your lap from burning.

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I have owned this laptop since it first came out in 2008 and have always loved it. I am still using it and it is still going strong. It is rather large and heavy to call it a laptop though! I had to buy a 22" laptop bag to carry it. I use this more like a desktop for this reason but it is great to take when traveling. The graphics and speed are still up to date even for the newer 3D games coming out and I use it for movies as well. The HDMI connection is great as well as all of it's other connections. (to many to list sorry) It even has laser labeling for DVD/CD. I bought this so it would stay ahead of anything new coming and it is still in the running with the newer machines coming out. Since you can only buy this used and if you are looking for lots of multimedia power/gaming power you get a lot of bang for your bucks buying this one which used to cost close to $2,000.00. Can run 32bit or 64bit and so much more. I love my computer.

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I have owned this laptop for about three years. There are some down sides to it, but overall, if you care for it, it's a really good computer. The most inconvenient thing is probably the weight. This is a large (17" screen), and heavy computer for a laptop. It is portable, but portability is limited by its weight. It can overheat very quickly, so this is not a computer you want to have sitting on your bed. Purchase an inexpensive laptop pad and there is no problem with overheating. Finally, if you leave this computer plugged in for extended periods, you can kill the battery (this is the case with pretty much any rechargeable battery). If you don't plan on carrying the computer back and forth a lot, you keep the computer on a solid surface so air can flow freely under and around it, and you don't leave it constantly plugged into the wall, this computer will last you for years. Just remembered one more negative, the color of the keys make it very difficult to see in low light. I can type by touch, so it's not a huge problem for me, but if you need to see the keys, it can be an issue.

Some of the really good things about this computer is the processing speed. This is designed as a gaming computer, so it can render graphics very well and very quickly. This translates into not only a good gaming environment, but an excellent platform for watching movies. The speakers are very loud compared to other laptops I have owned, and paired with the 17" screen, allow for an very good movie watching experience via DVD or over the internet. There is plenty of processor speed to multi task and have a movie playing in the background while you do other things (like surf the web, type a paper, etc.).

One of my kids got to my computer and pulled most of the keys out, and the keys on this computer are not easy to replace once removed (but they are very difficult to remove in the first place). Along with that and the battery being practically dead, I figure it would cost less to just buy another one and switch the hard drive than it would be to repair the one I have, so I'm looking into purchasing a new laptop now.

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Along with my Gateway P-6860fx laptop by my side I battled through a shameful amount of playing time in WOW, through leveling lan parties, through L4D, and still L4D2 and TF2 lan sessions. Tucked in a Targus case and left in my trunk throughout some decent heat while at work. Yes, I've used an Xpad underneath it for its life but still it goes on. The death toll is unspeakable.

Buy Sony VAIO VPC-EA43FX/WI 14-Inch Laptop (White)

Customer Ratings:

This is a great little laptop. It's very lightweight, doesn't get hot (it's been on for about 6 hours straight now), and the display is gorgeous. The widescreen display is great for watching movies and definitely gives the laptop a more "modern" feel. The speakers are OK..they can get pretty loud, but the sound quality isn't the best (rare for Sony!) -but it is a laptop, after all. The chiclet keyboard is different than what I have had in the past, but it is very easy to get used to and makes for quick and error-free typing. The laptop comes with Microsoft Office starter which includes limited functionality Microsoft Word and Excel..no, it doesn't have all the features of the full version, but it's nothing the average user will miss.

Windows 7 is infinitely better than Vista; you can disable a lot of those annoying things Vista didn't allow you to do (such as asking for your password each time upon start-up). When I just got my laptop, I had 261 gigs free of 287; regarding memory: I only have chrome open, and my computer is using up about 40% of its memory.

One qualm against Amazon rather than Sony: the laptop isn't just "white" as the description states -only the keyboard/mouse area is actually white...the cover, the frame around the screen, and the speaker area are actually a very light silvery color (still very pretty). The bottom is, of course, black. I think Sony does have an all-white version (coconut white) but I've only seen it sold directly from their website.

