Review of HP Envy 4-1115dx 14-inch Touch Ultrabook

Customer Ratings:

After poking around a store and peeking in the returns cage, I found my HP Envy 4 at a heavily discounted price due to a missing battery? Really? The battery is built in. I had been shopping for literally months for an affordable Ultrabook with a touchscreen, backlit keys, small footprint, an I5 CPU, and for under a grand. The closest one I could find was an Acer M5, but that one has all the USB connections in the back (yes, under the monitor hinge), and the power button is on the front edge?!? Silly design.

The HP Envy Touch 4 is nearly perfect for me, especially after the minor tweaks I have made, and plan on making. It would be perfect if it had an IPS screen. Like most TFT screens, you have to angle it right to get the most contrast. However, the screen looks better out of the box than the Acer M5. 4GB of ram is a little light for my Photoshop needs, but I can add more ram with the removal of the bottom casing. The first and easiest tweak involved a little angelic program called Classic Shell, which not only boots straight to the Windows 8 Desktop, but also adds a Windows 7 style Start Button! I have NO use for the Start Screen or Screen Formerly Known as Metro. I didn't when I beta-tested it, and I still don't. Metro is a shameless marketing ploy to get on the app bandwagon. Silly Microsoft! Apps are for kids!! With Classic Shell, you get all the familiarity of Windows 7, with all the speed of Windows 8.

The backlit keyboard is hard to find among the plethora of laptops out there, and this keyboard is perfect for me. I had considered an Asus Q500 laptop once, but the grey backlit keys were a turn-off. My last laptop was a 17-inch with a 10-key number pad, and I never used it as much as I thought I would. This keyboard is just the write size for the writing I do.

The sound is nice through the headphones, and okay without. How much sound can you expect from a 14-inch laptop anyway, Beats Audio non-withstanding?

The battery life is adequate. I haven't timed it, but I've easily used it for over 3 hours with still plenty left. It is a 4-cell Lithium Ion Polymer battery, much better than Lithium-ion alone.

I really don't use the touchscreen that much since I installed Classic Shell.

Boot-up is under 15 seconds!!

Pros: I5 CPU, super fast PC3-12800 ram, touchscreen, 2 USB 3.0 on the left, 1 USB 2.0 on the right, and SD card reader. Small, thin form factor.

Cons: Nearly 5 lbs, Windows 8, no access doors, no IPS or hi-def screen. Hey, it costs under $800 everywhere, less for an Open-Box deal!

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Review of Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6490 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)

Customer Ratings:

Pros:

good battery life

good build quality

excellent value for it's price

plays mid-range games on low with acceptable frame rates

Cons:

screen is thin feels too thin not that its totally a bad thing

other notes:

bought this laptop for my programming classes at my university, typing on it is pleasant and it's battery life is impressive compared to my last laptop. Held off on a graphics card because I wanted no temptations to game whist in class or studying, but it didn't matter because the HD 4000 is actually a decent integrated solution.

I would recommend this laptop to others because its a excellent value for it's price.

will return feedback in 2 months time.

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I bought this slick-looking M5-581T-6490 one month ago. Everything worked fine out of the box.

The first little trouble I ran into is the touch pad keeps doing strange zooming in/zooming out, and the mouse is difficult to control. Turns out the default setting turns on multi-finger functions. After some research, I turned it off. control Panel -> Mouse -> Touchpad, turn off all multi-finger function. After this, the touch pad was at mostt manageable, still not as good as my old laptop.

A few times when I turned on the laptop to use, instead of turning on as expected, it said, "Loading Update 1 of 40." Even AFTER I had selected the option that supposedly allowed me to choose whether or not to install updates. I had to wait about an hour for the updates to finally load, and nothing seemed to have changed or improved.

Then I installed Microsoft office, Acrobat, Visio etc. Suddenly, the laptop took a very long time to boot up the windows, and the mouse was constantly drawing in circles. Word, Visio, also slowed down for no reason. I tried many tips from online, like "disable all programs at startup", "uninstall McAfee", but none helped.

Finally, I spent $35 to have an IT Pro to run diagnostic. Bingo, a Hard Disc defect. Office software happens installed in that sector. The Video card RAM also has defect.

Acer said I can send the unit back, they will fix it, likely replace the hard drive but I will lose ALL installed software license.

The touch pad still bother me a little. I had enough with this unit, and decided to return.

Best Deals for Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6490 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)

I'm completely satisfied with this laptop. The keyboard is especially comfotable. The only negative comment I have is that all the USB ports are on the back. They would have been better on the side.

Honest reviews on Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6490 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)

Fast computer overall and fast internet response if compared with my wife's Macbook Pro. The battery life is incredible. The integrated software management features provided by Acer should improve. For example, the sleeping mode works randomly. Sometimes it works sometimes it does not. I constantly have to turn on the computer again (fast booting though). I hope Acer look into this problem and communicate with its customers. Maybe from drivers updates, I don't know. This product would be almost 5 if Acer were more careful to design integrated management features that actually work.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer TimelineU M5-581T-6490 15.6-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)

Bought two Acer Timeline M5 laptops a month ago.

Computer number one died with a short circuit on the motherboard after 3 weeks use. Computer smoked briefly and terrible odor.

After an hour and 30 minutes on hold with Acer warranty, given a return number. Computer back in use within 10 days. Acer refuses to tell us a) what burned and b) what chemicals we were exposed to.

Second failure within 24 hours of receiving it back-display died, case too hot to touch (can't remove battery, it's built in!)

Back at Acer for another 10 days lost service.

Computer two has an hdmi port defect, external monitor keeps losing signal. Also, case bottom has so much bow in it rubber feet don't all touch desk and it slides around while you are typing.

We aren't buying anymore Acers. Do you really want one?

11-29 update. computer video failed within 24 hours of return and has been returned for the third time! It took over two weeks, 6 phone calls and over 3 hours on the phone to get a return label this time! This computer has worked for two weeks out of two months! The only thing worse than their product is their customer service

Best Asus Zenbook UX31E-XH71 13-Inch Ultrabook (Intel Core i7-2677M Deals

Customer Ratings:

This laptop is super thin, super light, and super fast. Great start up speed, good looking--I recommend this laptop to anyone on the go or stay-at-home!

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Ultrabook manufactures are scratching their perverbial heads asking the consumers why they are not buying up the new Ultrabooks that are suppose to be the latest computing craze today? Simple. Pricing is way too high!! Their marketing teams evidently don't know how to do math and their research teams don't know what 'latest generation hardware' means. In this particular example, the ASUS ZENBOOK UX31E-XH71 is way overpriced and underpowered for having such an exhorbant sticker price. $1199 for what?? This model does NOT have dedicated graphics, comes with an out-of-date older 2nd generation Intel Core i5 Sandy Bridge CPU and only a 128GB SSD? How about put an 2nd generation Intel Core i5 Ivy Bridge quad core CPU in there (3610QM or 3740QM), put dedicated graphics in there (Nvidia GT650M), and a 256GB SSD. Then I would pay $1199 for it.

NUFF SAID! If you are looking for the best bang for your hard earned money, DO NOT BUY AN ULTRABOOK AT RETAIL PRICES!! Wait for Black Friday to roll around, and then pay $300-$500 less for the same notebook (as equipped in this amazon listing)...which is about what they are really worth anyway.

Best HP Laptop 2000-416dx / 15.6-inch Display / 4GB Memory / AMD Deals

Customer Ratings:

this is perfect for my home use. i can play movies, play games and get onine to check my email.

