Showing posts with label recycled paper notebooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recycled paper notebooks. Show all posts
Saturday, December 13, 2014
HP 2000-210US 15.6-Inch Notebook PC - Gray Reviews
I think the "Totally Corrupted" says it all !! This company EZ Corp really sucks.........Their a Pawn Shop....They should stay out of the electronics industry!!!We purchased this laptop for my son's Christmas present last year. He has enjoyed using it. No complaints at all.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Review
i am currently writing this review after several weeks of use. i spent about 3 weeks researching different laptops before i got this one. it was no easy task. i hope this review will help you decide.
i have the 1.6GHz, 4GB Ram, & 128GB Flash Storage. (not sure if this review will be placed for this specific spec or for all MacBook Air 11".)
LAPTOP USE:
mainly for work. checking email and managing contacts. viewing documents.
i am also an amateur photographer so i will be doing some light photo work.
huge gamer. see below for more details.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION:
there's not much to say regarding this. it's built like no other machine i've ever used. it's rock solid. i have read some reviews stating that they were concerned with the joint where the screen meets the keyboard area but it should not be of any concern. it feels great in your hands. i can find no flaws with the laptop itself. make sure you go to an Apple Store and play with it to see for yourself.
OS:
i am currently running both OS X 10.6.5 & Windows 7 Ultimate 64. it came installed with OS X 10.6.4. make sure you update this before you install anything.
Apple states that you can only install Windows 7 through Boot Camp using a DVD player. after some research before i bought the laptop, i found this to not be true.
by using an open-source program called rEFIt, you can install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive. you can also install Linux, if you wish. by using this program you can dual boot or even TRIPLE BOOT on your MacBook Air.
if you would like to install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive, you can use a program by Microsoft called "Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool" to accomplish this. make sure your USB flash drive is at least 4GB for installation. YOU ALSO NEED A COPY OF WINDOWS THAT YOU PLAN ON INSTALLING HANDY.
INSTALLING WINDOWS WITH A USB FLASH DRIVE...
** UPDATE ADDED **
** before you go and install Windows 7 on your shiny new MacBook make sure you've updated your OS X to 10.6.5 first! i was so excited to get Win7 on my MBA that i installed it first before upgrading. i had installed EVERYTHING. all my PC programs and had it set up perfectly. bad mistake. when i upgraded the patch it wiped my NTFS (Windows 7) partition and everything there. ugh. save yourself that headache and PLEASE UPDATE OS X to 10.6.5 FIRST!!!
i have recently increased my Mac partition to allow for more room for my Mac needs. it is now at 48GB for Mac and 70GB for Windows. your needs may vary so give yourself ample space for both partitions. if at a later time you need to increase/decrease your partition sizes, you can do so easily by doing a FULL BACKUP WITH A SYSTEM IMAGE using Windows BACKUP or any other Backup program. remove your Windows partition ONLY AFTER doing the backup. go into Boot Camp Asst and create a new partition. connect your choice of Windows 7 installation, either USB OR DVD. do a RESTORE with the backup of the system image and backup files you made. VOILA... you have everything the way it is again. ***
make sure you first go into OS X. click on Boot Camp, which you can find using the Finder feature or go into your Utilities folder. get to the second page. download the Windows support software for your Mac. you're going to need it later after you've installed Windows. save this on your other PC. hopefully you have a PC to run that Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool. just go through the steps it tells you and you should be done. now place the "WindowsSupport" folder you dl'ed through Boot Camp onto your flash drive. you should have 3.65GB used. i used Windows 7 Ultimate 64 so your size may be less.
now you should already have installed rEFIt. if not, you should do so now. follow the instructions on their site. this gets installed through OS X, just in case you're wondering. after installation, make sure you reboot your MB Air at least twice. don't ask me why. it just takes at least twice before it gets fully working.
as you're about to do your second reboot, plug in the flash drive you have Windows 7 installed. as your MBA loads up, you should get a screen with a few icons, which you may have noticed after your first reboot. just select your USB drive and VOILA! you should now be starting your Windows 7 installation. once you're done make sure you install the Boot Camp drivers in the "WindowsSupport" folder. Boot Camp 3.2 is out so make sure you update to that ONLY AFTER you've installed 3.1 first. you will not be allowed to install 3.2 without 3.1 installed.
WINDOWS 7 GENERAL USAGE:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 runs smoothly on the MBA. i was very surprised. it boots up almost as quickly as my 3.4GHz desktop which has a SSD drive. considering the MBA only has 1.6GHz this thing can only be labled as a BEAST. i like to tinker with my computer a lot so i've removed many startup services and programs that i don't need and just eat up valuable resources. i will not go into details about it now but if you are curious just ask and i will comment back with some good info for you.
i have installed Lightroom 3.3 and Photoshop CS5 and they run very nicely. it will definitely not give you the same experience as a 3.4GHz desktop but considering the size of this laptop, you should be pleased.
Hulu & Youtube runs quite nicely. definitely not as smooth as my desktop but then again look at the size of this laptop.
i personally have not installed Windows Office 2010 because i've opted to go with the free Libre Office program. it is still in beta stages but runs quite nicely without any major hiccups. i also have Firefox and Thunderbird installed. they both run well.
WINDOWS 7 GAMING USAGE:
i currently play Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Black Ops. i installed both on the MBA. i was quite shocked that it ran pretty well. of course, you will most likely have to run at lowest settings but if you need to get your fix for blood and you're away from home then you can! let's be realistic though. you really don't want to be playing games on a 11' screen. to be honest, i had such a hard time seeing enemies that were far away in BFBC2.
MAC USAGE:
this is my first Mac. i was very hesitant booting up the MBA the first time. it's like that first day at high school... as a freshman. you thought you knew it all but now you're in a totally new environment. fear strikes in.
don't fret. you're about to embark on a wonderful new adventure!
i am beginning to love the Mac OS X. it's so stable and runs as smooth as a babies bootie on this laptop.
i have Aperture 3, Final Cut Express 4, Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Firefox, and Thunderbird installed on the Mac OS X. they all run very well. Final Cut Express will not be the same as a desktop experience most definitely but you can do some light work on your MBA. i also suggest you install a program called Onyx to remove any garbage files. also get Growl. a very nifty program for Mac's.
** UPDATE ADDED **
** a commenter had asked about doing a fresh install of the Mac OS X. i know what he meant immediately. most laptops come with some sort of BLOATWARE (garbage programs that slow your system down). Mac's are not plagued by this issue so you do not have to worry. since the storage on your MBA will be limited compared to other systems, every bit of free space is valuable. OS X contains files for use with X11, which is a X Window System implementation for running X11-based applications on Mac OS X. Based on the de facto-standard for X11, the open source XFree86 project, X11 for Mac OS X is compatible, fast and fully integrated with Mac OS X. It includes the full X11R6.6 technology including a window server, libraries and basic utilities such as xterm. if you have no idea what i just wrote, then you won't need this. :) i'm not sure if it's installed by default but since i had to do a fresh reinstall due to the OS X 10.6.5 Update patch wiping my Windows partition. there are also over 1GB worth of language support files within OS X and other Mac programs. you may want to do a fresh install due to these reasons but if X11 is not a concern of yours and only removing the language files then there is an easy solution. check below for more details under the "RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS". **
RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS:
after a few more weeks of use, i have been using OS X a lot more than i had first thought i would. due to these reasons, i have been researching for more OS X programs. here are my results. i will add more as i come across them.
1. CleanMyMac: this program is A MUST HAVE. it does so much i can't even begin to tell you everything it does. basically, it cleans out all your garbage files, unnecessary junk, and language support that you won't need. i gained over 2GB worth of storage space from this program. THAT'S A LOT! considering i just got my MacBook so it wouldn't have any accumulated that many temp files. it goes to show you how many other files there are you don't need.
2. Onyx 2.2.1: this is another MUST HAVE. it is a multifunction utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to verify the Startup Disk and the structure of its System files, to run miscellaneous tasks of system maintenance, to configure the hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock and of some of Apple's own applications, to delete caches, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome and more.
3. KisMAC: it is an open-source and free sniffer/scanner application for Mac OS X. i've used this for when i'm out and need to get more WiFi info than is given through OS X. many of you probably won't need it but it's a nice program to have.
4. WinClone: clones your Boot Camp partition. can be useful for many applications. (use with precaution, as it seems to be no longer developed. i suggest you google this application and see if it fits your needs.)
5. Libre Office: an open-source Office platform program. it's the better version of Open Office, in my opinion. it's FREE so try it. it's also available for PC.
6. Text Wrangler: 90% of you won't need this, but for the other 10% it can be very useful. this is the only free program that does this that i could find. A powerful and richly-featured tool for composing, modifying, and transforming text stored in plain-text files. It features flexible "grep" pattern-based search and replace, syntax coloring, and function navigation for C, C++, and Objective-C. Also includes integration with the UNIX command line via the "edit" tool, built-in support for opening and saving files to remote FTP servers, and a rich plug-in architecture.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS FOR YOUR MACBOOK AIR (which i am using. do a search on Amazon for these products.):
elago Mobile Nano II USB 2.0 microSDHC Flash Memory Card Reader (Black)
Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX0010BBK-NESN
Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX for PC and Mac
Samsung USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive for Mac and PC SE-S084D/TSBS (Gloss Black)
Transcend P8 15-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader TS-RDP8K (Black)
FINAL WORDS:
i love the MacBook Air 11". i do not regret purchasing it at all.
i hope you have all found this review helpful. i am sorry to those who i have bored with my long rant. i hope i helped a few people decide on purchasing this laptop. if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.
cheers!
My first reaction was that it truly is as amazingly thin and sleek as it looks in the ads--almost disconcertingly so compared to my MacBook Pro. My first few times typing, I thought I might break it, it seemed so thin. But it's a toughie, no doubt about it. Light yet solid. Easily slips into my bag--hardly noticeable. It took almost no time at all to set up. The battery charged in less than an hour and, so far at least, seems to run almost as long as my Pro, though I do have to be especially careful to quit programs I'm not using to preserve and prolong power. I installed Office Suite 2011 in 15 minutes via the wireless network through the university. No need for a disk drive in this instance. Even more exciting, it easily networked wirelessly with my Pro and I was then able to operate its DVD drive as if it were part of the Air. Amazing. Assuming you have another MacBook, there really is no need for a DVD drive in this machine.
Since I write for a living, having a comfortable keyboard is essential. I was delighted and surprised to see that the 11" Air has a keyboard that measures exactly the same as my 13" Pro--no difference whatsoever. And the overall feeling is quite good with just enough bounce and resistance--essential in my view for effective typing. Only thing lacking are the illuminated keys--a nice feature, but certainly not essential. I don't think I'll miss it. The backlit screen is physically smaller, of course. But there are more pixels per inch, so it is amazingly bright and crisp. In fact, in a side-by-side comparison, this screen is every bit as brilliant as the screen on my Pro, and is certainly brighter and with greater high and low contrasts than the screen on the standard MacBook. Again, I am quite delightfully surprised by how good this screen is, since I was expecting something less in such a small package. Everything reads slightly smaller as a result, of course. But I still have no trouble reading whatever's on the screen. I imagine people with poor vision might have a slightly harder time reading their usual sites and documents. But I have no trouble--and my eyes are not perfect by any means. The improved track pad is a joy to use and genuinely intuitive. I am especially pleased to see the one finger "tap to click" option once again that you don't find on the older MacBooks--makes navigation that much faster and easier.
Despite the processor being only 1.6GHz, the speed seems to be about the same as on my MacBook Pro. Here, I'm sure more sophisticated users and gamers will disagree. But I am able to run Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu videos flawlessly. No discernible lag, no annoying pixelating. It certainly boots up faster (that solid state storage makes a noticeable difference there) and many of my usual websites seem to load up just as fast if not faster than they do on my Pro. So I'm not sure I will notice any difference in CPU speed, given my rather mundane needs and uses. But I'm glad I got the faster chip and larger RAM, nonetheless, given the ever-increasing demands of programs and the Internet. These upgrades make normal usage a breeze and should extend the machine's viability a bit longer.
Downsides? None yet--apart from minor issues like the lack of an SD slot, an Ethernet port (USB extension is available for purchase) and additional USB outlets. But I'm happy to sacrifice these things for the convenience of a light, ultrathin MacBook. No doubt this machine will now become my primary tool.
Be aware that this maxed out edition (1.6/4GB/128Flash) must be factory installed through special order. As a result, it takes longer to arrive than most might expect. Certainly longer than the 1-3 business days Apple claims it takes to process the order. Mine took 18 days from the time I placed the order until it arrived from the Apple factory in China. Your experience may be different. But don't expect it to arrive within just a few days.
In short, this is an excellent machine. Whether it is worth the price is up to you. But I'm more than happy with it. Obviously, I can't attest yet to its durability, but it feels solid and stout, and I expect it will get quite a bit of use.
It also, to my surprise, will run World of Warcraft at a respectable frame rate.
i have the 1.6GHz, 4GB Ram, & 128GB Flash Storage. (not sure if this review will be placed for this specific spec or for all MacBook Air 11".)
LAPTOP USE:
mainly for work. checking email and managing contacts. viewing documents.
i am also an amateur photographer so i will be doing some light photo work.
huge gamer. see below for more details.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION:
there's not much to say regarding this. it's built like no other machine i've ever used. it's rock solid. i have read some reviews stating that they were concerned with the joint where the screen meets the keyboard area but it should not be of any concern. it feels great in your hands. i can find no flaws with the laptop itself. make sure you go to an Apple Store and play with it to see for yourself.
OS:
i am currently running both OS X 10.6.5 & Windows 7 Ultimate 64. it came installed with OS X 10.6.4. make sure you update this before you install anything.
Apple states that you can only install Windows 7 through Boot Camp using a DVD player. after some research before i bought the laptop, i found this to not be true.
by using an open-source program called rEFIt, you can install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive. you can also install Linux, if you wish. by using this program you can dual boot or even TRIPLE BOOT on your MacBook Air.
if you would like to install Windows 7 using a USB flash drive, you can use a program by Microsoft called "Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool" to accomplish this. make sure your USB flash drive is at least 4GB for installation. YOU ALSO NEED A COPY OF WINDOWS THAT YOU PLAN ON INSTALLING HANDY.
INSTALLING WINDOWS WITH A USB FLASH DRIVE...
** UPDATE ADDED **
** before you go and install Windows 7 on your shiny new MacBook make sure you've updated your OS X to 10.6.5 first! i was so excited to get Win7 on my MBA that i installed it first before upgrading. i had installed EVERYTHING. all my PC programs and had it set up perfectly. bad mistake. when i upgraded the patch it wiped my NTFS (Windows 7) partition and everything there. ugh. save yourself that headache and PLEASE UPDATE OS X to 10.6.5 FIRST!!!
i have recently increased my Mac partition to allow for more room for my Mac needs. it is now at 48GB for Mac and 70GB for Windows. your needs may vary so give yourself ample space for both partitions. if at a later time you need to increase/decrease your partition sizes, you can do so easily by doing a FULL BACKUP WITH A SYSTEM IMAGE using Windows BACKUP or any other Backup program. remove your Windows partition ONLY AFTER doing the backup. go into Boot Camp Asst and create a new partition. connect your choice of Windows 7 installation, either USB OR DVD. do a RESTORE with the backup of the system image and backup files you made. VOILA... you have everything the way it is again. ***
make sure you first go into OS X. click on Boot Camp, which you can find using the Finder feature or go into your Utilities folder. get to the second page. download the Windows support software for your Mac. you're going to need it later after you've installed Windows. save this on your other PC. hopefully you have a PC to run that Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool. just go through the steps it tells you and you should be done. now place the "WindowsSupport" folder you dl'ed through Boot Camp onto your flash drive. you should have 3.65GB used. i used Windows 7 Ultimate 64 so your size may be less.
now you should already have installed rEFIt. if not, you should do so now. follow the instructions on their site. this gets installed through OS X, just in case you're wondering. after installation, make sure you reboot your MB Air at least twice. don't ask me why. it just takes at least twice before it gets fully working.
as you're about to do your second reboot, plug in the flash drive you have Windows 7 installed. as your MBA loads up, you should get a screen with a few icons, which you may have noticed after your first reboot. just select your USB drive and VOILA! you should now be starting your Windows 7 installation. once you're done make sure you install the Boot Camp drivers in the "WindowsSupport" folder. Boot Camp 3.2 is out so make sure you update to that ONLY AFTER you've installed 3.1 first. you will not be allowed to install 3.2 without 3.1 installed.
WINDOWS 7 GENERAL USAGE:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 runs smoothly on the MBA. i was very surprised. it boots up almost as quickly as my 3.4GHz desktop which has a SSD drive. considering the MBA only has 1.6GHz this thing can only be labled as a BEAST. i like to tinker with my computer a lot so i've removed many startup services and programs that i don't need and just eat up valuable resources. i will not go into details about it now but if you are curious just ask and i will comment back with some good info for you.
i have installed Lightroom 3.3 and Photoshop CS5 and they run very nicely. it will definitely not give you the same experience as a 3.4GHz desktop but considering the size of this laptop, you should be pleased.
Hulu & Youtube runs quite nicely. definitely not as smooth as my desktop but then again look at the size of this laptop.
i personally have not installed Windows Office 2010 because i've opted to go with the free Libre Office program. it is still in beta stages but runs quite nicely without any major hiccups. i also have Firefox and Thunderbird installed. they both run well.
WINDOWS 7 GAMING USAGE:
i currently play Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Black Ops. i installed both on the MBA. i was quite shocked that it ran pretty well. of course, you will most likely have to run at lowest settings but if you need to get your fix for blood and you're away from home then you can! let's be realistic though. you really don't want to be playing games on a 11' screen. to be honest, i had such a hard time seeing enemies that were far away in BFBC2.
