Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I Received this as a gift brand new from my husband for Christmas. Within the first 30 days the hard drive crashed, luckily still under warranty, called hp they replaced the hard drive with a Toshiba new or refurbished hard drive. The screen went black and would not operate, so I took the battery out and put back in, HP wanted $ money for customer support on this when I called because it was now out of warranty. This Computer continues to freeze and hang & becomes very unresponsive constantly. I like my old hp better it is a lot faster and it was a 2007 model. This is constantly slow & unresponsive and lost all patients with it & only being not even 2 yrs old. I will probaly not purchase another HP again. I should of took this back to the store from day one. Very disappointing to have constant freeze up's and saying to you the page is unresponsive do you want to wait or kill the pages annoying for windows 7..
Showing posts with label electronic notebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electronic notebook. Show all posts
Friday, December 5, 2014
G62-339WM Review
I am a Sony Vaio user big time. I bought this because it was a good deal at the time and I have to say I did not experience any of the things mentioned in the other review above but it is not sony quality either. As my first Hp it did not make a great impression. I guess when it comes to laptops anyway you get what you pay for. The functionality of it was fine but the track pad wore a lot faster then what I am use to and the letters on the keyboard are beginning to fade after less then 2 years just small things like that but to me it made a big impression.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Review of Lenovo ThinkPad R61 Intel Core 2 Duo 2000 MHz 80Gig Serial ATA HDD
The seller called and emailed right away but unfortunately the replacement system should never been sold the keyboard was replaced with a new one and the battery would never hold a charge and power adapter would get extremely hot
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
HP ProBook 6565b 15.6" Black Notebook Review
I have had my HP Probook for over a year and absolutely love it. It is powerful and well designed. I have avoided retail HP laptops. I found them to be poorly constructed. I am a developer and push mine to the limit everyday. The only draw backs are the hp battery only lasted about 9 months, it is not light and the edges of the aluminum case are bit sharp.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I wanted an inexpensive computer I could use on job sites to track excel spreadsheets. This purchase met my budget goals and allows me extra capacity to do all of the computer functions I need in the field. I am pleased.Best Deals for HP ProBook 6565b 15.6" Black Notebook
Brand new in the box ,Computer keyboard did not work at all. Had to return and wait 3 weeks to get another one.Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Buy Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral
**update 8/21**
this computer screams...no junk..nothing! i took things a step further (i guess i was bored) the other week and completely formatted the laptop with a fresh copy of windows 8 via usb.
this gets really kinda techie so if your not up to the task just skim over this part of the review.
from Microsoft's terms of service. "May I make a backup copy? Yes, you may make a single copy of the software for backup purposes.."
do the following at your own risk.
with some google searching...you will need to download the official .iso format of windows 8 file named: en_windows_8_x64_dvd_915440.iso and make sure it matches the id sum: 1CE53AD5F60419CF04A715CF3233F247E48BEEC4. (official version)
after thats downloaded then google: Windows7-USB-DVD-tool (don't worry it works with win 8 too)
run the program and select the .iso and make your bootable usb of windows 8. (i used a 4gb sandisk thumb drive)
copy all the files off the same thumb drive and reformat the drive to a fat32. why? samsung boot cant read NTFS format.
then put all the boot files you took off back on the newly formatted thumb drive.
unplug the usb drive.
reboot your pc. repeat pressing f2 during boot to enter bios.
change under advanced tab fast bios mode to disabled.
change usb charge in sleep mode to enabled.
save settings and reboot. put in the win8 usb in the 2.0 usb slot (right side) and boot to bios again by repeatedly pressing f2.
go to boot tab change your boot order to the usb instead of the hard drive to top of list. save and exit.
win 8 install screen will boot. select the install a fresh copy option. delete all partitions. install win8. you will not need a win 8 key. you own win 8 and the key is imbeded in the samsung bios system. there will be no option to put a key in.
when booted in windows 8 and you have a big smile that your computer is completely clean...do a google search and download the sw update software. re download all software/drivers via samsungs software.
everything work like a charm now. fresh and clean windows 8.
i also recommend start 8 software. i prefer a desktop experience and having a start button like win7.
afterwards, go back into bios and reverse your settings to the defaults, what they were before you changed them.
enjoy friends!
**update 6/26**
just a quick heads up!
do not bother updating to the new intel driver released 6/4/13 for wifi.
i tried it for a couple days and the wifi issues came right back again.
just stay on the microsoft wifi driver and you will be fine.
**update 6/19**
after a month this computer is still a beast. after reading the long thread and discussion about putting in a SSD, and it being too difficult i figured i would give a shot at installing one. (remember now i have no tech experience). well let me tell you it was retarded easy...and i did it in 20 minutes. and man this thing screams!!!
so you want to upgrade the ssd? do it. its easy. and don't worry the back comes off super easy and no it wont snap if you pull carefully.
steps you ask? don't mind if i do. :)
(before proceeding with this please order some nitrile latex free gloves and a micro philips screwdriver)
*order the samsung 840 ssd with the data transfer cable kit. (to clone your current hard drive)
*install data migration tool off samsung website and clone hard drive. (it took about 45 min)
*shut down computer, flip over computer, unscrew ALL back screws.
*start at front computer corner (left or right, doesn't matter) with a credit card pop up the edge.
*take that same card and push it down the crack on the whole front side of computer.(it will pop all the clips out, don't worry it wont break)
*do the same on both sides pulling the cover back. only thing now that should be connected is the back corner hinge things.
*push the back plate forward off the hinges and the enire backplate will come off.
*unscrew harddrive mount screws.
*unscrew hard drive holder screws.
*replace hard drive with ssd.
*reverse all your steps and re-boot.
this thing boots in 3 seconds now completely and opens all programs instantly.
ill post a few pics under user pics. enjoy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ive had this laptop for a few days so far so i will update this review as time goes on.
the good:
1920x1080p resolution w/touch on a ultra book style laptop.
dedicated GPU plus integrated.(good for those who play a game now and then)
back-lit keyboard
the touchbad: i love it, works almost as well as a mac...no joke.
amazing speakers...no joke very good for a laptop.
solid built laptop with premium feel.
decently thin with what i think is a perfect size screen/keyboard
aluminum body.
small power brick.
5ghz wireless support.
decent battery life.
2 video outs (hdmi/vga for dual monitor support)
core i7/8gb ram
the bad:
no solid state hard drive (you can notice it slows loading speeds down a tad)
no matte screen :( screen will have smudges especially touching with your finger.
aluminum body does leave smudges, but not that bad.
the plastic in-between the keys on the keyboard is GLOSSY! so dumb. it gets all greasy looking in-between keys. the picture they have showing it on here it looks matte but believe me its not...not a huge deal but whatever.
fn lock key, adjustable everything, u can even turn the fan noise down or completely off.
THE BIGGEST CON?
Intel 6235 wifi driver. If you on wifi it cuts you off randomly sometimes...and its really annoying, It is not the chip its the DRIVER. was almost a deal breaker but heres the fix:
getting rid of the "intel" driver and reverting to Microsoft driver.
1. Uninstall the Intel Proset wireless software/driver from the computer under control panel uninstall program. (not the blue tooth just the wireless)...after thats done..
