MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Review

Customer Ratings:

i am currently writing this review after several weeks of use. i spent about 3 weeks researching different laptops before i got this one. it was no easy task. i hope this review will help you decide.

i have the 1.6GHz, 4GB Ram, & 128GB Flash Storage. (not sure if this review will be placed for this specific spec or for all MacBook Air 11".)

LAPTOP USE:

mainly for work. checking email and managing contacts. viewing documents.

i am also an amateur photographer so i will be doing some light photo work.

huge gamer. see below for more details.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION:

there's not much to say regarding this. it's built like no other machine i've ever used. it's rock solid. i have read some reviews stating that they were concerned with the joint where the screen meets the keyboard area but it should not be of any concern. it feels great in your hands. i can find no flaws with the laptop itself. make sure you go to an Apple Store and play with it to see for yourself.

OS:

i am currently running both OS X 10.6.5 & Windows 7 Ultimate 64. it came installed with OS X 10.6.4. make sure you update this before you install anything.

Apple states that you can only install Windows 7 through Boot Camp using a DVD player. after some research before i bought the laptop, i found this to not be true.

by using an open-source program called rEFIt, you can install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive. you can also install Linux, if you wish. by using this program you can dual boot or even TRIPLE BOOT on your MacBook Air.

if you would like to install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive, you can use a program by Microsoft called "Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool" to accomplish this. make sure your USB flash drive is at least 4GB for installation. YOU ALSO NEED A COPY OF WINDOWS THAT YOU PLAN ON INSTALLING HANDY.

INSTALLING WINDOWS WITH A USB FLASH DRIVE...

** UPDATE ADDED **

** before you go and install Windows 7 on your shiny new MacBook make sure you've updated your OS X to 10.6.5 first! i was so excited to get Win7 on my MBA that i installed it first before upgrading. i had installed EVERYTHING. all my PC programs and had it set up perfectly. bad mistake. when i upgraded the patch it wiped my NTFS (Windows 7) partition and everything there. ugh. save yourself that headache and PLEASE UPDATE OS X to 10.6.5 FIRST!!!

i have recently increased my Mac partition to allow for more room for my Mac needs. it is now at 48GB for Mac and 70GB for Windows. your needs may vary so give yourself ample space for both partitions. if at a later time you need to increase/decrease your partition sizes, you can do so easily by doing a FULL BACKUP WITH A SYSTEM IMAGE using Windows BACKUP or any other Backup program. remove your Windows partition ONLY AFTER doing the backup. go into Boot Camp Asst and create a new partition. connect your choice of Windows 7 installation, either USB OR DVD. do a RESTORE with the backup of the system image and backup files you made. VOILA... you have everything the way it is again. ***

make sure you first go into OS X. click on Boot Camp, which you can find using the Finder feature or go into your Utilities folder. get to the second page. download the Windows support software for your Mac. you're going to need it later after you've installed Windows. save this on your other PC. hopefully you have a PC to run that Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool. just go through the steps it tells you and you should be done. now place the "WindowsSupport" folder you dl'ed through Boot Camp onto your flash drive. you should have 3.65GB used. i used Windows 7 Ultimate 64 so your size may be less.

now you should already have installed rEFIt. if not, you should do so now. follow the instructions on their site. this gets installed through OS X, just in case you're wondering. after installation, make sure you reboot your MB Air at least twice. don't ask me why. it just takes at least twice before it gets fully working.

as you're about to do your second reboot, plug in the flash drive you have Windows 7 installed. as your MBA loads up, you should get a screen with a few icons, which you may have noticed after your first reboot. just select your USB drive and VOILA! you should now be starting your Windows 7 installation. once you're done make sure you install the Boot Camp drivers in the "WindowsSupport" folder. Boot Camp 3.2 is out so make sure you update to that ONLY AFTER you've installed 3.1 first. you will not be allowed to install 3.2 without 3.1 installed.

WINDOWS 7 GENERAL USAGE:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 runs smoothly on the MBA. i was very surprised. it boots up almost as quickly as my 3.4GHz desktop which has a SSD drive. considering the MBA only has 1.6GHz this thing can only be labled as a BEAST. i like to tinker with my computer a lot so i've removed many startup services and programs that i don't need and just eat up valuable resources. i will not go into details about it now but if you are curious just ask and i will comment back with some good info for you.

i have installed Lightroom 3.3 and Photoshop CS5 and they run very nicely. it will definitely not give you the same experience as a 3.4GHz desktop but considering the size of this laptop, you should be pleased.

Hulu & Youtube runs quite nicely. definitely not as smooth as my desktop but then again look at the size of this laptop.

i personally have not installed Windows Office 2010 because i've opted to go with the free Libre Office program. it is still in beta stages but runs quite nicely without any major hiccups. i also have Firefox and Thunderbird installed. they both run well.

WINDOWS 7 GAMING USAGE:

i currently play Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Black Ops. i installed both on the MBA. i was quite shocked that it ran pretty well. of course, you will most likely have to run at lowest settings but if you need to get your fix for blood and you're away from home then you can! let's be realistic though. you really don't want to be playing games on a 11' screen. to be honest, i had such a hard time seeing enemies that were far away in BFBC2.

MAC USAGE:

this is my first Mac. i was very hesitant booting up the MBA the first time. it's like that first day at high school... as a freshman. you thought you knew it all but now you're in a totally new environment. fear strikes in.

don't fret. you're about to embark on a wonderful new adventure!

i am beginning to love the Mac OS X. it's so stable and runs as smooth as a babies bootie on this laptop.

i have Aperture 3, Final Cut Express 4, Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Firefox, and Thunderbird installed on the Mac OS X. they all run very well. Final Cut Express will not be the same as a desktop experience most definitely but you can do some light work on your MBA. i also suggest you install a program called Onyx to remove any garbage files. also get Growl. a very nifty program for Mac's.

** UPDATE ADDED **

** a commenter had asked about doing a fresh install of the Mac OS X. i know what he meant immediately. most laptops come with some sort of BLOATWARE (garbage programs that slow your system down). Mac's are not plagued by this issue so you do not have to worry. since the storage on your MBA will be limited compared to other systems, every bit of free space is valuable. OS X contains files for use with X11, which is a X Window System implementation for running X11-based applications on Mac OS X. Based on the de facto-standard for X11, the open source XFree86 project, X11 for Mac OS X is compatible, fast and fully integrated with Mac OS X. It includes the full X11R6.6 technology including a window server, libraries and basic utilities such as xterm. if you have no idea what i just wrote, then you won't need this. :) i'm not sure if it's installed by default but since i had to do a fresh reinstall due to the OS X 10.6.5 Update patch wiping my Windows partition. there are also over 1GB worth of language support files within OS X and other Mac programs. you may want to do a fresh install due to these reasons but if X11 is not a concern of yours and only removing the language files then there is an easy solution. check below for more details under the "RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS". **

RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS:

after a few more weeks of use, i have been using OS X a lot more than i had first thought i would. due to these reasons, i have been researching for more OS X programs. here are my results. i will add more as i come across them.

