So I got this laptop for 300 at Frys on black friday. It's not too bad a laptop if you get rid of HP's crapware, minus two or so relatively useful utilities. Keep in mind this laptop is not meant to do any heavy lifting, so no gaming, vid editing, etc. What it can do is movies, light gaming like java or the like, music, web, email, composition, etc. For the price, not bad. The touchpad throws me off. I'm used to having an obvious border; this one just uses a light tactile feel. It's also wide, something I'm not used to. It also uses the dual finger thing which I'm not a fan of but I'm pretty sure I can disable this. The hard drive speed is relatively slow in the world of performance. Again though, not a huge issue for what this is supposed to do. One thing that does bother me; the UAC performance. The whole screen goes black for about half a second, which throws you off. You'd think that with a core I3 processor and windows 7 64 bit this would be damn near instant. However, I believe this is an issue with intel video lagging.
I'll possibly edit this in the future when I have more info.
Showing posts with label best notebook pc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best notebook pc. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Reviews of ASUS UL30A-A2 Thin and Light 13-3-Inch Silver Laptop - 12 Hours of
Like the previous reviewer, I also pre-ordered the UL30A-A2 and it was delivered on October 22nd proper. (Kudos to amazon.com for such quick delivery!) I also have only had it for a day, but thus far these are my impressions:
Middle of the Road:
1. Lack of an Optical drive either internal or external. While this may be an issue for some people, it is plenty easy to hook up an external optical drive to it. However buyers should keep a sharp eye out for which external drive they get. The cpu in this machine is an ultra low voltage processor, and some of the external optical drives out there that only run on the power of usb ports (1 or 2) will find that the UL30A-A2 does not crank sufficient power through the usb ports for many of the drives available. I fortunately had an external drive powered by only usb ports and one with an external power supply. The usb powered external drive I owned (a nu-esw860, which worked with an HP 8710w laptop) did not work, whereas the external power source usb drive (an dvd writer/cd burner from Iomega) worked fine.
2. The Touchpad and Mouse Buttons. While the touchpad is fine for me the mouse buttons actually consist of a single button that rocks back and forth. I find it a little awkward, but not unusable. In general I try to use an external mouse with laptops anyway.
3. DDR3 memory limitation. While the inclusion of DDR3 RAM is excellent in of itself purchasers should be aware that this model maxes out at 4gb of RAM that is, the amount it sells with. No upgrades in this area of the machine. And since the machine sells with a 64 bit OS, which is not subject to the 3.5 gb RAM cap of 32 bit OS's, it kinda makes one wonder what Asus was thinking, especially with the video card potentially borrowing so much memory. That being said, other UL models DO come with an 8gb max and ship with 4gb of RAM, although usually those models use DDR2.
4. Keyboard. While I very much like the chicklet design of laptop keyboards my unit has noticeable (but not terrible) flex across the keyboard proper. For those of you who are used to the standard of the old IBM laptops this is a bit of a disappointment. But even though I thought it should be mentioned it is very easy to live with nonetheless.
5. Tiny power adapter. A very small adapter comes with the unit, and although I too have seen reviews (admittedly of the UL30A-A1 model) where the adapter got downright hot thus far my use of it has not achieved that. At worse it has been noticeably warm. Maybe a determining factor for the size of the adapter was to shave a few extra ounces off of the overall weight of carrying the machine and its accessories around?
6. Intel x4500 graphics card. Not the greatest of cards, but sufficient to the the job on a basic daily level. Likely chosen in part for purposes of battery life.
Negative:
1. No bluetooth. This was a disappointment for me, but there are models in the UL series that do come with bluetooth capability. In the end I opted for battery life over the bluetooth a person could always get a usb bluetooth adapter if need be. Still it would have been very convenient to have this.
2. Usually Asus's laptops come with a bag and a mouse, as the previous reviewer has mentioned. No such extra accessories came with my machine.
3. Internal Wireless Card. My unit was bundled with an Aetheros wireless card and only one of the two antennae was attached/active. I would presume that this was to reduce power consumption. For me personally it is not a problem, but I have heard many fellow users complain about its weak signal and limited range. It works just not very strong or far-reaching. This has been a deterrent for some in considering to purchase this machine.
Positive:
1. Sturdy build, light weight. I am impressed by the general external build of so thin and light a laptop as this one it is not super sturdy, like, say, the old IBM T40 series, but it is quite adequate. Kudos to Asus on this front!
2. Screen. It is a lovely and vibrant screen indeed although potential buyers should be aware that it is the reflective screen.
3. Aesthetic Design. I personally think it is an attractive laptop as well. The same basic design comes in both silver and black. Looking only at pictures I thought the black looked slightly better of the two, but on receiving the UL30A-A2 (which is the silver model) I am quite satisfied with how it looks, and even impressed. Asus did a very good job on this one!
4. Cooling system. As advertised, Asus did an impressive job with this. The machine stays very, VERY cool when running. Even when doing high intensive cpu tasks the machine only heats up in a barely noticeable way.
5. HDMI Port. This is something I have seen many people ask about. Different models of the UL series either come with or omit the hdmi port. This hdmi port also is not of the sort that can also be used as a usb port.
6. Not a whole lot of bloatware. Mostly Asus programs a few could be useful, like the power saving app, which I have not yet used. Mine came with a trial of Trend Micro antivirus and MS Office 2007 student level both were easy enough to uninstall.
7. Windows 7. This is my first hands on look at the OS, and while it took a while to find my way around the thing, I have to say I am impressed, in particular by the power saving features and general speed improvement over Vista.
8. Battery Life. This was the deal breaker for me. The battery itself fits up very snugly to the overall design of the laptop, and the UL30A-A2 model was advertised (perhaps incorrectly) as having up to 16 hours of battery life. I put it through some initial tests and these are the rough figures I came up with:
Initial Battery Life Results:
When I make a power saving profile maximized for battery length (which means screen dimmed to lowest possible and wireless turned off) AND reduce the color from 32 bit to 16 bit this is what I got before shutting down the machine at 5% power these are rough numbers only, mind you:
Playing .avi files and installing a fair size program: about 8 hours of battery life.
Playing .avi files only: about 10 10 1/2 hours of battery life.
Only word processing: about 13 13 1/2 hours battery life.
So, at least based on the first run of draining the battery life, while it does not live up to the 16 hours listed on amazon.com, it DOES do better than the advertised "up to 12 hours" for the other machines but this is in extreme power saving mode.
Conclusion
Overall this is an ideal machine for me personally. I thought long and hard before choosing what my next laptop was going to be, and I am very satisfied with the result. I would recommend this machine to others who need long battery life with decent cpu strength and speed in their machine at the same time. For the record, the Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 cpu is very roughly the equivalent of an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 and/or an AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-64.
I am hopeful that in the future Asus (or some third party) will make available larger power supplies and especially larger batteries! Then something like 16 hours of battery life could easily be reached with dedicated power saving settings (as opposed to ultra-extensive, as I did).
When I bought my first laptop in July of 2008 for college, I thought that the sony vaio I was getting was great because it recieved alot of editor's choice awards. Being young and naive, I thought that it was a good purchase. While it was nice and flashy with the red cover, it didn't suit my needs as a college student. It was large (15.4 in), bulky (6 lb), and didn't even have the blu-ray player, which is why it won the awards in the first place, being one of the only laptops at the time to play blu-ray. It was meant to be a multimedia laptop, which is not what I needed as a college student. So this Thanksgiving, I started hearing about this Asus UL30 that was getting rave reviews and alot of attention. I researched it more, and the more I read about it, the more I liked.
Before going into college, I was positive that I wanted a Macbook. Apple claims that they're the most used computer on college campuses, and just by walking around you can see they're not lying. But the pricetag just wasn't cooperating with my dreams to get a mac. Not only does this computer have a mac-like keyboard, but you won't have to drop a grand to get it! So I stuck with Microsoft, which was further cemented due to my purchase of a Microsoft Zune HD (which I also highly recommend). But I digress, back to the Asus UL30.
Put simply, the Asus UL30 is probably one of the best purchases I've ever made. It is so thin and light, the 'UL' part doesn't do justice. Compared to that behemoth of a vaio, the Asus UL30 weighs less then a Mac for crying out loud! Weight and portability were one of my top concerns because I would be lugging around this laptop with me to campus, going from class to class all day. This laptop weighs less then my calculus book! I can easily carry it in my backpack, and when I get to class, just whip it out and go.
The hardware is simply divine. The screen is so bright and vibrant, as we speak I have the brightness level set to a little less than halfway, because I might get blinded if I put it up all the way. Yes, the screen is quite glossy, but you could barely notice it when you're using the laptop, unless you're sitting in the sun, which would make any screen hard to see anyway.
The speakers are unlike other laptops. They're situated underneath the laptop, towards the front. It kind of muffles the sound if you have it in your lap, but when it's on a hard surface, the sound bounced off the table and is amplified. When I first got the ASUS UL30, I set it on the table right next to my brother (HP) and sister's (some other 15.4 ASUS) laptop. I blasted the same song from all 3 laptops, and my ASUS UL30 completely hit the other two out of the ballpark in terms of loudness and clarity. You seriously have to listen to how loud the speakers on this small laptop really is to believe it. As I'm typing this, I have my headphones on and the volume set to 17% and the pandora volume set to like 25. The loudness capability of the ASUS UL30 is excellent, you will not be disappointed.
The part that I might (and that's a big MIGHT) come to miss is an optical drive. There is no way to play DVDs or CDs on the ASUS UL30, but that's a blessing in disguise! Because there's no optical drive, the laptop is lighter, and uses less battery because all it's running is just the hard drive. I don't really miss the optical drive because these days, everything you need can be downloaded off the internet. Ever since I've gotten this computer, there hasn't been a single time when I've had to play a CD but couldn't. Let's face it, ubiquitous storage on the internet and flashdrives are the future. The last time I used the optical drive on my former laptop was months ago to play some video game I rented from the library. Not having an optical drive should be no big deal.
Another part that I absolutely adore about the ASUS UL30 is the trackpad. The dimples are very unique and the single mouse button makes the laptop seem more simplistic, and I love simplicity. I remember reading a review about the ASUS UL30 and someone said that once you get a little 'finger grease' on the trackpad, that it's becomes really smooth, which I found to be a little disgusting, but now I know what the reviewer meant. When you first get the laptop, the trackpad is really dry, imagine yourself swiping your finger on any dry plastic surface, and thats what it feels like. But once you get some of that 'finger grease', the trackpad works like a charm. And it's so cute and unique, what other laptop has little dimples?
