Showing posts with label laptops under 100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laptops under 100. Show all posts
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Discount Sony - VAIO Laptop / Intel® CoreTM i7 Processor / 16.4" Display
Using this laptop for at least 6 hours a day, I can assure you: it is fast. The i7 is so much better than the i3 or i5 chip. The wireless networking is also very reliable, and easy to use with Windows 7. I rarely use the blu-ray but I watched the sample video and it was beautiful, clear, better than expected. The one thing that really bothers me about this laptop is the heat. Using the touchpad burns my fingertips, regularly. Normally I use an external wireless keyboard but when I travel, that is a pain. Overall, this is the best value-for-money laptop I have bought since 1980.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Reviews of Toshiba Satellite M115-S3094 14.1" Widescreen Laptop (Intel Core
Once again Toshiba re-defines the marketplace with this incredibly powerful lightweight laptop. How can you beat this? It's only around five pounds and packs incredible power at an amazing price. It's a great deal by the best laptop maker out there. The positives totally outweigh the negatives, but I will mention the few problems. The system makes more fan noise than most other models. If the system were more expensive this would be a deal breaker, but again, this powerful laptop is cheap! The other problem is how the system performs out of the box. As usual the system comes with a ton of pre-installed garbage. It took me 4-8 hours to wipe the hard drive, re-image it with a clean OS, and install the Toshiba drivers. Once this was complete the system worked to my satisfaction. This would be a five star review if the system worked well out of the box. All things considered, Toshiba strikes again!
I went to Best Buy, WalMart, Target, etc to test out many different models of many different laptops. The first thing I noticed with this Toshiba is the screen. For being only 14.1 inches, you barely notice that it is inferior in size to the bigger 17 inch models. The colors are vivid, the pictures are as clear as can be, and while testing watching DVDs on it, I felt like I was watching High Def. TV. I decided after that point to research the model farther, and eventually ended up buying it.
I ordered my M115 from CompUSA and it arrived within two short days. I opened the box and started set-up. I was amazed at how few annoyances I had with a laptop that cost me so little. Usually you are going to sacrifice SOMETHING if you're buying a cheaper product, no matter what that product may be. Of course, as I delved deeper into testing this laptop, I figured out several reasons why it is in the budget category.
Now that the laptop was home, it was time to start other tests. I had already tested the screen at the store, and like I said, it passed with flying colors. Next I tested the battery life. I put in my extended version of "The Return of the King" and let the battery run down. I kept the laptop at full brightness and did NOT use power saver mode. It took two hours and fifty-five minutes before the laptop shut off. This is EXCELLENT for a six-cell battery under the conditions I put it in.
Next, I tested the laptop battery for word processing on the lowest brightness possible with power saver mode. The battery was empty after four hours and five minutes. I was extremely pleased with these results because I use this laptop for word processing in class where I can't charge it up if it runs out of battery, and over four hours is more than enough for me. However, if you are truly concerned about battery life, you can always buy a spare and keep it charged.
After the battery had taken a good beating from all the testing, I started testing sound quality. I popped in my "Best of the Classics" CD and started messing around with the sound settings. On lower settings, the sound quality is not the best. However, the higher you put the volume, the better quality you will get from the speakers. I finally found the perfect spot on the volume adjuster for listening to CDs. However, I need to adjust when watching DVDs and Videos...generally you need to turn the volume up a bit for that. All in all, I was happy with the speakers and sound quality, but not blown away.
After taking my CD out, I started opening every application on the laptop. This way, I could see approximately how many applications I could have open before the laptop either seized up or got horrendously slow. I opened the internet, my word processor, photoshop, my digital photography suite that is connected to my printer, my website editor and finally, I started running the virus-scan. This is a lot to ask of any computer, but especially of one that only runs on 512MB. I found that it ran the applications well up until I opened the website editor. It was just too much for the little M115 to handle. This was expected from a machine that only runs on 512MB, and I decided at that point that an upgrade to 1GB would be needed. I ordered another 512MB the next day, and can now run all the applications I want. From time to time they will slow up a bit, but the fact that it can even handle that work load is awesome and a definite must, since I'm a multi-tasker.
This laptop comes with an 80GB HD, and some today say the new standard is at least 100GB. To be honest, I think that's a complete crock of sh**. I have an old Compaq (from 1999) that still works, and it has a 15GB HD, with only 11GB usable. If I can operate that machine (and I can), then 80GB is luxury. I have all the programs I need installed on this machine and I still have 55GB free. Will I use it? Probably not. Would I need 100GB? No way! Unless you are someone who is using cr**loads of programs that require installation on the computer, then there is NO need for anything bigger than 80GB while operating on a Windows XP machine. Maybe when it's time to upgrade to Vista, but for now, it is just not necessary. Besides, you will not be upgrading to Vista on this laptop. I know several Microsoft developers and they all have Vista already...and some of them can't even run it on machines with 100GB HDs and 2GB memory. So yeah, stick with XP and you will be fine with 80GB HD and 1GB memory (RAM).
One annoyance I had after setting up this laptop is finding the amount of bloatware that came with it. It can be easily removed, but the fact that so much of it was even on my little M115 was a serious gripe for me. This is probably one of the reasons why it was so cheap--lots of manufacturers being advertised from start-up. I now have altered it to my liking, but it takes some time and patience.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this laptop is not for extreme gamers. I do a lot of graphic design with digital photography and I can work from this laptop, but it isn't the best home-base for my work. This is more of a laptop that you would use for typical programs like the internet, word-processing, light gaming, light photo-editing, movie-watching, music listening and chatting. It's great for the TYPICAL user...but don't buy this laptop and then complain that you can't run your huge graphic-demanding games on it without giving up some quality...if you're in that boat, you should go with an Alienware.
Some annoyances that have been listed with this laptop, other than battery life which I have already covered, are the keyboard and some complaints of overheating or loud fan noise. The keyboard is cramped. No two ways about it. This is a small laptop, and the keyboard is spread nicely on it, but it is still cramped. I have small hands so this is not a problem, but a someone with huge piano fingers would probably have a hard time with typing. A very hard time. Test the laptop out at a store before buying it, because if you don't you could be sorely disappointed. I did not notice ANY overheating...it gets warm, but in no way does it "overheat." There is some fan noise, but very little. It turns on every 5-10 minutes for about two seconds when using the laptop under normal use.
My last note on this laptop is that I wish it had come with a faster processor. I have altered it so that it is up to what I want as far as performance goes, but come on, Intel Core 2 Duo is the standard now. Not Intel Core Duo. Hopefully Toshiba will change this on future M115 models, because I would love to get a younger sibling of this laptop at some point.
For what I paid, I could not have gotten better. This laptop gets the job done and is the best of the best in budget laptops. Buy another 512MB of RAM, and you will be good to go.
RATINGS:
Screen Quality: 10/10
Sound Quality: 7/10
Operation Speed: 8/10 (after upgrade) or 6.5/10 (before upgrade)
Battery life: 7.5/10 (excellent for a six-cell battery!!!)
Out-of-box quality: 6/10
Price: 10/10
Design: 8/10
Why not 10/10?
Screen Qualiy deductions: -0. Probably one of the best screens I've ever seen.
Sound Quality deductions: -3 for some tinniness in the sound when playing music or videos on a lower level of sound.
Operation Speed deductions: -2 for a slower processor (after upgrade) and -3.5 for a slower processor and not enough RAM out of the box (before upgrade).
Battery Life deductions: -2.5 for the hardy six-cell, because every modern laptop should come with AT LEAST a nine-cell. Again, good for what it is, but it's time to upgrade, Toshiba.
Out-of-Box Quality deductions: -4 for annoying bloatware, slower processor and not enough RAM.
Price deductions: -0...this is the BEST OF THE BEST in it's price range.
Design: -2 for a cramped keyboard.
OVERALL: 8/10
Another great future is that it allows you to watch DVD's without starting up the whole system, plus, it has S-video if you want to hook it up to your TV.
Toshiba is an established brand in the market and if you want to sell it after using it a while, you will have anough buyers and your laptop will not depreciate in price that much. This is another reason why I bought this laptop.
The only cons about this computer is the 512mb memory, but that can easily be upgraded, and all you need is another 512mb memory upgrade and you're set. Also, the computer comes with a lot of unnecessary software and junk, but that problem can be solved by simply uninstalling whatever you don't want on there. It can take a bit of time, though, depending on how much stuff you want to uninstall, but I didn't really mind it.
Overall, I'd have to say this is a great laptop at a great price.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Being a college student, I am always looking for ways to save money. After a semester of living without a laptop and constantly having to go over to the computer lab which was anything but conducive to studying and writing, I finally realized it was time to buy my own laptop. With so many options on the market, I spent much of my winter vacation trying to figure out which model I would finally decide on. The driving factor in my decision was price. I knew that I wanted to spend under one-thousand bucks for the laptop and any needed accessories. I called up my brother, the computer whiz, and asked for his opinion. He told me to look into Toshiba, and that started my two week long search that ultimately led me to this laptop.I went to Best Buy, WalMart, Target, etc to test out many different models of many different laptops. The first thing I noticed with this Toshiba is the screen. For being only 14.1 inches, you barely notice that it is inferior in size to the bigger 17 inch models. The colors are vivid, the pictures are as clear as can be, and while testing watching DVDs on it, I felt like I was watching High Def. TV. I decided after that point to research the model farther, and eventually ended up buying it.
I ordered my M115 from CompUSA and it arrived within two short days. I opened the box and started set-up. I was amazed at how few annoyances I had with a laptop that cost me so little. Usually you are going to sacrifice SOMETHING if you're buying a cheaper product, no matter what that product may be. Of course, as I delved deeper into testing this laptop, I figured out several reasons why it is in the budget category.
Now that the laptop was home, it was time to start other tests. I had already tested the screen at the store, and like I said, it passed with flying colors. Next I tested the battery life. I put in my extended version of "The Return of the King" and let the battery run down. I kept the laptop at full brightness and did NOT use power saver mode. It took two hours and fifty-five minutes before the laptop shut off. This is EXCELLENT for a six-cell battery under the conditions I put it in.
Next, I tested the laptop battery for word processing on the lowest brightness possible with power saver mode. The battery was empty after four hours and five minutes. I was extremely pleased with these results because I use this laptop for word processing in class where I can't charge it up if it runs out of battery, and over four hours is more than enough for me. However, if you are truly concerned about battery life, you can always buy a spare and keep it charged.
After the battery had taken a good beating from all the testing, I started testing sound quality. I popped in my "Best of the Classics" CD and started messing around with the sound settings. On lower settings, the sound quality is not the best. However, the higher you put the volume, the better quality you will get from the speakers. I finally found the perfect spot on the volume adjuster for listening to CDs. However, I need to adjust when watching DVDs and Videos...generally you need to turn the volume up a bit for that. All in all, I was happy with the speakers and sound quality, but not blown away.
After taking my CD out, I started opening every application on the laptop. This way, I could see approximately how many applications I could have open before the laptop either seized up or got horrendously slow. I opened the internet, my word processor, photoshop, my digital photography suite that is connected to my printer, my website editor and finally, I started running the virus-scan. This is a lot to ask of any computer, but especially of one that only runs on 512MB. I found that it ran the applications well up until I opened the website editor. It was just too much for the little M115 to handle. This was expected from a machine that only runs on 512MB, and I decided at that point that an upgrade to 1GB would be needed. I ordered another 512MB the next day, and can now run all the applications I want. From time to time they will slow up a bit, but the fact that it can even handle that work load is awesome and a definite must, since I'm a multi-tasker.
This laptop comes with an 80GB HD, and some today say the new standard is at least 100GB. To be honest, I think that's a complete crock of sh**. I have an old Compaq (from 1999) that still works, and it has a 15GB HD, with only 11GB usable. If I can operate that machine (and I can), then 80GB is luxury. I have all the programs I need installed on this machine and I still have 55GB free. Will I use it? Probably not. Would I need 100GB? No way! Unless you are someone who is using cr**loads of programs that require installation on the computer, then there is NO need for anything bigger than 80GB while operating on a Windows XP machine. Maybe when it's time to upgrade to Vista, but for now, it is just not necessary. Besides, you will not be upgrading to Vista on this laptop. I know several Microsoft developers and they all have Vista already...and some of them can't even run it on machines with 100GB HDs and 2GB memory. So yeah, stick with XP and you will be fine with 80GB HD and 1GB memory (RAM).
One annoyance I had after setting up this laptop is finding the amount of bloatware that came with it. It can be easily removed, but the fact that so much of it was even on my little M115 was a serious gripe for me. This is probably one of the reasons why it was so cheap--lots of manufacturers being advertised from start-up. I now have altered it to my liking, but it takes some time and patience.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this laptop is not for extreme gamers. I do a lot of graphic design with digital photography and I can work from this laptop, but it isn't the best home-base for my work. This is more of a laptop that you would use for typical programs like the internet, word-processing, light gaming, light photo-editing, movie-watching, music listening and chatting. It's great for the TYPICAL user...but don't buy this laptop and then complain that you can't run your huge graphic-demanding games on it without giving up some quality...if you're in that boat, you should go with an Alienware.
Some annoyances that have been listed with this laptop, other than battery life which I have already covered, are the keyboard and some complaints of overheating or loud fan noise. The keyboard is cramped. No two ways about it. This is a small laptop, and the keyboard is spread nicely on it, but it is still cramped. I have small hands so this is not a problem, but a someone with huge piano fingers would probably have a hard time with typing. A very hard time. Test the laptop out at a store before buying it, because if you don't you could be sorely disappointed. I did not notice ANY overheating...it gets warm, but in no way does it "overheat." There is some fan noise, but very little. It turns on every 5-10 minutes for about two seconds when using the laptop under normal use.
My last note on this laptop is that I wish it had come with a faster processor. I have altered it so that it is up to what I want as far as performance goes, but come on, Intel Core 2 Duo is the standard now. Not Intel Core Duo. Hopefully Toshiba will change this on future M115 models, because I would love to get a younger sibling of this laptop at some point.
For what I paid, I could not have gotten better. This laptop gets the job done and is the best of the best in budget laptops. Buy another 512MB of RAM, and you will be good to go.
RATINGS:
Screen Quality: 10/10
Sound Quality: 7/10
Operation Speed: 8/10 (after upgrade) or 6.5/10 (before upgrade)
Battery life: 7.5/10 (excellent for a six-cell battery!!!)
Out-of-box quality: 6/10
Price: 10/10
Design: 8/10
Why not 10/10?
Screen Qualiy deductions: -0. Probably one of the best screens I've ever seen.
