Showing posts with label notebook or laptop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label notebook or laptop. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2015
Buy Lifebook Ah562 15.6" Touchscreen with Windows 8, Intel® CoreTM
I bought this laptop for my son. This is the first Windows laptop that we have bought in 2 years and our first foray into Windows 8. My last few laptops have been MacBooks, one of each of the last 3 generations. We decided to try a touch screen laptop as we thoroughly enjoy our tablets. This machine has been more than I had hoped. It's responsive and Windows 8 is extremely easy to use for basic operations that my son will be using it for. Easy set up, synch plug and go. No real hiccups so far. The screen is very nice and I am interested in how it will hold up as it ages. It's a little heavy but that suits his use just fine as he is not yet permitted to lug it out of the house. The keyboard is an almost odd size (coming from a new MacBook, the keys are much closer than the MB) but they keys feel solid. Also it's supposedly water resistant. I hope we really dont need to find out. The audio while not stellar (whiat laptop is?) is every bit as good as a Mac for general use. Who critically listens to anything on a lappy? Startup and restarts are reasonable far out performing the desktop that this machine is replacing (hard core custum built 3 years ago) so my son is happy. There are a ton of ports to use. We were going to use the second screen HDMI outs but the main user doesn't want to. Overall, we are very happy with this machine and it should serve us for the next few years.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Reviews of Apple MacBook Pro MA092LL/A 17" Laptop (2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo, 1
I just received my new 17" MacBook Pro. I was a bit reluctant to replace my totally worn out PB 15 Titanium which is over 4 years ago: dings, replaced frames, and other maladies from falls, travel, etc. "Reluctant" due to the new operating system, new chips, new about everything. And then there's the issue of a ton of gigabytes and programs moved over to a new machine. Geez. What's that... days of adjustment, reloading, re-installing, and finding serial numbers.
Before that though, the experience of taking it from its box was remarkable. Who else but Apple would think about the slick box that it comes in? But the accessory box was missing... or was it. The cable adapters were there, a cool remote control (that works with Keynote), and a tight little kit of DVDs and DVD-sized books. That was it. Of course, I didn't read anything... I'm too impatient.
So, that takes me to set-up etc. I started it up, it asked if I had a Mac and would I like to migrate my files (and applications). I said yes. It demanded a Firewire cable for the deed, I complied [not provided, but I had one]. About an hour later, I had a fully operational MacBook with all of my old applications working. No dragging, serial number stuff, or otherwise (so far, that is). A seamless transition. I did need to state that my music would be authorized on the new computer. The easiest move ever. As though I was using my old computer with everything intact, but now a new, wide screen, ultrafast environment. So a little over an hour after taking it out of the box, I was using Creative Suite and other apps with abandon.
I don't want to discuss all the enhancements and how well they work since better reviewers than I have already done so. But I will do a few highlights. First, the wide screen is real estate I sorely needed (and no twisting that might cause the battery to drop out), not too heavy, but real estate and bright. It rests for hours on my leg and I fell no excess heat. The new magnetic charger connection is great: as you approach the plug it literally is sucked into the connection. And the lighted keyboard for dark room users -awesome.
So far, all of my applications work except Virtual PC which I anticipated. I did need to trash the try-out Microsoft suite since my licensed version was co-installed (and doubling clicking took me to the try-out version rather than my version).
I haven't tried the emulation via Boot Camp, but perhaps the Parallels Virtual System might be better. The latter offers simultaneous operation. I have no choice since an important testing system is PC only, and we use it for 1000 students year.
As we would all expect, everything moves so totally quickly, that I have few barriers to productivity. And that was an initial fear. So this is a brief review focussed more on migration and seamless operation. In these respects, I could not be happier. It's a Mac, in spite of the Intel processor, with all the usual simplicities and convenience. Other barriers to productivity? I haven't found them yet.
For it's size, the unit is a light weight, but in its class, it's the heavyweight champion. still 1" thin, the powerful Intel Core Duo gets HOT. These are not called laptop computers, folks they are portables. If you're doing processor intensive work with this on your lap, you're gonna cook your loins. For less money, you can get a cheap PC laptop that weighs 15lbs and is about 3" thick to absorb the heat it generates. If you want the best in portables without sacrificing screen real estate, this is the one to get.
The MagSafe power adapter is pure genius. No more cats or kids making your investment fly across the livingroom. If your foot snags on the power cord, it yanks out of the portable, instead of denting your DC-in board or crashing your computer to the ground.
FrontRow offers you what no other portable has remote control for your tunes, your videos and your entire iLife. iLife '06 is pre-installed and other than perhaps a carrying case and a copy of Microsoft Office, you won't find yourself having to buy a lot of stuff to go with your investment. It just works, and comes with industry clad software that also simply works and yields stunning results.
No viruses, no malware, no spyware, no worries. Be sure to snag an AppleCare protection plan with your purchase. AppleCare Protection Plan (APP) covers your computer for 3 years... otherwise you have a one year warranty and out of warranty repairs for portables are not cheap... starting at about $310 out of warranty.
If you're used to using your portable for faxing, you'll need to pick up a USB modem. Apple believes that modems have gone the way of the Do-Do bird, despite the fact that all fax machines still use 28k-56k modems. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, though. Apple was the first to ditch the floppy drive, and thank goodness they did! They got a lot of heat over that decision, but it is a trend the industry has now embraced.
Value: With my MBP I get a high speed process 2 GHz+, 2GB ram, 17 in monitor, 100 GB disk space @7500, 3 USB ports, 2 400 and 1 800 firewire port. I priced this a comparable on Dell and a few other model and either way you slice it this will cost north of $3,000. Whether it's a high end gaming device, whatever, it will cost you. My MBP came in at slightly over $3,100 and that included Aperture and 3 years of support. I dare anyone to make a case for a cheaper alternative with a PC.
Quality: What can you say? The heat output on this is about the same as other Intel based machines I've had. It sounds like that is more than the traditional Mac laptops, but as far as Intel laptops go it's about the same. All of the other cosmetic stuff is just fine.
Application Support: There is plenty written about Photoshop CS2 running on MacTel machines and the performance issue. I read some of the tests, and no only were they unusually taxing given typical use of PS, they were unrealistic for all but the photo pro who must process large numbers of complex batch jobs.
Support: I have called Apple support a few times. Wait times were short, the staff was knowledgeable, polite, and proactive. Same can be said for the IM tech support.
If you are a Windows user and want to move to the realm of the enlightened, buy a MBP and Parallels Desktop for Mac for those moments when you need a fix of XP.
There is plenty of support out there for learning the new language of Mac, but it is amazingly easy. The first thing you must learn is that Mac is intuitive. I was prepared to go through pages of setup instructions to hook up my internet, but Mac did it all for me, no questions, no permissions, just had to enter my WEP key to enter my service provider environment. WOW!
Switching between systems? Boot, hold down the 'options' key, and choose your system. I you want to use Windows, you will need to purchase a new Windows XP SP2 single disk version; If you want Office tools, likewise, though many use the Mac version of Word and Excel.
What is hard to get used to? No 'delete' key (Mac has a 'delete' key, but it functions as a backspace) When you are in the Windows environment, you have to use mouse 'click' functions to delete things. Also, No 'home' or 'end' keys. All the above functions require 2 key-strokes on the Mac.
This is the only trouble I have found; It pales in comparison to the nightmares of Virus software, updates for security and everything else that seemed to drag my old system down. Get this computer; you will never regret it.
Before that though, the experience of taking it from its box was remarkable. Who else but Apple would think about the slick box that it comes in? But the accessory box was missing... or was it. The cable adapters were there, a cool remote control (that works with Keynote), and a tight little kit of DVDs and DVD-sized books. That was it. Of course, I didn't read anything... I'm too impatient.
So, that takes me to set-up etc. I started it up, it asked if I had a Mac and would I like to migrate my files (and applications). I said yes. It demanded a Firewire cable for the deed, I complied [not provided, but I had one]. About an hour later, I had a fully operational MacBook with all of my old applications working. No dragging, serial number stuff, or otherwise (so far, that is). A seamless transition. I did need to state that my music would be authorized on the new computer. The easiest move ever. As though I was using my old computer with everything intact, but now a new, wide screen, ultrafast environment. So a little over an hour after taking it out of the box, I was using Creative Suite and other apps with abandon.
I don't want to discuss all the enhancements and how well they work since better reviewers than I have already done so. But I will do a few highlights. First, the wide screen is real estate I sorely needed (and no twisting that might cause the battery to drop out), not too heavy, but real estate and bright. It rests for hours on my leg and I fell no excess heat. The new magnetic charger connection is great: as you approach the plug it literally is sucked into the connection. And the lighted keyboard for dark room users -awesome.
So far, all of my applications work except Virtual PC which I anticipated. I did need to trash the try-out Microsoft suite since my licensed version was co-installed (and doubling clicking took me to the try-out version rather than my version).
I haven't tried the emulation via Boot Camp, but perhaps the Parallels Virtual System might be better. The latter offers simultaneous operation. I have no choice since an important testing system is PC only, and we use it for 1000 students year.
As we would all expect, everything moves so totally quickly, that I have few barriers to productivity. And that was an initial fear. So this is a brief review focussed more on migration and seamless operation. In these respects, I could not be happier. It's a Mac, in spite of the Intel processor, with all the usual simplicities and convenience. Other barriers to productivity? I haven't found them yet.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Turn this puppy on and you'll be singing "I've got the powuh!" This is the fastest laptop on earth. The display is stunning, whether or not you get the glossy version. Wide enough to get serious projects done, in FinalCut Pro, Aperture or Logic. The FireWire 800 port means faster transfer speeds to your external FireWire 800 hard drive, and a great asset to those who process video in the field.For it's size, the unit is a light weight, but in its class, it's the heavyweight champion. still 1" thin, the powerful Intel Core Duo gets HOT. These are not called laptop computers, folks they are portables. If you're doing processor intensive work with this on your lap, you're gonna cook your loins. For less money, you can get a cheap PC laptop that weighs 15lbs and is about 3" thick to absorb the heat it generates. If you want the best in portables without sacrificing screen real estate, this is the one to get.
The MagSafe power adapter is pure genius. No more cats or kids making your investment fly across the livingroom. If your foot snags on the power cord, it yanks out of the portable, instead of denting your DC-in board or crashing your computer to the ground.
FrontRow offers you what no other portable has remote control for your tunes, your videos and your entire iLife. iLife '06 is pre-installed and other than perhaps a carrying case and a copy of Microsoft Office, you won't find yourself having to buy a lot of stuff to go with your investment. It just works, and comes with industry clad software that also simply works and yields stunning results.
No viruses, no malware, no spyware, no worries. Be sure to snag an AppleCare protection plan with your purchase. AppleCare Protection Plan (APP) covers your computer for 3 years... otherwise you have a one year warranty and out of warranty repairs for portables are not cheap... starting at about $310 out of warranty.
If you're used to using your portable for faxing, you'll need to pick up a USB modem. Apple believes that modems have gone the way of the Do-Do bird, despite the fact that all fax machines still use 28k-56k modems. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, though. Apple was the first to ditch the floppy drive, and thank goodness they did! They got a lot of heat over that decision, but it is a trend the industry has now embraced.
Best Deals for Apple MacBook Pro MA092LL/A 17" Laptop (2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo, 1
I wanted a dedicated machine for Photoshop and general management of my photo workflow. I made the decision for the MacBook Pro for a number of reason. Quality, Value, Good Support, Application Support.Value: With my MBP I get a high speed process 2 GHz+, 2GB ram, 17 in monitor, 100 GB disk space @7500, 3 USB ports, 2 400 and 1 800 firewire port. I priced this a comparable on Dell and a few other model and either way you slice it this will cost north of $3,000. Whether it's a high end gaming device, whatever, it will cost you. My MBP came in at slightly over $3,100 and that included Aperture and 3 years of support. I dare anyone to make a case for a cheaper alternative with a PC.
Quality: What can you say? The heat output on this is about the same as other Intel based machines I've had. It sounds like that is more than the traditional Mac laptops, but as far as Intel laptops go it's about the same. All of the other cosmetic stuff is just fine.
Application Support: There is plenty written about Photoshop CS2 running on MacTel machines and the performance issue. I read some of the tests, and no only were they unusually taxing given typical use of PS, they were unrealistic for all but the photo pro who must process large numbers of complex batch jobs.
Support: I have called Apple support a few times. Wait times were short, the staff was knowledgeable, polite, and proactive. Same can be said for the IM tech support.
Honest reviews on Apple MacBook Pro MA092LL/A 17" Laptop (2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo, 1
For starters, things did not go well initially. My new MacBook Pro (MBP) 17" died 6 hours into its life. Conversations with Apple confirmed the situation, but since I had purchased my MBP at an Apple retailer (not an Apple Store), all Apple could do is schedule it in for repair, but they recommended that I return it as DOA. I knew my local Fry's Electronics sold me the last MBP17" they had, but Fry's checked the other stores in the DFW area and found another store with several still in stock. it was a 120 mile round trip but at least I got a brand new MBP and life has been WONDERFUL since. I am a long time Windows user, but I also am very comfortable in the Mac environment( as well as UNIX). I purchased Parallels Desktop for Mac (FORGET Bootcamp) and loaded in XP Pro and the various Windows apps that I knew I would need either due to lack of comparable Mac software or during the transition. The MBP has to be experienced to be believed. XP running in a Virtual Machine (VM Parallels Desktop) is WAY faster than native on a 1.8GHZ ATHLON/512MB machine. OSX Tiger is LIGHTYEARS ahead of XP and Leopard looks like it will leapfrog whatever Vista actually becomes. It does take some getting use to having to use the function key + delete or home or end or pageup or page down to get the those functions in XP, but once you get the hang of it no problem. I also got the Apple Mighty Mouse and it makes XP a LOT nicer than trying to work with a single button mouse. I am upgrading to 2GB of Ram since OSX and XP running at the same time chews through the standard 1GB completely (11-15MB left). Once a 7200RPM Perpendicular Recording is available from Hitachi, I will be moving up from the standard 120GB/5400RPM drive.If you are a Windows user and want to move to the realm of the enlightened, buy a MBP and Parallels Desktop for Mac for those moments when you need a fix of XP.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Apple MacBook Pro MA092LL/A 17" Laptop (2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo, 1
I use a PC at work, and do some of my work remotely from home. When Apple came out with the duo core Intel processor, I still wasn't convinced that I could happily move to a new system. Let me tell you; it is the finest computer I have ever owned! I have this gut feeling that Apple made this dual OS move to convince PC users once and for all; this is the only computer you will ever want.There is plenty of support out there for learning the new language of Mac, but it is amazingly easy. The first thing you must learn is that Mac is intuitive. I was prepared to go through pages of setup instructions to hook up my internet, but Mac did it all for me, no questions, no permissions, just had to enter my WEP key to enter my service provider environment. WOW!