1. CleanMyMac: this program is A MUST HAVE. it does so much i can't even begin to tell you everything it does. basically, it cleans out all your garbage files, unnecessary junk, and language support that you won't need. i gained over 2GB worth of storage space from this program. THAT'S A LOT! considering i just got my MacBook so it wouldn't have any accumulated that many temp files. it goes to show you how many other files there are you don't need.

2. Onyx 2.2.1: this is another MUST HAVE. it is a multifunction utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to verify the Startup Disk and the structure of its System files, to run miscellaneous tasks of system maintenance, to configure the hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock and of some of Apple's own applications, to delete caches, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome and more.

3. KisMAC: it is an open-source and free sniffer/scanner application for Mac OS X. i've used this for when i'm out and need to get more WiFi info than is given through OS X. many of you probably won't need it but it's a nice program to have.

4. WinClone: clones your Boot Camp partition. can be useful for many applications. (use with precaution, as it seems to be no longer developed. i suggest you google this application and see if it fits your needs.)

5. Libre Office: an open-source Office platform program. it's the better version of Open Office, in my opinion. it's FREE so try it. it's also available for PC.

6. Text Wrangler: 90% of you won't need this, but for the other 10% it can be very useful. this is the only free program that does this that i could find. A powerful and richly-featured tool for composing, modifying, and transforming text stored in plain-text files. It features flexible "grep" pattern-based search and replace, syntax coloring, and function navigation for C, C++, and Objective-C. Also includes integration with the UNIX command line via the "edit" tool, built-in support for opening and saving files to remote FTP servers, and a rich plug-in architecture.

SUGGESTED PRODUCTS FOR YOUR MACBOOK AIR (which i am using. do a search on Amazon for these products.):

elago Mobile Nano II USB 2.0 microSDHC Flash Memory Card Reader (Black)

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX0010BBK-NESN

Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX for PC and Mac

Samsung USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive for Mac and PC SE-S084D/TSBS (Gloss Black)

Transcend P8 15-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader TS-RDP8K (Black)

FINAL WORDS:

i love the MacBook Air 11". i do not regret purchasing it at all.

i hope you have all found this review helpful. i am sorry to those who i have bored with my long rant. i hope i helped a few people decide on purchasing this laptop. if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.

cheers!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I should admit upfront that I am not a scientist or engineer. Nor am I a gamer or video editor. I am a scholar and writer, so my use of this machine is largely limited to word processing, Power Point presentations, web browsing, and watching streaming videos. Thus, my experience will very likely differ from those who'll be using this computer to run several large and sophisticated programs simultaneously. Given these parameters, I am simply thrilled with this addition to Apple's MacBook collection. I am a relatively recent convert to Apple products after nearly two decades on PCs. So my views might be positively colored somewhat by the enthusiasm of the newly converted. I have been using a MacBook Pro 13" for the last year or so and I can safely say that this new MacBook Air 11" is simply a charm and a wonderful companion to the larger computer. Mine is the fully maxed-out model, with the factory-installed 1.6 chip, 4GB ram and 128 flash. I bought it to use for travel to libraries and research centers, and to carry easily from home to school. While I've only had the machine for a short time, there is no doubt this will be instantly more useful than any PC or Apple I've owned before. I have now spent several hours running it through its paces and I am genuinely impressed.

My first reaction was that it truly is as amazingly thin and sleek as it looks in the ads--almost disconcertingly so compared to my MacBook Pro. My first few times typing, I thought I might break it, it seemed so thin. But it's a toughie, no doubt about it. Light yet solid. Easily slips into my bag--hardly noticeable. It took almost no time at all to set up. The battery charged in less than an hour and, so far at least, seems to run almost as long as my Pro, though I do have to be especially careful to quit programs I'm not using to preserve and prolong power. I installed Office Suite 2011 in 15 minutes via the wireless network through the university. No need for a disk drive in this instance. Even more exciting, it easily networked wirelessly with my Pro and I was then able to operate its DVD drive as if it were part of the Air. Amazing. Assuming you have another MacBook, there really is no need for a DVD drive in this machine.

Since I write for a living, having a comfortable keyboard is essential. I was delighted and surprised to see that the 11" Air has a keyboard that measures exactly the same as my 13" Pro--no difference whatsoever. And the overall feeling is quite good with just enough bounce and resistance--essential in my view for effective typing. Only thing lacking are the illuminated keys--a nice feature, but certainly not essential. I don't think I'll miss it. The backlit screen is physically smaller, of course. But there are more pixels per inch, so it is amazingly bright and crisp. In fact, in a side-by-side comparison, this screen is every bit as brilliant as the screen on my Pro, and is certainly brighter and with greater high and low contrasts than the screen on the standard MacBook. Again, I am quite delightfully surprised by how good this screen is, since I was expecting something less in such a small package. Everything reads slightly smaller as a result, of course. But I still have no trouble reading whatever's on the screen. I imagine people with poor vision might have a slightly harder time reading their usual sites and documents. But I have no trouble--and my eyes are not perfect by any means. The improved track pad is a joy to use and genuinely intuitive. I am especially pleased to see the one finger "tap to click" option once again that you don't find on the older MacBooks--makes navigation that much faster and easier.

Despite the processor being only 1.6GHz, the speed seems to be about the same as on my MacBook Pro. Here, I'm sure more sophisticated users and gamers will disagree. But I am able to run Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu videos flawlessly. No discernible lag, no annoying pixelating. It certainly boots up faster (that solid state storage makes a noticeable difference there) and many of my usual websites seem to load up just as fast if not faster than they do on my Pro. So I'm not sure I will notice any difference in CPU speed, given my rather mundane needs and uses. But I'm glad I got the faster chip and larger RAM, nonetheless, given the ever-increasing demands of programs and the Internet. These upgrades make normal usage a breeze and should extend the machine's viability a bit longer.

Downsides? None yet--apart from minor issues like the lack of an SD slot, an Ethernet port (USB extension is available for purchase) and additional USB outlets. But I'm happy to sacrifice these things for the convenience of a light, ultrathin MacBook. No doubt this machine will now become my primary tool.

Be aware that this maxed out edition (1.6/4GB/128Flash) must be factory installed through special order. As a result, it takes longer to arrive than most might expect. Certainly longer than the 1-3 business days Apple claims it takes to process the order. Mine took 18 days from the time I placed the order until it arrived from the Apple factory in China. Your experience may be different. But don't expect it to arrive within just a few days.

In short, this is an excellent machine. Whether it is worth the price is up to you. But I'm more than happy with it. Obviously, I can't attest yet to its durability, but it feels solid and stout, and I expect it will get quite a bit of use.