2. Open device manager/network adapters
3. double click centrino advanced-n 6235
4.click driver tab
5. It should say driver provider Microsoft / 12/5/2011 / 14.8.8.75
6. click events tab to see if driver service added was (NETwNe64)
that will fix the drop problems.
then fine tune your adapter
1. click tab power management / uncheck allow computer to turn device off to save power
2. click tab advanced / make sure transmit power is set to highest
well i love this thing. its awesome. its slick. its powerful and it will make you very happy.
questions? just ask.
buy it
However, there are some design considerations to keep in mind. 1rst--the battery is buried in the unit. So you won't be able to swap out the battery (or take the battery out). 2nd--unlike some other laptops (ASUS comes to mind)...this Samsung laptop comes out of sleep & hibernation via the power button... hitting any key won't do it; you HAVE to use the power button. 3rd--if you hold down the power button for 5-20 seconds, it doesn't necessarily reboot.
This combination opens the door to a catastrophic failure. If you get stuck in sleep mode...how will you reboot the computer into post? That's what happened to me after the first morning with this laptop. If holding down the power button doesn't work to reboot out of sleep mode, then SOP is to take out the battery--except you can't with this unit. Engineering woopsie. There is a little pin hole in the back that is supposed to disengage the battery but my suspicion is that it doesn't fully do so. Likewise it might be pretty hard to total drain the battery. So your stuck in sleep mode.
After the first day with my new laptop I had what amounted to a brick blinking 'sleep mode'. I called Samsung customer support--the guy was real nice but he couldn't get the laptop out of sleep mode any more than I could.
Thank goodness I bought with Amazon. I was able to return this Samsung unit with no problems and I bought another brand with better engineering.
Cons: WiFi Drop-outs, Auto back-lit Keyboard, Heating/Fan Issue (on first laptop), minor smudging, no SSD
May 14th 2013
Received this laptop today and almost immediately noticed it had a fan and heating issue. Alot of heat keeps being produced at minimal cpu usage (only surfing the internet) so the fan, located right underneath the screen by the hinge, keeps kicking into an abnormally high rpm to cool down the system. The system continually becomes very hot and the top of the keyboard, possibly thanks to the fan location, becomes hot to the touch as well. This includes the 3 or 4 top rows of keys, making it extremely uncomfortable to use for even brief typing periods. Also putting the computer into the lower performance mode with the F11 Fn doesnt do much to fix this heating issue.
In short this means it is a very loud and extremely hot system most of the time... which needless to say completely ruins the computer.
I contacted Samsung about the issue and after about a good 45 minutes they suggested i send the laptop in for repair. I am awaiting a replacement laptop from amazon at the moment, will update to see if same issue occurs or if it's just an isolated defect.
During the periods of time when it is not behaving this way however i am pleased with the laptop (although keep in mind ive only had it for a few hours now). The keyboard is surprisingly very comfortable, the touchscreen works well, and the overall mechanical build is of high quality. The screen has almost no wobble but has some reflection to it like any device. The 1080p graphics on it are a surprising huge step up from the 720p of my 4 year old laptop too.
The matte finish of the case unfortunately allows for minor smudging, which might bother some especially if moving from a silver finish like myself, but isnt a major annoyance. The few times i tested the JBL speakers i was impressed. They are certainly nice especially compared to your typical laptop speakers.
Apart from these minor things and the heating issue I had the Ativ book 6 is a first rate computer by my standards.
5/16/13:
Received replacement laptop yesterday and was suffering from same heating/fan issue initially for a bit even after the initialization and all the updates were completed. Today however the fan has been low and heat minimal unlike the initial laptop. Ran the replacement laptop at max cpu usage and experienced the same heat as what the initial laptop experienced at 3% usage, fan wasnt interchanging btwn rpms though which is another good sign for this one. Also confirms something was terribly wrong with the first unit. Additionally putting it into low power mode with F11 puts the fan to a whisper even quieter than the 'low' rpm it has been at today (had no effect one defective unit fyi).
To be more specific than before the defective computer became very hot where the fan blows causing the keyboard keys to become hot and uncomfortable. Fan would not run at a consistent rpm for a long duration but rather interchanged between medium and high, along with a rare low, when simply browsing the internet. Running the photoshop app alongside certainly made it worse. Plugging the battery charger in also causes the fan to increase rpm and vice versa independent of the charge on the battery too on both computers.
5/27/13:
Had this replacement computer for awhile now and was experiencing frequency wifi drop-outs and connectivity issues. After uninstalling the intel driver and reverting to the windows one (as described by dissed in the review below) I have not experienced any issues! Had to change power settings as well so that the computer wouldnt turn off the wifi to save power.
Another issue is that the computer automatically turns on the keyboard back-lighting during low light conditions. The reason this is an issue is that you are unable to turn this off and unable to control the brightness level.
Certainty had alot of headaches with the defect unit and wifi issues, these things aside this laptop runs great!
So in quick summary computer initially has lots of wifi issues/drop-outs and is prone to become a bit hot/noisy under heavy loads. Unable to turn off keyboard back-lighting during the night and smudging is pretty common on the casing (but not too bad). Battery life was about 4.5 hours in my case which is alright considering the i7 and graphics card inside this laptop. Lastly had to make a few setting changes due to alot of automated things that dont make any sense (like putting the computer into sleep mode after 1min idle on battery and disconnecting wifi adapter after 5min). Meaning that someone who isnt great with computers might want to avoid all this hassle.
I love Samsung products, I own a Galaxy Note 2 cell phone, I have a Samsung Google Chromebook, a Samsung HD Television, and now this laptop. I'm hoping I can have it replaced with a model that has a fixed WiFi card and preferably without the dead pixel. I'm going to give it a day or so and see if the WiFi issue gets resolved, but if it doesn't I will most definitely be returning the laptop and hopefully having it replaced with a fully working model.
So I'm giving this Laptop a 2/5 for shipping with a dead Pixel and a pretty terrible WiFi issue. Changing battery settings didn't help my issue at all. But I'll happily give this a 5/5 if I can get the dead pixel and wifi issue resolved.
----------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
I received my replacement Laptop today and the WiFi was still an issue for me. After reading "Dissed" review (which was added after my original review) I followed his advice and deleted the default Intel WiFi drivers and let them roll back to the basic Microsoft drivers and I've had Zero issues since then. The WiFi is working perfectly and quickly. It's also nice that this unit has no dead pixels. (also, my original model was having Touchpad issues that I didn't notice until after I wrote my original review) this unit has zero issues with that at all. It's an amazing laptop with a top quality screen. Worth every penny. I have now kept my promise and will upgrade this review to a 5/5. Fantastic Purchase so far.
Windows 8, while not as awful as it is made out to be, is pretty bad. The curve is somewhat steep moving from Windows 7, but not insurmountable. Red a guide before the purchase and pick one up frequently as you use this machine. It helps.
The WiFi does drop out when you close the lid and open it up. a quick toggle of the airplane switch turns it back on. This can likely be controlled via some of the device/power options, it its so incredibly minor, I haven't even poked around.
The Catalyst control panel is a bit confusing, but once its sorted an properly set up, the switching between graphics cards is seamless and the Radeon sings and the heat output is not that much greater.
The speakers are on the bottom of the laptop. Odd choice, I thought, but I usually (if not always) have headphones on.
The bloatwaree is fairly easy to remove.
The good is great though:
The graphics are stellar and the display when cranked to the max is beautiful. Deep, rich and colorful.
The backlit keyboard is great, it is bright enough to be seen in a well lit room and not so bright that it burns out your retinas in a dark one.
It's a pretty quick little computer; the hard drive is spacey as well.
The laptop itself runs quietly and with very little heat even after an hour or two of run.
The touchscreen is very responsive; much more so than many of the floor models I've seen at certain electronics stores.