Switching between systems? Boot, hold down the 'options' key, and choose your system. I you want to use Windows, you will need to purchase a new Windows XP SP2 single disk version; If you want Office tools, likewise, though many use the Mac version of Word and Excel.
What is hard to get used to? No 'delete' key (Mac has a 'delete' key, but it functions as a backspace) When you are in the Windows environment, you have to use mouse 'click' functions to delete things. Also, No 'home' or 'end' keys. All the above functions require 2 key-strokes on the Mac.
This is the only trouble I have found; It pales in comparison to the nightmares of Virus software, updates for security and everything else that seemed to drag my old system down. Get this computer; you will never regret it.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Ideapad S405-59351953 Review
List Price: $549.99
Sale Price: $388.68
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
Overall, it's okay considering the price but the keypad does not have a good quality in terms of touching/typing, no scrolling function in the touch pad, longer boot time than i expected (of course it's subjective).
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i know it's a refurbished product. But i think they can be better in quality. When I got it, the laptop shell wasn't properly closed together. It's as if someone opened it but didn't bother to check if it's put back together nicely.But the worst thing is that the recovery key button at the side was stuck inside, you couldn't use it. I tried fixing the button, but there was something wrong with the plastic that you couldn't touch the connector properly.
I would have returned it but I was leaving the US and needed a laptop, so I took and probably need to go to some repair centers to fix that...
And window 8 is definitely annoying, though it's not the laptop's problem per se.
Best Deals for Ideapad S405-59351953
Didn't work out of the box, lost 2 weeks shipping back and having to buy another. No data on how well the PC might have workedHonest reviews on Ideapad S405-59351953
It is a good laptop, cheap, good design, fast, very thin. Just I am not so satisfied with the camera, not even as good as my 5 years old one.Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Best Sony VAIO Duo SVD13215PXB 13.3-Inch Convertible 2-in-1 Touchscreen Deals
First: the Amazon product description isn't accurate. This laptop contains a 256 GB SSD, but no conventional hard drive. (They currently list it with a 500 GB HD, which is not correct.)
The good: this is the laptop I'd been holding out for. It's fast enough and capable enough to run Adobe Photoshop with no problems or to allow me to manipulate a hugely complicated Excel spreadsheet filled with formulas without any noticeable lag. At the same time, it wakes up in less than 2 seconds, and the touchscreen when folded down into tablet position is great for taking notes on. The battery lasts far longer than most laptops, generally giving me 8-10 hours of work before running out. It's shockingly light.
The bad: while the hinge works great, I worry about its long-term sturdiness. The webcam light often stays on, which is creepy. The angle of the screen isn't adjustable, so although the brightness makes it readable from many angles, if you'd like a different angle than the default for ergonomic reasons you're just out of luck.
No buyers remorse on my part a week into having it, but I'd say that the primary audience is people who need high performance, long battery life, a touch screen, and light weight all wrapped up into one package that they're willing to pay a premium for.
UPDATED: It appears to be the case right now that there's no pressure sensitivity for the stylus in Photoshop. That might or might not be a dealbreaker for folks, and it might or might not eventually get fixed with a driver update.
Build:
The device feels very solid and has a premium feel.
The left and right edges of the screen bezel has a slight lip near the middle that catches your fingernail (it's not perfectly flush).
There are two hooks on the base that attaches to the bottom of the screen to keep it secured when the screen is up, but the hooks can sometimes miss and the screen needs to be realigned. If the Duo is on a 45-degree or more slant then the screen will become unhooked and hang loose.
This ultrabook does not have a lock hole.
Weight:
The Duo 13 is lightweight for a laptop but not light enough for one-handed use as a tablet.
Screen:
Beautiful IPS display.
The screen can be hard to view in direct sunlight.
The screen is great, although a 60-degree angle (like the MS Surface) instead of 45 would be better. The IPS display has decent viewing angles so I can live with that.
The sliding screen design allows the screen to be closer within reach than traditional laptops. I like this design over others where the screen is further at the edge of the base.
Having the screen on top and slide out has its benefits to be used as a tablet/slate without having the keyboard in the way. This was one of the main reasons why I chose the Duo over the Pro.
It would be nice if the screen can somehow flip out of the way if you didn't need it. All I need is the keyboard when connected to an external display and the blank screen is just in the way.
Other ultrabooks may have higher resolution screens but 1080p seems sufficient for this 13" screen. The screen magnification is set to 125% by default, which still allows a large workspace. Setting it to 100% gives you a very ample workspace but items can be too small.
The touch accuracy works as intended, but it can get tricky to pinpoint some buttons in desktop mode with your finger. This is where the pen comes in handy.
Note that this screen only has 5 touch points instead of 10, but I haven't found the use for that many touch points. Windows 8 doesn't allow you to drag multiple items with multiple fingers anyways.
I had the Duo custom built at Sony's online store and had them apply the screen protector at the factory. The screen protector does takes away some glare, glossiness, and color.
Note that output displays are limited to 1080p. I wish it could go higher for my higher resolution monitors.
It has a flat surface for use with Windows edge gestures.
Keyboard:
The keyboard could be larger with more key travel.
The keys are very well spaced and I can type at full speed. Most of my typing errors are from missing the right Shift key and pressing Up on accident.
My main gripe is that the right Shift key is too small. I find myself frequently pressing Up instead of Shift with my right pinky finger on accident.
The key travel is very shallow and takes some getting used to.
Trackpad:
It's small but does the job.
The trackpad does the job but I rarely use it. I cranked the sensitivity up so it is more usable.
It's easy to accidentally tap the touchpad while typing so care is needed while typing. Good thing Sony included a hot key to disable the trackpad (Fn + F1).
The left half left-clicks and the right will right-click.
Gestures work just fine with the Synaptics drivers and can be customized.
The pen does not work on the trackpad.
Pen:
The pen works as intended. It comes in handy for accurate pointing but I can live without it.
It feels nice and solid but could be more comfortable.
The top half of the pen where the clip meets already broke loose, as if the super glue no longer sticks.
It is not a Wacom pen so limited apps can use the sensitivity feature at the moment.
The clip holder snaps into place and is much better than having nothing to hold the pen. If it weren't for the clip holder then I would probably leave the pen at home.
The "ink well" holder is built in and slides out when needed, but I rarely use it.
Cameras:
Mediocre cameras on front and back.
The front camera is not adjusted to account for the 45-degree angle screen. If the screen is up then the camera will also be looking up 45-degrees.
Included is a FastAccess Facial Recognition app to log in, but it is pretty slow at recognizing faces.
Connectivity:
No wifi issues here. The wifi signal is stronger when the screen is propped up.
Bluetooth works as intended.
I haven't tried Intel Wireless Display but look forward to testing that out since it's built in.
Performance:
This ultrabook is no slouch!
The SSD allows for fast boot times as well as quick read/write times. It'll boot up in about 10 seconds and restart in about 20 seconds. It almost instantly wakes up when resuming from sleep.
The i7 CPU doesn't break a sweat when I push it.
The fan is not too loud (there's a setting in Vaio Control Center that allows you to adjust the fan noise and CPU performance).
The vent hasn't gotten hot, but the port side where the power plug can get warm when I'm charging it and running multiple USB displays off one port.
Battery life:
This was one of the main selling points for me. An advertised 10 hour battery life was unheard of until Haswell came out.
I can get about 4-5 hours using CPU intensive apps like Traktor to mix music at regular screen brightness and timeout settings. I can picture it lasting 6-8+ hours if I try to conserve power by lowering the screen brightness and shortening the display timeout/dimming settings. I have the display set to dim in 1 minute to 0% and it has helped with battery life.
The battery doesn't seem to drain when the laptop is in sleep mode so I just put it to sleep instead of shutting down.
It charges pretty quickly at about 1% per minute.
--
Conclusion:
I like this convertible ultrabook very much and I can picture myself using it for years to come. I can recommend it to others.
It is overpriced but you get what you pay for (powerful CPU/GPU, good battery life, beautiful display, quick SSD [probably the most expensive part], solid and thin build). This is a premium ultrabook.
The battery life, screen, keyboard and weight could use some improvement to earn another star. If the battery could last 10 hours as advertised under normal use then that would be great. The screen would be better if it were adjustable or at a 60-degree angle. The keyboard is not the best but works for daily use. It could be lighter for one-handed use.
My needs include grading and commenting on papers and exams for graduate school students. I wanted a convertible tablet with digital ink capabilities, that was larger than the typical 11.6 inch tablet. I needed something that could handle very large PDF files, so I could read and mark-up coursebooks in PDF form. Ideally, I would be able to replace my iPad and Macbook Air with one device.
Along the way, I tried the Asus Transformerbook TX300. It was too heavy, lacked the digital pen capability, and too slow in handling large pdf files. (It also had defective keyboard unit). I tried the Samsung ATIV 700t. The ATIV 700t had digital ink, but was as sluggish as the Transformerbook with large PDF files, and the screen was too small at 11.6 inches.
I thought a long time before going with this Sony -not sure I liked the slider form; concerned about the Wifi problems people seemed to have. But, I went with it, and find it to be extremely useable, and a great fit for my purposes.
The slider format, I've discovered, is far superior to the detachable tablet approach in the Transformerbook and the ATIV 700t. For marking papers in MS WORD, I can easily change from typed comments to handwritten comments, just by sliding from notebook to tablet. It's quick, and simple. Durability may be an issue, but I plan to get Square Trade or some other kind of extended protection.
The unit is light enough that I can and do take it with me to work on a daily basis, as I did with the iPad. It boots up very quickly. Easy to use it to get work done in the subway, or wherever.
I have not had any significant Wifi problems. It gets a signal (though weak) two floors below where the router is, and a strong signal on the floor where the router is. I had considered the version with ATT broadband, but decided I could use the mobile hotspot function of my phone. The Sony connected with that Wifi from my phone just fine as well.
Battery life is great. It's reassuring not to have to worry about the computer losing its charge before I lose interest in doing more work.
I've seen that many observers are questioning whether this Sony has any real market. From my perspective, this Vaio Duo 13 has a great design and set of features for students and teachers.
Of course, some things could be better. The key travel is too shallow. As is true with almost all Windows machines these days, the aspect ratio is not right for reading in portrait mode (something that students and faculty would likely want to do). Windows programs for marking up PDF files are far more cumbersome than is Goodreader for the iPad -hopefully someone can create a program like Goodreader for Windows 8. (This is not a Sony problem, but something that a person switching from iPad to this might want to consider).
But, again, having a real computer, with real computing power, with a sufficiently large screen, in such a light form, with all my Office and PDF programs, able to handle multiple programs simultaneously without getting bogged down, easily convertible from notebook to tablet, and with the active digitizer -it's really a great package.
My new Sony Duo 13 is show only 2 bars for Wifi connection (all other devices show 5 full bars) but on top of that they running all download super slow and disconnected from my router occasionally. I have to move my Duo very close to my router, the result is super fast as 10 times as 15 feet away. I try to update all the driver and patch of window 8 by lay it down next to each other.
The result is the same. I have to returned it to AMAZON. sorry.
Agree with the first review, Amazon need to correct the HDD spec, it is a 256GB SSD. The top end model with the 512GB SSD cost 2700. Anyway, I've used it for a few days and here's my initial impression.
Pro:
Beautifully designed and thin, form factor is quite an eye catcher
Surprisingly light, feels like holding an 11" notebook instead of a 13" one
Boot up is incredibly fast, takes only a few second like a game console
Performance is very snappy, the i7 is plenty fast for most computing use
Quiet and cool under light use, have not tested heavy loads yet
Beautiful 1080p IPS screen. 1080p is about prefect for 13"
Usable back-lit keyboard
Real touch pad instead of some weird pointing device, though a little small
Very good battery life for such a fast notebook, approaching that of a tablet
NFC. May not be useful but good to know it's included
Pressure sensitive digitizer and supported art software included
Con:
Screen angle not adjustable
Screen is quite glossy but expected just like in most tablets
Hinge does not seem very sturdy so be more careful with it
Only the screen bezel is white. I wish the entire body is white
Keyboard keys lacks travel compare to normal notebook
Does not have a slot to keep the stylus in
Not Wacom digitizer so third party support may be lacking
Non-removeable batteries
No RAM slot
A little pricey
Overall I am very pleased with this hybrid notebook and my wife loves it. I really wanted the Duo 11 when it came out but my wife did not like it. Glad I hold out for the Haswell update. The Duo 13 is better than the Duo 11 in every aspect. The larger screen is more useful for 1080p, the larger keyboard is more practical, and it is amazing that Sony was able to keep its weight almost the same as the Duo 11. And thanks to Haswell, battery life about doubles. It is more expensive, but in this world you usually get what you pay for. I would give it 4.5 stars, but since there's no half star, I give it a 5.
