MSI G Series GE60 2OE-073US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black/Red) Review

Customer Ratings:

I had a PC which was not as powerful as this notebook is supposed to be, but had to leave it in my country.

I had that PC for almost 3 years, and it was working WAY better than this notebook. The notebook sometimes crushes when all I have is google chrome open with, lets say, around 15 tabs, and maybe windows media player, and when it comes back from hivernating it takes no less than 2 minutes to begin working properly.

Besides, the battery life is a joke, using wifi (just mails and maybe some web surfing, no videos or whatsoever) and excel (basic, nothing too demanding) it won't even last for 2 hours.

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Best HP g6-1d70us (15.6-Inch Screen) Laptop Deals

Customer Ratings:

Love this laptop. Definitely a bang for one's buck. As I write this, early March 2012, I got this machine for roughly $400 here on Amazon. This was a pretty great price, especially considering I found the exact same model on several other sites well exceeding the $600-$700 range.

A really solid laptop perfect for everyday use, and beyond. The 15.6" screen is extremely bright, and has excellent resolution. As someone who watches a lot of media (videos, movies, tv shows, etc) on my laptop, the screen is great. The Intel i3 Core, 4 GB of RAM, and mid-level Intel graphics card all make for a snappy machine that is also acceptable for light, online gaming. A sizable hard drive, over 600 GB, won't be filled easily. Add a wireless card, built in webcam, and Bluetooth, a feature which has become more prominent in the last year or two, and all your bases are covered. The Bluetooth is great for 'no cable' transferring of files to and fro from your Bluetooth devices.

The audio is no slouch either. We all know that many a laptop speakers out there have their problems; They don't get very loud. They sound tinny. Not enough bass. Too much treble. etc etc. While the speakers here aren't exactly perfect, I'm pleased to report they are more then solid. On maximum levels the audio gets quite loud and remains mostly tin free. I also have to say, after experimenting with not only online videos, but various audio/video formats, the sound quality rates about a 7.5 on my scale. Pretty high considering some of the bad audio I've experienced, even on high-end laptops.

The machine comes in at just slightly over 5 lbs. Perhaps a tad heavy for some, but still hardly cumbersome. The machine itself is a handsome matte finish gray, and when closed, it's rounded edges give it a modern, almost IKEA-esque quality. If I had one overall quibble, and it's a very minor one, it would be the keyboard. While the keys have a soft, pleasant tactile feel, the keyboard itself is a tad on the small side. This is made more frustrating considering the size of the machine.

Bottom Line: Looking for a solid, mid-level, wallet friendly laptop that can handle a variety of tasks and situations? This one will easily fit the bill. Overall, an excellent value for what you're getting.

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I have been using HP's for a very long time and find this one very quick and useful. My only comment is that is a little heavy and serves much better on a desk then if you need to take your laptop out..meetings, room-to-room etc.

Best Deals for HP g6-1d70us (15.6-Inch Screen) Laptop

I recently purchased this laptop to replace my out of date Gateway and found the price to be great for all of the features that it has. It arrived in a timely manner (2 days) and was well packaged from Amazon. I was looking for a laptop with a 15.6" display and not a keyboard with the 10 key function. Here are the pro's and con's that I discovered:

Pros

Easy to set-up

Vivid display, HD quality

3.5+ hours of batt life over wi-fi

Charges quickly

Full size keyboard easy to type on

Windows 7

Decent built in camera

Cons

Not a fan of the trackpad, poor for internet scrolling

Would recommend purchasing a wireless mouse

Heavy, but well built

No docking station available from Amazon or HP

Overall I am extremely satisfied with this purchase, I purchased an HP for my parents for Christmas and they are also liking theirs as well, but I was able to get mine for over $100 less! Very happy customer, would recommend this product for anyone.

Honest reviews on HP g6-1d70us (15.6-Inch Screen) Laptop

This is no doubt the nicest and fastest laptop I have ever owned. However, it is not perfect. The Core i3 is plenty fast for streaming HD videoin fact, that was my main criteria when searching for a new laptop. The Pentium, Celereron, and low end dual core AMD processors simply can't handle HD video. You must get the equivalent of a Core i3 or better.

The good things about this laptop are it is small (at least is smaller than my 6 year old laptop of the same screen size) and light weight. It's got an HDMI port (which should be a requirement of all computers these days) and plenty of USB ports. I recommend attaching a "port saver" for the HDMI connection if you constantly use the laptop with different HDTVs. The mouse touchpad also has a nice feature that lets you turn off the touchpad with a double tap in the corner.

The bad is that the battery is difficult ro remove and install. Not impossible, but harder than it should be. I also don't like that the monitor does NOT have a clip to lock it down. It's just spring loaded so that means you have to hold the bottom of the laptop with one hand as you use the other hand to raise the screen. Again, not a deal killer, but a minor annoyance. Since the laptop has this spring loaded monitor, that means there is not enough room for any USB or VGA ports on the back of the unit. All ports are on the side including the power jack. The last thing I'm not crazy about is the monitor itself. The colors are way to intense. But that is a problem with all LCD displays IMO.

No, this laptop isn't perfect, but I do still like it and recommend it. To get a perfect laptop you would have to pay 2-3 times more than this one.

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Love the design, it's simple and elegant. I'm not even close to being an expert in computers, I mainly am a writer and use it as such, for my work. I do however see an issue when I try to run multiple programs, but I am inclined to think that is most laptops.

All in all I am pleased with my purchase, if you're looking for a laptop this is one of the best I have had and not all that expensive!

Buy ASUS Eee PC 904HD 8.9-Inch Laptop (Intel Mobile Processor, 1 GB

Customer Ratings:

This little pc is fabulous! Was hesitant, gave it a try, speed is great, XP smooth, display is crystal clear, quiet, does not overheat; i am extremely happy! would recommend to anyone!

P.Cruz/Naples, FL

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My daughter love it. It's small, quick and light. Good resolution screen and not too small. I want my own. You just need buy it one external dvd/cd rom unit.

Best Deals for ASUS Eee PC 904HD 8.9-Inch Laptop (Intel Mobile Processor, 1 GB

I bought the smaller ASUS because I wanted a light lightweight, and because I didn't think I needed much of a keyboard. I'm a MAC nut, but was absolutely flabbergasted to find this little gem has a great keyboard, can be dropped in my purse (my MODEST sized purse along with my Kindle), and I am armed for the 30 (130) minute pharmacy waits, doctor waits, my husband-in-Lowe's waits. In other words, I'm a happy camper, and my camping is happy due to my 8.9" Asus.

Long may it wave!

Jfg

Honest reviews on ASUS Eee PC 904HD 8.9-Inch Laptop (Intel Mobile Processor, 1 GB

I was looking for a nice, inexpensive laptop for my old daughter. This fit the bill......It was light weight, compact and perfect for her hand size. She gets the internet anywhere there is wireless without pushing a button. The drive size is nice for her pictures and the program, Xp is full size and works like your regular desktop. I reccomend this to everyone who has a child under 14 or so where they probably want something bigger. I have seen more expensive but this fit the bill and then some and was nicely priced. May not work for an adult small keyboard.

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This little PC rocks. I got it for my nephew and it is working perfectly. He plays his online kiddies game and his mom watches her soap on it. The fact that the OS is XP is a plus.

ASUS UL30Vt-X1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (11 Hours of Review

Customer Ratings:

I had been excited about the ULxxVT series from Asus since they were first announced a couple months ago. I originally purchased the UL80VT back when it was released in October but ultimately returned it due to a very noticeable dead pixel right in the middle of the screen. This was probably for the best as a week with the UL80VT made me realize it was bigger then I needed and I didn't really have much use for the optical drive.

Due to my brief ownership of the UL80VT I knew certain things to expect with the UL30VT but I have to say the UL30VT has exceeded my expectations. While I never felt the build quality was bad on the UL80VT it's much better on the smaller UL30VT. Clearly due to the smaller frame everything is quite a bit more solid as there is almost no chasis flex at all. The keyboard is okay. Everything is well spaced although the small right shift key is a bit annoying. Honestly the only thing about the keyboard that isn't great is that it's a bit on the noisy side as its very clackity when you type. I know a lot of people don't like the dimpled ASUS touchpads but honestly I don't think it's that bad and it has tons of multi-functions that really make it a joy to use. The single button touchpad button isn't as firm as on the UL80VT so its a bit easier to press for those who don't just use tapping. The screen is also in my opinion much better then the UL80VT in regards to contrast which I felt was subpar on the the larger model. Viewing angles still aren't great but they aren't on most laptops these days. The hard drive is a bit noisy but it's not really that noticeable.

I know a lot will be made of battery life on these UL models and it should be pointed out that this comes with the 10 hour battery, not the 12 hour one Amazon lists. Even still its a 63whr, 4400mah 8 cell battery that I have easily been able to get 7 hours of wifi web surfing and there still being life left (sorry, I haven't had it long enough to do a full battery test yet). So while it would have been nice to get the larger 84whr battery I don't think I will have had too many instances where I will even need it. Also just to correct another incorrect part of the Amazon listing, the UL30VT weighs 3.92lbs according to my precision scale with the battery installed. Still plenty light for me but I don't know how they got 3.7lbs that is listed here. The UL80VT also has the wrong weight listed in it's listing as it weighed 4.8lbs when I weighed that back in October.

Overall I am very happy I waited for the UL30VT, the idea of creating an overclocked low voltage system is a genius concept that ASUS has executed very well here. The end result gives the user performance equivalent to a regular full voltage Core 2 Duo while still providing great battery life. There is truly nothing else on the market like the VT series laptops and for $799 you get a lot. Sure the larger battery or longer warranty of the A series UL models (this is an X model) would be nice but it would then cost more and lets be honest, it still has better battery life then most systems on the market and almost all consumer laptops only come with a one year warranty to begin with! Given the price I can't recommend this system enough, sure there are a few things that could be improved but for me it's exactly what I needed in a laptop at hundreds less then I was originally expecting to pay.