Best Deals for MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

I have a core i7 main 15" MBP and I wanted a travel laptop. I figured for big trips I would need the big boy to take the load. I was wrong. I bought the pimped out 11" model and it has handled admirably. I would like a 256 model as well but I think I will be able to find a bigger flash drive soon enough. I have been amazed with the ease the 1.6ghz handled everything I threw at it and multitasked like a champ. I would not do any video editing or encoding on this little guy but I don't really do that on the road anyway. I think my 15" MBP will be getting a lot of at home time these days. if you have the money to pay the apple tax you will not be disappointed.

Honest reviews on MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

I bought it, I love it. It has a full sized keyboard, a screen with about the same dimensions (in dots, not inches) as my old 13" Macbook, is small, light, and beautiful.

It also, to my surprise, will run World of Warcraft at a respectable frame rate.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

10 years ago, I bought a 12" powerbook. It was an amazing laptop. Small, powerful, the perfect travel companion. I used it as a road warrior for years. The full sized screen and reasonable battery life were ideal. I later replaced it with a 13" black macbook. I liked it, but it wasn't the portable wonder that the old powerbook had been. I've tried netbooks, bigger laptops, an ipad, etc, and they all work well, but still left a little something to be desired. Enter the 2010 Macbook Air 11". Wow. It's everything my old powerbook was, but better. Better screen, better keyboard, better battery life, and fast. It's not a replacement for a video render farm, you wouldn't want to run the latest game or lots of virtual systems on it, but for my needs, it's brilliant.

Review of Lenovo Yoga 11s Convertible Ultrabook - Intel Core i5-3339Y (1.5

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,099.99
Sale Price: $928.00
Today's Bonus: 16% Off

Disclaimer: I purchased a refurbished model from newegg not from amazon

Pros:

1. Somewhat lightweight. The machine is not as light as an iPad or a MacBook Air but it is by no means heavy and holding it 768x1366 rather than 1366x768 makes the weight very manageable.

2. The "yoga" aspect of the Yoga 11s. Using a normal laptop after using the Yoga makes me wonder why no one in the computer industry implemented this idea on a mass production scale before.

3. Build quality is fantastic and the wrist rest is made of a rubberised plastic that is a joy to feel.

4. Lenovo (IBM) have been on point with their keyboards in the past and although the keyboard on the IdeaPad 11s is no match for the Thinkpad 13, using the 11s keyboard is smooth and easy despite the smaller size.

Cons:

1. Bare minimum of ports (most ultrabooks have this problem) at 1 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI.

2. Casing is secured with hexagonal screws. If you already have a set of those then no problem but if you don't I suggest you buy a set.

3. Battery life is 3hr 7hr depending on usage. Not really a con but for those who mistakenly believe this will run like the Yoga 11 or an iPad this might be a con.

4. 1366x768 is fairly low especially compared with my phone (1280x720) or my Nook (1440x900).

Thoughts:

The weight of the Yoga 11s makes the device a laptop that turns into a tablet rather than a tablet that turns into a laptop. This means that you probably will not be using the 11s to show off in the park like one might with a shiny new iPad.

The screen resolution is high enough to not warrant any problem from me but for those who greatly enjoy the MacBook Air resolution or the Yoga 2 resolution then here is your fair warning.

This will not run your games. Save for games that are very old or animated largely with sprites the laptop simply cannot keep up at full screen resolution. League of Legends will run at bare minimum settings but at that point the animation for many skills becomes nearly invisible (Ezreal's Q is a good example of this).

I know i have more cons than pros and many negative thoughts on the product but as an ultrabook this machine really does bridge the divide between tablet and laptop in a way that the XPS 12 or the swivel+flip designs of HP never could. I only listed so many cons because some prospective buyers might want gaming performance or iPad battery life, not find it on the 11s and unfairly rate the machine lower.

Post Script:

Windows 8 is an unadulterated horror to use and it makes using the Yoga 11s an extreme chore. It is truly saddening to see such a fine machine mutilated by the hodgepodge, expired, made out of cat meat chop suey that is Windows 8. As soon as I figure out how I will install Windows 7 and consider losing some of the tablet-y features well worth the gain of a far more useful UI.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Amazing. Sleek. Best laptop! Very functional can be both a laptop and a tablet. We chose this over a MacBook.

Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 12.5-Inch Laptop Review

Customer Ratings:

post-review edit: after owning this laptop for 2 months, I've come to be very disappointed with the headphone jack. It's terrible quality and it takes great effort to find a position where it transmits sound to both ears. If it's sitting in place it's bearable, but if it's in my lap and I so much as tap my leg, the sound jumps in and out. It makes listening to music on the go unbearable. Deducted one star for it. At $800 (I bought it for $700 from amazon and have seen lower), I would not buy this laptop today.

---------

I bought this laptop about a week ago as a replacement for my MacBook from '10. I'm an engineering student and I got tired of the incompatibility of OS X with the majority of my CAD & engineering software. I was looking for a lightweight laptop with quality construction that would be able to run programs like SolidWorks and play HD video--no games. With this laptop, I found exactly what I was looking for.

The great part about this laptop is that all the components are really exceptional--except for the hard drive, which is crap. But see, that's precisely what I had hoped to find. When the hard drive is so awful, I didn't feel like I paid extra for a good component that I had intended to replace from the start. I went with a Crucial M4 128GB as the replacement drive. With the SSD installed, there's really no weak point to this system (except for the GPU, because there is no dedicated GPU). The standard voltage processor keeps programs running smoothly and the SSD makes programs load instantly. Power on to login in ~9 seconds. Temps stay low with no fan activity so it's totally silent. If you're just using the internet and playing music, it doesn't get above room temp. Great stuff.

Next I'll outline some key features in no particular order.

----------

Display: coming from my MacBook (not pro), the screen falls short. Same resolution but it doesn't look as crisp or colorful as the Mac--it's not a huge difference, but I noticed it when making the transition. I don't notice it anymore unless I have them side by side. Maybe it's the glossy screen vs. the Samsung's matte screen. The screen doesn't match the maximum brightness or the range of brightness available to the Mac. So, it's not a bad screen, but it could be better.

The slim bezel looks really classy & I like it a lot. The screen doesn't feel flimsy and the lack of a large bezel really makes the laptop look fantastic. The laptop overall looks beautiful & feels tough enough to leave in my backpack without worry. Some laptops I've seen in stores feel like they're made of plastic and I hate it. I don't get that with this one.

Oh, and 12.5" is the perfect size for a screen. 15" is too bulky for a work computer and the netbooks are cripplingly small. This is perfect.

----------

Keyboard: it feels SLIGHTLY smaller than a full-size keyboard, but I think it's the same as the Mac and it's not small enough to cause me to make mistakes while typing. I'm 6'4 with big hands, so you'll probably be okay. Function & arrow keys are nice to have. Keys feel responsive when pressed--it's almost exactly the same look, feel, and size of the keyboard on a similarly sized Macbook Pro. No backlight on the keys.

----------

Trackpad: I've seen worse on laptops, but the Mac's trackpad is significantly better than the one on this laptop. The laptop has drivers to allow for the same sort of "gestures" (2-finger scroll, 3-finger back) but it's not nearly as smooth as what I'm used to. I'm so glad it includes gestures though. It really does make everything significantly easier, even if the implementation has room for improvement.

