Latest Laptop Reviews

Dell Latitude XT2

2010-01-25T02:13:00.000-08:00

Price: $1,909.00

Description

The Dell Latitude XT2 features a 12.1" display with multi-touch interface. Models will also feature up to 5GB of DDR3 system memory, full-sized keyboard and dual pointing devices, integrated fingerprint reader, and option of 4, 6 or 9-cell battery.

Dell Latitude E4200

2010-01-25T02:09:00.000-08:00

Description
Dell's upcoming 12.1-inch E4200 starts at 2.2lbs. It packs an LED backlit display; Centrino 2 chipset; Firewire, eSATA, 2x audio, ExpressCard 34, and at least 2x USB ports; integrated UMA graphics; DDR3 800MHz with Intel Turbo Memory 2.0; DisplayPort; and a host of security features to keep corporate IT types happy.

Quick Specs
Latitude E4200 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 128GB/3GB).

Dell Studio XPS 13

2010-01-25T02:01:00.000-08:00

$2,123.00

Description

Blending power with elegance, the Studio XPS 13 is designed to deliver the ultimate mobile laptop experience. The XPS 13 features premium design with genuine leather accents, anodized aluminum, edge-to-edge display and backlit keyboard, the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors for blazing fast performance, optional NVIDIA Hybrid SLI graphics to deliver incredibly lifelike videos, movies and gaming. Click here to see coupon codes for the Studio XPS 13

Quick Specs

Studio XPS 13 Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53GHz, DDR3 SDRAM 4MB, 256GB)

Dell Studio XPS 13

2010-01-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

$2,298.00

Description

Quick Specs

Studio XPS 13 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo P8800 256GB/6GB)

Dell Latitude E4300

2010-01-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Dell Latitude E4300

dClick here to buy the Dell Latitude E4300 direct from Dell.com

Description

Dell's upcoming 13.3-inch E3200 starts at 3.1lbs. It packs an LED backlit display; Centrino 2 chipset; Firewire, eSATA, 2x audio, ExpressCard 34, and at least 2x USB ports; integrated UMA graphics; DDR3 800MHz with Intel Turbo Memory 2.0; DisplayPort; and a host of security features to keep corporate IT types happy. The E4300 has a WXGA+ resolution, modular optical bay, peppier CPU options, and a choice of beefier hard disk drives instead of the 32GB or 64GB SSD restriction of the E4200.

Quick Specs

Latitude E4300 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo SP9400 128GB/4GB)

Dell Latitude XT2

2010-01-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

Detailed Specs

Dell Latitude XT2

$2,509.00 Dell Small Business Systems

General
normalized-Installed Memory:	2000
normalized-Display Size:	12.1
normalized-Cache Size:	3
Processor
Processor Class:	Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Processor Speed:	1.2 GHz
Cache Size:	3 MB
Bus Speed:	800 MHz
Memory
Installed Memory:	2 GB
Maximum Memory:	5 GB
Memory Technology:	DDR3
System
Laptop Type:	Tablet
Input Devices:	Keyboard\|Pen (Stylus)\|Touchpad
Interface Connection:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin\|Serial ATA - 7 pin\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Slots:	Express Card 34\|Express Card 54\|SD Card
Display
Display Size:	12.1 in
Aspect Ratio:	16:10
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Max Resolution:	1280 x 800
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Storage
Included Drives:	CD-RW/DVD-ROM
Solid State Drive Capacity:	128 GB
Number of Storage Drives Included:	1
Features
Included Network Card:	Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Software
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Dimensions
Height:	1.1 in
Width:	11.7 in
Depth:	8.7 in
Weight:	3.78 lbs
Warranty
Warranty Information:	3 Year Limited Warranty
More Info
URL:	URL
Quick Glance
Screen Size:	12.1
Installed Memory:	2000
Product Type:	Tablet
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Processor Type:	Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Aspect Ratio:	16:10
Networking:	Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Interface Type:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin\|Serial ATA - 7 pin\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Included Drives:	CD-RW/DVD-ROM
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Processor Speed:	1200
Weight:	60.48