I would buy it again and not think twice about it. Dollar for dollar, I have yet to see a better value.Suggestion, however: grab a windows 8 compatible mouseLogitech Zone Touch Mouse T400 for Windows 8 Black (910-003041) for instance.
this computer screams...no junk..nothing! i took things a step further (i guess i was bored) the other week and completely formatted the laptop with a fresh copy of windows 8 via usb.
this gets really kinda techie so if your not up to the task just skim over this part of the review.
from Microsoft's terms of service. "May I make a backup copy? Yes, you may make a single copy of the software for backup purposes.."
do the following at your own risk.
with some google searching...you will need to download the official .iso format of windows 8 file named: en_windows_8_x64_dvd_915440.iso and make sure it matches the id sum: 1CE53AD5F60419CF04A715CF3233F247E48BEEC4. (official version)
after thats downloaded then google: Windows7-USB-DVD-tool (don't worry it works with win 8 too)
run the program and select the .iso and make your bootable usb of windows 8. (i used a 4gb sandisk thumb drive)
copy all the files off the same thumb drive and reformat the drive to a fat32. why? samsung boot cant read NTFS format.
then put all the boot files you took off back on the newly formatted thumb drive.
unplug the usb drive.
reboot your pc. repeat pressing f2 during boot to enter bios.
change under advanced tab fast bios mode to disabled.
change usb charge in sleep mode to enabled.
save settings and reboot. put in the win8 usb in the 2.0 usb slot (right side) and boot to bios again by repeatedly pressing f2.
go to boot tab change your boot order to the usb instead of the hard drive to top of list. save and exit.
win 8 install screen will boot. select the install a fresh copy option. delete all partitions. install win8. you will not need a win 8 key. you own win 8 and the key is imbeded in the samsung bios system. there will be no option to put a key in.
when booted in windows 8 and you have a big smile that your computer is completely clean...do a google search and download the sw update software. re download all software/drivers via samsungs software.
everything work like a charm now. fresh and clean windows 8.
i also recommend start 8 software. i prefer a desktop experience and having a start button like win7.
afterwards, go back into bios and reverse your settings to the defaults, what they were before you changed them.
enjoy friends!
**update 6/26**
just a quick heads up!
do not bother updating to the new intel driver released 6/4/13 for wifi.
i tried it for a couple days and the wifi issues came right back again.
just stay on the microsoft wifi driver and you will be fine.
**update 6/19**
after a month this computer is still a beast. after reading the long thread and discussion about putting in a SSD, and it being too difficult i figured i would give a shot at installing one. (remember now i have no tech experience). well let me tell you it was retarded easy...and i did it in 20 minutes. and man this thing screams!!!
so you want to upgrade the ssd? do it. its easy. and don't worry the back comes off super easy and no it wont snap if you pull carefully.
steps you ask? don't mind if i do. :)
(before proceeding with this please order some nitrile latex free gloves and a micro philips screwdriver)
*order the samsung 840 ssd with the data transfer cable kit. (to clone your current hard drive)
*install data migration tool off samsung website and clone hard drive. (it took about 45 min)
*shut down computer, flip over computer, unscrew ALL back screws.
*start at front computer corner (left or right, doesn't matter) with a credit card pop up the edge.
*take that same card and push it down the crack on the whole front side of computer.(it will pop all the clips out, don't worry it wont break)
*do the same on both sides pulling the cover back. only thing now that should be connected is the back corner hinge things.
*push the back plate forward off the hinges and the enire backplate will come off.
*unscrew harddrive mount screws.
*unscrew hard drive holder screws.
*replace hard drive with ssd.
*reverse all your steps and re-boot.
this thing boots in 3 seconds now completely and opens all programs instantly.
ill post a few pics under user pics. enjoy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ive had this laptop for a few days so far so i will update this review as time goes on.
the good:
1920x1080p resolution w/touch on a ultra book style laptop.
dedicated GPU plus integrated.(good for those who play a game now and then)
back-lit keyboard
the touchbad: i love it, works almost as well as a mac...no joke.
amazing speakers...no joke very good for a laptop.
solid built laptop with premium feel.
decently thin with what i think is a perfect size screen/keyboard
aluminum body.
small power brick.
5ghz wireless support.
decent battery life.
2 video outs (hdmi/vga for dual monitor support)
core i7/8gb ram
the bad:
no solid state hard drive (you can notice it slows loading speeds down a tad)
no matte screen :( screen will have smudges especially touching with your finger.
aluminum body does leave smudges, but not that bad.
the plastic in-between the keys on the keyboard is GLOSSY! so dumb. it gets all greasy looking in-between keys. the picture they have showing it on here it looks matte but believe me its not...not a huge deal but whatever.
fn lock key, adjustable everything, u can even turn the fan noise down or completely off.
THE BIGGEST CON?
Intel 6235 wifi driver. If you on wifi it cuts you off randomly sometimes...and its really annoying, It is not the chip its the DRIVER. was almost a deal breaker but heres the fix:
getting rid of the "intel" driver and reverting to Microsoft driver.
1. Uninstall the Intel Proset wireless software/driver from the computer under control panel uninstall program. (not the blue tooth just the wireless)...after thats done..
2. Open device manager/network adapters
3. double click centrino advanced-n 6235
4.click driver tab
5. It should say driver provider Microsoft / 12/5/2011 / 14.8.8.75
6. click events tab to see if driver service added was (NETwNe64)
that will fix the drop problems.
then fine tune your adapter
1. click tab power management / uncheck allow computer to turn device off to save power
2. click tab advanced / make sure transmit power is set to highest
well i love this thing. its awesome. its slick. its powerful and it will make you very happy.
questions? just ask.
buy it
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Ok--all the reviews about this laptop are true. It's great for the money.However, there are some design considerations to keep in mind. 1rst--the battery is buried in the unit. So you won't be able to swap out the battery (or take the battery out). 2nd--unlike some other laptops (ASUS comes to mind)...this Samsung laptop comes out of sleep & hibernation via the power button... hitting any key won't do it; you HAVE to use the power button. 3rd--if you hold down the power button for 5-20 seconds, it doesn't necessarily reboot.
This combination opens the door to a catastrophic failure. If you get stuck in sleep mode...how will you reboot the computer into post? That's what happened to me after the first morning with this laptop. If holding down the power button doesn't work to reboot out of sleep mode, then SOP is to take out the battery--except you can't with this unit. Engineering woopsie. There is a little pin hole in the back that is supposed to disengage the battery but my suspicion is that it doesn't fully do so. Likewise it might be pretty hard to total drain the battery. So your stuck in sleep mode.
After the first day with my new laptop I had what amounted to a brick blinking 'sleep mode'. I called Samsung customer support--the guy was real nice but he couldn't get the laptop out of sleep mode any more than I could.
Thank goodness I bought with Amazon. I was able to return this Samsung unit with no problems and I bought another brand with better engineering.
Best Deals for Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral
Pros: Nice design, solid feeling keyboard, touchscreen, good specsCons: WiFi Drop-outs, Auto back-lit Keyboard, Heating/Fan Issue (on first laptop), minor smudging, no SSD
May 14th 2013
Received this laptop today and almost immediately noticed it had a fan and heating issue. Alot of heat keeps being produced at minimal cpu usage (only surfing the internet) so the fan, located right underneath the screen by the hinge, keeps kicking into an abnormally high rpm to cool down the system. The system continually becomes very hot and the top of the keyboard, possibly thanks to the fan location, becomes hot to the touch as well. This includes the 3 or 4 top rows of keys, making it extremely uncomfortable to use for even brief typing periods. Also putting the computer into the lower performance mode with the F11 Fn doesnt do much to fix this heating issue.