Sometimes the trackpad doesn't detect my finger when I try to move the cursor. There's another problem that I run into where I try to drag a window and midway through, it 'drops' the window (for lack of better phrasing) and I have to re-click & drag. Same thing happens sometimes when I try to highlight a large section of text. The trackpad loses the position of my finger and the highlighting stops short of where I want it to be. It doesn't happen if I consciously press harder on the trackpad, but in normal use it happens enough to be annoying. The trackpad is this laptop's major flaw, but only by comparison to the Mac. By itself it's not a dealbreaker.

----------

Hard Drive: it sucks. 5400 rpm is as slow as it gets but it's the only weak point in the hardware of the system. Perfect opportunity to replace with a SSD. I really can't emphasize enough how much of a difference the SSD makes. The included hard drive is dead weight in this system and it really drags it down. You need a good replacement to unleash this laptop's potential. Read up on proper care of solid state drives if you're considering replacing the hard drive.

Just for perspective--with a SSD, this laptop 'feels' faster than a $1000 gaming computer running on a 7200RPM hard drive. The gaming computer will always outperform this laptop in games, editing software, and the like. BUT, when you're just running iTunes, Chrome, and other programs that don't require a ton of constant CPU/GPU power, this laptop will perform faster. I think that's pretty cool.

----------

CPU (processor): 2nd gen i5 & it's standard voltage, which means it's not scaled down for portability. I don't play games on it, but SolidWorks runs great and video is smooth as silk. Exceptional processor for a laptop, especially for one in this price-range/weight class.

----------

RAM (memory): 4GB is plenty for all but enthusiasts and some graphic designers. No expansion slot, but I don't really care. Wish I knew if it could be upgraded to 1-DIMM of 8GB, but you really don't need more than 4GB.

----------

Sound: I don't have a pair of great headphones so I can't speak for the sound card, but the speakers are pretty crappy. It's enough to show people videos or for once-in-a-while use, but they're no replacement for standalone speakers. The sound from MacBook speakers is an improvement, but still bad. It's laptop speakers in an ultra-portable laptop... what do you expect? I wouldn't be mad if they had left out the speakers altogether to cut down on weight.

----------

GPU: integrated with the i5 processor, the HD 3000 is enough for HD video but probably not enough for gaming. I don't use it for games so I can't speak on that behalf, but it hasn't held me back at all.

----------

Optical Drive/USB slots/etc: 2 USB slots, not USB 3.0. Not a big deal. The usb slots are on opposite sides of the laptop (one per side). No optical drive--had to install windows 7 with a thumb drive. Downloaded the drivers from here:Nothing to say about the other slots. USB and headphone slots are the only things I make use of.

----------

Battery: I get about 5 hours on a full charge while connected to WiFi. I use the 80% max charge option to save battery life but if I took it to full and took the screen to minimum brightness, I could probably push it to 6-7 hours. Not replaceable but I hope Samsung is right and it lasts for a few years.

----------

Conclusion:

The laptop isn't perfect, but I would argue that it's the best in its price range (with a SSD). All in all, I paid $879 for this laptop (including SSD), which is a few hundred dollars less than its Apple counterpart (the MacBook Air). This laptop does everything I need it to do and more, especially for the price. I'm really happy with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~REPLACING THE HARD DRIVE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1) Remove all the screws holding the back plate to the laptop. Two screws lie underneath the rubber pads. I used a philips head 0x50 screwdriver. BE CAREFUL--IT'S VERY EASY TO STRIP THE SCREWS. I cut it close a few times because I rushed through it. Take your time.

2) Now the back plate has to be pried off. This part sucks; it took me around 15 mins to finally get it. Pry off a corner and slip something underneath. Slide it around the edges and you'll hear pops when you do it right. Latches are placed around the edges and they need to be unsnapped to get the backplate off. The backplate splits the fan vents in half, so be mindful of that when you're looking for a leverage point.

3) With the backplate removed, you need to remove the screws holding down the hard drive. Carefully remove it from the SATA connector and unscrew the cover from the hard drive (the thing with the rubber pad on it).

4) Install the new hard drive and use the cover to screw it back into place.

5) Snap the backplate back on, replace the screws & rubber pads and you're all set. Remember, you'll need a USB drive to perform a fresh install of Windows 7.

I hope this helps someone who is as picky with computer purchases as I am.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Love this laptop, using it to write this review. I got it because we recently started started going paperless at work and wanted my own notebook to carry with me and do my work. Its absoultely perfect for the job. Most people notice the aesthetics first, its a very attractive machine. Even though the series 3 is the budget series of Samsung, this notebook does not feel cheap in any way. The next thing people notice is the weight and size. It's got the same form factor as an 11.5 inch laptop thanks to Samsung's trademark thin bezels, so you get more screen for the same form factor. The weight is perfect, i carry it around with me all day without problems. Also like the keyboard, its a full sized keyboard with chiclet keys. Also has arrow buttons, which is a huge plus for me. With a full version of Windows 7 and the horsepower of the i5 and 4GB RAM, it runs better and smoother than any other laptop Ive ever owned. Overall, a great purchase for a great price. Would buy again in a heartbeat.

Best Deals for Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 12.5-Inch Laptop

i am a freelance graphic designer and primarily use this notebook to take to client meetings to give them progress reports (secondary use is pretty much all internet). while this computer is not powerful enough to substitute for a desktop when using programs like illustrator and photoshop, it does run these programs well enough for my purposes (haven't really noticed significant lag time...maybe a bit with 20+ layers open but nothing ridiculous). these are pretty much the only programs i run on the computer besides office; i haven't started any new projects using this computer but i do make adjustments to projects that i have already started on my desktop and this computer handles that really well. now for the pros and cons:

PROS:

* super light i'm a pretty small person and a couple pounds can make a huge difference when i'm carrying something around all day. at just about 3 pounds this notebook is hardly noticeable in my bag.

* super small this thing is tiny, which coupled with the weight makes this an extremely portable notebook.

* attractive this may not be important to everyone but this notebook looks really nice, and as a graphic designer it is important for me to present a good appearance to my clients. it has a sleek, modern design, a nice brushed metal look on the cover and keyboard, and nice, compact keys with rounded corners.

* keyboard these keys don't have a lot of travel which i actually didn't like at first but now that i've used the notebook for a few weeks i've changed my mind. i also like the font type and size for the lettering on the keys very clear yet subtle.

* processor the i5 is a really good processor and handles photoshop, illustrator, word, and a couple of internet tabs open at the same time.

* ram 4gb of ddr3 is more than enough for most people, and from what i've read an additional 4gb can be added which helps "future proof" this notebook.

* matte screen i love not constantly having glare on my screen and i also find that the matte screen is easier on my eyes. there is also a con to the matte screen so please read that.

* noise level this notebook is really quiet compared to others i looked at. when the fans aren't on i can't hear anything (some others emit a high-pitched noise like that of old televisions) and when they are on they produce a faint humming noise that i soon forget about until they turn off. the keys are also fairly quiet i don't think typing would disturb others in a classroom or library.