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I've been searching for the perfect, best, finest, fastest, coolest small notebook for almost 5 months, believe it or not, and here it is the Asus UL30Vt-X1. It could have reached out and bit me, it was so close at hand, so easy to find, but you almost never look right under your nose do you? Well, so much for finding it...let's tell the nice Amazon.com readers what it does, and how well it does it, and a whole slew of TIPS and TRICKS this user knows in and out!

I've put together some sections where I am going to describe settings and specific control panel functions that work optimally for my uses, and I tell you what to expect when using them...this is a User's Review as much as it is a Review for pre-sales questions and general interest. Hope you like it!

**13.3" 1366 x 768 pixels HD LED Backlit LCD Display-nVidia G210-M 512MB Video+ Intel GMA-4500 Integrated Graphics, SWITCHABLE GRAPHICS ENGINES! RealTek HD Audio! nVidia HD HDMI Audio!

It's not the brightest display(200 Nits by measurement) nor the most defined by contrast, unless you get into the nVidia CP and adjust things...so go to nVidia Control Panel (right click, on the desktop), Adjust Video Color Settings, check "Dynamic Contrast Enhancement", and "Color Enhancement", then hit 'Apply' and BAM! Your LCD will become very, very nice, with deep blacks, browns and blues, while the bright colors themselves will 'Jump Out At You'--you'll think you are looking at a much more expensive computer's display. That's something that anybody can do to enhance the graphic power of the nVidia G210-M 512MB discrete video card output, and it does make a HUGE difference...try it, you'll like it!

The native HD display is capable of rendering virtually any type of content with either of the video settings, as the GMA-4500 Intel Graphics (integrated video, that uses up to 4095MB of system RAM if the computer has 8GB RAM...with 4GB of RAM the video uses up to 1795MB RAM) are capable with HD content. It's just the nVidia card, however, that you want to use (whenever possible, ie not on battery) that fetches up 30-40FPS+ with Call of Duty: World at War for example! Yes, this notebook is a gamer's delight, to a point...don't expect 70+FPS in deep battle scenes with heavy, hard detail settings, but it is adequate for playing virtually any of the current crop of 1st-person shooter games...Crysis, literally any game available right now. It's that good!

When on AC Power, PowerGear4 Hybrid set on High Performance and Turbo Boost, fire up any game you want and the UL30Vt-X1 springs to life, loads the game rapidly, enter your control panel Option settings and you're off and running, full screen if you want...this is a fantastic nVidia graphics engine, and it will do the job. I also have had xlnt results playing HD video/audio content.

Do you like Hulu content, the online TV that displays programs/movies in HD? This is one notebook that will not disappoint Hulu fans, so let's get cranking! Open up "The Dresden Files", for example, the Canadian Sci-Fi/Suspense Thriller from 2004-2007 that Hulu has all the archives of, choose Full-Screen Mode in the controls on screen, and WHAM! You're watching full HD video at 1366 x 768, and the UL30Vt-X1 will come through stutter-free, without any problems at all. The CULV CPU, the 1066mhz DDR3 RAM, and either of the graphics engines will do the job. You can count on this computer 100% with any type of video content, either online, HD movies from DVD's, or even BluRay discs can be played (with a player, of course) at full screen resolution. This video Rocks!

It helps if you have the latest, and greatest Flash Player Beta 10.1.55.xx installed, but that's optional as is a browser other than IExplorer (I've been using Google Chrome). The sound is xlnt also, coming from Altec Lansing speakers which are positioned in the chassis front edge, left and right, for true SRS Surround Sound action via the RealTek HD Sound Manager. You can access the manager's controls by clicking on the System Tray's hidden icons, RealTek HD Sound Manager, double-click on it and choose from 30-or more different sound effects! Here's a couple I found to be optimal:

RealTek HD Sound Manager: Set it to Stereo for headphones, then check "Headphone Virtualization" if you use headphones like I do 90% of the time. In Sound Effects, click on "Rock" which will enhance the sound just enough to put a slight EDGE on the drums, cymbals, bass is enhanced, and mids are subdued with voices accentuated perfectly. Click on "Living Room" for the Environment which stops any acoustic 'echo-effect' which many of the other choices will do. Then go to the last panel there, Default Format, and choose the Hz: I found that 24-bit 96,000Hz are perfect for this system, which is set OEM @ 24-bit 48,000Hz, just not enough Hz for my ears! TRY THOSE OUT! You will thank me a bunch, those are great settings for headphones every time!

As for the speakers, they sound great with the same settings turned up to at least 70%... That's right, they will NOT distort at those settings I've listed above, which is what you want every time not a bunch of unnecessary sound effects. Experiment all you like, I did, but you'll come back to those settings I just listed as they are pretty pure, nicely enhanced music settings without bringing too many special effects to the party.

**Keyboard, Special Fn Controls, PowerGear4 Hybrid (Power and Energy Saver Settings), GraphiX Boost Button (Switchable graphics!), HDMI Port Viewing!

This is a fantastic chiclet-style keyboard with about a 1.5mm reach per keystroke, so it's TIGHT and nice, just like your best girlfriend is, right? I mean who wants a weak pulse that doesn't squeeze, not I! The keyboard does not flex, as it's structured over a metal frame, that has a couple fans and some acoustic things underneath it when you take it off to check it out (don't tell Asus, but we got the take-apart directions!), so if you like chiclet-style you'll love this one 110%! There are some special functions, so let's get into them and let's see how she performs and works for us.

The Function Key, just below the Shift Key of course, performs a bunch of nice things for us, and here they are:

Fn F1 = Computer Put To Sleep

Fn F2 = Computer WiFi and BT Controls (Bluetooth)

Fn F5/F6 = LCD Brightness UP and DOWN

Fn F7 = Turn Off LCD Display (!)

Fn F8 = Turn On, Off, External Display, or Projector

Fn F9 = Turn Off/On Trackpad (VERY IMPORTANT!!--YOU'll use it a lot!)

Fn F10 = Audio Defeat (all audio, speakers, headphones all of it!)

Fn F11/F12 = Speakers/Headphones Volume UP or DOWN

Fn Space Bar = PowerGear4 Hybrid Energy Saver Settings, Power Settings

Fn Pause, Break = For Use In BIOS

Fn Prt SC/SysRq = Print Screen, System Rq

Fn Insert/NumLk = Insert and Number Lock

Fn Delete/ScrLk = Delete and Screen Lock

Why did I just list all of those? Because nobody else has who has done a review yet, that's why, and people want to know these things! People who don't own the computer yet..! And there's no owner's manual to speak of either with the UL30Vt-X1/A1, it's a pathetic thing that's a generic "Notebook PC User Manual". That's why I listed everything of importance that the Fn Key strokes will accomplish, and besides, it's my review, and I get to write what I Want!

Next we've got Switchable Graphics, and the Asus P4G Hybrid Switch/GRAPHIX BOOST BUTTON, which is at the left, top corner of the keyboard surface, not on the keyboard of course...Click it once, and click it again, and you cycle through the three possible choices therein:

1) Auto Detect Mode The computer detects whether you are on Battery Power or AC Power, and adjusts the video output accordingly...battery gets Integrated Intel GMA-4500 graphics, AC Power gets nVidia Graphics, every time!

2) Power Saving Integrated Graphics The computer detects nothing! You are on Integrated Graphics no matter if you have it on Battery or AC Power, you are stuck with it!

3) High Performance For you performance phreaks, here you go! It's the setting which gets you nVidia Discrete Graphics on battery or AC Power, it doesn't matter you get HIGH PERFORMANCE!

***Now there's been discussions about the P4G Hybrid Switch/Switchable Graphics button in the various forums that support this computer, and I'm going to explain a couple things that you need to know, and how to avoid thinking your computer is broke to boot! This is a discrete switch, and it does NOT work all the time. Along with Turbo Boost, there are caveats to operation, which I will get into real quick-like for owners, and for prospective buyers both.***

I'll try and make this clean, clear, short, and sweet, but I may have to repeat myself a couple times, so don't mind the dialog...If you notice that the switchable graphics switch is OFF, and is not working it's probably because you have selected Energy Saver preferences that are not allowing nVidia Graphics to load, so here's how you solve this issue if you want nVidia back! Restart the computer, and immediately begin tapping F2 fully, every 1/2 a second or so, not stacatto-like, but 1/2-second intervals...That will get you into BIOS, which is where we need to go!

Once into BIOS use the arrow keys to cycle over to the Final Screen, (rigtht side of the choices, all the way RIGHT!) the DEFAULT Screen as it is known, where you set User or Manufacturer Values to use. SELECT "LOAD MANUFACTURER DEFAULTS!" After you do that, exit BIOS and SAVE the Values... Hit F10 once, Return, and WHAM! You're out of BIOS and the computer will load Defaults from Asus Gods! (not kidding!) It will take awhile for the computer to return to the desktop, don't think it's broken, it's NOT! Log on normally, and once the desktop stabilizes, it will take a few seconds as opposed to the normal Fast Boot Routine...then Right Click on the Desktop!

Voila! nVidia Control Panel Returns! It should be in the selections that keystroke generates, and THAT is HOW you get back the MISSING SWITCH, and the nVidia Control Panel if it ever happens to you, so that is down, dirty, done.