MAC USAGE:
this is my first Mac. i was very hesitant booting up the MBA the first time. it's like that first day at high school... as a freshman. you thought you knew it all but now you're in a totally new environment. fear strikes in.
don't fret. you're about to embark on a wonderful new adventure!
i am beginning to love the Mac OS X. it's so stable and runs as smooth as a babies bootie on this laptop.
i have Aperture 3, Final Cut Express 4, Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Firefox, and Thunderbird installed on the Mac OS X. they all run very well. Final Cut Express will not be the same as a desktop experience most definitely but you can do some light work on your MBA. i also suggest you install a program called Onyx to remove any garbage files. also get Growl. a very nifty program for Mac's.
** UPDATE ADDED **
** a commenter had asked about doing a fresh install of the Mac OS X. i know what he meant immediately. most laptops come with some sort of BLOATWARE (garbage programs that slow your system down). Mac's are not plagued by this issue so you do not have to worry. since the storage on your MBA will be limited compared to other systems, every bit of free space is valuable. OS X contains files for use with X11, which is a X Window System implementation for running X11-based applications on Mac OS X. Based on the de facto-standard for X11, the open source XFree86 project, X11 for Mac OS X is compatible, fast and fully integrated with Mac OS X. It includes the full X11R6.6 technology including a window server, libraries and basic utilities such as xterm. if you have no idea what i just wrote, then you won't need this. :) i'm not sure if it's installed by default but since i had to do a fresh reinstall due to the OS X 10.6.5 Update patch wiping my Windows partition. there are also over 1GB worth of language support files within OS X and other Mac programs. you may want to do a fresh install due to these reasons but if X11 is not a concern of yours and only removing the language files then there is an easy solution. check below for more details under the "RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS". **
RECOMMENDED MAC OS X PROGRAMS:
after a few more weeks of use, i have been using OS X a lot more than i had first thought i would. due to these reasons, i have been researching for more OS X programs. here are my results. i will add more as i come across them.
1. CleanMyMac: this program is A MUST HAVE. it does so much i can't even begin to tell you everything it does. basically, it cleans out all your garbage files, unnecessary junk, and language support that you won't need. i gained over 2GB worth of storage space from this program. THAT'S A LOT! considering i just got my MacBook so it wouldn't have any accumulated that many temp files. it goes to show you how many other files there are you don't need.
2. Onyx 2.2.1: this is another MUST HAVE. it is a multifunction utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to verify the Startup Disk and the structure of its System files, to run miscellaneous tasks of system maintenance, to configure the hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock and of some of Apple's own applications, to delete caches, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome and more.
3. KisMAC: it is an open-source and free sniffer/scanner application for Mac OS X. i've used this for when i'm out and need to get more WiFi info than is given through OS X. many of you probably won't need it but it's a nice program to have.
4. WinClone: clones your Boot Camp partition. can be useful for many applications. (use with precaution, as it seems to be no longer developed. i suggest you google this application and see if it fits your needs.)
5. Libre Office: an open-source Office platform program. it's the better version of Open Office, in my opinion. it's FREE so try it. it's also available for PC.
6. Text Wrangler: 90% of you won't need this, but for the other 10% it can be very useful. this is the only free program that does this that i could find. A powerful and richly-featured tool for composing, modifying, and transforming text stored in plain-text files. It features flexible "grep" pattern-based search and replace, syntax coloring, and function navigation for C, C++, and Objective-C. Also includes integration with the UNIX command line via the "edit" tool, built-in support for opening and saving files to remote FTP servers, and a rich plug-in architecture.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS FOR YOUR MACBOOK AIR (which i am using. do a search on Amazon for these products.):
elago Mobile Nano II USB 2.0 microSDHC Flash Memory Card Reader (Black)
Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive WDBACX0010BBK-NESN
Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX for PC and Mac
Samsung USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive for Mac and PC SE-S084D/TSBS (Gloss Black)
Transcend P8 15-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader TS-RDP8K (Black)
FINAL WORDS:
i love the MacBook Air 11". i do not regret purchasing it at all.
i hope you have all found this review helpful. i am sorry to those who i have bored with my long rant. i hope i helped a few people decide on purchasing this laptop. if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.
cheers!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I should admit upfront that I am not a scientist or engineer. Nor am I a gamer or video editor. I am a scholar and writer, so my use of this machine is largely limited to word processing, Power Point presentations, web browsing, and watching streaming videos. Thus, my experience will very likely differ from those who'll be using this computer to run several large and sophisticated programs simultaneously. Given these parameters, I am simply thrilled with this addition to Apple's MacBook collection. I am a relatively recent convert to Apple products after nearly two decades on PCs. So my views might be positively colored somewhat by the enthusiasm of the newly converted. I have been using a MacBook Pro 13" for the last year or so and I can safely say that this new MacBook Air 11" is simply a charm and a wonderful companion to the larger computer. Mine is the fully maxed-out model, with the factory-installed 1.6 chip, 4GB ram and 128 flash. I bought it to use for travel to libraries and research centers, and to carry easily from home to school. While I've only had the machine for a short time, there is no doubt this will be instantly more useful than any PC or Apple I've owned before. I have now spent several hours running it through its paces and I am genuinely impressed.My first reaction was that it truly is as amazingly thin and sleek as it looks in the ads--almost disconcertingly so compared to my MacBook Pro. My first few times typing, I thought I might break it, it seemed so thin. But it's a toughie, no doubt about it. Light yet solid. Easily slips into my bag--hardly noticeable. It took almost no time at all to set up. The battery charged in less than an hour and, so far at least, seems to run almost as long as my Pro, though I do have to be especially careful to quit programs I'm not using to preserve and prolong power. I installed Office Suite 2011 in 15 minutes via the wireless network through the university. No need for a disk drive in this instance. Even more exciting, it easily networked wirelessly with my Pro and I was then able to operate its DVD drive as if it were part of the Air. Amazing. Assuming you have another MacBook, there really is no need for a DVD drive in this machine.
Since I write for a living, having a comfortable keyboard is essential. I was delighted and surprised to see that the 11" Air has a keyboard that measures exactly the same as my 13" Pro--no difference whatsoever. And the overall feeling is quite good with just enough bounce and resistance--essential in my view for effective typing. Only thing lacking are the illuminated keys--a nice feature, but certainly not essential. I don't think I'll miss it. The backlit screen is physically smaller, of course. But there are more pixels per inch, so it is amazingly bright and crisp. In fact, in a side-by-side comparison, this screen is every bit as brilliant as the screen on my Pro, and is certainly brighter and with greater high and low contrasts than the screen on the standard MacBook. Again, I am quite delightfully surprised by how good this screen is, since I was expecting something less in such a small package. Everything reads slightly smaller as a result, of course. But I still have no trouble reading whatever's on the screen. I imagine people with poor vision might have a slightly harder time reading their usual sites and documents. But I have no trouble--and my eyes are not perfect by any means. The improved track pad is a joy to use and genuinely intuitive. I am especially pleased to see the one finger "tap to click" option once again that you don't find on the older MacBooks--makes navigation that much faster and easier.
Despite the processor being only 1.6GHz, the speed seems to be about the same as on my MacBook Pro. Here, I'm sure more sophisticated users and gamers will disagree. But I am able to run Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu videos flawlessly. No discernible lag, no annoying pixelating. It certainly boots up faster (that solid state storage makes a noticeable difference there) and many of my usual websites seem to load up just as fast if not faster than they do on my Pro. So I'm not sure I will notice any difference in CPU speed, given my rather mundane needs and uses. But I'm glad I got the faster chip and larger RAM, nonetheless, given the ever-increasing demands of programs and the Internet. These upgrades make normal usage a breeze and should extend the machine's viability a bit longer.
Downsides? None yet--apart from minor issues like the lack of an SD slot, an Ethernet port (USB extension is available for purchase) and additional USB outlets. But I'm happy to sacrifice these things for the convenience of a light, ultrathin MacBook. No doubt this machine will now become my primary tool.
Be aware that this maxed out edition (1.6/4GB/128Flash) must be factory installed through special order. As a result, it takes longer to arrive than most might expect. Certainly longer than the 1-3 business days Apple claims it takes to process the order. Mine took 18 days from the time I placed the order until it arrived from the Apple factory in China. Your experience may be different. But don't expect it to arrive within just a few days.
In short, this is an excellent machine. Whether it is worth the price is up to you. But I'm more than happy with it. Obviously, I can't attest yet to its durability, but it feels solid and stout, and I expect it will get quite a bit of use.
Best Deals for MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
I have a core i7 main 15" MBP and I wanted a travel laptop. I figured for big trips I would need the big boy to take the load. I was wrong. I bought the pimped out 11" model and it has handled admirably. I would like a 256 model as well but I think I will be able to find a bigger flash drive soon enough. I have been amazed with the ease the 1.6ghz handled everything I threw at it and multitasked like a champ. I would not do any video editing or encoding on this little guy but I don't really do that on the road anyway. I think my 15" MBP will be getting a lot of at home time these days. if you have the money to pay the apple tax you will not be disappointed.Honest reviews on MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
I bought it, I love it. It has a full sized keyboard, a screen with about the same dimensions (in dots, not inches) as my old 13" Macbook, is small, light, and beautiful.It also, to my surprise, will run World of Warcraft at a respectable frame rate.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
10 years ago, I bought a 12" powerbook. It was an amazing laptop. Small, powerful, the perfect travel companion. I used it as a road warrior for years. The full sized screen and reasonable battery life were ideal. I later replaced it with a 13" black macbook. I liked it, but it wasn't the portable wonder that the old powerbook had been. I've tried netbooks, bigger laptops, an ipad, etc, and they all work well, but still left a little something to be desired. Enter the 2010 Macbook Air 11". Wow. It's everything my old powerbook was, but better. Better screen, better keyboard, better battery life, and fast. It's not a replacement for a video render farm, you wouldn't want to run the latest game or lots of virtual systems on it, but for my needs, it's brilliant.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Best Acer Aspire S7-391-9427 13.3-Inch Touchscreen Ultrabook (White) Deals
List Price: $1,549.99
Sale Price: $1,145.99
Today's Bonus: 26% Off
The Aspire S7 line has quite a few models with flavors of processors, screen size, and what not. One of the newer models is the 9427 iteration. I have used it for about 3 weeks now, and the S7 is a very well designed product, well thought out, and durable. The aluminum chassis is a things of beauty and durability, making the ultrabook lightweight as well, 2.8lbs. The bottom is a tough plastic or polycarbonate which is well designed and looks very good. The cooling vents were well thought out, the hot air is pushed out the back, so using the laptop on your lap is very comfortable with no heat buildup. The S7 9427 comes with network 10/100MB and HDMI to VGA dongles, along with a leather like carrying bag, and a Bluetooth mouse. These added goodies are very welcomed in this kit. There are some major plus sides to this Ultrabook, but a few flaws, such as life no thing of beauty is not without those. The bullet list to be concise:
Pro's:
Fast Processer i7 2.0
4GB RAM
256GB SSD
Dolby sound, awesome speakers, great placement on the sides
HD 10 point touch screen, accurate and mind blowing resolution
2.8lbs
2 USB 3.0 ports
HDMI
Gorilla Glass
Illuminated Keyboard
Middle: Battery life has been around 4.5 hours with wifi on, on balanced mode do not believe anyone telling you the life is 6-7 hours. You will not see that with normal use and wifi on. One of the points for accessories, the Acer store has a second battery that screws in on the bottom which is flat, contoured, and has a battery life indicator on the side. It adds on about 3-4 hours, when used as reported on the Acer forums from people that have bought them, looks very nice it fit and form. I am purchasing one, price is $149.
Con's:
SD slot has the SD card sticking out, it does not click in. Not major, but should click in all the way.
Fans get loud at times, but this can be adjusted by software settings. Make sure to have the latest BIOS update.
Accupad, touchpad, (or whatever you want to call it) can be a little annoying with the clicks takes a little getting used to however, no accupad has been flawless even MBA. The Elan software can be adjusted for the swipes, clicks, and gestures though.
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Most people buying this computer are the type of people seeking the best of the best. This computer meets those expectations in many ways so I will give it 4 stars DESPITE the appalling "secret" I am about to reveal:The USB to Ethernet "goodie" dongle included with this computer is USB 2.0 and not USB 3.0!!
You might not think it would make much of a difference, but you would be wrong. When I bought a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter (for approx. $30) my speed when wired went from 24 MBPS to 36+ MBPS. In fact, no matter what time of day or night I use my computer now, the wired speed never falls below 36 MBPS -whereas before I felt thankful to get 24 MBPS (sometimes it would drop as low as 16 MBPS!). So, a more than 50% difference in wired internet speed.
What a deceiving trick! To buy a top of the line computer, pay top dollar, and then be given a hand-me-down USB 2.0 chip set adapter for Ethernet as a supposed "goodie" when the computer itself is wired for USB 3.0. To confirm it's a USB 2.0 adapter versus being a USB 3.0 adapter, go to your device manager while your included (and outdated) "free" Acer Ethernet adapter is plugged in. That will tell you.
Shame on you, ACER.
UPDATE RE FISHY PRICING AS OF 4/1/13:
I got this computer for $1,456 (the price at that time was fluctuating daily between that price and its current $1,539). So, I'm wondering if Square Trade and Amazon have some sort of deal going....because the moment the price drops below $1,500 the cost of the Square Trade warranty drops from $299 to $181 for the exact same coverage. Fishy, fishy price fixing. BUT -THE COMPUTER OVERALL IS GREAT... even with its flaws. At this point in time, you literally can't find better.
Best Deals for Acer Aspire S7-391-9427 13.3-Inch Touchscreen Ultrabook (White)
Myhard drive died after 5 weeks and now the laptop does not boot up. Acer does not have a support center in each state, you have to call the Support number in India and then send the product at your cost to their center in Austin Texas for repair. This by all means is the worst quality laptop I have ever purchased. While the design is good there are too many 'advertising induced' gadgets loaded as part of an OS which already has many security issues.The hardware design is great, the quality extremely poor and the support horrible. Do not purchase this product and look at other brands. $1700.00 all in in addition to Office Tools, 5 weeks of transfering and loading all the applications from WIndows 7 to Windows 8 with hardware failure. What a disaster!
Honest reviews on Acer Aspire S7-391-9427 13.3-Inch Touchscreen Ultrabook (White)
I have been using the S7 for about 3 days now and love it! the touchscreen is fantastic with Win 8. The keyboard is a little shallow but you get used to it. No problem with the wi-fi like some have mentioned. The only thing I would have liked to see is longer battery life. Also I purchased the Targus USB 3.0 Dual Video Docking Station and it works great with the S7; super helpful with my dual monitors and other peripheralsFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire S7-391-9427 13.3-Inch Touchscreen Ultrabook (White)
Pros: This is a great ultra portable rig. I got it from another website because I had a gift card and I'm so glad I did!1) It is fast and SO thin but feels sturdy in your hand.
2) The screen is crisp and has great viewing angles and brightness. The touchscreen is a little gimmicky right now but if Windows 8 ever gets some good apps then maybe it'll make it more useful.
3) The keyboard is awesome and easy and comfortable to type on.
4) The SSD's in raid 0 are crazy fast.
5) The sound from the speakers is much louder than I expected coming from the bottom of the machine but can get muddled if you're playing it on your lap on something soft like in bed.
6) Wi-Fi problems have been fixed and runs very smooth.
Cons: These cons are very small to me but there are a few:
1) The trackpad is a little flaky as well as the gestures but the gestures work great on the touchscreen its self
2) Fans can get a little loud in hotter environments but that's to be expected when you cram so much power into such a tiny frame
3) Intel 4000 graphics aren't great but you're not buying this as a desktop replacement
Other Thoughts: It can run games like WoW and Diablo 3 on medium at 1080 but that's now what you buy this for so that's just a bonus. If you're looking for one of (if not the) thinnest and lightest computers that can actually do work then you've found it.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook Reviews
**UPDATE**
The temps on this laptop can get very hot if you don't watch them. I got to 73C today just watching Netflix. I even wiped the drive and reinstalled from the recovery partition and it still does it.
And to comment on other people saying the screen is glossy, I actually don't find it glossy at all. Its actually a weird middle between glossy and matte. I don't know what Sony did. Its nice though.
**OLD REVIEW**
Just as a intro, I didn't buy this laptop on Amazon, so it wont say verified purchase, but I did buy this laptop and still have it with me, so you can be assured that this is a real review. I absolutely love this laptop. Everything is amazingly fast and snappy, the trackpad is smooth and gestures handle very well, almost as well as a Mac.
The keyboard is also pretty great. It feels like I'm typing on a desktop keyboard because of how much travel the keys actually have. I think this is the most I've ever seen in an ultrabook. Now for the best thing about this laptop.
The weight. Its incredible. When I took the laptop home with me, I was actually worried that the box didn't have the laptop in it! (It did). This thing feels as light as my tablet.
Now for the screen, its a full 1080p screen, the clarity is good, and so are the viewing angles. Surprisingly, they're not as good as an IPS screen, but more than acceptable. The touch is also responsive. The one thing that I did have to do is when I got it, the screen was really sticky and I couldn't slide my finger on it. I cleaned it with some rubbing alcohol and now its as smooth as anything else.
But, there is one major (to me) issue. The fan noise is horrific. Even when I'm just browsing the internet, the fans are on at ~4000-5000 RPM according to Core Temp. And the weird thing, is that they SHOULD be on at the temps I'm getting. On idle, its around 50C. I've used many other ultrabooks and I know that's not normal. In fact, I unplugged the fan of a Lenovo Yoga (It was also loud) and it never exceeded 55C even when watching movies. This can't be fixed with an update because the laptop actually DOES run hot, so the fans are needed. I checked for any CPU hogging apps, but the CPU is never over 10% utilization in Task Manager. I know I don't have a defective unit, because I already took it back and replaced it once. Oh, and the SONY Vaio Control Center fan options don't do anything to control the fan.