CONS:

* matte screen the only down side to the matte screen is that the colors aren't as vibrant as on other screen types. my desktop uses a semi-matte screen, also made my samsung, and i notice that the colors are a bit more vibrant. that being said, even as a graphic designer this does not have a significant impact on my work as: a) the vibrancy difference is minimal, b) i don't use this notebook to create designs, only to show them and make minor modifications, and c) colors will look different on virtually every screen. i have not yet messed around with the display settings so that may have an impact but no matter what you do the colors will not look the same as they do on a glossy or semi-matte screen. however, there is no noticeable color bleed on this matte screen which would have been a deal breaker for me.

* indicator lights my eyes are very sensitive to light and motion so the first thing i do on a new computer is turn the screen brightness down and turn off the indicator lights on the keyboard...except in this case i was unable to turn these lights off. i called samsung and they confirmed that the lights cannot be turned off so i'm going to cut some tiny pieces of electrical tape to put over them until a third party solution is available. on the plus side, the screen brightness control is great (i use 3/8 8 is instant eye pain and 1 has me squinting to see).

* no dedicated graphics card i would really prefer a dedicated graphics card but in this price range it's nearly impossible to find a notebook with this feature. for the average computer user this won't be an issue but if you are using graphic intensive programs a dedicated card can help with lag time and be even more useful when newer versions of such programs come out as they will most definitely be more demanding.

* no usb 3.0 not a big deal now but may be annoying in the future. if necessary i'll get an adapter.

OVERALL

really nice computer in terms of processing power, ram, portability, and style. i would recommend this computer for: graphic designers as a supplemental portable, students as a primary computer that can also easily be carried to class (boy do i wish they made computers this light when i was in college), and for any person who wants a portable computer for everyday stuff (word processing, internet use, etc) that has a good enough processor and enough ram to be useful for years to come.

edit 12.10: i forgot to mention that when i got this computer the function keys didn't work. i solved this problem by downloading the "easy display manager" from this samsung downloads page:

Honest reviews on Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 12.5-Inch Laptop

What a great little laptop. I wanted thin & light but did not want something underpowered. So far I am extremely impressed with this system. The screen is bright and at 12.5" feels big enough to do most anything. It is very thin and at 3 lbs really does feel very light, in fact any ligher and it might slide around the desk when you use it. The core i5 2410m is quite fast and has the upgraded HD 3000 video, so far all of the graphics and video work has really impressed. I considered a system with an SSD however I do like having the space that the 500GB HDD provides.

The system did not come with an over abundance of bloatware applications pre-installed so it was usable right away without having to uninstall unneeded junk. The Fast Start technology seems to work as it does wake back up very quickly. I am anxious to try the wireless display but need to buy one of the TV adapters to make it work.

I would definiately buy this again.

12/17/2011 Update:

I found I was occasionally having trouble with the wireless connection when unplugged. I changed the windows power settings to have the wireless network use maximum power when on battery and it seems to have fixed the problem.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 12.5-Inch Laptop

I wanted a reasonable sized, light, easily transportable notebook computer that would be fast enough in normal usage to not feel slow. This Samsung works. It is subjectively fast, light enough (3.1 lbs) to carry easily, and has the capacity to do everything I want to do. The keys don't have much travel but are easy to get used to. At full brightness, the screen is fine. At 12.6 inches, it's big enough. Even with the power cord, the whole package is still under 5 lbs. Wish it had more USB ports--2 means I have to use a small 4-hole port. I got an external DVD writer/player for when I have to use a DVD to get software installed. I prefer to not have to carry the additional weight of a DVD around when my need for it is rare. The very smoothly opening lid is a nice touch, adding to the all around good visual and tactile impression of this notebook.

Discount HP Pavilion 17.3" Laptop Computer - AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-5550M

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

I got this locally for $400 after my Asus i5 laptop overheated and crashed leaving me

desperately searching for a replacement, I got lucky.

Here's what you get, a quad core APU with Radeon HD 8550G graphics, 4Gig Ram, 740G hard

drive, and a DVD-R/W, plus a 17.3" display in a lightweight and beautifully designed

carbon fiber look silver frame with Win8/64 pre-installed.

My only con, this display could be better, the colors are a little washed out, no way to fix this

and there are only 3 resolutions, a 1600x900, a 1280x, and 1024. OK, I'm done venting, I didn't

pay for a premium piece of glass and if you're not looking at it next to your desktop display you

may not notice.

Needs more RAM, 4Gig isn't enough as 768M are allocated to the video, and as yet I haven't found

how to allocate more after I added another 4Gig stick. HP uses a captive screw on the backplate

so you just unscrew it and slide the panel down and off. But to HP's credit, the Ram that is installed

is DDR3 PC3-12800 * CL=11 * Unbuffered * NON-ECC * DDR3-1600 * 1.35V * Performance was greatly

enhanced with the addition of more Ram, the Windows Experience number jumped from 5.9 to 7.1, and

you can tell an obvious difference when you are navigating the web or running multiple programs.

As a test of stability, I opened 6 video players all running 1Gig+ files and after 20 minutes they

were all still chugging along, I was shocked actually, this has been quite a surprise overall.

Also, video editing is a breeze with this cpu, it just rips right through large files.

The chicklet keyboard is workable, but the touchpad is laggy and you will want to add a mouse ASAP.

However, after attaching to a separate monitor via HDMI I find that the colors and some of the controls

are all there. Problem is, I cant install a copy of Catalyst on this Win 8 thing to give me more

flexibility over colors and contrast. I guess I'll just have to be happy on my extended monitor...but

again, I'm limited to only 4 resolutions on a 1920x1200 monitor but I can live with that. The main hard

drive is not partitioned so its a little clunky. I'm running 3 USB devices with no lag and they connect

right up via an upstream to my Dell monitor. Also a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse were plug and play.

On the plus side, there is a Cyberlink Media Suite included that has PowerDVD and PowerDirector10

among other features. I would like this laptop better if it had Win 7, but because of all the

Bios tweaks there is no way to go in reverse unless you buy a machine with Windows Pro, then Microsoft

gives you "downgrade" rights, which is funny because Win 8 is a clear step in the wrong direction

and a BIG FU to consumers.

BTW, if you're freaking out over Windows 8, thats OK, go right ahead. Windows 7 was the best thing

Microsoft ever did, and Win 8 is just the most ridiculous hodgepodge of a software geek's wet dream

I could have ever imagined. However, 2 days after buying this laptop I have discovered a world of

workarounds and tweaks, such that I am about 70% back to the look and feel of Win 7, so there is

help out there, and most of the fixes are free. "Start8" was a good investment though that gives you

back your Start menu and kills the insanely stupid Windows 8 App screen and all its intrusive popups.