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I bought the laptop for my daughter for Christmas and she really likes it.

It was not brand new, but capable of doing all the downloads for pics and

videos. She recommends it because the price was reasonable and it

has been working great, even tho it was not brand new it does the job!

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Hard drive made loud humming noise. Laptop has too many features, too complex for an older

person. I was looking for something quieter, and more simple to use.

Discount Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Customer Ratings:

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

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.

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I returned this laptop to the Sony store (even after receiving a second/replacement for the first). The major issue remains the wifi connectivity -despite an 18 July "update" from Sony, there is STILL a problem with the wifi. I have an above average knowledge of computers and I walked through all the basic and advanced troubleshooting steps (and, yes, my router/network works fine, I have other computers connected via 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, g and n; and, yes, I tried multiple wireless networks around my neighborhood). The problem is, simply, the wifi hardware or firmware in this computer. There are other problems (extremely loud fan, troublesome trackpad) but those can be solved via software/firmware updates (although Sony makes this painful try clicking your country preference for EACH (of many) updates over a 2 hour period, meaning you can't walk away from the computer as it updates itself -seriously, Sony, too hard to grab the country preference ONCE from the user?). Bottom line: this computer was released to the consumer before it was ready, and users are paying the price (in wasted time and energy). Sony, like HP, has been added to my "Don't Buy" list for the foreseeable future.

Best Deals for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Pros:

**no wifi issues what-so-ever

**great battery life due to Haswell

**very light and durable

**lightning fast and the keyboard feedback is fantastic

**1920 X 1080 ultra-thin touchscreen is gorgeous

**SD card slot on the side allows a card to be inserted flush with the case which greatly extends this ultrabook's storage capacity

**touchpad is very good and the speakers are amazing

Cons: somewhat expensive (but the Sony quality is worth it)

Other Thoughts: Best ultrabook on the market

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program November 2013 Consumer Reports gives top rating to Vaio Pro 13" Ultrabook Overall scores for 13" laptops are:

Sony Vaio Pro Ultrabook = 79

Macbook Air = 74

Toshiba Kirabook = 73

Asus Zenbook = 67

Macbook Pro = 66

Consumer Reports really tests stuff thoroughly. I assume they are not taking into account the OS, but still, Apple should get their act together. The Asus Zenbook is rated higher than the MacBook Pro, made me spew my sip of Kopi Luwak at the thought!

My Rating = 4.5 Stars:

*** Wifi Update Below***

Avid Mac User Perspective: Tip Of The Hat To Sony And Microsoft

In 1980 my grandmother gave me $3,000 all in one dollar bills so I would know how much money it was to purchase an Apple II+. That's roughly $8,500 in today's money for less computer power than my current microwave. I have exclusively only owned and used Apple computers since. My only brush with Windows is once or twice using an uncle's computer during the holidays to look up something on the web and wondering why the OS was asking so many questions. Unlike many Mac users, I have nothing against Windows, no old blue screen of death wounds. It's a bit like Portugal, never been there and thus have no opinion. Under the normal forces if nature I would never consider a Windows machine. I would head straight to Apple's website and compare models within the happy, familiar, and comfortable Mac universe. It is only by the good graces of the Vine program that I have the Sony Vaio Pro Ultrabook to review. Bottom line: I love this Sony product, here's why.

BUILD QUALITY:

Excellent. Carbon fiber body is strong, sleek, and very lightweight perhaps the lightest 13.3" laptop on the market (sorry Apple). Very sophisticated looking. Battery life is good, not terrific, but good enough for me. The black is chic, though if I had a choice, might choose silver. I like how opening the display slightly raises the rear of the ultrabook, creating more heat dissipation and a comfortable typing angle also the presence of rubber feet prevent the unit from sliding.

DISPLAY:

Also excellent, the best laptop display I've seen very clear and crisp. Touchscreen works very well and is surprising useful. Sony has obviously leveraged their considerable TV experience into creating a tremendous laptop display. Once again, and it pains me to say it, but I prefer this Vaio touchscreen display to the MacBook Pro's. After this experience, I hope Apple will eventually refresh their laptop line with touchscreen technology.

KEYBOARD:

Very good. High quality and comfortable to use, a nice balance between firm and softness. Palm rests are also great. Can feel the quality throughout.

TOUCHPAD:

Once I figured out how to right and left click (click in either lower left or right area of touchpad) the touchpad has worked very well. I have not experienced the problems expressed by other reviewers. I do use the Ultrabook on a hard surface like a desk or table, per the instructions. The system utilizes upper left and right "hot corners" which at times confuse the touchpad's pointer causing it to flicker on those areas. I believe this to be a Windows issue, not Sony. Only complaint is that I cannot find touchpad adjustment ability anywhere in the system. Under Control Panel -> Mouse there is no trackpad listed. The option to turn off "tap to click", and make other adjustments, would be nice. On a Mac such things are easily done in System Preferences. If anyone can tell me how to adjust the trackpad on the Ultrabook, I would appreciate the knowledge.

FAN & HEAT:

I used the Ultrabook for many hours, once again, following the directions to use only on a hard surface. The fan comes on periodically, not that often really. When on, a bit noisy, nothing bothersome. One could interpret "noise" as being "an effective fan" that quickly dissipates heat and thus is protecting your investment. I'd rather have an effective noisier fan than a silent fan that doesn't do the job. The Ultrabook is mostly cool to the touch, impressive for a mighty machine.

WIFI:

I have a 3 year old Cisco Valet router, nothing fancy. Wifi has performed well for me, an effective signal within approximately 25' of the router. My iMac is located about 40' from the router and receives 5 bars, while the Sony Vaio Pro 13 Ultrabook was unable to connect from the same distance. I have ordered a couple of external wifi dongles to improve the Ultrabook's reception by having the antenna outside of the body will report back with the results. In reading other reviews I was very concerned about wifi performance, an issue that has effected the new MacBook Air as well. My conclusion is that the Ultrabook has good, but not great wifi range. Hopefully a firmware or software update will fix the issue.

SETUP:

Following the brief directions in the enclosed literature, setup was very easy. Downloading the initial Sony and Windows updates took about an hour. Installation of the 12 Sony updates is a bit of a bother because you must affirm your country for each one over and over. Midway through the screen went black and freaked me out! The troubleshooting guide confirmed the setup wizard had crashed. A reboot got everything back on track and the remaining 6 updates were installed. For some reason the Sony App updates are not downloading properly, they say "pending" but never go the next step. Machine has been very stable since.

SPEAKERS:

Not that great, ok. But I really don't expect genuine hi-fi from built-in laptop speakers. For any sort of good sound, you'll want a quality pair of external speakers.

PERFORMANCE AND WINDOWS 8:

The Ultrabook is a pleasure to use, very snappy and completely silent thanks to the solid state drive (except when fan comes on). More than adequate for everything but hardcore gaming or other graphic intensive activities. For it's intended usage, this machine has far more horsepower than most will ever need. I must admit, I rather like Windows 8. Microsoft has clearly gone all in with the iOS like interface. The "Tiles" system is excellent, highly functional, customizable and flows seamlessly into the touchscreen capabilities. Tiles is a combination of the Mac dock and launch pad, and in many ways, Tiles is superior to either. The "desktop" mode interfaces with the Tile system poorly, yet I'm happy to remain in Tileland most of the time. Apps launch in a very iOS manner as well and Microsoft has provided dock like navigation in a clever way. I do feel the iOS Windows 8 type features are better suited for a laptop than a desktop where part of the joy is to sit a ways back from the display. I would welcome a similar touchscreen/ Tiles type interface in the next MacBook Pro. Not so interested in seeing it on an iMac.