Other thoughts: this is my first Windows 8 experience. I took an evening to learn it and it was pretty nice. After a while the touch experience feel quite natural. Only thing I miss is the Start menu, glad that 8.1 is almost here and will bring the Start menu back. On the other hand I can understand users on a desktop with a non-touch screen would complain about the start screen.
The good: this is the laptop I'd been holding out for. It's fast enough and capable enough to run Adobe Photoshop with no problems or to allow me to manipulate a hugely complicated Excel spreadsheet filled with formulas without any noticeable lag. At the same time, it wakes up in less than 2 seconds, and the touchscreen when folded down into tablet position is great for taking notes on. The battery lasts far longer than most laptops, generally giving me 8-10 hours of work before running out. It's shockingly light.
The bad: while the hinge works great, I worry about its long-term sturdiness. The webcam light often stays on, which is creepy. The angle of the screen isn't adjustable, so although the brightness makes it readable from many angles, if you'd like a different angle than the default for ergonomic reasons you're just out of luck.
No buyers remorse on my part a week into having it, but I'd say that the primary audience is people who need high performance, long battery life, a touch screen, and light weight all wrapped up into one package that they're willing to pay a premium for.
UPDATED: It appears to be the case right now that there's no pressure sensitivity for the stylus in Photoshop. That might or might not be a dealbreaker for folks, and it might or might not eventually get fixed with a driver update.
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I own the Sony Vaio Duo 13 with i7-4650, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD and Windows 8 Pro. It is an impressive convertible ultrabook.Build:
The device feels very solid and has a premium feel.
The left and right edges of the screen bezel has a slight lip near the middle that catches your fingernail (it's not perfectly flush).
There are two hooks on the base that attaches to the bottom of the screen to keep it secured when the screen is up, but the hooks can sometimes miss and the screen needs to be realigned. If the Duo is on a 45-degree or more slant then the screen will become unhooked and hang loose.
This ultrabook does not have a lock hole.
Weight:
The Duo 13 is lightweight for a laptop but not light enough for one-handed use as a tablet.
Screen:
Beautiful IPS display.
The screen can be hard to view in direct sunlight.
The screen is great, although a 60-degree angle (like the MS Surface) instead of 45 would be better. The IPS display has decent viewing angles so I can live with that.
The sliding screen design allows the screen to be closer within reach than traditional laptops. I like this design over others where the screen is further at the edge of the base.
Having the screen on top and slide out has its benefits to be used as a tablet/slate without having the keyboard in the way. This was one of the main reasons why I chose the Duo over the Pro.
It would be nice if the screen can somehow flip out of the way if you didn't need it. All I need is the keyboard when connected to an external display and the blank screen is just in the way.
Other ultrabooks may have higher resolution screens but 1080p seems sufficient for this 13" screen. The screen magnification is set to 125% by default, which still allows a large workspace. Setting it to 100% gives you a very ample workspace but items can be too small.
The touch accuracy works as intended, but it can get tricky to pinpoint some buttons in desktop mode with your finger. This is where the pen comes in handy.
Note that this screen only has 5 touch points instead of 10, but I haven't found the use for that many touch points. Windows 8 doesn't allow you to drag multiple items with multiple fingers anyways.
I had the Duo custom built at Sony's online store and had them apply the screen protector at the factory. The screen protector does takes away some glare, glossiness, and color.
Note that output displays are limited to 1080p. I wish it could go higher for my higher resolution monitors.
It has a flat surface for use with Windows edge gestures.
Keyboard:
The keyboard could be larger with more key travel.
The keys are very well spaced and I can type at full speed. Most of my typing errors are from missing the right Shift key and pressing Up on accident.
My main gripe is that the right Shift key is too small. I find myself frequently pressing Up instead of Shift with my right pinky finger on accident.
The key travel is very shallow and takes some getting used to.
Trackpad:
It's small but does the job.
The trackpad does the job but I rarely use it. I cranked the sensitivity up so it is more usable.
It's easy to accidentally tap the touchpad while typing so care is needed while typing. Good thing Sony included a hot key to disable the trackpad (Fn + F1).
The left half left-clicks and the right will right-click.
Gestures work just fine with the Synaptics drivers and can be customized.
The pen does not work on the trackpad.
Pen:
The pen works as intended. It comes in handy for accurate pointing but I can live without it.
It feels nice and solid but could be more comfortable.
The top half of the pen where the clip meets already broke loose, as if the super glue no longer sticks.
It is not a Wacom pen so limited apps can use the sensitivity feature at the moment.
The clip holder snaps into place and is much better than having nothing to hold the pen. If it weren't for the clip holder then I would probably leave the pen at home.
The "ink well" holder is built in and slides out when needed, but I rarely use it.
Cameras:
Mediocre cameras on front and back.
The front camera is not adjusted to account for the 45-degree angle screen. If the screen is up then the camera will also be looking up 45-degrees.
Included is a FastAccess Facial Recognition app to log in, but it is pretty slow at recognizing faces.
Connectivity:
No wifi issues here. The wifi signal is stronger when the screen is propped up.
Bluetooth works as intended.
I haven't tried Intel Wireless Display but look forward to testing that out since it's built in.
Performance:
This ultrabook is no slouch!
The SSD allows for fast boot times as well as quick read/write times. It'll boot up in about 10 seconds and restart in about 20 seconds. It almost instantly wakes up when resuming from sleep.
The i7 CPU doesn't break a sweat when I push it.
The fan is not too loud (there's a setting in Vaio Control Center that allows you to adjust the fan noise and CPU performance).
The vent hasn't gotten hot, but the port side where the power plug can get warm when I'm charging it and running multiple USB displays off one port.
Battery life:
This was one of the main selling points for me. An advertised 10 hour battery life was unheard of until Haswell came out.
I can get about 4-5 hours using CPU intensive apps like Traktor to mix music at regular screen brightness and timeout settings. I can picture it lasting 6-8+ hours if I try to conserve power by lowering the screen brightness and shortening the display timeout/dimming settings. I have the display set to dim in 1 minute to 0% and it has helped with battery life.
The battery doesn't seem to drain when the laptop is in sleep mode so I just put it to sleep instead of shutting down.
It charges pretty quickly at about 1% per minute.
--
Conclusion:
I like this convertible ultrabook very much and I can picture myself using it for years to come. I can recommend it to others.
It is overpriced but you get what you pay for (powerful CPU/GPU, good battery life, beautiful display, quick SSD [probably the most expensive part], solid and thin build). This is a premium ultrabook.
The battery life, screen, keyboard and weight could use some improvement to earn another star. If the battery could last 10 hours as advertised under normal use then that would be great. The screen would be better if it were adjustable or at a 60-degree angle. The keyboard is not the best but works for daily use. It could be lighter for one-handed use.
Best Deals for Sony VAIO Duo SVD13215PXB 13.3-Inch Convertible 2-in-1 Touchscreen
This is a review of the stock version with 8gb RAM and 256gb HDD.My needs include grading and commenting on papers and exams for graduate school students. I wanted a convertible tablet with digital ink capabilities, that was larger than the typical 11.6 inch tablet. I needed something that could handle very large PDF files, so I could read and mark-up coursebooks in PDF form. Ideally, I would be able to replace my iPad and Macbook Air with one device.
Along the way, I tried the Asus Transformerbook TX300. It was too heavy, lacked the digital pen capability, and too slow in handling large pdf files. (It also had defective keyboard unit). I tried the Samsung ATIV 700t. The ATIV 700t had digital ink, but was as sluggish as the Transformerbook with large PDF files, and the screen was too small at 11.6 inches.
I thought a long time before going with this Sony -not sure I liked the slider form; concerned about the Wifi problems people seemed to have. But, I went with it, and find it to be extremely useable, and a great fit for my purposes.
The slider format, I've discovered, is far superior to the detachable tablet approach in the Transformerbook and the ATIV 700t. For marking papers in MS WORD, I can easily change from typed comments to handwritten comments, just by sliding from notebook to tablet. It's quick, and simple. Durability may be an issue, but I plan to get Square Trade or some other kind of extended protection.
The unit is light enough that I can and do take it with me to work on a daily basis, as I did with the iPad. It boots up very quickly. Easy to use it to get work done in the subway, or wherever.
I have not had any significant Wifi problems. It gets a signal (though weak) two floors below where the router is, and a strong signal on the floor where the router is. I had considered the version with ATT broadband, but decided I could use the mobile hotspot function of my phone. The Sony connected with that Wifi from my phone just fine as well.
Battery life is great. It's reassuring not to have to worry about the computer losing its charge before I lose interest in doing more work.
I've seen that many observers are questioning whether this Sony has any real market. From my perspective, this Vaio Duo 13 has a great design and set of features for students and teachers.
Of course, some things could be better. The key travel is too shallow. As is true with almost all Windows machines these days, the aspect ratio is not right for reading in portrait mode (something that students and faculty would likely want to do). Windows programs for marking up PDF files are far more cumbersome than is Goodreader for the iPad -hopefully someone can create a program like Goodreader for Windows 8. (This is not a Sony problem, but something that a person switching from iPad to this might want to consider).
But, again, having a real computer, with real computing power, with a sufficiently large screen, in such a light form, with all my Office and PDF programs, able to handle multiple programs simultaneously without getting bogged down, easily convertible from notebook to tablet, and with the active digitizer -it's really a great package.
Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Duo SVD13215PXB 13.3-Inch Convertible 2-in-1 Touchscreen
I looking for great laptop and good for tablet. This machine is amazing fast and great responsive in many ways. It can be one of my favorite gadget if it does not have serious Wifi connection problem. I use Apple Time capsule (old version) as my router to internet. Normally, I use my computer, tablet far from it around 15-20 feet, nothing go wrong. All my machine work and run internet extremely fast and never have disconnected problem.My new Sony Duo 13 is show only 2 bars for Wifi connection (all other devices show 5 full bars) but on top of that they running all download super slow and disconnected from my router occasionally. I have to move my Duo very close to my router, the result is super fast as 10 times as 15 feet away. I try to update all the driver and patch of window 8 by lay it down next to each other.
The result is the same. I have to returned it to AMAZON. sorry.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Duo SVD13215PXB 13.3-Inch Convertible 2-in-1 Touchscreen
I was intrigued by the Duo 11 but hesitated due to its difficult to use smallish keyboard and short battery life. Thanks to Intel Haswell and Sony's updates, I finally get the perfect hybrid laptop I've been waiting for. Beautiful and light weight, fast, 1080p multi-touch IPS screen, long battery life, decent keyboard and a pressure-sensitive stylus.Agree with the first review, Amazon need to correct the HDD spec, it is a 256GB SSD. The top end model with the 512GB SSD cost 2700. Anyway, I've used it for a few days and here's my initial impression.
Pro:
Beautifully designed and thin, form factor is quite an eye catcher
Surprisingly light, feels like holding an 11" notebook instead of a 13" one
Boot up is incredibly fast, takes only a few second like a game console
Performance is very snappy, the i7 is plenty fast for most computing use
Quiet and cool under light use, have not tested heavy loads yet
Beautiful 1080p IPS screen. 1080p is about prefect for 13"
Usable back-lit keyboard
Real touch pad instead of some weird pointing device, though a little small
Very good battery life for such a fast notebook, approaching that of a tablet
NFC. May not be useful but good to know it's included
Pressure sensitive digitizer and supported art software included
Con:
Screen angle not adjustable
Screen is quite glossy but expected just like in most tablets
Hinge does not seem very sturdy so be more careful with it
Only the screen bezel is white. I wish the entire body is white
Keyboard keys lacks travel compare to normal notebook
Does not have a slot to keep the stylus in
Not Wacom digitizer so third party support may be lacking
Non-removeable batteries
No RAM slot
A little pricey
Overall I am very pleased with this hybrid notebook and my wife loves it. I really wanted the Duo 11 when it came out but my wife did not like it. Glad I hold out for the Haswell update. The Duo 13 is better than the Duo 11 in every aspect. The larger screen is more useful for 1080p, the larger keyboard is more practical, and it is amazing that Sony was able to keep its weight almost the same as the Duo 11. And thanks to Haswell, battery life about doubles. It is more expensive, but in this world you usually get what you pay for. I would give it 4.5 stars, but since there's no half star, I give it a 5.
Other thoughts: this is my first Windows 8 experience. I took an evening to learn it and it was pretty nice. After a while the touch experience feel quite natural. Only thing I miss is the Start menu, glad that 8.1 is almost here and will bring the Start menu back. On the other hand I can understand users on a desktop with a non-touch screen would complain about the start screen.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Discount HP Pavilion G7-1277DX Laptop (AMD Dual-Core A4-3300M 4GB DDR3 320GB
I've had this laptop for 4 months. The build quality is pretty good and the screen is bright and vivid. Has a decent Radeon HD 6xxx series GPU and runs linux well.
My *biggest* complaint is while the laptop offers lots of physical room for expandability, HP has locked down the BIOS so no wireless cards or other upgrades can be made to the machine. Inserting any other mini PCIe upgrades to the machine results in the bios complaining at boot about a "unapproved upgrade" and locking.
Had lots of potential, but the lack of upgradability is a game killer.
This week I upgraded to Windows 8 without any issues. I did use HP Support Assistant software to ensure that all the proper drivers were downloaded.
I like the imprinted touchpad quite a bit as well as the ability to turn it off with a double-tap when using a mouse.
I would like a firmer keyboard but I'm able to type fine on this one.
+s:
Extremely good screen (you can't find this quality screen in many cheap laptops. It does not have the regular "mesh" pattern of other cheap laptops)
Very well balanced performance. Not very fast for intense calculations, but I can do almost anything with it. It will handle it, but with a bit of patience.