Next time you restart the computer, or shut down then restart, go back into BIOS again, ie hit F2 as above while the computer is offline, after Restart or Power Command is given, until BIOS Screen shows. Go back to the Default screen, the last BIOS Screen you can load, this time use the arrow key to select "Load User Defaults", then Exit BIOS...then F10 again, Return again, and KABAM! You're out of BIOS, and the computer will start up normally, Fast Boot is again enabled (if you have enabled it or it's at Default), and the desktop quickly appears. CHECK AGAIN... Right Click on the Desktop! Does the nVidia Control Panel appear as one of the choices? Yes? Good! All is Well in Asus Land now!

That is how you reset Power4Gear Hybrid Controls and nVidia Control Panel! Got IT!? Good, now let's get onto some more interesting topics, but that is how we get things back to Square No. 1 with the Control Panels.

**Next topic, the HDMI Port, which is on the left side of the computer, next to the USB Port there. All you have to do to enable HDMI is insert an HDMI Cable, select the correct HDMI port setting on your HD TV, insert the HDMI Cable into the HDTV's HDMI Port, and WHACK! The Asus UL30Vt'X1 Desktop is on the TV! If necessary hit Fn F8 to dismiss the desktop altogether on the computer, just remember to hit Fn F8 again when you dismiss the HDTV and take the HDMI cable out of the computer/HDTV! Easy!**

***Now some folks have complained about the computer's Trackpad, and I for one don't have any problems with it. There is NEW SOFTWARE out for the trackpad, which was released the week of February 28, 2010 at Asus Central, so go to Support at the Asus web site, enter the UL30VT as your Support Model Choice, select "All" to select software, firmware, and utilities, and hit Return! That will transport you to the software web pages for this computer, where you can download the new Trackpad Drivers if you want them, if you need them, or if you just have to have the latest of everything with this computer. I don't need the new software, but some do, so there you go.***

As for the trackpad being a pain, and dragging or erasing letters and numbers when you are typing fast, like I do: TURN IT OFF! That's what I do, when I am typing madly, and that ends the problems of the "Trackpad Blues"!! So hit Fn F9 and SLAM! Done Deal, trackpad is disabled so you won't be bothered with it, and that's the end of the story. When you want it back, Fn F9 =RETURN OF THE TRACKPAD! Simple In, Simple Out!***

***That's the story there, so let's get into a look at the Energy Saver Control Panel, and how that works, that is P4G Hybrid all over again, sorry about that, it's redundant in the computer too!***

P4G Hybrid is chosen by the keystroke Fn Space Bar = 4 Modes of Energy Saver, preferences that are OPTIONAL, you don't have to use these settings, or you can MODIFY THEM in the Control Panels area of the operating system! That is what I have done with ALL of them, because the arbitrary controls didn't suit me, but nonetheless I am going to pretend I didn't for this review, and I'll tell you what the controls do, and what to expect...

**Battery Saving Mode: The processor will cycle to no more than 60% full power, down to as little as 5% available power. The screen will dim to approximately 60% brightness. The hard drive will go to sleep quickly, as quickly as in 5 minutes of non-use. The display will DIM to 30% if not used. Now, the freaky part, the Desktop Will VANISH, the one you were looking at before you selected this mode will! If you have been using Gadgets, they will VANISH! A new Desktop Wallpaper will appear and your custom or normal wallpaper will disappear also! WHY does it do all this? To save POWER, that is why!

Battery Saving Mode is one I use often, and I've customized it to my way of looking at the control panel now, but other than my customization it's still selectable by Fn Space Bar=Battery Saving. I've also customized the settings in the control panel itself, apart from the operating system control panels! That is correct, the OS Control Panels can be customized, just like the Control Panel itself can have certain settings changed, just make certain that they do NOT conflict with what you have set in the OS Control Panels!! ****IMPORTANT!!****

**Entertainment & Quiet Office Mode: The Processor will be set about about 1000Mhz, and the normal settings will be Moderate. Display will dim, etc...these two settings I don't use much, so will let the user discover more about them, but they are available by Fn Space Bar selection...take it from there.

**High Performance Mode: Everything is optimized here. The CPU will be @ 100% power for minimum and maximum speed, maxxed out. The screen will be @ 100% brightness. The HD will be set at NEVER in terms of sleeping. The screen will dim during period of non-use, but not to 30%, just a little dimmer than 100%. Now, the tricky part...

****HIGH PERFORMANCE TURBO MODE****

Click on the word TURBO, and it turns RED, but only after a RESTART! That is correct, to enable Turbo function you must restart the computer, and after that it is enabled UNTIL YOU DISABLE IT MANUALLY in the control panel once again! TURBO MODE=+33% CPU or shall I say, it is overclocked to 1733Mhz! That is correct, the computer overclocks from 1.3Ghz to 1733Mhz upon being restarted and it will STAY THERE ONLY IN HIGH PERFORMANCE MODE--will stay there until it is deselected, the computer is restarted once again, and BAM! Back to 1.3Ghz.

Do not worry about the overclocking--it is a good thing! The computer is FASTER, it is capable of editing video, audio, etc...you can use it like it has a 2Ghz CPU in it at that point, because it is practically there. So that's a nice surprise for owners of the UL30VT series. The performance is very adequate for a computer that is normally just saving energy @ 1.3Ghz or less, for long battery life and run time, low wear and tear on everything in general. Now a word about the CPU in general, and how this computer performs with a popular utility.

I used Everest Ultimate to do some comparison tests of the CPU, the memory, the video card, and this is a surprisingly adequate machine, especially using Turbo Mode and High Performance in P4G Hybrid Control Panel. I found that the computer was the equal or better than many faster machines, some with the word AMD before their Quad Core CPU's and at speeds up to 3Ghz, so it was a surprising statement. Everest revealed a bunch of secrets of the computer so let's look at some of them of interest:

Field Value

CPU Properties

CPU Type -Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo, 1733 MHz (6.5 x 267)

CPU Alias Penryn-3M

CPU Stepping R0

Instruction Set x86, x86-64, MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1

Original Clock 1300 MHz

Min / Max CPU Multiplier 6.0x / 6.5x

Engineering Sample No

L1 Code Cache 32 KB per core

L1 Data Cache 32 KB per core

L2 Cache 3 MB (On-Die, ECC, ASC, Full-Speed)

Multi CPU

Motherboard ID ASUSTeK Montevina

CPU #1 IntelGenuine Intel(R) CPU U7300 @ 1.30GHz, 1733 MHz

CPU #2 IntelGenuine Intel(R) CPU U7300 @ 1.30GHz, 1733 MHz

THAT is my computer in overclocked mode, so you can see that for yourselves. It described the CPU as being a Penryn-3M, a most capable mobile C2Duo CPU, and the motherboard from Asus is called Montevina! You can see the CPU has 3MB of L3 Cache at full speed on die (whatever speed the computer is operating at), a good thing again! The more L3 Cache the more information the CPU can cache at speed!

This is more from Everest Ultimate, and I hope it translates into the format here, but if it does not I'll edit it out...never tried it before! You can see here that the maximum memory amount is 8GB! And indeed I have installed 8GB of fast Crucial DDR3 1066Mhz SDRAM in my UL30Vt-X1, and it just flies...it's a bird all by itself now, and is a very capable multi-tasking machine now with 8GB RAM! Here's the readout on my computer in terms of the chipset:

North Bridge Properties

North Bridge Intel Cantiga GS45

Supported FSB Speeds FSB533, FSB667, FSB800, FSB1066

Supported Memory Types DDR2-667 SDRAM, DDR2-800 SDRAM, DDR3-667 SDRAM, DDR3-800 SDRAM, DDR3-1066 SDRAM

Maximum Memory Amount 8 GB

Revision / Stepping 07 / B3

Package Type 1363 Pin FC-BGA

Package Size 2.7 cm x 2.5 cm

Core Voltage 1.05 V

In-Order Queue Depth 12

Memory Controller

Type Dual Channel (128-bit)

Active Mode Dual Channel (128-bit)

Memory Timings

CAS Latency (CL) 7T

RAS To CAS Delay (tRCD) 7T

RAS Precharge (tRP) 7T

RAS Active Time (tRAS) 20T

Row Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC) 104T

RAS To RAS Delay (tRRD) 4T

Read To Precharge Delay (tRTP) 5T

Four Activate Window Delay (tFAW) 20T

Write CAS Latency (tWCL) 6T

Refresh Period (tREF) 7.8 us

Error Correction

Memory Slots

DRAM Slot #1 4 GB (DDR3-1066 DDR3 SDRAM)

DRAM Slot #2 4 GB (DDR3-1066 DDR3 SDRAM)

Integrated Graphics Controller

Graphics Controller Type -Intel GMA 4500MHD

Graphics Controller Status Enabled

Graphics Frame Buffer Size 32 MB

PCI Express Controller

PCI-E 1.0 x16 port #2 In Use @ x8 (High Definition Audio Controller [10DE-0BE3] [NoDB], NVIDIA GeForce G210M [10DE-0A74] [NoDB])

Here is one familiar quotient out of Everest, called PhotoWorxx, which compares the computer with a lot of very powerful machines, standards in their own class, and it came out surprisingly strong! You can see that the UL30VT came in 12th in this field of contestants, an amazing feat to me anyway...these are partial results, condensed to save space...more than 50 computers were ranked and this one came out 12th!