The included Mail app could be better, I'm awaiting the arrival of the year subscription to Office to test that out.

Is Windows 8 better than Lion? There are elements of Windows 8 that I prefer, yet I'm a diehard Mac fellow and on the over all do prefer Mac OS. However, I do offer a tip of the hat and a respectful wink to Windows 8.

CONCLUSION:

Assuming my experience for the last few days is indicative of what you should expect from the Sony Vaio Pro 13 Touchscreen Ultrabook and assuming a lightweight Windows based Ultrabook meets your computing power needs (ie no heavy gaming) then I confidently recommend this product. We'll see how it performs over time, if it conks out in 6 months I'll be very sad. All in all, pleasantly surprised by the entire experience and consider myself a proud Vaio owner. I do apologize, this review was typed on my iMac (g).

4.5 Stars Highly Recommended

*** Edit 9/1/13 ***

The Vaio Pro 13 continues to perform well. I do wish Windows 8 had either gone all Tiles, or, remained with the traditional desktop. Mixing the two very different systems together is a little confusing. As for the issue of limited wifi range, here are two solutions that have worked for me:

1) TRAVEL SOLUTION I purchased the TP-LINK TL-WN822N Wireless N300 High Gain USB Adapter from Amazon. It has increased the Vaio's wifi range quite a bit. Now the Vaio picks up the same signal as my iMac and functions well, where before only the iMac could received the wifi signal. The adapter is a little clumsy, but I concluded it would be more effective than a smaller one. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN822N-Wireless-External-Antennas/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

2) HOME SOLUTION I refuse to give the cable company yet more money for an additional router in the back of the house. Instead I purchased a TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit. It cleverly sends the broadband signal to another part of your home via existing electrical wiring. I connected it to a spare wifi router (TP-Link N600) and have successfully extended the home network wifi range and avoided cable company fees. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

SLEEVE/ CASE: I chose the Case Logic 13.3" Molded Laptop Sleeve. The sleeve is a little bit too large for the Vaio Pro 13, though adding padding to the inside (a piece of foam or velvet) has solved that issue. The sleeve fits quite well into my Osprey Packs Comet Daypack. A great pack that needs a well padded sleeve, like the Case Logic, in order to provide adequate protection.

Sleeve link http://www.amazon.com/Case-Logic-13-3-Laptop-Sleeve/dp/B00E66JILG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Osprey Comet link http://www.amazon.com/Osprey-COMET-P-Packs-Comet-Daypack/dp/B007X0UAQY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I hope this has been helpful

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook

I purchased this machine last week after running a Sony Vaio Z540 for over 3 yearstime to change.

Lets put is this way:

The screen is fabulous I can actually work on two word documents side by side on a 13.3 inc screen and see what I am doing. Viewing angles are very good in my view and even though the max angle the screen bends back is not great it does not matter as the screen resolution and viewing angle compensates for this. The touch works very well though I have still to get used Windows 8...

Keyboardthis really blew me awaythis keyboard is more comfortable than the desktop keyboard I have at work (which is a nice Logitech waive). Plenty of travel on the keys and I literally make no mistakes. The track pad does not interfere either by throwing the cursor accidentally to the other side of the screen .

One thing to note is that the back edge screen when opened liens on the surface you are working on thereby elevating the back of the keyboardthis helps typing become more comfortable. However if you work with this thing on your lap a lot (especially wearing shorts) this may bother you as the back of the screen has quite a sharp angle so it does dig a bit into your legs. with long trousers on this is not an issue.

Trackpadis very nice. I haven't yet started to play with the configurations (which may be adjustable) but the double tap does not always seem to catch on. As I use a blue tooth mouse anyway this does not really bother me. Multi gesture touch works very well and it is a smooth feel which is nice (not like some other touch pads I have used)

Speedcomputer is really really fastits like working with an Ipadwakes up in a second and a full restart takes about 20 secs.

I have notices that the fan seems to kick in when the graphics card is working when video streaming from the net and generally when you are in a hot room (I live in a hot country). I would not mention this but the fan is a little noisy though certainly not unbearable.

Battery time is fineat least 6.5 hours and I like the screen pretty bright. So I guess if I was meaner on the backlight it would mean longer.

I have seen the comments on the wifiseems to be ok on my machine so I hope this is not something that will start....

computer looks a million dollars so if you are looking for a looker you've got onenice and slim and really weightless (1 kg... what else can one ask for). It does collect plenty of finger prints on the keyboard palm restI have the black model so maybe go for the silver if you are touchy about this (my previous vaio was silver but then the keys got really dirtyou cant win...)

Review of Acer 15.6" i3-2330M 2.20 GHz Laptop | AS5749-6863

Customer Ratings:

I bought this laptop for my wife's Christmas present on the day after Black Friday from Fry's online. The price was $299.00 and the laptop is built solidly. It seems plenty quick to me and when I offered to upgrade to 8GB ram from the 3GB it came with, my wife said not to bother (even though it is less than $30.00 for the ram.) We have not noticed any delay in using the mouse cursor as reported in another review here. We are extremely happy with this laptop although it is still very new and hasn't stood the test of time yet.

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Pros:

Huge LED back-light screen

Ultra smooth touch-pad

Fast boot time

Quality of manufacturing is beyond industry standards

Long battery life

Performance exceeds that of similarly priced units

Few junk programs come pre-installed.

Cons:

The touch-pad should be placed in the center of the laptop, but it seems to be placed a little to the left of center. I think this is a major pro for left handed people?

Best Deals for Acer 15.6" i3-2330M 2.20 GHz Laptop | AS5749-6863

This laptop can support 16gb ram. I got it from frys and upgrade 8gb few month ago and now upgrade to 16gb. It is not easy at first to upgrade memory because you have to open a lot of screw. Pay attention to the audio jack. When open, push the cover down a little at audio jack. when close, make sure audio jack in first and push up a little at audio jack.

Honest reviews on Acer 15.6" i3-2330M 2.20 GHz Laptop | AS5749-6863

First, it is dual core and it is very sluggish for being i3. The Touchpad is good but not the mouse clicker. It takes a while(a couple of seconds) sometimes to get response from the program. When I compare this laptop with a two year old AMD Toshiba, Toshiba wins. Don't expect a fast laptop. This laptop is worth $280 and if you need something for email or just light office work it will do.

Someone else posted that he could upgrade the memory to 8GB for $30, Only a moron would believe that. For memory installation you have to open the whole laptop and it takes at least half an hour. Best buy charges $70 for just installation. This is not including the cost of the memory chips which you can look up and see for yourself.

Best Samsung NP305V5A-A05US 15.6-Inch Laptop Deals

Customer Ratings:

I dual screen this laptop and have it on 24/7. The fan does get a little loud but other than that it performs amazingly and is a great laptop. Love it!

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The only downside is the battery life is short. Get a laptop cooler if you plan on gaming. The laptop gets warm if your gaming while charging. I use it for gaming. Fast, clear graphics...excellent little computer. Even has a 10 key which I like, being it is a small computer i was surprised at how easy the keyboard/10 key was to use. Built in web cam. DVD/CD. USB ports on the right side. I would recommend this to a friend.

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I like the size of the screen. It runs Windows 7, which I prefer vs Windows 8. The unit is comfortable to me and has many features I like.