I think other than that, this laptop is amazing. If you never use your laptop in a Library, Classroom, or another quiet place, It would be 5 stars for you. But Its just way too loud for me.
I feel that to deserve 5 stars, it need to be perfect, and this laptop comes close, but isn't. If anyone/Sony somehow releases an update to quiet those fans, I'll change my review. It would be 5 stars, but the fan and the flex on the body knock off one star for me.
To sum up:
PROS:
Amazing Screen
Roomy and comfortable keyboard
Smooth trackpad
VERY light
Looks great
No bloatware at all (since I bought it from the Microsoft Store)
CONS:
Fan noise is terrible
Some amount of flex in the body makes it feel weak
===================
(1) Speakers
(2) Build
(3) Temperature/fan noise
(4) Tips
(5) General Thoughts
(1) Speakers: I know some of the professional reviews said they aren't the greatest but they are not terrible for the size. No, you're not going to get blown away and you're not going to get deep bass. The built-in speakers are located around the hinge, facing up and slightly toward the screen. The sound doesn't get distorted at max volume and fills a standard room pretty adequately at max volume. I'm sure the small size also provided some challenges for the engineering team, so I'm not disappointed.
(2) Build: The more I play with it, I'm not convinced that it's mainly carbon fiber. I sense that there is a decent amount of "plastic-y" material in there but I'm not complaining. The only issue it gives me is the accuracy of the trackpad when not on a hard surface (see the second update to this review below).
(3) Temperature/fan noise: OK, I'll concede a little here with some of the other reviewers. I'm not so concerned with the noise as much as I am with the durability of components that heat up this much. Yes, when the fan gets going, the exiting air temperature is very hot, and the underside of the laptop is as well. SpeedFan reported temps as high as 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees F)!! That's hotter than any other desktop or mobile computer I've owned without additional heat-mitigating mechanisms. I just hope the components are able to handle that temp--at least it's an SSD instead of a traditional platter. It's also a little bit away from the hot components. The extended battery gives a little relief since it pushes the laptop up a little like a stand.
(4) Tips: There are quite a number of Sony updates to install including a firmware/BIOS update. When you click on the assist button the updates are listed under "software" instead of "updates". I got an error message installing Intel Anti-Theft indicating that the device was not compatible with it. It is. I was able to fix it by going into the BIOS settings and clicking on enable TPM and AT (even though it already was). After a few reboots, it recognized it OK. One thing that drove me crazy until I figured it out... the only way to get to the UEFI and BIOS settings was from a "shutdown" state, then pushing the "assist" button.
Another tip, this doesn't use the camera for light sensor as some have speculated. It uses the dedicated sensor next to the "assist" button. I personally do not like this since if a directional light is shining down on the device but not lighting the surrounding, it is thrown off. I have LED lighting in the main room of my house and it is constantly auto-adjusting the brightness. I believe there is a way to turn this off but I haven't played with it. It also has issues with adjusting brightness when your arm blocks the light for a few seconds. Why would your arm do that you say? Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's a TOUCHSCREEN laptop!! Come on Sony, so perfect in every other way! Again, not so bad that I would return it. I still think it's one of the best Haswell Ultrabooks on the market.
Purchase tips in the first updated review below.
(5) General thoughts: I haven't bothered to fix my Android tablet yet (the Asus TF300T is a pain to replace the digitizer unlike any other device I've owned). This has all but replaced my netbook and tablet that were used previously for separate tasks. All in a footprint smaller than either one individually. I am looking forward to the Windows 8.1 improvements. I have not installed the preview. I want to wait for the more stable release. On another note, the Intel Anti-Theft is $6.99 for one year on Amazon here.Intel 1 Year Anti Theft Service for Ultrabooks and Laptops Totally worth it for me. I take this everywhere.
FIRST UPDATE AFTER flying with this (and for the first time, without an additional tablet)
===================
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS
(2) CASES
(3) OTHER QUIRKS ("Flex", touchpad, wifi, fan)
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT?
(5) PURCHASE TIPS
(6) TAKE APART/DISASSEMBLY
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS At first I thought a 13.3" device would be too big to use on the airplane comfortably especially if someone in front of me reclined. I must say this was not the case--furthermore, this is where the touchscreen really shines. Since it is very light, I can hold it closer to me and use it like a tablet without having the keyboard get in my way. The on-screen keyboard also helps for this. I had to ask my colleague to hold the laptop for a second and when I handed it to him he was shocked at how light it weighed!
(2) CASES: The EasyAcc 13.3 inch Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover Neoprene Shock Resistant Pouch Protective Handbag for Apple Macbook Air 13, Macbook Pro 13, Acer Aspire S3, Asus Zenbook UX31, Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Samsung SERIES 9 NP900X3B, Toshiba Satellite Z830, SONY S... did NOT fit this ultrabook so be careful which MacBook Air Cases you choose. I ended up using this Case Logic QNS-113 13.3-Inch EVA Molded Laptop / Macbook Air / Pro Retina Display Sleeve (Black) because it also lets me use the ultrabook in the case itself and I can also stash my second really thin screen (GeChic OnLap--read my review there) GeChic On-Lap 1302 13.3 USB Powered Thin Slim LCD Monitor with ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port Adapter for Apple Macbook Pro Air 13 in the same case! I can also use the Case Logic 14" Case Logic LAPS-114 14-Inch Laptop Sleeve (Black) but it doesn't let me use the laptop in its case. TSA had no issues with either case and I didn't have to remove the ultrabook.
(3) OTHER QUIRKS: So, I think I have figured out the problem with some people reporting touchpad sensitivity and issues. The chassis is carbon fiber and has some "flex" to it. Therefore, if the ultrabook is not fully on a hard surface, and more specifically, half on a hard surface and the palmrest hanging off, the touchpad must be getting compressed inside somewhere as it bends between the palmrest and the touchpad. That is the only time I had issues. If it were fully on a hard or soft surface it operated normally. Imagine taking the laptop and pushing down on the palmrest while it is half over the side of a desk. That is what seems to be happening with me at least. Easy enough for me to adjust so it's a non-issue for me.
The fan noise that people are complaining about I must admit can get annoying sometimes, but I have not tried too much in the way of intensive operations yet. The initial DropBox sync (about 7GB for me) kicked up the fan a lot and it was noticeable. In airports and other areas, it wasn't too much of a distraction, but time will tell if I will be the "weirdo" with the noisy machine in day to day meetings, etc. Ah well, I guess I will have to avoid playing video games during my business meetings!
I did not experience any major Wifi issues other than with networks that do not broadcast SSID's. There are a large number of Sony firmware updates available so I would suggest installing them if you are experiencing issues with bluetooth, wifi, and NFC (which I haven't tried yet). My problem is that the Sony Vaio Update app keeps getting an error so I will contact Sony shortly.
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT? My Asus TF300T's digitizer broke prior to my flight and it's a pain to replace so I haven't done that yet. Needless to say, I've used the Sony Vaio Pro 13 in many situations that I would have used the tablet for and honestly, I feel less restricted than under Android limitations (read: multitasking, productivity office apps, etc.). I have all but replaced it and since it actually weighs less than my TF300T with keyboard dock, I'm happy to be using this. Yes, it's a little bit large for some situations, so I might hold out and get a decent 8" Bay Trail tablet when they are released later in the year.
(5) PURCHASE TIPS: So, after playing with this for a while, and knowing that some options are pretty expensive, here is what I can offer: most of the components are fixed and not upgradeable. If you can afford it, go with the highest processor and memory that you can. The memory is soldered to the main board. The SSD, however, is Samsung's new XP941 PCIe "M.2" form factor SDD. While they are not available for sale (that I could find) other than to OEMs right now, it is likely they will appear in the market soon. Going from the base 128GB, it costs $220 for 256GB and $720 or so for the 512GB. While the speeds are among the fastest you will see today for SSD, I might be willing to hold off on that, especially since it appears to be user-replaceable (no confirmation on that but see below). Your best shot is to keep searching for them online and see when they pop up cheaper in the future.
(6) TAKE-APART AND DISASSEMBLY: While I have not tried it yet, there is now a good tear-down video and pictures so you can see for yourself.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
===================
In this review:
(1) In the box
(2) PROs (+)
(3) CONs/Quirks (-)
(4) Windows Experience Index Ratings, Battery Life, and Performance Observations
(5) Extended sheet battery thoughts
(6) Thoughts on travel/portability/business use
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on tablet replacement
(1) In the box: power cord and adapter with neat USB port in transformer, brief setup pamphlet, VGA Adapter.
I thought I would include this section because there was some confusion as to whether the USB-powered Ethernet wireless router that attaches to the power adapter was included. Sadly, it is not. It is also not listed as available for sale (as of this date) in the US. If you need the part number (since it's hard to find), it's VGP-WAR100 and is available on Sony Asia's website
(2) PROs
Great battery life (later)
Super thin AND great battery life!
full-size spacing on keys
Tight integration between hardware and Windows 8 (even some 8.1 features done Sony-style on Windows 8.0)
Screen lifts for the most part with one hand (better than I could have expected)
brightness is decent
Carbon fiber build seems flimsy (because it bends) but actually feels and appears to be durable (if that makes sense)
Really light.
Did I mention that it's really thin and light?
(3) CONs/Quirks (not all are really terrible and I've overcome some as described)
Yes, there is a known WiFi issue. Supposedly, Sony is working on a fix though not all their stores and call centers are familiar with it. However, that being said, I did not experience any major issues. Just in case, I have a WiFi adapter I can use if needed.
For me: lack of Thunderbolt port is a disappointment but I understand that Sony had to sacrifice some things for such a thin laptop. I would have preferred Thunderbolt over HDMI but that is just me and the market supports the decision to stick with HDMI right now.
Lack of Gb Ethernet. Really wished it had this but a lot of ultrabooks are forgoing this option these days. To overcome this, I purchased a nifty Asus USB router (see below under travel)
The large amount of flex in the build makes using the touchscreen difficult to use or at least not as "seamless" as it could be. The screen vibrates back and forth a lot with each press making for a slightly uncomfortable but bearable experience. It certainly does not replace a tablet feel (nor is it meant to so no stars deducted). It's just that it feels like the touchscreen could have been left out altogether but I must admit I still use it extensively over the touchpad (but maybe not over a travel mouse).
The sheet battery is not flush to the device (more on that below under the "extended battery" section).
The keyboard is a little awkward for me, but to be fair, I'm accustomed to a 12.1" netbook keyboard. The keys for me are spaced too far apart but I can still type pretty fast and it doesn't seem like it will take a lot of getting used to.
The lights for the backlit keyboard are visible from underneath the keys when you are looking at the device. It's kind of annoying and I wish it were just the letters that were lit instead of an outline of the keys.
Silly dedicated "assist" button launches Sony's troubleshooting and repair/recovery apps. I'd rather be able to customize a dedicated hardware button (and maybe I can?)
(4) Windows Experience Index, battery life, and other performance measures
Overall: 6.3 (internal HD4000 graphics being the limiting factor)
CPU: 7.1 (NOTE: This is for a Core i7 model, the rest of this review is relevant to this model)
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
HDD: 8.6
It isn't meant to be a super high-end gaming machine. The idea here is thin and light...but seriously, it does a pretty darn good job at everything else while it's at it. Data transfer rates are extremely good. If I get a chance, I'll post some samples.
Battery Life is really really good. I use Battery Bar and it varies it's estimate based on use but going from a full charge on just the main battery without the extended sheet battery, it varies between 7-8.5 hours, way over Sony's 6.5 hours estimate. To be fair, I have only been installing software and not anything otherwise intensive. With the extended battery which is almost double capacity, I would easily believe Sony's 13-14 hour claim and then some. Time will tell and I will update if this changes.
Performance is pretty snappy and I haven't noticed any major hiccups but to be fair, I haven't done a whole lot other than web browsing and software installation. I'll update as time goes on if it changes.
(5) Extended Sheet battery thoughts:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. Since there are really no pictures for this model, I thought I would post this so you have a good idea of what it is like. I will post a picture soon as well. For starters, it does NOT sit flush with the laptop. In other words, it adds a significant amount of depth (almost double) but at least it is a smaller footprint and not the whole side of the laptop. It serves as a stand while it is attached. One thing I do wish: the cover for the connector for the extended battery can be difficult to remove form the laptop (it has a spot to reattach to the extended batteyr to hold it in place but even that is a pain to do in a hurry. If I have to switch batteries in a hurry or switch to the extended, it can be irritating. A sliding cover would have been more practical (but I'm not sure if it's feasible space-wise)
(6) Travel and portability thoughts:
For me, extended batteries are almost a necessity and I'm so used to just ordering them that I ordered it with the device. As I am using this, I am actually thinking I wouldn't need it if I were just replacing my netbook/laptop. Since the sheet battery adds such significant battery life, I might use it to replace what I normally defer to my Asus TF300T tablet for (notes, travel, work on airplanes/trains, etc.).
I will update this review soon--I have ordered two different MacBook Air cases and will see how they fare.
I also ordered the Asus WL-300NUL pocket WiFi router (ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL). This can be used in much the same way as the Sony part I mentioned above with the added benefit that it can also be used as a USB ethernet adapter and standard WiFi adapter as well.
For travel, I also ordered a USB combo mini outlet surge protector Satechi Compact USB Surge Protector for Charging MP3 Players, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and Windows Mobile Phones and an inline surge protector TRC 90510-10 Lap Top Surge Protector 3-Wire which should arrive soon.
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on Tablet replacement:
I was really hoping for a Haswell ultrabook convertible that would double as my desktop via a nice Thunderbolt dock for two monitors, GbE, USB 3.0 drives, etc. I was hoping for said ultrabook to also double as a tablet and take advantage of Window 8 handwriting recognition with a digitizer (this does not have a digitizer). In the end, while this may have been a purchase out of frustration in waiting or the "perfect" device to come along, I think I am happy with it. The near-instant on feature is nice so that certainly helps in pushing the case to replace my tablet. I can still think of a need for a decent tablet with digitizer (perhaps a future "mini" Windows 8 tablet with Bay Trail?). I thought about the Sony Duo 13 as well but the limited one angle kind of was a dealbreaker for me. In retrospect, it might be more of what I was looking for. The trackpad is becoming more and more of an after-thought for me as I use the touchscreen more so the fact that it is much smaller on the Duo may not be bad. At least it isn't behind the keyboard like on the recently announced Samsung device. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is probably the closest to what I wanted but it may not be released until much later this year. For now, I would say I'm very happy with the purchase and will continue to evaluate my needs as I go on in terms of living without a tablet.
I do hope that Thunderbolt becomes more common and is standard in the near future. Partly due to cost and partly due to ignorance, I think people are missing out on something great that might be too early for it's own good. It's almost like the "Apple Newton" was way ahead of its time and didn't succeed because of ignorance and cost until Palm released their version of the PDA when the market was "ready" for it. I'm hoping this is the time for TB.
I would like to address some issues other owners are reporting with this machine. I have absolutely zero wi-fi problems. I'm getting exactly the same reception, speed and stability from this laptop and every other wi-fi device I own. It worked great for me out of the box.
Some others also say the trackpad is awful. Honestly, I'm not really sure what kind of problems they're having with their trackpad. Mine works near flawlessly. There is an occasional hiccup when it fails to recognize my two-finger scrolling gesture for a brief second, but it happens rarely. Tracking is solid and smooth. Palm rejection is also excellent. No more jumping four lines of text while typing a paper!
The fan noise can be an issue for some. Honestly, simple web browsing or word processing, this machine is silent. I have it running on the battery most of the time in the "silent" mode located in the Vaio control panel, and any ambient noise drowns out the whisper coming from the side of this device. Now, any type of huge processor strain will make the fan whirl just like any other device. My only complaint is the fan can be a little to aggressive while watching HD videos, but the noise from the video still drowns out the fan for the most part.
Speaking of HD videos, the screen on this Vaio is absolutely sublime. Compared to the Macbook Air, screen quality is no contest. The viewing angles and sharpness on the Vaio are unmatched by the Air. Only other Windows ultrabooks(Acer S7, Samsung Ativ 9, Asus Zenbook Inifinity) can compare in screen quality. Some of those might have a higher resolution than the Vaio, but at 13", 1920x1080 looks as sharp as I could possibly imagine. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and whites are pure. There is a slight grain to it, but that's just an anti-glare coating. It's no matte display, but it does a better job at reflecting rays of light than a standard glossy display. For me, it's worth the trade off.
The keyboard, for an ultrabook, is way above my expectations. I've felt some very shallow key strokes on other machines, but the click-clack from this Vaio is satisfying. Key travel is plenty for such a thin device. I have no problems with keystrokes not registering. The back lighting is also very nice. It is very even with very little bleed when looked at head on. I love having the lighting dim when not in use, then suddenly illuminate my keyboard when my fingers begin striking the keys.
Port selection is decent enough. Two USB 3.0 with one supporting sleep charge, full size HDMI, a deep SD card slot with no stick out(unlike some Apple machines), a headphone/mic jack and charging. There is also a very handy USB 2.0 port on the power brick, so I can charge my smartphone from the brick instead of having to take up a USB port. Great add on feature!
Build quality on this laptop has been a highly contested issue. Yes, the frame of the laptop can flex if you put ample force on it. But at normal typing pressure, the keyboard flex is minimal to nonexistent. It's a trade off for the 2.3 pound package. The carbon fiber keyboard deck has a nice matte, textured finish to it. It feels very premium. There are no panel gaps to speak of. The palm rest has a contrasted brushed aluminum which never gets too cold or hot to the touch. Sony also made the design so when the lid is closed, the screen is lifted slightly above the keyboard, so the keys do not rub against this beautiful display. I also love the slight angle created by the bottom of the hinge when the laptop is fully open. It makes for a lovely typing experience.