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Reviews of ASUS UX31A-DH51 13.3-Inch Zenbook ( Silver Aluminum )

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,099.99
Sale Price: $755.49
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

I've had this laptop for two days so far and it's a pleasure to use as well as gorgeous to look at!

It cold boots in six seconds and wakes up from suspend-to-RAM in two; the IPS screen is excellent and the i5 CPU, 4 GB RAM, and SSD give the system incredible speed. There are some downsides: I'm still getting used to the trackpad (no distinct buttons a first for me), and it isn't quite as thin as the marketing pictures would suggest (though the listed product dimensions are accurate), but I think this laptop is a great deal for $800.

After it arrived, I booted into Windows 8 to make sure all the hardware was working. After specifically testing the function keys and the speed of restarts, I updated to the latest BIOS, disabled UEFI Secure Boot, and then installed Ubuntu 13.04 Desktop 64-bit from a USB flash drive. Another reviewer lamented the space lost to the pre-existing partitions (I found boot, efi, Windows recovery, Windows OS, and factory recovery), but I opted to let Ubuntu have the entire disk (minus a couple hundred MB for two boot partitions). After formatting, it gave me 117.3 GB total, with 4.5 GB used by the OS after installing.

Once I was running Ubuntu 13.04, almost all of the top-row function keys (e.g. sleep, keyboard backlight adjust, screen brightness adjust) worked out-of-the-box. The exceptions are that wireless enable/disable doesn't always seem to work and I haven't had a chance to test the video output selector. The screen auto brightness doesn't work, nor do the function keys attached to C, V, and Space (in the factory configuration those last three were attached to software bundled by Asus within Windows, so I suspect that I could configure apps in Ubuntu to respond in a similar fashion, but I have not tested this).

The Bluetooth, USB-to-Ethernet (using the included adapter), web cam, built-in mic, and SD card reader components have all also been tested and they all work well without any configuration.

If you're looking for a sleek, portable, Ubuntu-ready laptop which doesn't sacrifice power or break the bank, I would recommend giving this laptop a chance.

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Slim, solidly built machine. Uni-body construction. Fewer ports built in, but a VGA and Ethernet dongles are included in their own matching case. #1 feature: the MATTE Full HD screen. Feels like I'm working on 15"+ screen. I thought it would make texts too fine to read comfortably, but the default setting for text is set at 125% at full HD and is very easy on the eyes. And yes, its matte, not glossy (THANK YOU ASUS!!!). Check out notebookcheck.net review of this and other machines.

As mentioned, there's a couple caveats to owning this puppy. If you video chat a lot, either invest in an add-on digital camera as the built in camera on this harks back to the 90' cell phone camera 0.3 MP and painfully slow. I can't put it any other way: the camera sucks. Its deliberate, as the thinness of the lid at that point limits the camera. If you cannot live with this nor be bothered to buy a separate digi-cam, this ain't your fix. Look elsewhere.

The other concern is more important. Though its listed as a 128 Gig SSD, only 66 Gigs are actually useable, as the rest are defined for Windows, backup, etc. I haven't had time to investigate all the software that comes along with it from ASUS. While I abhor bloatware, the few programmes that I did check out so far are essential add-ons for the full Win 8 experience, such as the ASUS Touchpad software for example. Some others may choose to reduce these partitions for more usable room but I don't need to go there just yet. having a flash drive or cloud adds lots of extra storage for files, which is what I'm planning on doing anyway. I know that 2 gig out of the 4 total are permanently on the board, so that the RAM can be upgraded in future. I'm not yet sure about the SSD, though it would seem highly unlikely that it cannot be upgraded.

While others cannot overlook the poor excuse of a digi-cam in 21st century, nor the actual 66 gigs of useable space on the SSD out of the gates, for my intents and purposes, it fits the bill, which is why I'd give it 4.5 stars (if I could...).