Acer Aspire 3810 Timeline

2010-01-23T02:09:00.000-08:00

Detailed Specs

General
normalized-Installed Memory:	4000
normalized-Display Size:	13.3
normalized-Cache Size:	3
Processor
Processor Class:	Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Processor Speed:	1.3 GHz
Cache Size:	3 MB
Bus Speed:	800 MHz
Memory
Installed Memory:	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB
Memory Technology:	DDR3
System
Input Devices:	Keyboard\|Touchpad
Interface Connection:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - S/PDIF (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|HDMI\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Slots:	Memory Stick\|Memory Stick Duo\|MultiMedia Card (MMC)\|SD Card\|xD-Picture Card
Display
Display Size:	13.3 in
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Max Resolution:	1366 x 768 (WXGA)
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Storage
Hard Drive Capacity:	500 GB
Number of Storage Drives Included:	1
Features
Included Network Card:	Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11 Draft N\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11a\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Included Devices:	Built-In Webcam
Battery Life:	8 hour(s)
Energy Star Compliant:	Yes
Software
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Dimensions
Height:	1.13 in
Width:	12.67 in
Depth:	8.97 in
Weight:	3.5 lbs
Warranty
Warranty Information:	1 Year Limited Warranty
More Info
URL:	URL
Quick Glance
Screen Size:	13.3
Installed Memory:	4000
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Type:	Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Networking:	Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11 Draft N\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11a\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Interface Type:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - S/PDIF (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|HDMI\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Energy Star:	Yes
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Processor Speed:	1300
Hard Drive Size:	500000
Weight:	56

Acer Aspire 8940G

2010-01-23T02:07:00.000-08:00

Detailed Specs

General
normalized-Installed Video Memory:	1000
normalized-Installed Memory:	4000
normalized-Display Size:	18.4
normalized-Cache Size:	6
Processor
Processor Class:	Intel Core i7
Processor Speed:	1.6 GHz
Cache Size:	6 MB
Bus Speed:	1333 MHz
Memory
Installed Memory:	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB
Memory Technology:	DDR3
System
Input Devices:	Keyboard\|Touchpad
Interface Connection:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - S/PDIF (1/8" Mini)\|DisplayPort\|Ethernet - RJ45\|FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin\|HDMI\|Infrared\|Serial ATA - 7 pin\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Slots:	Express Card 34\|Express Card 54\|Memory Stick\|Memory Stick Duo\|MultiMedia Card (MMC)\|SD Card\|xD-Picture Card
Display
Display Size:	18.4 in
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen
Max Resolution:	1920 x 1080
Installed Video Memory:	1 GB
Video Chipset:	NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M
Storage
Included Drives:	BD-ROM/DVD+-RW DL
Hard Drive Capacity:	500 GB
Number of Storage Drives Included:	1
Features
Included Network Card:	Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11 Draft N\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11a\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Included Devices:	Built-In Webcam
Battery Life:	3 hour(s)
Energy Star Compliant:	Yes
Software
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Dimensions
Height:	1.7 in
Width:	17.3 in
Depth:	11.6 in
Weight:	10.1 lbs
Warranty
Warranty Information:	1 Year Limited Warranty
More Info
URL:	URL
Quick Glance
Screen Size:	18.4
Installed Memory:	4000
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Type:	Intel Core i7
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Networking:	Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11 Draft N\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11a\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen
Interface Type:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - S/PDIF (1/8" Mini)\|DisplayPort\|Ethernet - RJ45\|FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin\|HDMI\|Infrared\|Serial ATA - 7 pin\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Included Drives:	BD-ROM/DVD+-RW DL
Energy Star:	Yes
Video Chipset:	NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M
Processor Speed:	1600
Hard Drive Size:	500000
Weight:	161.6