Honest reviews on Samsung NP305V5A-A05US 15.6-Inch Laptop

This laptop is Hot, Hot, Hot. Barely any underside vents, no removeable access panels on bottom to access hd etc, there is one tiny panel tho to add memory. cheap, flimsy plastic throughout. POOR audio. cheap keyboard. the one saving grace-a matte screen.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung NP305V5A-A05US 15.6-Inch Laptop

The day I received this computer the monitor wouldn't turn on. I called Samsung and explained the situation. Instead of replacing as they should have, the required me to go through their repair process. The problem persisted. Every couple months the montior quits working and I have to send it in for repair. This is a HUGE inconvenience. On this last repair, they identified water damage which I admitted to that affected the arrow keys. I didn't care about getting that fixed. Explained that I was responsible for the arrow keys not working and was fine with that but I needed the monitor repaired (again). However, they now say my warranty is deemed void. Six months after purchasing this computer it is completely unuseable and they are unwilling to fix it. I've been very disappointed by customer service as well as the computer itself. I'll never buy another Samsung.

Review of Sony VAIO VGN-NR160E/S 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

Customer Ratings:

This is an excellent computer. I never booted Windows Vista, instead, the first thing I did was throw in the Ubuntu Linux disk, so I have no idea what kind of bloatware was originally on the computer. Everything worked out of the box with Linux, except for the Fn key, which I never use. There is a fix for it that I will try out, just in case.

Yes, it is expandable to 4GB of RAM. The display is beautiful. The keyboard is very comfortable to type on. It is blazing fast. Ripping CDs takes no time whatsoever. For a laptop, the sound is very good. I get great wireless signal strength.

I was at first regretting not purchasing the wenge brown computer, but at the time the silver one with the same specs was much cheaper. For the money I saved, the color is perfect.

For the typical web surfing, light photo editing, and music listening that I do, I do not need anymore computer than this. I have no complaints.

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I bought this laptop on Black Friday at Best Buy and only paid $399...for four hundred dollars you absolutely cannot beat it. The computer is very nice to look at, the screen is beautiful, the keys are comfortable, and the sound is great. The only problem I have with the computer has nothing to do with the actual computer at all I hate Windows Vista. Since I bought the computer I have been spending all my free time trying to downgrade from Windows Vista to Windows XP with no avail. Sony won't open up this model for a downgrade until at least the first quarter of 2008 and even then you will have to pay for this to be done. Vista isn't compatible with all routers, so since my roommate already had an Airport Extreme router (and isn't open to switching to a new router), I have no internet access. If you are buying this computer make sure you check the compatibility with your router first or be prepared to buy a new one along with the computer as it is a huge hassle to try to make them compatible. This is not the fault of the computer though, just a general warning to anyone buying a new Windows operating computer (all new PCs come with Vista).

Other things:

-The computer is a little heavier than I would have liked, but that's honestly not that big of a problem (haven't weighed it but I'd say in the range of 6-8 lbs).

-It is clear that this isn't the best Vaio that money can buy. Sometimes the responses are a little slow, and when I was transfering music from my old computer to this one on CDs the CD driver was humming a little louder than I would have liked. Generally it is quite quiet though.

-It comes with a bunch of programs that I immediately removed because they aren't necessary and just take up space. (ex. Napster)

Besides Vista being a pain though, these aren't huge issues and for the price you absolutely cannot beat it. If you are looking for a computer to do general computing (AIM, Internet, listen to music, store photos, etc) then this is the computer for you. Remember though, check the compatibility with your router!

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No webcam which isn't a huge deal, the 1gb of memory can be upgraded, but what the hell is Sony think they are doing spamming Vaio users with Vista bloatware. This notebook lags so badly, and by no fault of it's own it's just all the bloatware that Sony loads on these computers to annoy and slap users who paid their hard earned money for a good notebook. To save everyone time go to yahoo or any search engine and type in "remove crap ware tool" and download it. Rather then spend hours removing all the needless nonsence that is bloatware off this notbook, this program will scan your computer and bring up an amazing list that you can select what programs you want removed, saves time, lots of time considering how much spam is on this machine.

Happy hunting!

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO VGN-NR160E/S 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

The biggest problem is that it comes with Vista and hundreths of preinstalled software that turn the machine slow. The Recovery CDs are not included, you got to make them from the OS. After you create then, and reinstall partioning the Hard Disk, uninstall all the preinstalled software and tune up Windows Vista for performance (i mean, no AERO Themes), the machine works great and fast (even with Vista).

I strongly recommend this machine, but only if you would do the "hard work" described.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO VGN-NR160E/S 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

Glenn Skow's post is correct. This problems goes a looong way back and they haven't(refuse to) corrected it yet. This problem exist with Vaio P4 or other models of VAIO.

Yeah, it's the soldering problem with the SODIMM memory banks which gets broken w/ mobo over time. When that happens, you won't be able to use the laptop. Sony continues to ignore the problems and pass it on to your pocketbook.

Buy Dell Inspiron 11z-1121 laptop / Intel i3-330um / WiMax 4G

Customer Ratings:

I've had the Dell 1121 for over a week now.

Let me just say it's the best netbook you can get for your money. And I say netbook only because it's lacks an optical drive, but it's really a laptop shrunk the size of a netbook.

The 2nd Gen Core i3 really kicks butt, and it blows the ASUS 1215N-PU27-BK 12.1-Inch Netbook (Black) out of the water for about the same price!

Minecraft runs with only minimal lag (You'll need to upgrade the RAM to 8GB, but it's not a big deal because the netbook has two slots.

It plays Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2 with decent FPS after you turn the graphics down some.

Well worth it.

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At this price, you would not believe that you can get all these features. The battery life is excellent. I had an HP that I used to keep for work and I had to constantly search for an outlet everywhere I went.

The notebook is really lightweight, but still has a large, bright LCD. I play a lot videos on the machine and have never experienced any hickups (not streamed media obviously).

The keyboard is not flimsy or distorted. Typing is very much like a full-sized desktop, but the keys could be thicker. The one thing I would recommend is getting a cooling pad if you intend on keeping this little guy on your lap. It could get a warm after a while. The other thing to note is that if you need a DVD/CD drive, you need to look elsewhere, but you will not find a notebook this weight (or just a notebook) with that feature out there for the same price.

Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 11z-1121 laptop / Intel i3-330um / WiMax 4G

I think this is an underappreciated computer (but not by me!). I think of it like a Macbook Air for Windows. Perfect size & weight 11.6" and 3lbs. Perfect for school or portable business use. HDMI and VGA ports for home use or projectors.

Great LED screen. Resolution is only 1366x768, but what more do you need for this machine? It orginally had 2GB, but I upgraded to 6GB total RAM. I also changed out my hard drive to one with 7200 RPM, so it's a little snappier. There is a youtube video that can help you to learn how to change out your hard drive as it isn't intuitive.

Build quality is solid... but it's not a Latitude with magnesium alloy. It is hard plastic, but I wouldn't recommend dropping it.

I also upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate for the operating system. It also supports most Linux distributions Ubuntu, Mint & Zorin. Windows 8 runs very well on this machine... but I can't stand that interface, so I'm sticking with Windows 7.

Battery life is decent at about 3.5 hours.

3 Downsides I can think of:

1) It gets rather warm on the bottom side. If you do anything with heavy graphics, you will want a cooling pad.