Sound Quality deductions: -3 for some tinniness in the sound when playing music or videos on a lower level of sound.
Operation Speed deductions: -2 for a slower processor (after upgrade) and -3.5 for a slower processor and not enough RAM out of the box (before upgrade).
Battery Life deductions: -2.5 for the hardy six-cell, because every modern laptop should come with AT LEAST a nine-cell. Again, good for what it is, but it's time to upgrade, Toshiba.
Out-of-Box Quality deductions: -4 for annoying bloatware, slower processor and not enough RAM.
Price deductions: -0...this is the BEST OF THE BEST in it's price range.
Design: -2 for a cramped keyboard.
OVERALL: 8/10
Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite M115-S3094 14.1" Widescreen Laptop (Intel Core
This is second laptop that I have owned. Compared to my old E-machines N10, this is a much better laptop. Some of the significant differences that I see between these two laptops are: I have no problem with wireless network using my Toshiba M115, I like the keyboard layout and the sound system on it.Another great future is that it allows you to watch DVD's without starting up the whole system, plus, it has S-video if you want to hook it up to your TV.
Toshiba is an established brand in the market and if you want to sell it after using it a while, you will have anough buyers and your laptop will not depreciate in price that much. This is another reason why I bought this laptop.
Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite M115-S3094 14.1" Widescreen Laptop (Intel Core
I bought this laptop about 3 weeks ago, and so far everything has been great. The size is nice, with the LCD wide screen making it very enjoyable to watch movies on. It's a pretty light laptop, at 5.something pounds and is very mobile for its size. I really like the keyboard, with the regular sized 'Shift' button on the right hand side. The battery life can last up to (and possibly a little over) 4 hours, depending on your chosen power settings. It's got the built-in wireless card, that you can switch on and off whenever you want to use it. The graphics for this computer are pretty good, and pretty much everything else is well over satisfactory.The only cons about this computer is the 512mb memory, but that can easily be upgraded, and all you need is another 512mb memory upgrade and you're set. Also, the computer comes with a lot of unnecessary software and junk, but that problem can be solved by simply uninstalling whatever you don't want on there. It can take a bit of time, though, depending on how much stuff you want to uninstall, but I didn't really mind it.
Overall, I'd have to say this is a great laptop at a great price.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite M115-S3094 14.1" Widescreen Laptop (Intel Core
Ok so my review will focus on how the laptop preformed before I broke the screen. To start out the laptop worked fine for basic activities like surfing the web, looking at pictures, or listening to your music library. But with the entry level amount of ram, and the cpu only being a single core, it lags with basic games like Sim City, and The Sims, and forget graphic intensive games like Flight Simulator's. It always got hot when doing basic stuff, thus the fan kicks into overtime to cool it down causing noticeable noise. The screen (before I cracked it)was very hazy, and the glare in the sun was terrible. Now moving on from the bad, the good things included a roomy keyboard with a very nicely located shift key (its great for fast typing). The battery was good with a two hour life span maybe two and a half if you're doing the basics. It came pre installed with a lot of useful software, that was a plus. All in all it fit my basic needs, but its limited hardware can set you back. I suggest a ram upgrade before you even set foot into the level of games, and streaming movies from Netflix, or Hulu.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Reviews of HP 15.6" Pavilion dv6-3025dx Entertainment 4GB Laptop 500GB
I bought this laptop from best buy in early September of 2010. I would have given it 4 stars, but after only a month of use it quit working. I think the graphics card may have overheated. The system lights would come on but nothing showed up on the screen. Also it happened overnight when the laptop was on, but not in use.
Luckily hp fixed it free of charge and it is working great now. The ram, hd space, and processor are all really great and pretty fast for the price of this laptop. My only complaint is that the graphics card only has 128 mb of dedicated memory which is not great. Luckily the proccessor makes up for it and i can still play most new games on low settings. Older games work fine.
Also the track pad is a pain and not comfortable to use. you just have to push down a little bit to hard to click. Fingerprint scanner works great, and also the HDMI output is great to watch high def movies on a tv.
Overall its a good buy but if youre into gaming or other graphic applications get a laptop with less hd space, a slower processor, but a better graphics card.
Laptop touchpad....A horrible F MINUS!!!
Luckily hp fixed it free of charge and it is working great now. The ram, hd space, and processor are all really great and pretty fast for the price of this laptop. My only complaint is that the graphics card only has 128 mb of dedicated memory which is not great. Luckily the proccessor makes up for it and i can still play most new games on low settings. Older games work fine.
Also the track pad is a pain and not comfortable to use. you just have to push down a little bit to hard to click. Fingerprint scanner works great, and also the HDMI output is great to watch high def movies on a tv.
Overall its a good buy but if youre into gaming or other graphic applications get a laptop with less hd space, a slower processor, but a better graphics card.
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I have had nothing but problems with this laptop. The hard drive crashed and I had a friend who replaced it for me. Now the battery is bad and needs replaced. That is with only occasional use and minimal downloading. I also bought my sister the same computer and hers doesn't even work anymore! Piece of junk and wish I had never bought it.Best Deals for HP 15.6" Pavilion dv6-3025dx Entertainment 4GB Laptop 500GB
An Awesome laptop with possibly the WORST touchpad on the planet...I mean i haven't been able to type one whole sentence for 6 months now without having it get erased or minimized...It seems that the body of the computer senses palm heat and makes the pointer jump all over...Don't listen to the people that tell you that you can fix it through settings...because you can't...It's actually a two handed touchpad and I have forgotten the good old days of using one hand to navigate...I actually use two hands...one to navigate and one to push the left button...While writing this review I actually had to rewrite it twice and maximize google chrome 4 times...I swear it's as if the people that designed it weren't even thinking about testing while they were in development. ..Because if they did they wouldn't have put it on the market like this...Laptop speed and extras...A++++...Laptop touchpad....A horrible F MINUS!!!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Best Acer Aspire AS5750G-9821 15.6" Laptop (2.2 GHz Intel Core i7-2670QM Deals
This is a great laptop! It plays all the games I own at atleast 30+ FPS!!! I even play Battlefield 3 on Medium settings with about 30-40 FPS! Geforce GT 630m is a great video card and this laptop all-in-all is a must buy!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Best Lenovo ThinkPad X230 Laptop Computer Convertible Laptop - Intel Deals
I am badly disappointed in my Lenovo X230 Tablet. I received it and set about adding my standard programs with high expectations. At each shut down I had the standard messages from Microsoft updates asking not to shut down until the updates were complete. I had other updates run automatically. The result was the touchpad and fingerprint reader stopped working. After three calls to Lenovo Tech Support, many more updates of drivers, the system was not useable. I wiped the disk twice, reinstalled from the Lenovo resue disk, but again updates were required and I did them and had the same problem. It's not worth the time and trouble! Also, the edges of the touchscreen area are not sensitive and a finger touch will not pull out the menu nor will the pen in done cases.
Buyer beware of buying the new model until all updates are through being made.
Buyer beware of buying the new model until all updates are through being made.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Samsung Series 3 NP300V5A-A03 15.6-Inch Laptop Reviews
I needed a laptop for: presentation to clients, web & email, excel, watching movies when out of town.
This laptop is more than enough for all of that. If you're a gamer, there's probably not enough speed. If you're a graphic designer, the LCD may get on your nerves.
In general I prefer desktops because I like the modular components, cheaper price, more power, full-size keyboard & mouse.
The biggest issues for me with laptops are the keyboard & track pads. I use the number pad a lot, and this one has it. The keyboard on this computer also feels very natural and is pretty quiet when typing. I usually HATE track pads. On past laptops that I've owned, I never went anywhere without an additional mouse so that I wouldn't have to use horrid track pad and get frustrated at how long everything took. Samsung, being the same manufacturer as Apple products, uses the same large, well-designed track pad with multi-touch apple functionality (2-finger scroll, zoom-in or out by moving 2 fingers closer or farther apart...). I just played with this for a few hours with no mouse, and I'm pretty sure that I won't need to carry a mouse around with this computer.
It also runs very quietly (so much so that it almost seems like a solid state drive), quickly, and feels pretty light weight. Runs cool too, maybe that's normal for laptops now, but my older work laptop gets to hot to actually set it on your lap. It turns out that it's also currently consumer reports highest rated laptop under $700.
The only downside is the screen. While the screen quality is comparable with most other laptops under $1000, it's lower quality than what I'm accustomed to since I'm used to desktop monitors. That's a very small concession though.
This laptop is more than enough for all of that. If you're a gamer, there's probably not enough speed. If you're a graphic designer, the LCD may get on your nerves.
In general I prefer desktops because I like the modular components, cheaper price, more power, full-size keyboard & mouse.
The biggest issues for me with laptops are the keyboard & track pads. I use the number pad a lot, and this one has it. The keyboard on this computer also feels very natural and is pretty quiet when typing. I usually HATE track pads. On past laptops that I've owned, I never went anywhere without an additional mouse so that I wouldn't have to use horrid track pad and get frustrated at how long everything took. Samsung, being the same manufacturer as Apple products, uses the same large, well-designed track pad with multi-touch apple functionality (2-finger scroll, zoom-in or out by moving 2 fingers closer or farther apart...). I just played with this for a few hours with no mouse, and I'm pretty sure that I won't need to carry a mouse around with this computer.
It also runs very quietly (so much so that it almost seems like a solid state drive), quickly, and feels pretty light weight. Runs cool too, maybe that's normal for laptops now, but my older work laptop gets to hot to actually set it on your lap. It turns out that it's also currently consumer reports highest rated laptop under $700.
The only downside is the screen. While the screen quality is comparable with most other laptops under $1000, it's lower quality than what I'm accustomed to since I'm used to desktop monitors. That's a very small concession though.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
This laptop failed after less than a year. I have had laptops from various brands including HP, Compaq, and Sony. All lasted 3-4 years besides replacing batteries once or twice a year. I will never buy another Samsung laptop. Samsung customer service is useless and now the computer is a useless brick sitting in the back of my closet.Best Deals for Samsung Series 3 NP300V5A-A03 15.6-Inch Laptop
Quality of laptop is higher than Dell and HP. The screen resolution is high and has good contrast. The problems others have stated here seem to be a software issue. Overall I haven't had any problems yet.Honest reviews on Samsung Series 3 NP300V5A-A03 15.6-Inch Laptop
Beautiful laptop at a great price. So far, it seems to work very well too. Battery doesn't last quite as long as I thought but it's not bad either.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung Series 3 NP300V5A-A03 15.6-Inch Laptop
This is a great practical laptop. The keyboard needs a little geting used to. The smart touchpad didn't work when it arrived but just delete the original touchpad driver, then download the smart touchpad driver from the samsung website and install. The shipping and packaging was great.Sunday, August 17, 2014
Asus K50I-RBBGR05 15.6-Inch Widescreen Titanium Notebook - Black Review
Just received it.
I consider the price in this review.
I am a frugal shopper and a bit of a techy -I'll be putting a Linux partition on it.
$365 delivered, refurb -no signs of why it was refurbished.
I've never owned an ASUS so far I really really like it. Touch pad is a bit touchy -:-) -but slick in that it is integrated into the body. The two finger scrolling and three finger menu is nice but the pad will take some getting used to.
The key board is sensitive as well, the buttons are big, all of which I happen to like; the numbers pad is a big bonus that I really like.
It is wide, like 17", the screen seems larger than your average 15.6". Good resolution. The battery life seems long, but we'll see.
It is lighter than my last Dell.
This is also my first run with the Windows 7 OS so that will take a bit of getting used to as well.
WiFi is fast and strong because of the wireless N -longer distance faster transfer rates.
Overall this laptop seems very solid for the money.
Easy to configure, lots of options, very sleek looking.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone looking for a budget portable.
I will use it for work/school (I'm a PhD student).
For what you pay this thing is a steal.
I will update as I use it.
[Update] 6 months and still feel the same.
[Update] Over two years old and still going strong. I don't use it hard, but I do take it out of the house a couple of times a week. However, it is one of three devices I use (my tablet and desktop get the most work).
Issues with it:
1) There is a permanent smudge on the screen from stuff wearing off of the touchpad.
2) The Webcam simply failed shortly after my last post. The hardware is fine (no problem using it in Linux partition) it is an ASUS software issue.
3) Power cable is starting to show signs of wear.
4) I could never get used to the delete key placement. Still drives me nuts when typing on it.
Let me say this laptop will be sufficient for some daily use. It is a good laptop for the price. Fast enough ( but not super speedy). Doesnt feel really heavy to me, but then again, I normally carry around a 17 inch dell. Very nice looking. Overall, very good for browsing and email. Probably really good for a student or light to medium usage. Im a heavy user and KILL laptops, so I dont think this one will last too long is you are rough on your laptops. Good specs. Started up out of the box. Would recommend though.
Cons:
-Installed software. There is A LOT of it! Slows down the computer on start up horribly.
-It was FILTHY! I know its refurbished, but at least you could take a can of air and blow out the cat hair and food crumbs (Im literally serious)! Come on, Amazon! If you buy this, purchase some canned air to blow out the keyboard and monitor as it was GROSS! Again as a heavy user, I know a gross laptop, and that one put mine to shame. Im going to have to pop the keys out and scrub with Qtips.
-Small scratches around the monitor. Nothing major, just figured I would mention it because some people are really picky.
-Packaging/Delivery. No bubble wrap or padding whatsoever. Came in a large box ( like a laptop normally would), but just had cardboard to hold in place and skrink wrap to prevent scratching. No padding between keyboard and monitor either. No protection at all (aside of the plastic bag on the outside incase it rained). The box wasnt dented, but if it had been, I worry about what could have happened. Speaking of which, FedEx left it outside on my porch ( in 95 degree heat) when I didnt answer my door (didnt even require a signature I guess), so make sure you are home for your delivery otherwise, someone might walk off with your new-to-you laptop. :/
I consider the price in this review.
I am a frugal shopper and a bit of a techy -I'll be putting a Linux partition on it.
$365 delivered, refurb -no signs of why it was refurbished.
I've never owned an ASUS so far I really really like it. Touch pad is a bit touchy -:-) -but slick in that it is integrated into the body. The two finger scrolling and three finger menu is nice but the pad will take some getting used to.
The key board is sensitive as well, the buttons are big, all of which I happen to like; the numbers pad is a big bonus that I really like.
It is wide, like 17", the screen seems larger than your average 15.6". Good resolution. The battery life seems long, but we'll see.
It is lighter than my last Dell.
This is also my first run with the Windows 7 OS so that will take a bit of getting used to as well.