A final note, what finally made me fall in love with this model was the surprise DVD encoding time using

ConvertX/DVD 5.0. On my previous i5 (2.3Mhz) with 6Gig Ram, whenever I would encode DVDs there was a problem

with overheating, maxed out CPU usage, and maxed out Ram....then POW, my laptop would shut down. Also

to encode 2.5-3G worth of video typically took 1 1/2 2 hours. On my first run today, this machine ripped

through 2 video files totaling 2.8G in 30 minutes! WHAT??? Thirty minutes at 100+fps, with no overheats

and even though the CPU was pegged at 98%, the system was still usable, it would lock up on that i5 machine.

For an APU this laptop is a beast! 4.5 Stars, I'm very happy.

My apologies in advance for anyone with questions, apparently in Amazon's great wisdom I have been banned

from posting comments for life. But this machine has 2 memory slots, and one 4G stick installed. Did I mention

I HATE Windows 8?

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I'm using this laptop for work right now. It's great at multitasking. Maybe it's just a new computer but no complains so far. I really like the sleek design and smooth surface. Would definitely recommend.

Best Deals for HP Pavilion 17.3" Laptop Computer - AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-5550M

I got this computer on clearance from Best Buy at $460 a month ago and I can only say that it is incredible value for the money. It comes with windows 8, but can be downgraded to windows 7. The display is huge and beautiful, I'm not sure what the other reviewer is talking about! The audio and video cards are very strong and the processor is one of the strongest AMD processors around. I would recommend this laptop to anybody who is looking for an all-around workstation that can also double as an entertainment center. What really makes it amazing is the price, though! A++++++++++

Honest reviews on HP Pavilion 17.3" Laptop Computer - AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-5550M

I am a Mac user, always have been, always will... but I needed a PC for some work things that I can't do a Mac. So, I literally had 2 requirements in looking for a laptop:

1) large screen

2) it turns on

So, since this satisfied both of my requirements I bought it. I am extremely happy with the purchase (even though I abhor Windows 8) but it's served me well. I can do what I need to for work and it's got a nice clean view. So here's my Pros and Cons:

PROS:

17" screen. Crisp pictures

750 hard drive

4 GB RAM

CONS:

Battery Life is shorter than I'd like.

The touchpad has a life of its own. The double finger scrolling I'm use to on my Macbook only occassionaly works properly

The keyboard is very dark and the letters are very hard to see with anything other than direct light (I keep a USB light plugged in all the time and use a wireless mouse)

I bought mine for $399.99 at a big box store that rhymes with Vest Guy

Discount Acer AS5742-7620 15.6" Intel Core i3-370M 2.4 GHz Laptop

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $598.00
Sale Price: $549.99
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

Acer is a good quality product and the i3 is fast, but definitely more affordable than the i5 or i7, which is why I chose it. You will have to buy a Microsoft Office, as it does not come with the computer, but for the price, it's still good.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This laptop is fast, low cost, and has a good size hard drive. The color is really nice, not too bright and not too dull. And the screen size is great, has a HD screen and battery lasts for hours!

Best Deals for Acer AS5742-7620 15.6" Intel Core i3-370M 2.4 GHz Laptop

Got this for a Christmas present from Walmart.

First the good part: it weighs much less than my old Acer, it cost $338.00, has a webcam [works fine], it is very quiet, and everything seems to be working normally.

Second: I received some vista cd's [btw this is a windows 7] and I can't seem to download them and so far they will not allow XP either.

That's about it right now will see about it in about a month. Anne from Indiana

IBM Thinkpad T40 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

The IBM Thinkpad T40 is a great product, did not realize that it was not wifi but has a ethernet cable that can be linked to router. Bought for my 7 year old daughter to learn to type and play her CD-ROM games and she loves it -and I do not have to worry about her going onto the internet and finding inappropriate websites.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I was not expecting too much so was very pleased when I got a high quality lap top for an extremely good price. The purchase far exceeded my expectations!

Review of Acer Aspire V3-571G-9683 15.6-Inch Laptop (Midnight Black)

Customer Ratings:

This is the perfect laptop for anyone looking for a gaming laptop for under $1000. All the games I've tried on it have run perfectly, the most difficult probably being Skyrim, which ran perfectly on ultra settings. The laptop is very aesthetically appealing in my opinion (although some reviews for Acer Aspire V3 computer's said it was not attractive, I completely disagree). The main upside is gaming, but it also has a great keyboard which is very important to me as a college student, the screen is great, which is awesome for me because of netflix. The biggest issue I have with the design of the laptop is with the location of the track pad, and the buttons on the track pad. I was just playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 (which works perfectly), and my left hand would occasionally tap the track pad, causing my gun to fire at random. The buttons at the bottom of the track pad are frustratingly bad, but since I use a mouse that is not a big deal; the track pad is touch sensitive, and you can scroll up and down on the side of the track pad which is a nice feature.

Of course, the biggest issue most people have with newer Acers is with Windows 8; at first I found windows 8 incredibly frustrating, but within a couple days I got used to it. The only major difference is that instead of a start button where a sidebar pops up (like windows 7), you open up a start screen which has a tablet-esque feel to it. The start screen is slightly worse in my opinion, but not enough so that I feel the need to switch to windows 7. One thing that I don't care about, but others may love, is that there is a full numbers pad on the side of the keyboard, which would be great for programming or accounting or something like that. I have yet to use it, but others may love it.

The worst thing about this computer is its poor battery life, with full brightness you might get 2-3 hours, whereas my old hp pavillion dm4 got about double that. This doesn't bother me excessively because I almost always have a computer cord handy, but if you plan on taking this on the go don't count on a great battery. Of course an easy fix is to buy another battery (preferably with a lot more mAh) for about $50.

Pros: Great Graphics card, great processor, good GPU and enough GB hard drive make this a great gaming computer; screen resolution; nice keyboard; the ports (headphones, usb etc.) are tighter than usual which means your headphones won't fall out easily;

Average: speakers; screen size; Windows 8; start up time; internet connection;

Cons: Poor battery and heavier-than-average weight make this computer not particularly portable; Track pad location is bad (when you first get it the track pad will seem kind of sticky which will be annoying but this goes away quickly); comes with too much junk previously installed (for example who wants an ebay app installed on their computer?);

Note: Windows 8 will not let you do certain things because the original account you create will be called administrator but will not have full access to everything to prevent you from screwing things up. There is a simple fix to this, go to command prompt and type some stuff in you can find online and you will be able to log into the real administrator account.

Also, I definitely recommend a mouse (I think Logitech is the best) because the buttons on the track pad and the location of the track pad are abysmal.

Edit: Extremely fast start up speed, under 10 seconds.

Edit: As the comment below says, if you hit fn+f7 it will shut off the trackpad so you don't accidentally click it while playing a game.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I've just recently bought this laptop and it exceeds expectations! I bought this computer for playing games and watching movies on netflix. This computer can not only play games on high/ultra graphics but also has a great display. Watching movies on it is great. The problem I have with this laptop is the short battery life. I get around 3 hours when gaming on high settings but I usually keep it plugged in so not a big problem. Another con with it is the placement of the track pad. I end up occasionally tapping the track pad when playing games causing something I don't want to happen. To fix this I bought a USB mouse. This laptop has been great for what I need it for and hopefully you'll love it two.