Overall performance from the machine is blazingly fast. It boots in around 3 seconds, wakes from sleep instantly and opens apps in the blink of an eye. The new PCIe SSD gets 1000 mb/s reads and 900 writes! The processor and integrated GPU are enough for anything you would normally throw at an ultrabook.
Battery life is probably the only let down on the device. I usually can get around 6-8 hours on my normal usage of web browsing, watching videos, and typing. It's enough to get me through the day, but it's no 10 hours from the MBA. If you need more runtime, Sony offers a sheet battery that doubles the runtime, and keeps the total weight of the device equal to the MBA.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this laptop. I was worried reading the horror stories online about the terrible wi-fi and so on, but they are extremely small sample cases. My machine works flawlessly. I would without a second thought recommend this Vaio to anyone looking for a premium Windows ultrabook.
Seven hours battery .
The body is a bit flexy-but I think that was the intention, to keep it flexible so it can stand the rigors of being handled around, and at 1 kilogram-it WILL be handled around.
Track pad misses some tapsbut it is by far one of the best non-apple trackpads.
I went to the Apple store to see if I let my heart rule over the mind (the supposed 12 hour battery life of the new Air), and I simply came back, clenching my Vaio closer to me. Drab heavy silver slabs. No innovationimagine my frustration when the chunky screen didn't respond to my gentle prods.
Believe me-this is the new Z.
Sony, welcome back.
Then came by far the worst part, the track pad. I don't generally use mice with my laptops and a good trackpad is critical for me, and this one is terrible. It is not very sensitive, the cursor jumps around at times, and clicking often doesn't work. Even worse is that when you lightly press on the trackpad, you can feel the whole trackpad move, and it makes a noise when doing this. It does this the whole time you are moving your finger around the trackpad and drove me crazy. And just to be clear, I am talking about pressing lightly enough to where you are not actually "clicking" the trackpad.
The way Sony got this laptop so light is by making it "supposedly" out of carbon fibre, the problem is this makes the entire laptop flex, and really badly at that. I don't know how much it can actually take, and it could end up not being a problem, but just carrying the laptop from one of the corners feels like you are going to snap the palm rest. There just isn't much structure here, maybe it will make it take a fall better, who knows, but it feels horrible.
Lastly, sony loads this up with their software, and that software is terrible as all their applications are slow and crash often. There is one application that gives you a bunch of messages about your system, this program took over a minute to load.... On a laptop with a very fast SSD that can boot in something like 7 seconds.
With all that said, the keyboard itself was pleasant enough (aside from the layout I am not used to), and the screen is great. If anything 1080p might be too much for a laptop this size because some text was just straining to read, hopefully windows 8 will get updated with better scaling for high resolution, smaller screens. The touchscreen also works well enough, but I wish the screen's hinges were stronger as the screen would wobble around a bit when touching it.
The fan was also rather noisy, even on the silent profile in the Vaio Control Center, and speaking of loud the speakers weren't. Battery Life was also rather unimpressive, especially for a Haswell chip, but I'm sure windows 8 has more to do with that than anything.
The SSD is awesome, fast as all heck, and 8 gigs of ram (4 will suffice for most too) is more than enough for pretty much any regular user. The CPU and GPU seemed to hold up to normal use just fine, but will not handle gaming very well.
Overall, the cons just outweighed the pro for me (get it?). Ended up returning the laptop.
*************
I should also note that I experienced no issues with Wifi, but I believe sony or intel patched that issue. I am not sure if all the reviews complaining of horrible wifi are relevant now.
The temps on this laptop can get very hot if you don't watch them. I got to 73C today just watching Netflix. I even wiped the drive and reinstalled from the recovery partition and it still does it.
And to comment on other people saying the screen is glossy, I actually don't find it glossy at all. Its actually a weird middle between glossy and matte. I don't know what Sony did. Its nice though.
**OLD REVIEW**
Just as a intro, I didn't buy this laptop on Amazon, so it wont say verified purchase, but I did buy this laptop and still have it with me, so you can be assured that this is a real review. I absolutely love this laptop. Everything is amazingly fast and snappy, the trackpad is smooth and gestures handle very well, almost as well as a Mac.
The keyboard is also pretty great. It feels like I'm typing on a desktop keyboard because of how much travel the keys actually have. I think this is the most I've ever seen in an ultrabook. Now for the best thing about this laptop.
The weight. Its incredible. When I took the laptop home with me, I was actually worried that the box didn't have the laptop in it! (It did). This thing feels as light as my tablet.
Now for the screen, its a full 1080p screen, the clarity is good, and so are the viewing angles. Surprisingly, they're not as good as an IPS screen, but more than acceptable. The touch is also responsive. The one thing that I did have to do is when I got it, the screen was really sticky and I couldn't slide my finger on it. I cleaned it with some rubbing alcohol and now its as smooth as anything else.
But, there is one major (to me) issue. The fan noise is horrific. Even when I'm just browsing the internet, the fans are on at ~4000-5000 RPM according to Core Temp. And the weird thing, is that they SHOULD be on at the temps I'm getting. On idle, its around 50C. I've used many other ultrabooks and I know that's not normal. In fact, I unplugged the fan of a Lenovo Yoga (It was also loud) and it never exceeded 55C even when watching movies. This can't be fixed with an update because the laptop actually DOES run hot, so the fans are needed. I checked for any CPU hogging apps, but the CPU is never over 10% utilization in Task Manager. I know I don't have a defective unit, because I already took it back and replaced it once. Oh, and the SONY Vaio Control Center fan options don't do anything to control the fan.
I think other than that, this laptop is amazing. If you never use your laptop in a Library, Classroom, or another quiet place, It would be 5 stars for you. But Its just way too loud for me.
I feel that to deserve 5 stars, it need to be perfect, and this laptop comes close, but isn't. If anyone/Sony somehow releases an update to quiet those fans, I'll change my review. It would be 5 stars, but the fan and the flex on the body knock off one star for me.
To sum up:
PROS:
Amazing Screen
Roomy and comfortable keyboard
Smooth trackpad
VERY light
Looks great
No bloatware at all (since I bought it from the Microsoft Store)
CONS:
Fan noise is terrible
Some amount of flex in the body makes it feel weak
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SECOND UPDATE===================
(1) Speakers
(2) Build
(3) Temperature/fan noise
(4) Tips
(5) General Thoughts
(1) Speakers: I know some of the professional reviews said they aren't the greatest but they are not terrible for the size. No, you're not going to get blown away and you're not going to get deep bass. The built-in speakers are located around the hinge, facing up and slightly toward the screen. The sound doesn't get distorted at max volume and fills a standard room pretty adequately at max volume. I'm sure the small size also provided some challenges for the engineering team, so I'm not disappointed.
(2) Build: The more I play with it, I'm not convinced that it's mainly carbon fiber. I sense that there is a decent amount of "plastic-y" material in there but I'm not complaining. The only issue it gives me is the accuracy of the trackpad when not on a hard surface (see the second update to this review below).
(3) Temperature/fan noise: OK, I'll concede a little here with some of the other reviewers. I'm not so concerned with the noise as much as I am with the durability of components that heat up this much. Yes, when the fan gets going, the exiting air temperature is very hot, and the underside of the laptop is as well. SpeedFan reported temps as high as 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees F)!! That's hotter than any other desktop or mobile computer I've owned without additional heat-mitigating mechanisms. I just hope the components are able to handle that temp--at least it's an SSD instead of a traditional platter. It's also a little bit away from the hot components. The extended battery gives a little relief since it pushes the laptop up a little like a stand.
(4) Tips: There are quite a number of Sony updates to install including a firmware/BIOS update. When you click on the assist button the updates are listed under "software" instead of "updates". I got an error message installing Intel Anti-Theft indicating that the device was not compatible with it. It is. I was able to fix it by going into the BIOS settings and clicking on enable TPM and AT (even though it already was). After a few reboots, it recognized it OK. One thing that drove me crazy until I figured it out... the only way to get to the UEFI and BIOS settings was from a "shutdown" state, then pushing the "assist" button.
Another tip, this doesn't use the camera for light sensor as some have speculated. It uses the dedicated sensor next to the "assist" button. I personally do not like this since if a directional light is shining down on the device but not lighting the surrounding, it is thrown off. I have LED lighting in the main room of my house and it is constantly auto-adjusting the brightness. I believe there is a way to turn this off but I haven't played with it. It also has issues with adjusting brightness when your arm blocks the light for a few seconds. Why would your arm do that you say? Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's a TOUCHSCREEN laptop!! Come on Sony, so perfect in every other way! Again, not so bad that I would return it. I still think it's one of the best Haswell Ultrabooks on the market.
Purchase tips in the first updated review below.
(5) General thoughts: I haven't bothered to fix my Android tablet yet (the Asus TF300T is a pain to replace the digitizer unlike any other device I've owned). This has all but replaced my netbook and tablet that were used previously for separate tasks. All in a footprint smaller than either one individually. I am looking forward to the Windows 8.1 improvements. I have not installed the preview. I want to wait for the more stable release. On another note, the Intel Anti-Theft is $6.99 for one year on Amazon here.Intel 1 Year Anti Theft Service for Ultrabooks and Laptops Totally worth it for me. I take this everywhere.
FIRST UPDATE AFTER flying with this (and for the first time, without an additional tablet)
===================
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS
(2) CASES
(3) OTHER QUIRKS ("Flex", touchpad, wifi, fan)
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT?
(5) PURCHASE TIPS
(6) TAKE APART/DISASSEMBLY
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS At first I thought a 13.3" device would be too big to use on the airplane comfortably especially if someone in front of me reclined. I must say this was not the case--furthermore, this is where the touchscreen really shines. Since it is very light, I can hold it closer to me and use it like a tablet without having the keyboard get in my way. The on-screen keyboard also helps for this. I had to ask my colleague to hold the laptop for a second and when I handed it to him he was shocked at how light it weighed!
(2) CASES: The EasyAcc 13.3 inch Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover Neoprene Shock Resistant Pouch Protective Handbag for Apple Macbook Air 13, Macbook Pro 13, Acer Aspire S3, Asus Zenbook UX31, Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Samsung SERIES 9 NP900X3B, Toshiba Satellite Z830, SONY S... did NOT fit this ultrabook so be careful which MacBook Air Cases you choose. I ended up using this Case Logic QNS-113 13.3-Inch EVA Molded Laptop / Macbook Air / Pro Retina Display Sleeve (Black) because it also lets me use the ultrabook in the case itself and I can also stash my second really thin screen (GeChic OnLap--read my review there) GeChic On-Lap 1302 13.3 USB Powered Thin Slim LCD Monitor with ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port Adapter for Apple Macbook Pro Air 13 in the same case! I can also use the Case Logic 14" Case Logic LAPS-114 14-Inch Laptop Sleeve (Black) but it doesn't let me use the laptop in its case. TSA had no issues with either case and I didn't have to remove the ultrabook.
(3) OTHER QUIRKS: So, I think I have figured out the problem with some people reporting touchpad sensitivity and issues. The chassis is carbon fiber and has some "flex" to it. Therefore, if the ultrabook is not fully on a hard surface, and more specifically, half on a hard surface and the palmrest hanging off, the touchpad must be getting compressed inside somewhere as it bends between the palmrest and the touchpad. That is the only time I had issues. If it were fully on a hard or soft surface it operated normally. Imagine taking the laptop and pushing down on the palmrest while it is half over the side of a desk. That is what seems to be happening with me at least. Easy enough for me to adjust so it's a non-issue for me.
The fan noise that people are complaining about I must admit can get annoying sometimes, but I have not tried too much in the way of intensive operations yet. The initial DropBox sync (about 7GB for me) kicked up the fan a lot and it was noticeable. In airports and other areas, it wasn't too much of a distraction, but time will tell if I will be the "weirdo" with the noisy machine in day to day meetings, etc. Ah well, I guess I will have to avoid playing video games during my business meetings!
I did not experience any major Wifi issues other than with networks that do not broadcast SSID's. There are a large number of Sony firmware updates available so I would suggest installing them if you are experiencing issues with bluetooth, wifi, and NFC (which I haven't tried yet). My problem is that the Sony Vaio Update app keeps getting an error so I will contact Sony shortly.
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT? My Asus TF300T's digitizer broke prior to my flight and it's a pain to replace so I haven't done that yet. Needless to say, I've used the Sony Vaio Pro 13 in many situations that I would have used the tablet for and honestly, I feel less restricted than under Android limitations (read: multitasking, productivity office apps, etc.). I have all but replaced it and since it actually weighs less than my TF300T with keyboard dock, I'm happy to be using this. Yes, it's a little bit large for some situations, so I might hold out and get a decent 8" Bay Trail tablet when they are released later in the year.
(5) PURCHASE TIPS: So, after playing with this for a while, and knowing that some options are pretty expensive, here is what I can offer: most of the components are fixed and not upgradeable. If you can afford it, go with the highest processor and memory that you can. The memory is soldered to the main board. The SSD, however, is Samsung's new XP941 PCIe "M.2" form factor SDD. While they are not available for sale (that I could find) other than to OEMs right now, it is likely they will appear in the market soon. Going from the base 128GB, it costs $220 for 256GB and $720 or so for the 512GB. While the speeds are among the fastest you will see today for SSD, I might be willing to hold off on that, especially since it appears to be user-replaceable (no confirmation on that but see below). Your best shot is to keep searching for them online and see when they pop up cheaper in the future.
(6) TAKE-APART AND DISASSEMBLY: While I have not tried it yet, there is now a good tear-down video and pictures so you can see for yourself.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
===================
In this review:
(1) In the box
(2) PROs (+)
(3) CONs/Quirks (-)
(4) Windows Experience Index Ratings, Battery Life, and Performance Observations
(5) Extended sheet battery thoughts
(6) Thoughts on travel/portability/business use
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on tablet replacement
(1) In the box: power cord and adapter with neat USB port in transformer, brief setup pamphlet, VGA Adapter.
I thought I would include this section because there was some confusion as to whether the USB-powered Ethernet wireless router that attaches to the power adapter was included. Sadly, it is not. It is also not listed as available for sale (as of this date) in the US. If you need the part number (since it's hard to find), it's VGP-WAR100 and is available on Sony Asia's website
(2) PROs
Great battery life (later)
Super thin AND great battery life!
full-size spacing on keys
Tight integration between hardware and Windows 8 (even some 8.1 features done Sony-style on Windows 8.0)
Screen lifts for the most part with one hand (better than I could have expected)
brightness is decent
Carbon fiber build seems flimsy (because it bends) but actually feels and appears to be durable (if that makes sense)
Really light.
Did I mention that it's really thin and light?
(3) CONs/Quirks (not all are really terrible and I've overcome some as described)
Yes, there is a known WiFi issue. Supposedly, Sony is working on a fix though not all their stores and call centers are familiar with it. However, that being said, I did not experience any major issues. Just in case, I have a WiFi adapter I can use if needed.
For me: lack of Thunderbolt port is a disappointment but I understand that Sony had to sacrifice some things for such a thin laptop. I would have preferred Thunderbolt over HDMI but that is just me and the market supports the decision to stick with HDMI right now.
Lack of Gb Ethernet. Really wished it had this but a lot of ultrabooks are forgoing this option these days. To overcome this, I purchased a nifty Asus USB router (see below under travel)
The large amount of flex in the build makes using the touchscreen difficult to use or at least not as "seamless" as it could be. The screen vibrates back and forth a lot with each press making for a slightly uncomfortable but bearable experience. It certainly does not replace a tablet feel (nor is it meant to so no stars deducted). It's just that it feels like the touchscreen could have been left out altogether but I must admit I still use it extensively over the touchpad (but maybe not over a travel mouse).
The sheet battery is not flush to the device (more on that below under the "extended battery" section).
The keyboard is a little awkward for me, but to be fair, I'm accustomed to a 12.1" netbook keyboard. The keys for me are spaced too far apart but I can still type pretty fast and it doesn't seem like it will take a lot of getting used to.
The lights for the backlit keyboard are visible from underneath the keys when you are looking at the device. It's kind of annoying and I wish it were just the letters that were lit instead of an outline of the keys.
Silly dedicated "assist" button launches Sony's troubleshooting and repair/recovery apps. I'd rather be able to customize a dedicated hardware button (and maybe I can?)
(4) Windows Experience Index, battery life, and other performance measures
Overall: 6.3 (internal HD4000 graphics being the limiting factor)
CPU: 7.1 (NOTE: This is for a Core i7 model, the rest of this review is relevant to this model)
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
HDD: 8.6
It isn't meant to be a super high-end gaming machine. The idea here is thin and light...but seriously, it does a pretty darn good job at everything else while it's at it. Data transfer rates are extremely good. If I get a chance, I'll post some samples.
Battery Life is really really good. I use Battery Bar and it varies it's estimate based on use but going from a full charge on just the main battery without the extended sheet battery, it varies between 7-8.5 hours, way over Sony's 6.5 hours estimate. To be fair, I have only been installing software and not anything otherwise intensive. With the extended battery which is almost double capacity, I would easily believe Sony's 13-14 hour claim and then some. Time will tell and I will update if this changes.
Performance is pretty snappy and I haven't noticed any major hiccups but to be fair, I haven't done a whole lot other than web browsing and software installation. I'll update as time goes on if it changes.