In short this means it is a very loud and extremely hot system most of the time... which needless to say completely ruins the computer.
I contacted Samsung about the issue and after about a good 45 minutes they suggested i send the laptop in for repair. I am awaiting a replacement laptop from amazon at the moment, will update to see if same issue occurs or if it's just an isolated defect.
During the periods of time when it is not behaving this way however i am pleased with the laptop (although keep in mind ive only had it for a few hours now). The keyboard is surprisingly very comfortable, the touchscreen works well, and the overall mechanical build is of high quality. The screen has almost no wobble but has some reflection to it like any device. The 1080p graphics on it are a surprising huge step up from the 720p of my 4 year old laptop too.
The matte finish of the case unfortunately allows for minor smudging, which might bother some especially if moving from a silver finish like myself, but isnt a major annoyance. The few times i tested the JBL speakers i was impressed. They are certainly nice especially compared to your typical laptop speakers.
Apart from these minor things and the heating issue I had the Ativ book 6 is a first rate computer by my standards.
5/16/13:
Received replacement laptop yesterday and was suffering from same heating/fan issue initially for a bit even after the initialization and all the updates were completed. Today however the fan has been low and heat minimal unlike the initial laptop. Ran the replacement laptop at max cpu usage and experienced the same heat as what the initial laptop experienced at 3% usage, fan wasnt interchanging btwn rpms though which is another good sign for this one. Also confirms something was terribly wrong with the first unit. Additionally putting it into low power mode with F11 puts the fan to a whisper even quieter than the 'low' rpm it has been at today (had no effect one defective unit fyi).
To be more specific than before the defective computer became very hot where the fan blows causing the keyboard keys to become hot and uncomfortable. Fan would not run at a consistent rpm for a long duration but rather interchanged between medium and high, along with a rare low, when simply browsing the internet. Running the photoshop app alongside certainly made it worse. Plugging the battery charger in also causes the fan to increase rpm and vice versa independent of the charge on the battery too on both computers.
5/27/13:
Had this replacement computer for awhile now and was experiencing frequency wifi drop-outs and connectivity issues. After uninstalling the intel driver and reverting to the windows one (as described by dissed in the review below) I have not experienced any issues! Had to change power settings as well so that the computer wouldnt turn off the wifi to save power.
Another issue is that the computer automatically turns on the keyboard back-lighting during low light conditions. The reason this is an issue is that you are unable to turn this off and unable to control the brightness level.
Certainty had alot of headaches with the defect unit and wifi issues, these things aside this laptop runs great!
So in quick summary computer initially has lots of wifi issues/drop-outs and is prone to become a bit hot/noisy under heavy loads. Unable to turn off keyboard back-lighting during the night and smudging is pretty common on the casing (but not too bad). Battery life was about 4.5 hours in my case which is alright considering the i7 and graphics card inside this laptop. Lastly had to make a few setting changes due to alot of automated things that dont make any sense (like putting the computer into sleep mode after 1min idle on battery and disconnecting wifi adapter after 5min). Meaning that someone who isnt great with computers might want to avoid all this hassle.
Honest reviews on Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral
I love everything about this laptop. The display is gorgeous Full HD. The JBL speakers are fantastic. The touchscreen is very responsive as well. I do have a couple issues with this Laptop though. It came with a dead pixel to the left center of the screen, it's only really noticeable when watching darker videos or darker backgrounds. But during those particular times, it can be quite annoying. On top of that, I'm having the same WiFi issues as the other two reviewers are having so far. If I am just sitting in a webpage typing and the laptop isn't attempting to connect it's fine and seems to be working great. But if I go to youtube or another website to watch an HD video, sometimes even just a basic webpage, the WiFi will start doing the same thing as the other reviewers. As expensive as this laptop is, I'd expect the Wifi to work properly.I love Samsung products, I own a Galaxy Note 2 cell phone, I have a Samsung Google Chromebook, a Samsung HD Television, and now this laptop. I'm hoping I can have it replaced with a model that has a fixed WiFi card and preferably without the dead pixel. I'm going to give it a day or so and see if the WiFi issue gets resolved, but if it doesn't I will most definitely be returning the laptop and hopefully having it replaced with a fully working model.
So I'm giving this Laptop a 2/5 for shipping with a dead Pixel and a pretty terrible WiFi issue. Changing battery settings didn't help my issue at all. But I'll happily give this a 5/5 if I can get the dead pixel and wifi issue resolved.
----------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
I received my replacement Laptop today and the WiFi was still an issue for me. After reading "Dissed" review (which was added after my original review) I followed his advice and deleted the default Intel WiFi drivers and let them roll back to the basic Microsoft drivers and I've had Zero issues since then. The WiFi is working perfectly and quickly. It's also nice that this unit has no dead pixels. (also, my original model was having Touchpad issues that I didn't notice until after I wrote my original review) this unit has zero issues with that at all. It's an amazing laptop with a top quality screen. Worth every penny. I have now kept my promise and will upgrade this review to a 5/5. Fantastic Purchase so far.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral
I must say, this laptop was a great purchase and I have zero regrets. Its a touch on the heavy side for a laptop this size, but the trade off is an easy one; its feels incredibly sturdy. There are couple of issues that are definitely not make or break, but are quality of life wishes and things to maybe consider:Windows 8, while not as awful as it is made out to be, is pretty bad. The curve is somewhat steep moving from Windows 7, but not insurmountable. Red a guide before the purchase and pick one up frequently as you use this machine. It helps.
The WiFi does drop out when you close the lid and open it up. a quick toggle of the airplane switch turns it back on. This can likely be controlled via some of the device/power options, it its so incredibly minor, I haven't even poked around.
The Catalyst control panel is a bit confusing, but once its sorted an properly set up, the switching between graphics cards is seamless and the Radeon sings and the heat output is not that much greater.
The speakers are on the bottom of the laptop. Odd choice, I thought, but I usually (if not always) have headphones on.
The bloatwaree is fairly easy to remove.
The good is great though:
The graphics are stellar and the display when cranked to the max is beautiful. Deep, rich and colorful.
The backlit keyboard is great, it is bright enough to be seen in a well lit room and not so bright that it burns out your retinas in a dark one.
It's a pretty quick little computer; the hard drive is spacey as well.
The laptop itself runs quietly and with very little heat even after an hour or two of run.
The touchscreen is very responsive; much more so than many of the floor models I've seen at certain electronics stores.
I would buy it again and not think twice about it. Dollar for dollar, I have yet to see a better value.Suggestion, however: grab a windows 8 compatible mouseLogitech Zone Touch Mouse T400 for Windows 8 Black (910-003041) for instance.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Buy Dell XPS 13-L321X Ultrabook - i5-2467M 1.60GHz - 4GB - 128GB SSD
Solid construction. Mostly aluminum. Extremely fast startup. Only reason for missing star on review is that it does not come with a hard-wire Ethernet port, but I think you can buy an adapter. Also, the mouse pad is a little finicky every once in a while... but a external mouse fixes that. (not a deal breaker by any means)
It feels very solid like it's made of high quality parts. It looks cool too. It starts up lightning fast, much faster than my Dell laptop. It worked flawlessly right out of the box
and hasn't missed a beat since. The builtin WIFI works at Tim's and all other hot spots I tried, as well as at home. Battery life is very good.
The only snag I found is the trackpad sometimes doesn't recognize a touch. My workaround is to left-click the trackpad button instead.
If you want a reliable mobile computer, get this one you won't be disappointed.