2) There's no built-in bluetooth. While it would probably drain battery life quicker, I think it should've been made a requirement for such a little gem.

3) The screen doesn't open up all the way. I think it only goes back 120 degrees? It makes it more difficult to use on laptop stands.

All in all, if you are looking for a NON-touch screen laptop, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Since I can't stand the Windows 8 OS, I look forward to finding used 11z's on ebay if/when my machine ever dies on me.

Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron 11z-1121 laptop / Intel i3-330um / WiMax 4G

This is the perfect pc for retirees. I bought a hotspot for the internet. I can sit at my bar and look out my window and email or search the internet. The keyboard and the screen are a good size. I can take it with me wherever i go. I am glad i waited for this model.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron 11z-1121 laptop / Intel i3-330um / WiMax 4G

The Dell 11z-1121 is a great little netbook. In my classroom, I have used older Dell netbooks, Lenovo netbooks, and Asus netbooks. This is a great improvement. I had been using an 11 inch Macbook Air as my personal travel PC, but that recently went to my youngest daughter. Needing a replacement and on a tight budget, I looked for a less expensive replacement. The Dell 11z was my choice, and I am not dissapointed.

On the pro side, it has a great screen and keyboard. It is ruggedly built. Memory upgrades are easy. It comes with Windows Premium 7 (while not Mac OSX, it is still a good system). The processor is fast. It has everything I need for teaching a VGA port, three USB ports, and a good sound system.

On the con side, Amazon dropped the ball. The main picture on Amazon's web site is not a Dell 11z. It is a picture of a laptop with a DVD drive, and this is misleading. Amazon, while you strive for perfection, you are not quite there. I will say, though, delivery was good. Keep trying.

Review of Lenovo IdeaPad Y530-5343U 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2

Customer Ratings:

Lenovo continues to makes solid laptops, i have had it for a while and have nothing but good things to say about it.

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I purchased this not knowing everything about it and when I recieved it I was constantly being impressed with the features and design.

This laptop has a 15.4" widescreen frameless display with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It has a 1.3MP web camera that works great for video calls. above the keyboard there is a touch sensitive light strip for multimedia functions such as play, stop, and skip, and equilizer functions as well. there also a mute button and a programmable function button.

Over all a great multimedia laptop for movies and games.

I would definitly buy from lenovo again.

Best Deals for Lenovo IdeaPad Y530-5343U 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2

I bought this one over an HP to replace my old Dell notebook. It had Vista on it but came with a "FREE" upgrade to windows7. Great so I sent them the money they asked for back in October of 09 and set the new notebook aside waiting for the new operating system so I could install it delete the unwanted stuff put the programs I run on it and send it to an external back-up drive and be good-to-go with a new notebook I could be proud to own and use right? WRONG I'm still waiting for the windows 7 I paid to have shipped to me; I have tried to deal with Lenovo customer service department (good-luck-with-that) and am still waiting for my copy of windows 7 their reason is that they are swamped with orders and I'll just have to wait. In closing I'm sure it is a fine notebook and maybe I'll find out in 2010 if that is true when I get a chance to use it. Hindsight is always 20/20 but I think I would have been better off with the HP purchase. I hope this will save you the grief I have experienced with their service. Up-date: I heard that my girl-friend is giving me the HP I wanted for Xmas!!! Happy-days ahead Wolf

Discount Dell - XPS 18 18.4" Portable Touch-Screen All-In-One Computer - 4GB

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,199.00
Sale Price: $1,025.00
Today's Bonus: 15% Off

I love this 18.4" tablet. It runs smoothly and is very responsive to my fingers.

Battery lasts forever and it's so light for being so big.

I've had this since early June and have been so incredibly pleased so far. It runs just like a desktop computer, but it allows me to hold it on my lap and browse like a giant tablet. Everything flows so well, and loads FAST!! The best thing is that when I need to really type i can get out the Bluetooth keyboard that came with it and type like I would on a desktop.

The XPS 18 is the missing link between tablet, laptop, and pc. It brings all of the strengths from all 3 categories while having none of the weaknesses.

The only real problem area that I've noticed is gaming. It absolutely works on many older titles, however not the best with some newer; at least with the i3 model. If you want to do some gaming i would recommend getting the i5 model or higher. That version also comes with double the RAM of the i3 and it'll tell during performance.

This is absolutely the smartest choice to buy whether you want to do some light gaming, browse the web, or take it on the go to watch movies. You can sit down at a desk with a keyboard for the traditional desktop experience or sit down on the couch or lay in bed with it like a super sized tablet to surf the web or watch a movie under the warm covers.

Get an XPS 18 today!

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Great for simple tasks, lightweight for its size. No Ethernet port, no HDMI or display port, only 2 USB ports. Might work as laptop replacement for some users.

Best Deals for Dell - XPS 18 18.4" Portable Touch-Screen All-In-One Computer - 4GB

Amazing little computer.

Out of the AIOs (All In Ones) -and I've checked them all -this is easily my favorite at the time of this writing. And I'm normally a Dell hater, and a Mac fanatic! (seriously!)

It's light enough (around 5 pounds) so you can drag it from room to room, or even pick it up and show people things.

You can also travel with it. Just throw it in your luggage with your clothes, and you have a FULL computer with you!!

A travel computer was what I was initially looking for, because I tend to get more work done on AIOs like iMacs than I do on anything else. For travel, giant laptops are no fun. They're always awkward, weird and kinda yucky. But this thing is fun! It's so light and enjoyable. It's also less fragile seeming than something like an iMac. It's MEANT to be moved. It's kinda like a gigantic (but still light!) iPad, that you can actually use creative and productivity apps on.

With Windows 8.x, it's starting to become almost as easy as a Mac. (and almost cooler looking with the live tiles)

With around 4 hours of real battery life, YES, you can use it unplugged! I can hardly believe you can use a full powered PC unplugged! woohoo!!! (I don't know how they fit such a massive battery in, given it's so light)

All in all, this was a massive surprise to me. I looked at every All In One on the market, and from online reviews, I didn't know this one would be as awesome as it is. But it is awesome, indeed. Try looking and playing with All In Ones IN PERSON, and you'll see exactly what I mean. It does edge out the iMacs for portability. Apple needs to learn a thing or two from this Dell. (I may try to make it into a Hackintosh)

Requests for the future:

Full Haswell chipset, so it works ever faster and gets better battery life. I don't know why Dell hasn't updated it yet. Haswell + XPS 18 make a perfect couple.

Real GPU option, not just the Intel crap. I have creative apps that use Nvidia GPUs only (CUDA) to speed things up. Even a lowlier Nvidia would mean the world to people like me. (and the world to gamers!)

And, uhh... I dunno? I find this PC so much more usable and lovable than almost anything in the market, it's hard to say. Maybe a full SSD option would be nice?

Seriously... go out and try this thing! (they have 'em at many big box stores as well as Dell kiosks) It's surprisingly enjoyable! Handily beats Lenovo, HP, Samsung, Apple and all the rest. Good work, Dell!

Honest reviews on Dell - XPS 18 18.4" Portable Touch-Screen All-In-One Computer - 4GB

There are plenty of other detailed technical reviews on here that cover it pretty well. However, I am going to sum it up. This is one Dell got right. A laptop, desktop and tablet all in one and it is very responsive.

The only negative is you can't play graphic intensive games.