(5) Extended Sheet battery thoughts:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. Since there are really no pictures for this model, I thought I would post this so you have a good idea of what it is like. I will post a picture soon as well. For starters, it does NOT sit flush with the laptop. In other words, it adds a significant amount of depth (almost double) but at least it is a smaller footprint and not the whole side of the laptop. It serves as a stand while it is attached. One thing I do wish: the cover for the connector for the extended battery can be difficult to remove form the laptop (it has a spot to reattach to the extended batteyr to hold it in place but even that is a pain to do in a hurry. If I have to switch batteries in a hurry or switch to the extended, it can be irritating. A sliding cover would have been more practical (but I'm not sure if it's feasible space-wise)
(6) Travel and portability thoughts:
For me, extended batteries are almost a necessity and I'm so used to just ordering them that I ordered it with the device. As I am using this, I am actually thinking I wouldn't need it if I were just replacing my netbook/laptop. Since the sheet battery adds such significant battery life, I might use it to replace what I normally defer to my Asus TF300T tablet for (notes, travel, work on airplanes/trains, etc.).
I will update this review soon--I have ordered two different MacBook Air cases and will see how they fare.
I also ordered the Asus WL-300NUL pocket WiFi router (ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL). This can be used in much the same way as the Sony part I mentioned above with the added benefit that it can also be used as a USB ethernet adapter and standard WiFi adapter as well.
For travel, I also ordered a USB combo mini outlet surge protector Satechi Compact USB Surge Protector for Charging MP3 Players, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and Windows Mobile Phones and an inline surge protector TRC 90510-10 Lap Top Surge Protector 3-Wire which should arrive soon.
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on Tablet replacement:
I was really hoping for a Haswell ultrabook convertible that would double as my desktop via a nice Thunderbolt dock for two monitors, GbE, USB 3.0 drives, etc. I was hoping for said ultrabook to also double as a tablet and take advantage of Window 8 handwriting recognition with a digitizer (this does not have a digitizer). In the end, while this may have been a purchase out of frustration in waiting or the "perfect" device to come along, I think I am happy with it. The near-instant on feature is nice so that certainly helps in pushing the case to replace my tablet. I can still think of a need for a decent tablet with digitizer (perhaps a future "mini" Windows 8 tablet with Bay Trail?). I thought about the Sony Duo 13 as well but the limited one angle kind of was a dealbreaker for me. In retrospect, it might be more of what I was looking for. The trackpad is becoming more and more of an after-thought for me as I use the touchscreen more so the fact that it is much smaller on the Duo may not be bad. At least it isn't behind the keyboard like on the recently announced Samsung device. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is probably the closest to what I wanted but it may not be released until much later this year. For now, I would say I'm very happy with the purchase and will continue to evaluate my needs as I go on in terms of living without a tablet.
I do hope that Thunderbolt becomes more common and is standard in the near future. Partly due to cost and partly due to ignorance, I think people are missing out on something great that might be too early for it's own good. It's almost like the "Apple Newton" was way ahead of its time and didn't succeed because of ignorance and cost until Palm released their version of the PDA when the market was "ready" for it. I'm hoping this is the time for TB.
Best Deals for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
I absolutely love this ultrabook. If you need to have the most portable laptop, look no further. At 2.3 pounds, this Vaio feels like nothing in my bag. The weight was the main selling point for me. I'm a student who constantly traverses campus with books and a laptop, and having something that weighs far less than my textbooks is a dream. Coming from a laptop that weighed nearly 6 pounds to this featherweight is a huge burden lifted from my shoulders.I would like to address some issues other owners are reporting with this machine. I have absolutely zero wi-fi problems. I'm getting exactly the same reception, speed and stability from this laptop and every other wi-fi device I own. It worked great for me out of the box.
Some others also say the trackpad is awful. Honestly, I'm not really sure what kind of problems they're having with their trackpad. Mine works near flawlessly. There is an occasional hiccup when it fails to recognize my two-finger scrolling gesture for a brief second, but it happens rarely. Tracking is solid and smooth. Palm rejection is also excellent. No more jumping four lines of text while typing a paper!
The fan noise can be an issue for some. Honestly, simple web browsing or word processing, this machine is silent. I have it running on the battery most of the time in the "silent" mode located in the Vaio control panel, and any ambient noise drowns out the whisper coming from the side of this device. Now, any type of huge processor strain will make the fan whirl just like any other device. My only complaint is the fan can be a little to aggressive while watching HD videos, but the noise from the video still drowns out the fan for the most part.
Speaking of HD videos, the screen on this Vaio is absolutely sublime. Compared to the Macbook Air, screen quality is no contest. The viewing angles and sharpness on the Vaio are unmatched by the Air. Only other Windows ultrabooks(Acer S7, Samsung Ativ 9, Asus Zenbook Inifinity) can compare in screen quality. Some of those might have a higher resolution than the Vaio, but at 13", 1920x1080 looks as sharp as I could possibly imagine. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and whites are pure. There is a slight grain to it, but that's just an anti-glare coating. It's no matte display, but it does a better job at reflecting rays of light than a standard glossy display. For me, it's worth the trade off.
The keyboard, for an ultrabook, is way above my expectations. I've felt some very shallow key strokes on other machines, but the click-clack from this Vaio is satisfying. Key travel is plenty for such a thin device. I have no problems with keystrokes not registering. The back lighting is also very nice. It is very even with very little bleed when looked at head on. I love having the lighting dim when not in use, then suddenly illuminate my keyboard when my fingers begin striking the keys.
Port selection is decent enough. Two USB 3.0 with one supporting sleep charge, full size HDMI, a deep SD card slot with no stick out(unlike some Apple machines), a headphone/mic jack and charging. There is also a very handy USB 2.0 port on the power brick, so I can charge my smartphone from the brick instead of having to take up a USB port. Great add on feature!
Build quality on this laptop has been a highly contested issue. Yes, the frame of the laptop can flex if you put ample force on it. But at normal typing pressure, the keyboard flex is minimal to nonexistent. It's a trade off for the 2.3 pound package. The carbon fiber keyboard deck has a nice matte, textured finish to it. It feels very premium. There are no panel gaps to speak of. The palm rest has a contrasted brushed aluminum which never gets too cold or hot to the touch. Sony also made the design so when the lid is closed, the screen is lifted slightly above the keyboard, so the keys do not rub against this beautiful display. I also love the slight angle created by the bottom of the hinge when the laptop is fully open. It makes for a lovely typing experience.
Overall performance from the machine is blazingly fast. It boots in around 3 seconds, wakes from sleep instantly and opens apps in the blink of an eye. The new PCIe SSD gets 1000 mb/s reads and 900 writes! The processor and integrated GPU are enough for anything you would normally throw at an ultrabook.
Battery life is probably the only let down on the device. I usually can get around 6-8 hours on my normal usage of web browsing, watching videos, and typing. It's enough to get me through the day, but it's no 10 hours from the MBA. If you need more runtime, Sony offers a sheet battery that doubles the runtime, and keeps the total weight of the device equal to the MBA.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this laptop. I was worried reading the horror stories online about the terrible wi-fi and so on, but they are extremely small sample cases. My machine works flawlessly. I would without a second thought recommend this Vaio to anyone looking for a premium Windows ultrabook.
Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
Bought the laptop in a Sony store after falling in love the moment I saw it. It is simply stunning. There is no going back to my Ideapad now. This is the kind of technology that Sony stopped producing in the last decade. Boot up in 3-5 seconds. Shuts down in 5. Applications start instantaneously, excellent wifi range. Killer display. Responsive touch(on internet explorer, Firefox unfortunately isn't optimized for Win 8)Seven hours battery .
The body is a bit flexy-but I think that was the intention, to keep it flexible so it can stand the rigors of being handled around, and at 1 kilogram-it WILL be handled around.
Track pad misses some tapsbut it is by far one of the best non-apple trackpads.
I went to the Apple store to see if I let my heart rule over the mind (the supposed 12 hour battery life of the new Air), and I simply came back, clenching my Vaio closer to me. Drab heavy silver slabs. No innovationimagine my frustration when the chunky screen didn't respond to my gentle prods.
Believe me-this is the new Z.
Sony, welcome back.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXB 13.3-Inch Core i5 Touchscreen Ultrabook
I was in the market in a powerful yet light laptop and this one seemed to fit the bill. Got it home, and was rather impressed by how light and thin the laptop was, and how beautiful the screen was. Then I started typing and found I really didn't like the keyboard layout, the bottom half of the large return key was notched out in the bottom left quarter, so I ended up often missing the return key hitting the quote key.Then came by far the worst part, the track pad. I don't generally use mice with my laptops and a good trackpad is critical for me, and this one is terrible. It is not very sensitive, the cursor jumps around at times, and clicking often doesn't work. Even worse is that when you lightly press on the trackpad, you can feel the whole trackpad move, and it makes a noise when doing this. It does this the whole time you are moving your finger around the trackpad and drove me crazy. And just to be clear, I am talking about pressing lightly enough to where you are not actually "clicking" the trackpad.
The way Sony got this laptop so light is by making it "supposedly" out of carbon fibre, the problem is this makes the entire laptop flex, and really badly at that. I don't know how much it can actually take, and it could end up not being a problem, but just carrying the laptop from one of the corners feels like you are going to snap the palm rest. There just isn't much structure here, maybe it will make it take a fall better, who knows, but it feels horrible.
Lastly, sony loads this up with their software, and that software is terrible as all their applications are slow and crash often. There is one application that gives you a bunch of messages about your system, this program took over a minute to load.... On a laptop with a very fast SSD that can boot in something like 7 seconds.
With all that said, the keyboard itself was pleasant enough (aside from the layout I am not used to), and the screen is great. If anything 1080p might be too much for a laptop this size because some text was just straining to read, hopefully windows 8 will get updated with better scaling for high resolution, smaller screens. The touchscreen also works well enough, but I wish the screen's hinges were stronger as the screen would wobble around a bit when touching it.
The fan was also rather noisy, even on the silent profile in the Vaio Control Center, and speaking of loud the speakers weren't. Battery Life was also rather unimpressive, especially for a Haswell chip, but I'm sure windows 8 has more to do with that than anything.
The SSD is awesome, fast as all heck, and 8 gigs of ram (4 will suffice for most too) is more than enough for pretty much any regular user. The CPU and GPU seemed to hold up to normal use just fine, but will not handle gaming very well.
Overall, the cons just outweighed the pro for me (get it?). Ended up returning the laptop.
*************
I should also note that I experienced no issues with Wifi, but I believe sony or intel patched that issue. I am not sure if all the reviews complaining of horrible wifi are relevant now.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Cheap HP Pavilion DV4-1222 AMD Turion 64 X2 RM-72 2.1GHz 250GB 4GB DVD-RW
I needed a new computer in a hurry and had only a few bucks to spend, I bought this computer. Sadly, I did not purchase an extended warranty. After the warranty ran out, the fans started having issues. The computer would shut down after being on for a few hours. I opened it up and dusted it out. This seemed to help for a while, but now the fans are going crazy again and the bottom heats up enough to change the color on thermal tape.
Last week it decided that it did not want to boot up any longer (year 2.5). Complete waste of money.
Last week it decided that it did not want to boot up any longer (year 2.5). Complete waste of money.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Cheap Hp Mini- Pink
I chose 1-3 days shipment, ordered it on Wednesday night, shipped at Thursday afternoon and arrived at my door at Monday moon time, 9 hours before my flight :P just awesome lol
Totally satisfied :)
I've been using a HP 15.3" laptop for a year:) so this time I got this 10.1" mini laptop to take home
FAST DELIVERY, GOOD PRODUCT !
Totally satisfied :)
I've been using a HP 15.3" laptop for a year:) so this time I got this 10.1" mini laptop to take home
FAST DELIVERY, GOOD PRODUCT !
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Acer 14" Aspire Laptop 2GB 250GB | AS4250-BZ637 Review
Well This computer has exceeded my expectations. I've had it for more than a year and still looks pretty new. I can only say that you will not waste your money on this. Excellent performance.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
We loved the product. My son was able to open up his laptop and start at it. It was quite easy to get started. The product came in a safe package just like we bought it out of the store. Would order electronics from Amazon again. It was so easy.Best Deals for Acer 14" Aspire Laptop 2GB 250GB | AS4250-BZ637
Better than most netbooks. Not as capable as a notebook but certainly more than adequate for most needs. Easy to transport! Great keyboard. I use it all the time. The only time I don't use it is if I need to use CS-5.Thursday, July 10, 2014
Discount Lenovo G560 Series 067999U Laptop (Black)
If you want a basic laptop with excellent price to performance, this is a good choice. Looks and feels sturdy, minimum flex, relatively light, excellent display (fonts could be sharper), very nice keyboard, DVD writer, and enough RAM (4GB) and HD (320 GB) for normal home use. No HDMI port, weak sound, and no fancy bells and whistles. Battery life seems to be reasonable (3 hrs fully charged on a 6-cell battery). Overall, an excellent value for money, especially compared to similarly configured Dell, Sony, or Toshiba (which cost anywhere from $150 to $250 more).
Pros:
1. Great price for performance. Although I upgraded the SSD, which made a significant improvement, even without the laptop is quick.
2. Easy to upgrade, if desired. Removing the back panel reveals the CPU and hard drive bay. Personally I had a 80GB SSD sitting around from my previous laptop so I replaced the 320GB HD with it. Huge improvement, instantaneous loading is FTW.
3. Good battery life. After a few discharges, I'm currently getting ~3 hours of battery life with non-intensive use.
Cons:
1. Headphone static when laptop is plugged in. Not overwhelming but clearly there. Seems to be a common issue with G560's.
2. Laptop charger cord is a little short. Another foot would have been much appreciated.
This laptop is NOT high end. I am used to that as I am typing on a 6 year old Everex machine that I have pared down to run very smoothly and has never given my any problems that I did not create. SO. I understand low-end, economy, yet I want it to do the max possible for the dollar. This is it in my opinion. Even though it is not top-notch in some areas, what you get for around $400 or so, I feel is WELL worth this small expense.
Some highlights.
Textured plastic case. No fingerprints. Some have remarked negatively about the touchpad. It is textured as wellthat may be their issue. So, at first, when you are using it, your finger does not slide easily. It is a matter of pressure as I got used to it within a minute.
It is a dual core Pentium, albeit a basic one. No hyperthreading and some of the other tech that takes basic to WOW. Big HDD for the pricespin speed is 5400 on the HDD. Hmmmmm. As it saysfor surfing, burning the occasional disc off, and general computing needs, I think that this does a great job.
We have kids, and I was worried about OneKey restore being right there for all to see on the upper part of the deck above the keyboard! Yikes. Can't disconnect the use of the key (at least I haven't found a way yet), but it can be password protected. So I am cool with that.
It is relatively light @ not quite 6 lbs. Replacement batteries aren't that expensive, and, should you need to go portable around the house, 4 hours is plenty to sit and research something, or do a bit more. Haven't done much else with it, so I may come back and list some other plusses or minuses as they arise.
Bottom linethe computer that this is replacing, another Everex that utterly died after almost all day, everyday use for about 5 years, met our expectations(not exceeded) THIS Lenovo will continue to exceed.
Update: 3.15.2011
Still great. After loading up all that we needed to, our programs, photos, screensaver, extras, catching up on all of the updates from various and sundry places... still GREAT. Web: Browsing is only a second or two delay and then nearly instantaneous on filling out the whole page. Do remember that this machine is not tops on anythingso I find the speed exceptional. I had 3 different programs in various stages of loading, downloading, and installation, and they were all done in lightspeed fashion, with no locking up, no hold ups, no hitches. Done in a New York Minute.
Keyboard is well arranged, responsive, and does not miss a beat. Dual number key pads... sometimes an assistance.
Hate to say it, never been overboard on Microsoft products, but Seven is good. No problems so far, like Vista. Always had to come up with workarounds for that OS. Ugh. Not so here. All set up and customized. Works GREAT and without any hitches with the various Freeware that I use. You know, let me touch on that one.
I have NEVER had a computer crash due to anything other than hardware failure due to heavy use and age. With that said, here are the programs that I like to use, again it is all Freeware, and all of it is from CNET. Here is the list, in order of use to clean up your system entirely:
Free Registry Fix
COMODO System Cleaner
IObit Advanced System Care
Spyware Terminator
IObit Smart Defrag #2 Beta
I find that these programs work very well together, no matter what OS you use from XP through Windows 7, cause no conflicts, and keep your system totally clean of everything, and running as fast as is possible.
Screen quality is great. Very tight for roughly 720 video and picture quality.
Lastlysound quality is great. Once you dive into Windows to customize your setting, you come across an area of sound customization, including I believe 10 band graphic equalizer, or presets like concert, rock, or classical and the likeand, then you can set up the 3d perceptual range and some other functions. Very nice. Makes these little speakers sound so much better, so much more presence, and even, dare I say it, a little note of 3D digitally manipulated Bass? Surprising, but true!
Buy this computer. I love it, and have had an easy time of things using it, setting it up, and the customization of Windows is a lot of fun.
Buy it. I have no cons on this for the price. Not one.
When the fan blows, it's rather quiet. I haven't had any issues of the laptop overheating. The speed is wonderful, too, very fast. The image quality and sound is pretty good, I haven't had much problems compared to the other reviews. What's also interesting is you have the option to create a face-recognition log-in using the camera instead of signing it; it's a neat touch.
For those who use word-processing files, you'll have to either buy Office or go with something like Openoffice instead (the latter of which I did). This laptop also comes with McAfee, which I ditched that in favor of Spybot and Avira; it's best to go with your personal preference for virus/spyware protection.
Overall, I'm VERY pleased with the quality of this laptop. Highly recommended!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I'll keep this review short and sweet. This laptop is perfect for those looking to do every day tasks.Pros:
1. Great price for performance. Although I upgraded the SSD, which made a significant improvement, even without the laptop is quick.
2. Easy to upgrade, if desired. Removing the back panel reveals the CPU and hard drive bay. Personally I had a 80GB SSD sitting around from my previous laptop so I replaced the 320GB HD with it. Huge improvement, instantaneous loading is FTW.