One thing about the trackpad that I do NOT like is the multitouch thing, like how you scroll down by using two fingers, and can right click by using 3. The 2 finger scrolling isn't that accurate, and the 3 finger right click is kind of a shot in the dark if it works or not. Often time, when 2 finger scrolling, accidentally I get that arrow thing that scrolls the page when you move the arrow to the edge. I admit it's kind of annoying, but hey, it's great when it works! lol fml
When buying this laptop, I was debating whether to get the A2 or the X5. I ultimately chose the A2 because its silver, and I read that the black attracts finger prints like crazy, and I liked the better battery life. I was already slapping down $700, so why not just spend another $100 and make sure that I'll be completely satisfied with what I get?
Some people say that the laptop feels like it's made of cheap plastic. I can see why they would say that because if I press the front part down, it makes a little clicking noise. But that is barely noticeable and doesn't really affect the overall laptop. The ASUS UL30 doesn't get overly hot like my old Sony did, I could use it one my lap all day/night and I still wouldn't notice the heat. So now I kind of regret buying a logitech lapdesk for $40 a couple weeks before I got the ASUS UL30.
The battery is one of the strongest points of the laptop. I'm sure you've all heard how great the battery life is by now, and while I don't get the 12 hours as advertised, I probably get a good 8-9 hours from a single charge. And that's from browsing the web, playing music, watching videos, and the many other multi-tasking things that college students do. The battery life simply pays for itself over and over again. Whenever I go to the library, I don't have to walk round and around for a table that's close to an electric outlet. Now I just smile as I watch people walking all over the library looking for an outlet to plug in their drained computers that only last 2-3 hours on a charge, or at other students who have to turn their brightness down to the lowest level to conserve battery while in class. It's like they're reading from a fricken kindle for crying out loud! All the while, my screen is bright as the sun, and untethered from the bondage of electrical outlets.
Now I have to say something critical of the ASUS UL30 just to be fair in this review. If I had to choose something, the only thing that I wouldn't like about this laptop is that there's no bluetooth capability, so I cant wirelessly transfer pics I took on my phone to my computer. But that's not that big of a deal because there's a memory card slot so I can just pop that SD micro card into a SD mini reader and bam bam thank you ma'am, everything works fine.
Even though I gave the rating of a 4 out of 5 simply because I think 5 is some perfect, imaginary laptop that can only exist in our dreams. But this computer is fairly close to that!
The graphics are great, the sound and screen are great, the chiclet keyboard and dimple trackpad is real cute, the ASUS UL30 is one of the best 13.3" laptops on the market, and I'm extremely glad that I bought it!
First, before you consider buying one of these, you should realize what it's designed for. It's meant to be thin, light, and have extremely good battery life; it's NOT meant for extremely intensive tasks (video encoding, number crunching) or gaming. The machine is still very capable of everything I throw at it, and unlike netbooks you won't find yourself making compromises in every-day tasks to avoid slow downs.
Pros:
GREAT battery life. I've seen about 6-8 hours on average, with 9-10 hours during very light use (and that's all on the moderate "Entertainment" battery setting). 12 hours may be achievable using the "Battery Saver" setting, which dims the display quite dark, throttles the processor even more, and reverts to the non-Aero Windows theme.
Excellent size and weight. 13.3" really is the sweet spot for me; it's very portable, and really seems significantly smaller than my previous 14.1" laptop. This thing really seems as light as a feather compared to many other laptops. Too bad I just got out of college, I would have loved the "lug" things thing around.
Decent build quality. The brushed aluminum cover is a very nice touch, and really makes the UL30A look very classy (though it would have been nice to see aluminum used on other panels as well). The screen is firmly hinged and it takes some force to make it wobble. Unlike other reviews I've read, the battery is locked in very securely by two locks, one on each side. There are a few small areas on the laptop casing that can be depressed, causing an audible click, but it takes a decent amount of force and the chassis seems to be very sturdy overall.
Decent keyboard. The chiclet-style keyboard is a breeze to type on. Having the extra space between each key is very nice, especially when hunting for an unfamiliar key. There is some keyboard flex present, but it's much less pronounced that my previous laptop (ASUS N80Vn) and I generally don't find that it causes any problems with my typing speed (~90 WPM).
LED Backlit Screen. After using one on my previous laptop, and now this one, I don't think I could stand to go back to a standard CCFL screen. The lighting seems much more even, and the colors are far more vibrant. I find that the screen causes less strain on my eyes over long periods of time, and even when I dim it to save battery life, it's still MUCH brighter than other laptops. With that said, the laptop most likely uses a cheaper TN panel (are there any laptops available with MVA/PVA/IPS panels?), so it may not be ideal for professional photo work.
Great overall specs. Graphics card aside, you get a Core 2 Duo that sips power and is still capable of every day tasks, 4GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium.
Some multi-touch support on the track pad. Two-finger scrolling really beats a dedicated scroll bar once you get used to it, especially since it frees up more track pad real estate. The three-finger right click gesture is also nice. Why can't we have more?!
Cons:
Intel Integrated Graphics. The X4500MHD (a.k.a. GMA 4500MHD) just plain sucks. It's more than plenty for basic desktop use, watching videos, and surfing the 'net. However, if you're looking to do any gaming, you should look elsewhere. For example, I read one review that stated they experienced stutters even playing World of Warcraft at a laughable 800x600 resolution. If you're not looking to do any gaming (or if the games you want to play are graphically simple, like Bejeweled, or over 5 years old, like Starcraft), the X4500MHD should do the trick. I REALLY wish the UL30Vt (user-switchable graphics between the X4500MHD and a Nvidia GT210M) was out when I purchased this one. If I had the opportunity to return mine and get the UL30Vt instead, I would in a heart beat.
No Bluetooth. ASUS, really... it's 2009. Bluetooth is popping up everywhere. Sure, I can buy a tiny, cheap USB Bluetooth adapter, but that ties up one of the three USB ports on the machine. Ugh... this is probably the only thing about the laptop that really irks me. Integrated please.
So-so track pad. The dimpled effect takes a little getting used to, but it's not horrible. I still prefer a smooth, recessed surface like traditional track pads, though. The available multi-touch gestures (mentioned above) are really nice, but I'd like to see more. I'm hoping more can be added with driver updates, and it's mot a hardware limitation. The biggest downfall to me is the buttons; they work fine, but they're a bit too stiff for my liking, and they emit a loud click when pressed. I use a wireless mouse (Logitech VX Nano highly recommended) most of the time anyway, so it doesn't make much difference to me.
Atheros Wireless card instead of an Intel card; lack of a gigabit network adapter (it's only 10/100), only 3 USB ports.
Overall, it's a a wonderful laptop for anyone looking for portability and battery life over raw performance. However, there are still a few things missing that would really make it a smash hit.
With so many variations of the UL30A, it is hard to know which is the best.
A break down given by an ASUS rep somewhere on the web is below (unfortunately i can't find the link).
A2 vs. X5 vs. A3b
Battery:
UL30A-A2 = 8 cell 5600mAh
UL30A-X5 = 8 cell 4400mAh
UL30A-A3B = 8 cell 5600mAh
HDD:
UL30A-A2 = 500GB 5400rpm
UL30A-X5 = 500GB 5400rpm
UL30A-A3B = 250GB 5400rpm
RAM:
UL30A-A2 = 4GB DDR3
UL30A-X5 = 4GB DDR3
UL30A-A3B = 3GB DDR3
Operating System:
UL30A-A2 = Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
UL30A-X5 = Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
UL30A-A3B = Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) with XP Professional downgrade option
Warranty:
UL30A-A2 = 2 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
UL30A-X5 = 1 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
UL30A-A3B = 2 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
Pros:
It is very thin and very light. It's about half the wight of my old Dell Inspiron, and the size is small enough to be really portable and large enough to watch movies.
I haven't fully tested the battery life yet, but so far it's been pretty impressive.
The screen quality is amazing, and it comes with some of the most beautiful desktop images I've seen. I am truly impressed.
It doesn't get hot. It has been on my lap for hours at a time while working hard to transfer over files from my other laptop, and it hasn't been even uncomfortably warm.
The keyboard and touchpad design are great. I like the mac-style keyboard that will help keep crud from accumulating under the keys, and is easy to type on. The touchpad is flush with the wrist-rest areas, which means it also will stay cleaner with years of use. Some computer reviewers did not like the touchpad, but for me it's plenty big, and it only feels "sticky" when you press down too hard. You have to use a light touch, but it doesn't take long to adjust to.
It's fast enough and big enough for everything I need. I'm in the midst of transferring all of my music and videos, from both my old laptop and my external hard drive, only my Asus so that I can have everything with me at once, and only use my external as a backup. The system operates fast enough for my needs, though from what I've read it won't suffice if you're a gamer.
It doesn't come with Norton Anti-Virus pre-installed. This means you don't have to go through hours of trying to uninstall it so that your computer can run the way it's supposed to. It simply comes with a basic internet security program.
Most of the computer is somewhat fingerprint-proof. The only exceptions are the big glossy screen (which you shouldn't be touching anyway), the black border around the screen (which you will sometimes need to touch), and the touchpad button (which is small, but you will probably be touching it a lot). However it is still better than most laptops, as the rest of the computer will not show fingerprints.
Windows 7 is great! Again, I haven't fully tested the ins and outs, but so far it's been an easy transition for someone who has been using XP since it came out eight years ago. I avoided getting a computer with Vista, but have used it on friends' computers on occasion, and Windows 7 seems like an improvement.
I read that the power adapter would get hot, but so far mine has stayed cool. And it has been plugged in for 18 hours straight.
If you press Fn and the space bar, you can easily shift through 4 different power options: Entertainment Mode, High Performance, Quiet Office, and Battery Saving. This is an awesome feature because if you're watching a movie, it will let you change settings to stop the screen from dimming or turning off without even exiting the movie.
Cons:
The Amazon order did not come with the mouse or computer case it promised!
I don't like the reflections you can see in the glossy screen. This isn't unique to this computer, I just don't like glossy screens in general.
It came with a sticker on it saying it had 12 hours of battery life, so I'm not sure if the 16 hour claim is true... and like I said I haven't tested it. Either way, though, I don't think I'll ever need it to last more than 12 hours without being plugged in.
The way that the hard drive is partitioned is confusing. It has an OS C drive and a data D drive. However it automatically puts all of the users documents and music folders in the OS drive rather than the data drive. This is easy to change, but I still haven't figured out how to change the start menu links to my documents so that it takes me to the D drive instead of the C drive.