--------[ CPU PhotoWorxx ]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4x Core i7 Extreme 965 HT 3333 MHz Asus P6T Deluxe X58 Triple DDR3-1333 9-9-9-24 CR1 35393

8x Xeon E5462 2800 MHz Intel S5400SF i5400 Quad DDR2-640FB 5-5-5-15 25575

4x Phenom II X4 Black 940 3000 MHz Asus M3N78-EM GeForce8300 Int. Ganged Dual DDR2-800 5-5-5-18 CR2 19168

4x Core 2 Extreme QX9650 3000 MHz Gigabyte GA-EP35C-DS3R P35 Dual DDR3-1066 8-8-8-20 CR2 17431

8x Opteron 2378 2400 MHz Tyan Thunder n3600R nForcePro-3600 Unganged Dual DDR2-667R 5-5-5-15 CR1 15896

2x Core 2 Duo E6700 2666 MHz Abit AB9 P965 Dual DDR2-800 5-5-5-18 CR2 11922

4x Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2666 MHz Intel D975XBX2 i975X Dual DDR2-667 5-5-5-15 11706

8x Xeon L5320 1866 MHz Intel S5000VCL i5000V Dual DDR2-533FB 4-4-4-12 9621

4x Xeon 5140 2333 MHz Intel S5000VSA i5000V Dual DDR2-667FB 5-5-5-15 8626

2x Athlon64 X2 Black 6400+ 3200 MHz MSI K9N SLI Platinum nForce570SLI Dual DDR2-800 4-4-4-11 CR1 7653

2x Core 2 Duo P8400 2266 MHz MSI MegaBook PR201 GM45 Int. Dual DDR2-667 5-5-5-15 7534

2x Core 2 Duo 1733 MHz Asus Montevina GS45 Int. Dual DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20 6896

8x Opteron HE 2344 1700 MHz Tyan Thunder n3600R nForcePro-3600 Unganged Dual DDR2-667R 5-5-5-15 CR1 6622

4x Phenom X4 9500 2200 MHz Asus M3A AMD770 Ganged Dual DDR2-800 5-5-5-18 CR2 6532

2x Athlon64 X2 4000+ 2100 MHz ASRock ALiveNF7G-HDready nForce7050-630a Int. Dual DDR2-700 5-5-5-18 CR2 6419

2x Pentium EE 955 HT 3466 MHz Intel D955XBK i955X Dual DDR2-667 4-4-4-11 6058

****Battery Run Time, Theoretical and Practical****

The utility that I like to analyze batteries with is called EmBatPower Battery Utility, and it's a legitimate contender for one of the most esoteric battery utilities that I know of, yet its accuracy is XLNT, so bear with me as I list some attributes of the OEM battery, how I describe it generally, and what kind of use I've been able to get out of it in the first 3 weeks of ownership, after Leveling the Battery, which is to discharge it down to its reserve status, then charge it fully.

The battery is made by Asus, and it's called a UL50-44, Its design capacity for charge is 61,600mWh or 4400MAH converted to MAH. My particular battery will charge up to 60,732mWh, about 99% of full design capacity, a commendable figure considering battery science is inexact in general, but that's very good! Fully charged, the voltage of the battery is quite high, @ 16,583mV, or 16.58V actual voltage. Asus tells us in advertising that we can expect up to "11 hours" of battery run time with this 4400Mah, 61,000mWh battery, which I find incredibly WRONG in actual use. I have used the battery extensively in the 3 weeks I've had the computer, discharging it no less than 15 times thus far, full discharges down to where the battery goes into Reserve Mode, and the computer Hibernates, this at about 4% of capacity to protect the computer and the battery.

During my tests I have had enabled typical things that most people would also have enabled, and I did not turn off key functions, so these are real world averages and they are quite different from Asus '11 hour run time' scenario. That just isn't possible with normal use, and here that is graphically put:

Run time with BlueTooth & WiFi, ON, iTunes ON playing music constantly without break: Discharge down to 4% battery to Hibernation each run:

Run 1) 6 hours 14 minutes

Run 2) 5 hours 45 minutes

Run 3) 5 hours 57 minutes

Run 4) 6 hours 06 minutes

Run 12) 6 hours 11 minutes

Run 14) 5 hours 37 minutes

Run 15) 5 hours 58 minutes

Then for runs 7-10 I charted run time with iTunes OFF, BlueTooth Off, and WiFi On:

Run 7) 7 hours 05 minutes

Run 8) 6 hours 58 minutes

Run 9) 7 hours 11 minutes

Run 10) 6 hours 45 minutes

Finally, I tried my best to eek the most battery run time possible, with WiFi Off, BlueTooth Off, and iTunes Off, with the computer virtually idling but a work script writing to disk in Microsoft Word until the computer went into Hibernation:

Run 5) 7 hours 45 minutes

Run 6) 7 hours 49 minutes

There you go, the average for all of that is in the mid 6-hour range, and that is where a user should expect to get out of this battery with normal things going on, nominal settings...not bare bones virtually everything turned off and the computer idling!

I haven't addressed WiFi or BlueTooth, but those are XLNT also! Range is top-notch in both. It has "Intel 1000BGN" WIFI, note the "N" there, 2.4Ghz "N" mode for network Gurus. I've neglected some things, I know, but I also covered a lot of techno-stats and info, so I hope I didn't lose anybody doing it!

With all of the positive things going for this notebook, plus it looks fantastic in black--don't let anybody kid you it doesn't because it does, this is a winner! It earns the Wavey Davey Ultimate Performance Gold Award, because it does things that a much faster, larger, more expensive notebook might do, but for a pittance. Get yours before they are all gone, and it will be soon enough! Black is indeed beautiful in the UL30Vt-X1!

"There is no substitute for quality," Gottlieb Daimlier said around the turn of the 20th Century, and he founded Mercedes-Benz automobiles...I say the same thing about this super-performing machine. There is no substitute for this Asus, it's the hands down winner in the small notebook class, bar none!

Best Deals for ASUS UL30Vt-X1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (11 Hours of

Over the past 3 years I've owned a few ASUS laptops, and have not been disappointed by a single one thus far. Not only are their products great for the price, but ASUS has always given me top of the line customer service which definitely matters with laptops compared to a desktop PC which are somewhat easier to self-service.

The UL30VT in my opinion is the perfect all around package for any type of user. Whether you may be a business user or a multimedia-phile, all the bases are covered with the UL30VT while offering advanced graphics power in a thin and light package that is easy to haul around.

KEYBOARD 10/10

I instantly fell in love with the keyboard on this unit. Being a 13.3 inch laptop with a widescreen display, the keyboard is nice and spacious, giving just the right amount of tactile feedback for my personal preferences. The keys are a bit louder than I would like them to be, but the overall experience of typing on this unit is fantastic. The chiclet keys, spacious layout, and overall comfort with the large and not-too-hot palm rest make it an absolute hit. Only thing that this unit would need is backlit keys to make it better.

SCREEN 6/10

With the release of LED backlight technology in LCD screens, you would think that the display on most of these units would pop out at you, but not so in this case. Over a few hours the screen doesn't necessarily burden your eyes with extra strain, but the viewing angles from top to bottom are horrid at best. Left to right angles are more forgiving, offering an approximate viewing angle of about 160 degrees. Quality of high motion video on the screen is up to par, but overall the contrast, color saturation, and missed marks on blacks make it quite uninviting at times.

GRAPHICS POWER 8/10

For such a sleek and compact unit at the listing price at Amazon for 799 US, you can't really beat it. With Turbo33 Mode on and utilizing the G210M, i have been able to play single and multi player Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare without a hitch at its native resolution. Granted i did do some extra modifications in the BIOS of the laptop (albeit not much), it definitely exceeded my expectations for what i paid. Flash and Silverlight video are almost flawless with some extremely minor hiccups, but overall the streaming and native multimedia experience on this laptop is superb.

Hooking the laptop HDMI to a 1080p 50" LCD is impressive nonetheless, and watching any sort of content makes it a joy to have. As usual, Fn functions work flawlessly on this laptop as well making it a great Home Theater option for those people without a dedicated pc/nettop with their setup.

BATTERY LIFE AND HEAT DISPERSEMENT 7/10

So far utilizing integrated graphics and the battery saving profile of the packaged ASUS software, I've been able to squeeze out about 8 hours max with constant media streaming and wifi surfing. To be honest, this was a little higher than I expected with the lower included 4400mah battery and the advertised 12 hour longevity. In real world usage, I would say that its safe to assume you'll get around 7 8 hours with normal usage. Gaming on another hand is a battery drainer as usual, leaving me topped out at 3 hours playing Call of Duty over wifi. I have not gotten a chance to try DVD or Bluray drainage, but I would suspect it would last you around 4 5 hours max.

Of course like any CULV, this unit doesn't require the use of loud fans, as well as not being as hot as other Core 2's and Quads. Heat on the palmrest never even bothered me as well as having the laptop on my lap for casual surfing, but with the discrete nvidia graphics, things tend to get a little worse, but plenty bearable.

OVERALL 8/10

I don't use any kind of system with my ratings, its just what my personal connotations of each aspect of the device give me. I would highly recommend this laptop to anybody, whether you be a highly mobile road warrior, or a lecture bearing college student. With the spacious 500GB laptop, it should serve any purpose well and then some. Now granted the HDD is partitioned into two sections: 116 for the Operating system, and 334 for data, so this is something to be aware of if you plan on loading a lot of hard disk hogging software.

In my opinion, this unit should have an option with the higher capacity battery. I would personally consider this a hit device and eliminate the other UL30 models as having switchable graphics is definitely a must for the small price difference. If you're arguing between the new VT model and other UL30 series models, the small price jump is definitely worth it even if you don't plan on gaming or graphics developing. Having the extra oomph just in case never hurts, as I'm sure some multimedia that you may want to watch in the future will definitely benefit you, even if it is a little.

Honest reviews on ASUS UL30Vt-X1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (11 Hours of

This is just a quickie review since I've only had the machine for 6 hours.

Out of the box there's manuals, warranty card, AC adapter, back-up DVD's and the laptop.