17 inch screen is wonderful for multitaskin (excel, word, paint, gimp, matlab etc all open at the same time)
-s: feels not very durable (plastic feeling). Won't dare to drop it.
fan noise (specially when firefox and opera run at the same time)
Not the fastest cpu. But having a nice cheap 17" system needs some sacrifices.
tmouse-pad is ok but scroll-down/up 2 fingers gesture is not easy in practice.
Unlike Dell, HP does not send a Windows installation cd. So if necessary, I will need to use Dell's cd to install a fresh Windows!
All in all, I can't complain about this considering the price. It is well worth more than the price at the time of purchase (~ $380). Did I mention how perfect is the screen?!
My *biggest* complaint is while the laptop offers lots of physical room for expandability, HP has locked down the BIOS so no wireless cards or other upgrades can be made to the machine. Inserting any other mini PCIe upgrades to the machine results in the bios complaining at boot about a "unapproved upgrade" and locking.
Had lots of potential, but the lack of upgradability is a game killer.
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I've had my laptop for a couple of weeks now and I am very impressed with the speed and capabilities that it has to offer. The graphics are awesome!!! The Windows 7 program that it comes with is also very easy and straight-forward. I'm really loving this. I would recommend this product. For the price it can't be beat.Best Deals for HP Pavilion G7-1277DX Laptop (AMD Dual-Core A4-3300M 4GB DDR3 320GB
I've hand this laptop for over a year now and its been exceptional. I use it as my secondary machine for when I need a larger screen to collaborate with others in meetings. I also use it quite a bit in my office. In spite of it being an A4 all my applications run snappy.This week I upgraded to Windows 8 without any issues. I did use HP Support Assistant software to ensure that all the proper drivers were downloaded.
I like the imprinted touchpad quite a bit as well as the ability to turn it off with a double-tap when using a mouse.
I would like a firmer keyboard but I'm able to type fine on this one.
Honest reviews on HP Pavilion G7-1277DX Laptop (AMD Dual-Core A4-3300M 4GB DDR3 320GB
Just bought this over the weekend and it performs perfectly! Great value laptop packs a punch! Beautiful large screen and is pretty fast! No regrets and I would definitely recommend this to a friend :)Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion G7-1277DX Laptop (AMD Dual-Core A4-3300M 4GB DDR3 320GB
I have been using this laptop for the past 6 months.+s:
Extremely good screen (you can't find this quality screen in many cheap laptops. It does not have the regular "mesh" pattern of other cheap laptops)
Very well balanced performance. Not very fast for intense calculations, but I can do almost anything with it. It will handle it, but with a bit of patience.
17 inch screen is wonderful for multitaskin (excel, word, paint, gimp, matlab etc all open at the same time)
-s: feels not very durable (plastic feeling). Won't dare to drop it.
fan noise (specially when firefox and opera run at the same time)
Not the fastest cpu. But having a nice cheap 17" system needs some sacrifices.
tmouse-pad is ok but scroll-down/up 2 fingers gesture is not easy in practice.
Unlike Dell, HP does not send a Windows installation cd. So if necessary, I will need to use Dell's cd to install a fresh Windows!
All in all, I can't complain about this considering the price. It is well worth more than the price at the time of purchase (~ $380). Did I mention how perfect is the screen?!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Best Sony VAIO VPCEE23FX/BI 15.5" Notebook, AMD Athlon II Dual-Core P320 Deals
I bought this laptop from a different retailer several months ago. I am extremely happy with my purchase! The only thing that that could be improved on is the sound which could be a little louder. I LOVE that this has the HDMI port (this was actually the main reason I chose this!) By connecting an HMDI cable from my laptop to TV, I am able to surf the web on a 50 inch screen (as well as watch movies, etc). I noticed that someone commented on the keyboard personally, I have had no problems. My mom has Rheumatoid arthritis and uses my laptop frequently with no complaints. I think the keyboard is really cool! Plus if you shop around you can get a keyboard skin for under five bucks (The EB series fit perfectly!) I use this laptop for everything school (Microsoft office), graphic design(Photoshop), and download many things to the hard drive. It has continued to run flawlessly! Also, there is an "assist" button that connects you with live help from Sony 24/7 (It's free, I use it all the time!) I highly recommend this laptop!!
This was a laptop purchased for me by a dear friend, since my Dell just kicked the bucket. We had decided on a cheaper Gateway laptop, but at the last minute she got me this one instead, thinking it was a nicer model.
I can say that it is a physically attractive laptop... you can't tell from the photos, but, it has a nice sheen and some glitter in it if you're into that sort of thing.
My number one complaint, and it's a pretty big deal to me, is that they tried to cram a full-sized keyboard onto a laptop, and the result is disastrous. When I got my Dell Studio, it was like putting on a glove in regards to comfort... but this Vaio is like putting a right shoe that is three sizes too small onto a left foot. My fingers and knuckles are already very sore due to the angle I have to type at to even try to put my fingertips on the correct keys. The touch pad is entirely unusable due to location and the texture they used for it.
Other than that, the graphics card seems pretty nice, Guild Wars looks beautiful on this laptop and runs wonderfully-just hope it'll handle Guild Wars 2. It seems to run things relatively fast, and came with Google Chrome already installed-I was happy about that tidbit. Windows 7 is a great Operating System.
For the price paid, it's a good buy, but will take getting used to for this ridiculous keyboard.
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First of all, I would like to say that I have owned four different laptops now, and, out of all of them I like this one second best. Strongly missing my Dell Studio 15, right now.This was a laptop purchased for me by a dear friend, since my Dell just kicked the bucket. We had decided on a cheaper Gateway laptop, but at the last minute she got me this one instead, thinking it was a nicer model.
I can say that it is a physically attractive laptop... you can't tell from the photos, but, it has a nice sheen and some glitter in it if you're into that sort of thing.
My number one complaint, and it's a pretty big deal to me, is that they tried to cram a full-sized keyboard onto a laptop, and the result is disastrous. When I got my Dell Studio, it was like putting on a glove in regards to comfort... but this Vaio is like putting a right shoe that is three sizes too small onto a left foot. My fingers and knuckles are already very sore due to the angle I have to type at to even try to put my fingertips on the correct keys. The touch pad is entirely unusable due to location and the texture they used for it.
Other than that, the graphics card seems pretty nice, Guild Wars looks beautiful on this laptop and runs wonderfully-just hope it'll handle Guild Wars 2. It seems to run things relatively fast, and came with Google Chrome already installed-I was happy about that tidbit. Windows 7 is a great Operating System.
For the price paid, it's a good buy, but will take getting used to for this ridiculous keyboard.
Best Deals for Sony VAIO VPCEE23FX/BI 15.5" Notebook, AMD Athlon II Dual-Core P320
This was a gift from me to a person out of state. Since this is someone else's I contacted them. They are totally satisfied with looks, performance and quality of product. Guess that sums it up.Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Discount Asus X52FXR6 / X52F-XR6 / X52F-XR6 15.6, Intel Core i5-480M, 4GB
This is a great laptop. I looked for a while before settling for this one, and I'm not disappointed. My HP died after only 2 years (after the warranty expired of course!) so I wanted to change brands. I settled for ASUS because they have the best reliability reviews among all manufacturers, and it was $550 at Fry's! The Intel core i5 makes this machine run like a breeze. Its screen is brilliant with great color gamut and contrast. The keyboard is chiclet style, and very comfortable. It comes with a numeric keypad, some people may find the keys a little too small, but I find them very useful. I've been running intensive processing software (Seti@home) and the keyboard never felt too hot, core temperatures stayed between 72-79 C. The fan is very quiet and never got too loud even when processors were running at 100%.
Pros:
Fast processor (comes with Intel's first i5 generation CPUs)
Bright screen
Quiet fan, keeps cool.
Great keyboard
Number pad
Cons:
Reflective screen, can be bothering if you have a strong reflection.
Poor sound quality: the speakers are on the front, but face downwards, so they give an awkward sound.
No discrete graphics card, but at this price, can't complain.
Overall, I am very happy with this laptop and would recommend it to anyone.
Pros:
Fast processor (comes with Intel's first i5 generation CPUs)
Bright screen
Quiet fan, keeps cool.
Great keyboard
Number pad
Cons:
Reflective screen, can be bothering if you have a strong reflection.
Poor sound quality: the speakers are on the front, but face downwards, so they give an awkward sound.
No discrete graphics card, but at this price, can't complain.
Overall, I am very happy with this laptop and would recommend it to anyone.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Discount HP G62-234DX Laptop Notebook / Intel Core i3-350M Processor / 15.6"
I purchased this notebook so I could have something to sit around in the living room, coffee shop and/or occasional work trip. I am generally a MAC person, but this computer has worked pretty well for me, since I sometimes want to use a PC and my work uses PC's.
If you don't want an iPad, do want a "real" keyboard, but also think that netbooks are too small (especially the keyboard) and limited (smaller hard drive), then this is a good size. It's thin enough to slip in a back pack or carry on, and still enjoy a vivid screen, yet not so big as a 17 inch screen, that it should be considered a desktop.
Since I am a writer (at home and work), I like the "regular" sized keyboard, although the touch "mouse" pad is too close to the space bar that sometimes my thumb hits it and moves the cursor.
The computer boots up pretty quick, and if it sleeps or the battery looses power, it seems to restore it self pretty quickly, which I like very much.
Since I am a MAC person, there are several things I don't like about running MS products, including: OUTLOOK DID NOT COME WITH THE VERSION OF MS "OFFICE" THAT I BOUGHT (but then I just downloaded Mozilla Thunderbird and am just fine not paying more to MS thank you very much). It is especially annoying that Outlook does not come with the computer, since such a solid email/calendar program come standard with a MAC. Also, there are way more software notifications and "reminders" that constantly pop up that are annoying.
I do like the way Windows now organizes "Libraries" of "Documents," "Pictures," etc., very much like a MAC (no doubt, that's where MS got the idea).
My notebook had an HDMI output, which is great when you want to hook it up to a TV at home or at a hotel on a business trip, if your hotel has a HD tv with HDMI. This latter feature is great, since that means you can watch Netflix in your hotel room on the road.
The wifi works great. It was pretty easy to get it up and running for web surfing at home and in coffee shops.
There's more I like, but the size and functionality have been great: Not to big, not to small, great screen, plenty of HD space for general purposes, plenty of speed for skype etc., just very pleased.
BUT... and a BIG BUT...
There are new keys added to the left side of the keyboard... application keys... say you use CTRL a lot... your little finger automatically reaches for the furthests most bottom left key.. you hit it without out looking (like most good typists)...
BOOM, the Calculator pops up!!! Who the heck put THAT button there?
Same w/ CAPS LOCK... and TAB... and Shift etc. The only standard location key they left alone is the ESC key. Personally, I use CTRL and CAPS and TAB a whole heck of a lot more than the ESC key.
Nice response to the keyboard, nice monitor, fast processor, lovely Win7
BUT DANG, who was the non-genius who put those new keys on the far left hand side??
My suggestion: Find a different HP (or other) laptop, where the keyboard is standard.
If you don't want an iPad, do want a "real" keyboard, but also think that netbooks are too small (especially the keyboard) and limited (smaller hard drive), then this is a good size. It's thin enough to slip in a back pack or carry on, and still enjoy a vivid screen, yet not so big as a 17 inch screen, that it should be considered a desktop.
Since I am a writer (at home and work), I like the "regular" sized keyboard, although the touch "mouse" pad is too close to the space bar that sometimes my thumb hits it and moves the cursor.
The computer boots up pretty quick, and if it sleeps or the battery looses power, it seems to restore it self pretty quickly, which I like very much.
Since I am a MAC person, there are several things I don't like about running MS products, including: OUTLOOK DID NOT COME WITH THE VERSION OF MS "OFFICE" THAT I BOUGHT (but then I just downloaded Mozilla Thunderbird and am just fine not paying more to MS thank you very much). It is especially annoying that Outlook does not come with the computer, since such a solid email/calendar program come standard with a MAC. Also, there are way more software notifications and "reminders" that constantly pop up that are annoying.
I do like the way Windows now organizes "Libraries" of "Documents," "Pictures," etc., very much like a MAC (no doubt, that's where MS got the idea).
My notebook had an HDMI output, which is great when you want to hook it up to a TV at home or at a hotel on a business trip, if your hotel has a HD tv with HDMI. This latter feature is great, since that means you can watch Netflix in your hotel room on the road.
The wifi works great. It was pretty easy to get it up and running for web surfing at home and in coffee shops.
There's more I like, but the size and functionality have been great: Not to big, not to small, great screen, plenty of HD space for general purposes, plenty of speed for skype etc., just very pleased.
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HP generally puts out some very nice products. This G62 is very fast, and I love Win7 over Vista.BUT... and a BIG BUT...
There are new keys added to the left side of the keyboard... application keys... say you use CTRL a lot... your little finger automatically reaches for the furthests most bottom left key.. you hit it without out looking (like most good typists)...
BOOM, the Calculator pops up!!! Who the heck put THAT button there?
Same w/ CAPS LOCK... and TAB... and Shift etc. The only standard location key they left alone is the ESC key. Personally, I use CTRL and CAPS and TAB a whole heck of a lot more than the ESC key.
Nice response to the keyboard, nice monitor, fast processor, lovely Win7
BUT DANG, who was the non-genius who put those new keys on the far left hand side??
My suggestion: Find a different HP (or other) laptop, where the keyboard is standard.