Best Deals for ASUS UX31A-DH51 13.3-Inch Zenbook ( Silver Aluminum )

The good:

full HD screen in a 13.3" laptop

Ultra thin and portable

Brushed aluminum

Comes with accessories (I got ethernet USB, mini VGA to VGA and, oddly enough, USB A to micro B, but I'm not going to complain about more cables to charge my phone with!)

Extremely fast boot up time with Windows 8, SSD and Asus Instant On

All USB 3

Once you fix it up, excellent touchpad behavior on par with Macbook Pro

The bad:

For some reason, Asus is not shipping Windows 8 product keys with this laptop. I contacted them and received the response that it is built in to the motherboard and is activated automatically when the system is installed. Not sure what this means if you want to reinstall from media... if you do I would suggest finding the key while the system is still installed with Belarc Advisor or Jelly Bean Keyfinder.

ethernet USB adapter appears to be USB 2 connector but I have not tested the speed yet

The ugly:

Asus SmartGesture touchpad driver/software. First, the laptop shipped with the November 2012 driver, which is the older version (there was a January update). Second, gestures will randomly stop working, and the software itself often fails to start after a shutdown/start up or wake from sleep (even after updating the driver_, causing scrolling to not work. There is much discussion on this topic online:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/689932-new-elantech-asus-smart-gesture-drivers-how-they.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/700484-asus-smart-gesture-occasionally-disappearing-2.html

The accepted solution to get around the inconsistent Asus driver is to install the Elantouch driver (straight from manufacturer). That link is here: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/elantech.htm

I am using the most recent version and it is now working as expected. The Elantouch driver is also more configurable.

Other thoughts: For some reason, this computer (vanilla Windows 8) only displays programs that are set to run at boot in the Task Manger's Startup tab. If they are disabled it won't show them, as it does on my desktop (which is running WIndows 8 Pro, so that may be the difference). I also ran into a problem where, when using Ninite.com to install Steam and Skype, both programs somehow became set to run at boot but were not present at all in the Startup tab and did not have "start with Windows" set in their preferences. I was unable to stop them from starting with boot without removing them completely and then reinstalling by hand. After that their behavior was normal again.

All in all I would highly recommend this laptop, with the caveat of having to fix the touchpad driver.

Honest reviews on ASUS UX31A-DH51 13.3-Inch Zenbook ( Silver Aluminum )

This laptop is an awesome buy. Comparing spec for spec your getting much more for your money with this machine compared to the MacBook Air. The screen is really something you have to see to believe. The difference between a TN panel (the standard) and this IPS panel is amazing. This screen is so bright and being 1080p gives a super high pixels per inch. It literally boots completely into Windows in around 10 seconds. I did find the SSD to be a little small, but if you delete the recovery partition on it, you get much more space to play with (around 20GB). It isn't a big deal. You can always create a USB rediscovery drive in Windows if you'd like. That gives me around 110GB total, which is also much more than what you get with the Surface Pro (89GB total).

The build quality is also very good. I previously owned a Asus UL30VT, which was considered and ultra-portable computer in 2010. However the build quality was very poor. Many panels creaked and moved, over time some parts just fell off.

This is not the case with this machine. The core of it is what feels like a solid piece of aluminum. And the screen and bezel also is put together very nicely.

Over all it looks and feels like a very solid, premium quality notebook. I would say that 799$ (what I paid) was cheap for this computer.

The verdict: If you want a computer that's super thin, has an awesome display, is super fast... Look no further.

UPDATE

The micro HDMI port has given out after only 3 days of use. I purchased an adapter to use it on a desktop monitor or my TV. However it just gave out. It appears to not have been soldered onto the motherboard correctly, because if I wiggle it up and down, it starts to work. This is very frustrating and was one of the main features of the computer for me. I may be returning it. I have owned Asus machines before, and I can tell you that little stuff like this always quits working on them. Still a great buy for the price on here. But very disappointing for sure.