The machine comes with a 1 year ADH (accidental damage & handling) warranty which you must activate within 60 days by sending in a warranty card. Other models come with 2 year parts and labor warranties, but this model comes with 1 to cut costs. Speaking of which, another area where they cut costs is the battery. It's a 4400mah battery that is stated to achieve a 12 hr run time. I'm seeing about 10 hours of battery life in power saver mode, still a great amount. The last thing I that bugs me is the wireless card. It's Intel, but it's only a 2.4Ghz card. I have a dual band router and would have liked to take advantage of 5Ghz. But at least it works fine and doesn't seem to have any issues like others seem to have experienced on other models (UL30A).

That's the end of the negative stuff. Everything else is to be great so far.

Build Quality (9/10)

I'm comparing this machine to a Sony Z750D which my fiancé uses. The materials on the Sony are better but actual build quality is very similar. No squeaking or sharp edges anywhere. The machine feels very solid and sturdy. The keyboard has very minor flex and is very comfortable to type on. One thing some may find awkward is the placement of the "home" button which is right next the "backspace" key. Those of you concerned with this aspect need not worry.

Graphics Performance/CPU performance (8/10)

With the CPU overclocked to 1.73GHz paired with a NVIDIA G210M video card, the laptop has no problems handling everyday tasks such as word processing, email and internet. The machine also has no problems handling HD content. Games such as L4D2 and Counterstrike Source run great as well. More in depth benchmarking can be found elsewhere on the net.

*edit* Let me add that I'm comparing this machine to the Sony Z which has a much faster processor. That being said, this machine is still fast and can hold its own. The addition of the Intel SSD makes this a 9/10 but since not many will add an extra HD like this, I took the 500GB into consideration.

Heat Management/Acoustics (9/10)

The laptop never got hot to the touch even during stressful games. You can go for hours on end with this machine in your lap without discomfort. The noise of the fan never became an issue. It is even quieter than the Z750D in that aspect. However, I must add that I am using an Intel G2 SSD. I switched out HD right when I received the machine. So take that into consideration as the traditional drive is a bit noisier.

Hope this helps.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS UL30Vt-X1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (11 Hours of

I am adding a new comment:

I have a little buyers remorse due to the difficulty of updating drivers for the graphics card. There are applications that will not work because they say I need to install a newer driver, but due to the graphics switching, updating drivers doesn't seem to be a reasonable option. The ASUS website is pretty bad for support.

[I have lowered the review to 4 stars due to the lack of a true installer for Windows 7. This means that I am unable to use the Windows 7 Recovery Media since one of the files on the my Drivers & Utility CD seems to be corrupt. The recovery media requires the Utility CD, forcing me to abort the reinstall of the OS in a bad state. If I didn't have an unused upgrade license to Win 7 Professional, my machine would have been left in limbo

If the Driver CD works, I imagine it is a very simple process to restore the OS.

Still a very nice machine. It is unlikely that many of the Driver CDs will have the same problem, so this likely won't affect many. Nevertheless, there would have been an easy workaround if there were a real Win 7 installer disk.]

My UL30Vt-X1 arrived on Friday, December 4. I have used it quite a bit since then. I give it 5 stars because it delivers a lot for the price in a nice package.

My wireless has been great. I know some were concerned about this. I have had no problems whatsoever. The screen looks good, though the viewing angle vertically is extremely small.

There is less 3rd party software on the laptop than came with my HP and Dell laptops, which is a good thing. Most of what comes preinstalled are ASUS utilities. These utilities tend to have no documentation. I Googled some to find out what they were. I went ahead and registered the Trend Micro antivirus that came with it and will use that for the free 60 days before installing Avast.

I like the Fastboot utility. It allows you to manage what starts immediately at startup for quicker booting. I assume that everything still starts up eventually, but some are delayed to allow you to get control of the OS first.

It is light and feels good when I carry it. It stays cool on my lap. The speakers also do a good job compared to what I expected. I haven't carried it around outside yet, so I can't yet vouch for its ultraportable-ness.

I'm still trying to figure out the implications of the warranty card. It says that you get another year of the accident warranty if you submit the card within 60 days. Does this mean my warranty for hardware failure would end in a year, but if hardware fails and then I decide you pour water on the machine, I could then get warranty coverage during the second year?

The video mode button is very convenient. Turning the turbo on and off is not as easily done. It requires going into an applet and clicking on a button (and then rebooting). I would like to see a one click method of overclocking (though rebooting would still be required). Perhaps something in the system tray could offer this.

I was sad when I found out that only black would be available for the UL30Vt at first. I thought the silver version had an incredible profile and black is so business world. The machine looks quite nice, but is a bit drab. The blue function labels on the keyboard help some, as does the subtle speckles in the palm rest. Finger prints are as bad as you can imagine.

I am not yet comfortable with the keyboard. I feel I have to hammer the keys to get them to register at times. Especially the space bar. The spacing is good -I have had no problems touch typing, apart from the 40 unregistered space bar hits in this review. Regarding key placement, my only complaint is that it is not easy to increase the volume with one hand due to the distance between the F12/volume increase button and the Fn key that needs to be pressed with it. My hand spans that distance uncomfortably.

The tracking device is a mixed bag. The stickiness is good for letting you know your finger is in the correct location, but it takes practice to get two finger scrolling down pat. I am improving, but it still can be a chore. I modified my 2 and 3 finger clicks to be right click and maximize respectively. I was disappointed that the maximize would only maximize. Doing it for a maximized window would not un-maximize it. Hopefully a driver upgrade could fix that if I complain to the maker. I do not like the trackpad button. It seems a blatant example of compromising function for form. Even that doesn't work well as it has a gift for collecting fingerprints that look even worse then the fingerprints on the chassis. I find myself wiping down the palm rest and mouse pad a lot, but it does look nice wiped down.

I haven't had a chance to test the battery because I have been indexing around 230GB of PDFs that I copied to my hard disk and want to get that done as soon as possible.

This grade may be inflated because of how much I hate my most recent portable laptop before this from HP.

Reviews of Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2419sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $707.99
Sale Price: $569.00
Today's Bonus: 20% Off

May 5 Update: Dell Support was very helpful with a quick solution to upgrade the BIOS on the laptop. One that was complete, it became a nice quiet laptop that fully meets my hardware needs. Windows 8, however, I still do not like, but that is not what I'm reviewing here.

Original post:

I like everything about this laptop (not counting Windows 8 which, so far, I do not like) except for its fan noise. It's quiet for a little bit when I first boot it, but once it warms up the fan comes on and is annoyingly loud. Once on I have not yet had the fan slow back down into quietness. I haven't yet decided if this is annoying enough to return it. I'll decide that this weekend. All of my previous laptops were quieter than this one. I'm leaning toward a non-Dell but don't know which might be better and quieter.

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I was replacing my older Dell with this one. I was very pleased and it was exactly what i was looking for. If you are not familiar with Windows 8, it will take some getting used to. I would buy this again hands down.

Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2419sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)

So far I love my Dell laptop and I don't have any problems with it yet, the features it has as well as the how big the screen is.

Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2419sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)

This is an excellent laptop for everyday use and, despite being a 17', it's light for its size, making it confortable to carry around. Never tried any games on it, so I can't talk much about graphics and all, but everything else works like a charm. Only thing though, sometimes it's kinda slow, probably because its 5400 RPM hard drive.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron 17 i17RM-2419sLV 17.3-Inch Laptop (Moon Silver)

After having a home computer for over 6 years the old computer finally needed replacing, & I decided to go the way of a laptop for a new one. For what I was looking for this one matched what I wanted for the price I could afford. So far I couldn't be happier. I had to get used to Windows 8, but it didn't take long to figure out how it works. I actually really like it because you can go between the "Start" page & a regular desktop screen. The "start" page is customizable so you can put all your favorite programs on one page without having to navigate through other stuff to get the program/s you want to use.

I do not use my laptop for anything fancy: regular internet stuff such as checking e-mails, hanging out on a few forums & my favorite websites, Netflix (hence why I bought a laptop with such a large screen), editing my business website, search engines when necessary, etc. Once you get used to everything its very easy to navigate including settings. Im not very techy so I cant give a fancy review about RAM & RPM, but for what its worth the computer runs smoothly, quickly, & I haven't had any issues so far. This computer starts up & is functional VERY quickly: it doesnt take more than a minute or 2 to start up from when you hit the power button to typing in your log in password & getting to the "start" page.

The touch pad took getting used to as well, & like any laptop it makes scrolling a little difficult & slow, but I bought a wireless mouse for when I need to do stuff with extra speed. The screen is bright (when you set it to be), & all pictures/images are clear & crisp.

A full battery lasts a little over 6 hours at full screen brightness (which is a big battery killer), & charging a dead battery takes no more than 2 hours. This laptop comes with a battery monitor so it tells you percentage & how much longer your battery should last as well as battery health (so you know when the battery needs replacing), & there are settings you can change if you plan to keep the laptop plugged in for extended periods of time, plan on frequently charging it with a not low battery (ex: 50%, 75%, etc), etc.

Shipping wise it was packed well & arrived on time.

The only con is the size of the laptop can be be a bit bulky, but I think its worth it so its not a huge deal for me.

Overall VERY happy with my purchase!

Cheap Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" Laptop - 500 GB HARDRIVE - i7 QUAD-CORE

Customer Ratings:

Note: This review is from someone who knows very little about computers.

Although I truly enjoy PCs and will still continue to keep and use my PC laptop, I felt it was time for a change. It took minutes to load up videos and photos, and I was starting to get very frustrated with the entire process. I hadn't considered purchasing a Macbook Pro before, because I felt the cost wouldn't be worth it. I spent over a month researching and reading and watching reviews. I finally took the leap. The following describes features of the Macbook Pro that I find important to an everyday user.