Best Deals for HP G62-234DX Laptop Notebook / Intel Core i3-350M Processor / 15.6"
I bought it in 2010 and it does not work well from the very beginning. Never buy this one. It totally sucks. Harddisk gone in more than a year and I do not recommend it for anyone.Honest reviews on HP G62-234DX Laptop Notebook / Intel Core i3-350M Processor / 15.6"
Good computer until the Motherboard died at 16 months. Costs 200.00 plus labor so the computer is shot. I will likely buy a different brand.Monday, July 7, 2014
Discount Dell Inspiron i13z-7729sLV 13-Inch Laptop (Silver)
This is my first review and I'm writing this because there is a lack of reviews out there and the last two comments on this seemed as if those buyers may have been expecting too much for an ultrabook of this price.
I love Amazon but bought this elsewhere online to avoid paying taxes since I live in WA.
I used to sell laptops and desktop etc. for an electronics retailer and now work in IT.
I have owned several laptops and netbooks within the last 6 years.
Decided on something like this because my Asus netbook which has served me well was on its last legs and there weren't any netbooks with processors that are powerful enough for my needs. I have an Asus 14" business laptop but I felt it was too heavy (about 6 lbs).
I went into this purchase with the idea of keeping costs down while not sacrificing too much in performance and weight and am content with my purchase.
The term Ultrabook tends to convey the idea of a super slim, sleek, lightweight laptop with a metallic enclosure.
Well, think of this ultrabook as a budget ultrabook because that's exactly what it is. After all look at the price!
BATTERY
Let me first say that pretty much all manufacturers exaggerate battery life so you won't get stated life in most cases.
Not until there is some kind of ISO standardized rating system like there is now for inkjet cartridge yields.
As far as battery life goes PCMAG and LAPTOPMAG tested and rated it at just over 5hrs which is what I was expecting.
Dell should have stated UP TO 7.X hours which is a mistake on their part. The key is the "UP TO" before the battery life rating indicating that it can go up to that amount but under most normal usage it's for the most part unlikely.
I have drained the battery three times under normal usage (browsing and or downloading/streaming data) and have gotten an average of about 5 hours. Which is a little less than what PCMAG and LAPTOPMAG got.
I did this without using Dell's power management software. Using Dell's power management software could yield better results but I have not tested yet.
Here's the good and bad points I have found so far.
PROS:
relatively light weight. Can be easily held with one hand while screen is flipped open.
nicely spaced out matte keys with slight grip to them.
maximum screen brightness is fine in well lit rooms.
Intel Core i5-3317u CPU view comparison chart at passmark.com. There are other brands with same CPU that benched more or less.
6GB RAM altough most users will be fine with 4GB.
Speakers are pretty loud for a unit of this size
Windows 7 (if you're not interested in Windows 8 "Metro" for non touch systems)
CONS:
no SSD but then again this is a budget model (models with SSD + HD can be found for around $80 more)
would like a removable battery but most ultrabooks don't have removable batteries since they are more like thin plates that are "layered" inside instead of those removable bar or block types.
old smart phone type port covers. Other than helping it look more streamlined and dust protection there is no real reason for this.
If you are resting this unit on a flat surface the port covers will open JUST ENOUGH to allow you to plug in but it will be tight. (reason for 1 star deduction)
heat is mainly in the area under the power button. It gets pretty warm so if you actually plan on using this on your lap please take note.
Del bloatware
Who would like the Dell 13z?
Someone who wants an affordable ultrabook with an i5 CPU for under $600.
Someone who doesn't place an emphasis on how attractive their laptop looks.
If an average of 4.5-5hr battery life is okay for you.
If you mainly use it on a tabletop or other flat surface.
Who might not like the Dell 13z?
Compared to other ultrabooks this just looks average and has no bling finishes and has a mostly if not wholly plastic enclosure. In other words this is not going to turn heads when you whip this out at the trendy coffee shop that you may frequent...seriously. The surface surrounding the keyboard looks like brushed dark bronze metal but is not.
I have noticed very slight keyboard flex but it has not affected my typing or comfort in any way. However, if you're like that other guy who mentioned it you may want to spend the extra $$$ and get a higher end ultrabook because I have not noticed it at all until I read his post and actually pressed hard on the keyboard to replicate his claim.
If used on your lap you will notice your left thigh getting a bit hot so you might need one of those lapdesks which doesn't help if the coffee shop scenario above applies to you.
Other models you may want to consider:
Toshiba Portégé R835-P94 13.3-Inch Laptop (Magnesium Blue)
lighter weight, larger HD, faster CPU, longer battery life, though about 1/3 thicker
Lenovo IdeaPad U310 43752CU 13.3-Inch Ultrabook (Graphite Gray)
less battery life, CPU benchmarks faster, HD webcam, SSD drive, very little bloatware.
*UPDATE 10/24/12*
Price is now back up to $749 (was at $579 at the time of writing original review)
at this higher price this is definitely not a as good a deal as the other two models listed in this review.
lowering star value from 4 to 3 since price has gone up almost $200 and is same price as the newer model with more memory?
Light, thin and very capable. Wouldn't go any bigger after trying a 13 in laptop like this one.
I have always believed 13 is the magic screen size number and this model is not exception.
Upgrade with an SSD and you have a very capable Ultrabook for a lot less money.
I do not use it for playing games or with complicated design programs.
The computer feels very fast, is very light (1.8 kg aprox), the battery runs for long time (6 hours when it is fully charged), and the view in the monitor is very clear.
I had a problem with the keyboard (a couple of keys did not function properly), but this is more a positive issue for the product more than a negative: I called to Dell support service from Argentina, and they had a post-sale service shop in my town (Tandil, a medium-smal city in Argentina). They asked for a new keyboard to the US and in less than a month the problem was solved (that seems preety fast, considering the import restriction policy of our country).
Anyways, I also choosed Dell since its fame of resistant to hard work and constant transport, but I can not give faith of this, since I only started using it two months ago.
Hope this can be useful, sorry for my poor english.
I bought this laptop for 3 reasons.
1. Thin and lightweight
2. Cost effective
3. Battery life (After seeing 7 HOURS description in the product details I decided to buy this without second thought)
Pros:
Core i5, 6gig RAM, nearly 2GB graphics. Nothing more!
Cons:
Its thin, but its not too light. Though the cost is not pretty high, but for sure its not worth for money. I have used this for about 2 weeks now.
Coming to the biggest reason and biggest worry is battery life. As described and promised in the product description, the battery never gave backup of 7 hours.. Oh!! Forget it, not even 3 hours. I didn't play HD games, didn't watch HD movies, didn't run any NASA or Man-on-Mars projects too, but still, the battery drained out in less than 3 hours, all I did is just usual surfing and document edit.
I am not in US now, hence cant even think of returning this product. I am screwed, others be on your alert.
I suggest to pour another 200 bucks and go for Samsung Ultrabook, I am sure you will not repent your decision.
I will post more of my findings soon, but sure this is not worth buying.
I love Amazon but bought this elsewhere online to avoid paying taxes since I live in WA.
I used to sell laptops and desktop etc. for an electronics retailer and now work in IT.
I have owned several laptops and netbooks within the last 6 years.
Decided on something like this because my Asus netbook which has served me well was on its last legs and there weren't any netbooks with processors that are powerful enough for my needs. I have an Asus 14" business laptop but I felt it was too heavy (about 6 lbs).
I went into this purchase with the idea of keeping costs down while not sacrificing too much in performance and weight and am content with my purchase.
The term Ultrabook tends to convey the idea of a super slim, sleek, lightweight laptop with a metallic enclosure.
Well, think of this ultrabook as a budget ultrabook because that's exactly what it is. After all look at the price!
BATTERY
Let me first say that pretty much all manufacturers exaggerate battery life so you won't get stated life in most cases.
Not until there is some kind of ISO standardized rating system like there is now for inkjet cartridge yields.
As far as battery life goes PCMAG and LAPTOPMAG tested and rated it at just over 5hrs which is what I was expecting.
Dell should have stated UP TO 7.X hours which is a mistake on their part. The key is the "UP TO" before the battery life rating indicating that it can go up to that amount but under most normal usage it's for the most part unlikely.
I have drained the battery three times under normal usage (browsing and or downloading/streaming data) and have gotten an average of about 5 hours. Which is a little less than what PCMAG and LAPTOPMAG got.
I did this without using Dell's power management software. Using Dell's power management software could yield better results but I have not tested yet.
Here's the good and bad points I have found so far.
PROS:
relatively light weight. Can be easily held with one hand while screen is flipped open.
nicely spaced out matte keys with slight grip to them.
maximum screen brightness is fine in well lit rooms.
Intel Core i5-3317u CPU view comparison chart at passmark.com. There are other brands with same CPU that benched more or less.
6GB RAM altough most users will be fine with 4GB.
Speakers are pretty loud for a unit of this size
Windows 7 (if you're not interested in Windows 8 "Metro" for non touch systems)
CONS:
no SSD but then again this is a budget model (models with SSD + HD can be found for around $80 more)
would like a removable battery but most ultrabooks don't have removable batteries since they are more like thin plates that are "layered" inside instead of those removable bar or block types.
old smart phone type port covers. Other than helping it look more streamlined and dust protection there is no real reason for this.
If you are resting this unit on a flat surface the port covers will open JUST ENOUGH to allow you to plug in but it will be tight. (reason for 1 star deduction)
heat is mainly in the area under the power button. It gets pretty warm so if you actually plan on using this on your lap please take note.
Del bloatware
Who would like the Dell 13z?
Someone who wants an affordable ultrabook with an i5 CPU for under $600.
Someone who doesn't place an emphasis on how attractive their laptop looks.
If an average of 4.5-5hr battery life is okay for you.
If you mainly use it on a tabletop or other flat surface.
Who might not like the Dell 13z?
Compared to other ultrabooks this just looks average and has no bling finishes and has a mostly if not wholly plastic enclosure. In other words this is not going to turn heads when you whip this out at the trendy coffee shop that you may frequent...seriously. The surface surrounding the keyboard looks like brushed dark bronze metal but is not.
I have noticed very slight keyboard flex but it has not affected my typing or comfort in any way. However, if you're like that other guy who mentioned it you may want to spend the extra $$$ and get a higher end ultrabook because I have not noticed it at all until I read his post and actually pressed hard on the keyboard to replicate his claim.
If used on your lap you will notice your left thigh getting a bit hot so you might need one of those lapdesks which doesn't help if the coffee shop scenario above applies to you.
Other models you may want to consider:
Toshiba Portégé R835-P94 13.3-Inch Laptop (Magnesium Blue)
lighter weight, larger HD, faster CPU, longer battery life, though about 1/3 thicker
Lenovo IdeaPad U310 43752CU 13.3-Inch Ultrabook (Graphite Gray)
less battery life, CPU benchmarks faster, HD webcam, SSD drive, very little bloatware.
*UPDATE 10/24/12*
Price is now back up to $749 (was at $579 at the time of writing original review)
at this higher price this is definitely not a as good a deal as the other two models listed in this review.
lowering star value from 4 to 3 since price has gone up almost $200 and is same price as the newer model with more memory?
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
With a 3rd Gen Core i5 and 6 GB of RAM, this laptop is good buy from every angle.Light, thin and very capable. Wouldn't go any bigger after trying a 13 in laptop like this one.
I have always believed 13 is the magic screen size number and this model is not exception.
Upgrade with an SSD and you have a very capable Ultrabook for a lot less money.
Best Deals for Dell Inspiron i13z-7729sLV 13-Inch Laptop (Silver)
The Dell Inspiron i13z-7729sLV 13-Inch Laptop works perfectly. I am a regular user (work in th university in the Economy department) only use it for working (Office, statistics programs), for mail/skype/facebook, searching stuff on the web and watching movies. I bring it constantly with me, and use it everyday. I installed windows 8 and it runs smoothly in the laptop.I do not use it for playing games or with complicated design programs.
The computer feels very fast, is very light (1.8 kg aprox), the battery runs for long time (6 hours when it is fully charged), and the view in the monitor is very clear.
I had a problem with the keyboard (a couple of keys did not function properly), but this is more a positive issue for the product more than a negative: I called to Dell support service from Argentina, and they had a post-sale service shop in my town (Tandil, a medium-smal city in Argentina). They asked for a new keyboard to the US and in less than a month the problem was solved (that seems preety fast, considering the import restriction policy of our country).
Anyways, I also choosed Dell since its fame of resistant to hard work and constant transport, but I can not give faith of this, since I only started using it two months ago.
Hope this can be useful, sorry for my poor english.
Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron i13z-7729sLV 13-Inch Laptop (Silver)
Here comes my review.I bought this laptop for 3 reasons.
1. Thin and lightweight
2. Cost effective
3. Battery life (After seeing 7 HOURS description in the product details I decided to buy this without second thought)
Pros:
Core i5, 6gig RAM, nearly 2GB graphics. Nothing more!
Cons:
Its thin, but its not too light. Though the cost is not pretty high, but for sure its not worth for money. I have used this for about 2 weeks now.
Coming to the biggest reason and biggest worry is battery life. As described and promised in the product description, the battery never gave backup of 7 hours.. Oh!! Forget it, not even 3 hours. I didn't play HD games, didn't watch HD movies, didn't run any NASA or Man-on-Mars projects too, but still, the battery drained out in less than 3 hours, all I did is just usual surfing and document edit.
I am not in US now, hence cant even think of returning this product. I am screwed, others be on your alert.
I suggest to pour another 200 bucks and go for Samsung Ultrabook, I am sure you will not repent your decision.
I will post more of my findings soon, but sure this is not worth buying.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron i13z-7729sLV 13-Inch Laptop (Silver)
when I start it, it became very warm in 5 minutes. and I think it was a used one, not brand new as discribed...Monday, June 23, 2014
Cheap Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)
List Price: $649.99
Sale Price: $489.95
Today's Bonus: 25% Off
I bought this because I was looking for thin/light tablet to replace my current ipad/laptop combo. I needed a tablet with full Windows 8 so that I could run older programs and games. Besides the standard review, I will be updating this post with games that I find are playable on this Atom (Clover Trail) powered tablet.