The touchpad doesn't support rotate and zoom motions that are common on Macs and coming out in newer PCs. Certainly not a huge problem, but they would be nice, since the touchpad does support scrolling and right click motions.
I think that's all for now. I'll try to update this when I find more pros and cons worth mentioning, and have measured the true battery life of the machine.
Middle of the Road:
1. Lack of an Optical drive either internal or external. While this may be an issue for some people, it is plenty easy to hook up an external optical drive to it. However buyers should keep a sharp eye out for which external drive they get. The cpu in this machine is an ultra low voltage processor, and some of the external optical drives out there that only run on the power of usb ports (1 or 2) will find that the UL30A-A2 does not crank sufficient power through the usb ports for many of the drives available. I fortunately had an external drive powered by only usb ports and one with an external power supply. The usb powered external drive I owned (a nu-esw860, which worked with an HP 8710w laptop) did not work, whereas the external power source usb drive (an dvd writer/cd burner from Iomega) worked fine.
2. The Touchpad and Mouse Buttons. While the touchpad is fine for me the mouse buttons actually consist of a single button that rocks back and forth. I find it a little awkward, but not unusable. In general I try to use an external mouse with laptops anyway.
3. DDR3 memory limitation. While the inclusion of DDR3 RAM is excellent in of itself purchasers should be aware that this model maxes out at 4gb of RAM that is, the amount it sells with. No upgrades in this area of the machine. And since the machine sells with a 64 bit OS, which is not subject to the 3.5 gb RAM cap of 32 bit OS's, it kinda makes one wonder what Asus was thinking, especially with the video card potentially borrowing so much memory. That being said, other UL models DO come with an 8gb max and ship with 4gb of RAM, although usually those models use DDR2.
4. Keyboard. While I very much like the chicklet design of laptop keyboards my unit has noticeable (but not terrible) flex across the keyboard proper. For those of you who are used to the standard of the old IBM laptops this is a bit of a disappointment. But even though I thought it should be mentioned it is very easy to live with nonetheless.
5. Tiny power adapter. A very small adapter comes with the unit, and although I too have seen reviews (admittedly of the UL30A-A1 model) where the adapter got downright hot thus far my use of it has not achieved that. At worse it has been noticeably warm. Maybe a determining factor for the size of the adapter was to shave a few extra ounces off of the overall weight of carrying the machine and its accessories around?
6. Intel x4500 graphics card. Not the greatest of cards, but sufficient to the the job on a basic daily level. Likely chosen in part for purposes of battery life.
Negative:
1. No bluetooth. This was a disappointment for me, but there are models in the UL series that do come with bluetooth capability. In the end I opted for battery life over the bluetooth a person could always get a usb bluetooth adapter if need be. Still it would have been very convenient to have this.
2. Usually Asus's laptops come with a bag and a mouse, as the previous reviewer has mentioned. No such extra accessories came with my machine.
3. Internal Wireless Card. My unit was bundled with an Aetheros wireless card and only one of the two antennae was attached/active. I would presume that this was to reduce power consumption. For me personally it is not a problem, but I have heard many fellow users complain about its weak signal and limited range. It works just not very strong or far-reaching. This has been a deterrent for some in considering to purchase this machine.
Positive:
1. Sturdy build, light weight. I am impressed by the general external build of so thin and light a laptop as this one it is not super sturdy, like, say, the old IBM T40 series, but it is quite adequate. Kudos to Asus on this front!
2. Screen. It is a lovely and vibrant screen indeed although potential buyers should be aware that it is the reflective screen.
3. Aesthetic Design. I personally think it is an attractive laptop as well. The same basic design comes in both silver and black. Looking only at pictures I thought the black looked slightly better of the two, but on receiving the UL30A-A2 (which is the silver model) I am quite satisfied with how it looks, and even impressed. Asus did a very good job on this one!
4. Cooling system. As advertised, Asus did an impressive job with this. The machine stays very, VERY cool when running. Even when doing high intensive cpu tasks the machine only heats up in a barely noticeable way.
5. HDMI Port. This is something I have seen many people ask about. Different models of the UL series either come with or omit the hdmi port. This hdmi port also is not of the sort that can also be used as a usb port.
6. Not a whole lot of bloatware. Mostly Asus programs a few could be useful, like the power saving app, which I have not yet used. Mine came with a trial of Trend Micro antivirus and MS Office 2007 student level both were easy enough to uninstall.
7. Windows 7. This is my first hands on look at the OS, and while it took a while to find my way around the thing, I have to say I am impressed, in particular by the power saving features and general speed improvement over Vista.
8. Battery Life. This was the deal breaker for me. The battery itself fits up very snugly to the overall design of the laptop, and the UL30A-A2 model was advertised (perhaps incorrectly) as having up to 16 hours of battery life. I put it through some initial tests and these are the rough figures I came up with:
Initial Battery Life Results:
When I make a power saving profile maximized for battery length (which means screen dimmed to lowest possible and wireless turned off) AND reduce the color from 32 bit to 16 bit this is what I got before shutting down the machine at 5% power these are rough numbers only, mind you:
Playing .avi files and installing a fair size program: about 8 hours of battery life.
Playing .avi files only: about 10 10 1/2 hours of battery life.
Only word processing: about 13 13 1/2 hours battery life.
So, at least based on the first run of draining the battery life, while it does not live up to the 16 hours listed on amazon.com, it DOES do better than the advertised "up to 12 hours" for the other machines but this is in extreme power saving mode.
Conclusion
Overall this is an ideal machine for me personally. I thought long and hard before choosing what my next laptop was going to be, and I am very satisfied with the result. I would recommend this machine to others who need long battery life with decent cpu strength and speed in their machine at the same time. For the record, the Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 cpu is very roughly the equivalent of an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 and/or an AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-64.
I am hopeful that in the future Asus (or some third party) will make available larger power supplies and especially larger batteries! Then something like 16 hours of battery life could easily be reached with dedicated power saving settings (as opposed to ultra-extensive, as I did).
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If you're like me, you research hours and hours before deciding what kind of laptop you want to get. It's a big purchase no doubt, and you want to make sure that you're getting a great laptop for your money, which is why you've taken the time to scroll all the way down the Amazon page to the customer review section. So while I'm procrastinating from studying for final exams next week, I'll write this review for the Asus UL-30A2. While I might be a little biased because I'm already an owner, I'll try my best to give you some of the pros and cons to be fair.When I bought my first laptop in July of 2008 for college, I thought that the sony vaio I was getting was great because it recieved alot of editor's choice awards. Being young and naive, I thought that it was a good purchase. While it was nice and flashy with the red cover, it didn't suit my needs as a college student. It was large (15.4 in), bulky (6 lb), and didn't even have the blu-ray player, which is why it won the awards in the first place, being one of the only laptops at the time to play blu-ray. It was meant to be a multimedia laptop, which is not what I needed as a college student. So this Thanksgiving, I started hearing about this Asus UL30 that was getting rave reviews and alot of attention. I researched it more, and the more I read about it, the more I liked.
Before going into college, I was positive that I wanted a Macbook. Apple claims that they're the most used computer on college campuses, and just by walking around you can see they're not lying. But the pricetag just wasn't cooperating with my dreams to get a mac. Not only does this computer have a mac-like keyboard, but you won't have to drop a grand to get it! So I stuck with Microsoft, which was further cemented due to my purchase of a Microsoft Zune HD (which I also highly recommend). But I digress, back to the Asus UL30.
Put simply, the Asus UL30 is probably one of the best purchases I've ever made. It is so thin and light, the 'UL' part doesn't do justice. Compared to that behemoth of a vaio, the Asus UL30 weighs less then a Mac for crying out loud! Weight and portability were one of my top concerns because I would be lugging around this laptop with me to campus, going from class to class all day. This laptop weighs less then my calculus book! I can easily carry it in my backpack, and when I get to class, just whip it out and go.
The hardware is simply divine. The screen is so bright and vibrant, as we speak I have the brightness level set to a little less than halfway, because I might get blinded if I put it up all the way. Yes, the screen is quite glossy, but you could barely notice it when you're using the laptop, unless you're sitting in the sun, which would make any screen hard to see anyway.
The speakers are unlike other laptops. They're situated underneath the laptop, towards the front. It kind of muffles the sound if you have it in your lap, but when it's on a hard surface, the sound bounced off the table and is amplified. When I first got the ASUS UL30, I set it on the table right next to my brother (HP) and sister's (some other 15.4 ASUS) laptop. I blasted the same song from all 3 laptops, and my ASUS UL30 completely hit the other two out of the ballpark in terms of loudness and clarity. You seriously have to listen to how loud the speakers on this small laptop really is to believe it. As I'm typing this, I have my headphones on and the volume set to 17% and the pandora volume set to like 25. The loudness capability of the ASUS UL30 is excellent, you will not be disappointed.
The part that I might (and that's a big MIGHT) come to miss is an optical drive. There is no way to play DVDs or CDs on the ASUS UL30, but that's a blessing in disguise! Because there's no optical drive, the laptop is lighter, and uses less battery because all it's running is just the hard drive. I don't really miss the optical drive because these days, everything you need can be downloaded off the internet. Ever since I've gotten this computer, there hasn't been a single time when I've had to play a CD but couldn't. Let's face it, ubiquitous storage on the internet and flashdrives are the future. The last time I used the optical drive on my former laptop was months ago to play some video game I rented from the library. Not having an optical drive should be no big deal.
Another part that I absolutely adore about the ASUS UL30 is the trackpad. The dimples are very unique and the single mouse button makes the laptop seem more simplistic, and I love simplicity. I remember reading a review about the ASUS UL30 and someone said that once you get a little 'finger grease' on the trackpad, that it's becomes really smooth, which I found to be a little disgusting, but now I know what the reviewer meant. When you first get the laptop, the trackpad is really dry, imagine yourself swiping your finger on any dry plastic surface, and thats what it feels like. But once you get some of that 'finger grease', the trackpad works like a charm. And it's so cute and unique, what other laptop has little dimples?
One thing about the trackpad that I do NOT like is the multitouch thing, like how you scroll down by using two fingers, and can right click by using 3. The 2 finger scrolling isn't that accurate, and the 3 finger right click is kind of a shot in the dark if it works or not. Often time, when 2 finger scrolling, accidentally I get that arrow thing that scrolls the page when you move the arrow to the edge. I admit it's kind of annoying, but hey, it's great when it works! lol fml
When buying this laptop, I was debating whether to get the A2 or the X5. I ultimately chose the A2 because its silver, and I read that the black attracts finger prints like crazy, and I liked the better battery life. I was already slapping down $700, so why not just spend another $100 and make sure that I'll be completely satisfied with what I get?