3. Good battery life. After a few discharges, I'm currently getting ~3 hours of battery life with non-intensive use.
Cons:
1. Headphone static when laptop is plugged in. Not overwhelming but clearly there. Seems to be a common issue with G560's.
2. Laptop charger cord is a little short. Another foot would have been much appreciated.
Best Deals for Lenovo G560 Series 067999U Laptop (Black)
Okayfirst things first.This laptop is NOT high end. I am used to that as I am typing on a 6 year old Everex machine that I have pared down to run very smoothly and has never given my any problems that I did not create. SO. I understand low-end, economy, yet I want it to do the max possible for the dollar. This is it in my opinion. Even though it is not top-notch in some areas, what you get for around $400 or so, I feel is WELL worth this small expense.
Some highlights.
Textured plastic case. No fingerprints. Some have remarked negatively about the touchpad. It is textured as wellthat may be their issue. So, at first, when you are using it, your finger does not slide easily. It is a matter of pressure as I got used to it within a minute.
It is a dual core Pentium, albeit a basic one. No hyperthreading and some of the other tech that takes basic to WOW. Big HDD for the pricespin speed is 5400 on the HDD. Hmmmmm. As it saysfor surfing, burning the occasional disc off, and general computing needs, I think that this does a great job.
We have kids, and I was worried about OneKey restore being right there for all to see on the upper part of the deck above the keyboard! Yikes. Can't disconnect the use of the key (at least I haven't found a way yet), but it can be password protected. So I am cool with that.
It is relatively light @ not quite 6 lbs. Replacement batteries aren't that expensive, and, should you need to go portable around the house, 4 hours is plenty to sit and research something, or do a bit more. Haven't done much else with it, so I may come back and list some other plusses or minuses as they arise.
Bottom linethe computer that this is replacing, another Everex that utterly died after almost all day, everyday use for about 5 years, met our expectations(not exceeded) THIS Lenovo will continue to exceed.
Update: 3.15.2011
Still great. After loading up all that we needed to, our programs, photos, screensaver, extras, catching up on all of the updates from various and sundry places... still GREAT. Web: Browsing is only a second or two delay and then nearly instantaneous on filling out the whole page. Do remember that this machine is not tops on anythingso I find the speed exceptional. I had 3 different programs in various stages of loading, downloading, and installation, and they were all done in lightspeed fashion, with no locking up, no hold ups, no hitches. Done in a New York Minute.
Keyboard is well arranged, responsive, and does not miss a beat. Dual number key pads... sometimes an assistance.
Hate to say it, never been overboard on Microsoft products, but Seven is good. No problems so far, like Vista. Always had to come up with workarounds for that OS. Ugh. Not so here. All set up and customized. Works GREAT and without any hitches with the various Freeware that I use. You know, let me touch on that one.
I have NEVER had a computer crash due to anything other than hardware failure due to heavy use and age. With that said, here are the programs that I like to use, again it is all Freeware, and all of it is from CNET. Here is the list, in order of use to clean up your system entirely:
Free Registry Fix
COMODO System Cleaner
IObit Advanced System Care
Spyware Terminator
IObit Smart Defrag #2 Beta
I find that these programs work very well together, no matter what OS you use from XP through Windows 7, cause no conflicts, and keep your system totally clean of everything, and running as fast as is possible.
Screen quality is great. Very tight for roughly 720 video and picture quality.
Lastlysound quality is great. Once you dive into Windows to customize your setting, you come across an area of sound customization, including I believe 10 band graphic equalizer, or presets like concert, rock, or classical and the likeand, then you can set up the 3d perceptual range and some other functions. Very nice. Makes these little speakers sound so much better, so much more presence, and even, dare I say it, a little note of 3D digitally manipulated Bass? Surprising, but true!
Buy this computer. I love it, and have had an easy time of things using it, setting it up, and the customization of Windows is a lot of fun.
Buy it. I have no cons on this for the price. Not one.
Honest reviews on Lenovo G560 Series 067999U Laptop (Black)
Everything is fine. Looks good. Screen, Keyboard, battery life is good (over 3 hours). Does not get hot however long you use. Lighter than expected. Only the sound quality is a bit dull and low. I would recommend to friends, acquaintances with a tight budget.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo G560 Series 067999U Laptop (Black)
So far, this laptop has been wonderful. Windows-7 is a bit of a learning curve if you're used to XP (like I am), but so far it's been simple to use. My only complaint is this product came with some bloat/crapware along with important Lenovo software--I accidentally uninstalled something thinking it was bloatware only to realize it was a needed file (it was Easy-Camera). Re-downloading the needed software resulted in being given the runaround (in the end, I had to download a Vista version of the program because Windows7-64 bit just wouldn't work with the download). It would be nice if Windows would more clearly specify what's an important file versus what's not (not just specifying for system files) so the laymen out there don't accidentally delete things, but oh well.When the fan blows, it's rather quiet. I haven't had any issues of the laptop overheating. The speed is wonderful, too, very fast. The image quality and sound is pretty good, I haven't had much problems compared to the other reviews. What's also interesting is you have the option to create a face-recognition log-in using the camera instead of signing it; it's a neat touch.
For those who use word-processing files, you'll have to either buy Office or go with something like Openoffice instead (the latter of which I did). This laptop also comes with McAfee, which I ditched that in favor of Spybot and Avira; it's best to go with your personal preference for virus/spyware protection.
Overall, I'm VERY pleased with the quality of this laptop. Highly recommended!
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Buy ASUS G53SX-DH71 Full HD 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of
Just got this from J&R as it's local.
Only had it a few days so this is just a first impression -
What a beaut! This laptop looks and feels like my perfect ideal for a laptop, understated (no crappy chrome-esq plastic, big glowing lights etc)just a very nice matte black soft finish, nice lines, small(ish) logo, everything looks and feels so solid it just comes together and seems right, a good weight, its not trying to be sleek and light, its just doing one job (high performance) and that is how it looks and feels, I will put up with the weight (not that bad in the included rucksack). So my first impression is very favorable.
So I'm in the process of getting all the software sorted out, which i guess is fun.
Here's my initial pro's/cons:
Pro's:
1 This beast barely breaks a sweat I mean its so quite, the stealth image does do it justice, it's very quite almost silent, when I reran the window index thingy the sound never changed, and doesn't even feel warm.
2 Screen is lovely Matte and very very bright clear and generally amazing, way too intense in a dark room, my old dell xps 1330 which is sitting besides with both at max brightness it looks like a dull yellow compared, it has very good angular visibility too.
3 Keyboard is nice, firm well spaced out, I like the keyboard lights without it keys actually very hard to see in low light, as the text doesn't contrast at all with the black keys.
3 Touchpad nice size and nice to have multi-touch gestures.
4 Asus software, actually some useful software(and bloatware see Cons) like fastboot which delays boot items.
5 Backpack (rucksack) good amount of pockets, sturdy and compact, only just fits laptop in fact, but has plenty of space for extra stuff, nice touch Asus.
I don't know about performance as not pushed it at all yet, but from the index score its pretty good, I am mainly using it for graphic's work so its more important to be fast processor and memory than graphics, but I am tempted to buy and try some of the latest games cos this beast is designed for them. Btw in case you don't know one downside to this rig is the graphics card has a 128bit memory bus instead of 192, which from what I have read makes a difference, the 17" has the 192 bit bus. It's no big deal for me and having a usable size for a laptop was more important than Memory bus speed, still would have preferred to have the option for this, recon most gamers will pay the extra and Asus should have made some models with the bigger bus, and given us the choice.
Cons:
1 Bloatware crappy crappy annoying bloatware, such a shame cos in my mind Asus has really got there stuff together, making some seriously decent equipment and marketing and doing everything right, except bowing to the pressure to include crap on their rigs (for a small dime no doubt) I decided to create a backup disc set and reformat which took hours only to find that the backup disc puts all the crap on again except the drivers which you need, so either way you have to uninstall it all. I ended up taking almost everything off then using the asus utility to load the drivers and useful stuff back on. thing is there are tons of processes running and I hate not knowing whats happening behind the scenes on my rig, I wish I could completely disable/delete most of these processes and services running but I don't know what they all do.
2 included gaming mouse is nice, uninstalled software for it, limited control and adds to the startup.
Will update after a while when I learn more.
Update 1:
Had a problem with the Realtek Lan network drivers, they kept failing to install fully and could not get windows to get the drivers to work or install, spent many hours trying to find the solution online and in their help guides, was thinking either the lan hardware was dead or in some kind of zombie like deep sleep. Eventually got it to work, uninstalled everything Realtek driver and windows device hardware, rebooted then manually installed by handpicking the type of device and the driver -thankfully everything started to work! I now have lan working and don't have to do a emergency disk reinstall from scratch or send it back.
Power4Gear Hybrid seems really buggy, doesn't connect quickly enough with the hardware button, also when I save it to screen timeout it doesn't work and the screen just stayed on, all night! not a major bug but hope they fix with a update.
Also with all the software installed or most of it, my processes list is way too big for me! I like to know what's running and keep my system simple and bare, but this is more about the extra software included, and being unsure what I can uninstall.
This laptop can run skyrim at MAX settings, and ittl get a TEEENY bit choppy in towns.
It can run WoW at max settings, without skipping a beat. (poor internet connections may still slow the loading of orgrimmar though)
It can run SWTOR at max settings, and same as wow, my slow interet speeds slow the loading of the Republic fleet on a busy day.
It can run Tf2 at max settings, even when i use console commands to DOUBLE the gamespeed on offline practice mode.
It runs minecraft at full settings without flaw.
Im currently installing Just Cause 2 and Portal 2 and Garys mod to test those games, but based on how it handled the first 5, im sure they'll do just fine
The gaming mouse mine came with was a nice freebie, but as a long time user of the Razer Naga, i feel that the button placement for hte included mouse is horrible for gaming. Two on either side of the primary mouse buttons. and 2 below the scroll wheel.
It also comes with a backpack. Ive only used the backpack for 1 day so far, but it seems like a decent backpack.
The backpack is dark grey with mild green. (at least the one *I* received is that color, peraps the colors vary)
at first i ordered this laptop by mistake ( i was reviewing the G73sx ) but after researching more, and seeing in person how big a 17'3 laptop is, im glad i got this version.
The trackpad is OKAY i guess, but when im playing anything but SWTOR or WOW, i use an external mouse.
also its easy to disable the trackpad so you dont hit it by accident, you just press Fn+F9
the lighted keyboard is very nice, there are also arrows on the WASD keys, and a little jumping dude on the spacebar.
The battery life depends what setting u have it on, theres a button on the top left that switches the laptop between 4 modes:
1. High Performance
2. Quiet office
3. Entertainment (Theater)
4. Battery saver
at first i thought my laptop couldnt game with lots of other stuff open in the background, then i realized i just had it on battery saving mode. So dont get worried when that happens, just make sure u set it to high performance.
and as the default background suggests, this laptop has the look and feel of a stealth fighter jet.
This is a fantastic laptop. DEFINITELY worth the money.
This time around when I decided to purchase another laptop I decided to go with something smaller, lighter weight and powerful enough to handle today's games without going too far over the top on the hardware. One of the main problems I've noticed with buying what is regarded as "today's most powerful computer" is that the more powerful the rig, the bigger it gets. This laptop seems to be a perfect balance between the two for me. The size is right, so the computer is mobile and it has pretty decent graphics power. The first thing I installed was "Rift", which is an MMO similar in gameplay to World of Warcraft but far more graphically demanding. I'm currently running this game on the highest factory setting without going into custom settings and the game is running beautifully! The computer design is also quite unique and very appealing. It also comes with a backpack/carrying case which makes the computer mobile in less than a minute.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone who wants a decent machine without spending a fortune on any of the top end models. My intentions are to try a few different MMOs, trade stocks and take online classes and I'm sure this computer has the power to handle any of those tasks. This makes my 5th computer/laptop and I'm extremely pleased with it so far!
However, the video card failed after only one week. Suddenly, the lcd screen remains dark during boot. It is either the screen or video card that is faulty since (fortunately) the video out port works when I plug in an external monitor. This enabled me to recover my files. This problem is apparently a known issue and more common than should be acceptable to any manufacturer. Searching the Web you'll find numerous incidents of this problem with other owners of Asus' Republic of Gaming machines (both G73 and G53 models). In fact there is a You Tube video showing another frustrated owner with this issue.
As powerful this machine is and as sweet as it is to use -when in working condition. My advice is to avoid this machine until this issue is fixed. Or take your chances and get frustrated with a machine that costs $1400+/with a known history of failure. Apparently Asus has an issue with quality control of their notebooks or are ignoring the issue as a cost of doing business.
Update:
After getting little satisfaction from Asus Support, Amazon stepped in and reaffirmed their commitment to excellent customer service. I am a long time / avid buyer and constantly "spoiled" by their adherence to customer satisfaction. The growth and profitability of their business reflects the priority they put on going the extra mile to meeting the customer needs. More companies should learn from their example. It is not surprise that Amazon has such a loyal customer base.
Oh Amazon is sending a replacement. Hopefully, I will have more luck with the reliability of the machine.
Update:
It has been several months since I received the replacement unit and it has operated flawlessly. Continues to be a great machine with all the power you need to play any game without exhibiting any effort. I have updated the rating to 3 stars, it would have been 5 stars except for the fact that the first unit did was flawed.
Only had it a few days so this is just a first impression -
What a beaut! This laptop looks and feels like my perfect ideal for a laptop, understated (no crappy chrome-esq plastic, big glowing lights etc)just a very nice matte black soft finish, nice lines, small(ish) logo, everything looks and feels so solid it just comes together and seems right, a good weight, its not trying to be sleek and light, its just doing one job (high performance) and that is how it looks and feels, I will put up with the weight (not that bad in the included rucksack). So my first impression is very favorable.
So I'm in the process of getting all the software sorted out, which i guess is fun.
Here's my initial pro's/cons:
Pro's:
1 This beast barely breaks a sweat I mean its so quite, the stealth image does do it justice, it's very quite almost silent, when I reran the window index thingy the sound never changed, and doesn't even feel warm.
2 Screen is lovely Matte and very very bright clear and generally amazing, way too intense in a dark room, my old dell xps 1330 which is sitting besides with both at max brightness it looks like a dull yellow compared, it has very good angular visibility too.
3 Keyboard is nice, firm well spaced out, I like the keyboard lights without it keys actually very hard to see in low light, as the text doesn't contrast at all with the black keys.
3 Touchpad nice size and nice to have multi-touch gestures.
4 Asus software, actually some useful software(and bloatware see Cons) like fastboot which delays boot items.
5 Backpack (rucksack) good amount of pockets, sturdy and compact, only just fits laptop in fact, but has plenty of space for extra stuff, nice touch Asus.
I don't know about performance as not pushed it at all yet, but from the index score its pretty good, I am mainly using it for graphic's work so its more important to be fast processor and memory than graphics, but I am tempted to buy and try some of the latest games cos this beast is designed for them. Btw in case you don't know one downside to this rig is the graphics card has a 128bit memory bus instead of 192, which from what I have read makes a difference, the 17" has the 192 bit bus. It's no big deal for me and having a usable size for a laptop was more important than Memory bus speed, still would have preferred to have the option for this, recon most gamers will pay the extra and Asus should have made some models with the bigger bus, and given us the choice.
Cons:
1 Bloatware crappy crappy annoying bloatware, such a shame cos in my mind Asus has really got there stuff together, making some seriously decent equipment and marketing and doing everything right, except bowing to the pressure to include crap on their rigs (for a small dime no doubt) I decided to create a backup disc set and reformat which took hours only to find that the backup disc puts all the crap on again except the drivers which you need, so either way you have to uninstall it all. I ended up taking almost everything off then using the asus utility to load the drivers and useful stuff back on. thing is there are tons of processes running and I hate not knowing whats happening behind the scenes on my rig, I wish I could completely disable/delete most of these processes and services running but I don't know what they all do.
2 included gaming mouse is nice, uninstalled software for it, limited control and adds to the startup.
Will update after a while when I learn more.
Update 1:
Had a problem with the Realtek Lan network drivers, they kept failing to install fully and could not get windows to get the drivers to work or install, spent many hours trying to find the solution online and in their help guides, was thinking either the lan hardware was dead or in some kind of zombie like deep sleep. Eventually got it to work, uninstalled everything Realtek driver and windows device hardware, rebooted then manually installed by handpicking the type of device and the driver -thankfully everything started to work! I now have lan working and don't have to do a emergency disk reinstall from scratch or send it back.
Power4Gear Hybrid seems really buggy, doesn't connect quickly enough with the hardware button, also when I save it to screen timeout it doesn't work and the screen just stayed on, all night! not a major bug but hope they fix with a update.
Also with all the software installed or most of it, my processes list is way too big for me! I like to know what's running and keep my system simple and bare, but this is more about the extra software included, and being unsure what I can uninstall.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Im gonna cut straight to what you gamers want to hear.This laptop can run skyrim at MAX settings, and ittl get a TEEENY bit choppy in towns.
It can run WoW at max settings, without skipping a beat. (poor internet connections may still slow the loading of orgrimmar though)
It can run SWTOR at max settings, and same as wow, my slow interet speeds slow the loading of the Republic fleet on a busy day.
It can run Tf2 at max settings, even when i use console commands to DOUBLE the gamespeed on offline practice mode.
It runs minecraft at full settings without flaw.
Im currently installing Just Cause 2 and Portal 2 and Garys mod to test those games, but based on how it handled the first 5, im sure they'll do just fine
The gaming mouse mine came with was a nice freebie, but as a long time user of the Razer Naga, i feel that the button placement for hte included mouse is horrible for gaming. Two on either side of the primary mouse buttons. and 2 below the scroll wheel.