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I've had my XPS13 for a few months and I can truly say it has met all my expectations.It feels very solid like it's made of high quality parts. It looks cool too. It starts up lightning fast, much faster than my Dell laptop. It worked flawlessly right out of the box
and hasn't missed a beat since. The builtin WIFI works at Tim's and all other hot spots I tried, as well as at home. Battery life is very good.
The only snag I found is the trackpad sometimes doesn't recognize a touch. My workaround is to left-click the trackpad button instead.
If you want a reliable mobile computer, get this one you won't be disappointed.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Review of MSI Computer Corp. S20 0M-048US 11.6-Inch Windows 8 Laptop
List Price: $999.99
Sale Price: $779.95
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
This is a recommended slider tablet/ultrabook/laptop and I'm writing this review on this same computer here. Great for portability and nearly has the strength of a traditional tower PC (yes it does have 8 GBs of RAM one of the main reasons I got it for the RAM & it's a slider tablet laptop). I wanted a portable computer that could also be a tablet, but not be weak in specs (like most tablets are unfortunately). This is a hybrid of many different styles in one. It's supposed to be a laptop, but it's also a tablet too (without the weak specs).
The only bad thing about this is the small Solid-Slate-Drive (SSD) size, but you can hook up larger HDDs to it. I use the "Seagate Expansion 3 TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive STBV3000100" at home and the "WD My Passport 2TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive Storage Red (WDBY8L0020BRD-NESN)" on the go (since the WD Passport doesn't need a power source, it gets power from the USB cable). Good red color on the HDD, a softer matte red.
It's a MUST to get a cooling pad for this thing, it gets fairly hot at the vents (only one area). It doesn't run cool at all like the other reviewer said. I know because I got 2 of these and the motherboard fried on the one when I tried to plug in a USB device (that one kept running hot too then died It did work good though before its 'death'). The MSI reps said that was the case when the one wouldn't power on at all. The rep was pretty good and helpful, but that one was beyond any help since it was fried.
Make sure you keep the packing material with any MSI products, you have to have the same box with the same serial #'s on the box to match the laptop and everything for warranty claims.
The fan doesn't make any noise and I can hear like a rabbit so I know. The cooling pad I got for it also hardly makes any noise especially when the laptop is on it.
Definitely get a cooling pad, this is the one I use: the "iHome Netbook Cooling Pad with 2 Built-In Fans, Red (IH-A714CR)"(it works the best for this laptop, highly recommended cooling pad!!!). There is no USB hub with it but a storage area instead.
I got a red wireless mouse to 'match' the cooling pad (which is not a sharp straight red, it's a slight dull off-carmine red); this is the mouse I got: "Bornd Bluetooth 3.0 Optical Wireless Mouse (C170B RED)". (I also have a blue one too for another tablet I have the Lenovo K3 Lynxthese mice work with the Bluetooth in these machines.) This red mouse is a nice sharp bright pretty red, while the blue one is a bit off blue (kinda dull), both work great.
This laptop is slowly replacing my old Windows 7 8 GB RAM 2.70 GHZ tower (which is nearly 4years old, but still works good). Windows 8 has its problems and when it updates itself, it takes a long time: 10-20 minutes depending on the updates. But when there's no needed updates, this laptop turns on in about 4-10 seconds and shuts down just as fast. Get the programs Stardock Start8 and Stardock ModernMix for Windows 8 ($4.99 for ModernMix and I think $8 with Start8) and they'll help you get some Windows 7 back in the frustrating Windows 8 layout so you can function better.
With my 2nd one, I kept it plugged in a lot and that's not a good idea since you need to 'train' the battery right to drain and charge fully. Mine stopped charging at 97% (I had it less than 2 weeks) and the charging light wouldn't turn on, so I used the included "Battery Calibration" feature on this PC to fix that problem. It took about 3-4 hours leaving it alone and it needs to be plugged in for this, but it got fixed and is charging again. I am happy. Do the Battery Calibration every 3 months is what is recommends, but I had to do it sooner. The Battery Calibration can be found in the 'Charms' Windows 8 menu near the far right end.
I recommend this laptop and with my recommendations above, you should have as much fun with it as I do with mine (well, as long as you don't get a defective one like I did2nd one is going good). :) 1 star off for the many different glitchy issues and the motherboard just frying out of the blue. Not completely perfect, but good enough definitely acceptable despite the small problems here and there. Hope this review helps at least one person out. Thank you for reading my review.
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OK I wanted a tablet, but I needed a small laptop when traveling for work. I love this thing!!! It does exactly what I need. I did have to get rid of some free-wear 'gifts.' Its not pre-loaded with too many items I don't want, but there were a few. I gamed on it for hours, the thing does not get too hot nor is the fan too loud. Its light, easy to carry. I do need a better case. The one it came with, well, it leaves much to be desired. Asus gave me a cool backpack with my large republic of gamers laptop. I would have liked a better carry case from MSI.Best Deals for MSI Computer Corp. S20 0M-048US 11.6-Inch Windows 8 Laptop
First of all, the specs here are closer to truth than the 2.2 lb listed elsewhere. I weighed my S20 on the kitchen scale and got 2.58 lb.Anyway, my 11 year old son's school allowed him to take Computer Science and join the Robotics club this semester. He began by taking his mom's Apple MacBook Air MD760LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) to the CS classes, but the robots work only with PCs, so he also had to commandeer my 17 inch monster of a notebook. Eventually I decided to get him his own little PC.
I looked among the 11.6-inch Windows 8 touch-capable ultrabooks, and picked this MSI. It has a cute white exterior, different from run-of-the-mill silver shells his classmates have. The transformer effect further impresses his friends and satisfies the vanity of a kid. The keyboard is spacious for my son and usable for me. The screen is bright and vivid. The retail vendor (not Amazon) gave us a free padded jacket that fits like a glove. The whole thing weights less than 3 lbs and takes up less space in my son's backpack than the bigger ones among his textbook. It runs all his programs and Microsoft Office without any stutter. The battery lasts long enough for the toughest school days. There are two USB slots, so he can use his Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks (Dark Silver) and connect to the Parallax PLX-28336 Programmable Scribbler 2 Robot (with USB adapter and cable) at the same time. I also like the 8GB of RAM, which should be sufficient for the life of the machine; thus I won't have to upgrade it.
Now, the nitpicking: First, the 128GB SSD will not last forever. I have a spare 512GB for it, but a warning sticker covers the screw and threatens revocation of warrantee if the case is opened, so I decide to wait a year before the upgrade. The lack of a built-in pointing device and the intrinsically imprecise nature of touch interface mean that a mouse is needed. Finally, the last generation (Ivy Bridge) Intel i5 is certainly fast enough itself, but its built-in GPU is pathetic to the point of having occasional dropped frames on full 1080p video. This is an issue shared by all ultrabooks, however, and not MSI's fault.
Overall, we like this machine a lot and expect 4-5 years of good service from it.
Honest reviews on MSI Computer Corp. S20 0M-048US 11.6-Inch Windows 8 Laptop
Not enough memory..sloooowww processor...freezes...screen unresponsive most of the time....cant see the keyboard keys in not so well lit room...or plane...expensive for the features it has ...Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Discount Gateway 15.6" Laptop 4GB 500GB | NV56R14u
List Price: $449.99
Sale Price: $359.99
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
Windows 8 has been neutralized with a free program. With a start and shut down button and no flying tiles the unit seems to work well. Still disappointed with MS, dropped a lot starting with the very good media center with junk in return. Downloaded VLC.