WiFi is fast and strong because of the wireless N -longer distance faster transfer rates.
Overall this laptop seems very solid for the money.
Easy to configure, lots of options, very sleek looking.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone looking for a budget portable.
I will use it for work/school (I'm a PhD student).
For what you pay this thing is a steal.
I will update as I use it.
[Update] 6 months and still feel the same.
[Update] Over two years old and still going strong. I don't use it hard, but I do take it out of the house a couple of times a week. However, it is one of three devices I use (my tablet and desktop get the most work).
Issues with it:
1) There is a permanent smudge on the screen from stuff wearing off of the touchpad.
2) The Webcam simply failed shortly after my last post. The hardware is fine (no problem using it in Linux partition) it is an ASUS software issue.
3) Power cable is starting to show signs of wear.
4) I could never get used to the delete key placement. Still drives me nuts when typing on it.
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Bought for husband as travel-laptop. Just got in today.Let me say this laptop will be sufficient for some daily use. It is a good laptop for the price. Fast enough ( but not super speedy). Doesnt feel really heavy to me, but then again, I normally carry around a 17 inch dell. Very nice looking. Overall, very good for browsing and email. Probably really good for a student or light to medium usage. Im a heavy user and KILL laptops, so I dont think this one will last too long is you are rough on your laptops. Good specs. Started up out of the box. Would recommend though.
Cons:
-Installed software. There is A LOT of it! Slows down the computer on start up horribly.
-It was FILTHY! I know its refurbished, but at least you could take a can of air and blow out the cat hair and food crumbs (Im literally serious)! Come on, Amazon! If you buy this, purchase some canned air to blow out the keyboard and monitor as it was GROSS! Again as a heavy user, I know a gross laptop, and that one put mine to shame. Im going to have to pop the keys out and scrub with Qtips.
-Small scratches around the monitor. Nothing major, just figured I would mention it because some people are really picky.
-Packaging/Delivery. No bubble wrap or padding whatsoever. Came in a large box ( like a laptop normally would), but just had cardboard to hold in place and skrink wrap to prevent scratching. No padding between keyboard and monitor either. No protection at all (aside of the plastic bag on the outside incase it rained). The box wasnt dented, but if it had been, I worry about what could have happened. Speaking of which, FedEx left it outside on my porch ( in 95 degree heat) when I didnt answer my door (didnt even require a signature I guess), so make sure you are home for your delivery otherwise, someone might walk off with your new-to-you laptop. :/
Best Deals for Asus K50I-RBBGR05 15.6-Inch Widescreen Titanium Notebook - Black
First I was pleasantly surprised/blown away at how fast Planet73 shipped my Asus laptop that was well within the estimated delivery time. It is a great balance of price and performance from Asus, which is known for reliability and robust products. It is a huge step up or jump in virtually all the specs and features departments compared to the 12.1" old faithful laptop I have!It's quiet with no heating issues. I'm not a gamer, so a big hard drive and Windows 7 works for me! Most people might not encounter this situation as I am left-handed. The on button placement is awkward for a leftie as well as the power cord. When plugging in the power cord in the rear left area of the laptop, my right hand inadvertently touches the DVD button on the right side for stability. Other from those quirks, its a keeper!Honest reviews on Asus K50I-RBBGR05 15.6-Inch Widescreen Titanium Notebook - Black
I bought this laptop to install Ubuntu 10.10 and it worked like a champ! Everything installed fine and works perfectly out of the box--including things like 3D acceleration, laptop keyboard functions, and other things that can sometimes be a pain in Ubuntu. The only problem I have with it is that the webcam was installed upside-down; Asus "fixed" this by installing a special driver in Windows that flipped it back, but there's no apparent way to do this with Ubuntu. With that one problem aside, if you're looking for a laptop for a pain-free installation of Ubuntu, this one definitely fits the bill!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Asus K50I-RBBGR05 15.6-Inch Widescreen Titanium Notebook - Black
Love the backlit keyboard. Had a little problem with upgrading to windows 8, but got it worked out, and has worked flawlessly since. Highly recommend it for anyone wanting a laptop.Thursday, August 7, 2014
Cheap Dell Inspiron 14R i14RN4110-8073DBK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
I've had a week to play around with my new Dell Inspiron 14r and I must say that I was disappointed at first. My initial reaction to this machine wasn't due cosmetic or ergonomic factors, but performance. On paper, this Dell should be able to handle basic web surfing while listening to mp3s with some Windows updates going on in the background. But no, this guy would almost slow to a crawl. Opening a simple application, such as Mozilla Firefox, would take around 10 seconds and would often freeze after loading. Even the boot-up time was a painful 2 1/2 minutes. Now this laptop has an index rating of 5.8, indicating that the dismal performance wasn't due to hardware. Which led me to the other possible culprit: software. Specifically, Dell's crapware, bloatware, etc. When this computer finally loaded, there was Dell DataSafe Online, Dell Data Backup and Dell Dock all running in the background. Manually uninstalling these through control panel gave no positive results. So I did a clean install of Windows 7 and let me tell you, it is a world of difference! The machine boots in about a minute, all applications open and load much quicker (without freezing) and this Dell can now adequately handle anything I throw at it. So if you're considering this laptop, just know that you may experience some performance issues thanks to the useless applications Dell has installed. If you're computer savvy, don't hesitate to do a clean install of Windows 7, you will be a much happier user. I know I am.
You will have an excellent, fast and efficient laptop. Rating 4 star for the additional effort needed, otherwise 5 star!
It's solid and works well. There wasn't nearly as much bloatware as other people are saying. I uninstalled all of it (especially Dell Datasafe but create your backup discs first), and it's very speedy now. I use it for occasional video editing, and it's sufficiently powerful for that.
The keyboard does occasionally miss a letter. It's happening much less often after a couple of months, but still once in a while.
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This review is based on initial impressions as we just received it today. This rev of the Inspirion is a step up in terms of build quality, compared to the 1st gen Inspirion 1440 we got 18 months ago. It feels more solid, the exterior plastic is a notch above the last version, and the chiclet keyboard is a definite improvement. The LED backlit screen is very nice. The Windows Experience Index rating is a respectable 5.6, reinforcing my impression that this laptop is more than adequate for email, browsing, and casual gaming.Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 14R i14RN4110-8073DBK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
This is excellent laptop for the price... got everything you basically need. If you can clean up the dell bloat-ware it will be 5-star. Either clean up the dell junk-ware or just do a fresh install of windows 7. License key is on the back of your laptop. Use that to register your windows 7 copy.You will have an excellent, fast and efficient laptop. Rating 4 star for the additional effort needed, otherwise 5 star!
Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron 14R i14RN4110-8073DBK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
I got a great deal on this through the Kindle with Special Offers, but I think it's also a good laptop for the regular price. It's about as light as you're going to get in this price range.It's solid and works well. There wasn't nearly as much bloatware as other people are saying. I uninstalled all of it (especially Dell Datasafe but create your backup discs first), and it's very speedy now. I use it for occasional video editing, and it's sufficiently powerful for that.
The keyboard does occasionally miss a letter. It's happening much less often after a couple of months, but still once in a while.
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My dad and I spent the time and bought this computer in may 10. I'm a college student. I was excited to have a computer that was new. When I got it there wasn't an issue but once I got to school by nov it was frustrating to use. My track pad just stops working and I thought oh well I have a back up anyway. But then it started freezing and listening to music or watching a video is unbearable it freezes the picture but the sound keeps going or it makes high pitched noises and then keeps going. Typing anything up means that it freezes and stops responding. Its really bad when you have something like music and word up and your righting a paper or on the internet. There are no viruses on it. 2 of my other friends had dells as well this model. they to experienced the same problem and actually had to buy new computers even though they werent a year old due to the same problems. There is no quality check on these laptops and they aren't reliable if you have to use it any day for a long time. Get something else these are all hardware problemsFriday, July 18, 2014
Reviews of HP Pavilion DV6-1354US 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4 Hours of
I purchased model DV6-1354US with 500gb hard drive and 6 cell battery. I use this laptop for editing photos with Adobe Photoshop CS4, as well as editing audio with Adobe Audition 2.0.
I have a five year old HP laptop running XP and it is still going strong. Despite outsourced Indian phone support, I was able to communicate support issues effectively. I am confident in future hardware performance and support from HP.
Transition from XP to Windows 7 was intuitive. The new taskbar is my favorite improvement. Followed by much better graphic interface and widgets. Some of my XP software causes Windows 7 to turn off Aero mode. I feel that windows has caught up with Apple in terms of graphics and workflow.
As far as laptop is concerned, Dave from Portland has a great review comparing the different models available on Amazon. The DV6-1354US is sufficient for me to use Adobe Photoshop and Audition, as well as multitask.
I will never go to a laptop again without a numeric keypad, this was an unexpected plus. I do miss the old HP media controls above the keyboard. They are replaced now by a volume and wireless control. I like that they are no longer buttons but touch sensitive surfaces above the keyboard.
The DV6 is quieter and cooler than my old HP. The power cord is beefier, which was always a problem with my old HP. Although I would prefer a magnetic power cord like Apple offers. Compared to other manufacturers, I would have to say that HP has the best price for great, reliable hardware.
Everything is a wonderful improvement except for the sound. Frequently, friends would ask where the music was coming from when I used my old DV1000. I felt that the sound was very rich for such a small system. I find the DV6 to have a much shallower, smaller sound that finds trouble filling a bedroom. For this reason, I drop the DV6 to four stars.
Also, the DV6 doesn't come with recovery disks. You need 3 DVD+R or -R (not RW) disks to create your own.
Overall, I really enjoy this computer, and probably will continue to enjoy it for another 5 to 7 years until RAM is in petabytes and laptops cook dinners. If I had to do it again I would still choose it over an Acer, Asus, Dell, Mac, or Sony.
The reviews on this style of HP were good. Friends and colleagues at other companies were happy with theirs. I ordered this for my wife. I received it a month ago and am using the multimedia stuff, the lightscribe CD/DVD burner etc. All very simple. Windows 7 seems very solid. The 4 Meg of RAM moves it along quickly. The N wireless card is fast and furious on the N+ Router (Belkin). we are doing Amazon movie on demand and no delays. Keyboard feels good, has built in number pad, nice. However the keys do get lost in w very low lighting. Maybe back-lighting the keys or iridium down the road?
So for the first month anyhow, very happy with it.
Only annoying thing is you have to make your own recovery disks (3 dvd blank disks you have to prepare). There is no os disk so this is important to do. It does not matter except for waiting a long time to burn those 3 dvd disks...
I have a five year old HP laptop running XP and it is still going strong. Despite outsourced Indian phone support, I was able to communicate support issues effectively. I am confident in future hardware performance and support from HP.
Transition from XP to Windows 7 was intuitive. The new taskbar is my favorite improvement. Followed by much better graphic interface and widgets. Some of my XP software causes Windows 7 to turn off Aero mode. I feel that windows has caught up with Apple in terms of graphics and workflow.
As far as laptop is concerned, Dave from Portland has a great review comparing the different models available on Amazon. The DV6-1354US is sufficient for me to use Adobe Photoshop and Audition, as well as multitask.
I will never go to a laptop again without a numeric keypad, this was an unexpected plus. I do miss the old HP media controls above the keyboard. They are replaced now by a volume and wireless control. I like that they are no longer buttons but touch sensitive surfaces above the keyboard.
The DV6 is quieter and cooler than my old HP. The power cord is beefier, which was always a problem with my old HP. Although I would prefer a magnetic power cord like Apple offers. Compared to other manufacturers, I would have to say that HP has the best price for great, reliable hardware.
Everything is a wonderful improvement except for the sound. Frequently, friends would ask where the music was coming from when I used my old DV1000. I felt that the sound was very rich for such a small system. I find the DV6 to have a much shallower, smaller sound that finds trouble filling a bedroom. For this reason, I drop the DV6 to four stars.
Also, the DV6 doesn't come with recovery disks. You need 3 DVD+R or -R (not RW) disks to create your own.
Overall, I really enjoy this computer, and probably will continue to enjoy it for another 5 to 7 years until RAM is in petabytes and laptops cook dinners. If I had to do it again I would still choose it over an Acer, Asus, Dell, Mac, or Sony.
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I love technology and at a reasonable price is even better. This is the first Non Dell I have bought in over a decade. I had not been wowed by the last few I had for work.The reviews on this style of HP were good. Friends and colleagues at other companies were happy with theirs. I ordered this for my wife. I received it a month ago and am using the multimedia stuff, the lightscribe CD/DVD burner etc. All very simple. Windows 7 seems very solid. The 4 Meg of RAM moves it along quickly. The N wireless card is fast and furious on the N+ Router (Belkin). we are doing Amazon movie on demand and no delays. Keyboard feels good, has built in number pad, nice. However the keys do get lost in w very low lighting. Maybe back-lighting the keys or iridium down the road?
So for the first month anyhow, very happy with it.
Best Deals for HP Pavilion DV6-1354US 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4 Hours of
I have got this HP notebook due to the software I need to use. I usually use Mac and like its stability and smoothness. When I used windows (it was windows Me and XP) years ago, it was not really a good experience... But this time is different. Windows 7 works solid and reliable. The machine is fast enough for its price, and I was surprised how light it weighs. If you carry your computer around, this is nice. You cannot complain about this machine since it deserves credit for its functionality, reliability and the price cost. For average user like me, this is good.Only annoying thing is you have to make your own recovery disks (3 dvd blank disks you have to prepare). There is no os disk so this is important to do. It does not matter except for waiting a long time to burn those 3 dvd disks...
Honest reviews on HP Pavilion DV6-1354US 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4 Hours of
Buyer beware. Yes they do look shiny and nice. Yes the specs look very impressive. Awesome price too. But the build quality is complete garbage. My well cared for 1.5 yr old HP laptop has died because it runs way to hot and eventually the motherboard got fried. This is a known issue in many models. Don't trust any. No support from HP. "Total Care" ya right. Don't take my word for it, do as the other people have posted..Google HP problems and you'll see. Also check out their HP community support page laptops then hardware section and see all the happy customers there too. Don't make the same mistake I did. Buy some other brand.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion DV6-1354US 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 4 Hours of
Well, I tend to whisper mean things and curse my computer on a daily basis, but I haven't felt the need to do that with this one. It's quick enough with lots of storage and with a good amount of quality programs already loaded. I like how the computer manages its own health and happiness issues and it regularly reminds me to backup my files. The computer handles the large graphing programs I use with out the long pauses I have experienced previously. My one complaint is the screen shape. It has a short-wide screen. The short is the problem for me; with most programs having large tool bars at the top and or bottom of the screen a short screen creates a smaller workable space, however movies look great on it and the resolution is good even when viewed at angle. I know I could have sprung for the DV7 with the 17.3" screen rather than the cheaper 15.6" but the extra screen size added an addition 4 pounds (ouch)!Monday, June 23, 2014
Discount Acer Aspire S3-391-6899 13.3-Inch Ultrabook (Champagne)
List Price: $699.99
Sale Price: $499.99
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
I can't believe that there are no reviews for this item and I was a little hesitant to buy it since it did not have any reviews. I was also looking at the Zenbook but the reviews were mixed and the price was high, I decided I could wait a few more years for them to work out the glitches. I have tried all major brands out there and they were just ok to absolutely horrible, and I really can do without a disk drive as I never really used them in my other lap tops and why bother paying for something you won't use.