It also comes with a backpack. Ive only used the backpack for 1 day so far, but it seems like a decent backpack.
The backpack is dark grey with mild green. (at least the one *I* received is that color, peraps the colors vary)
at first i ordered this laptop by mistake ( i was reviewing the G73sx ) but after researching more, and seeing in person how big a 17'3 laptop is, im glad i got this version.
The trackpad is OKAY i guess, but when im playing anything but SWTOR or WOW, i use an external mouse.
also its easy to disable the trackpad so you dont hit it by accident, you just press Fn+F9
the lighted keyboard is very nice, there are also arrows on the WASD keys, and a little jumping dude on the spacebar.
The battery life depends what setting u have it on, theres a button on the top left that switches the laptop between 4 modes:
1. High Performance
2. Quiet office
3. Entertainment (Theater)
4. Battery saver
at first i thought my laptop couldnt game with lots of other stuff open in the background, then i realized i just had it on battery saving mode. So dont get worried when that happens, just make sure u set it to high performance.
and as the default background suggests, this laptop has the look and feel of a stealth fighter jet.
This is a fantastic laptop. DEFINITELY worth the money.
Best Deals for ASUS G53SX-DH71 Full HD 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of
I purchased the Asus laptop based on a recommendation from my son, who has had an Asus for the last 2 years. The G53SX is a great PC! It was delivered early and was exactly what I had ordered, all parts in place and ready to rock and roll! I wanted a good gaming machine for Lord of the Rings Online, and it is just perfect for it! The HD screen is wonderful. It's a somewhat heavier laptop, but I chalk that up to the fact that it is made out of sturdy, quality, materials. Oh, one thing that I should mention is how quiet this laptop is. Compared to my older HP laptop, I barely know I am running anything, even my hi-def game! And it is super-cool, temperature-wise, too! I've had it for about a month or so and am very happy with it!Honest reviews on ASUS G53SX-DH71 Full HD 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of
I've been using the computer for just over two weeks now and love it! When I first purchased a laptop in 2007, my main objective was to get something powerful for online gaming. At that time I was playing World of Warcraft, and the rig I had purchased harnessed more than enough power to handle it smoothly. Most people into PC gaming though, are well aware that WoW is not a very graphically intensive game. So what I ended up with was a laptop that was great for playing games at my desk at home, but not practical at all for any other purpose. It was too cumbersome, weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 pounds, had a 17 inch screen and a 10"x3x"4" "Brick" that was part of the power cord. So I essentially had a "mobile computer", that wasn't really mobile at all which I spent far too much money on and turned out being a lemon after 6 months with horrible customer support. But I'm not writing this review on that laptop, I'm just trying to give you a little history on what motivated me to buy this particular laptop. So, back to the original topic at hand...the product review.This time around when I decided to purchase another laptop I decided to go with something smaller, lighter weight and powerful enough to handle today's games without going too far over the top on the hardware. One of the main problems I've noticed with buying what is regarded as "today's most powerful computer" is that the more powerful the rig, the bigger it gets. This laptop seems to be a perfect balance between the two for me. The size is right, so the computer is mobile and it has pretty decent graphics power. The first thing I installed was "Rift", which is an MMO similar in gameplay to World of Warcraft but far more graphically demanding. I'm currently running this game on the highest factory setting without going into custom settings and the game is running beautifully! The computer design is also quite unique and very appealing. It also comes with a backpack/carrying case which makes the computer mobile in less than a minute.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone who wants a decent machine without spending a fortune on any of the top end models. My intentions are to try a few different MMOs, trade stocks and take online classes and I'm sure this computer has the power to handle any of those tasks. This makes my 5th computer/laptop and I'm extremely pleased with it so far!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS G53SX-DH71 Full HD 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of
The Asus G53SX is a powerful machine -when it is working. Plays all games at "ultra" settings without breathing hard and at an attractive price point.However, the video card failed after only one week. Suddenly, the lcd screen remains dark during boot. It is either the screen or video card that is faulty since (fortunately) the video out port works when I plug in an external monitor. This enabled me to recover my files. This problem is apparently a known issue and more common than should be acceptable to any manufacturer. Searching the Web you'll find numerous incidents of this problem with other owners of Asus' Republic of Gaming machines (both G73 and G53 models). In fact there is a You Tube video showing another frustrated owner with this issue.
As powerful this machine is and as sweet as it is to use -when in working condition. My advice is to avoid this machine until this issue is fixed. Or take your chances and get frustrated with a machine that costs $1400+/with a known history of failure. Apparently Asus has an issue with quality control of their notebooks or are ignoring the issue as a cost of doing business.
Update:
After getting little satisfaction from Asus Support, Amazon stepped in and reaffirmed their commitment to excellent customer service. I am a long time / avid buyer and constantly "spoiled" by their adherence to customer satisfaction. The growth and profitability of their business reflects the priority they put on going the extra mile to meeting the customer needs. More companies should learn from their example. It is not surprise that Amazon has such a loyal customer base.
Oh Amazon is sending a replacement. Hopefully, I will have more luck with the reliability of the machine.
Update:
It has been several months since I received the replacement unit and it has operated flawlessly. Continues to be a great machine with all the power you need to play any game without exhibiting any effort. I have updated the rating to 3 stars, it would have been 5 stars except for the fact that the first unit did was flawed.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Reviews of ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of
At around $800 for a 15 inch, this laptop undercuts the Apple Macbook Pro by about half. It is thin and light and with great decent build quality. The multi touch mouse is a little too sensitive but I believe with the correct collaboration, it can be easily fixed. The screen is bright with the LED backlighting. The battery in real life test lasted me about 8-9 hours while surfing the internet. There are additional features which I have yet to masters like smart login with camera. All in all, very satisfied with the purchase. The only thing I found a bit disappointing is that one of the rubber thingies that hides the screw already came off on day two. It does not impact the performance in anyway but it's a bit disappointing. Also there are alot of screw points around the monitor as well which was a bit of a surprise. The 15.6" widescreen is a bit non standard and cannot fit into my LV messenger bag. Windows 7 64 bit requires a bit of adjustments to work with older apps. But other than that, this is a beautiful, FAST, LIGHT alternative to the MacBook Pro.
This is my first Asus, having had Gateways, Dells, and several IBMs before. Comparisons to a MacBook pro aren't totally off-base my wife is sitting beside me with her MacBook Pro, and the screens are definitely comparable, as well as the thinness, lightness, etc. However, there is the keyboard thing. Then again, my wife's macbook has gone in twice for a keyboard repair. Hmm.
Battery life is of course awesome. The warranty is very good as well, better than most other manufacturers'.
positive: super thin and light, large hard drive @500gb, bright LED widescreen, HDMI out at 1080 resolution, webcam which has face-recognition authentication, 10 key number pad, decent altec lansing speakers, stay cool keyboard, quiet fan, averaging 10+ hour battery life.
negative: windows 7 premium 64bit OS is a bit buggy with 32bit apps and device drivers , no built-in bluetooth, fingerprints left on black brushed aluminum case, maximum capacity of 4gb ram.
The laptop uses the su7300 Intel core 2 duo processors, which in my opinion is more than adequate for a poweruser. I can run adobe CS4 suite, MS Office, several different browsers and VMware workstation running 2 VMs (2003 server and Fedora Core11) all at the same time.
I was considering buying a Macbook pro laptop but after seeing this at my local BB store, I bought it on impulse and am more than happy with this purchase. Best laptop I have ever bought, i'm official done with HP, Lenovo, and Acer brands.
I've been a Mac user for 10 years or so as my primary machine. I use a MacBook Pro and OS X as my work machine and needed a secondary laptop for personal use.
I couldn't justify dropping $2,000 for another MacBook Pro so close to Christmastime, but I could justify $600 to $700 for this unit. I've had it for a couple of weeks now and love it.
The Good:
While it does not have the claimed 12 hour battery life, you can easily get 7-10 hours out of it depending on how you configure brightness etc. More than enough to make it a joy to use.
The screen is 15.6 (call it 16" widescreen) and is bright and crisp with plenty of room to work in.
Chicklet keys are really nice touch. In general the unit is really solid and fast.
The one year warranty ASUS has is unusual in that it covers spills and drops. Other manufacturers have this available but you have to pay for it. Comes standard with ASUS.
The Bad:
As other reviewers before have said, there is a very slight flex in the keyboard, but to me it is not noticable, nor do I really care because it doesn't affect my typing.
The exterior black is a neat finish but again, as other reviewers have stated, it is a fingerprint magnet. Not too much of a concern for me though because the machine is a joy to use. Really. It is. If you buy this you will not be disappointed.
The Ugly:
I've tried really hard the past two weeks to find something wrong with the machine and really the only thing that is bad about it is that it runs Windows 7 rather than OS X. Windows 7 is not a bad OS and on this machine it is quite fast, particularly if you don't load up a new laptop with software right when you get it, but rather install one program a day to see if any give you problems.
Final recommendations:
Strongly recommend two things with the purchase of this unit. One is the Microsoft ARC Wireless Mouse. Very cool.
The other is a Backblaze account for set it and forget it, backup. . Get the $50 per year account rather than the $5/month and for less than five bucks a month you will have offsite backup and peace of mind.
In terms of how this unit compares to the MacBook Pro?
The MBP is undoubtedly a more solid machine and the solid aluminum carved block is a joy to use. But if you don't have the money for it and if you need a solid, reliable unit that is fairly similar, this ASUS is a really solid choice; and at $600 to $700, you're not going to find anything comparable to it in the PC line. Trust me, I know. Before buying this unit at Best Buy, I looked at ThinkPads, ACERs, HP, Toshiba, Sony and DELL.
I'm sold on ASUS.
Hope this helps!
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A modern laptop design thin, lightweight, long battery life, and very nice screen. Unless you are a power user (ie processing speed), I'd get it. Probably the lowest quality aspect is the keyboard I'm not sure why they didn't tighten the keyboard up a bit, because they obviously spent a lot of time on all other aspects. The keys are loose feeling, and it's a bit clangy. On the other hand, I like having the numeric keypad will be great for certain games like Civ. And clearly, you can still type on it. I'm giving it 5 stars anyway because the overall package of price and quality is still a great deal. Windows 7 is much improved versus Vista. They have a lot of stylish icons and whatnot in the ASUS Bios, and they have even spent the time to put a fastboot OS onto the laptop it really is like a 5 second boot. Not worth using in my opinion since Windows 7 boots quite quickly itself.This is my first Asus, having had Gateways, Dells, and several IBMs before. Comparisons to a MacBook pro aren't totally off-base my wife is sitting beside me with her MacBook Pro, and the screens are definitely comparable, as well as the thinness, lightness, etc. However, there is the keyboard thing. Then again, my wife's macbook has gone in twice for a keyboard repair. Hmm.
Battery life is of course awesome. The warranty is very good as well, better than most other manufacturers'.
Best Deals for ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of
Overall good value laptop for the price paid $750 including sales tax.positive: super thin and light, large hard drive @500gb, bright LED widescreen, HDMI out at 1080 resolution, webcam which has face-recognition authentication, 10 key number pad, decent altec lansing speakers, stay cool keyboard, quiet fan, averaging 10+ hour battery life.
negative: windows 7 premium 64bit OS is a bit buggy with 32bit apps and device drivers , no built-in bluetooth, fingerprints left on black brushed aluminum case, maximum capacity of 4gb ram.
The laptop uses the su7300 Intel core 2 duo processors, which in my opinion is more than adequate for a poweruser. I can run adobe CS4 suite, MS Office, several different browsers and VMware workstation running 2 VMs (2003 server and Fedora Core11) all at the same time.
I was considering buying a Macbook pro laptop but after seeing this at my local BB store, I bought it on impulse and am more than happy with this purchase. Best laptop I have ever bought, i'm official done with HP, Lenovo, and Acer brands.
Honest reviews on ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of
First, some background:I've been a Mac user for 10 years or so as my primary machine. I use a MacBook Pro and OS X as my work machine and needed a secondary laptop for personal use.
I couldn't justify dropping $2,000 for another MacBook Pro so close to Christmastime, but I could justify $600 to $700 for this unit. I've had it for a couple of weeks now and love it.
The Good:
While it does not have the claimed 12 hour battery life, you can easily get 7-10 hours out of it depending on how you configure brightness etc. More than enough to make it a joy to use.
The screen is 15.6 (call it 16" widescreen) and is bright and crisp with plenty of room to work in.
Chicklet keys are really nice touch. In general the unit is really solid and fast.
The one year warranty ASUS has is unusual in that it covers spills and drops. Other manufacturers have this available but you have to pay for it. Comes standard with ASUS.
The Bad:
As other reviewers before have said, there is a very slight flex in the keyboard, but to me it is not noticable, nor do I really care because it doesn't affect my typing.
The exterior black is a neat finish but again, as other reviewers have stated, it is a fingerprint magnet. Not too much of a concern for me though because the machine is a joy to use. Really. It is. If you buy this you will not be disappointed.
The Ugly:
I've tried really hard the past two weeks to find something wrong with the machine and really the only thing that is bad about it is that it runs Windows 7 rather than OS X. Windows 7 is not a bad OS and on this machine it is quite fast, particularly if you don't load up a new laptop with software right when you get it, but rather install one program a day to see if any give you problems.
Final recommendations:
Strongly recommend two things with the purchase of this unit. One is the Microsoft ARC Wireless Mouse. Very cool.
The other is a Backblaze account for set it and forget it, backup. . Get the $50 per year account rather than the $5/month and for less than five bucks a month you will have offsite backup and peace of mind.
In terms of how this unit compares to the MacBook Pro?
The MBP is undoubtedly a more solid machine and the solid aluminum carved block is a joy to use. But if you don't have the money for it and if you need a solid, reliable unit that is fairly similar, this ASUS is a really solid choice; and at $600 to $700, you're not going to find anything comparable to it in the PC line. Trust me, I know. Before buying this unit at Best Buy, I looked at ThinkPads, ACERs, HP, Toshiba, Sony and DELL.
I'm sold on ASUS.
Hope this helps!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of
I bought this computer mainly because of the claims made about the battery life. I am in college and my laptop goes everywhere that I do. I use a laptop to take lecture notes in all of my classes and on days when I am on campus for 5 plus hours, I really needed to step up the battery life. So, I put my HP to rest and went with this, the Asus ul50ag-A2. This particular model is great! The battery claims are correct. I have been getting easily 8 to 9 hours worth of battery life and I could get even better if I wanted to keep tinkering with the power settings. The ultra-low voltage processor runs just fine, fast enough for me!The quality of this laptop is awesome. It feels very sturdy and well-made. It looks very sleek. All black with a black brushed aluminum finish, LED screen, blue lights, and a very cool "smart-pad" mouse that blends right in with the rest of the computer. I especially love the way the smart-pad works, very much like the mouse on a Macbook, with two-finger scrolling and three-finger tapping that can be used as the right-click function (don't worry, there is also a button for right and left-clicking). So far, I have not had any problems with overheating, but the computer is still relatively new to me (the ice cool palm rest also helps). I also would like to point out that the computer is thin and light. It fits in my book-filled backpack and does not add much more weight at all. I feel safe saying that this is the best laptop I have purchased yet and I will continue to use Asus in the near future. It is easily comparable to computers in the 1000 dollar plus range.Sunday, April 27, 2014
Review of Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 15.6-Inch Laptop (Metal - Dusk Black)
I ordered this laptop after much review. Here's what I think:
Ordered on a Tuesday morning (2/5), and as a prime member, paid the $3.99 for overnight shipping. Had it at my door by 2pm on Wednesday afternoon. Came well packaged and with all items available.
Laptop itself is incredible. The casing is a brushed aluminum that was quite darker than I was expecting it to be. Fingerprints aren't too much of a problem, but you will see the oils from your skin streak on the darker metal. The keyboard is excellent and the red backlit keyboard really sets it off. The display is crisp at 1080p and very bright, albeit a bit glossy, but I've had no noticeable problems with glare. My only real issue is with the trackpad and the webcam. As you've probably read on forums the trackpad is a bit inconsistent, which could be a real issue for some wanting to use the multitouch features in windows 8. As a gamer, I rarely use it as I always keep a wireless mouse with me. The webcam is also a bit on the disappointing side. While it is completely functional, it's rather grainy and doesn't work well in low light without ghosting.
Now on to the meat and potatoes. Dual nvidia gt650m's. The visuals pumped out by these are absolutely boner-inducing. Getting a solid 60fps in CoD:Black Ops 2 at high/ultra settings. Skyrim runs flawlessly in ultra settings as well. With the hi-def display, I had to remind buddies who tested it out to put their tongues back in their mouths. League of Legends runs at a consistent 80-100fps, It's absolutely a mind blowingly incredible machine for gaming, and for hundreds of dollars less than comparable Alienware's.
I am absolutely thrilled with this purchase. If you're looking for an extreme gaming laptop for a moderate budget, I really don't think you can beat this laptop. i7, Dual SLI video cards, 1080p display, 8gbs of ram (got my 16gb to max out the board on its way now), backlit keyboard, and an amazing fit and finish. You really can't go wrong with this one!
I was looking for a few months, and finally narrowed my options down to the Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500. I wanted a somewhat future-proof laptop, but without the out of this world price. I figured around $1,000 would be the most I would spend, and I stayed very close to my budget.
Most of the other laptops that I liked were starting around $1,200, and they had fewer features that the two IdeaPad models above. Both models have above mid-range graphics cards, Full HD displays, usb 3.0, HDMI out, back lit keyboards, and the quad core Intel core i7. The main differences between the two IdeaPad models were the optical drive, and the SLI dual graphics card setup.
Also, if $1,000 is a little steep, there are versions of both the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 and the Y580 that are closer to $800 or $900. There are constantly discounts available out there.