The first thing I noticed about this unit was the keyboard, best I have ever used. Large responsive island keys with a light pewter colored border. I am downloading a ton of stuff with no freeze or hiccups so far. Had to install the latest Adobe flash. Good at multitasking, did a big heavy test run. Jump up for me from my dead Compaq 61 AMD dual core. Quite a difference from returned underpowered Asus. Uh oh, slight freeze on NBC replay of AGT. Great price on i3, even previous generation.start fast and stay fast. Love the windows 8 by the way. Best windows yet. Definitely recommend it for anyone.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Reviews of Toshiba Satellite C875-S7303 Laptop (Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4GHZ
Toshiba laptops in my opinion continue to have problem with their hinges. There was a previous class action brought against Toshiba for this problem. We bought a Satellite C875-S7303, less than a year ago, and the hinge broke. Sent in for warranty repair, and they refused saying it was not a warranty problem. They want over $100 to fix it. Really? The lap top was used like a desktop, and one day when opening it, the hinge cracked. Sounds like they still use cheap plastic hinges. I won't buy another Toshiba laptop again. Don't waste your money.
the only shortcomings i found were the the somewhat delicate case, and the very weak intel hd4000 graphics, however i am able to play most games out today on the more modest settings, all in all, i am happy for now and its great for someone on a small budget that likes games.
This laptop was 350 at BestBuy over the holidays no longer being sold by Toshiba or retail stores. I owned another Toshiba Satellite purchased about 6 years ago that I still use and rely heavily on. I wanted this one to use as a backup and updated version. Bad move. I also hate Windows 8. It is so 'intuitive' that it takes several extra steps to navigate what I want and bypass the flipping screens and access charms, etc. I hate it because one cannot establish settings to the level other windows products allowed and seems incredibly more limiting toward users who would bypass some of the forced settings to establish their own. I know people hated Windows XP when it came out and it remains one of the most popular, functional OS out there and is still supported as a result -but I'm just frustrated that basic stuff like java, printer drivers, adobe flash, etc. all knot-up this particular computer. I'm frustrated that the mousepad crapped out at 4 months and windows updates have now crapped out the CDDVD driver. I can do a hard reset, but after the 5th time in under 2 years, it's a pain to have to resort to that to regain the use of the drivers this system is supposed to provide. I will avoid the Win8 issue going forward as I plan to become an Apple customer. Anything that was good with Toshiba is offset by Windows 8.
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its a nice laptop i think, i have had almost 6 months now and no problems, the core i3 performs very well for a dual core processor,the only shortcomings i found were the the somewhat delicate case, and the very weak intel hd4000 graphics, however i am able to play most games out today on the more modest settings, all in all, i am happy for now and its great for someone on a small budget that likes games.
Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C875-S7303 Laptop (Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4GHZ
...not even 4 months, Touchpad mouse just stopped working. Go to Toshiba site, forums indicate this is a typical problem. Shortly after owning, java updates, Windows updates, etc. required as per normal use of any computer. However, this Win 8 OS gags on the java update (had to a system restore to 'undo' the most recent version of Java that flagged as necessary update). Same with Windows updates after updating security patches, etc. my computer started freezing, hanging, operating very slowly. HP printer cannot work with this Win 8 system or Firefox browser.This laptop was 350 at BestBuy over the holidays no longer being sold by Toshiba or retail stores. I owned another Toshiba Satellite purchased about 6 years ago that I still use and rely heavily on. I wanted this one to use as a backup and updated version. Bad move. I also hate Windows 8. It is so 'intuitive' that it takes several extra steps to navigate what I want and bypass the flipping screens and access charms, etc. I hate it because one cannot establish settings to the level other windows products allowed and seems incredibly more limiting toward users who would bypass some of the forced settings to establish their own. I know people hated Windows XP when it came out and it remains one of the most popular, functional OS out there and is still supported as a result -but I'm just frustrated that basic stuff like java, printer drivers, adobe flash, etc. all knot-up this particular computer. I'm frustrated that the mousepad crapped out at 4 months and windows updates have now crapped out the CDDVD driver. I can do a hard reset, but after the 5th time in under 2 years, it's a pain to have to resort to that to regain the use of the drivers this system is supposed to provide. I will avoid the Win8 issue going forward as I plan to become an Apple customer. Anything that was good with Toshiba is offset by Windows 8.
Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C875-S7303 Laptop (Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4GHZ
Just love it and use it all the time!!! You couldn't do any better. Want to be another one in the futureFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite C875-S7303 Laptop (Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4GHZ
Toshiba has been very good to me over the years with their $300-$350 range computers. I don't use it for too much but internet surfing and Word documents. This model was very disappointing however from the moment I touched the keyboard and felt its flimsiness. I am disappointed that Toshiba would make something so crappy to type on that it would actually miss letters as you type. I can only imagine what it will do as it gets older. Everything is still working 4 months later but I don't expect much when I see that they cheaped out on something so fundamental as the keyboard.Sunday, May 25, 2014
Review of Sony VAIO VPC-EB11FX/BI 15.5-Inch Laptop (Black)
I've had my Sony Vaio VPC EB11FX in white/silver for a few months now, and I can say its probably the best laptop I've ever purchased.
I have a strong Apple background, having owned a powerbook, macbook, and macbook pro with core 2 duo. The switch back to PC was due to my needs for Windows environment as well as a numeric keypad. The Vaio invited me back to the PC side with a warm welcome.
For $650 my Vaio VPC EB11FX came configured exactly how its listed on this amazon page. I couldn't find any other laptop that met my criteria with the price i was okay with:
Chiclet Keyboard
Numeric Pad
excellent 15" screen
good specs for capable and smooth multimedia playback and light gaming
--
Aesthetics:
The look and feel of this laptop may not inspire you, but it is well thought out with 4 USB ports (1 of them is a USB/eSata port on the left) as well as a quality touch in the way the screen sits out and below the level of the computer. The screen is 15.5" and while its not 1440x900 resolution like on my previous macbook pro, I don't feel deprived of the extra pixel detail. The screen is bright, colors look great when viewing pics and vids, and blacks LOOK black and not a shade of grey. This alone amazed me. It could be the glossy screen that causes colors to appear stronger, as this is the first glossy screen i've owned. The backlight is CCFL, not LED, which I say would only benefit me in that it does not use mercury. Oh yeah, the built-in webcam works well with the easy to use webcam companion software thats included.
When closed, the laptop looks much thinner than it really is due to the two tone combination of white and black for the mainboard. At around 5-6 lbs the weight is what you'd expect with other laptops with 15" screens.
Performance:
This laptop just blazes by with Windows 7, which has its merits and very little to complain about comparing to OSX. With the base Core i3 and integrated gfx, Aero looks awesome and is buttery smooth. I constantly run Chrome Web Browser with many tabs, itunes, IM chat, GIMP, and video playback all at the same time, and I've yet to see the machine hiccup. I dip into the 4gb of memory with 1gb left free usually. I have not deliberately tried to test the limits of my machine, but mind you, its likely able to handle whatever casual/multimedia tasks you can throw at it for daily personal use, school, or at the office.
The machine comes with great conveniences such as the ASSIST and WEB button which help you run maintenance/solve issues and quickboot to web without windows running, respectively.
Cons:
Aside from the confidence I have in the looks and performance of this laptop, I must include that I have very few qualms overall.
-Battery life is a meager 2 hours doing light web browsing. Watch a movie with full brightness and I'm not sure you'll get an hour and half. I could care less as I always have it plugged in.