This is lightweight, the screen is great, the touch pad is large and all the connections are on the back which is a personal preference for myself. I bought this mainly to take with me on road trips and for dedicated use for personal stuff. My favorite feature is the bluetooth, I connected a stereo headset and found the sound quality to be crisp and clear, perfect for those times when I may want to listen to something without disturbing others.
I got an awesome deal with a amazon promotion so for the 550.00 I paid for this I found it to be an exceptional value given the size, weight and features!! A great item and price for students!!!
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I've had this ultrabook for about 2 months now, and it's performed quite decently so far. I'm not a very picky consumer, and I don't gripe about small inconveniences, especially when considering that the price for this ultrabook is rather reasonable when compared to others in the same tech/spec range.Pros: it really is ultra-light, the sleek design is similar to the 13-inch version of the MacBook Air (though the material & build are likely not as sturdy or well put-together, hence the immense price difference), and it has a sleek outer shell that doesn't retain fingerprints or stains so easily (which is something that netbook/notebook users seem to care about). Most importantly, it is immensely portable. The i3 processor is quite capable when it comes to intensive web use (which is what I mainly do with it), and it does start up quickly from its "sleep" or "hibernation" modes. Some consumers have mentioned that the speed slows down considerably when having too many windows/programs open, but I can't verify if this is the case with my own machine since I'm not the kind of user who likes to have more than 8 Word documents open while using a tab-heavy Google Chrome open as well. If you expect to execute intensive business-related activities on your notebook, I definitely would recommend stepping up to an i5 or i7 processor; I own an Acer laptop with an i5 on it, and it's able to handle larger-order tasks like that. My advice: use an i3 ultrabook for basic to intensive web use (especially cloud use), and since this machine has a 500 GB harddrive, you'll be able to save quite a lot of material on it.
Cons: the 5.5 hour battery life is something of a fabrication. You get 2.5 to 3 hours MAX if you use it for that long without break, but if you intersperse your sessions with occasional use (closing and re-opening it from time to time) the battery will drag itself out through a good part of the day. I suppose this kind of intermittent use was what Acer meant by "5.5 hour battery life". One user has accurately recognized that the screen is liable to shake too often if the notebook is moving too much; so long as you have a sturdy table or desk that doesn't budge or shake, the screen won't shake at all, even if you're clacking away at the keys with any degree of intensity. I imagine that, in general, the keys might not be responsive...at first. In the case of this notebook, the key for letter "C" was not loose enough (as if it were semi-stuck into the groove of the body), but after 2 months that particular key became loosened and now is about as responsive as the others. I had (and continue to have) a similar problem with the larger i5 Acer notebook I own: the blue "Fn" key still does not work in conjunction with the Fn controls (such as turning the volume down or up, increasing or decreasing the brightness, etc.), but since that key and its related controls are not absolutely crucial to the basic performativity of the notebook, I don't give it much mind. I still get the performance that I need from the machine. In any case, I think that Acer machines generally seem to have a slight looseness or vulnerability to their build--which is why their prices are what they are. So I can't complain.
All in all, I'm satisfied with what the notebook gives me: portability, sleekness, lightness, connectivity. I've been a consistent Acer user for a few years now (I own 3 machines by them), and I can't say they've disappointed me thus far. Even though the Cons seem to outnumber the Pros in terms of quantity, they are actually quite minor quibbles in relation to the fantastic price the notebook's offered at, and quite minor too in relation to the overall quality the notebook gives you; which is to say, it functions just as it is marketed to you (except for that fib concerning the battery life). And it really does hold up in style when placed next to the implacable army of MacBooks that you inevitably meet each time you walk into a cafe or library to work on something.
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I bought this to use for my work, which did not involve heavy graphics or such things, but just a simple process of having multiple Microsoft Word windows open together with a couple of Internet tabs open in Google Chrome, one or two Excel files, and one or two more text programs (e.g. Evernote).And this computer is slow with that amount of load. It freezes more often than I would like -about three to four times DAILY -which is a wonder because it's not like I'm running heavy games on it. Is having about six to seven Word documents open together with two or three Internet tabs on Chrome too much for a new laptop to handle? I certainly did not think the i3 processor would be so slow as to be inadequate for my simple tasks.
UPDATE: Had this laptop for about four months now. Of the aforementioned problem, I contacted Acer service center and the man there told me to try reinstalling some drivers (he sent me links). He told me that if that didn't work, to try factory-resetting the laptop. Fortunately, reinstalling the drivers fixed the problem -for three months. After that, the same problem reoccurred -freezing, disability to click, etc., etc. I reinstalled those same drivers again, and the problem has been fixed. I suppose I'll keep doing this every time the problem reoccurs. Other than this, though, the laptop is usually moderately fast and functional.
Honest reviews on Acer Aspire S3-391-6899 13.3-Inch Ultrabook (Champagne)
2 Months UpdateSo I have had the ultrabook for about two months now. For the most part it is still pretty good, but some issues have come up. Firstly, the screen does kinda shake a bit when you move it around and a little when you type. It actually shakes more than you would want a screen to shake. Secondly, my laptop has just started randomly turning off for some reason every few days. I know it is not a virus for sure, so I will look into that. Lastly, at times the fan can get annoyingly loud. Like a little too lound, and there is only one vent on the entire laptop. So that is why this goes from 5 stars to 3 stars.
Original Purchase Review
I had been shopping for an ultrabook for about 2 months for college. I had my eyes set on an acer S3 for a while, but this laptop on Amazon sealed the deal. I got it for 550 dollars at the time of my purchase (That Promo has now expired). But even at its current price. I would highly recommend the purchase. It is a very classy looking ultrabook. The new Champagne Color is really good to look at. I have gotten tons of compliments from friends and Family alike.
As for the performance aspects. The computer runs just as it should. It has instant boot up. Although I would venture to say that the Speed of the ultrabook is nothing to scream about. However, it does assure that I will never buy another computer that is not at least have a partial SSD. The Screen is decent. You get what you pay for, and then some.
If nothing else, the computer is worth buying for its aesthetics.
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First let me begin by saying that I am not a tech geek but rather a savy consumer. I researched many various styles of laptops and ultrabooks before purchasing this item. As you may know there are many options to match every demographic of consumer but as I navigated the many reviews and professional critiques I recognized that ACER was a reputable brand. I dug deeper (after owning a Dell, Samsung, HP and Toshiba)and this ultrabook compares with all of these top brand names.I was in the market for a light weight, verstile, functional computer to be used primarily for school and business. In my research the ultrabook series appeared to be the way to go; this ACER Aspire S3 fulfilled my needs and desires. What I like and list as the positives: (1) stylish exterior design/good eye appeal, (2) keyboard layout is highly functional and comnfortable, (3) keys are soft to the touch and allows for quick typing with no sticking, (4) screen size is perfect for portability and for working with multiple MS Office documents, (5) ultrabook doesn't get hot when on my lap, (6) screen resolution is sharp and radiant, (7) start up speed is faster than my Samsung and HP laptops,(8) memory capacity is more than sufficient for maintaining school/business projects, and (9) Windows 7 software downloaded (not a fan of the new Windows 8).
I read the other reviews posted on this item and for me personally have not experienced any of the freezing syptoms, screen jumping and slow connectivity expressed by other consumers.
I would catergorize the following as the potential negatives (based upon my own experience): (1) WIFI strength sometimes weak and its not my router because I have seen the same with public connections; it appears to be unique to this unit, (2) mouse pad sounds hollow and unlike the key strokes it doesn't feel as comfortable to the touch but it works well, (3) speakers are not the greatest and if you want premium quality sound you would certainly need to add external speakers, (4) battery life is dependent on use, I have gotten between 3.5 to 4.5 hours without a charge -more windows open and multiple activities will drain battery quicker, (5) Note hybernation and sleep modes help with battery life and battery life on this ultrabook is superior to my Samsung, (6) placement of USB ports is unique and may not be comfortable to some users, for me it works, (7) power cord connector must be perfect fit worried I might break the pin, doesn't push in easily, and (8) ACER sent it with a lot of addons and extra programs not necessary which will require clean-up.
To this end, I really like this Ultrabook. It has excellent craftmanship and for my specific needs it was a smart purchase for the price. Despite some of the negatives listed I still rate this item 4 Stars and per my own experience and research suggest it to be a competitive alternative to the more expensive high-end ultrabooks or Mac Airbooks.
I hope this review offered pratical insight and was helpful to making a determination on whether to purchase or not.
Update:
I have now had this laptop for a few months and I love it. It is meeting all my needs very well. Some of the prior reviews and comments shared about potential problems I have not experienced. The light weight, versatility and performance are better than prior laptops -HP, Samsung and Dell. I use it for school and business and have no problems. Have received many compliments about its visual appeal. After a couple months of use the only draw back is the battery life -it does not live up to the manufacturer suggested battery life. Honestly, after about 1.5 hours of continuous use the battery will die. Best used on charger.
I would still recommend this laptop as an economical purchase; especially good for school or moderate use. Certainly just as with most laptops or PCs there are drawbacks depending on usage. Example, not a gamer laptop and sound is weak so may not be the best for watching movies or programs online. Had to purchase additional software and delete pre-loaded items that came with laptop since I didn't need them. Don't list this as a negative just noting for potential buyers.
To this end, if you are reading this review and considering this laptop for purchase I would recommend. Like you I went back and forth between different models before deciding upon this one and I don't regret my decision. Hope this review has helped....
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Cheap ASUS Republic of Gamers G55VW-DH71 15.6-Inch Laptop
I agree with most other reviews here. It is large and heavy, but overall has a good design. I'll add a few notes about upgrading.
Memory upgrade:
You can get to 16GB by purchasing a 2x 4GB package from Crucial and installing them in the user accessible area under the laptop. Unofficially, it will support 8GB sticks, so you can purchase a 2x 8GB package and get 24GB total (2x 4GB factory installed + 2x 8GB user installed). If you really wanted, you could also replace the two factory installed 4GB sticks with 8GB sticks to get 32GB, but you need to take apart the laptop to get to them (void warranty).
SSD upgrade:
There is only one hard drive bay (occupied by 500GB drive) so you can't easily just drop a 2.5 SSD drive in. Here are your options:
1. Replace the existing 500GB HDD with a 2.5 SSD. With only the SSD drive, you won't have much space for bulk storage.
2. Replace your DVD drive with a hard drive caddy and install a 2.5 SSD in the caddy. This allows for the SSD and 500GB HDD, but you lose your internal DVD. You can always purchase an external USB DVD drive.
3. Get an mSATA SSD. In order to get to the mSATA slot, you have to take apart the entire laptop (void warranty). It is a real pain to do this, but in the end you'll have your SSD, 500GB HDD and your DVD drive.
I ended up taking apart the laptop, replacing the two factory installed 4GB sticks with 8GB sticks and installing a 256GB mSATA SSD. The remaining 2x 4GB sticks were then reinstalled in the user accessible memory slots. So I now have 24GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, 500GB HDD. Later, I'll probably replace the 500GB HDD with a higher capacity and higher RPM HDD.
NOTE: Taking apart the laptop was no easy task. Do not do this unless you have experience and are willing to accept the risk of breaking your laptop. I've been told that this voids your warranty.
Overview of components in the system: Included in the Asus Republic of Gamers Laptop (G55VW-DH71s) list of impressive components is a quad core Intel CPU, and NVIDIA performance graphics solution. The Core i7-3610QM has a base clock frequency of 2.3 Ghz, with quad-core design. From my understanding of the TurboBoost i7 processor, some combination of drivers and software, in symphony along with the hardware and BIOS, transparently and automatically step up the clock rate as the demand for processing power increases, within the thermal capabilities of the hardware.
What's really good: That being said, the capabilities of the hardware are quite spectacular. The Asus G55V runs nice and cool, and the fans start to kick in noticeable only when the GPU reaches about 68 or 69 Celsius. While this is right at about 150 degrees farenheit, the bottom of the laptop doesn't seem to get uncomfortably warm, while the fan in the back seems to kick out a lot of heat without much noise or effort.
Transparent overclocking out of the box: Not every PC user knows what overclocking is. It has been around a long time. It the beginning no one tried it much, since it was either not easy or possible due to hardware limitations, or the PC user wouldn't want to attempt it because of the risk of overheating and killing the system once and for all. Fortunately, the G55V manages itself quite well, without any thought on the part of the user, and appears to change the hardware clock settings up or down in response to CPU and GPU demands, to save power, or to increase performance. I haven't noticed any throttling under moderate testing, the overclocking appears to be rather transparent. When doing nothing at all to tax the GPU, it will seriously underclock itself in order to save on power, and will ramp all the way up to full clock speed without any apparent lag. Perhaps more importantly, there is minimal increase in noise levels from the system fans kicking in while playing a game.
Performance in everyday use: When not gaming and actually working on the laptop, the system is really not taxed at all when using programs that are notorious for requiring lots of resources such as multiple tabs and internet browsers being open, along with Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat reader. I have not tested the computer processor extensively, but a quick run at 100% power during a test for 1 minute, the system neither started to run hot, nor did it become unstable at factory clocking settings. This is expected, but the lack of noticeable fan running when performing a heavy workload is something that makes using the system very pleasant. Without overclocking the PC, which is what any rational PC user would do when carrying about their normal business, I would suspect that the system will offer good performance, stability, and longevity due to the superior cooling system.
Pushing the limits of the hardware: More compact and previous generation laptops seem to make a lot of noise when their cooling system is pushed to the extreme, so I think it is safe to say that this PC is very overclock friendly based on a perusal of the forums, and anecdotal reports from my friend's laptop which is essentially the same model as this one, with a larger screen. The Republic of Gamers forum offers much advice and support to users wanting to push the limits of the hardware to new extremes. Interestingly, this current generation hardware doesn't need much of a push in my opinion, at this point in time.