Playable games so far:
Torchlight 1
Battle for Middle Earth 2
Farcry 1
SNES Emulator: Using my iPhone as an SNES Controller.
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Playstation Emulator: Played a bit of FFVII, takes a lot of tweaking, but I got it to run smooth and look good. I haven't gotten the iPhone gamepad working with the emulator yet.
Unplayable:
World of Warcraft
Diablo III
Basically, any old strategy, puzzle, adventure game should work. Current generation games will need the i5 I think. I'll be trying more games on the Playstation 1 Emulator soon.
Windows 8:
When I first saw videos of windows 8 in action, I felt it was going to be Vista 2.0. After actually using it on a tablet, I feel it is the best OS for tablet computing. Switching between open programs, quickly seeing what is open, and having multiple programs up on the display at the same time is very easy to do. Some of these features are either difficult to do, or not possible on other mobile OS's. Powering on is very quick, even when the tablet is powered off completely. There is not much different between the iPad and Win8 in power-on times from a cold boot. For security, Windows 8 lets you login with a Windows Live ID, which syncs your settings across you're windows 8 devices (Backgrounds, passwords, etc). You can choose to use a standard password, or use a number (Pin) code (which is what I prefer for speed), or a picture login (you touch/swipe parts of the login picture and that is your password).
The Start screen is filled with active tiles (as apposed to dead icons like the ipad) that cycle through relevant information (Email/News/Weather/etc.) without having to actually open those programs. Time/Date/Battery/Wifi info can be brought up at any time by swiping from the right side of the screen. I used to hate having to power-cycle my ipads display just to get the time/date. Start screen tiles can be arranged in groups to your liking. You can swipe from the left side of the screen to cycle through open programs, or see a list. You can grab any open program and either slide it to your main window, or snap it as a side-app next to your main window, either to the left or the right of the main window. As an example, I like having my email up in a side-window, while browsing the internet in the main window. No more having to switch to my email app. You could also put a movie on one of your side windows, or music. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple/Google add these features in the near future.
The Windows desktop still exists, and is used mainly for legacy support for non-windows8 programs. Eventually all programs should have a Windows8 version that can run through the Start screen (aka metro interface). Until then, it is nice to know I can run Visual Studio, Photoshop, Morrowind =) , on my very portable tablet. As an IT professional, having a full version of Windows 8 is invaluable. Non-windows8 programs may run slow on these tablets with Atom processors, but it is a small trade-off to get a very thin and light tablet with a full version of windows 8.
Battery Life:
The battery seems to last forever on these Atom powered tablets. I can use it all day for work, play games during lunch, watch movies when I get home, all without having to plug it in. And because I can't play a lot of graphics intensive games (yet), this tablet Is far outlasting my iPad.
Cost:
In general Windows RT tablets are $500 for a 32GB version without a keyboard, and $600 with a keyboard. Upgrading to larger hard drives (64Gb/128GB) increase the cost as well. Windows RT will not be able to run old programs but they do use an ARM processor that has better graphics performance (for now). These Atom powered tablets are between $600 and $800. They start with 64GB hard drives, and some include a keyboard. Not all Atom tablets are the same. Some have digitizers, and some don't. I feel that the larger hard drive, digitizer, and full version of Windows 8 is worth an extra $50-$100 more over the Windows RT Tablets.
Display:
The display is nowhere near as good as the iPad 3/4s Retina display. But it is good enough for web browsing/email/MSoffice/light gaming. It is very bright, but hard to see under direct sunlight. I really wanted a 1900x1000+ display, but the cost is just too much. Overall I am happy with this tablets 1366x768 resolution. It is perfect for watching movies. If you do any kind of artsy graphics stuff, you may need to invest in the higher cost, more bulky i5 tablets until manufacturers see a larger demand from us for better displays, on thinner/lighter/cheaper tablets.
Size:
The size made me hesitate a bit before I bought this. Coming from an iPad, I was hoping for a tablet that had similar dimensions. The iPad seems more balanced for holding it with one hand by the edge of the tablet. This one is designed to be used primarily in landscape mode, but because it is so wide, it makes it hard to hold it by the edge. I have found that it is more comfortable to just hold it by placing my hand on the back of the tablet like holding a pizza. Some people may have to pass on these wide tablets due to the preference of holding the tablet by the edge of the screen. Functionally though, Windows 8 takes full advantage of the wide format for having multiple programs on the screen at the same time. The thickness is just about the same as the iPad, and I am happy with it. .38" vs .37"
Sound:
Amazing. Stereo speakers on the edges of the tablet in landscape mode. It's nice to finally have stereo sound on a tablet for watching movies, listening to music and playing games. Don't expect much bass.
Weight:
Very light. Just slightly heavier than the iPad 4. 1.65 lb. vs 1.44 lb. The wide format makes it seem heavier than it is though. I am leery of upgrading to the Surface Pro or any other i5 tablet because they start to reach 2 lb. or higher. I want my tablet to remain a tablet. Hopefully technology will advance quickly so that we can have thin/light/HD display tablets that have the power to play high quality 3d games and do artist stuff. For now, I opted to have a light tablet that makes sacrifices elsewhere.
Digitizer:
Coming from an iPad I did not know what I was missing. Not all of the Windows 8 tablets have a digitizer, so you will need to decide if you want one that does, and shop accordingly. This adds an extra layer to the display that detects the stylus (it shows a dot on the screen when the stylus gets close to the screen). Hovering over a program or icon is the same as hovering your mouse over a program on a Desktop PC. you don't have to touch the screen. Touching the screen is like a left-click on a mouse. Pressing the button on the Stylus while pressing the screen initiates a right-click. (These functions change depending on what program you are using). The digitizer used in the Samsung tablets is a Wacom, which I believe has 1024 points of pressure detection. This allows you to change the thickness of the lines depending how hard you are pressing on the screen. In note-taking programs, when the screen detects the stylus is close to the screen, the program will ignore youre palm, making it much easier to take notes. Some programs perform great with the digitizer, and some are slow/delayed. I think the Atom processer does a good job with processing digitizer input for the most part. For artists, I would say a digitizer is a must have. The stylus is kind of small, and it is stored in the case of the tablet. It is very difficult to remove and I think they should have improved on this. Overall, I am going to like notetaking a lot better from now on.
Performance:
The Intel Atom Clover Trail chip is optimized for windows 8, and battery life. Perfect for a productivity tablet. The built-in graphics processing unit (GPU) is faster than the iPad 2, but slower than the iPad 3/4. I believe this was to improve battery life, and cut down on costs. The drivers for the GPU need some work before it can play full screen 3D games at its full potential. Expect games to perform better after a driver update is released in the future. Advances in technology should allow Intel to provide a better gaming experience without sacrificing battery life, size, weight of the tablet. Aside from gaming, I am happy with the performance of the Atom. Metro apps are flawless. Older desktop apps can sometimes lag, but overall they work fine. I was able to watch full HD 1080p movies with no issues. Old games that don't rely on GPU's perform good. See my list of playable games for an example.
Connectors/Ports:
This has a full, built-in USB 2.0 port, and MicroSD slot, and a MiniHDMI port. The USB port is great for connecting Flash Drives/Hard Drives/ peripherals, without the need for an adaptor. I outfitted my MicroSD slot with a 64GB memory card where I Store my downloads/Music/Movies/Games. I have not tried the MiniHDMI port yet.
My list of Cons:
The Keyboard Dock is unavailable. Aftermarket covers with built-in stands are not available yet. I will be buying the Microsoft Wedge Mobile keyboard. The cover doubles as a stand for the tablet. This will be smaller than the official Dock making it easier to keep with me should I need it.
As already discussed. The Graphics drivers could use an update to take full advantage of the GPU.
The case is made out of plastic. It flexes and feels kind of cheap. This obviously does not effect the performance and features.
That's it. There used to be issues with sound and the digitizer, but Samsung updates fixed them. Just run the Samsung updater when you get your tablet. A work-around is to disable the sound/digitizer in the Device Manager, and then re-enable them. Or just reboot.
Note: If you royally mess up your tablet, you can restore it to factory defaults:
Hold down the Volume-UP button while turning on the tablet to enter the Windows Troubleshooting utility.
Also note that Windows Restore Points are not enabled by default. If you want to be able to go back to a certain point in time, do the following:
To enable System Protection: Go to the desktop, swipe the screen from the right side to bring up the settings panel. Click on "Control Panel". Click on "System and Security" and then click on "System". Then select "System Protection". Then press the "Configure" button. Turn system protection on, then create a restore point right away. Installing updates does not automatically create a restore point like I thought it would. Just create a restore point before any system updates to be safe (not necessary for program updates)
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
As an owner of tablets before the ipad and all 3 ipad variations including the "new" ipad, I have always struggled to get rid of that feeling of it either being too cumbersome for use(pre-ipads), or just a toy with few cool uses(ipads). I think with this tablet, I have finally found what I am looking for. I am so happy with it, I am actually writing the first review I have ever done for a product.Ability to hook up common usb peripherals and use them? Check external DVD, USB stick were a breeze to use and install programs (.iso of software CD's, etc). Flawless, and convenient.
Ability to use the programs I have already purchased for my home machine? Check Office 2010, adobe photoshop, etc they all worked without issue. I just can't emphasize how nice this is to finally have in a tablet. I even put world of warcraft on for the heck of it just because I could.
Ability to expand through a Micro SD card? Check bought a 64GB class 10 card and have Apps installed on it (yes, you can install apps to the microSD card) as well as videos, games, MP3's and pictures. Very handy, doesn't fill the O/S drive with unnecessary items.
Great Screen? Check even coming from a retina ipad user. Bright, vivid display with good sharp resolution. The auto brightness is a tad harsh at times, but that can be adjusted in the power settings.
Great battery? Check hours and hours of play each day for the last two days, and the remaining battery life frankly blew me away each night (60%+ available). This is through installing programs, playing games, watching videos, surfing the web (can't count the number of times my son looped that gangum style song on you tube!?!). Very impressed with battery life for a full featured machine.
Windows 8? Not as bad as I thought. I was anticipating a train wreck that would take me a long time to get used to. It is well done and feels good on the tablet. Not sure I am up for putting it on my home machine yet, but on the tablet, it really goes a long ways to make it the experience it is. Also, Samsung includes a program if you use the "SW Updater" that puts the start button functionality basically back on your desktop. Samsung did a nice job with the pen that you get with the tablet as well that thing is handy in OneNote, it can even read my terrible handwriting. When you have to bounce to the desktop, it is also a nice feature to be able to use the pen and click, drag, right-click. Not necessary, but nice none the less.
Processor Speed? Again, not as bad as I thought. I almost didn't buy it when I saw "atom". Perhaps intel should change the name, because this processor actually performs well. It seemed sluggish for the first few hours, but after that it has really been peppy. Perhaps there were some things installing in the background, or maybe uninstalling Norton bloatware did it, but the performance of the Atom processor has exceeded my expectations.
I think the build quality of the tablet is very nice good clean edges, great sounding speakers that point toward you, well placed inputs on the edges. As far as "feel" of the materials, I find it very similar to my wife's Galaxy S3. It is lighter than I expected for the size, but the size poses issues I mention below (non-standard nothing fits it).
Negatives? No docking station in stock anywhere I mean I have tried all over. No Cases and covers available for it yet. I am currently using a $12 sleeve I bought at a discount retailer (actually fits nice, made by merkury) that will have to hold me over until I find something real. The charger for it is like a laptop charger that plugs into the wall (has a mini brick). I don't see any Car adapters for it available, and would guess it will be expensive as you can't seem to use a common USB type charger for it.
Overall, those few negatives aside which time may fix, I love this thing. More than I expected. Thanks Samsung and Microsoft for finally making the tablet I have been waiting for.
Best Deals for Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)
I received this tablet with keyboard dock from Amazon on November 13 and experienced a number of problems, detailed in this review. However, I wanted to post my most recent experience at the top of the review so you can know what to expect if you buy the tablet today. My original review is posted below.Latest Update 12/17/2012:
Samsung released driver updates at the end of last week for the chipset, sound card, and Bluetooth chip. I am glad to say that since those drivers were released, nearly every problem I've had with the tablet has been resolved. Sound is now 100% reliable with no clicking from the speakers, wifi connects reliably every time, and there seem to be no more random freeze ups. The keyboard dock has gradually become more reliable to the point where it has not disconnected in days (I think the connector just needs to "break in" a bit.) I have been pleased enough with this tablet over the last week that I ordered two additional units, one for the lab I work in, and another as a gift. The unit for the lab did experience keyboard disconnects at first, but over several days of use they have declined just like they did with mine. Like any first generation device, this one did have a few rough edges at first, but I'm impressed that Samsung has relatively quickly released updated drivers that solve nearly all the problems. For now I am leaving my review at 2 stars so that this review remains as the "most helpful critical review", but eventually I will update the rating to reflect my current feelings. If you have been eyeing this tablet and hesitating to buy it because of the reported problems, go ahead and buy it. If you run the included SW Update utility to get all the latest drivers, you will be very happy with the Samsung Ativ Smart PC.
Original Review:
I purchased the version with the keyboard dock from Amazon on October 29, and received it November 13. The tablet itself is everything it's made out to be, but the keyboard dock has a major problem. While comfortable to type on, it has a terrible problem where the connection between the keyboard and the screen is lost randomly while typing. The problem occurs most frequently when the system is resting on my lap, as opposed to on a desk. It is made worse if I use the touch screen before typing, or if my legs are angled downward. I believe the issue lies in a poorly designed docking connector on the keyboard. While the tablet does "lock" into place, it is not locked tightly enough to ensure a secure and reliable connection. When the problem occurs, a firm press to push the tablet back into the dock usually resolves it, but it's really annoying to have to do this constantly. In addition, when the keyboard connection is lost, so are the USB ports on the keyboard dock. I've already suffered failed file transfers while installing programs due to this issue.