-The trackpad could use better software (I wish it could scroll with multitouch ala Apple and Asus laptops). The included functionality for the trackpad is powered by Alps, and it isn't up to par IMO. The multitouch gestures available are Flick, Pinch Zoom, and Pivot Rotation. Yawn. Just give me scroll with two fingers and I'm happy. Maybe I will come across software/driver that can let me do this. For now, scrolling up and down with the right end of the trackpad will suffice. Aside from this, I do run into a few rare instances where I am moving the cursor around and suddenly the cursor hangs or jumps erratically. This could be due to particles on the touchpad that is interfering with my touch, but just FYI anyway.
-Speaker quality could be better and overall louder, but I use earphones or play music through my B&W Zepellin via airtunes most of the time.
-Viewing angles of the screen is horrid. I expect this with any screen coming in a $600 laptop. Show me a $600 machine with IPS panel, then I can blame Sony for the viewing angles. Until then, this is the best of any comparable price range. The bottom line is the screen will be fine for you but may suck for anyone else joining in from an angle.
As you can see, the nature of the issues I've reported have a minimal impact on my computing experience, mostly because they aren't that big of a deal aside from battery life. If you are looking for battery life, look elsewhere.
The Sony Vaio VPC EB11FX is the laptop you want with a bright screen you don't need to squint your eyes on. It is competently fast with daily tasks and multimedia playback. Your hands will thank you as it is a delight to type on and doesn't scald your lap like other laptops (APPLE, anyone?). And considering I have not run into any software glitches, BSD and the like, I'd say Sony has a smart, quality 6 lbs package for anyone on a budget looking for their next laptop that will last them for years to come without a hitch.
There are 4-USB pluggins three on the right and one on the left, A web connection only button which is a nice option so there's no need logging onto your desktop if your in a hurry or just have need for the web.
Easy to use touch pad with a real nice feel and good control, but I use a mouse because that's what i am more comfortable with. Good power saving setting options in control panel. The speed and setup were everything I expected, I have had this computer for about 3-weeks now and the only drawback that I have is the speakers they are suppose to be stereo but they sound a little tinny definitely not for playing music on I will need to pickup some good USB speakers down the road.
I am sure this Sony has many more options and software which I have yet to use when I find time.
Hope this helped.
John
Pros:
Easy to Use.
Keyboard is sturdy and great.
Startup and Shutdown times are very quick.
NEVER FREEZES.
Cons:
Comparing it to my macbook, the touchpad is not a convenient multi-touch.
Does not have some of the good programs a macbook has (frontrow, photobooth etc.).
With that said, it is a great computer, and I personally have few problems with it. Definitely invest in a VAIO. It is not as cheap as other PC's, but it is cheaper than a Mac, and in my opinion, just as good.
I have a strong Apple background, having owned a powerbook, macbook, and macbook pro with core 2 duo. The switch back to PC was due to my needs for Windows environment as well as a numeric keypad. The Vaio invited me back to the PC side with a warm welcome.
For $650 my Vaio VPC EB11FX came configured exactly how its listed on this amazon page. I couldn't find any other laptop that met my criteria with the price i was okay with:
Chiclet Keyboard
Numeric Pad
excellent 15" screen
good specs for capable and smooth multimedia playback and light gaming
--
Aesthetics:
The look and feel of this laptop may not inspire you, but it is well thought out with 4 USB ports (1 of them is a USB/eSata port on the left) as well as a quality touch in the way the screen sits out and below the level of the computer. The screen is 15.5" and while its not 1440x900 resolution like on my previous macbook pro, I don't feel deprived of the extra pixel detail. The screen is bright, colors look great when viewing pics and vids, and blacks LOOK black and not a shade of grey. This alone amazed me. It could be the glossy screen that causes colors to appear stronger, as this is the first glossy screen i've owned. The backlight is CCFL, not LED, which I say would only benefit me in that it does not use mercury. Oh yeah, the built-in webcam works well with the easy to use webcam companion software thats included.
When closed, the laptop looks much thinner than it really is due to the two tone combination of white and black for the mainboard. At around 5-6 lbs the weight is what you'd expect with other laptops with 15" screens.
Performance:
This laptop just blazes by with Windows 7, which has its merits and very little to complain about comparing to OSX. With the base Core i3 and integrated gfx, Aero looks awesome and is buttery smooth. I constantly run Chrome Web Browser with many tabs, itunes, IM chat, GIMP, and video playback all at the same time, and I've yet to see the machine hiccup. I dip into the 4gb of memory with 1gb left free usually. I have not deliberately tried to test the limits of my machine, but mind you, its likely able to handle whatever casual/multimedia tasks you can throw at it for daily personal use, school, or at the office.
The machine comes with great conveniences such as the ASSIST and WEB button which help you run maintenance/solve issues and quickboot to web without windows running, respectively.
Cons:
Aside from the confidence I have in the looks and performance of this laptop, I must include that I have very few qualms overall.
-Battery life is a meager 2 hours doing light web browsing. Watch a movie with full brightness and I'm not sure you'll get an hour and half. I could care less as I always have it plugged in.
-The trackpad could use better software (I wish it could scroll with multitouch ala Apple and Asus laptops). The included functionality for the trackpad is powered by Alps, and it isn't up to par IMO. The multitouch gestures available are Flick, Pinch Zoom, and Pivot Rotation. Yawn. Just give me scroll with two fingers and I'm happy. Maybe I will come across software/driver that can let me do this. For now, scrolling up and down with the right end of the trackpad will suffice. Aside from this, I do run into a few rare instances where I am moving the cursor around and suddenly the cursor hangs or jumps erratically. This could be due to particles on the touchpad that is interfering with my touch, but just FYI anyway.
-Speaker quality could be better and overall louder, but I use earphones or play music through my B&W Zepellin via airtunes most of the time.
-Viewing angles of the screen is horrid. I expect this with any screen coming in a $600 laptop. Show me a $600 machine with IPS panel, then I can blame Sony for the viewing angles. Until then, this is the best of any comparable price range. The bottom line is the screen will be fine for you but may suck for anyone else joining in from an angle.
As you can see, the nature of the issues I've reported have a minimal impact on my computing experience, mostly because they aren't that big of a deal aside from battery life. If you are looking for battery life, look elsewhere.
The Sony Vaio VPC EB11FX is the laptop you want with a bright screen you don't need to squint your eyes on. It is competently fast with daily tasks and multimedia playback. Your hands will thank you as it is a delight to type on and doesn't scald your lap like other laptops (APPLE, anyone?). And considering I have not run into any software glitches, BSD and the like, I'd say Sony has a smart, quality 6 lbs package for anyone on a budget looking for their next laptop that will last them for years to come without a hitch.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I wanted to say I am very impressed with the layout and comfort of the keypad, nice looking computer with some nice options for software with the assist button which launches Vaio care a easy do it yourself PC maintenance tool, for those who maybe are not real comfortable keeping their computer cleaned up and running at it's best performance.There are 4-USB pluggins three on the right and one on the left, A web connection only button which is a nice option so there's no need logging onto your desktop if your in a hurry or just have need for the web.
Easy to use touch pad with a real nice feel and good control, but I use a mouse because that's what i am more comfortable with. Good power saving setting options in control panel. The speed and setup were everything I expected, I have had this computer for about 3-weeks now and the only drawback that I have is the speakers they are suppose to be stereo but they sound a little tinny definitely not for playing music on I will need to pickup some good USB speakers down the road.
I am sure this Sony has many more options and software which I have yet to use when I find time.
Hope this helped.