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great touchscreen all in one .

very easy to cary around.

toy soilders touch works great as does any pc game i tried.

windows 8.1 is very cool and easy to learn

Discount Acer Aspire V3-771G-9441 17.3-Inch Laptop (Nightfall Gray)

Customer Ratings:

I am a fan of smaller laptops if you plan to actually carry them around. This is a pretty good sized machine, but I wanted it to use in place of a Desktop system, so it will seldom move from the top of my computer table. The screen is great -very, very clear at 1920x1080 native resolution. I actually run it with a second, 24" monitor connected, and it has no problem with the dual monitor setup.

While not a barn-burner, it is pretty fast. The experience index numbers are: Processor, 7.8, Memory. 7.8, Desktop Graphics, 5.8, Gaming Graphics, 6.7, and Primary HDD, 5.9. It also doesn't get hot at all -very cool running. The reason for two graphics scores is because it has two graphics controllers. It uses the IBM controller for most applications, and switches to the Nvidia for games and other more graphics intensive software.

We actually bought two of these. My wife uses here for Photoshop, Lightroom, Office, and also plays World of Warcraft. She says it is plenty fast for WOW, and the graphics are very smooth. When not playing games, we both tend to have a lot of programs open at once. We both teach college, and when we are working on class stuff it is common to have Word and several browser windows open at once. If I am doing research, I may have as many as a dozen sources open in browser windows. It handles this with no issues. I teach photography, and do professional work as well, so it would be common for me to have Adobe Lightroom open and also have a dozen or so photos open in Photoshop at the same time. These are 18 MP photos, so they aren't small files. Again, it keeps up with no issues.

All in all, we are very happy with these Laptops. To make it better, we bought them before the price went up a couple of hundred dollars, but they are still an excellent computer at the current price.

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My last laptop was an Acer Aspire 7741G-7017. I loved it! We were burglarized and my laptop was stolen. Despite having the Serial number and everything, we never recovered my previous laptop. I was debating between this model and the 1199 model. After a lot of thought, we purchased this one. I love the screen. It's got great viewing angles, full 1080 HD, and is a vast improvement from the last one I had. The laptop comes with 8 GB RAM and can be upgraded to 16 GB. It also has Dual Hard Drive support. I don't regret my decision at all.

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This really gives a lot of bang for the buck! Great, clear screen (not glossy, 1080 hd). VERY very fast at everything you throw at it. I recommend investing in a SSD to run Windows and other select programs from and using the 1TB drive for storage of everything else (and for the installation of programs that don't need SSD performance, like utilities and such, reserving SSD space for games or other high performance apps.) I had a 120 SSD waiting to be installed as soon as mine came in and it makes it really REALLY fast! I also recommend looking into a 9 cell battery as the standard 6 cell that comes with it does not last very long (maybe 2-4 hours with normal browsing.)

People have gripped about Windows 8, which I can understand. There is a bit of a learning curve to it, and until you get the hang of it, it is rather frustrating. However, once you do get used to it, it's really not all that bad. I will not let any grumbles about Win8 discredit the great laptop though.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the laptop. I bought it to Skype and keep in touch with family, but also to give me great gaming performance, which it definitely does! I am able to load a game of Civilization 5 in about 30-40 seconds, which is absolutely incredible to me.

EDIT: I am unfortunately reducing the rating by one star. Don't get me wrong, this laptop is AWESOME, but there are a couple oversights that would have completed the package.

First, in my opinion, any laptop of this caliber should be shipped with a 9 cell battery instead of a standard 6 cell. I have a 17.3" HP LA laptop that shipped with a 9 cell and the battery life was much much longer. I know battery life is specific to each laptop, but when you're running a laptop with a V8 engine in it, you are going to want a larger "gas tank" to hold the extra fuel you are going to need (or else you run the risk of being stranded somewhere.) I know you can but a 9 cell for it, but it really should come with it.

Second, with a full 1080 HD display, it's a true shame that it doesn't come with a blu-ray drive, but rather just a DVD drive. Huge loss of potential without having to fork out more money for a blu-ray drive.

I'd still recommend this laptop to anyone who isn't looking for something that is portability focused. Everything that it runs is practically instantaneous.

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Only problem, no backlight on the keyboard or indicator light for caps lock and such. But other than that this is a beast of a rig. if this build can't handle what you throw at it...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LAPTOP, DOING A SPEED RUN OF THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT ON YOUR FLIGHT TO DALLAS?!! This has plenty of juice to do many things. If you have the cash look into this laptop.

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I have come to trust Asus and Acer as leaders in well priced equivalent hardware for the money. I am thoroughly impressed with this laptop, great features and very functional. The one downside in my opinion is the lack of an OS install CD so it seems a re installation of the OS is not possible without purchasing another copy of windows. Outside of that it is truly a superb abd stylish machine with great stats for the cost. Go Go Acer!!

Buy Thinkpad X220 Laptop Lenovo, i7-2640M 2.8GHz, IPS, 12.5" Premium HD

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,899.99
Sale Price: $1,299.99
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I purchased the X220 from the Lenovo website in May 2011 when it first became available. There were some 20% 30% deals back then but I think the price is always hovering around $1000 no matter what website you buy it from.

The model I got is very close to the model on this page i7 processor, IPS display, bluetooth, 4GB DDR3 RAM and slightly smaller hard drive. I'm not sure if it's mentioned here, but I also upgraded the wifi card from the basic Lenovo one to one of the Intel cards.

My previous laptop was the 5 year old IBM x41, so maybe this review is a little biased for Lenovo Thinkpads. I enjoyed using the x41, but it was becoming too slow loading up web pages, the hard drive was too small (30GB) and it ran out of batteries too fast. I was actually looking to upgrade in 2009 but I didn't find a laptop meeting my requirements. I knew I wanted a dual-core processor and SSD drive. Eventually the list grew to USB 3.0 and DDR3. When Intel announced the next gen of dual-core processor (i3, etc.) and I saw what everyone was saying about it, I decided to wait for that to come out.

It was well worth the wait. I use the x220 as my primary computer. I don't need a desktop. It might be nice once in a while to have a larger display to watch movies or pictures, but that's a nice to have. I mainly surf the web, email, download stuff, pay bills, etc. probably your average computer user. So for your average computer user, this laptop is perfect. $1000 might be a lot for a laptop nowadays, so maybe what I mean is that this laptop is perfect for your average power computer user.

Here's what I like:

Lightweight didn't weigh it but shouldn't be heavier than 3.5 lbs with the 9 cell battery

Battery life Haven't tested this one either but 6 hours on a full charge doing normal web stuff seems correct

IPS display I'm writing this review right now outside of a Starbucks. The sun is shining on the screen and I have my sunglasses on. I can still see everything on the screen very clearly. I haven't seen another laptop able to do this.

Performance Web pages load up fast. I can run Quicken, MS Office and Firefox w/o any issues. 4GB of DDR3 is nice.

Webcam I guess these are pretty standard nowadays but I didn't have one on my x41. From my side, the resolution and lighting look pretty good. I can't tell what it looks like from the other side during Skype.

Keyboard I like Thinkpad keyboards and this is no different. I like the Trackpoint and use it almost exclusively over the mousepad. Like I mentioned above, I'm used to typing on Thinkpads, and the x220 feels as good or even better than the x41. The keyboard is very responsive and not cramped at all.

Here's what I still need to check on:

Intel Widi I got the Intel Wifi card because it got better reviews. I also got it because I want to see how the Widi works. Still haven't bothered yet, but one of these days.

USB 3.0 I don't have any USB 3.0 capable devices. I'd like to see how fast I can transfer a 1GB file.