For the time being, I will keep the tablet and see whether this becomes a serious issue, or whether it's just an intermittent annoyance. However, I cannot recommend the tablet/keyboard dock combination to anyone since Samsung is charging a $100 premium for a keyboard dock that simply doesn't work properly.
UPDATE 11/16/2012
I've used the tablet for a few days now, and my initial disappointment has been tempered somewhat by the amazingness of the tablet itself, as well as by discovering a method to reduce the frequency of the keyboard disconnects. First, regarding the keyboard dock. I discovered that if I firmly press the keyboard into the dock and then push the tablet to the right in order to fully engage the latching mechanism, the frequency of keyboard disconnects is reduced dramatically. I was initially experiencing keyboard disconnects nearly every 30 seconds, but after starting to push the tablet to the right when docking with the keyboard, the disconnects have decreased to maybe once or twice per day. It seems like taking a second every now and then to ensure the tablet is securely docked does a lot to prevent the disconnects.
Now, I haven't said anything about the tablet itself yet. Quite simply, it's amazing. There are a few minor issues that will probably be resolved with driver updates including occasionally glitchy Windows sound effects (resolved by reboot), and an unreliable S Camera app (though the Microsoft camera app works fine). The tablet is extremely fast and does not at all feel like an Atom processor. Websites load quickly and scrolling is smooth. The wifi signal strength is great, and it connected to my university's WPA-Enterprise encrypted network without a hitch (previous tablets I've had have struggled with this). The ambient light sensor is acceptable, though not the best (running SW Update to get the latest driver improves it a lot compared to the driver the computer ships with). The extremely wide, glossy screen looks spectacular and is great for viewing HD content (unlike the iPad's 4:3 screen). HD videos from Youtube and elsewhere play back perfectly. I was also impressed with the quality of the speakers. Despite having a super-thin slate form factor, the 2x0.8W speakers sound incredible better than many laptops I've used, and the volume is louder than you'd expect to get from a device of this type. I was also impressed with the tablet's ability to play MP3's over Bluetooth audio (A2DP) while the computer is in sleep mode, and also how resume from sleep mode is literally instant (no more 5-10 second wait like on most Windows 7 PC's.) The inking experience is great, just like you'd expect from any Wacom-powered tablet, and it's very convenient to be able to store the stylus inside the computer. The included stylus is short (crayon size) and does not have an eraser, so beware that to erase ink in the free Microsoft OneNote app, you will either need to rely on the Undo command or select and delete the ink manually (there is no eraser tool in the free OneNote app, unlike the full Office 2013 OneNote). Another option if you're inking often is to purchase a full size Wacom stylus that includes an eraser on the top. (The tablet DOES recognize the eraser on other Wacom styluses, I tested it.) This resolves the issue with erasing ink in the free OneNote, and is also more comfortable to write with.
Overall, my feelings about this system have changed drastically from when I first posted the angry review about the keyboard issue, so I'm increasing my rating to 4 stars. The missing star is for the occasional keyboard disconnects, and the lingering driver issues with the camera and the sound card. I'll post another update if I discover anything new!
UPDATE 11/25/2012:
A new annoying problem has started to occur on my tablet. The wifi will frequently fail to connect when I turn the tablet on. I'm subtracting a star because of this. It often takes 2-3 attempts of cycling Airplane Mode on/off to get it to connect. I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling the driver to no avail. Hoping a driver update fixes this, because other than the wifi issue I am loving my tablet. Even the keyboard disconnects that bothered me originally have been less and less frequent. I credit that mostly to me being more conscious of whether the tablet is securely seated in the dock, and pushing it in every now and then to make sure.
UPDATE 12/2/2012
The wifi problem has continued. Yesterday it took me a full 10 minutes of playing with the Airplane Mode toggle, connecting/disconnecting, sleep/wake, restart, and full shutdown/restart, before it finally connected. I have an email in to Samsung support about this issue, but have not received a response yet. If you search for "Samsung Ativ Wonky Wifi", you'll find a professional review of the tablet that also mentions this issue. This wifi problem is really ruining the fun with this unit. At least the keyboard dock issue could be quickly fixed when it occurred by pushing the tablet into the keyboard dock, but this wifi issue has no easy solution and is extremely disruptive. I'm subtracting another star, and I'm thinking about subtracting another, especially if Samsung support can't help out.
Honest reviews on Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)
Coming from an Android, I must say this product is fantastic. Mine is extremely fast, without lag on all Metro apps, and the majority of x86 apps (word, excel, onenote..)However, the standard x86 PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat) does lag a bit.. no worries though the Metro PDF viewer is excellent.
EDIT I've changed the Adobe settings to .show current page only. and now it doesnt lag at all, even on my ginourmous PDFs
The digital pen is AWESOME. I had no idea what I was missing out on when I was using my capacitive-only Android. The pen is exceptional in the desktop mode because in desktop mode, icons are slightly small (11.6 inch vs 13/14/15 inch screens on regular laptops) and easy to mis-press when using the finger.
My tablet had no lag whatsoever during inking in onenote, samsung note, and MS Paint. I don't use photoshop, so I can't say anything about that.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU GET THIS TABLET WITHOUT THE KEYBOARD.
Keyboard is ~100 bucks extra and several reviews have mentioned problems about the keyboard falling out.
What I've done is get a $10 USB keyboard (Bluetooth works as well) and a 1-to-4 USB expander so I can use the keyboard while using flash drives and such. Once aftermarket cases come out, I'll get a case/stand for my Samsung 500t.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)
Before I review the product, I would like to state my intended use for the tablet, so that you can understand better my angle of view. I'm a graduate student. I already have a high performance laptop with a big monitor to watch movies, play games, run big simulations, or do image processing. Therefore, I mainly need the tablet to carry around, read docs, and take notes (organize them and share them or archive them).With this in mind, things that do matter to me are:
(1) Long battery life. This kills any tablets that use core-i processors, which consume much more power. (10h vs 4h battery life)
(2) Windows 8 (not Windows RT). The problem with the new Microsoft OS is that it doesn't have many apps at the moment. However, having an OS that is compatible with any x86 software instantly bypasses this problem, and in my mind, is a much superior option. To name a few, you can use MS Office with its full functions, or use your favorite browser, or listen to spotify using the desktop version (even though spotify hasn't yet published an app for Windows RT).
(3) Wacom stylus (s pen). As I understand, tablets with innate support for Wacom stylus have a extra layer in their screen so that they can register the position of the stylus even when it's not touching the screen. They are also much more precise than capacitive stylus.
So does this tablet actually deliver these promises? I give a definite answer: Yes.
The new windows 8 is fun to use and quite smooth. It does take a few minutes to learn the tricks, as many functions are hidden on the edges of the screen, but I soon got used to that. I did run into a few hiccups in my 2 days test, but they are not overly annoying or distracting, and I believe Microsoft will soon fix them.
The S pen of the tablet makes digital inking really feasible. I didn't use the S note application that Samsung provides, but used MS OneNote 2010, and it really shines. The precision of the stylus is quite good.(If it is slightly off, you can calibrate it in Windows 8) You can write fairly small, yet still readable. When you use the stylus, you can use your finger to navigate the pages, which is very convenient. The ink to text function in OneNote recognizes 99% of my handwriting when I write pretty fast. Even if you don't specifically change ink to text, the inking is still searchable in the program, which is another big plus.
The screen doesn't have high resolution like some high-end ones, but it's high enough to support Windows 8 Snap feature. It's bright, with good contrast. I tested the camera, but wasn't very satisfied. The pictures doesn't look sharp, and it's difficult to focus at the right spot. But again, these are features that are of minor importance to me.
To sum up, this should not be considered as a personal PC replacement, and it's not designed to be one. However, if you simply want a tablet to carry around, read some documents, and take notes, this is definitely the right choice for you. Admittedly, the price is a bit on the high end at the moment, and in six month there will be next generation products that are faster and cheaper. But there will always be better ones further ahead.
Pros: Windows 8 (not RT), S pen, long battery life
Cons: Screen resolution, Camera
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Dell Inspiron i17R-1053sLV 17-Inch Laptop Review
List Price: $634.49
Sale Price: $559.99
Today's Bonus: 12% Off
This laptop is advertised to have an i5 3.1 GHz processor (http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-i17R-1053sLV-17-Inch-Laptop/dp/B009LTUB1E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1353674608&sr=1-1&keywords=i17r-1053slv), but actually has an i3 2.4 GHz processor. Argh!!!
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I bought this as a portable in home option to a desktop. It is very fast and the super large screen is beautiful. However, if you are looking for a laptop to take on trips, you might want to go for a smaller, lighter option.Best Deals for Dell Inspiron i17R-1053sLV 17-Inch Laptop
I love my Dell Inspiron 17" laptopCompact, fast, able to move from room to room
to use my laptop
Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron i17R-1053sLV 17-Inch Laptop
Looking this over, I see it says an i3 2.4g processor. Had the pleasure of setting one of these up for a friend...now I am looking to get a couple. Nice laptop for the price.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron i17R-1053sLV 17-Inch Laptop
I love the full keyboard and wide screen. However windows 8 is a pain in the a$$ if its not on a tablet. The computer has a great sound system to it where you don't need external speakers if your at the desk with it.Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Review of Lenovo ThinkPad 43149DU Notebook - Core i5 i5-540M 2.53GHz
For one thing, I did not expect it to come preloaded with all that gunk that nonprofessional-market notebooks have. After all, I am paying a premium up-front, right? But this came with Microsoft Office Starter 2010 "preloaded" and installing Office 2007 on top of it was such a horrible, miserable experience, and a terrible time waster. Ditto for the Lenovo's "valuable" add-on stuff where "notices" really mean sales&marketing. What a bunch of garbage!
The charging indicator does not work most of the times. It works after reboot, and then dies off. This is bad.
The wireless turns off every now and then. No clue why.
The power cord is oh-so-short! And the AC adapter gets hotter than McDonald's Coffee! Hardly the place to cut costs if you asked me. I mean, you could be at a cafe and can't use this stupid computer because the cord is not long enough!!!!
The CD player turns off automatically. Nice. To reactivate one must press the light on the CD door and all that does is to pop out the CD tray. Reboot. Fortunately, I haven't found any use for the CD drive since the initial week.
I haven't dropped it yet to test out the promised protection mechanisms... I only hope Lenovo engineers did test out all that. Now I am beginning to doubt that.
I wonder if I will recommend a Lenovo to anyone. I like the CPU and OS but that's not Lenovo. I had such better experience with Latitudes.
The charging indicator does not work most of the times. It works after reboot, and then dies off. This is bad.
The wireless turns off every now and then. No clue why.
The power cord is oh-so-short! And the AC adapter gets hotter than McDonald's Coffee! Hardly the place to cut costs if you asked me. I mean, you could be at a cafe and can't use this stupid computer because the cord is not long enough!!!!
The CD player turns off automatically. Nice. To reactivate one must press the light on the CD door and all that does is to pop out the CD tray. Reboot. Fortunately, I haven't found any use for the CD drive since the initial week.
I haven't dropped it yet to test out the promised protection mechanisms... I only hope Lenovo engineers did test out all that. Now I am beginning to doubt that.
I wonder if I will recommend a Lenovo to anyone. I like the CPU and OS but that's not Lenovo. I had such better experience with Latitudes.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
TOPSELLER T410 I5-520M 2.4G 2GB 320GB DVDRW 14.1-WXGA BT W7P Review
List Price: $1,229.00
Sale Price: $799.99
Today's Bonus: 35% Off
The description provided by Amazon is very scant, however the manufacturer model number (2516AEU) can be browsed in Lenovo webpage for a full description. Please note that the installed RAM is 1 x 2 GB instead of the 3 GB originally indicated in the Amazon description (now corrected), however, Lenovo webpage provides the right specifications. This particular model has everything I was looking for, except the fingerprint reader. Other than that this is a great laptop and its construction quality cannot be disputed. The laptop is not light, specially with the 9 cell battery it comes with, but feels very solid and ready to work anywhere. If you are a Lenovo or Thinkpad former user (as I am) you will NOT be dissapointed, this is a great laptop at a fantastic price.
UPDATE (October 17th) Over the weekend I discovered that the bluetooth module is not working. I already tried to uninstall it and install it again, also reloaded the driver but no success. I still have to chat with Lenovo technicians on Monday to solve the problem (no way!!! worst customer service).
UPDATE (October 22nd) This laptop has a physical switch to turn on/off the wireless radios, but it also has a utility to allow user to switch on/off bluetooth and wireless network radios independently. My bluetooth radio was simply turned off, easily solved but took me several days to discover. Now, the Power Management can be annoying since it can turn off several devices, but it is a configuration issue. Very happy with this machine.
WARNING (November 8th) I purchase this laptop directly from Amazon LLC and got a great product. For a reason I don't understand the picture was changed for the picture of a different laptop (a Thinkpad Edge instead of a T410), so be careful if you order it because NOW there is a conflict between the description/specs and the picture. Also the seller is not Amazon LLC anymore but a different vendor.
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I've been using Lenovo T410 for last 2 weeks and I'm pretty pleased with overall machine.Config:
Lenovo T410
Core i7 Processor
8GB Ram from amazon Corsair CM3X8GSDKIT1066 XMS3 8 GB PC3-8500 1066Mhz 204-pin SODIMM Laptop Memory
Intel 2.5-Inch 160 GB X25-M Mainstream SATA II MLC Solid-State Drive Intel 2.5-Inch 160 GB X25-M Mainstream SATA II MLC Solid-State Drive Retail Package SSDSA2MH160G2R5
Intel 3x3 wireless N
WXGA+ LED backlit (1400 x 900)
Windows 7 pro x64
Fingerprint reader
9 Cell battery
What's good:
Perfect size for someone looking for a portable powerhouse. (Coming from 8 lb Dell latitude D530 with dual batteries)
The speed. Core i7 is mighty fast.