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If you 'google' this product, you will find many other purchasers have had massive problems with it. It would seem to have inherent design/manufacture problems to do with its power management system and the motherboard.

What is more concerning is that ASUS does not provide an acceptable level of 'ASUS owned' technical/service backup for their products. In California, the product has to go back to a small independent service company in LA which doesn't seem to get too much support and backing from ASUS. The same is true in Australia only a handful of small companies providing service for the whole of the country.

I bought mine on Amazon in 2011 for around $1500 (mine is the 256GB SSHD) it's motherboard died just outside the warranty period. That cost $600 to replace from the LA service agent. Within a few months it developed a fault which causes it to not be able to go into sleep mode and be 're-awakened', without the battery being run down; recharged then re-booted. I've read in forums this is a common problem which ASUS just doesn't want to know about. This product should have a recall it is that deficient.

Consumers should not buy ASUS products until this company fulfils at least the minimum acceptable service support obligation as does DELL, HP, Toshiba and others.

Lenovo G550 Series 2958XFU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I received the new G550 a few days ago, so this is a very early review. Out of the box, the unit was very easy to start up and configure. Even the "bloat-ware" was nicely done. Instead of having dozens of icons and applications, there was a single application that walked you through various options and allowed you to select what you wanted. After this, we only had to uninstall three programs to clean up the system.

I really like the keyboard. I had first looked at the Acer, but when I tried one at Costco I found that the keyboard would flex and warp when you apply pressure. The Lenovo is very solid and has a great key feel. The quality is the same as for my much more expensive Lenovo T60p at work. It has lights for CapsLock and NumLock. I understand that some low-end laptops do not have this anymore. The number pad has narrow keys and will take a while to get used to.

The case itself is not the same quality as the Lenovo I use at work. Even though it has a nice texture, the lid looks like cheap plastic. I am OK with this because of the low price. This laptop cost 1/3 of what my wife spent for her MacBook Pro.

The webcam works fine. My son had a great time setting up the face recognition feature for logging in.

I was happy to find that the unit has three USB ports. When researching the G550, I found some document that claimed it only had two.

I ran the built-in Windows performance test. The processor and memory tests reported between 4.3 and 5.3, but the graphics tests reported 3.3. This is reasonable for integrated graphics, but don't expect great gaming performance.

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Update Dec 2010

Now that we have had this laptop for a month, I have two comments:

First, while the laptop has a webcam, the picture quality is poor compared to our old USB webcam and our Macbook-Pro laptops. The image is never very sharp and was always dark until we added a desk lap. My son still likes the face detection feature for logging in. It claims it will remember faces from failed login attemps so you can find who has been trying to use your computer.

Second, we also had problems with the cursor jumping around while typing. The problem is that your wrist will touch the touchpad and register a mouse click. This happens even if you are using an external mouse. Luckily there is an easy fix. Pressing Fn-F8 can disable the touchpad when you do not want to use it. Other than this issue, we have had no problems with the keyboard.

Overall, I am still quite pleased with this machine.

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I've always had IBM Thinkpad for work. This has the same great feel to the keyboard. This was way ahead of the competition in quality and was a perfect gift for my casual computer user wife.

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One substantial deficiency of this laptop is the inability to adjust the 'sensitivity' of the touchpad. As delivered, the pointer was dificult to control with any precision through the touchpad. The location and movement is erratic. Don't bother looking for a "Control Panel' page to make adjustments to touchpad properties. It isn't there. You are only able to change 'mouse' properties. Looking for a 'driver' on the Lenovo web site that would actually let the user control the behavior of of the touchpad was unsuccessful. To my knowledge, a 'hard wired' touchpad with no user control is unheard of.

Honest reviews on Lenovo G550 Series 2958XFU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

The computer was really nice at the time I bought it. Simple build up material and moderate configuration. Unfortunately, I used it for only two months before it was stolen.

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I bought this PC for one thing only. It is used to keep data for my wife so she does not go onto the internet often. The only thing I would change is the chip, the celeron is not as fast as I would like it to be...