Best Deals for Acer Aspire V3-571G-9683 15.6-Inch Laptop (Midnight Black)

the laptop is good and all just that there are 2 different graphic cards in it, you can't really tell the diffrence between the HD 4001 and the 730M inside... but if you are playing a game that needs the card like some steam games [Merto 2033] the 730m will give you a better picture and smoother loadings per frame. The laptop gets hot after an hour of playing so not recommended over 2 hour 30 min of playing for regular use the laptop does not get to hot unless left on to long the bat life is about 3 hours on low settings in real world if just typing a paper or using the web. use if playing games on bat its about 1.5 hours if watching a videos on dvd it lasts about 2 hours.

overall its a good laptop and it looks like its priced correctly the heat would come from underneath and from where you rest your wrist its quiet and fast.

Reason for the 4 starts is cuz the screen resolution looks like its 720P instead of 1080. games run at 60 FPS most of the times the worst it got was 30 FPS. i did put all the setting maxed [Metro 2033] the game ran about 50 to 65 FPS some parts the game would drop to 35 FPS [This will be my bench marker for this PC]

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire V3-571G-9683 15.6-Inch Laptop (Midnight Black)

Save for the one or two special keys that were mixed up on the keyboard (easily overlooked as they are few and far between) and my unfortunate first time encounter with the confounded mass of unnecessary options that is Windows 8 (Remedy: Only use the desktop and you're golden), the laptop performs above my expectations and at a fair price. I could also nitpick at some discomforts like where volume control and brightness adjustment were placed, but its hardly an issue and more a personal preference. This product is powerful, thumbs up!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire V3-571G-9683 15.6-Inch Laptop (Midnight Black)

Needed a new computer for my employees and this notebook was top notch helping very well with what we needed.

Discount Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5336 15.6-Inch Laptop - Black

Customer Ratings:

I don't think you can get this much bang anywhere else for $350. The only downside is both usb ports are on the same side. It can be annoying when you have usb devices with short cords to have to rearrange the work area to accommodate the laptop

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Well this is a very cheap laptop ( price related ), ive been faithful to toshiba this is my 3rd laptop, I always sell them and buy new ones... Gotta love the whole keyboard, the design is simple but kind of roughed which is nice( not scratching )... LCD LED is nice widescreen, very fast i already loaded all my files and still running fast, turn on in less than 2 minutes, other pc's take a while to load up all the starters programs... The only thing im not so happy is that it only has 2 usb ports and no HDMI port... before i forget battery life is good, last around 5 hours may be more if you set it up right, it doesnt get hot ( thanks god ) ...

Bottom line if your on a budget toshiba c655 is the way to go, your not going to regret it, if you have a lil more money try the L55 and let me know :) ... toshiba all the way, cant go wrong with them !!!

Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5336 15.6-Inch Laptop - Black

This is my second Toshiba Satellite laptop. I bought my first in early 2007, have used it for several hours most days, and it is still going strong. I needed a separate laptop for a new job and this is just perfect. Nice keyboard layout, and I like the starter office program that you really do not have to upgrade if you just want to do simple documents. Nice and lightweight around 5 pounds to take places, good screen resolution. So far, so good. Price is right!

Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5336 15.6-Inch Laptop - Black

i purchased it from Amazon.com and the service was excellent,the computer is more than i expected meaning its a great computer

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5336 15.6-Inch Laptop - Black

for all you "kids" that dont know the half of it, great computer, great price. The first laptop i bought cost me 3K....i know, long time ago. For the bargain basement price of $349 i got myself a lean-mean-fightin machine. Love it..if i had kids i could afford to send them all to college with this bad-boy. Suggest step away from google chrome, ram hog. Best thing about this one, upgrade-able to 8g ram, long time before you need to upgrade on the computer itself. throw another g of ram in....lightening speed. go toshiba and amazon

Discount Samsung -R540-JA08 Laptop / Intel Core i3 Processor / 15.6" LED

Customer Ratings:

I find the Samsung JAO8US is a great computer. It's loaded with Windows 7 which is a great operating system. Important feature with this computer it has VENTS on the back so it DOES NOT OVERHEAT.

It's great for gaming, emails, download Amazon Music, download Big Fish Games etc...I can also watch movies and music cd's example Richard Marx Night Out With Friends and Stories to Tell the 3rd cd is at Shepard's Bush London.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

After less than six months from purchase, the pixels started dying on my screen. I first went to the online chat and was directed to the service request. The form would not accept any characters, and there was no record of my registering my laptop (I always do). Then I called tech support who said I needed a serial number from the bottom of the laptop, there is none. It may have wiped away? No other numbers wiped away. I ended up going back to best buy who says this is a common problem with this laptop and with Samsung. Glad I sprang for the extended warranty because best buy fixed what Samsung wouldn't!

Besides the crappy display and customer support, the laptop does what I wanted it to do. I can create documents while streaming video. The video chat has been a great way for the kids to talk to grandparents and the games I play work fine. I would not suggest hardcore gaming with it, but I haven't had any problems with simulation games.

Review of Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p Laptop Computer - 59370005 - Dusk Black - 4th

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,499.99
Sale Price: $1,074.99
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

A lot of these on Amazon don't have DVD drives this was important for me to have. Be sure to read the descriptions carefully as I bought a different model and had to return it as it didn't have a DVD drive. This thing is super fast, though, and I can really tell a difference with the new Haswell processors. I especially like the OS on the SSD that this has, and you MUST get Full HD 1080p like this one has (again, something to be careful of as many others just have the poor 1366x768 resolution, which is a HUGE difference!). This is one heck of a powerful laptop that I hope will last for a long time.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

After searching for just the right laptop for months, I've just acquired two of these Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p laptops (the 59370005 configuration), one for myself and one for my wife. These machines ROCK! I say this not simply because of their performance, but because they also shipped with the right software.

Lenovo deserves serious kudos for these laptops. Not only are they blazing fast and put together like Rolex watches, but Lenovo has preloaded them with some software to make life with Win8 really quite nice. As most already know, Win8 relies on Microsoft's new "Modern UI" interface, which sports an ill-advised "Start Screen" better suited for smart phones and tablets than PC's. Realizing this is a terrible arrangement for anybody who needs to use his PC to perform any real work, Lenovo has included the Pokki Menu with these machines. The Pokki Menu is the coolest, most powerful Start menu I've ever seen, bar none. It's wonderfully customizable, and once configured to one's preferences, it makes living with Win8 not only painless, but a genuine improvement over Win7. (I never imagined I'd ever make that statement.) Every Win8 machine should ship with this app. It even supports booting the PC directly to the desktop, completely bypassing the hideous Start Screen altogether. Great stuff! Thanks, Lenovo.