Weaknesses in the hardware package: The weakest link in the system appears to be the "mere" 7,200 RPM mechanical hard drive, which is definitely a high performance laptop drive. After defragmenting the drive a few times, the computer seems adequately fast with the installed hard drive from the factory. Once booted up, I do not notice any times that the system has any noticeable lag. Indeed, the RAM specs are impressive, as are the CPU and GPU specs. The 7,200 RPM drives are actually quite fast, but with an SSD this computer will supposedly load Windows 7 in less than 20 seconds (possibly closer to 15 seconds according to test data from some of the latest hard drives). As the cost of hard drives continues to drop, as the capacity and speed increase, the SSD hard drive might be a smart upgrade at some point, but for my uses I really don't notice any lack of performance. I have used about 80 GB, and 400+ GB remain. My friend upgraded his to the SSD, so part of the urge to update is the "gotta have it factor" associated with the latest hardware, better known to professionals as conspicuous consumption.
Some performance data while playing a game: As I am typing this review right now, the battery suggests that there is more than 2-1/2 hours left on the charge. With five programs open, including Microsoft Office Word, multiple windows and tabs, the processor hovers around 1% usage. Add a game to the mix, such as Age of Empires III on maximal graphics settings, and the CPU hovers around 12%; this is with the game not paused, a large map, and the game on normal speed. It is utilizing almost 4 GB of the RAM at this point. GPU-Z tells me I'm using only 511 MB of graphics RAM, and the core clock is running at 835.2 Mhz on A/C power. The Republic of Gamers forums have all sorts of suggestions about which program to choose for overclocking, and how to completely disassemble the laptop if one wishes to replace the two more difficult to get to RAM sticks, and mSATA slot. This PC really has spectacular hardware.
Tree huggers versus performance: The system is actually an EPA Energy Star, and plenty of power options exist to save on power. I do not plan on overclocking at the moment, as the performance is excellent for the games that I have tried. I tried a demo of Company of Heroes, and downloaded a few benchmark tests just to make sure everything was in working order. My 3DMark scores, while not super impressive, are very respectable, and this system seems to have a near top of the line NVIDIA GTX 660M, while the CPU performance tests also came back with very good marks. More importantly, Flight Simulator X runs on the highest settings with a seemingly high and playable frame rate, and this program is notorious for taxing even the best systems when it came out just a few years back.
The Graphical Processing Unit: The NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX series 660M 2GB is fairly impressive. With an 80 GB per second memory bandwidth, and 384 unified shaders, the performance is very respectable. Reviewers found that one or two of the most demanding games might require a slightly lower than 1080p setting in order to run at maximal frame rates, the performance is excellent on marginally demanding newer games like Age of Empires III or Flight Simulator X.
The best things about this laptop may be interpreted as a pro or a con depending on the intended use of the PC: This laptop makes no apologies for it's size, it is actually much more modest than the 17" version of the machine, which is even an larger laptop. Again, copper cooling cores are not light, but copper is superb at moving heat. This laptop is all about performance, and the build quality is on par with Asus standards, which is excellent. While the specifications say 8.4 lbs is the weight, and the machine probably weights all of that, the machine appears smaller and lighter than it actually is when using it. Subtle details in the design make the machine appear smaller than it acutally is, which is a nice touch. The added bulk appears to be due to the space needed to accomplish what is a superb cooling system. Don't forget that this laptop also has a subwoofer. It is a nice laptop indeed.
The Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand promises innovative hardware: Indeed, as the ROG brand promises, this is the most innovative PC performance hardware. One of the best overall gaming experiences I have had is while using this hardware. The coolest part about the Republic of Gamers franchise? They actually encourage you to push the limits of the hardware to the furthest possible limits of stability. There are numerous articles on the Republic of Gamers forums, which provide very useful posts from professionals. The price point is very reasonable given the excellent performance, upgradeability, and superior design. While I don't suggest overclocking the PC beyond the factory settings, it is nice to see that some folks have overclocked, and actively share their wisdom with other fanatics.
Functionalist Styling: While at least one die hard fan of the older Asus ROG series classic designs critized the massive cooling vents in the back styled like a fighter jet, to me they seem not only understandated, but perhaps even functionalist in their design. It cannot be denied that the large heat sinks, cooling fins, and large fans perform their job well, and are quiet while doing it.
Peripherals: While I see no purpose for it as of writing this article, this G55 is equipped with a Thunderbolt port: Apple fans would be familiar with this interface. Perhaps this interface can some day facilitate access to high speed storage. For now, it is nice to say that it is there.
Audio: The sound system seems pretty nice too: The system appears to contain an actual subwoofer, so anyone who says that the machine is larger and heavier, but fails to mention the fact that it features a sub, has not given the machine a fair review. The sound quality is actually quite good from the speakers. It is of ample volume, clear, and certainly adequate for playing a game. Especially impressive, in fact, for integrated laptop speakers.
Bright LED Backlit Display: The display is a high definition display, and wide screen format. With the native resolution, I can have two full sized windows open side by side, to facilitate working on my school assignments. I can read information from a *.pdf document, and type in Microsoft Office, side by side. There is little need to connect an external display, which is what I did when I was doing school research on my Asus netbook PC. The display is bright, and clear, with no dead pixels. One website suggested that the display is manufactured by LG, which is noted for making very good HDTV displays. The screen is a nice wide HD 1080 screen, and it connects nicely to my 42" HD TV. A legacy type display port is also present, which is nice just in case an older projector requires an old school monitor cable.
Attention to Deatil: Overall, the styling is very adult, and marginally understated; unlike some high end PCs which can be particularly flashy, and have all sorts of tacky LEDs, the only LEDs to be found on this system comprise the very bright backlight behind the display, and light up the keyboard. The keyboard brightness level is adjustable, which is a nice touch. It is attention to details like this that really make this PC a joy to use. The bezel around the keyboard appears to be brushed, polished metal, which is also a nice design touch.
Keyboard: Again, Asus takes a very conservative and elegant approach to the overall styling and feel of the notebook. The keyboard is great for gamers, since it is a compressed version of a desktop keyboard.
USB 3.0: The USB ports are 3.0 spec, which means they are fast, and there are four of them.
Internal Optical Disc Drive: The system appears to feature a DVD multi-recorder, and BluRay Player, and some users have opted to remove the CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive in order to install a second hard drive. While I don't plan on removing this drive in order to perform this upgrade, and the mSATA slot buried under the keyboard is the only other Hard Drive option, it is just as easy to simply open the back hatch and pop in a Solid State Drive in order to maximize performance, and these drives are becoming more and more affordable, even in larger sizes like ½ TB.
Hardware Upgrades
Upgrading the Hardware: Looking at the disassembly instuctions (I would not want to attempt this myself, as I am not a professional), not only does the cooling system appear to be very robust, the important areas of the laptop are fairly easy to access. The laptop doesn't need any upgrades, in my opinion, but a complete review should take these factors into consideration.
SSD: Again, the simplest upgrade is removing the mechanical 7,200 RPM drive and opting for any high speed Solid State Drive (SSD). The stock 7,200 RPM drive appears to be the weakest link in the Windows Experience Index (5.9 rating). My friend performed this upgrade on his G7* series, and saw a huge jump in Windows Experience Index rating (I think his is now about 7 something on the Windows Experience Index arbitrary rating scale).
RAM: Removing one rear hatch provides access to 2 DDR32 slots. Depending on the configuration of your model, the machines with the latest quad core processor have 4 DDR3 slots in total, but two of those slots are under the keyboard and require complex disassembly by a professional. The two RAM slots under the rear hatch, as well as the factory equipped mechanical hard drive can be quite easily replaced by anyone with beginner to moderate PC upgrade skils. Two RAM slots are accessible by simply removing the back cover, and the 2.5" hard drive bay can be accessed from opening the same hatch. Again, the RAM is more than adequate, but ease of upgrades ensures the system can remains up to date in the future.
mSATA SSD Drive Optional: A custom configered G55V can be upgraded to have two hard drives, as mSATA SSDs are available in this form factor. Getting to this port, is a challenge, but both the disassembly instructions exist, and factory authorized repair centers should be able to perform the upgrade as well. This would allow the factory main 2.5" hard drive, to co-exist along with a very fast mSATA SSD. The operating system might be housed on this to allow for fast startups. Again, it is much easier to just replace the mechanical hard drive with an SSD, but this remains an option for some looking for this configuration.
Conclusion: The G55V series has top of the line hardware, one of the best cooling systems, good sound system, and great performance, at a great price point. The size is large, but between the flagship cooling system, sound system, and added optical disc drive, along with a full size keyboard, the system is simply a performance powerhouse, and a joy to use.
(This is a review that I wrote and initially published to Epinions).
Cons:
1) Other reviews point out it's significantly heavier than most 15.6" laptops, but in practice I've found that the sheer size of the thing is actually more a problem for me than weight. I can carry it just fine in my backpack, but only after snugly fitting it in there. The power brick is also huge.
2) The keyboard is a little flimsy. The keys feel like they're precariously balanced such that when you hit a key it goes down at a slight angle in actual usage I haven't had problems with typing EXCEPT I have to hit the Esc key hard to get it to register. None of the other keys have given me issues.
Pros:
1) I have used it to play Guild Wars 2 for 4 straight hours at relatively high settings in 1920x1200 resolution without a noticeable rise in noise or temperature. I very much agree with Notebookcheck's review that said the cooling solution on this thing is in a class of its own.
2) Full keyboard with num pad.
3) Good viewing angles.
I recommend this laptop to anyone looking for a serious gaming solution on the move. I really really recommend this laptop to some looking for a primary gaming machine that doesn't plan to move it much I predict that its excellent and unique cooling system will provide stability and longevity that other gaming laptops will not stand up to after a year or two of heavy gaming usage.
The only thing that I do not like about this product is windows 8. Windows 8 is really beautiful but it is slow and clunky and the learning curve is steep. I learned something new every day for a week when i got on my laptop. But my biggest peeve is that it has updated about 4 times in a week each update does nothing noticeable and each took about an hour!
P.S. the power brick weighs as much as a small child but if your going to complain about that go buy an ultrabook and complain about how it cant run half as fast as this machine.
Overall windows 8 isnt for everyone but this computer is for you serious gamers who need to be mobile!
Once i got this laptop i immediately replaced the internal hard drive with a 512GB SSD drive and 2x4 extra GB's of memory. I also put Windows 7 on the laptop, ill just never get used to Windows 8 and to be honest i think its lifespan is limited. I could care less about the tiles all over the place and when i run it in desktop mode i say to myself "why don't i just use Win 7?", so thats what I did and i couldn't be happier. This machine keeps cool, is quiet is is ridiculously fast. Did i mention the video card is a whopping Nvidia 2GB dedicated card? I love it so far!
Also, alot of people said they had issues replacing the drive because it as hard to get to? Maybe this is a newer model than what people have reviewed in the past, im not sure but it took me about 2 minutes to pop the back cover off, upgrade the ram and pop the new SSD drive in.
I would make sure you get this bag:
Everki Beacon Laptop Backpack with Gaming Console Sleeve, Fits up to 18-Inch (EKP117NBKCT)
At first i got the same bag as above in a smaller version and it said it fit up to 15.6", it was way too small, yes the screen may be 15.6" on the laptop but the body of the laptop is more like 17+ so make sure you get a BIG bag, the one above was the highest quality and had the most compartments and is the most comfortable.
Hope this info helps!
Memory upgrade:
You can get to 16GB by purchasing a 2x 4GB package from Crucial and installing them in the user accessible area under the laptop. Unofficially, it will support 8GB sticks, so you can purchase a 2x 8GB package and get 24GB total (2x 4GB factory installed + 2x 8GB user installed). If you really wanted, you could also replace the two factory installed 4GB sticks with 8GB sticks to get 32GB, but you need to take apart the laptop to get to them (void warranty).
SSD upgrade:
There is only one hard drive bay (occupied by 500GB drive) so you can't easily just drop a 2.5 SSD drive in. Here are your options:
1. Replace the existing 500GB HDD with a 2.5 SSD. With only the SSD drive, you won't have much space for bulk storage.
2. Replace your DVD drive with a hard drive caddy and install a 2.5 SSD in the caddy. This allows for the SSD and 500GB HDD, but you lose your internal DVD. You can always purchase an external USB DVD drive.
3. Get an mSATA SSD. In order to get to the mSATA slot, you have to take apart the entire laptop (void warranty). It is a real pain to do this, but in the end you'll have your SSD, 500GB HDD and your DVD drive.
I ended up taking apart the laptop, replacing the two factory installed 4GB sticks with 8GB sticks and installing a 256GB mSATA SSD. The remaining 2x 4GB sticks were then reinstalled in the user accessible memory slots. So I now have 24GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, 500GB HDD. Later, I'll probably replace the 500GB HDD with a higher capacity and higher RPM HDD.
NOTE: Taking apart the laptop was no easy task. Do not do this unless you have experience and are willing to accept the risk of breaking your laptop. I've been told that this voids your warranty.
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History of the brand and Republic of Gamers series: The name Asus originates from Pegasus, winged horse of Greek mythology. The Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand has been around for more than five years now, and this G55V series notebook, like all the Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) products promise, come with the best components. I originally purchased an Asus due to both word of mouth, and because I had seen the systems in use by my friends. Both my friends are particularly hard on PC hardware, and these previous generation ROG laptops are still working well. I have purchased two Asus. netbooks, and used these almost exclusively for past few years now. I was ready to play games with my friends that I could not with other systems not designed for gaming.Overview of components in the system: Included in the Asus Republic of Gamers Laptop (G55VW-DH71s) list of impressive components is a quad core Intel CPU, and NVIDIA performance graphics solution. The Core i7-3610QM has a base clock frequency of 2.3 Ghz, with quad-core design. From my understanding of the TurboBoost i7 processor, some combination of drivers and software, in symphony along with the hardware and BIOS, transparently and automatically step up the clock rate as the demand for processing power increases, within the thermal capabilities of the hardware.
What's really good: That being said, the capabilities of the hardware are quite spectacular. The Asus G55V runs nice and cool, and the fans start to kick in noticeable only when the GPU reaches about 68 or 69 Celsius. While this is right at about 150 degrees farenheit, the bottom of the laptop doesn't seem to get uncomfortably warm, while the fan in the back seems to kick out a lot of heat without much noise or effort.