Some people say that the laptop feels like it's made of cheap plastic. I can see why they would say that because if I press the front part down, it makes a little clicking noise. But that is barely noticeable and doesn't really affect the overall laptop. The ASUS UL30 doesn't get overly hot like my old Sony did, I could use it one my lap all day/night and I still wouldn't notice the heat. So now I kind of regret buying a logitech lapdesk for $40 a couple weeks before I got the ASUS UL30.
The battery is one of the strongest points of the laptop. I'm sure you've all heard how great the battery life is by now, and while I don't get the 12 hours as advertised, I probably get a good 8-9 hours from a single charge. And that's from browsing the web, playing music, watching videos, and the many other multi-tasking things that college students do. The battery life simply pays for itself over and over again. Whenever I go to the library, I don't have to walk round and around for a table that's close to an electric outlet. Now I just smile as I watch people walking all over the library looking for an outlet to plug in their drained computers that only last 2-3 hours on a charge, or at other students who have to turn their brightness down to the lowest level to conserve battery while in class. It's like they're reading from a fricken kindle for crying out loud! All the while, my screen is bright as the sun, and untethered from the bondage of electrical outlets.
Now I have to say something critical of the ASUS UL30 just to be fair in this review. If I had to choose something, the only thing that I wouldn't like about this laptop is that there's no bluetooth capability, so I cant wirelessly transfer pics I took on my phone to my computer. But that's not that big of a deal because there's a memory card slot so I can just pop that SD micro card into a SD mini reader and bam bam thank you ma'am, everything works fine.
Even though I gave the rating of a 4 out of 5 simply because I think 5 is some perfect, imaginary laptop that can only exist in our dreams. But this computer is fairly close to that!
The graphics are great, the sound and screen are great, the chiclet keyboard and dimple trackpad is real cute, the ASUS UL30 is one of the best 13.3" laptops on the market, and I'm extremely glad that I bought it!
Best Deals for ASUS UL30A-A2 Thin and Light 13-3-Inch Silver Laptop - 12 Hours of
After 1 month of ownership (as of tomorrow), I'm extremely impressed. However, I'm giving it four stars simply due to a few things that ASUS could easily change to make it even better.First, before you consider buying one of these, you should realize what it's designed for. It's meant to be thin, light, and have extremely good battery life; it's NOT meant for extremely intensive tasks (video encoding, number crunching) or gaming. The machine is still very capable of everything I throw at it, and unlike netbooks you won't find yourself making compromises in every-day tasks to avoid slow downs.
Pros:
GREAT battery life. I've seen about 6-8 hours on average, with 9-10 hours during very light use (and that's all on the moderate "Entertainment" battery setting). 12 hours may be achievable using the "Battery Saver" setting, which dims the display quite dark, throttles the processor even more, and reverts to the non-Aero Windows theme.
Excellent size and weight. 13.3" really is the sweet spot for me; it's very portable, and really seems significantly smaller than my previous 14.1" laptop. This thing really seems as light as a feather compared to many other laptops. Too bad I just got out of college, I would have loved the "lug" things thing around.
Decent build quality. The brushed aluminum cover is a very nice touch, and really makes the UL30A look very classy (though it would have been nice to see aluminum used on other panels as well). The screen is firmly hinged and it takes some force to make it wobble. Unlike other reviews I've read, the battery is locked in very securely by two locks, one on each side. There are a few small areas on the laptop casing that can be depressed, causing an audible click, but it takes a decent amount of force and the chassis seems to be very sturdy overall.
Decent keyboard. The chiclet-style keyboard is a breeze to type on. Having the extra space between each key is very nice, especially when hunting for an unfamiliar key. There is some keyboard flex present, but it's much less pronounced that my previous laptop (ASUS N80Vn) and I generally don't find that it causes any problems with my typing speed (~90 WPM).
LED Backlit Screen. After using one on my previous laptop, and now this one, I don't think I could stand to go back to a standard CCFL screen. The lighting seems much more even, and the colors are far more vibrant. I find that the screen causes less strain on my eyes over long periods of time, and even when I dim it to save battery life, it's still MUCH brighter than other laptops. With that said, the laptop most likely uses a cheaper TN panel (are there any laptops available with MVA/PVA/IPS panels?), so it may not be ideal for professional photo work.
Great overall specs. Graphics card aside, you get a Core 2 Duo that sips power and is still capable of every day tasks, 4GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium.
Some multi-touch support on the track pad. Two-finger scrolling really beats a dedicated scroll bar once you get used to it, especially since it frees up more track pad real estate. The three-finger right click gesture is also nice. Why can't we have more?!
Cons:
Intel Integrated Graphics. The X4500MHD (a.k.a. GMA 4500MHD) just plain sucks. It's more than plenty for basic desktop use, watching videos, and surfing the 'net. However, if you're looking to do any gaming, you should look elsewhere. For example, I read one review that stated they experienced stutters even playing World of Warcraft at a laughable 800x600 resolution. If you're not looking to do any gaming (or if the games you want to play are graphically simple, like Bejeweled, or over 5 years old, like Starcraft), the X4500MHD should do the trick. I REALLY wish the UL30Vt (user-switchable graphics between the X4500MHD and a Nvidia GT210M) was out when I purchased this one. If I had the opportunity to return mine and get the UL30Vt instead, I would in a heart beat.
No Bluetooth. ASUS, really... it's 2009. Bluetooth is popping up everywhere. Sure, I can buy a tiny, cheap USB Bluetooth adapter, but that ties up one of the three USB ports on the machine. Ugh... this is probably the only thing about the laptop that really irks me. Integrated please.
So-so track pad. The dimpled effect takes a little getting used to, but it's not horrible. I still prefer a smooth, recessed surface like traditional track pads, though. The available multi-touch gestures (mentioned above) are really nice, but I'd like to see more. I'm hoping more can be added with driver updates, and it's mot a hardware limitation. The biggest downfall to me is the buttons; they work fine, but they're a bit too stiff for my liking, and they emit a loud click when pressed. I use a wireless mouse (Logitech VX Nano highly recommended) most of the time anyway, so it doesn't make much difference to me.
Atheros Wireless card instead of an Intel card; lack of a gigabit network adapter (it's only 10/100), only 3 USB ports.
Overall, it's a a wonderful laptop for anyone looking for portability and battery life over raw performance. However, there are still a few things missing that would really make it a smash hit.
Honest reviews on ASUS UL30A-A2 Thin and Light 13-3-Inch Silver Laptop - 12 Hours of
This is an amazing laptop with a super bright screen, and amazing battery life. My only complaints are that the screen is a little too glossy (but what laptop isn't these days) and that no powerful dedicated GPU is available that can provide this much battery life. This computer can do basically everything though, and is a great buy.With so many variations of the UL30A, it is hard to know which is the best.
A break down given by an ASUS rep somewhere on the web is below (unfortunately i can't find the link).
A2 vs. X5 vs. A3b
Battery:
UL30A-A2 = 8 cell 5600mAh
UL30A-X5 = 8 cell 4400mAh
UL30A-A3B = 8 cell 5600mAh
HDD:
UL30A-A2 = 500GB 5400rpm
UL30A-X5 = 500GB 5400rpm
UL30A-A3B = 250GB 5400rpm
RAM:
UL30A-A2 = 4GB DDR3
UL30A-X5 = 4GB DDR3
UL30A-A3B = 3GB DDR3
Operating System:
UL30A-A2 = Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
UL30A-X5 = Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
UL30A-A3B = Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) with XP Professional downgrade option
Warranty:
UL30A-A2 = 2 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
UL30A-X5 = 1 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
UL30A-A3B = 2 year global, 1 year ADW, 30 day no-bright-dot
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS UL30A-A2 Thin and Light 13-3-Inch Silver Laptop - 12 Hours of
I ordered my ASUS UL30A-A2 last week with one day shipping so I could get it ASAP with Windows 7. It arrived on Oct. 22, the Windows 7 release date, and I am very happy with it. I did a lot of research on thin and lights with large amounts of battery power, and from all the reviews I could find, the ASUS UL30A was the clear winner, with the Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T just behind it. I've had my computer for less than 24 hours, but keeping that in mind, here's my current assessment:Pros:
It is very thin and very light. It's about half the wight of my old Dell Inspiron, and the size is small enough to be really portable and large enough to watch movies.
I haven't fully tested the battery life yet, but so far it's been pretty impressive.
The screen quality is amazing, and it comes with some of the most beautiful desktop images I've seen. I am truly impressed.
It doesn't get hot. It has been on my lap for hours at a time while working hard to transfer over files from my other laptop, and it hasn't been even uncomfortably warm.
The keyboard and touchpad design are great. I like the mac-style keyboard that will help keep crud from accumulating under the keys, and is easy to type on. The touchpad is flush with the wrist-rest areas, which means it also will stay cleaner with years of use. Some computer reviewers did not like the touchpad, but for me it's plenty big, and it only feels "sticky" when you press down too hard. You have to use a light touch, but it doesn't take long to adjust to.
It's fast enough and big enough for everything I need. I'm in the midst of transferring all of my music and videos, from both my old laptop and my external hard drive, only my Asus so that I can have everything with me at once, and only use my external as a backup. The system operates fast enough for my needs, though from what I've read it won't suffice if you're a gamer.
It doesn't come with Norton Anti-Virus pre-installed. This means you don't have to go through hours of trying to uninstall it so that your computer can run the way it's supposed to. It simply comes with a basic internet security program.
Most of the computer is somewhat fingerprint-proof. The only exceptions are the big glossy screen (which you shouldn't be touching anyway), the black border around the screen (which you will sometimes need to touch), and the touchpad button (which is small, but you will probably be touching it a lot). However it is still better than most laptops, as the rest of the computer will not show fingerprints.
Windows 7 is great! Again, I haven't fully tested the ins and outs, but so far it's been an easy transition for someone who has been using XP since it came out eight years ago. I avoided getting a computer with Vista, but have used it on friends' computers on occasion, and Windows 7 seems like an improvement.
I read that the power adapter would get hot, but so far mine has stayed cool. And it has been plugged in for 18 hours straight.
If you press Fn and the space bar, you can easily shift through 4 different power options: Entertainment Mode, High Performance, Quiet Office, and Battery Saving. This is an awesome feature because if you're watching a movie, it will let you change settings to stop the screen from dimming or turning off without even exiting the movie.