External Appearance: I sometimes look at the laptop and get surprised by how thin it is. However, once I lift it up, I am surprised again by how heavy it is. Apple has done an amazing job at creating a laptop that thrives on outward simplicity. The cold aluminum feels strong and almost indestructible. The Magsafe adapter is a great feature to have, especially if you need to connect your laptop and sit further away. A trip over a cord easily separates the adapter from the laptop, and nothing is harmed. At first I was surprised that there were only two USB ports, but I can't imagine a time where I will need more than two. The difference I noticed from my other laptop is that there is a lack of ports which might add to the fact that it has an incredibly simple design and that it uses only what it needs. What it thrives on is what's inside.

The Screen: I was originally considering getting a large monitor for the Macbook Pro, so I could easily edit documents and pictures. It's not worth it. Even watching Youtube videos looks great. I was looking at pictures taken on a simple point and shoot camera, and they looked phenomenal on the screen as well. However, the glossy screen can seem like a mirror at times and can get incredibly annoying. 15.4 inches is perfect for anyone considering making the Macbook Pro their primary computer at home.

iLife & other apps: I haven't used iLife as much as I would want, but I was able to look at the Mac app store, and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of apps provided. If you love writing, Scrivener is great for drafting stories, novels, screenplays, and poetry. iWork is also available at the app store. Each of them are sold separately for $20.00 each, which is cheaper than purchasing iWork altogether! Pages and Numbers are incredibly intuitive, and they definitely compete with Microsoft Word and Excel. Like the app store for the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad, there's something for everyone. There are apps for work, play, and everything in between.

Speed: From opening Safari to opening apps, there isn't a glitch in speed. Once I start editing film, I'll update if it changes but if not, that means it's still working amazingly. I did play a few games and not only are the graphics amazing, but there isn't any stopping or starting.

Finder: I didn't think it would be very useful until I downloaded a program and had no idea where it went. Finder (of course) finds every single thing on your Macbook Pro, but it does it with speed.

Trackpad: I wasn't sure whether or not I would like the trackpad. I didn't like the original settings but once I changed it, I'm not even considering getting a mouse. It's fun experimenting with it at first and learning the different motions on your own. The trackpad has made surfing the web easier than before.

Keyboard: I was hesitant about the backlit keyboard. I love that I can type at night, but I am used to the keys being closer together. It did take a couple of hours to get used to it but once I did, it vastly improved my typing speed. The spaces between the letters helped, and the fact that the keys aren't raised high definitely helps. Even better? The keys are practically silent.

Heat: I had read reviews about how hot a Macbook Pro gets but after a week, I haven't noticed any extreme heat. Again, I haven't done anything extreme, so I will update if it changes.

Portability: If you decide to take the laptop around, I would recommend getting a case for it. It is prone to scratches and dents, so any protection helps. I carry the laptop in my backpack, and the weight is quite noticeable. I think it's something I'll get used to, but I'm still surprised by its weight. It is, however, a great device to carry around but if I wanted it for true portability, I might have gone with the 13.3 inch or possibly a Macbook Air. Given the fact that this my primary device used at home, I prefer to keep it there unless I know I will absolutely need it.

The hard drive and RAM are completely replaceable. People were disappointed with the slow performing 5400 RPM hard drives, but I honestly don't see a difference in speed. If it is a huge problem, again, it can easily be upgraded. I plan on upgrading the RAM to 8gb soon. My initial benchmark test showed a score of 8843, so I'm excited to learn what the score will be after upgrading.

If there are any major changes with the laptop, I will update.

UPDATE:

The first thing I would like to update on is battery life. The battery life for the Macbook Pro is pretty good. I no longer worry during lectures or taking it to work. I average about six hours with going on the internet, watching a few videos, and writing.

Secondly, gaming on this machine is great. I played Left 4 Dead 2 for a few hours with a friend. There were maybe one or two times where the game would lag, but it would be for a split second. Other than that, it looks amazingly clear. Load up times for gaming is FAST. As soon as my game booted up, I would ask my friend where he was, and he was still only halfway done with loading. Playing with the trackpad is also very responsive and pretty fun. When gaming, the fan is loud and the laptop gets very hot. However, it's not as hot as my 2009 Toshiba laptop.

I was very worried about how hot the device gets after a period of time. After reading many reviews, I noticed that one of the main problems was the laptop getting so hot, it would burn someone's lap. However, I noticed that this was more a worry with previous generation's of the Macbook Pro, and I have yet to notice a real problem with it.

The speaker quality is amazing. I was originally going to get separate speakers and a mouse for the laptop, but it's not really worth it.

The great thing about this laptop is that it's small enough to take anywhere you need it, but it's powerful enough to use as a regular desktop.

Update #2 1 Month Later:

I thought I'd give one last update. Since people generally give reviews right after they receive a product, I think it would be great to give people an idea of how a product is running a month and a half into ownership

The first thing I would like to mention is lag time. A few times I've experienced considerable lag while trying to perform a few tasks. Once or twice it would happen while I was attempting to play a game. Or I'll attempt to switch out windows, and the infamous beach ball appears. What I would like to mention isn't about that lag itself but the performance AFTER it happens. Each time I experience this, I was tempted to press CTRL + ALT + DELETE (in typical Windows fashion) but after waiting a few seconds, my programs would run as usual. I don't have to restart or worry about my files being corrupted. No computer is without hiccups, but I would like to mention that this laptop is great at handling them. I no longer have to cross my fingers and close my eyes for five minutes while it reboots. It just works.

If you like creating short films or Youtube videos, the speed of creating and uploading films is incredibly fast and easy. After playing with iMovie and iPhoto, I'm glad they're additions to preinstalled programs. Although this isn't exactly a review of the laptop itself, I do enjoy the built in programs and how they easily integrate themselves with the Macbook Pro. The lack of bloatware is also very refreshing. When I first purchase a laptop, I spend the first hour or two attempting to delete free trials.

As someone who has used both PCs and Macs for the past decade, the choice really is up to the consumer. Honestly, I feel that both have very easy user interfaces and both are great for any project that might come up. Why did I choose a Mac over purchasing another PC? I think I was ready for something I wasn't used to in my own home. I've had two PC laptops that failed in less than two years of my persistent aggression. I also wanted impeccable design quality. I didn't want something that just looked good. I wanted it to be both functional and durable. It just so happened that the design for the Macbook Pro fits it all perfectly.

I hope this helps.

9/15/2011 Update:

This is the last update. I promise. I have had this product for close to five months, and I've definitely had some ups and downs with it. I've noticed that while watching Netflix, there's considerable lag when I have more than three programs open. I have to force quit Safari from time to time due to a very sluggish performance. At some point, I really want to upgrade the RAM and update the hard drive, but I'm waiting for prices of SSDs to go down.

Despite this, it continues to amaze me. For the first time in my life, I can open up my laptop and not have to wait a few minutes for it to load up. It's just there. The issue of portability is nonexistent, as I never have to bring my charger if I'm going somewhere for a day or two. The battery life is phenomenal. I have been scanning and uploading a lot of pictures, and it handles it with ease. Creating videos is still a fun process.

While the cover is aluminum, it is still very fragile. I do have a couple of small scratches on the bottom. It still continues to go strong.

I will actually update this a year from now to see how it really holds up. A year is right when I need a new laptop. We'll see if it can take the abuse.

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The update to the 15-inch MacBook Pro in February 2011 was significant. Indeed, significant is an understatement. Quick thanks to Amazon and Apple Stores for having these immediately available at launch.

The primary upgrade to this revision? The processor! Intel has a brand new architecture called Sandy Bridge, and these MacBook Pros are the first Macs to feature this technology. Some have called it some of the most significant changes to Intel architecture since Pentium 4 was introduced. These 15-inch MacBook Pros as well as its big brother, the 17-inch, not only take advantage of Sandy Bridge, but the Quad Core i7 Variant. Quad Core processor in a notebook Mac! Wow.

I actually chose the 13-inch model for my personal use (only Dual Core on the 13-inch), but this 15-inch is replacing an aging iMac at the office to save space and leap over its performance. These Quad Core Chips are amazing. Early benchmarks are showing this entry-level 15-inch, 50 percent faster than the upper end i7 15-inch MacBook pro from a year ago. A dramatic improvement. Furthermore, if you're still on a Core 2 Duo machine such as the iMac I am replacing, the performance is as much as 2.5 times faster. At least in terms of the processor. This is most beneficial in processor intensive applications, for consumers such applications are iMovie and Garageband. Professionals will see the new processors beneficial in any professional photo editing, video, or music work.

One downside is that due to cost, the machine still comes with a spinning hard drive standard. In this case, the standard drive is a 5400 RPM 500 GB drive. That offers plenty of storage, but is slightly slower than a desktop 7200RPM drive and much slower than a new, solid state drive. You do have options. You can special order the machine from Apple with a 7200RPM drive, or Solid State Drive. However, what I have decided to do, is simply, when I'm ready, swap out the drive myself. Other World Computing sells solid state drives compatible. It might not be easy for every user, but for those with some computer experience, it is a fairly easy swap. Then I can install a faster solid state drive, when the more acceptable capacity drives come down a bit in price. You might also choose to do the swap yourself because you can then put the hard drive that was originally in the machine, into an external enclosure, and use it as an external drive for backup. Of course, any damage you cause to the machine would not be covered under warranty. Therefore, if you have any concern, you might want to see if you can special order from Apple online, or in many situations, you will find the standard hard drive to be acceptable.