Transparent overclocking out of the box: Not every PC user knows what overclocking is. It has been around a long time. It the beginning no one tried it much, since it was either not easy or possible due to hardware limitations, or the PC user wouldn't want to attempt it because of the risk of overheating and killing the system once and for all. Fortunately, the G55V manages itself quite well, without any thought on the part of the user, and appears to change the hardware clock settings up or down in response to CPU and GPU demands, to save power, or to increase performance. I haven't noticed any throttling under moderate testing, the overclocking appears to be rather transparent. When doing nothing at all to tax the GPU, it will seriously underclock itself in order to save on power, and will ramp all the way up to full clock speed without any apparent lag. Perhaps more importantly, there is minimal increase in noise levels from the system fans kicking in while playing a game.
Performance in everyday use: When not gaming and actually working on the laptop, the system is really not taxed at all when using programs that are notorious for requiring lots of resources such as multiple tabs and internet browsers being open, along with Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat reader. I have not tested the computer processor extensively, but a quick run at 100% power during a test for 1 minute, the system neither started to run hot, nor did it become unstable at factory clocking settings. This is expected, but the lack of noticeable fan running when performing a heavy workload is something that makes using the system very pleasant. Without overclocking the PC, which is what any rational PC user would do when carrying about their normal business, I would suspect that the system will offer good performance, stability, and longevity due to the superior cooling system.
Pushing the limits of the hardware: More compact and previous generation laptops seem to make a lot of noise when their cooling system is pushed to the extreme, so I think it is safe to say that this PC is very overclock friendly based on a perusal of the forums, and anecdotal reports from my friend's laptop which is essentially the same model as this one, with a larger screen. The Republic of Gamers forum offers much advice and support to users wanting to push the limits of the hardware to new extremes. Interestingly, this current generation hardware doesn't need much of a push in my opinion, at this point in time.
Weaknesses in the hardware package: The weakest link in the system appears to be the "mere" 7,200 RPM mechanical hard drive, which is definitely a high performance laptop drive. After defragmenting the drive a few times, the computer seems adequately fast with the installed hard drive from the factory. Once booted up, I do not notice any times that the system has any noticeable lag. Indeed, the RAM specs are impressive, as are the CPU and GPU specs. The 7,200 RPM drives are actually quite fast, but with an SSD this computer will supposedly load Windows 7 in less than 20 seconds (possibly closer to 15 seconds according to test data from some of the latest hard drives). As the cost of hard drives continues to drop, as the capacity and speed increase, the SSD hard drive might be a smart upgrade at some point, but for my uses I really don't notice any lack of performance. I have used about 80 GB, and 400+ GB remain. My friend upgraded his to the SSD, so part of the urge to update is the "gotta have it factor" associated with the latest hardware, better known to professionals as conspicuous consumption.
Some performance data while playing a game: As I am typing this review right now, the battery suggests that there is more than 2-1/2 hours left on the charge. With five programs open, including Microsoft Office Word, multiple windows and tabs, the processor hovers around 1% usage. Add a game to the mix, such as Age of Empires III on maximal graphics settings, and the CPU hovers around 12%; this is with the game not paused, a large map, and the game on normal speed. It is utilizing almost 4 GB of the RAM at this point. GPU-Z tells me I'm using only 511 MB of graphics RAM, and the core clock is running at 835.2 Mhz on A/C power. The Republic of Gamers forums have all sorts of suggestions about which program to choose for overclocking, and how to completely disassemble the laptop if one wishes to replace the two more difficult to get to RAM sticks, and mSATA slot. This PC really has spectacular hardware.
Tree huggers versus performance: The system is actually an EPA Energy Star, and plenty of power options exist to save on power. I do not plan on overclocking at the moment, as the performance is excellent for the games that I have tried. I tried a demo of Company of Heroes, and downloaded a few benchmark tests just to make sure everything was in working order. My 3DMark scores, while not super impressive, are very respectable, and this system seems to have a near top of the line NVIDIA GTX 660M, while the CPU performance tests also came back with very good marks. More importantly, Flight Simulator X runs on the highest settings with a seemingly high and playable frame rate, and this program is notorious for taxing even the best systems when it came out just a few years back.
The Graphical Processing Unit: The NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX series 660M 2GB is fairly impressive. With an 80 GB per second memory bandwidth, and 384 unified shaders, the performance is very respectable. Reviewers found that one or two of the most demanding games might require a slightly lower than 1080p setting in order to run at maximal frame rates, the performance is excellent on marginally demanding newer games like Age of Empires III or Flight Simulator X.
The best things about this laptop may be interpreted as a pro or a con depending on the intended use of the PC: This laptop makes no apologies for it's size, it is actually much more modest than the 17" version of the machine, which is even an larger laptop. Again, copper cooling cores are not light, but copper is superb at moving heat. This laptop is all about performance, and the build quality is on par with Asus standards, which is excellent. While the specifications say 8.4 lbs is the weight, and the machine probably weights all of that, the machine appears smaller and lighter than it actually is when using it. Subtle details in the design make the machine appear smaller than it acutally is, which is a nice touch. The added bulk appears to be due to the space needed to accomplish what is a superb cooling system. Don't forget that this laptop also has a subwoofer. It is a nice laptop indeed.
The Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand promises innovative hardware: Indeed, as the ROG brand promises, this is the most innovative PC performance hardware. One of the best overall gaming experiences I have had is while using this hardware. The coolest part about the Republic of Gamers franchise? They actually encourage you to push the limits of the hardware to the furthest possible limits of stability. There are numerous articles on the Republic of Gamers forums, which provide very useful posts from professionals. The price point is very reasonable given the excellent performance, upgradeability, and superior design. While I don't suggest overclocking the PC beyond the factory settings, it is nice to see that some folks have overclocked, and actively share their wisdom with other fanatics.
Functionalist Styling: While at least one die hard fan of the older Asus ROG series classic designs critized the massive cooling vents in the back styled like a fighter jet, to me they seem not only understandated, but perhaps even functionalist in their design. It cannot be denied that the large heat sinks, cooling fins, and large fans perform their job well, and are quiet while doing it.
Peripherals: While I see no purpose for it as of writing this article, this G55 is equipped with a Thunderbolt port: Apple fans would be familiar with this interface. Perhaps this interface can some day facilitate access to high speed storage. For now, it is nice to say that it is there.
Audio: The sound system seems pretty nice too: The system appears to contain an actual subwoofer, so anyone who says that the machine is larger and heavier, but fails to mention the fact that it features a sub, has not given the machine a fair review. The sound quality is actually quite good from the speakers. It is of ample volume, clear, and certainly adequate for playing a game. Especially impressive, in fact, for integrated laptop speakers.
Bright LED Backlit Display: The display is a high definition display, and wide screen format. With the native resolution, I can have two full sized windows open side by side, to facilitate working on my school assignments. I can read information from a *.pdf document, and type in Microsoft Office, side by side. There is little need to connect an external display, which is what I did when I was doing school research on my Asus netbook PC. The display is bright, and clear, with no dead pixels. One website suggested that the display is manufactured by LG, which is noted for making very good HDTV displays. The screen is a nice wide HD 1080 screen, and it connects nicely to my 42" HD TV. A legacy type display port is also present, which is nice just in case an older projector requires an old school monitor cable.
Attention to Deatil: Overall, the styling is very adult, and marginally understated; unlike some high end PCs which can be particularly flashy, and have all sorts of tacky LEDs, the only LEDs to be found on this system comprise the very bright backlight behind the display, and light up the keyboard. The keyboard brightness level is adjustable, which is a nice touch. It is attention to details like this that really make this PC a joy to use. The bezel around the keyboard appears to be brushed, polished metal, which is also a nice design touch.
Keyboard: Again, Asus takes a very conservative and elegant approach to the overall styling and feel of the notebook. The keyboard is great for gamers, since it is a compressed version of a desktop keyboard.
USB 3.0: The USB ports are 3.0 spec, which means they are fast, and there are four of them.
Internal Optical Disc Drive: The system appears to feature a DVD multi-recorder, and BluRay Player, and some users have opted to remove the CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive in order to install a second hard drive. While I don't plan on removing this drive in order to perform this upgrade, and the mSATA slot buried under the keyboard is the only other Hard Drive option, it is just as easy to simply open the back hatch and pop in a Solid State Drive in order to maximize performance, and these drives are becoming more and more affordable, even in larger sizes like ½ TB.
Hardware Upgrades
Upgrading the Hardware: Looking at the disassembly instuctions (I would not want to attempt this myself, as I am not a professional), not only does the cooling system appear to be very robust, the important areas of the laptop are fairly easy to access. The laptop doesn't need any upgrades, in my opinion, but a complete review should take these factors into consideration.
SSD: Again, the simplest upgrade is removing the mechanical 7,200 RPM drive and opting for any high speed Solid State Drive (SSD). The stock 7,200 RPM drive appears to be the weakest link in the Windows Experience Index (5.9 rating). My friend performed this upgrade on his G7* series, and saw a huge jump in Windows Experience Index rating (I think his is now about 7 something on the Windows Experience Index arbitrary rating scale).
RAM: Removing one rear hatch provides access to 2 DDR32 slots. Depending on the configuration of your model, the machines with the latest quad core processor have 4 DDR3 slots in total, but two of those slots are under the keyboard and require complex disassembly by a professional. The two RAM slots under the rear hatch, as well as the factory equipped mechanical hard drive can be quite easily replaced by anyone with beginner to moderate PC upgrade skils. Two RAM slots are accessible by simply removing the back cover, and the 2.5" hard drive bay can be accessed from opening the same hatch. Again, the RAM is more than adequate, but ease of upgrades ensures the system can remains up to date in the future.
mSATA SSD Drive Optional: A custom configered G55V can be upgraded to have two hard drives, as mSATA SSDs are available in this form factor. Getting to this port, is a challenge, but both the disassembly instructions exist, and factory authorized repair centers should be able to perform the upgrade as well. This would allow the factory main 2.5" hard drive, to co-exist along with a very fast mSATA SSD. The operating system might be housed on this to allow for fast startups. Again, it is much easier to just replace the mechanical hard drive with an SSD, but this remains an option for some looking for this configuration.
Conclusion: The G55V series has top of the line hardware, one of the best cooling systems, good sound system, and great performance, at a great price point. The size is large, but between the flagship cooling system, sound system, and added optical disc drive, along with a full size keyboard, the system is simply a performance powerhouse, and a joy to use.
(This is a review that I wrote and initially published to Epinions).
Best Deals for ASUS Republic of Gamers G55VW-DH71 15.6-Inch Laptop
Bought it for portable gaming when I'm not at home. In a nutshull, I agree with other, more professional reviews that point out it has excellent cooling and performance at the expense of weight.Cons:
1) Other reviews point out it's significantly heavier than most 15.6" laptops, but in practice I've found that the sheer size of the thing is actually more a problem for me than weight. I can carry it just fine in my backpack, but only after snugly fitting it in there. The power brick is also huge.
2) The keyboard is a little flimsy. The keys feel like they're precariously balanced such that when you hit a key it goes down at a slight angle in actual usage I haven't had problems with typing EXCEPT I have to hit the Esc key hard to get it to register. None of the other keys have given me issues.
Pros:
1) I have used it to play Guild Wars 2 for 4 straight hours at relatively high settings in 1920x1200 resolution without a noticeable rise in noise or temperature. I very much agree with Notebookcheck's review that said the cooling solution on this thing is in a class of its own.
2) Full keyboard with num pad.
3) Good viewing angles.
I recommend this laptop to anyone looking for a serious gaming solution on the move. I really really recommend this laptop to some looking for a primary gaming machine that doesn't plan to move it much I predict that its excellent and unique cooling system will provide stability and longevity that other gaming laptops will not stand up to after a year or two of heavy gaming usage.
Honest reviews on ASUS Republic of Gamers G55VW-DH71 15.6-Inch Laptop
First off let me just say that asus did a fantastic job building this beast. It is insanely fast and runs all of my games on the highest of settings. The screen is wonderful and holds up well even in well lit rooms. The speakers are much better than my old laptop but hey they are just laptop speakers. The track pad is a little off but i always use a wireless mouse so no set back there. It has FOUR usb 3.0 AND a thunderbolt port. yea a THUNDERBOLT port its crazy fast. Key board is back lit which is nice for gaming in the dark and has a dimmer so as to not distract you.The only thing that I do not like about this product is windows 8. Windows 8 is really beautiful but it is slow and clunky and the learning curve is steep. I learned something new every day for a week when i got on my laptop. But my biggest peeve is that it has updated about 4 times in a week each update does nothing noticeable and each took about an hour!
P.S. the power brick weighs as much as a small child but if your going to complain about that go buy an ultrabook and complain about how it cant run half as fast as this machine.
Overall windows 8 isnt for everyone but this computer is for you serious gamers who need to be mobile!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS Republic of Gamers G55VW-DH71 15.6-Inch Laptop
I've had big laptops, small laptops, tablets etc... finally i decided I needed a laptop that was actually powerful and would not slow me down, while i won't be using this for gaming i wanted the best of the best, and the most powerful in it's class. This laptop is heavy but its rock solid, at the end of the day i could really care less about the weight of the laptop or the size of the power brick. Im a good size guy so i just consider it some extra exercise. Tablets are a grey area for me, while they are portable and can even be a great desktop replacement (like the Surface Pro) i find they just slow me down, including iPad's/Android tablets etc..Once i got this laptop i immediately replaced the internal hard drive with a 512GB SSD drive and 2x4 extra GB's of memory. I also put Windows 7 on the laptop, ill just never get used to Windows 8 and to be honest i think its lifespan is limited. I could care less about the tiles all over the place and when i run it in desktop mode i say to myself "why don't i just use Win 7?", so thats what I did and i couldn't be happier. This machine keeps cool, is quiet is is ridiculously fast. Did i mention the video card is a whopping Nvidia 2GB dedicated card? I love it so far!
Also, alot of people said they had issues replacing the drive because it as hard to get to? Maybe this is a newer model than what people have reviewed in the past, im not sure but it took me about 2 minutes to pop the back cover off, upgrade the ram and pop the new SSD drive in.
I would make sure you get this bag:
Everki Beacon Laptop Backpack with Gaming Console Sleeve, Fits up to 18-Inch (EKP117NBKCT)
At first i got the same bag as above in a smaller version and it said it fit up to 15.6", it was way too small, yes the screen may be 15.6" on the laptop but the body of the laptop is more like 17+ so make sure you get a BIG bag, the one above was the highest quality and had the most compartments and is the most comfortable.