Cons:
The Amazon order did not come with the mouse or computer case it promised!
I don't like the reflections you can see in the glossy screen. This isn't unique to this computer, I just don't like glossy screens in general.
It came with a sticker on it saying it had 12 hours of battery life, so I'm not sure if the 16 hour claim is true... and like I said I haven't tested it. Either way, though, I don't think I'll ever need it to last more than 12 hours without being plugged in.
The way that the hard drive is partitioned is confusing. It has an OS C drive and a data D drive. However it automatically puts all of the users documents and music folders in the OS drive rather than the data drive. This is easy to change, but I still haven't figured out how to change the start menu links to my documents so that it takes me to the D drive instead of the C drive.
The touchpad doesn't support rotate and zoom motions that are common on Macs and coming out in newer PCs. Certainly not a huge problem, but they would be nice, since the touchpad does support scrolling and right click motions.
I think that's all for now. I'll try to update this when I find more pros and cons worth mentioning, and have measured the true battery life of the machine.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Reviews of HP G6-1B59WM AMD A4-3300M 2.5GHz 4GB 640GB 15.6" Win7 (Dandelion
Bought this for my wife in 2011 for Christmas great package deal( Laptop, Sleave, mouse,and pad and memory upgrade to 8GB) all matching. She was looking for an upgrade from her HP mini netbook so she could watch movies.
She loves it. With the 640 GB hard drive lots of space for all her fav music and pics(100GB currently) with plenty of space left over and no issues with this machine.
She loves it. With the 640 GB hard drive lots of space for all her fav music and pics(100GB currently) with plenty of space left over and no issues with this machine.
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Great laptop for the money and only one tiny scratch above the keyboard, otherwise it looked brand new. It runs cool, it's quiet, and it was easy to set up and start using. Another quality product from HP.Best Deals for HP G6-1B59WM AMD A4-3300M 2.5GHz 4GB 640GB 15.6" Win7 (Dandelion
My granddaughter is very pleased. It has become handy for school. also communicating with her friends.I now need to find a matching mouse and case.Saturday, December 6, 2014
Cheap HP EliteBook 2530p (XT956UT) 12.1" Notebook
I've been working on this Elitebook 2530p for over six months and it performs like a champ! I upgraded from an 10.1" netbook to the Elitebook that features a fast Intel processor, a hardened 160 GB hard drive, enough RAM that I haven't felt the need to add more, a built in DVD-RW drive and a battery that has a good 7 to 8 hours of staying power. What follows are some of the things there were not disclosed to me before I purchased this EliteBook:
* A built in fingerprint scanner (super cool!)
* A descrete pop up LED keyboard light that has been installed in the top edge of the monitor screen's frame (also really cool)
* A rollerball type mouse button that's built into the keyboard with an extra set of mouse buttons.
Above the row of function keys is the HP Quick Launch Bar which has LED indicators that allows you immediate access to many of the EliteBook's top functions with just a single tap of your finger, such as:
* The HP Info Center, which is a dashboard like application to the EliteBooks major features/programs,
* An on/off switch for WANN and Bluetooth reception,
* Pop up access to the HP Presentation Settings panel,
* An instant Silence button for the netbook's speakers, and
* A pop up volume adjuster that allows you to modify the volume level with just a simple swipe of your finger tip no mouse necessary!
To go even one better, these LED "buttons" change colors to show you what state they are in! Also on this Quick Launch Bar are lights for Cap Lock, Print Screen, Num Lock and Scroll Lock indicators that are missing from many netbook keyboards.
As I was getting to know my new EliteBook and all of these "extras" were revealing themselves to me, I felt like, and still feel like, I got ahold of a great, compact laptop with all the fancy bells and whistles that I could have asked for and I am very, very pleased!
* A built in fingerprint scanner (super cool!)
* A descrete pop up LED keyboard light that has been installed in the top edge of the monitor screen's frame (also really cool)
* A rollerball type mouse button that's built into the keyboard with an extra set of mouse buttons.
Above the row of function keys is the HP Quick Launch Bar which has LED indicators that allows you immediate access to many of the EliteBook's top functions with just a single tap of your finger, such as:
* The HP Info Center, which is a dashboard like application to the EliteBooks major features/programs,
* An on/off switch for WANN and Bluetooth reception,
* Pop up access to the HP Presentation Settings panel,
* An instant Silence button for the netbook's speakers, and
* A pop up volume adjuster that allows you to modify the volume level with just a simple swipe of your finger tip no mouse necessary!
To go even one better, these LED "buttons" change colors to show you what state they are in! Also on this Quick Launch Bar are lights for Cap Lock, Print Screen, Num Lock and Scroll Lock indicators that are missing from many netbook keyboards.
As I was getting to know my new EliteBook and all of these "extras" were revealing themselves to me, I felt like, and still feel like, I got ahold of a great, compact laptop with all the fancy bells and whistles that I could have asked for and I am very, very pleased!
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Excellent speed for handling Windows 7 Ultimate and other tasks. Study design and portable. Even Windows 7 didn't automatically find the SDHC slot, driver found on HP's website.Best Deals for HP EliteBook 2530p (XT956UT) 12.1" Notebook
Replaced my OLD Dell x300 with this. It's fantastic, fast, light, easy to pack for trips! Seller got it to me in one day! Amazing.Sunday, November 16, 2014
Cheap ASUS K55N-DS81 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
List Price: $499.00
Sale Price: $415.99
Today's Bonus: 17% Off
This is a review of the Asus laptop, not Windows 8. I'm a retired computer professional and I've had over a dozen different laptops over the years, from economy models to the top-of-the-line (so I have a large frame of reference). I'm really pleased with this laptop -it's a great value and I really don't need any more power or features for what I do these days. I use it mostly for web browsing, Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint), Photoshop, iTunes management of a huge music library, and email. I'm "on my computer" over 8 hours a day. For those purposes, this laptop is serving me well at a great price. I looked at a lot of others in the same price range and decided on this one for these reasons: a good processor (I don't think I saw any faster ones in this price range), 500GB disk drive (I really don't need more space and I have larger external USB drives if I ever do), a decent integrated graphics adapter, 3 USB ports including USB 3.0, an HDMI port, VGA output for non-digital TVs and monitors (not found on many current laptops but it's still useful), DVD burner, a pretty long battery life, and a 1-year warranty on accidental drops and spills.
When I first started using the laptop, I was very impressed by the feel and the action of the keyboard and the brightness and clarity of the 15.6" screen. I was also pleased that it wasn't pre-loaded with a bunch of free-trial crap software (all I got rid of was the 30-day(?) free-trial McAfee anti-virus, which I replaced with AVG free edition). I added 4GB of Kingston memory for a total of 8GB RAM and so far I have no complaints about performance. (
Some buyers may want to know that the disk drive is formatted with C and D partitions, 186 GB and 258 GB in size, respectively. That's smart, but I wonder if non-technical users will ever even access and use the large D partition since all user files (My Documents, etc.), by default, are put on the C partition. On the D drive, I put all my music files, my thousands of digital photos, and other large data collections which I don't need to frequently access via the convenient user folders (My Documents, My Pictures, etc.). I think there's an additional recovery partition, but it doesn't appear in the file manager.
I have only a couple complaints. The left/right buttons at the bottom of the touchpad take a lot of pressure to make them click (probably intentional to avoid accidental clicking) and I don't like the feel of their action. I thought maybe I'd stop using a mouse and switch to using the touchpad only, but the feel of those buttons caused me to go back to my mouse within a few hours of use. The other complaint is that there's no LED indicator when Caps Lock or Numeric Lock is enabled on the keyboard, but that's a pretty minor issue. (UPDATE: I just discovered there *are* LEDs for Caps and Numeric lock -they are small green LEDs on the front left edge, next to some other LEDs like the disk activity LED).
So, I'm very pleased with this laptop and I think it's a tremendous value in its price range. No regrets on this purchase! Windows 8 is a different story and I'm not crazy about it, but I'm learning to adjust. I would prefer to have Windows 7 which was the best Windows OS to date. Windows 8 is not nearly as bad as many reviewers would have you believe. By creating my user account as a 'local user', ignoring the Start Screen that looks like a smart phone and only using the Windows desktop, it's very much like using Windows 7. You just have to find where they hid some things like the Start Menu (use Windows key + X combination). And so far, all the software I have (some of which is pretty old, like Office 2003), has installed without compatibility problems. I almost paid much more to get a laptop with Windows 7 instead of 8, based on all the negative comments, but I'm glad I didn't do that. The negative comments are overblown.
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I did a lot of research before finally purchasing this laptop by ASUS. The biggest selling points for me were as follows:ASUS 1 year "360 Notebook Warranty" including 1 year of Accidental Damage/Handling and a Limited 1 year manufacturer warranty.
The AMD A8 4500M APU is super speedy. If you're purchasing a laptop beware that the A6 4400 has a 1MB L2 cache while the A8 has a BIG 4MB L2 cache. While the dual core is rated at a higher frequency the quad core is capable of handling multiple data loads simultaneously much more efficiently.
The Radeon 7640G has 512mb dedicated memory and is capable to pull from the system resources. While this machine CANNOT run games at the highest settings it does an excellent job of being able to run MOST games at low-med settings with high FPS.
4gb ram upgradeable to 16gb.
Pros: Low Price point, 1 year ADH warranty, fast quad core cpu, 4mb L2 cache, fast HDD, fast boot option, instant on resume function2 second wake-up from sleep mode.
Cons: Poor viewing angles on screen, plastic shell/case,
Best Deals for ASUS K55N-DS81 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
I doubted this laptop would perform that well given its $399 price tag. Incredibly I continue to be blown away by its superb performance, it has quickly become my favorite (of six) computers to use! Even though it's comprised of plastic, it's light weight and superior performance leave me wanting little. Even with 3D games, the performance continues to astound me given the low price I paid.I bought a 16GB memory upgrade for $85 a week later and it has solidly placed this laptop at the top of my techy toys list. I am dumbfounded by the sheer performance of this low cost laptop.
Pros: low price, above average performance, memory up-gradable to 16GB and out performs my MacBook that cost $1300.
Cons: Made of plastic and does not have superman powers..
Honest reviews on ASUS K55N-DS81 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
I'm re-writing this review to include a tutorial on how to fix up the laptop without voiding the warrantee. I'm upping it to 4 stars now that I've fixed it. The hardware is great, the software can be fixed.Pros:
Great Hardware
Fast Processor
Big Video specs
Built in tutorial for windows 8
Comes with 50 GB cloud storage for 3 years
Cons:
Windows 8
The trackpad is awful (tutorial below reduces annoyance)
The wireless will drop out (tutorial below fixes)
Packed with bloatware (you can uninstall it)
Webcam sucks (mic is great though)
Small HD space
Performance expectations:
You will be able to play most games at max settings if the game was released prior to 2010. You will be able to play most new releases up to current day at reduced graphics settings. Applications will run at a reasonably high speed.