Lenovo G550

2010-01-23T02:03:00.000-08:00

General
normalized-Cache Size:	1
normalized-Installed Memory:	3000
normalized-Display Size:	15.6
Processor
Processor Class:	Intel Pentium Dual-Core Mobile
Processor Speed:	2.1 GHz
Cache Size:	1 MB
Bus Speed:	800 MHz
Memory
Installed Memory:	3 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB
Memory Technology:	DDR3
System
Input Devices:	Keyboard\|Touchpad
Interface Connection:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Slots:	Express Card 34
Display
Display Size:	15.6 in
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Max Resolution:	1366 x 768 (WXGA)
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Storage
Included Drives:	DVD+-RW
Hard Drive Capacity:	250 GB
Number of Storage Drives Included:	1
Features
Included Network Card:	Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Included Devices:	Built-In Webcam
Battery Life:	5 hour(s)
Energy Star Compliant:	Yes
Software
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Professional\|Microsoft Windows XP Pro
Dimensions
Height:	1.4 in
Width:	15 in
Depth:	9.6 in
Weight:	5.95 lbs
Warranty
Warranty Information:	1 Year Limited Warranty
More Info
URL:	URL
Quick Glance
Screen Size:	15.6
Installed Memory:	3000
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows 7 Professional\|Microsoft Windows XP Pro
Processor Type:	Intel Pentium Dual-Core Mobile
Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Networking:	Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11b\|Wireless Ethernet - IEEE802.11g
Display Type:	LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen & LED Backlight
Interface Type:	Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)\|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)\|Ethernet - RJ45\|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0\|VGA
Included Drives:	DVD+-RW
Energy Star:	Yes
Video Chipset:	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD
Processor Speed:	2100
Hard Drive Size:	250000
Weight:	95.2

HP EliteBook 8540 Review

2010-01-23T01:57:00.001-08:00

The EliteBook is HP’s business-rugged notebook family aimed squarely at the Lenovo ThinkPad and Dell Latitude. Offering an attractive brushed metal finish, excellent build quality, and high-end processor and graphics options, the EliteBook-series is targeted at business users who need the power of a desktop in a mobile package. We took an in-depth look at the HP EliteBook 8540p to see how it stacks up against the competition.
Our HP EliteBook 8540p Specifications:

Intel Core i5-520M (2.4GHz, 6MB L2 cache)
Microsoft Genuine Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
15.6-inch LED-backlit HD+ anti-glare (1600 x 900)
NVIDIA NVS 5100m graphics with 1GB GDDR3
2GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM (16GB Max)
320GB 7200RPM HDD
Intel Ultimate-N 6300 AGN WiFi, 1Gb Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity
8-Cell 73WHr Battery (14.4V)
Dimensions: 14.7” x 9.90” x 1.28”
Weight: 6lbs 7.9oz
Price as configured: $1,299 with 3-year onsite warranty

Build and Design
The HP EliteBooks have a very stylish brushed-metal exterior that adds a splash of sophistication to what is usually a dull or boring business notebook. The metal cladding gives the notebook a bright eye-catching design, helps to hide fingerprints, and really pulls together the look that the notebook could stand up to the rigors of daily abuse. HP even went as far as putting matching silver trim pieces around the screen hinges, showing no design element is too small. The brushed-metal finish really flows well with the black chassis and black inlays around the keyboard and touchpad. While I am usually partial to all-black business notebooks, the HP EliteBook-series really makes me want to jump to the other side.

The EliteBook feels as hard as a rock when you first pick it up. The alloy chassis and brushed metal body panels have very little give under a strong grip. The screen cover has some mild flex but nothing we haven’t seen in other business notebooks. Even with its small about of flex the screen cover does an excellent job of looking good and protecting the display housed within. The brushed metal finish resists scratching and fingerprints, keeping a pristine appearance long after most painted notebooks might be looking a bit worse for wear. Screen protection is excellent with no distortion of the LCD-panel even with strong pressure applied to the back of the cover.
When you open the notebook and start squeezing on the palmrest and surrounding panels the first thing you notice is how strong the entire chassis feels. The thin brushed-metal panels have excellent support underneath, with absolutely no flex at all under a strong grip. The keyboard has minimal flex if you squeeze it hard, showing maybe 1-2mm of movement before it stops dead like you were pressing it into a rock.