After the processor advancement, Thunderbolt is the other great new technology included in this revision to the MacBook Pro. Thunderbolt looks like the Mini Displayport that was already included on the MacBook Pros. Indeed, it will still function perfectly as a Mini Displayport, for connecting an external display. However, Thunderbolt is more importantly a new interface to connect external devices in the future, such as, external hard drives, HD camcorders, and perhaps even iPads, iPods, or iPhones someday. Data would then transfer many times faster to and from these devices than it does currently. These devices were not available at the time of the MacBook Pro's launch, but we have already heard that external drives should be available later this year with Thunderbolt connectivity.

iSight camera has been upgraded to HD resolution and Face Time pre-installed on the computer. This gives you the ability to video chat, easily, with other Macs and notably, iPhone 4s and the newest iPod Touch with front facing camera.

The consumer software you expect to be included by Apple is once again here. The latest version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard (operating system), iLIfe 11 including iPhoto, Garageband, iMovie, iDVD, and iWeb is all here. OS X always includes Safari web browser, iTunes, and Mail applications too. The average user would be good to go out of the box. You might pick up Microsoft Office for your office document needs, or simply purchase Apple's iWork applications (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote) from new Mac App Store on your computer.

The new MacBooK Pros, thanks to Sandy Bridge technology are fast. They will save you time, when using processor intensive applications. Time in business, saves people money and frustration. The average consumer might see less gains with this update as physically the MacBook Pro has retained it identical appearance, size, and weight. Nevertheless, under the unibody, improvements have certainly occurred which result in a much faster notebook. The fact that these 15-inch and 17-inch models now include Quad Core Processors standard is really extraordinary. This is putting recent top of the line desktop performance, into a sleek and attractive Mac Notebook. A breakthrough. Recommended Product!

Best Deals for Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" Laptop - 500 GB HARDRIVE - i7 QUAD-CORE

I discovered the new line of MacBook Pros the day after they became available for sale and immediately decided I was ready to upgrade. I've had a 13" 2.26GHz Core2 Duo mid-2009 MacBook Pro for a few months and since it was my main computer I decided a bigger screen was necessary, and the CPU upgrade would be awesome. I ordered through Amazon Prime and paid the extra $4 for overnight shipping and it arrived yesterday. I considered buying through Apple but the $150 tax savings with Amazon Prime is a no-brainer. I would have loved if Amazon had the anti-glare screen option even if it was a little more expensive but I'll live. I had a great cheap anti-glare (matte coating) screen protector from eBay on my 13" and just ordered one for my new 15".

The packaging was great. The main white MBP box was packed inside two layers of plain brown cardboard boxes, so it was well protected. For cheaper, less-fragile items I don't always understand why Amazon occasionally uses bigger boxes, but for something this fragile and expensive I welcome that. Once I opened the main white box I saw the usual stuff: the power cable, the manuals and discs, and of course the MBP. The MBP was enclosed in a plastic sheet which comes off easily.

Once I booted the MBP I was surprised at how quickly it arrived at the desktop, given that the hard drive is a plain old 5400 RPM. I assume the CPU accounts for that extra speed. It was nice and snappy, but I knew I wouldn't be using an HDD, rather an SSD. I also had an 8gb kit of RAM I would replace the 4gb with.

I sold my 'old' MacBook Pro with it's original hard drive and kept the 60gb solid state drive I had been using for a few months. I had previously upgraded from a 2008 unibody MacBook with the same SSD and it worked no problem in the 13" MBP, but that was not the case with this new early 2011 MBP. The machine starts fine with the 500gb HDD that it came with, which is to be expected, but it won't boot from the SSD. It freezes at the Apple logo with no spinning indicator. I assume it's because of the significant change in hardware. I tried booting from my old Snow Leopard DVD and repairing permissions but no luck. I had a second 60gb SSD with Windows 7 installed (via boot camp) which started fine but at least 10 drivers needed to be installed. I used the Boot Camp installer on the Snow Leopard DVD and all installed well in Win7. Luckily I do not need to use Vista or XP on this machine since Apple has announced that only Win7 is supported for these early 2011 MBPs.

After I finished getting Windows 7 back running properly I wiped the OSX SSD (I have backups on a network drive) and re-installed Snow Leopard. I did not monitor the installation but it definitely installed quickly. Of course the SSD and new RAM accounts for a lot of that speed, but the CPU definitely is quicker than the Core2 Duo I've been used to.

Once I was up and running in Snow Leopard I was pleased with the smoothness of the machine. Time will tell whether there are any issues and I'll be sure to update with any new findings or problems. I will say that if you can find good prices on an SSD (even a 60gb is enough for many) and an 8gb RAM upgrade it will definitely make the MacBook Pro experience much more enjoyable.

UPDATE 3-15-2011:

I've now had this laptop for a couple of weeks and I have to say it's exceeded my expectations. I ordered an anti-glare screen protector and painstakingly applied it so now I have no problems with glare. I also ordered a new stand so now it sits at an angle which allows for better airflow out the back vent. I installed SmcFanControl to be able to monitor the internal temperatures and can adjust the fan speed in case it runs a little hot. I've installed Windows 7 in a virtual machine and no longer intend on using boot camp as I don't like having to close all my Mac apps and things to reboot into Windows, so I just run it in a VM and all runs well.

One thing I've noticed though is that Google Chrome takes up a LOT of CPU resources and increases the temp by 15 to 20 degrees and I can't figure out why. It's a fresh install with no extensions so I guess I won't be using Chrome unless they resolve that. It's not an issue with the laptop but I figured those Chrome fans out there would like to know that I've had an unfortunate experience with it on this MBP.

Finally, it runs pretty cool on average but when I run a VM or a few things at once it does tend to heat up and I end up turning up the fan speed with SmcFanControl. There are only minor quirks, otherwise it's great! Once I have some more free time I'll try some games, such as a port of GTA San Andreas, and update with how they run and what happens to the MBP.

UPDATE 2 on 4-11-2011:

I decided that I would sell my month-old MBP on eBay and splurge on the high-resolution anti-glare version directly from Apple. I received a $100 student discount and ended up paying $150 tax since I ordered directly from the Apple web store. My new MBP was shipped from China over the weekend. I have to say that it is amazing. The high resolution is almost too high and the small text can hurt your eyes even if you have relatively good eyesight like me (I'm 22 so no reading glasses anytime soon hopefully). However being able to see more on the screen can be a blessing, as it reduces the need for scrolling on web pages and documents.

As for the anti-glare part of the screen, it looks great and I'm able to use it outside with very few issues. The anti-glare protector I had on the previous MBP was fine but there's nothing like an actual anti-glare screen. Plus I am happier with the silver bezel than I initially expected. I ended up paying just over $2000 which is a crazy investment for a college student but I know that its resale value will stay high and it will last me much longer than my previous HP and Dell notebooks. Overall I have no regrets and praise these new MacBook Pros highly.

Honest reviews on Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" Laptop - 500 GB HARDRIVE - i7 QUAD-CORE

I just bought one of these, so I my comments are based on fairly limited experience. It replaces a MacBook Pro I bought in May 2006 that's still working fine, but I needed to upgrade to something faster for a major project I'm going to be working on.

What I have:

I got the model with the high-res non-glare display (Amazon doesn't offer upgrades like the non-glare option). I find reflections to be very distracting, so the non-glare option is a must-have for me. If you go that route note that while the glossy screens are glass with black borders, the non-glare screens are plastic and have an aluminum frame just like all of the older MacBook Pros had.

After using it for a while to ensure there weren't any problems I upgraded the memory to 8GB. It only takes a few minutes, it's easy to do, and the cost of the memory from a third party vendor was half of what Apple charges for their 8GB upgrade.

Next I replaced the optical drive with a 60GB solid state hard drive (there are third-party mounting brackets you can use to replace the optical drive with a second hard drive), cloned the original drive to it, and then set my home folder to be the original home folder on the original drive. The result of all this that I have two internal hard drives, one of which is the original 500GB hard drive and the other is a 60GB solid state drive.

This gives me the best of both worlds. I get the speed of an SSD when booting (< 20 seconds) and launching applications (really, really fast), and the space of a regular hard drive for the minimal cost of a 60GB SSD. So the system and all applications run off a solid state drive while stuff like pictures, music, and so on resides on the original drive. This also means that if I push the system hard enough even 8GB of memory isn't enough the virtual memory system will use the much faster solid state drive. I put the optical drive in a cheap case so I can use it on the rare occasion I have a need for it to install software.

I use this MacBook Pro most of the time with Apple's original 30" Cinema Display. This requires an adapter that has to be powered by a USB port, but seems to work fine. Before I bought this I read some less-than-flattering reviews of the adapter in which a lot of people said they experienced problems trying to use it, but it's worked fine for me. Apple's current line of displays will connect directly without an adapter.

My impressions so far:

It's a tiny bit lighter than my old MacBook Pro, a little thinner, a little wider, and a little deeper. It definitely runs cooler, though the temperature seems to vary based on how hard the processor is working. But it's much more comfortable when I'm using it on my lap.

The body is machined from a block of aluminum. The bottom is open and covered with a solid sheet of aluminum with only the four feet and ten tiny screws holding it down. The result is a laptop that feels amazingly solid. If I grab my old MacBook Pro by the sides and twist it I can feel it give and hear a little squeak as parts rub against one another. With this I feel and hear nothing.

I recommend upgrading the memory to 8GB. I experienced a few pauses I attribute to the virtual memory system kicking in when I used it with 4GB, but not one since I upgraded the memory to 8GB. If you have deep pockets, these actually support 16GB of memory although Apple only claims 8GB. Unfortunately, as I write this 8GB chips cost 16x what 4GB chips cost (you need two), so it wasn't worth it to me to upgrade to 16GB, but if you have the money and want to max out the memory you have the option of taking it to 16GB.