Hard Drive(s)
The laptop comes with two small 5400 RPM hard drives (C and D). The OS is installed to C, and D is empty. If you install your programs to drive D, you will get significant performance gains because your motherboard can process twin data streams at 100% capacity. YOU MUST DO THIS TO MAKE GAMES AND APPLICATIONS RUN SMOOTHLY.
Trackpad fix:
The built in drivers for the trackpad add "smoothing" effects and whatnot that make the trackpad even harder to use. They do not provide basic functions like turning off the trackpad.
Fix it:
1. Plug in a USB mouse
2. Download the Synaptics driver platform for mouse, windows 8 option.
3. Using the USB mouse, uninstall the trackpad drivers.
a. right click on the bottom left corner of desktop
b. in the context menu, select "device manager"
c. in the device manager, right click on the trackpad's controller, it is under "Mice and other pointing devices"
d. select "properties" from the drop down menu
e. select the "driver" tab
f. select "uninstall" and follow the on-screen instructions
4. Install the new synaptics drivers
5. You now have better mouse handling, and you can right-click the trackpad icon in the desktop tray, go to the "Device Settings" tab, and disable the trackpad.
6. Install touch-freeze
This will "stun" the mouse while you are typing, which will prevent accidental clicks from messing up your typing.
Wireless fix:
The built in drivers disable the wireless card on a regular basis in order to conserve power. You will need to replace the aetheros drivers with the most up-to-date drivers, and disable some features in the Realtek PCIe driver context menu.
1. Download the Aetheros drivers
download link:
site:
2. This package will install just fine. Follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Reboot.
4. Go to the device manager, select "network adapters," and right click "Qualcomm Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Network Adapter"
5. Select "properties"
6. Select the "Power Management" tab
7. uncheck the box "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"
8. Click "OK"
9. Go back to the device manager
10. Right click and slect properties on "Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller"
11. Go to the "advanced" tab
12. Modify the following Properties
Energy Efficient Ethernet> Disabled
Green Ethernet> Disabled
13. Go to the "Power Management" tab
14. unchcheck "allow the computer to turn off this device to save power
15. click "OK"
16. Enjoy stable internet.
Windows 8 Fix:
If you miss the traditional Windows layout, you can install a third party start button. I recommend this one:
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS K55N-DS81 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
I'm using this laptop mostly for internet browsing, work, and gaming. It does it all, more than I expected after a few weeks of owning it.This laptop is fast. It's fast booting up, shutting down, loading programs, buffering videos, downloading, etc. Never had a problem. All the features: IceCool palm rests, SuperBatt Tech, InstantOn, and 5% AutoBackup work great. The InstantOn is my favorite, my other laptops and desktops are nowhere near as fast booting up and shutting off. The laptop will boot up to the start screen as long as it takes for you to sip a cup of coffee.
Win8 gets getting used to, many people like to complain about changes, but I have no major complaints. The only complaint I have is I was disappointed that there's no Microsoft Office installed. When I had to do work I was prompted to buy a CD key, not what I expected.
What I love the most is the gaming power of this laptop. You wouldn't expect much from an entry level priced laptop, but I'm playing Shogun 2 Total War on medium smoothly. With that being said, I'm already starting to fill up my hard drive downloading Steam games!
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Reviews of Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
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!!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)
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
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Cheap Acer Aspire V5-171-6860;NX.M3AAA.004 11.6-Inch Laptop
Replaced my old netbook with this baby and didnt want Win 8. This compact laptop has EVERYTHING. 500GB hard drive, 6GB Ram, and 3rd generation Intel processor. Chose this number over the new Mac Air 13" which is sayin alot cuz I wanted the Mac BAD. But for the same crazy insane price as ONE Mac Air, I got this smokin laptop, a refurbed iPad direct from Apple, and replaced my cell phone. I am a genius.
Btw, this is same computer as the Acer V5-171-6422, with Win 7 instead of Win 8. (Comes w/optional Win 8 Pro Upgrade if you want it.) Check out the reviews on the V5-171-6422 this is the identical machine with no Win 8 grief.
Btw, this is same computer as the Acer V5-171-6422, with Win 7 instead of Win 8. (Comes w/optional Win 8 Pro Upgrade if you want it.) Check out the reviews on the V5-171-6422 this is the identical machine with no Win 8 grief.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Ive had it for 6 months now and i love it. The sound quality is awful though. Get some speakers if sound quality matters to you. (Xmini does a great job since its small and portable too). Small size and big features like a 15". Perfect for school, bus or airplane. I bought a antiglare screen and now i have no problem taking it outside on a sunny day. Get before its too late. With tablets and windows 8 netbook running windows 7 are an endangered specie.Best Deals for Acer Aspire V5-171-6860;NX.M3AAA.004 11.6-Inch Laptop
This is one fantastic little computer .I had a hard time finding something that's 11.6" with Windows 7. Once I found this Acer with win7,Intel i5 I was ready. The first and second time I tried to order it, I ran into the problem of the listing company not really having it in stock as" new " or at all. Finally I found one that was refurbished and decided to give that a try. Wow, I have no idea what had to be fixed in this but I think it's faster than my big laptop with the same i5,in fact it blazes as well as the big desk top we have with the Intel i7. The only thing that hasn't lived up to what's published is battery life. After a full charge it says the time left on the battery is 4hrs. 6min. I don't know if a newer battery would solve that issue or not, but at least it's kinda close to the advertised battery time of 5hrs. I know that more people want a small laptop with Win8 and I'm sure that Acer has what you are looking for and would definitely recommend Acer as a product to look at.Honest reviews on Acer Aspire V5-171-6860;NX.M3AAA.004 11.6-Inch Laptop
A very nice size for travel and toting around. The smaller size can mean that some tasks are harder for older eyes. I do not find the smaller keyboard size to be a problem even though I have arthritic fingers. I did find it necessary to also purchase a mouse and a portable speaker for music, but I am a very fussy person. This was the very last one available with Windows 7 and is a great and stable little machine.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire V5-171-6860;NX.M3AAA.004 11.6-Inch Laptop
Purchased Acer Aspire Timeline 1830T-6651 Intel I-5, as a travel laptop, exactly two years ago. The motherboard just died, despite being handled with kid gloves and with so little use. I asked the computer repair guy if the board going out so soon, with laptops in general, was prevalent these days. He said, "Yes". I thought with the tech advances in manufacturing, that laptops would become more reliable. He said, "The opposite is true". Didn't buy the extended warranty due to my misconception so have to buy a new laptop now. I'll tell you that I'll never buy a 'piece of junk Acer' again. Buy that extended warranty!Thursday, August 28, 2014
Review of HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4t-1100
List Price: $899.99
Sale Price: $699.99
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
I've had this laptop for two weeks now and so far it's been amazing.
PROS:
-Touchscreen's great, very snappy and responsive. Works well with windows 8
-Windows 8 is really nice with the touchscreen, all the security and all the new features.
-definitely worth the money, only 700 when I bought it
-beats audio integration is good with the headphones, not so much with the speaker
CONS:
-Average display, really not that noticeably great but it isn't noticeably bad either. what you expect to get for the price.
-Speakers aren't really that great, not for prolonged music listening, but work well.
Overall, a great all around laptop for students, workers and personal use.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I love this touch screen laptop!! The only problem it has no optical device. It was easy enough to solve with the purchase of a NU Slim USB Multi DVD burner.I realized that I rarely need a optical drive but nice to have around when needed!!
Best Deals for HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4t-1100
The Laptop has been awesome. Had a hard time choosing between a nice tablet or a touch screen laptop. I love using Windows 8 (didn't take too long to figure out). My daughter loves the picture password and the touch screen has enabled my 3yr old son to navigate games without use of the mouse or keyboard.At times I still would love to be able to fold the screen all the way back (Yoga style) and making selections (opening links, folders, files...) with the touch screen doesn't always respond well. I've also had a couple times when the WiFi wasn't working even with a connection and good reception.
Overall, I love it.
Honest reviews on HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4t-1100
I have had this Ultrabook for a few months now and I love it! :) it does everything I need without any issues. I'm still getting use to the windows 8 but so far I love it!!***I will update this review if I come across ANY issues.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4t-1100
In the middle of working on this ultrabook it turned off and never came back. Calls to tech support were difficult (offshored support). They insisted that the power brick failed. Unfortunately the ultrabook was fully charged and was not plugged in. It would appear the motherboard has failed. Does anyone wonder why the "PC" market is hurting? It's not just tablets, or mobile, but quality and useability. The overall product, when working, is very good. Windows 8 is questionable as a useable operating system. Develop something easy to use and compelling from a productivity standpoint and people will come (i.e., Apple). The device is under warranty and HP will fix; why didn't I spend the extra money to get a MacBook! Hey HP high school students are paying attention and they might be your next set of customers...probably not.Monday, July 21, 2014
Best Gateway NE56R48U 15.6" 4GB Memory 320GB HDD Deals
List Price: $629.99
Sale Price: $338.96
Today's Bonus: 46% Off
First the good. I liked the price. A lot of value for the money. Laptop looked new. All inputs which I checked worked. Basic software is installed. Boots fast compared to an XP machine. Screen is bright and full. Now for the bad. The bottom access panel was screwed on with one end not engaged. I had to remove panel and reinstall properly. As delivered, it stalls at the 99% complete during the program which creates the USB Recovery Drive. I had to download the patch from the Gateway support web site and install it before I could complete the USB Recovery Drive. This patch should be installed during the REFURB process. I gave 4 stars because of these 2 problems which required my time to correct.