What I don't like:

On the x41 I didn't bother using the IBM software. But for the x220, I wanted to give it a try. Some of it works OK but others really wasted my time because it didn't play nice with my other software. The big one was CSS (Client Security Solutions) and my anti-virus software. I still haven't figured it out yet.

USB 3.0 is only available w/ the i7 processor. I don't think I needed i7 but I wanted USB 3.0. This seems like a waste of money to me, but I only buy a laptop every 5 years. Other people were saying to buy an i5 and then come up w/ other solutions for USB 3.0, but I hate having anything stick out of the laptop.

Lack of HDMI. It has Displayport but I'll need to get a converter. I know other laptops have HDMI built in, so this would have been pretty convenient.

Summary:

As I was writing this review, I realized that this laptop is not for everyone. You can probably go out and drop $400 for a decent laptop. I did that for my sister last November. The laptop she got was decent. But if you are a power user or your laptop is your primary computer and can afford to splurge $1000 for it, then seriously consider the x220. I'm really happy with it. It has everything I need and I can see myself using it for another 5 years. I think with an upgrade to an SSD drive and a new battery in a few years, it should keep this laptop running very nicely.

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I have used the x220 for nearly six months now. We all know that the Thinkpad series are great business computers. They have a classic design, solid construction, decent support, and reliable performance. However, I believe that the x220 is equally appealing to consumers looking for a machine capable of handling the most intensive creative tasks, like video editing, photoshopping, etc.

PERFORMANCE:

Some programs I use on the x220 include Reason 5.0 for producing music, Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, and Illustrator has enough processing power to run many of these programs simultaneously. With the latest Sandy Bridge mobile processors, the x220 runs extremely fast, efficient, and quiet. Although the x220 isn't designed to be a gaming computer, I can play Starcraft 2 on lowest settings at a stable 40+ fps framerate on 1v1. Team Fortress 2 also runs perfectly smooth on lowest settings. This may seem weak, but for gamers who ar less about maxing out settings and more about framerate, the x220 does surprisingly well. There is also an expresscard slot for gamers who want to use an external graphics card configuration via a "ViDock". Finally, I don't know of a laptop with better battery performance than the x220. And replacing the battery is a breeze, unlike the macbook pro.

DESIGN:

From a design standpoint, the x220 hasn't changed much from its predecessors. One notable change is the widened aspect ratio. While some may disagree, I think this is a great change, and makes watching movies more enjoyable. I also like how the screen can fold down completely flat. The hinge doesn't seem flimsy at all. In fact, the screen folds down *MORE* than completely flat. If you want to show a friend something on your screen like an ipad, you can easily do it with the x220. No other laptop is currently capable of this. The magnesium casing makes the system feel sturdy, but the rubberized plastic is slowly starting to wear off. Not really a big deal, but definitely notable. The SDHC reader is positioned on the right side, near the front. A super convenient and easy to access card reader. There are 4 usb ports, providing plenty of interfacing options. One downside for me is Lenovo's preference of a DisplayPort over HDMI. I use a converter, which works decently, but not quite as cisp as a normal HDMI to HDMI. Finally, i can no longer use a laptop trackpad anymore. I find the thinkpad pointing stick ("nipple") to give me far superior control. I had to increase the sensitivity, but once you get used to it, it's hard to go back.

SOFTWARE:

The x220 comes pretty un-bloated with not too many extraneous programs. The ThinkVantage software is useful as it easily download and install updates for drivers. Overall, the software is nice, but not the greatest. The x220 ships with outdated Wi-Fi drivers, resulting in unacceptable performance. The volume buttons are sometimes glitchy, as with the brightness control. These setbacks, however, are not the dealbreaker for me. One positive is that the x220 ships with Windows on a harddrive partition, allowing you to easily reformat the harddrive in the future.

OTHER STUFF

A huge advantage over the MacBook Pro is the upgradeability of the x220. I easily went from 4gigs to 8 gigs of ram and I plan on installing a solid state drive in the future. The x220 comes with a rare eSata port, allowing you to install a Micro Solid State harddrive in addition to a standard 2.5" harddrive. If you keep your important programs / OS files on the micro solid state (such as an Intel 310 series), you will have SSD performance with HDD sized storage.

Another advantage is the x220's amazing screen. The premium IPS disay is IMO the most killer feature of the system. The viewing angles are ridiculous, and the color reproduction is as accurate as print media. This is a crucial feature for anyone doing film, graphic design, or photography, as it allows for the most reliable monitor. The IPS screen is also great for gaming The blacks come out super black and everything just looks like the way it's supposed to be. Some people may be concerned about the seemingly low amount of resolution, but I assure you that the x220 has the perfect amount of pixels for the 12.5" screen size. Anything else would be unnecessary and would hamper image quality. If you need more pixels, you can use an external monitor, which the x220 handles nicely. Finally, I use the x220 Ultrabase as a docking station, which is currently the best docking option for any laptop. The thinkpad docking port is actually an ultra-high bandwidth connection between all your peripherals and the x220, allowing for ultrafast and seamless docking. Until Thunderbolt optimizes its own docking options, the x220 has the edge here over any other laptop.

CONCLUSION

The x220 is not a perfect system. The price is lower than a macbook pro, but still in the premium range. Windows 7 combined with Lenovo's thinkvantage software is not on par with MacOS in terms of smoothness and bugs, but is far more tweakable, allowing the user to configure the best settings themselves (The range of options for customizing the pointing stick and touchpad are amazing). Any issues I initially had with the software, Thinkvantage was able to resolve. Overall, I believe the x220 is currently the best laptop for creative work and is more "futureproof" than the MBP. In many ways, the x220 is the anti-macbook pro. The design is less flashy and everything is more catered to the businessman yet, the x220 turns out to be an amazing computer for any consumer who requires a fast, reliable, and customizable system.

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I am happy to write about my experience with this Lenovo Thinkpad X220 laptop. I purchased this from Amazon about three weeks ago and I absolutely love it. I was debating between this and the 13" Macbook Air with it's aluminum body carvd from one solid piece. The specs are similar but in the end the Lenovo won out because it is user customizable, while the Apple is a closed system (you get what you buy, you can't add memory, replace hard drive, nothing). And I have no regrets. I really live this version of the system, with the faster processor (Intel i7-2nd generation quad-core running 2.8 GHz). I like the Bluetooth which is the latest spec, the USB 3 always-charging port (plus 2 USB 2.x ports), the 7200 RPM hard drive (most laptop HDs are 5400 rpm), the 9-call battery (most are 6 cell), 4GB high-speed DDR3 RAM (the best), and a lot of really great additional features, including a most wonderful keyboard (you really can't do better for a laptop keyboard, and since this is the part you interact with, it makes a big difference IMHO), a little LED keyboard light built into the top of the screen, the best pointing device short of a mouse (the red track point "eraser"), solid long-living hinges, high quality design and construction, and a host of small but delightful touches. These include a little light built into the CapsLk key to show it's status (in addition to a screen icon which displays when you change the setting), directional arrows right where you expect them, large Esc and Delete keys, and this great little fingerprint reader which is very, very convenient. I didn't think much about the fingerprint reader when I first got this machine, but what's great is you can swipe your finger while it's off, and it will start up and go into windows without a hitch no passwords, no waiting, no multiple steps to trudge through. The software for this reader is very refined every single finger is detected as a different "signature", and since you can't even use a non-scanned finger from your own hand, there's no chance anyone else's finger will work. I feel like a rich man just scanning my finger and letting the computer do all the work. The way it all adds up for me is I like this computer so much, it just makes me feel good having it around with me. I frequently take it to work (although I have a desktop there I use) and will hardly touch it, but I just like it with me. It's like a great little lap dog or something!