Best Deals for Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p Laptop Computer - 59370005 - Dusk Black - 4th

I've been using the Y510P for a few weeks now, and overall it is a good machine, particularly for the price: the screen is big, bright and provides excellent color and resolution, the sound system better than most, the processor and RAM (mine's 8GB) deliver the performance. I can't tell if the 24GB SSD, serving as a buffer for the 1TB HD, really makes a difference, it is definitely slower than an SSD solo.

I must say at the outset that I am not a computer games person, so my criticism of this gaming machine is based on using it in ways it may not have been designed for. In any case, here is what I found lacking so far:

Windows 8 is not to my taste at all, I'm working on downgrading, and I'd advise others to get Windows 7 preinstalled. Although its search facilities are more powerful than in previous versions, most things are also better hidden, and it is rather frustrating.

I am having trouble hooking up to WiFi sometimes it works, but sometimes it fails, and sometimes it disconnects for no apparent reason when other devices around it (including other Lenovos) chug merrily along. I found no tools that can point to what the trouble may be besides the Windows Troubleshooter which finds nothing wrong and refers me to the Administrator (which happens to be me). It seems to consistently ignore the 5.2GHz channel, although it is configured to use both that and 2.4GHz.

The machine is not very portable, at 6 lb, and its battery is good for 4 hours at most get a spare.

Finally, I'd would have liked a fingerprint reader for security.

Ronny

Honest reviews on Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p Laptop Computer - 59370005 - Dusk Black - 4th

This is a great laptop for school.I love it.It has everything I need in a laptop and is really fast.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p Laptop Computer - 59370005 - Dusk Black - 4th

This thing is a beast! It will play all the latest games and do daily task without breaking a sweat! If you are looking at getting the Y510p make sure you get this model, it has everything you need.

Pros:

Fast!

I7 processor

Sleek metal design

Matte 1080p screen

Decent webcam

Backlit keyboard with 2 different levels.

Stylish

Cons:

Runs a bit hot

Touchpad is a disaster

Fingerprint magnet(impossible to remove them too)

The ultrabay GPU's are still not on the market.

Slow 5400 rpm hdd(really is the only cause for slowdown on this laptop)

For a full review check out my youtube channel

User= CrematedFated

Reviews of Samsung NP540U3C-A03UB Series 5 13.3" Touch-Screen Laptop - 4GB

Customer Ratings:

This Ultrabook has spoiled me forever. Full size power and performance in a lightweight product that I use daily. My 2-year old Toshiba Satellite laptop feels like it weighs a ton compared to this one. Battery length is excellent (almost 6 hours unless watching videos, maybe 4 1/2 5 hours) and sound quality is much better than expected although I usually use headphones, it's nice to have a laptop that you can hear clearly through its own speakers. I flow between using the keyboard, the mouse, and the touchscreen (which I love), but the onscreen keyboard has not gotten as much use from me as I thought it might. Windows 8 took no time to get used to for me and is very compatible with this touchscreen Ultrabook. If you miss having a backlit keyboard, as I've read in other reviews of this model, just tip the screen down for a second to see what you're doing. I know where the keys are, so for me the lack of backlighting was a non-issue. Cosmetically, it's absolutely beautiful and fingerprint free (except for the easy to clean touchscreen). I got this exact model for $600 at Best Buy after a very good sale and some other discounts (I bought a Verizon JetPack mobile hotspot and got another $100 off the price of this computer, which was just an added bonus at the checkout counter that I wasn't expecting). This was about three months ago and I haven't seen it on sale for such a low price since then. This model may be steeply priced if it's selling for $900 but if you can find it for $750 or less, grab it!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Thin, light, and powerful. Battery is pretty good too. And it starts up really fast from sleep. It's definitely good enough to use as your daily laptop.

Best Deals for Samsung NP540U3C-A03UB Series 5 13.3" Touch-Screen Laptop - 4GB

When we were using the Microsoft Powerpoint, it keeps minimizing and maximing on it's own and we were in front of doctors.

Review of Laptop Notebook, Top Laptop, ANDROID | 7" SCREEN | TOUCH SCREEN

Customer Ratings:

The main reason I bought it was for the touchscreen, and touchscreen doesn't work. I had to deactivate the screenlock so I can get into it without a problem. Other than that I haven't had any problems with it. Once you get it you might want to buy a new charger for it, the charger that comes with it has a piece to be able to plug into US outlet but its very loose, I had to tape it up.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Buy Lenovo - Yoga Ultrabook Convertible 11.6" Touch-Screen Laptop - 4GB

Customer Ratings:

I originally purchased this computer from my local Best Buy store and have been very impressed with its performance. The screen folds effortlessly 360 degrees into a tablet and the software transitions very smoothly while disabling the keyboard to prevent the keys from being pressed inadvertently. Windows 8 shines with a touchscreen interface and i5 Intel Processor in this computer keeps this machine running FAST. Boots in seconds from a 128gb SSD and is very lightweight to carry. Build quality is solid unlike some of the other touchscreen windows 8 PCs that BB/Amazon offers (I had to return several others before settling on this one). Only recommendation is to purchase a case for it as the exterior paint tends to scratch easily.

Overall this is the best quality touchscreen Win8 notebook on the market for the money.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Discount Apple Ibook G4 1 Ghz 512mb 30gb Dvd/cdrw 12" LCD with Airport

Customer Ratings:

The laptop is not half bad. It's the first mac I've ever used, so it took a couple of days to get the hang out it. It's relatively easy to use and I can see why mac user prefer it over Windows. It does get a little hot though. The memory is small so flash videos don't play smoothly, but I hear you can upgrade the memory somehow.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

the used i book we purchased was a great bargain. we are VERY satisfied with our purchase.

Best Deals for Apple Ibook G4 1 Ghz 512mb 30gb Dvd/cdrw 12" LCD with Airport

I've had a 12" iBook G4 since 2005 and it's still my favorite notebook for browsing the internet, writing letters, and even reading pdf's. It's very lightweight and I consider the screen the perfect size. It's held up very well. One of the keys has a hairline crack and one of the rubber feet on the bottom fell off but I clean it every month or so and it still looks almost new.

My only criticism is that it gets a little warm so I keep it on top of a clipboard when holding it in my lap. No viruses, no crashes, no worries.

When netbooks started becoming popular a couple of years ago, I had to laugh because I already have a lightweight, handy netbook. In fact, I'm using it right now to write this review. Given a choice between a new Asus or Dell netbook or a used iBook G4 for the same price, I would take the G4 without thinking about it for a second.

Honest reviews on Apple Ibook G4 1 Ghz 512mb 30gb Dvd/cdrw 12" LCD with Airport

This computer is my new best friend. You don't even understand :o I've always been a Mac person but thought they'd be too expensive. When I learned about the iBook I thought it'd be old and obsolete, but it is not whatsoever.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Apple Ibook G4 1 Ghz 512mb 30gb Dvd/cdrw 12" LCD with Airport

I needed a notebook for college this semester that wasn't too expensive and can last a long time. What really sold me about this thing was the fact macs last years longer than PCs and they don't get pc viruses. I have had this for months and it works great!