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First of all I want to say that people need to be more realistic about what they expect from a budget laptop. You can't expect a Budget Laptop NE56R48U for $300 $400 to have the quality and features of a $800 and above laptop. I bought this laptop in May of 2013 as display model for $288.00 from Best Buy. I couldn't believe the condition of the laptop. It looks brand new. No Damage or wear what's so ever. I say any laptop that can still be working and in condition as a display model must be well built. Believe me I ran it through its paces before I bought it more or less because there is limited software included on it. I picked the laptop up and it didn't feel flimsy. It didn't creek or rattle. It felt solid for an all plastic unit. Now, don't get me wrong. It didn't feel like a $2000.00 laptop. But not bad at all for a budget laptop. The keyboard keys felt fine (I wish the keys lit up). I like the spacing of the keys and especially like the numeric keypad. The picture quality is good. The battery life is good, 4-5 hours. All of the pixels on the screen work; nnlike the Dell 14Z-2100Slv that I bought through QVC. Dell's website states that 3-6 Non functioning pixels is considered industry standard Really? I give you $700.00 and I get what I consider a major flaw. Not to mention the computer wouldn't come up to the windows 8 sign on after completely shutting off. The screen remained on the Dell Logo. I had to go to another website in order to find the fix. I bought a budget Gateway Laptop and every pixel works. And it is the same resolution as the Dell Ultra book; I digress :)BTW, I compared the Gateway NE56R48U to the Dell 14Z-2100Slv Ultra book for the shear purpose of comparing a budget notebook with a mid level notebook. No, this Ultra book isn't considered top of the line. It is considered Dell's budget line of Ultra books (Inspiron). The Dell has a I3 1.9ghz processor with 6 gigs of ram and 32 gigs of SSD. Semi aluminum case. Suffice it to say that there wasn't that great of a difference between the two units. Get this! I turned both machines off (Not Stand by). I turned them both on at the same time and the Gateway beat the Dell by a couple of seconds in coming up to the windows 8 sign on screen. Dell has a SSD card in it. Surprising that Dell and the other advertisements I read about states that the SSD supposedly makes the PC come up to the sign on screen from booting up much quicker than a PC like Gateway(NE56R48U) that doesn't have it. Consider that the Gateway has a intel B960 2.2 ghz processor and 4 gigs of ram. It held its own despite not having more resources and bells and whistles like the Dell. In all fairness to the Dell 14z with its Intel 3 1.9ghz does do a little better when it comes to a more demanding tasks. But the difference isn't all that spectacular. The price of the Dell is more due to a combination of things like the size (Ultra Book); the name; the processor; the ram and SSD.
I was tempted to choose the Dell Ultra book, but the reviews on Dell's website and my experience with the machine lead me to believe that this isn't worth the money and the headache of keeping the notebook. Shame; Nice and solid build but so not worth it.
Best Deals for Gateway NE56R48U 15.6" 4GB Memory 320GB HDD
This is a good computer. I bought mine for $299. It has good memory and a good processor. It's not the top of the line but for the amount of money is a really good buy. I use it for home use only. Its not a touch screen and there are a few things to get used to such as the sensitivity of the mouse pad. Also, when you go too far to the right with the cursor, it prompts a tool bar. Other than that, I am happy with this computer and I would definitely recommend it to others. Hope this helps!Friday, July 4, 2014
Review of Probook 4430S 14" I3-2310M
It is a bang for the price. Holds charge for 4-5 hours in ms office or 3-4 hours watching hd movie. Design is nice and laptop is thinner when i thought. New core-i3 is enough for all my task (which exclude gaming). Speakers are on average loudness and quality level. Has an USB 3.0 port, although not tested this yet. Package is minimalistic but it is okay for me. Keyboard is nice, wi-fi have a good reception. Have one glitch with Autocad and internal video drivers.
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Good budget laptop low probook status, half aluminum half plastic great screen, keyboard tho sometimes glitchy requiring a reboot. wi-fi sucks older samsung laptop next to me gets solid strength when i get crap. battery lasts a long time multi tasking. over all pros outweight its cons and is a good buy on a budget spend the extra $45 at crucial to get 8G of ram totalBest Deals for Probook 4430S 14" I3-2310M
There are so many problems with this piece of junk I do not even know where to begin. HP customer told me "there are many problems with this computer you will need to reinstall the operating system" another day of my life gone dealing with this piece of crap. Plan on waiting for anything and everything SO SLOW IT IS UNREAL!Honest reviews on Probook 4430S 14" I3-2310M
I really disliked this laptop when I first got it. It was so different than the larger laptop I was used to. It's difficult at first to type on because the touch pad is extremely sensitive. You can turn the touchpad off and use a regular mouse by double tapping the top left corner of the touchpad. However, that feature wasn't working for me until recently. There are music controls that allow you to turn the volume up, down, and mute. There is also video controls (forward, play pause, rewind)You do have to hold down the FN button located next to the CTRL button on the left at the same time to use these controls. I also like the internet button located next to the wifi button at the top, it opens your default browser when pressed. Another plus is that this laptop doesn't have flat keys that will easily pop off. After 2 months of using this laptop It became easier to use. I chose this over my larger laptop because it's more convenient to move around and use. The battery doesn't last very long, just about 2 hours for me. I use it for music, email, facebook, and online classes. If you need a laptop that will have a good battery life (for traveling) I wouldn't recommend this one. Also, I had some compatibility issues with a game (Sims2) but the game still ran fast and with some adjustments it was fine. It's worth looking into the video card before buying if you play a lot of games. For basic home use it is great, I only use this laptop now. I would buy another one if I needed to. It takes some time to get used to but overall it is a good little laptop to have around.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Probook 4430S 14" I3-2310M
I originally wanted to get a Mac, but I did not want to spend as much as I would have had to in order to buy one. I feel like this is a nice low-cost alternative. I have been using this laptop for about the past 6 months, and it has held up very well! I feel like the design is very sleek. I also like that the LCD screen as opposed to all of the other laptops on the market that have glossy screens (which are AWFUL with smudges and glare). The MS Office suite and STATA run very well on the laptop, and I never have any problems attending online classes/conference calls through Adobe Pro Connect, Skype and other communication applications. I also ordered this item from Circuit City through Amazon; I chose the normal free shipping option, and my package arrived within only 2-3 days! Overall, I would highly recommend this product!Friday, June 13, 2014
Best Gateway NE56R47u Notebook NE56R47U Deals
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $344.38
Today's Bonus: 31% Off
The computer is overall a decent and good computer. For the price it is a great sized screen and fast machine. I mostly got this to check email, basic graphics editing, skype, word processing, and web browsing.
At this time haven't had any issues. The only thing keeping me from a five star rating is it is still pretty heavy for portability. Five star for home use.
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Its working great but as promised it did not come with a 750 gig hard drive it has a 500gig and I was not happy about that.Best Deals for Gateway NE56R47u Notebook NE56R47U
This laptop has been handy and reliable so far. For less than $400, including the 2 year extended warranty, I believe I got a fair deal. My use is pretty simple a few websites to maintain, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, internet, and email. Keyboard has a nice light touch.I gave it 4 stars because i couldn't get it without Windows 8. I know it's silly, but I really don't like Windows 8. If I wanted a touch screen experience all the time, I'd use my phone or tablet. Too many steps to move through the screens.
Honest reviews on Gateway NE56R47u Notebook NE56R47U
This computer is reasonably priced, works well, works quickly, and is one of the best computers I have owned. The RAM was small but it was easily upgradable. I am a very satisfied owner.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Gateway NE56R47u Notebook NE56R47U
I am sorry to say that I deeply regret to have bought this laptop. After only 2 months, it stopped working (I came to the conclusion that it's a faulty hard drive, after my own research). Gateway support sucks BIG TIME, all they can do is annoying you with their constant "don't worry miss, we will help you with this issue", but in the end, all they do is telling you to send in your laptop. Horrible I have to say, and after talking to three customer service reps, and many "don't worry" statements, I was really fed up.I bought this laptop for my daughter who is being home schooled and who's doing online classes, and since we're traveling a lot, losing her laptop after only 2 months was just unbelievable. We were on our way to Europe, so we had to send in the laptop to Texas, from Canada, and now we are not able to get the repaired laptop until we get back home. I can't blame Gateway for us traveling for several months of course, but the fact that their products are faulty is just a big turn off, and what was bad for me, that I only found out that Gateway = Acer, after the laptop failed, was even worse. If I had known this before, I would have never bought this laptop, because I had two Acer laptops before, and both of them died within a short time, and unfortunately, since we're traveling all over the world, we were out of warranty.
So do yourself a favor, go buy yourself another laptop, and save yourself the headaches with this brand.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Cheap HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop
List Price: $699.99
Sale Price: $564.48
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
The Envy X2 is a sleek hybrid laptop\Tablet that runs Windows 8. This isn't a Windows RT device like the Surface, the Envy will run all your Windows desktop applications. This tablet has a dual core Atom processor which is not the speediest processor in the world but the trade off is fantastic battery life. The Envy has a battery in the tablet portion and a second battery in the keyboard base giving you around 12 hours of total run time.
The build quality of the Envy X2 is excellent and the IPS display is a pleasure to use. The tablet portion clicks solidly in to the keyboard base. I've read reviews elsewhere that had concerns with the keyboard but I have found the keyboard to work fine.
The Envy comes with 64 GB of storage but about 10 GB are devoted to a restore partition. There is a MicroSD slot on the tablet and a full SD slot in the keyboard base allowing for expansion. The Envy has 2GB of RAM with no option to increase it.
I was not expecting the Envy X2 to be a powerhouse due to it's limited specs but it runs Windows 8 and Office with no problem. Boot time and shutdown are quick. Overall for my needs the trade off for better battery life over the core i5 tablets is worthwhile. I should note that this is a secondary system that I bought to travel with and I have a Laptop with a core i7 for the heavier processing.
In terms of a tablet I still prefer my iPad 3 to this device. That isn't so much because of the hardware but rather iOS seems better suited to touch than Windows 8. If you are after a tablet that will run your Windows desktop software, though the HP Envy X2 is a great little device.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'd like to preface by saying my review is of the hardware, not the software. Suffice to say the Envy x2 comes with a 32-bit edition of Windows 8 pre-installed. I will not be reviewing the pros and cons of the OS, just the hardware.INTRODUCTION:
HP's new Envy x2 hybrid is a tablet masquerading as a laptop, not the other way around. It has a tablet specs (processor, ram, storage) so don't go thinking this is a high powered laptop that will run your latest online multiplayer game. It won't. That's not to say the Envy has no entertainment value because it runs videos and casual games quite competently. I personally think the tradeoff is worthwhile because it makes the Envy light weight, highly portable, and above all, it has a long long battery life.
For the purposes of my review, I will be referring to the Envy's two distinct parts: the tablet side, and the keyboard side.
PROCESSOR, RAM, GRAPHICS:
The Envy x2 has an Intel Atom Z2760 CPU clocked at 1.80GHz and 2GB of 533MHz LPDDR2 SDRAM (not upgradable). It has Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (integrated). I find my programs and apps run really well. I'm running MS Office 2003 without a hitch (my primary use for a laptop) plus a number of casual games and apps purchased from Amazon and the Windows Store. Everything runs great.