Hope this info helps!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Reviews of Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6807 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)
For the price, this laptop is hard to beat. Check out the features: 500GB Hybrid HD (30GB SSD), 8 GB RAM, excellent screen with edge to edge brightness; aluminum case with plastic bottom; 10 numeric keypad.
It's an i5, so it's going to have some fan noise, but it's minor. The only thing it needs but doesn't have is discrete graphics. Other than that its a great little computer.
By the way, this laptop has wonderful audio imaging! Stereo channel separation is better on this laptop than any I've ever heard. The speakers are a little lacking but put on your favorite track and listen... you'll be able to hear information coming from both channels; very, very enjoyable. One suggestion however.... when listening to music use the laptop on a table as the speakers are on the bottom of the unit and would otherwise fire into your knees and muffle output otherwise. Other than that, a very nice little laptop.
I bought this as an open box and it came in at about $500 + tax. I love the cosmetics of it, which wasn't a factor in purchasing, but feels like a luxury at this point.
The battery has been great, I haven't had to bring my power supply with me even though I take off to work on the machine for about 3 hours at a time, I never had an issue no matter how much I surf or how many processes I'm running (including an Apache server stack).
I hear there are hackitosh possibilities with this so I may explore a dual boot option in the future.
The sound is decent but not out of this world, almost good in fact. The resolution is a little hard to get used to. I haven't used a machine with this low of resolution in many many years at least like 7, but it's fine.
My dislikes there's a long list, but at the same time, I'm still very happy with the purchase.
1) the keyboard size. I don't think it was necessary to have a number pad on this device, in fact I didn't even consider it when making the purchase but now see that it gets in the way and I would have preferred a bit more typing space.
2) the track pad, I think it should be smaller because I don't have huge hands but I'm constantly gracing it with my lower thumb area and it brings up all kinds of screens in Windows 8 they could even have positioned the track pad slightly off center and that would have helped as it stands, there's just about 1/4 inch too little space to type without some effort to avoid the track pad.
3) no vga out (HDMI to DVI cable on Amazon for like $6 solved this)
4) seemingly no way to upgrade the RAM. I'm planning to buy an 8gb RAM chip to replace the 4gb chip that's in there hopefully it will work.
5) no clear information on how to access the 20gb SSD after 2 weeks nw, I still don't know if it's in use. you can see the machine recognizes something by checking the Task Manager Performance tab in Windows 8.
6) the biggest issue of all is the glossiness of the screen. This is common I hear for Acer, and it's a major annoyance. I'm going to learn to live with it, but this screen is super glossy and reflective.
7) Volume control via keyboard it's just overall not a great experience.
8) Home, Pg Up, Pg Dn, End keys they are not side by side and not easy to access going to try and switch them in the Bios.
Wish List for this thing I wish there were a couple other things which would probably effect the price which I wouldn't want:
1) dedicated video card I hear-tell there is a model out there that has this, wish mine did, and I could have found it on open box sale, I would have paid the extra even though it would be over the budget.
2) touch screen again, I hear there is a version with too wish mine had it for this price.
3) single key volume controls _ don't want to have to use both hands to keyboard control my volume it's more annoying than I ever thought it would be.
Overall, with the open box price, I'm happy. Hopefully I can switch out some keys with the Bios and switch out the RAM with a higher chip. Netflix and Eclipse and all the usual things run fine as it is.
It's an i5, so it's going to have some fan noise, but it's minor. The only thing it needs but doesn't have is discrete graphics. Other than that its a great little computer.
By the way, this laptop has wonderful audio imaging! Stereo channel separation is better on this laptop than any I've ever heard. The speakers are a little lacking but put on your favorite track and listen... you'll be able to hear information coming from both channels; very, very enjoyable. One suggestion however.... when listening to music use the laptop on a table as the speakers are on the bottom of the unit and would otherwise fire into your knees and muffle output otherwise. Other than that, a very nice little laptop.
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Very satisfied with the performance of the laptop. Very asthetically pleasing and super thin. It doesnt start up as fast as I though it would but that is no biggy. For the use I put into this laptop, it is over powered.Best Deals for Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6807 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)
This "ultrabook" is basically replacing my old work horse. I bought it as a machine that could tide me over until I have time to build a new system. I needed something that had enough of everything to do all the work I needed, not so much for gaming.I bought this as an open box and it came in at about $500 + tax. I love the cosmetics of it, which wasn't a factor in purchasing, but feels like a luxury at this point.
The battery has been great, I haven't had to bring my power supply with me even though I take off to work on the machine for about 3 hours at a time, I never had an issue no matter how much I surf or how many processes I'm running (including an Apache server stack).
I hear there are hackitosh possibilities with this so I may explore a dual boot option in the future.
The sound is decent but not out of this world, almost good in fact. The resolution is a little hard to get used to. I haven't used a machine with this low of resolution in many many years at least like 7, but it's fine.
My dislikes there's a long list, but at the same time, I'm still very happy with the purchase.
1) the keyboard size. I don't think it was necessary to have a number pad on this device, in fact I didn't even consider it when making the purchase but now see that it gets in the way and I would have preferred a bit more typing space.
2) the track pad, I think it should be smaller because I don't have huge hands but I'm constantly gracing it with my lower thumb area and it brings up all kinds of screens in Windows 8 they could even have positioned the track pad slightly off center and that would have helped as it stands, there's just about 1/4 inch too little space to type without some effort to avoid the track pad.
3) no vga out (HDMI to DVI cable on Amazon for like $6 solved this)
4) seemingly no way to upgrade the RAM. I'm planning to buy an 8gb RAM chip to replace the 4gb chip that's in there hopefully it will work.
5) no clear information on how to access the 20gb SSD after 2 weeks nw, I still don't know if it's in use. you can see the machine recognizes something by checking the Task Manager Performance tab in Windows 8.
6) the biggest issue of all is the glossiness of the screen. This is common I hear for Acer, and it's a major annoyance. I'm going to learn to live with it, but this screen is super glossy and reflective.
7) Volume control via keyboard it's just overall not a great experience.
8) Home, Pg Up, Pg Dn, End keys they are not side by side and not easy to access going to try and switch them in the Bios.
Wish List for this thing I wish there were a couple other things which would probably effect the price which I wouldn't want:
1) dedicated video card I hear-tell there is a model out there that has this, wish mine did, and I could have found it on open box sale, I would have paid the extra even though it would be over the budget.
2) touch screen again, I hear there is a version with too wish mine had it for this price.
3) single key volume controls _ don't want to have to use both hands to keyboard control my volume it's more annoying than I ever thought it would be.
Overall, with the open box price, I'm happy. Hopefully I can switch out some keys with the Bios and switch out the RAM with a higher chip. Netflix and Eclipse and all the usual things run fine as it is.
Honest reviews on Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6807 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)
Love my acer lap-top. DId some homework & found that it was a consumer reports best buy. For what I need it for, it works great!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6807 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)
That is the only thing I don't like about this system. Microsoft needs to put the start button back nowTuesday, December 31, 2013
Cheap ASUS X75A-DS31 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)
List Price: $499.00
Sale Price: $436.99
Today's Bonus: 12% Off
I like the 17.3 inch screen, it works great, and the price was right. I'm so glad I didn't get a laptop with a small 15 inch screen. Battery charges fast. There wasn't a lot of bloatware to remove. Asus has a nice smart gestures utility to suppress any Windows 8 gestures that become annoying. It is fast enough for my purposes and Asus has 24/7 support and 1 year warranty, plus 1 year accidental warranty. I didn't really want Windows 8, but that's what you're gonna get. After 3 weeks intensive training, I now am comfortable with Windows 8. The laptop has really fast wake-up from sleep (they are not kidding when they say 2 seconds). However, it runs warmer than I had expected when the charger is plugged in. On the negative side, there isn't a free period of Windows 8 support for complicated issues from either Asus or Microsoft due to being an OEM copy of Windows. That's probably typical. However, Microsoft will help with minor things free of charge.
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I'm not sure why one of the reviews says the computer is slow I was impressed with the performance. The computer was marked down and included a $100 Amazon gift card for a net sell of $330. Nice display, no glare. With free 2-day Prime shipping, easy set up I am happily surprised!Best Deals for ASUS X75A-DS31 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)
This is a great machine for the price, but there are a few caveats.The hardware is, as usual with ASUS, of excellent quality. The frame is sturdy, the case is a stylish matte black with very understated ornamentation, which I like. The screen produces a surprisingly good looking display, and at 1600x900 it's compatible with standard widescreen media. At 17.3 inches it's just big enough to pull off 16:9 without being a burden on your eyes. The keyboard's not great, but it's not terrible either. It's tough to be objective about these things when your main keyboard is mechanical. The hardware is mostly great, but there are two areas where it's somewhat deficient.
The touchpad leaves a little to be desired. Clicking is very awkward because the left and right mouse buttons are both part of the same panel that you touch to manipulate the mouse. This means that you can still click even if your finger is near the top left hand side of the touchpad, and if you're like me you may do this often, and it may annoy you a lot. ASUS does bundle some software with the machine to do gesture recognition and try and make using the touchpad less painful, and to some extent it does work; they introduced some interesting and thoughtful shortcuts but it's not enough. The touchpad itself is not sensitive enough to be fit for general use. The good news: if you just plug in a mouse, you don't have to deal with any of this. Also I would recommend using the ASUS configuration software to disable the touchpad when the mouse is plugged in.
The other area where the machine is a little sub-par is the audio controller. It's an integrated VIA audio processing chip, and you may notice some noise in playback if you have quality audio hardware. This will worsen significantly if you use an application which attempts to play a bunch of sounds at the same time. Also, the 5mm audio port is reused for headphones and microphones, and sometimes the software fails to detect which is which. It's happened more than once where I plugged in my headphones only to receive an earful of noise. But, again, you can buy external audio playback equipment if this bothers you too much, so it's not a big problem either.
The Intel integrated HD Graphics 3000 is more than adequate for everything that's not GPU intensive 3D applications, (read: recent games). The CPU is decently fast. Similar to the GPU, it's just powerful enough that you can do almost all things which fit the profile of modern 'typical use' i.e. web browsing, word processing, etc. without noticing any significant delay. Same goes for the size and speed of the available RAM. Also, if you really need more RAM you can buy some and install it yourself there is an available slot. (I don't know what effect this will have on the warranty, but it probably won't be pretty). The HDD is not too snappy, but with all of the new boot optimizations in software, you'll barely notice.
This brings me to the software. Like it or not, you have no choice in the matter, this system ships with Windows 8 pre-installed (the licensing fee contributes in some small way to the total price of the machine). This particular model does not come with a backup disk nor a means to create one easily, so if you mess up your install and do not know how to fix it then you are dependent on ASUS or a repair shop to fix it for you. They partition the one disk into four parts by default: EFI System, OS Recovery, OS Partition, and Data. The EFI system partition is used to store specially signed boot images. The OS Recovery partition can be booted into to try and fix whatever is wrong with the OS Partition, and will load after the OS Partition itself fails to load. The Data partition is intended to be used to store, well, data (Music/Movies/Documents etc.). This system is one of many systems to use a new system for booting which obsoletes the old MBR/BIOS based approach, which has some important consequences for you, the consumer. Now, the vendors of the hardware have the power to decide what operating system will run on the device, as well as the power to prevent other operating systems from running. This functionality has been met with heavy opposition from global proponents of software freedom, and the legal and ethical debate continues. This particular system still allows the user to enter the firmware and disable the 'SecureBoot' functionality, but the process requires some technical acumen and is only required if you intend to replace Windows with certain other operating systems. Thusly, installing GNU/Linux on this machine is a little trickier than on the older BIOS based machines, but still possible. Failing that, the i3 2370M supports VT-x and so virtualization is an attractive option if you don't want to take a risk dabbling with the firmware.
Aside from the boot concerns, transitioning to Windows 8 from Windows 7 or an earlier version of Windows can be a little jarring. The system seems to be more geared towards a touch sensitive device (which this laptop is not), and the typical user experience is vastly different from prior versions. Only after extensive reconfiguration and tinkering was I able to put the machine into a state that I was comfortable using, but that is of course very personal and your mileage may vary.
I give the laptop four out of five stars: the hardware is mostly great but the software not so much. The frame, the general build quality, the screen, and the keyboard are good, but the touchpad and audio controller are a little lacking. The new firmware offers questionable benefit while taking away the consumer freedom, and Windows 8 is still not really suitable for a machine of this form.
Honest reviews on ASUS X75A-DS31 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)
This review is with this PC running Windows 7Pros:
PRICE
Handles HD Movies Well
i3 2370M (CANT WAIT TO TEST VMWARE & GNS3 using this processor)
You can downgrade to 7 64-bit
PRICE
Cons:
WINDOWS 8
spent all day downgrading from this windows 8 garbage, back to windows 7 64-bit, and installed all the drivers, from Asus website. Got a copy of windows 7 and did a clean install. ITS WORTH IT. 8 IS FOR TOUCH SCREEN DEVICES, EVERYTHING BACK UP AND RUNNING PERFECT. NOW
I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS LAPTOP A 5 STAR IF IT WITH 7 LOADED.
UPDATE: SOME IMPORTANT THINGS I FORGOT TO ADD....
1. THIS LAPTOP HAS ONLY 1 OPEN RAM SLOT. THE 4GB RAM IT COMES WITH IS BUILT IN (SOLDERED ON).
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT WILL ONLY SUPPORT UP TO 12GB DDR3 RAM, NOT 16GB. (SHOULD NOT MATTER TO THE AVERAGE USER)
2. THE PROCESSOR CAN ONLY TAKE ADVANTAGE ON 1333Mhz DDR3, however you can install 1600Mhz.
I Just upgraded this PC to 8GB.
Windows Experience Index Rates this PC at 5.8/7.9 (Graphics being the lowest score)
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS X75A-DS31 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)
Fast! Lightweight! Bright Screen!! Also have had zero issues with the laptop or the software Very satisfied Would definitely purchase again. A great laptop for the price !! :)Friday, November 29, 2013
Reviews of ASUS K55A-DS51 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mocha)
My girlfriend's Acer laptop finally died. The hard drive for my girlfriend's Acer broke after six months. I went to the UPS store to ship it back (since Acer refuses to accept returns sent through the cheaper, USPS priority mail) and paid $50. The guy there said that they shipped out Dells and Acers several times a week. Red flag. Got the computer back after a month, the memory went bad and I had to replace that... the hard drive they replaced was junk and had to be reformatted 3 times... finally, the motherboard crapped out and now it is a giant paperweight. I bought the Acer for her two years ago for $800 and after a year and a half of very light use (mostly internet browsing, word processing), it died for good. I always knew Dell was junk and HP was hit-or-miss, and now I know never to get an Acer.
