I have been using this computer for a couple of weeks now, and have mixed feelings overall. First of all, I got a great deal on it, so it was an easy choice at the time. For a higher (~700) price tag, I suggest looking around for a better deal, because you will be able to find one.
If I could, I would rate this laptop at 3.5 stars, but I'll call it 4 for kindness since I cant.
My favorite part of this laptop, and the primary reason I chose it is its form factor. It is very slim, and has a nice and clean look. The only thing I have ever seen that is slimmer is a MacBook Air, and they really are quite thinner than this. Regardless, it is an impressive form factor, and if you want mobile but still full size, this is great. The dedicated graphics are a very nice thing to have, and 4 GB of RAM with Win 7 is a good place to start (although this comes with a 32-bit OS that will only recognize 3). The battery is useful for about 4 hours depending on how you use it, but don't expect to go past 4. The speakers are actually somewhat impressive, in that there are 4 of them, but I don't think that should sway anyone's opinion of the laptop, as it is more of a gimmick than anything. The included DVD drive is also great. I had read reviews on this before saying it was bad, but they must have figured it out, because mine has worked great! I only wish the MSI logo on the lid of the laptop lit up like it does on the drive.
My complaints and issues with this laptop are all fairly small. First of all, the SU3500 processor is fantastic with power consumption. Given that, it is very very slow. I had the knowledge it was weak going in, and tried coming at it with low expectations, but it is really something tough to get over. The only reason I feel it is necessary to bring this up is because I feel it is really a place many people will overlook. HD video streaming online is powered just fine by the graphics, but the processor still holds it back a bit, and you will get a few chops with streaming 720p video. If you have the video on your disc, it will run fine, but simultaneous buffering of online material will slow it down. I also do a bit of coding with Visual Studio 2008, and compiling small projects gives it quite a work out, and I have had a few crashes there. Outside of that, I have tested the computer with Source engine powered games like Counter Strike and Left 4 Dead, and got very acceptable results.
Other small issues include the monitor and the keyboard. The monitor is really not clear at all, but that is me being somewhat picky. The colors seem overly saturated with white, and the lighting isn't even across the screen. Viewing angles are decent, but I notice a bit of distortion at what should be a comfortable angle vertically, and usually have to tilt it towards me a bit more than I usually would with other laptops. The keyboard is very firm and responsive, but the key size (and they advertise it as an advantage) is very large and awkward. It is still something I am trying to get used to, but in order to make the keys larger, they shift the orientation of the number line above, and the right shift key to fit everything in. I personally wish they would have just kept normal size keys and moved everything into a more standard position. The track pad is also a bit of a problem in that it is far too sensitive to touch, and its location is off center with they keyboard, so you will often accidentally move your cursor with taps from your right palm.
Overall, I am happy with my laptop because I got a great deal on it. I tried to pick out all of the things I disliked here so you could know what problems to expect, but do remember that it does outperform netbooks with ease, and it does have a very desirable form factor. I'll use this to play a few games with as well, which is possible with that ATI 4330 GPU in there. I just feel that the benefit of an extended battery and a bit more processing power is worth consideration for most.
No comments:
Post a Comment