This computer is really fast (excellent performer) as delivered, the screen is bright and clear, I have had absolutely no problems with it to speak of, both in terms of design as well as defects. There is a review that mentions the high pitched fan, but the X220 I received has no fan noise at all. I did decide to buy the Square Trade 3-year accident-included extended warranty SquareTrade 3-Year Accident Protection + Warranty (Computer $1000-1250)with this laptop but I am not anticipating every having to use it. A few other things I've bought to enhance my ThinkPad experience: Logitech B100 optical mouse (under $10 and a real solid workhorse Logitech B100 Optical Usb Mouse Comfortable Quality Optical Precision Ower Profile Shape), LiteOn ETAU208-96 top load DVD/CD writer (a very reliable and trouble-free optical device so far, and small/portable; only requires one USB connection, most require two Liteon ETAU208-96 Top Load DVD/CD Writer Black), and the Kensington 64068F Microsaver Notebook Lock & Security Cable (simple, well made, light Kensington 64068F MicroSaver Notebook Lock and Security Cable (PC/Mac)) so I don't have to be filled with anxiety at work when I bring the X220 with me. And one more nice-to-have item, the STM Bag DP 4001-01 Vertical Small Laptop Shoulder Bag "fits most 13" screens (it's not the Alley bag, the size is SMALL for 13" laptops, I can't find the link on Amazon right now). This is a great looking carrying bag, with this wonderful padded compartment for the laptop, other pockets to fit all of the above along with the Lenovo power supply. I can even throw in my iPad in a dedicated pocket for that device. It's pricey though! Finally, I've upgraded this baby with a 160GB solid state drive (which really makes it a speed demon, no lag time for anything), and I added 4Gb memory. I know this is all overkill, and not necessary (unless you are using Photoshop, Autocad, or doing gaming the extra RAM is probably never going to be used, but it's so cheap these days, why not?) If you're thinking of gettin a SSD for this or another Lenovo laptop, keep in mind it requires a 7mm height drive, most of them are 9.5 mm. the Intel drives are 7mm (I think this is what Lenovo themselves use), but I used a Kingston SSDNow V200 (not V100 which is an older generation) which was fairly inexpensive, had the 7mm size height, and has pretty good read/write access times, like 60X faster than a mechanical drive. But you can also buy an mSATA version of a SSD which will actually install inside the Lenova X220 and you can keep the 320GB just where it is. The Kingston SSD came with cloning software so you can move the contents of the original drive right over to the SSD in about 15 minutes. You can make the mSATA drive as a boot drive as well, install the OS and use the slower mechanical drive for lots of cheap storage space. I think this machine as configured has an internal WWAN mini PCI-E device (which you can use to have built in 3G (or 4G?) mobile broadband access if you set up a contract with a carrier (it's kind of like a little cell phone in the laptop). So that would have to be removed to make room for the mSATA SSD drive.

So, as you can see, I'm having a lot of fun and draining my bank account in the process. Here is a quick run down on pros/cons to sum up:

Pros: excellent build quality, speed, performance; abolutely the best keyboard you can have in any laptop (although I do kind of like the Apple keyboards); great future-proof features like Blootooth spec, USB 3.0, and 2nd generation Intel processor; great memory capacity (16GB, I think, comes with 4GB, upgrade to 8GB for about $20); great screen (there are two versions from Lenovo, this laptop has the top of the line premium screen; viewing angle is amazing, no problems at all); 3 USB ports, advanced Display Port (easily gives you HDMI with an inexpensive converter cable); 54mm Express Card slot (replaces the old laptop card slots); SD card slot (add more memory quickly & cheaply); 720p HD camera bult into the screen bezel; dual microphones and dual speakers (speakers aren't fabulous but they're clear and just fine); and 9-cell battery pack for up to 13-hour battery life (probably more like 10 hours or so in real life I used the X220 for about a week before I had to charge it up again); the overall price is high, but it's really a great price (and is mostly discounted, like this Amazon item) if you compare it to like-configured competing laptops. The Macbook Air with similar features is about $250-300 more, for example. The Sony Vaio is also quite a bit more money; Lenovo has a "hardware maintenance" manual that shows you with many well drawn illustrations how to remove, upgrade and replace everything; Lenovo sells bases, docks, and similar hardware to add to ports and connectivity; with the bluetooth, I can have a BT mouse, BT speakers, BT headphones, etc., having the built in BT is really great (you can always buy a dongle, but then you have it sticking out a bit and using up a USB port, so it's worth a few $$ for the built in BT I feel.

Cons: the 12.5" screen is a little small (a 13" would have been better for my 58 year old eyes); when I'm using the Ctrl key, I often hit the Fn key instead and then I'm mystified why Ctrl-C doesn't copy anymore! (other than that, the keyboard design is flawless, and that's just a matter of practice); I would have preferred Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate for the price, but Home Premium is just fine; it's very light and smal but the 9-cell battery adds a little heft to it; it does NOT run hot, but can get a little bit warm on the bottom, so I suggest lifting it with some small corks or something (the battery case has rubber feet to keep it propped up at a shallow angle); that's about all I can think of.

Final note: what brought me to the Lenovo X220 was spending many hours reading reviews online, especially from the big magazines like PC Magazine. I would get really excited about a certain laptop and then there would inevitably be some fatal flaw that would take it out of consideration. This happened about 5 or 6 times until I began reading about the X-series Lenova machines, and there wasn't one significant drawback now that I have one, I can vouch for this fact, it is just a well designed, well executed, elegant, simple and joyous product. By the way, there are some really great looking laptops out there, like the Apple MacBook Airs, and the Sonys, the Lenovo is a bit of a plain-Jane, business like machine. But these laptops have a military grade rating, meaning they can take a lot of abuse without any consequence (I wouldn't put this to the test though). And the black laptop is a statement by itself. Besides, I don't want people getting too attracted to it and making silent plans for its theft.

In short, this is a wondrous and nearly perfect laptop. If you have the money, stop shopping and get one for yourself. You won't regret it!

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I loved this computer. Processor is ultrafast and it has fingerprint reader and HD camera. A really nice purchase! Only downside to me is that HD is only 5400rpm, and not that large (320GB), but for that price, it's super easy to buy another one and replace it. :) I use it with Ubuntu 11.10 and it works like a charm, everything is smooth and worked out of the box. Also, seller was fast and delivered really quickly. I read a lot of complaints about they not replying emails, but my experience was the opposite, they replied me fast and were accurate. I recommend them too!

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In short, after being literally confused on what laptop to buy next (after having a Vaio for years), a friend of mine recommended this for me. I've been thanking him for that since I got the laptop. The X220 is a great laptop for those who got annoyed by carrying the charger around, it is a "Mobile", with a 9 cells battery, you really don't need to worry much about power, and this is exactly why I bought this laptop.

Loving the performance, "bang" boot and shutdown, you don't really to waiiiiiiit for the desktop to show up and start working, that is, few seconds and the laptop is ready to work on!

I, for a minute, thought that the 12.5" could be a disadvantage as I never worked on less that 14" ones, but no, actually with the IPS display it's a big deal really.

Oh, that wasn't "in short", but on a serious note, and in short, a great little beast, get it.