Onto ASUS. I started doing a bit of research and you will find, no joke, that ASUS and Apple consistently top the list for the most reliable computers. A paltry number of ASUS laptops actually get sent back for repairs. I got this laptop for my girlfriend as a replacement for the junk Acer and we couldn't be more pleased. The laptop stays cool, loads quickly, the keyboard has the right degree of sensitivity, the battery life is decent (about 4 hours). It returns from hibernation almost instantly, like a tablet. She likes playing The Sims 3 and the old Acer would freeze up and overheat every time she played it (keep in mind the Acer supposedly exceeded all the minimum requirements), the ASUS handles it very well. The graphics are decent and everything is very responsive. For light gaming, or older games, this laptop should have no problem. I don't recommend playing COD on here, but if you've got some games that are a couple years old, it shouldn't be an issue. HDMI output works as expected, I frequently plug it into my TV and watch shows and movies without any challenges. Finally, the unit stays VERY COOL, which has always been a problem with past laptops. A welcome change.
Yes, Windows 8 is every bit as annoying as everyone says it is. There are tutorials on the computer as well as a user guide on using Windows 8. I can already tell that Win 8 is going to be another Vista fiasco where they will replace it with a Windows 9 that is actually intuitive. HOWEVER, if you spend a few days with this, you eventually figure it out. Girlfriend is not very tech-savvy, but she is managing fine now. Windows 7 was much better, but that's not the laptop's fault. So far, the laptop has lived up to its claims. It is fast, lightweight, thin (for a 15.6-inch!), the colors are crisp and sharp, and the comprehensive warranty is the best in the industry. Even if you ACCIDENTALLY spill something on your laptop, they will take it in and repair it for you. At least, hypothetically. Not planning on testing that out. Case in point, this was a great budget laptop and I'm thinking of getting one for myself at this rate. The girlfriend loves it and has been gushing about it every day since receiving it. Great for students and light users. You will not find a better deal in this price range. Couldn't recommend it more. If this laptop lasts more than a year, ASUS will have a customer for life.
P.S. I recommend shopping around. Amazon is selling this for $550, but you can find it cheaper elsewhere online (I bought mine from Adorama Camera for $475!).
EDIT: 4/19/2013 Had some difficulties registering the accidental damage warranty through ASUS' website, but I emailed ASUS and they responded within two business days and handled the registration perfectly. Very prompt and professional. Also, another shopper commented about Adorama's bad reputation. I was unaware at the time I ordered my laptop and it's something to consider, but I have to say my laptop arrived brand new, sealed, with free 3-day shipping and no issues. Certainly think twice from ordering from them if you want, but the original intent of my message stays the same price compare. Amazon has great prices, but it doesn't hurt to look around.
One of the first things I did before configuring my preferences on the operating system was to play a DVD to analyze the resolution. Is this bluray HD? The resolution was absolutely beautifully clear, bright and detailed. Now I am not a computer "geek", just an average "Joe" so I cannot lay out for you the technical specs as some will do, but I am extremely impressed by this brand.
Battery life is also again quite surprising compared to the G71. I didn't realize you could have a laptop exceed 3 to 4 hours of operating between recharges. Fantastic battery life.
Mine came with an ASUS 1 year warranty to protect me from myself. It covers the coffee spill that shorts out your computer. Something about liquid and electronics don't mix. It protects me against accidentally dropping it on concrete as I try to put it into my bag. Never heard of a warranty like that before, but I was happily surprised to find it in the paperwork. You need only register it with ASUS to begin the warranty.
As for the speakers, with my G71, I purchased an HP separate speaker because even at 100%, what came out was a whisper. The ASUS was a major improvement.
To sum it up, you will find a lightweight nicely textured cover (low maintenance) that is very attractive in Mocha, brushed aluminum keyboard face and a very high-resolution screen that will impress you. A keyboard that offers soft, but a positive feel. ASUS has exceeded my expectations and am thankful my son turned me on to the brand.
For the price and please take the time to look at the specs, in my humble opinion, the best deal you will find today while you compare apples to apples (no pun intended).
You will not be disappointed.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow up ~ Several days of play and it is still fantastic. On an unrelated subject, I found a company called Clam that has a software download that gives you the old fashioned "Start Botton". Give you the choice of XP, Vista or Windows 7. So if you feel a bit terrified about the new OS, you can have your comfy chair back.
I'm actually getting used to "8" and I'm liking it. For a little over $525, you will not find anything(same quality brand)even close to it for the money.
P.S. ~ And as for other merchants having it for less, read intently their "Return policy". When I had a small problem, Amazon was instantly there and I didn't have to jump through a single hoop. How much is peace of mind worth? The reason Amazon is my first place to buy, there Customer Service.
This laptop has a large, clear screen with great speakers so it's fine for watching a movie or show while cooking in the kitchen and the HDMI links up very easily with my TV when I plug it in in my room. There are a lot of complaints about Windows 8 out there but you can switch to the Windows 7 view easily if you find it too hard to figure out. My advice is that the world changes whether you like it or not so you might as well get accustomed to doing things in new ways all the time. I found Windows 8 to be much better when it comes to the startup/shutdown speed, hooking up to digital outlets and uninstalling programs like bloatware. The only thing I think is entirely counter-intuitive is how they show you your files. Having a "my computer" button on the Start page would fix this.
This computer is cool to the touch, I can barely hear the fan and the charge is lasting pretty long. It lasts over 3 hours on a full battery. Setting it up for the first time just took 5 minutes and you DO NOT need to have a Microsoft account (hotmail, msn.com) to finish it so don't bother if you don't have one.
If you are looking for a larger laptop with great sound and speed, buy this laptop.
The quality and designs of Asus are very similar to Apple with brushed aluminum and key pad feel. Key pad feel is very important for me as I do a lot of typing, and hated typing on my old Lenovo with punch card like feel. Also Asus seems to offer the lowest cost for 3rd gen Intel processors, and hard drive above 4gb, ideal being 8 gb. With this model memory can be expanded to 12 gb for bout $25-$50 for the DIY'er. As for gaming am not a gamer and I can't comment on the visual cards or speakers. However hooked up to HDTV via hdmi cables the picture transfer is as good if not better than my macbook.
And as for Windows 8 it is designed more for the new touch screen pc / ultra books coming out. In a few years everything will be convertible pc's with removable tablet screens. So yes Windows 8 is very annoying if one does not have a touch screen but in the tutorial you can switch back to Windows 7 in the main menu. Products and people claiming you need to buy a product to switch to Wind 7 are a scam! As for price Amazon is great seller usually on top of other main street sellers prices, just keep an eye out for sales. This unit can be had for under five hundred.
Onto ASUS. I started doing a bit of research and you will find, no joke, that ASUS and Apple consistently top the list for the most reliable computers. A paltry number of ASUS laptops actually get sent back for repairs. I got this laptop for my girlfriend as a replacement for the junk Acer and we couldn't be more pleased. The laptop stays cool, loads quickly, the keyboard has the right degree of sensitivity, the battery life is decent (about 4 hours). It returns from hibernation almost instantly, like a tablet. She likes playing The Sims 3 and the old Acer would freeze up and overheat every time she played it (keep in mind the Acer supposedly exceeded all the minimum requirements), the ASUS handles it very well. The graphics are decent and everything is very responsive. For light gaming, or older games, this laptop should have no problem. I don't recommend playing COD on here, but if you've got some games that are a couple years old, it shouldn't be an issue. HDMI output works as expected, I frequently plug it into my TV and watch shows and movies without any challenges. Finally, the unit stays VERY COOL, which has always been a problem with past laptops. A welcome change.
Yes, Windows 8 is every bit as annoying as everyone says it is. There are tutorials on the computer as well as a user guide on using Windows 8. I can already tell that Win 8 is going to be another Vista fiasco where they will replace it with a Windows 9 that is actually intuitive. HOWEVER, if you spend a few days with this, you eventually figure it out. Girlfriend is not very tech-savvy, but she is managing fine now. Windows 7 was much better, but that's not the laptop's fault. So far, the laptop has lived up to its claims. It is fast, lightweight, thin (for a 15.6-inch!), the colors are crisp and sharp, and the comprehensive warranty is the best in the industry. Even if you ACCIDENTALLY spill something on your laptop, they will take it in and repair it for you. At least, hypothetically. Not planning on testing that out. Case in point, this was a great budget laptop and I'm thinking of getting one for myself at this rate. The girlfriend loves it and has been gushing about it every day since receiving it. Great for students and light users. You will not find a better deal in this price range. Couldn't recommend it more. If this laptop lasts more than a year, ASUS will have a customer for life.
P.S. I recommend shopping around. Amazon is selling this for $550, but you can find it cheaper elsewhere online (I bought mine from Adorama Camera for $475!).
EDIT: 4/19/2013 Had some difficulties registering the accidental damage warranty through ASUS' website, but I emailed ASUS and they responded within two business days and handled the registration perfectly. Very prompt and professional. Also, another shopper commented about Adorama's bad reputation. I was unaware at the time I ordered my laptop and it's something to consider, but I have to say my laptop arrived brand new, sealed, with free 3-day shipping and no issues. Certainly think twice from ordering from them if you want, but the original intent of my message stays the same price compare. Amazon has great prices, but it doesn't hurt to look around.
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My son who is very computer savvy turned me on to the ASUS brand. He purchased one about 6 months ago, essentially the same, but he paid considerably more for his. The i5 Intel processor combined with the memory makes this laptop lighting fast. I was actually quite impressed with the overall quality, fit and finish being exceptional. Can you call a laptop beautiful? Well compared to my HP G71, the statement fits. It's a good looking machine.One of the first things I did before configuring my preferences on the operating system was to play a DVD to analyze the resolution. Is this bluray HD? The resolution was absolutely beautifully clear, bright and detailed. Now I am not a computer "geek", just an average "Joe" so I cannot lay out for you the technical specs as some will do, but I am extremely impressed by this brand.
Battery life is also again quite surprising compared to the G71. I didn't realize you could have a laptop exceed 3 to 4 hours of operating between recharges. Fantastic battery life.
Mine came with an ASUS 1 year warranty to protect me from myself. It covers the coffee spill that shorts out your computer. Something about liquid and electronics don't mix. It protects me against accidentally dropping it on concrete as I try to put it into my bag. Never heard of a warranty like that before, but I was happily surprised to find it in the paperwork. You need only register it with ASUS to begin the warranty.
As for the speakers, with my G71, I purchased an HP separate speaker because even at 100%, what came out was a whisper. The ASUS was a major improvement.
To sum it up, you will find a lightweight nicely textured cover (low maintenance) that is very attractive in Mocha, brushed aluminum keyboard face and a very high-resolution screen that will impress you. A keyboard that offers soft, but a positive feel. ASUS has exceeded my expectations and am thankful my son turned me on to the brand.
For the price and please take the time to look at the specs, in my humble opinion, the best deal you will find today while you compare apples to apples (no pun intended).
You will not be disappointed.
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Follow up ~ Several days of play and it is still fantastic. On an unrelated subject, I found a company called Clam that has a software download that gives you the old fashioned "Start Botton". Give you the choice of XP, Vista or Windows 7. So if you feel a bit terrified about the new OS, you can have your comfy chair back.
I'm actually getting used to "8" and I'm liking it. For a little over $525, you will not find anything(same quality brand)even close to it for the money.
P.S. ~ And as for other merchants having it for less, read intently their "Return policy". When I had a small problem, Amazon was instantly there and I didn't have to jump through a single hoop. How much is peace of mind worth? The reason Amazon is my first place to buy, there Customer Service.
Best Deals for ASUS K55A-DS51 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mocha)
I'm writing this review because I saw this laptop has so few. I bought this for myself as my 5-year-old HP laptop that had fan & battery problems from the get-go was finally starting to give out.This laptop has a large, clear screen with great speakers so it's fine for watching a movie or show while cooking in the kitchen and the HDMI links up very easily with my TV when I plug it in in my room. There are a lot of complaints about Windows 8 out there but you can switch to the Windows 7 view easily if you find it too hard to figure out. My advice is that the world changes whether you like it or not so you might as well get accustomed to doing things in new ways all the time. I found Windows 8 to be much better when it comes to the startup/shutdown speed, hooking up to digital outlets and uninstalling programs like bloatware. The only thing I think is entirely counter-intuitive is how they show you your files. Having a "my computer" button on the Start page would fix this.
This computer is cool to the touch, I can barely hear the fan and the charge is lasting pretty long. It lasts over 3 hours on a full battery. Setting it up for the first time just took 5 minutes and you DO NOT need to have a Microsoft account (hotmail, msn.com) to finish it so don't bother if you don't have one.
If you are looking for a larger laptop with great sound and speed, buy this laptop.
Honest reviews on ASUS K55A-DS51 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mocha)
After weeks of research landed on purchasing Asus K55a. Current / previous laptops are 4+ yr old 17" mac book pro and 4 year old Lenovo think pad running Vista. Asus is almost a bridge between Mac and Windows laptops. Consumer reports as of 5/2013 listed Asus 4th in overall tech help and products, Apple being 1st and Lenovo 3rd. Apple run great products at astronomical prices, and Lenovo are cheap IBM's now made entirely of left over parts in China. So hopefully Asus will be a bridge between these two.The quality and designs of Asus are very similar to Apple with brushed aluminum and key pad feel. Key pad feel is very important for me as I do a lot of typing, and hated typing on my old Lenovo with punch card like feel. Also Asus seems to offer the lowest cost for 3rd gen Intel processors, and hard drive above 4gb, ideal being 8 gb. With this model memory can be expanded to 12 gb for bout $25-$50 for the DIY'er. As for gaming am not a gamer and I can't comment on the visual cards or speakers. However hooked up to HDTV via hdmi cables the picture transfer is as good if not better than my macbook.
And as for Windows 8 it is designed more for the new touch screen pc / ultra books coming out. In a few years everything will be convertible pc's with removable tablet screens. So yes Windows 8 is very annoying if one does not have a touch screen but in the tutorial you can switch back to Windows 7 in the main menu. Products and people claiming you need to buy a product to switch to Wind 7 are a scam! As for price Amazon is great seller usually on top of other main street sellers prices, just keep an eye out for sales. This unit can be had for under five hundred.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS K55A-DS51 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mocha)
exactly what i wanted with performance, no need buying a mac or hp for the brand name, this computer has a better CPU chip and motherboard and you can definitely tell. the only difference is that the price is cheaper cause you arent paying for the brand name
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