On most notebooks the strength of the lower chassis is usually overlooked, especially around the optical drive which is the widest open bay. Pressing on the edge of the opening it flexes slightly until it makes contact with the bezel of the DVD-recorder. As you move away from the edge it feels like you are trying to squeeze a wood board.
Screen and Speakers
The 15.6” HD+ panel on the 8540p EliteBook looks very nice compared to most of the business displays that have come through our doors. Colors saturation is excellent, contrast is above average, and black levels are great. This screen would be perfect for anything ranging from editing photos to watching the latest HD movies. Backlight brightness is more than adequate for viewing the screen in bright office conditions but still falls short when trying to use the notebook outdoors on a sunny day. Finding shade from a tree or getting a screen hood would probably do wonders though since the panel offers an anti-reflective coating to minimize glare. Viewing angles are above average but still fall short compared to some of the PVA or IPS panels we have seen in the past. Vertical viewing angles have a broad sweet spot of 15-20 degrees before colors start to significantly invert. Horizontal viewing angles are much better, staying true even while viewing from the far edge of the screen.

The onboard speakers fall short when compared to most consumer notebooks of the same size but when compared to other business notebooks they are par for the course. For listening to streaming music or an online video the speakers are more than adequate, but if you want to enjoy a movie while traveling a nice set of headphones is a good investment.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The HP EliteBook keyboard is designed to feel like a Chiclet-style keyboard but offer the look of a traditional keyboard. The key tops are flat with a sharp edge which drops off to reveal a surrounding border that acts as a spacer between all the keys on the keyboard. Coming from a traditional keyboard that has cupped keys the flat tops can feel off-putting at first, but it has the same learning curve as a Chiclet-style keyboard. After a few days you adapt and you produce fewer typing errors. The keyboard design is very good with a strong support-structure that resists any significant flex. Under strong pressure you can slightly bend the tray directly underneath the specific key you are pressing, but it stops once you compress it against the chassis.

Individual key action is smooth with mild pressure required to trigger each key. Noise is minimal at worst, making this keyboard great for typing in areas where people might not want to hear you clacking away on a term paper or report.

The EliteBook 8540p offers a moderately sized Synaptics keyboard that is easy to use and has no noticeable lag. The touchpad responds quickly to inputs and has a fast enough refresh rate where it never experiences any “cursor-trails” when quickly drawing or moving towards objects. The touchpad surface is a mildly-textured surface with a fine-matte finish that is easy to glide across even with a damp finger. The EliteBook also offers a pointing-stick interface if you chose to use that style of input. The pointing-stick interface was quick to respond to movement and didn’t have any problem with movement when not in use.
One cool feature that I love about the EliteBook 8540p is the addition of a middle mouse button for the touchpad and pointing-stick. Most notebooks only include a left and right mouse button, which can be annoying if you frequently use a tab-interface. The middle mouse button when properly set in the control panel can be used as a middle-click button that lets you open links as new tabs or quickly close opened tabs without activating a context menu.
Ports and Features
The HP EliteBook offers a wide range of ports, including a few we have not seen on any other notebooks in for review. The 8540p offers two USB 3.0 ports which are perfect for connecting high-speed storage devices without needing a second cable to connect to an eSATA or FireWire port. In addition to the USB 3.0 ports the notebook also offers three traditional USB ports, FireWire 400, eSATA, DisplayPort, VGA-out, and audio connections. This machine easily packs more ports into the design than we have seen on any other notebook in its category. Expansion and security features include a smart-card reader, an ExpressCard/54 slot, and a SDHC-card slot.

HP Elite-Book 8540

2010-01-23T01:51:00.000-08:00

Our review unit of the HP ProBook 5310m features the following configuration:

Intel Core 2 Duo P9300 Processor (2.26GHz, 6MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB)

Microsoft Genuine Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)

13.3-inch LED-backlit anti-glare HD display (1366 x 768)

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

2GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM

320GB 7200RPM HDD

WiFi (802.11a/b/g/draft-n), Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity

4-Cell 41WHr Battery (14.8V)

Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty

Dimensions: 12.9 x 8.7 x 0.93 inches

Weight: 3.81lbs

Price as configured: $899

Build and Design
For those people who aren't already familiar with HP's ProBook laptops, the formula is very simple: Take HP's popular EliteBook line of durable business-grade notebooks and make them more affordable so small and medium businesses can buy them. This is where the new ProBook 5310m comes to the table ... and it's why this is the first laptop with the "ProBook" name on it that we really, really like.