No shortage of memory. I run winxp mode VM for work and use close to 6GB of RAM. It still remains responsive
Beautiful sharp Screen with good resolution
Full sized keyboard
5+ hour battery life (This was a surprise)
Has a Win key (I know old Lenovo's didn't really have these)
One port for headphone and Mic. Works with iPhone headphones.
Very port-full *4 USB ports *standard VGA port *eSATA port (if you can use it) *LAN *Modem
Fairly lightweight for it's might
Feels really solid. The screen feels really tight with no play.
Large Multi-touch touchpad, Two finger scroll etc.
Integrated webcam
What's bad:
Fn and Ctrl key. Annoying but fixable through bios. I actually tried physically swapping the keys too but they're not the same size
Keys have high action and sometimes I miss the key press. Maybe it's just me.
Display port instead of an HDMI
Comes with boatload of Lenovo software. In someways enhances Win7 but in someways it cripples it. Idle memory usage right after starting first few times was around 2GB
The camera is very narrow view.
Is still ugly
Multi-touch touchpad is tricky and not responsive at times. Needs better drivers.
Dynamic contrast control has some bug. On battery the screen would sometimes dim for few seconds. Fixed it by running all power options in full performance mode.
Overall impression:
Happy so far with the performance and value. Highly recommended for someone looking for best of size and power. There is some getting used to the keyboard though.
Best Deals for TOPSELLER T410 I5-520M 2.4G 2GB 320GB DVDRW 14.1-WXGA BT W7P
This laptop is powerful and fast. It gets a 5.0 Rating in Windows 7 the graphics being the limiting factor. It has the 9 cell battery, and the mouse nub. The only downside is that Amazon's description does not do it justice.Honest reviews on TOPSELLER T410 I5-520M 2.4G 2GB 320GB DVDRW 14.1-WXGA BT W7P
its great like a new with good fuctionalty and a good prices if there more i would be take it. thinks amazonFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for TOPSELLER T410 I5-520M 2.4G 2GB 320GB DVDRW 14.1-WXGA BT W7P
I bought a Dell E3400 and found the fan noise was too loud and didn't like the 16:9 screen, I returned it and got a Fijitsu 12.1 tablet instead and found the screen is too small for me and then I returned it. At last, found a good deal of T410 and bought one. Can't be happier. The build quality is good and much much better than E3400, a perfect all purpose laptop. I ordered 1280x800 rather than 1440x900, I think I made the right choice, 1440x900 on a 14" screen will make things too small to view. The fan noise is good, it's not completely quite but you can bearly hear anything especially when it's running on baterry. The littel LED lamp beside the camera makes the thing even better. The DVD drive vibrates a lot when running high speed, I dont' use DVD very often so don't mind it, if someone uses DVD a lot, should consider this.Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Review of Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 6272-4GU 15.6-Inch Laptop
I ordered this laptop (Edge E530 62724GU) from Amazon, specifically with Windows 7. I think Windows 8 is usable, but better suited to machines with touchscreen hardware. When I got the package, I thought that the computer was not new. I was wrong it was new; it had been opened to remove the original Windows 8 Pro and install Windows 7 Professional.
I bought this computer for my wife. After spending some time removing unneeded software and adding needed software, I had become familiar with it. The sound and camera are adequate for her needs, and the laptop itself seems sturdy. The software installed was more useful than some of the crapware on other new laptops.
My wife likes the feel of the machine, and the weight is acceptable; for lighter weight, you will pay more.
The display has 1 dead pixel, but she has not noticed it. If it had 3, I would have sent it back. It's annoying, but not a serious problem.
If this laptop lasts as well, and as long, as it feels like it will, it will have been money well spent.
Now for the software issues. Let's start with some positives. I came with Windows 7 Pro which I love wholesomely, but sadly, the machine didn't come with any serial key for it. So god forbid there is a software issue and I have to reformat? I am DEFINITELY NOT using that Windows 8 cd they gave me. Going to use that as a coaster! So that also kind of pissed me off. I have to see if there is some sort of third party software I can find online to extra the serial key from the machine so I can store it for future use.
Moving onto the bloatware. It comes with a bit of 3rd party software along with some lenovo bloatware. They were fairly easy to get rid off, just had to put up with the machine rebooting for every single bloatware I wanted to get rid off.
But the final thing that pissed me off, and dropped this review to 3 stars (I wish I could have given it a 4) was a very interesting problem. I have been using computers for some time and I know my way around the machine. But what I found VERY strange last night when I was running through the updates was a weird "failing to configure" error. So because it's a factory bought machine the updates were behind and I understood that. Usually I run the update programme, it finds 71 new updates so I just set it to run the updates automatically. Easy? NO! EVERY SINGLE TIME I RAN THE UDPATES, I kept getting a failure to configure error, So I ended up having to SELECT each pair of updates from oldest to newest, one by one and let the computer install the updates one by one. Needless to say that took 2 HOURS to finish. But it finished none the less.
I finally cleaned up the machine and got it running the way how I wanted it so I am contented for now. It's really for my g/f but she is not tech-savy so I am hoping there are no future problems. Lenovo has usually been renownd for built quality and software quality, that's why this particular machine confounded me. Did I just happen to get the one bad egg?
As for other things, the screen shows fairly clear for what an Intel HD4000 supposed to do. In the future, I shall upgrade the RAM for her so it runs more comfortably. They audio is fine, the Dolby Software does help to boost audio quality, however I did notice it glitch when I was trying to set up SKPYE. Don't know when Microsoft is going to sort out that problem.
I know the review was long, but I wanted to be meticulous for future customers who wish to purchase this item. There were not much others with clear reviews. So to my fellow amazonians online. I hope this helps!
First, the trackpad is horrible. It jumps and fails to register sometimes. This is not limited to my particular laptop, as I have tried several at a store to make sure I did not get a lemon.
Build quality is not great. My left "mouse" button above the trackpad is mushy with no feel, whereas the right button is normal.
The screen sucks. I use mine to edit photos sometimes when I'm travelling. The screen has very poor dynamic range/gamut, and everything looks like mush.
Bloatware. There is lots of it.
No activity lights. Would be very helpful to know when my HDD is working, frozen, or stuck in a loop. It would also be helpful to know if my num lock and caps lock keys are on without having to try and type something first if I miss the on-screen indication (say, if I accidentally press it)
The FN and CTRL keys are swapped in terms of position. I am still not used to it after 6 months of use. The CTRL key should be the left-most key, so I always press the FN key instead. Very annoying when gaming.
Finally, the headphone jack. There is no microphone jack. Lenovo expect everyone to have headsets that have a USB connection, it seems, otherwise you have to use the built-in mic which is not the best.
I have never had a laptop this bad. My old Dell came close because it kept crashing for no reason and sometimes wouldn't start up. This one has not yet crashed, but other than that the Dell was perfect, and this one is far from perfect.
The only good things I can say about it are that the keyboard feel is great and it looks rather sleek and professional. Battery life is decent. Metal hinges for the screen.
Update:
One more negative point I forgot to include; the trackpoint button (the red thing in the middle of the keyboard you use to move the mouse around) often gets stuck and drifts (at the very least once every time I use it), you have to move it around quite vigorously to unstick it and get it to centre properly again without drifting.
I bought this computer for my wife. After spending some time removing unneeded software and adding needed software, I had become familiar with it. The sound and camera are adequate for her needs, and the laptop itself seems sturdy. The software installed was more useful than some of the crapware on other new laptops.
My wife likes the feel of the machine, and the weight is acceptable; for lighter weight, you will pay more.
The display has 1 dead pixel, but she has not noticed it. If it had 3, I would have sent it back. It's annoying, but not a serious problem.
If this laptop lasts as well, and as long, as it feels like it will, it will have been money well spent.
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This is a solid 4GB Core I5 machine with a fast hard drive (7200rpm) and it comes with Windows 7 installed and with a Windows 8 upgrade. With sufficient memory, the fast drive makes more difference in the computer's performance than a fast processor. The multitouch touchpad takes some getting used to. Because the computer has both a trackpoint and a touchpad, the 3 mouse buttons are above the touchpad. The primary user of this machine has been using XP at home and Windows 7 at work and does not like change. Windows 8 would be a very traumatic change. With Windows 7, this machine was the perfect upgrade, minimizing the change from the previous machine. I did delete some of the bloatware that ships with the machine. I also had to go to the Lenovo downloads for this machine to download and install the trackpad software so that I could shut off some of the functions that were causing confusion.Best Deals for Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 6272-4GU 15.6-Inch Laptop
So I bought this laptop to replace my g/f's old Dell XPS 1340 that started overheating. And I have to admit. I am disappointed by this unit. Let's start with the build quality. Now the machine itself had no scuff marks and the plastic matte finish was alright, something to keep it simple, but I have to admit, the way that thing attracts grease is scary. I only used it yesterday and the trackpad and wrist-rest look so greasy. Everytime I used it, I had to keep wiping the surface. (I was trying to remove the bloatware for my girl, we'll get to the software in a bit). But my major concern with the build quality was the laptop dvd drive. Now MAYBE it was just a q/c problem with the one I got, but I simply HATE the fact that the drive is sticking out and doesn't close flush with the surface of the laptop.Now for the software issues. Let's start with some positives. I came with Windows 7 Pro which I love wholesomely, but sadly, the machine didn't come with any serial key for it. So god forbid there is a software issue and I have to reformat? I am DEFINITELY NOT using that Windows 8 cd they gave me. Going to use that as a coaster! So that also kind of pissed me off. I have to see if there is some sort of third party software I can find online to extra the serial key from the machine so I can store it for future use.
Moving onto the bloatware. It comes with a bit of 3rd party software along with some lenovo bloatware. They were fairly easy to get rid off, just had to put up with the machine rebooting for every single bloatware I wanted to get rid off.
But the final thing that pissed me off, and dropped this review to 3 stars (I wish I could have given it a 4) was a very interesting problem. I have been using computers for some time and I know my way around the machine. But what I found VERY strange last night when I was running through the updates was a weird "failing to configure" error. So because it's a factory bought machine the updates were behind and I understood that. Usually I run the update programme, it finds 71 new updates so I just set it to run the updates automatically. Easy? NO! EVERY SINGLE TIME I RAN THE UDPATES, I kept getting a failure to configure error, So I ended up having to SELECT each pair of updates from oldest to newest, one by one and let the computer install the updates one by one. Needless to say that took 2 HOURS to finish. But it finished none the less.
I finally cleaned up the machine and got it running the way how I wanted it so I am contented for now. It's really for my g/f but she is not tech-savy so I am hoping there are no future problems. Lenovo has usually been renownd for built quality and software quality, that's why this particular machine confounded me. Did I just happen to get the one bad egg?
As for other things, the screen shows fairly clear for what an Intel HD4000 supposed to do. In the future, I shall upgrade the RAM for her so it runs more comfortably. They audio is fine, the Dolby Software does help to boost audio quality, however I did notice it glitch when I was trying to set up SKPYE. Don't know when Microsoft is going to sort out that problem.
I know the review was long, but I wanted to be meticulous for future customers who wish to purchase this item. There were not much others with clear reviews. So to my fellow amazonians online. I hope this helps!
Honest reviews on Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 6272-4GU 15.6-Inch Laptop
On paper this looks good, and the price is right. However, there are a number of very annoying things about this laptop that have made me swear to never buy Lenovo again.First, the trackpad is horrible. It jumps and fails to register sometimes. This is not limited to my particular laptop, as I have tried several at a store to make sure I did not get a lemon.
Build quality is not great. My left "mouse" button above the trackpad is mushy with no feel, whereas the right button is normal.
The screen sucks. I use mine to edit photos sometimes when I'm travelling. The screen has very poor dynamic range/gamut, and everything looks like mush.
Bloatware. There is lots of it.
No activity lights. Would be very helpful to know when my HDD is working, frozen, or stuck in a loop. It would also be helpful to know if my num lock and caps lock keys are on without having to try and type something first if I miss the on-screen indication (say, if I accidentally press it)
The FN and CTRL keys are swapped in terms of position. I am still not used to it after 6 months of use. The CTRL key should be the left-most key, so I always press the FN key instead. Very annoying when gaming.
Finally, the headphone jack. There is no microphone jack. Lenovo expect everyone to have headsets that have a USB connection, it seems, otherwise you have to use the built-in mic which is not the best.
I have never had a laptop this bad. My old Dell came close because it kept crashing for no reason and sometimes wouldn't start up. This one has not yet crashed, but other than that the Dell was perfect, and this one is far from perfect.
The only good things I can say about it are that the keyboard feel is great and it looks rather sleek and professional. Battery life is decent. Metal hinges for the screen.
Update:
One more negative point I forgot to include; the trackpoint button (the red thing in the middle of the keyboard you use to move the mouse around) often gets stuck and drifts (at the very least once every time I use it), you have to move it around quite vigorously to unstick it and get it to centre properly again without drifting.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 6272-4GU 15.6-Inch Laptop
I purchased this a few months back with the help of my son who is a computer science whiz ( what kid isn't nowadays, except mine wins awards all over the country because he's so smart!) Anyway, I know nothing about computers, all I can share with you is that it came very well packaged, 2 days after I put my order in. when my son set it up and did whatever it is you do to make them run, he had no problems. It seemed fairly easy and I was using it just a few hours after he started. The keyboard is very comfortable for me. I am not a big person, I wear small gloves so have small hands , they fit nicely when I am typing. The screen is a perfect size with nice color to the screen. I like the extra numbers bar on the right. It's light weight and thin so not inconvenient to carry. I've had no glitches or problems with this computer since purchase. Have been really happy.
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