John
Best Deals for Sony VAIO VPC-EB11FX/BI 15.5-Inch Laptop (Black)
I owned a previous model of Vaio and was so pleased with it's performance that when it came time to upgrade, Sony was the obvious choice. So far the performance is as good as the older model and even better. In comparison though, the clarity of the webcam needs to be improved. My older model was much better. I like the finish on the keypad panels but unlike my older model which emitted a lot of heat at it's base this model has reverse this effect and the heat is on the keypad panel which makes it a bit uncomfortable at times. Other than that everything else runs fantastic. I absolutely love the idea of having both USB and HDMI and SD and Micro Card slots.Honest reviews on Sony VAIO VPC-EB11FX/BI 15.5-Inch Laptop (Black)
This is a great laptop. As a matter of fact I purchased two new ones exactly like this last month on Amazon for $714 each... and was prepared to purchase another but now the price is $849 (down from $949 last week). What is up with that? The ones I purchased were gifts for my husband and daughter. They LOVE them. I will probably buy another one when the price comes back down. If you're looking for a good-looking, top-performing laptop, you've found it. But don't pay $849 for it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO VPC-EB11FX/BI 15.5-Inch Laptop (Black)
Overall, this is a great computer. It handles basic word processing, and web surfing very well. It has great specs to play some high-tech games too.Pros:
Easy to Use.
Keyboard is sturdy and great.
Startup and Shutdown times are very quick.
NEVER FREEZES.
Cons:
Comparing it to my macbook, the touchpad is not a convenient multi-touch.
Does not have some of the good programs a macbook has (frontrow, photobooth etc.).
With that said, it is a great computer, and I personally have few problems with it. Definitely invest in a VAIO. It is not as cheap as other PC's, but it is cheaper than a Mac, and in my opinion, just as good.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Discount HP Promo 4320S,CORE I3-380M CPU,13.3 HD Ag Led Sva, Uma, Webcam
It's been a few months since I got this computer. It works perfect. I have three HP/Compaq desktop and laptop, they are all reliable, never give me any problem regarding to hardware, I can't even say that about the much more expensive Sony. I actually bought a Sony and return it before I bought this one, I think this is better quality built than Sony, the top is actually metal instead of plastic like Sony. I have plastic cracking problem with two Sony laptop and it is not very good. I will definitely buy HP in the future.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Gateway NV76R24u 17.3" Notebook PC - 3rd generation Intel Core Review
I ordered it on Monday, received it on Tuesday afternoon. Shipping that fast in unheard of. I have been using it and I really don't see what problem everyone had with Windows 8. It's really easy to use. The laptop is very nice. Huge crystal clear screen, fast, quiet, and so many features I'm sure I'll never use them all. I will come back and share the device progress in a few months.
The red body with white keys lets my eyes see the keys very easily.
And....the BIG fan Laptop rest solves and Overheating issues.
Use your head...that's what it's for.
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Finally....a notebook that meets my Visual requirements...HIGH KEYBOARD CONTRAST.The red body with white keys lets my eyes see the keys very easily.
And....the BIG fan Laptop rest solves and Overheating issues.
Use your head...that's what it's for.
Best Deals for Gateway NV76R24u 17.3" Notebook PC - 3rd generation Intel Core
First is cheap after that good. the configuration in pretty and work very ok, the screen is enough to see your movies.Friday, February 28, 2014
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad W520 427623U 15.6" LED Notebook - Core i7 Extreme
I do not know about the QC of Lenovo; Has the Quality declined after removing the IBM Name? I can understand that nothing is perfect and that when some item has a flaw, it is a single flaw and not THREE:
1The WI-FI was not working on the initial install as it was missing a driver.
2The Touch Pad was not working even after installing the correct driver from the internet The Sales person was more than helpful , yet even after he sent me the original recovery CD's; The TouchPad and the finger print did not work despite the wi-fi controller finally worked.
3The finger print reader is not working as of now.
Although AMAZON agreed to refund the full Value, there is restrictions on shipping the product back to the US for security reasons!!!
1The WI-FI was not working on the initial install as it was missing a driver.
2The Touch Pad was not working even after installing the correct driver from the internet The Sales person was more than helpful , yet even after he sent me the original recovery CD's; The TouchPad and the finger print did not work despite the wi-fi controller finally worked.
3The finger print reader is not working as of now.
Although AMAZON agreed to refund the full Value, there is restrictions on shipping the product back to the US for security reasons!!!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Reviews of Dell D600 Laptop (1.6ghz, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW)
This is a great laptop for the price. It functions beautifully for basic use (school, work, surfing the web, etc.). I have had absolutely no trouble with mine, and would highly recommend this product to everyday users.
I've seen a couple of bad reviews simply because users purchased this computer with the intent to make it their "gaming" computer, and then were disappointed with the outcome. Check the specs and your game requirements first. If you truly want a gaming computer, you probably shouldn't be looking at Laptops in the first place.
It's a great computer at a reasonable price. If you just need something for work, school, and surfing the web, it's perfect.
I'm not a gamer or anything of the sort, I just use mine for internet purposes and college, and it's perfect. It lags a bit, which is annoying, but should be expected with the low price. Overall, I like it a lot.
I've seen a couple of bad reviews simply because users purchased this computer with the intent to make it their "gaming" computer, and then were disappointed with the outcome. Check the specs and your game requirements first. If you truly want a gaming computer, you probably shouldn't be looking at Laptops in the first place.
It's a great computer at a reasonable price. If you just need something for work, school, and surfing the web, it's perfect.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
This laptop is so awesome. I've always had a desktop, so I'm excited that I was able to purchase a laptop at such an inexpensive price. First of all, it's advertised as having 512MB RAM and a 40GB hard drive. Well, I got 1G of RAM and a 60 GB hard drive. Secondly, it works so well, as if it's new. And thirdly, for this to have been a refurbished computer, it looks good with very little to no scratches. Several people's comments have not been to pleasing, but I would blame the seller, not the laptop. I didn't purchase the cheapest one. I read all of the sellers' comments and chose the one I thought would give me an honest buy. I am very happy with my purchase.Best Deals for Dell D600 Laptop (1.6ghz, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW)
Decent product however I bought the laptop from BRAVTEK and I got cheated on the deal. He sold me a defective product and refused to fix it. Be careful shopping for laptops and by all means avoid the above vendor.Honest reviews on Dell D600 Laptop (1.6ghz, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW)
I adore mine.I'm not a gamer or anything of the sort, I just use mine for internet purposes and college, and it's perfect. It lags a bit, which is annoying, but should be expected with the low price. Overall, I like it a lot.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell D600 Laptop (1.6ghz, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW)
I bought two computers on the same day from two different sellers, one was from StarTech and the other from Alpha. Both computers were described identically with one exception; the one from Alpha advertised the unit included MicroSoft Pro. So I paid more for that unit from Alpha. I received the unit from StarTech and it was great, plugged it in, started right up and looks and works like new. A week later I received the one from Alpha, with paperwork enclosed describing some other computer without internet card or any programs installed as advertised not to mention the unit appeared to have been in a war zone physically, plugged it in and it wouldn't work. Contacted the seller who immediately offered to sell me an internet card to make the unit work and did not acknowledge the missing programs or the misleading information in the advertisement. I took the unit to a REAL Dell tech who put a wireless card in the unit and found the unit defective. I immediately notified the seller that I believe I must have received the wrong unit by accident that I wanted a good one and I would return this one at my own expense, which I did. The seller was rude, called me a liar and went as far to send emails threatening to keep me from getting a refund for the defective unit. I would NEVER do business with this seller again, his ego is bigger than his brain and he has no people skills. I did receive my refund, thanks to Amazon, I am out the cost of the Dell service call and expense to ship and insure the defective unit, but that is a small price to pay to break all ties with a seller like this one. I am corresponding with Dell right now about this experience.
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