TOUCH SCREEN:
I find it sensitive and responsive; very nice, no complaints. There is a NFC area in the upper center of the screen. I don't have any NFC devices so I can't test this. This beautiful widescreen LED backlit display runs in a native resolution 1366x 768 @60p Hz.
CONNECTIVITY:
The Envy x2 has a Broadcom 802.11a/b/g/n wireless SDIO adapter for WiFi. I have a dual-band wireless-N router, and the Envy x2 is capable of connecting to either the 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz band. I use the 5Ghz band and I haven't had a problem connecting or staying connected. It is also Bluetooth compatible and (as mentioned) has a NFC area in the top center of the screen.
KEYBOARD & TOUCHPAD:
The Envy features a full size keyboard with chiclet style flat keys. They have a nice tactile feel and sound when typing. I did initially have a bit of an issue with the keyboard which has been fixed with a BIOS update from HP. I recommend this update if you have the extra space/repeated last letter keyboard issue.
The docking mechanism works really well. The tablet/screen is magnetically guided into place and so there's no fiddling around trying to find the correct position. It's super easy to pop off and re-dock.
Since my main use is writing, I also found it convenient to turn off the Synaptic touchpad by double tapping the square in the top left corner (toggle) to avoid accidentally moving my cursor when my thumbs grazed the surface. I just plug in a wireless mouse and use that instead.
STORAGE & DRIVES:
The 64GB solid state drive makes the Envy zippy. While 64GB doesn't sound like much storage, there are two additional SD slots for expansion--a micro SD slot in the tablet side, and a standard SD slot in the keyboard side. I purchased a SanDisk Ultra 64 GB MicroSDXC Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter (SDSDQU-064G-AFFP-A) (so it's usable in either slot) which I installed in the tablet side so I can undock without losing any storage. I'll purchase another for the keyboard side if and when I need it.
Roughly 10GB of the 64GB SSD is set aside as a recovery drive. You can reclaim this space once you make a recovery flash drive. HP includes the app needed to make a recovery drive; all I needed to do was supply the 16GB USB flash drive. At the end of the process, I was given a choice to reclaim the recovery partition as useable space. I recommend making the recovery drive even if you don't reclaim the partition, so that you have an independent backup of the factory default OS should you ever need it. Of course, there's an option to purchase this directly from HP, but expect to pay $$$ plus tax and shipping. Making your own, while your recovery partition is in good nick, is a much cheaper option.
There is no optical drive in the Envy, but if you have, or purchase, a USB DVD drive like the AmazonBasics USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive (Black) then you can load your older software and compatible games.
FEATURES & SLOTS:
Tablet:
1 x MicroSDXC expansion storage slot
1 x headphone/microphone (single 3mm jack)
2 x cameras (front facing and back facing) with integrated mic, 8MP, 1080p video capable
Power on/off button
Volume control button
Stereo speakers featuring BEATS audio
Keyboard:
1 x standard SDXC expansion storage slot
2 x USB 2.0 slots
1 x HDMI output
1 x headphone/microphone (single 3mm jack)
Synaptic multi-touch gesture touchpad
Power charger slot
The Envy has two batteries, which makes for an incredibly long battery life. It is also designed to drain from the keyboard side first, so if (after using it all day) you decide to undock and take the tablet, you (hopefully) don't have to recharge first. Neat idea! I find I only have to recharge every 2nd day, and that's after a full day of using Word.
OTHER:
The Envy has a really nice brushed aluminum shell, which gives it a really classy look and feel. It's also a very thin computer for in a backpack or book bag, and ultra lightweight while still maintaining a huge 11.6" screen. As mentioned, the Envy comes with a full version of Windows 8 pre-installed, meaning most of my older software will run. This is a big plus for me.
The power brick is tiny, measuring only 3.25" x 1.5" x 1" approx. This is a nice for when you need to take it with you.
IN CONCLUSION:
If you're after a laptop for high powered apps and games, then the Envy x2 probably won't fit your needs. However, if you're after something that has the convenience and portability of a tablet but the functionality of a laptop, then the Envy x2 might just fit the bill. Yes, you might get more bang for your buck by lugging around a traditional heavy i3 or i5 laptop, but for me, the lighter weight, 12+ hours of battery life, in an easily transported compact shell makes the HP Envy x2 my ideal choice.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program First things first, the HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop isn't necessarily designed to replace your more sophisticated laptop or desktop computer. If you have heavy processing needs or more challenging applications, you're going to want to continue to utilize your other devices. But, that said, this portable unit does show great flexibility in its ability to adapt to the more routine tasks that you may need to perform on-the-go. As with any convertible laptop, this comes in two distinct parts. The screen contains most of the "brains" necessary to fuel regular tablet functions, so you can just unclip it and take it on the road. However if you need standard keyboard or mouse functionality, just connect it back up and you're ready for computer operations.Windows 8: One of the successes of the HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop is in its usage of Windows 8. If you are a die-hard Windows user, you know that the programs can be somewhat problematic on touch screen devices. There is, oftentimes, too much going on to be wholly effective. Most, therefore, use the less impressive Windows RT technology. So the ability to run any Windows software (unlike the pale shades of RT) is an attractive selling point.
Graphics/Display: The graphics and clarity are perfectly serviceable, if not somewhat better than expected with a HD, Anti-glare, LED-backlit IPS display is powered by Intel Graphics Media Accelerator technology. Once again, this is not meant to stand up to intensive gaming but is suitable for common usage including casual games and HD video.
Compatibility/Additions: The unit has two USB 2.0 ports, a built-in card reader, and a HDMI port. With these, you can customize your experience with external storage or connect to larger monitors depending on your needs. It is Bluetooth compatible and has Wireless network access. And there are headphone/microphone jacks. The unit comes with a front facing camera good for chat (HP TrueVision 1080p HD webcam) and a rear facing camera for specialized tasks (8.0MP). The audio speakers are surprisingly solid Beats.
Design: The HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop comes in a lightweight Brushed Aluminum case. All together, it's about 3 pounds.
Processing Power/Storage: The device is powered by an Intel Atom Z2760 processor which is a 1.8 GHz, dual core unit. This is fairly comparable to what you'd find in other tablets. There are 2GB on on-board RAM and 64GB SSD. While this is probably more than enough for most users, there is no way to upgrade or customize the 2GB RAM with additions.
Battery: The tablet has a battery which boasts about 7 hours of usage. The base, however, also has a battery. When attached, the usage extends to about 12 hours. The double battery really makes a nice difference.
As a Windows user, I really do like the HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop. If that Windows functionality is NOT of major import to you, you might find less expensive alternatives that better serve your wants and needs. But overall, I think this is an incredibly successful marriage of laptop and tablet. When I'm on the road working for any length of time, I still take my more powerful laptop as it is my LIFE. But for convenience and daily activities, I've found myself relying more on this lightweight and handy unit. KGHarris, 1/13.
Honest reviews on HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop
I bought mine from Microsoft Store, but i researched using Amazon so I thought I would review here. I spent roughly the last three months researching for a win 8 tablet with good battery life, light weight, can run full win 8 to handle work applications and could go in tablet mode when I want to just surf or watch a movie--and not cost $1000 or more. I bought other competitors from Acer, Samsung, and Microsoft and they all had something glaringly wrong with them that would drive me crazy (weight, price, hardware issues, weird docking solutions). This tablet has so far met all my expectations. I don't expect it to run call of duty or Photoshop. I expect it to run office programs, adobe acrobat pro, my online work programs, email, surf the internet. I have not experienced any of the issues some other reviewers have--my experience has been nothing but positive. I am a long, long user of Microsoft products (try loading windows using 11 floppy discs!!) and win 8 is definitely the direction for computing. If the surface had been cheaper with a better keyboard and a little lighter I would have kept it.The hp hardware is superb. Everything works as advertised. The atom processor is not a dog--it runs everything I need smoothly. And there is almost zero heat on this thing--like an iPad with windows 8 on it. Hinge works fine-solid as a rock. Attach and detach easily. No issues with space--I am already pushed out to the cloud. SD cards work perfectly (one on tablet and one on keyboard). Battery life stupidly long.
Win 8 is not as difficult as people make it seem. Once you spend a few hours swiping and figuring out the flow of the OS you will not be able to go back to nothing but a mouse and keys. I have a laptop without a touch screen and I feel crippled not being able to swipe on it. In a couple of years every laptop made will have a touch screen. And everyone complaining about lack of apps--are you kidding me? This is a full blown OS that runs everything that makes your life easier--do what I did and give your iPad to your kid so he can play on it while you can actually work on your tablet and relax during your off time. My two cents.
Products I have in my family in case you think I am biased: iPad 1,2, iPhone 3gs, 4s, htc one x, Lenovo laptop, eee pad transformer, self built desktop, Xbox 360, Asus laptop, gateway laptop.
100% recommend this awesome product.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Envy x2 11-g010nr 11.6-Inch Convertible Laptop
I was so excited to get this convertible laptop/netbook. If the device didn't have the following issues, I would be very happy with it. However, after 1 week I decided to return it. Here are the issues:1) Light Bleed Around Screen: The screen had significant 'light bleed' around the edges of the screen. I was sitting in a dark room the first time I turned it on and wow, the light bleed around the edge of the screen was very annoying, especially when watching a movie. Out of curiosity I decided to compare the light bleed to that of an iPad. The iPad had NO noticeable light bleed whatsoever. The screen on this device certainly needs to be manufactured better to avoid the light bleed issue that many complain about.
2) WiFi: Unfortunately the WiFi reception is very poor. This is ultimately the reason I returned the device. I used it with various WiFi routers and could never get it to connect faster than about 30 Mbps. Most of the time it would connect around 5 Mbps. Additionally the signal reception was very poor. Even when sitting within 10 ft of the router, it would only get two bars of reception. I think HP has an antennae design flaw. My other laptops and Windows Phones get great WiFi reception in my home and office.
3) Speakers: I was hoping I could put movies on this for the kids to watch while we are in the car. However, the speakers don't put out nearly enough volume. Without supplemental speakers, it would be way too quiet for use in a car or a room with moderate background noise.
Unfortunately after doing quite a few web searches, I determined that many people have noticed the same issues with this device. Therefore these items must be a result of poor design/fabrication. Therefore, I chose to return it. Hopefully HP fixes these items in next iteration of this device. If they do, I'll be sure to buy it. Windows 8 on a touch device of this form factor would be awesome.
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