I decided to go with the Y500 for a few reasons.
1. The SLI dual graphics card setup. After a lot of research, I found that the GT 650 and the GTX 660 were very similar. The GT 650 SLI does have a tendency to slightly outperform the single GTX 660, depending on the drivers and the application you are running.
2. The price was slightly lower than the comparable Y580 at the time I made my purchase.
3. The black and red back lit keyboard looked great in the photos, and it looks even better in person.
Pros:
*The Full HD 1080p display is amazing. My last laptop had a resolution of 1366x768, so I'm a happy camper.
*The JBL speakers pack a pretty nice punch for a laptop. They won't be better than a dedicated sound system, or even a high end set of headphones, but they pretty loud without any distortion.
*SLI graphics. Most games can be run on Ultra. I've tried running Battlefield 3, and you can pull off Ultra if you aren't playing on full screen resolution.
*Battery life. For me, I can get about 4 hours of battery life, and would probably get even more if I use the power saver mode. For those that don't stay close to a power outlet, 4 hours won't be enough, but it's plenty for me. My old Acer can go for at most 2 hours, and that is the second battery for the old workhorse.
*The keyboard is very usuable. There's plenty of space between the keys, and there's just enough depth to each key stroke. I also love the red back light for the keyboard.
*HD camera. This is great for video chat, and it performs surprisingly well in low light conditions. It's not the best camera ever, but it is far better than what was built-in on my Acer from '09.
Cons:
*The trackpad isn't the best I've ever used, but it's not as bad as the other reviews claim. I have a synaptics trackpad, so maybe I got lucky. However, if you are gaming on this laptop, odds are that you'll have a mouse, so to each their own.
*No optical drive. With the Ultrabay, there might be an optical drive that can be added in place of the second graphics card, but I have yet to find one. Granted, I almost never use any optical drives on computers these days, but I'd still like to have one built-in for convenience. If I absolutely needed an optical drive (DVD or BluRay), then I would have chosen the Y580 hands down.
*Pre-installed software, as with any PC, is alive and well when you first boot up the Lenovo Y500. Thankfully, there's not too much bloatware, but why is there a DVD program on here when I don't have an optical drive to speak of? At least make sure all of the bloatware is somewhat relevant.
*Fingerprints. I read in one review that fingerprints were all over the laptop after a short amount of use, but I didn't think much of it at the time. Well, that person was right! I would like to think that I take great care of my things, but this laptop attracts smudges and fingerprints like nothing I've ever used before.
*(edit) This version does not have a solid state drive. Boot times are very fast as it is, but the more expensive version does have the faster drive included.
Other:
*Be sure to update the Nvidia drivers as soon as possible if you do decide to purchase this laptop. The drivers that shipped are from October 2012, and there have been many fixes since then. This will improve performance, so definitely try it out.
*Windows 8 is pre-installed on this laptop. Not everyone likes the latest OS from Microsoft, but don't knock it before you try it.
Yes, the start menu is a little wierd. Yes, the gestures are different. And yes, this OS was designed primarily for touch based devices (hint: this laptop does not have a touchscreen). If the Metro UI is that cumbersome, there are ways to avoid using it all together, but I have grown to appreciate it.
If you are able to find an Ultrabay DVD or BluRay drive that will fit this laptop, please let me know!
Couple of issues:
* WiDi does not work because the Intel HD4000 is not functional (In all models)
* Nvidia Optimus cannot function without the Intel HD400 so battery life suffers.
* Ships with mediocre WiFi card (No Dual Band, Caps at 30 Mbps)
* Lenovo has a whitelist embedded into the BIOSIn other words, you can't replace certain components with just anything, but you have to get Lenovo approved hardware (Which they charge a premium for.) Very bad marketing, but it can solved by unlocking the BIOS.
* I have the Synaptics touchpad which solves the jittery sensitivity on older production models. However, the touchpad is still awful in quality. Feels very cheap because when clicking, the surface depresses very far into the chassis.
* Finger Print Magnet
Pros:
* After updating the drivers, SLI runs just about anything I can throw at it.
* Sturdy materials, feels solid.
* Illuminated red keyboard is a head-turner.
* JBL Speakers are the best I've ever heard in a laptop, it's ridiculously good.
* Dolby V4, once tweaked, provides clear surround soundClarity is outstanding on my Bose
Overall, for the price tag, this machine can't be beat. It has its flaws but not anything I'd return it over for; Not everything is perfect.
Casing: The inside of the laptop is a black/dark brown brushed aluminum which is cool to the touch and looks fantastic. There is also the keyboard in the middle which is backlit. The red backlit keybaord on this laptop makes it looks absoultely beautiful. The lid is also made of the same brushed aluminum that is found on the inside. On the underside and sides of the laptop however, there is plastic. Lenovo did manage somehow to make this plastic look really nice. They textured it to look like brushed aluminum.
Preformance: This laptop is blisteringly fast. The only thing that is slowing it down is the 5400 RPM Hard drive but I removed that and installed a hybrid ssd drive from seagate. The dual grapgics makes this computer even than ever. You can play most games on high setting without any sign of a problem.
A few notes:
1. Although it does weigh 6.4 pounds, it certainly does not feel like it. You can carry it around under your arm or even in a backpack without a problem
2. THIS DOES NOT COME WITH A CD/DVD DRIVE. Although it does say "integrated Cd/Dvd drive" in the description, it isn't on here. You will find the nvidia gt650M graphics card in there.
3. I personally like the trackpad despite all the negative things. Agreed, it does have a few flaws but after using it for a couple of hours, I have gotten used to it.
4. The power brick is huge! I would suggest that you buy an ASUS slim adapter for the ASUS N56 beucase it is much smaller and works just as well
5. The speakers on this laptop are amazing! They get pretty loud.
6. Lastly, the bezel around the screen at the top is a little big. It is a minor annoyance for me, but it may not be for you.
If you have any more questions about this laptop, please comment on my reivew. I will definitely reply within the day.
I put an SSD in this thing as soon as I got it and it would not recognize the backup it had created so opted to purchase a Windows 8 Pro disk to restore it (it comes with home edition). No biggie, needed to upgrade anyhow but if you are making flash drive backups make sure they work before reformatting. You can do this by going into recovery and observing if it sees the flash drive. Because of this I have no idea how the original software on the thing added/subtracted to it's performance. What is available to download on the website is limited.
Pros;
It's a nice looking computer, get lots of comments.
Keyboard is wicked cool looking.
It was very fast with the original drive but with the SSD it is instant everything.
Haven't crashed it running Microsoft products.
Runs all of my Steam games on high.
Doesn't get that hot.
Has a full number pad though it is a bit squished.
I find it lightweight for what it is.
Cons;
Stupid $@$%@#!! trackpad. I swear I have never been so aggravated by any piece of equipment in my life. Get your wrist or finger anywhere near it and it has a tendency to delete whatever you just typed.
It feels flimsy compared to the solid body macbooks, it makes me nervous setting it down wrong as you can feel it flex if you are gripping it in one hand.
It definitely collects fingerprints.
This is really a five star machine, it performs flawlessly. I just can't give it the full five with that track pad having cost me hours of retyping time in only two months. I have it docked 90% of the time otherwise I would have seriously considered returning it. As a laptop that one would travel with you can not get around the urge to rest your wrists on it and I haven't yet found a fast way to turn the trackpad off when a mouse is connected.
Ordered on a Tuesday morning (2/5), and as a prime member, paid the $3.99 for overnight shipping. Had it at my door by 2pm on Wednesday afternoon. Came well packaged and with all items available.
Laptop itself is incredible. The casing is a brushed aluminum that was quite darker than I was expecting it to be. Fingerprints aren't too much of a problem, but you will see the oils from your skin streak on the darker metal. The keyboard is excellent and the red backlit keyboard really sets it off. The display is crisp at 1080p and very bright, albeit a bit glossy, but I've had no noticeable problems with glare. My only real issue is with the trackpad and the webcam. As you've probably read on forums the trackpad is a bit inconsistent, which could be a real issue for some wanting to use the multitouch features in windows 8. As a gamer, I rarely use it as I always keep a wireless mouse with me. The webcam is also a bit on the disappointing side. While it is completely functional, it's rather grainy and doesn't work well in low light without ghosting.
Now on to the meat and potatoes. Dual nvidia gt650m's. The visuals pumped out by these are absolutely boner-inducing. Getting a solid 60fps in CoD:Black Ops 2 at high/ultra settings. Skyrim runs flawlessly in ultra settings as well. With the hi-def display, I had to remind buddies who tested it out to put their tongues back in their mouths. League of Legends runs at a consistent 80-100fps, It's absolutely a mind blowingly incredible machine for gaming, and for hundreds of dollars less than comparable Alienware's.
I am absolutely thrilled with this purchase. If you're looking for an extreme gaming laptop for a moderate budget, I really don't think you can beat this laptop. i7, Dual SLI video cards, 1080p display, 8gbs of ram (got my 16gb to max out the board on its way now), backlit keyboard, and an amazing fit and finish. You really can't go wrong with this one!
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I've had this laptop for a few weeks now, and so far, I'm really enjoying my decision to buy the Y500. I wanted to buy a replacement for my Acer Extensa 4630Z from 2009, but I didn't want just another underpowered, under $300 laptop. That's what tablets are for nowadays. I wanted something that I could use for both work, and play when time allows.I was looking for a few months, and finally narrowed my options down to the Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500. I wanted a somewhat future-proof laptop, but without the out of this world price. I figured around $1,000 would be the most I would spend, and I stayed very close to my budget.
Most of the other laptops that I liked were starting around $1,200, and they had fewer features that the two IdeaPad models above. Both models have above mid-range graphics cards, Full HD displays, usb 3.0, HDMI out, back lit keyboards, and the quad core Intel core i7. The main differences between the two IdeaPad models were the optical drive, and the SLI dual graphics card setup.
Also, if $1,000 is a little steep, there are versions of both the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 and the Y580 that are closer to $800 or $900. There are constantly discounts available out there.
I decided to go with the Y500 for a few reasons.
1. The SLI dual graphics card setup. After a lot of research, I found that the GT 650 and the GTX 660 were very similar. The GT 650 SLI does have a tendency to slightly outperform the single GTX 660, depending on the drivers and the application you are running.
2. The price was slightly lower than the comparable Y580 at the time I made my purchase.
3. The black and red back lit keyboard looked great in the photos, and it looks even better in person.
Pros:
*The Full HD 1080p display is amazing. My last laptop had a resolution of 1366x768, so I'm a happy camper.
*The JBL speakers pack a pretty nice punch for a laptop. They won't be better than a dedicated sound system, or even a high end set of headphones, but they pretty loud without any distortion.
*SLI graphics. Most games can be run on Ultra. I've tried running Battlefield 3, and you can pull off Ultra if you aren't playing on full screen resolution.
*Battery life. For me, I can get about 4 hours of battery life, and would probably get even more if I use the power saver mode. For those that don't stay close to a power outlet, 4 hours won't be enough, but it's plenty for me. My old Acer can go for at most 2 hours, and that is the second battery for the old workhorse.
*The keyboard is very usuable. There's plenty of space between the keys, and there's just enough depth to each key stroke. I also love the red back light for the keyboard.
*HD camera. This is great for video chat, and it performs surprisingly well in low light conditions. It's not the best camera ever, but it is far better than what was built-in on my Acer from '09.
Cons:
*The trackpad isn't the best I've ever used, but it's not as bad as the other reviews claim. I have a synaptics trackpad, so maybe I got lucky. However, if you are gaming on this laptop, odds are that you'll have a mouse, so to each their own.
*No optical drive. With the Ultrabay, there might be an optical drive that can be added in place of the second graphics card, but I have yet to find one. Granted, I almost never use any optical drives on computers these days, but I'd still like to have one built-in for convenience. If I absolutely needed an optical drive (DVD or BluRay), then I would have chosen the Y580 hands down.
*Pre-installed software, as with any PC, is alive and well when you first boot up the Lenovo Y500. Thankfully, there's not too much bloatware, but why is there a DVD program on here when I don't have an optical drive to speak of? At least make sure all of the bloatware is somewhat relevant.
*Fingerprints. I read in one review that fingerprints were all over the laptop after a short amount of use, but I didn't think much of it at the time. Well, that person was right! I would like to think that I take great care of my things, but this laptop attracts smudges and fingerprints like nothing I've ever used before.
*(edit) This version does not have a solid state drive. Boot times are very fast as it is, but the more expensive version does have the faster drive included.
Other:
*Be sure to update the Nvidia drivers as soon as possible if you do decide to purchase this laptop. The drivers that shipped are from October 2012, and there have been many fixes since then. This will improve performance, so definitely try it out.
*Windows 8 is pre-installed on this laptop. Not everyone likes the latest OS from Microsoft, but don't knock it before you try it.
Yes, the start menu is a little wierd. Yes, the gestures are different. And yes, this OS was designed primarily for touch based devices (hint: this laptop does not have a touchscreen). If the Metro UI is that cumbersome, there are ways to avoid using it all together, but I have grown to appreciate it.
If you are able to find an Ultrabay DVD or BluRay drive that will fit this laptop, please let me know!
Best Deals for Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 15.6-Inch Laptop (Metal - Dusk Black)
Everything is top-notch on this SLI model. Only bottleneck is the sluggish hard drive, but that'll get replaced soon.Couple of issues:
* WiDi does not work because the Intel HD4000 is not functional (In all models)
* Nvidia Optimus cannot function without the Intel HD400 so battery life suffers.
* Ships with mediocre WiFi card (No Dual Band, Caps at 30 Mbps)
* Lenovo has a whitelist embedded into the BIOSIn other words, you can't replace certain components with just anything, but you have to get Lenovo approved hardware (Which they charge a premium for.) Very bad marketing, but it can solved by unlocking the BIOS.
* I have the Synaptics touchpad which solves the jittery sensitivity on older production models. However, the touchpad is still awful in quality. Feels very cheap because when clicking, the surface depresses very far into the chassis.
* Finger Print Magnet
Pros:
* After updating the drivers, SLI runs just about anything I can throw at it.
* Sturdy materials, feels solid.
* Illuminated red keyboard is a head-turner.
* JBL Speakers are the best I've ever heard in a laptop, it's ridiculously good.
* Dolby V4, once tweaked, provides clear surround soundClarity is outstanding on my Bose
Overall, for the price tag, this machine can't be beat. It has its flaws but not anything I'd return it over for; Not everything is perfect.
Honest reviews on Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 15.6-Inch Laptop (Metal - Dusk Black)
I received this laptop today at around noon and I have already fallen in love with itCasing: The inside of the laptop is a black/dark brown brushed aluminum which is cool to the touch and looks fantastic. There is also the keyboard in the middle which is backlit. The red backlit keybaord on this laptop makes it looks absoultely beautiful. The lid is also made of the same brushed aluminum that is found on the inside. On the underside and sides of the laptop however, there is plastic. Lenovo did manage somehow to make this plastic look really nice. They textured it to look like brushed aluminum.
Preformance: This laptop is blisteringly fast. The only thing that is slowing it down is the 5400 RPM Hard drive but I removed that and installed a hybrid ssd drive from seagate. The dual grapgics makes this computer even than ever. You can play most games on high setting without any sign of a problem.
A few notes:
1. Although it does weigh 6.4 pounds, it certainly does not feel like it. You can carry it around under your arm or even in a backpack without a problem
2. THIS DOES NOT COME WITH A CD/DVD DRIVE. Although it does say "integrated Cd/Dvd drive" in the description, it isn't on here. You will find the nvidia gt650M graphics card in there.
3. I personally like the trackpad despite all the negative things. Agreed, it does have a few flaws but after using it for a couple of hours, I have gotten used to it.
4. The power brick is huge! I would suggest that you buy an ASUS slim adapter for the ASUS N56 beucase it is much smaller and works just as well
5. The speakers on this laptop are amazing! They get pretty loud.
6. Lastly, the bezel around the screen at the top is a little big. It is a minor annoyance for me, but it may not be for you.
If you have any more questions about this laptop, please comment on my reivew. I will definitely reply within the day.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 15.6-Inch Laptop (Metal - Dusk Black)
We were given a budget to buy our own work machines and we picked this one and opted for the dual graphics cards. I use a lot of graphics software and also wanted something that wouldn't crap itself during a massive database query.I put an SSD in this thing as soon as I got it and it would not recognize the backup it had created so opted to purchase a Windows 8 Pro disk to restore it (it comes with home edition). No biggie, needed to upgrade anyhow but if you are making flash drive backups make sure they work before reformatting. You can do this by going into recovery and observing if it sees the flash drive. Because of this I have no idea how the original software on the thing added/subtracted to it's performance. What is available to download on the website is limited.
Pros;
It's a nice looking computer, get lots of comments.
Keyboard is wicked cool looking.
It was very fast with the original drive but with the SSD it is instant everything.
Haven't crashed it running Microsoft products.
Runs all of my Steam games on high.
Doesn't get that hot.
Has a full number pad though it is a bit squished.
I find it lightweight for what it is.
Cons;
Stupid $@$%@#!! trackpad. I swear I have never been so aggravated by any piece of equipment in my life. Get your wrist or finger anywhere near it and it has a tendency to delete whatever you just typed.
It feels flimsy compared to the solid body macbooks, it makes me nervous setting it down wrong as you can feel it flex if you are gripping it in one hand.
It definitely collects fingerprints.
This is really a five star machine, it performs flawlessly. I just can't give it the full five with that track pad having cost me hours of retyping time in only two months. I have it docked 90% of the time otherwise I would have seriously considered returning it. As a laptop that one would travel with you can not get around the urge to rest your wrists on it and I haven't yet found a fast way to turn the trackpad off when a mouse is connected.
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