Fit and finish are flawless, same as you see in all the pictures.

Beyond that I'm not sure what I can tell you that you can't learn from the product description here or on Apple's web site. You'll save money buying it from Amazon, but if you want either the high-res glossy or anti-glare displays you'll have to order your MacBook Pro from Apple or another vendor that offers them. The only other two optional upgrades Apple offers are a memory upgrade to 8GB and some hard drive options, but it's cheaper to upgrade those yourself.

I've been using Mac laptops for years and this is fine successor to previous models. Solid build quality, clean look, and all the latest technology. With every generation laptops become more viable alternatives to desktops, giving you the ability to use them as a desktop by connecting them to an external display and keyboard and then you can take the whole system with you if you want. With support for up to 16GB of RAM, an Intel i7 quad-core processor, and the ability to install a second internal hard drive and have 2TB of internal hard drive storage (with dual 1TB third-party drives) this latest generation MacBook Pro is serious stuff in an elegant, portable package.

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I'm over all happy with my new mac...this is my first. it's fast battery life is AMAZING!!!! even right now. I unplugged it this morning...it's been on for about 8 hours and i still have 2 hours left! WHAT!?!?!?!?! unheard of. it's crazy i run Photoshop CS5, Apatrure, Final Cut, Lightroom, and others....And the Rendering time incredible...5 star :)

Asus Eee PC 4G Surf Celeron M 900MHz 512MB 4GB SSD 7-Inch Linux Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I didn't bring my laptop with me on holiday because it's too heavy. Competition is intense for the computers at my son's house so I've staked out his Asus eee pc, and I've really fallen for this little gadget.

I'm not a Linux user but the interface is pretty seamless and believe me, I'm not missing Windows at all. This is a subnotebook the size of a paperback book, with a 7 inch screen and a full--though slightly small--keyboard. It has a 4GB SSD and 512k of flash memory, Intel Celeron M 900 MHz processor, and no optical drive to weigh you down.

My son has Firefox on it, and LaTeX Editor, and he pops up a Unix window when he needs it for work. The eee pc came preloaded with Skype and a webcam, OpenOffice tools (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDF reader), photo/music/video managers, a media player, integrated speakers, and some cool learning software. And of course ethernet.

I watched and laughed when my granddaughter, just turned eight, picked the Asus up one day when it was the only computer available; there was some eye-rolling (if you have an eight-year-old girl, you know what I mean) but in no time she had checked her email and was playing a game online.

Battery life is not huge but it's respectable and you get plenty of warning that you need to plug in. Intense use doesn't seem to be a problem, though this evening when I had four browser tabs and a few other applications open, then tried to open the "planetarium" software, the eee pc froze. I left it alone for a while and it worked the kinks out, even offering me recovery of my unsaved document (which happened to be this review).

This little object of desire would never replace my Thinkpad, but it would fit in my handbag and be the perfect traveling link to my online life. The netbook I've been coveting is two or even three times its size and now looks gross and huge to me, I'm SO glad I got to play with this eee pc--it has gone straight to the top of my wish list.

Linda Bulger, 2009

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I wanted a laptop to just check emails, applications, and type documents. My Asus was the perfect choice. I don't miss windows either, the Linux system is pretty easy to figure out. I wanted something small that would fit in my purse and this works just fine. It also worked great with my digital camera.

There are some things that could be better. The keyboard is rather small and took some getting use to. The screen could be bigger but after frequent use you get use to it. I'll probably upgrade to an 8.9". I prefer more memory, but at the price I purchased it for, I'm not complaining. I love the fact that it loads so fast. The internet connection is faster than my desktop.

If you need something to just browse the internet and type a document, Asus is your man!

Best Deals for Asus Eee PC 4G Surf Celeron M 900MHz 512MB 4GB SSD 7-Inch Linux

I have had my cute little EEE PC for nearly two years and this little thing is a fantastic and amazing little computer. I use it for business and primarily for internet access and email that is what it does best! It loads in a second (mainly because it does not run on stupid Windows!) It's easy and quick to find wireless internet access points. Great full color screen, keyboard is close to full size and quick to adjust to. I just think it is a beautiful little computer for a 2nd home computer not a main computer (no CD drive, etc) but that is not what this little unit is about, really. It's all about secondary computer access that is what it is made for and what it does masterfully!

I bought mine for 399.00 and thought it was a steal. Now I have seen them for nearly half that price ! What a steal get this little gem you will never regret it.

Honest reviews on Asus Eee PC 4G Surf Celeron M 900MHz 512MB 4GB SSD 7-Inch Linux

I did not know what a netbook was until I purchased one! I knew I needed my own computer because my daughters had taken over the desktop and the laptop! I saw this teeny tiny one for $129 and thought why not! It's in my price range and I can buy it right now so...bam! Life changing! Could not possible live without!

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Extremely pleased with this used product. Seller included all the necessary accessories, books, etc. Netbook

looked brand new and works great. Easy to learn the system as well.

HP Pavilion dv4-1551dx Notebook PC - 14.1" Display / Intel Core 2 Review

Customer Ratings:

My laptop performs all of the functions I request of it with alacrity and accuracy. I am quite pleased and recommend it often. It has given me absolutely no cause for complaint, as of yet, and I consider that a strong endorsement for high-level product approval. It is very lightweight, feels small even, and is also relatively slim. The screen seems small at first, but, like driving a friends automobile, one becomes accustomed to the differences quickly and adapts. I find it handy. Movies, music, office-type tasks, internet, the few games I enjoy and it has a webcam that I haven't tried these things work perfectly. The features packed onto this little notebook are amazing to me. So many well-organized and well-conceived features in such a small package. Don't get one of the inexpensive off-brand batteries if you can possibly avoid doing so. The HP replacements/spares are much better in my experience. I feel quite comfortable and pleased with my investment in this product and most definitely feel comfortable advising whomever it may be that is reading this, if you are considering buying a laptop, the hp pavilion dv4-1551dx would be an excellent choice. It is really so much faster then I expected. Enjoy......

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I bought two of these laptops back in September 2009. The battery life is pretty good with an average of about 3 hours. the weight and portability make this a good laptop as well. The programs run smoothly and overall I have enjoyed the laptop.

The major flaw of this laptop is that after two years, neither of the laptops will take a charge. The charging port has become loose and now I have to spend about 45 minutes trying to get this computer to charge.

It worked great for a while, but if you are planning on keeping your laptop for more then 2 years I would suggest something else.

Best Deals for HP Pavilion dv4-1551dx Notebook PC - 14.1" Display / Intel Core 2

I have had one of these for about 5 months, and other than a few problems, I love it.

The screen's backlight adjustment could be a little better; below maximum, you have to deal with reflections and glare; at maximum, it'll hurt your eyes unless you lean back. Still, it's better than no adjustment at all; my old laptop started giving me Dell's patented "certain number and fuction keys suddenly stop working" syndrome.

The heat from the hard drive worries me a little: it'll get warm to the touch after about an hour or so, to the point where you can feel it through the top of the machine. Of course, it's possible that it is because I've got it on a stand with a Targus Chill Mat beneath it.

The keyboard is a nice size, with good spacing and placement and plenty of space below where you can rest your wrists when you're not typing.. You'd be surprised how much you miss an external keyboard when you travel with it, though.

The built-in "mouse" sucks. I mean, really sucks. I simply turn it off and use an external mouse because it's like trying to use an iPad stylus on a self-checkout screen; totally useless unless you really press down. The cursor bounces all over the place and there's no scrolling capability without wearing out your fingers.

The optical drive is fast enough to play DVDs without having to wait for it to stop play and scan ahead. It is pretty loud, though, since it reads discs at a fairly high rate.

The system itself is pretty good. It loads Windows 7 fast, and only hangs if I really stess it. Mine came with the standard 4GB of RAM, but I can upgrade to 8GB if I want to. The memory's easy to get to, as well; simply unscrew the little panel on the bottom of the laptop and take it off, and you have a clear view of the memory sticks. The integrated graphics card kind of sucks, since it uses system memory, but it's pretty good at 3D rendering, so I can put up with it.

The built-in card reader is a great touch, something I didn't expect. It gives you read problems every once in a while, but nothing serious; sometimes, you have to remove and reinsert a card to get it to detect in, but it's never failed completely.

All in all, it's a good machine for someone who isn't looking for hard-core gaming laptop, but who wants something nicer to look at and use than some Elitebook corporate machine.

Honest reviews on HP Pavilion dv4-1551dx Notebook PC - 14.1" Display / Intel Core 2

I have owned an HP DV4-1551dx for about 2 1/2 years now. I bought it on eBay as used like new. This machine has performed extremely well for me while traveling, home office and personal use. It has hundreds of hours of use. It has been used for 125+ Power Point presentations and 200+ Netflix downloaded movies, iTunes radio and music listening. I have used Roxio 2010 to create more than 150 original disks from pictures. It has Skype and works perfectly for call to relatives in Brazil. I have used it to transfer about 100 LP 33 1/3 RPM records to iTunes. This has been an exceptionally durable laptop. I cloned the hard drive recently and replaced it with another 320 GB drive just in case. I have had several hard drive failures in the past on other computers and it it better to replace them before you need to rather than after they crash! I use it on top of a cooling fan for extended use and blow the dust out of the case and fan every 3 months.

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This laptop is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something small and portable, yet very useful. I use it mainly for surfing the web, but my kids watch movies on it and play online games....... the processing is speedy and the graphics are clear. The only con is that sometimes in bright light there is a glare on the screen.