The previous generation of ProBooks all tried to deliver a good balance of features and security at a low price. Unfortunately, those notebooks sacrificed build quality and design (two of the hallmarks of HP's EliteBooks) in order to create a low-cost business laptop. The new ProBook 5310m is the first ProBook that lets you have your cake and eat it too. The 5310m succeeds where previous ProBooks failed by offering a thin-yet-solid magnesium alloy chassis with durable rubberized paint, aluminum display enclosure and a design that looks like a premium business notebook rather than a budget laptop. Sure, like the rest of the ProBook line, the 5310m has a square, industrial-looking exterior, but that's part of the "all business" look that made the EliteBook line such a success.
So how did HP go from an all-plastic ProBook to this new-and-improved design and still make it thinner and lighter than previous models? The answer will probably get a mixed reception among our readers: HP got rid of the optical drive. That's right. There's no built-in DVD or Blu-ray drive with this laptop. Honestly, as someone who frequently travels for business, I can tell you I never use my notebook's optical drive. However, there are still plenty of business travelers who like to watch DVDs during flights, so the lack of a DVD drive might bother some business buyers.

The outer shell of the screen casing, as previously mentioned, is made of aluminum. This is significantly more solid than the plastic-covered screen on older ProBooks, and along with the magnesium alloy bottom chassis the 5310m should survive anything a typical business traveler will throw at it. While I wouldn't recommend standing on this notebook, you could easily stack a dozen or so heavy books on top of the 5310m without any concern for the safety of the laptop.

Tthe 5310m also features the now standard hard drive shock protection in the form of HP 3D DriveGuard which will help to protect your hard drive in the event the laptop gets dropped or violently bumped. HP also includes HP ProtectTools with drive encryption, Device Access Manager, HP Spare Key (a program that helps employees access their computer in case they forget their password), HP Disk Sanitizer, File Sanitizer, and McAfee Security Solution for those small businesses that need reliability and ease of use but don't have the resources of a dedicated IT department.

One of our primary criticisms about the older ProBook 4510s and 4710s was the fact that it was too difficult to make upgrades to those notebooks. Thankfully, HP engineers made it quite easy to access the RAM, hard drive, and wireless cards inside the 5310m. RAM and the hard drive are located on the bottom of the notebook beneath the palmrest area and the WWAN card is easily accessed after removing the battery. Speaking of the complexity of making upgrades, it's also worth mentioning that buying a pre-configured model is still the only way we can recommend purchasing the 5310m (or any ProBook) at a reasonable price. This configuration of the ProBook 5310m is available for only $899 on the HP website as a pre-configured system, but if you attempted to customize a 5310m with identical specs it would cost you more than $1,100! That's a painfully overpriced premium to charge for custom orders.

Screen and Speakers
The ProBook 5310m comes equipped with a 13.3" anti-glare display with a 16:9 widescreen ratio. At 1366 x 768 pixels, this 720p high-definition display is perfectly usable and features good color and contrast. The LED-backlit panel offers excellent brightness and we typically left the brightness set to between 50% and 70% when using the notebook indoors. We know many people are concerned about the transition from 16:10 to 16:9 ratio screens (because this means less vertical resolution) but the difference between 1366 x 768 and 1280 x 800 is pretty minimal.
Horizontal viewing angles are pretty good and you only start to notice some color shift after you get 75 degrees off center. Vertical viewing angles are only average as the screen begins to wash out from above and colors begin to invert from below after about 45 degrees in either direction.

HP generally impresses our editorial staff with the quality of the speakers used in their notebooks. Unfortunately, this isn't the case with the ProBook line. The speakers in the 5310m are good enough for watching a webcast or hearing system sounds, but the built-in speakers sound tinny and lack a good range of highs, middles, and lows. The highest volume settings are loud enough to fill an office with sound for a presentation, but the audio sounds distorted at the highest volumes.

The combo headphone/microphone jack on the 5310m works well with the two different brands of earphones I used during the test. No static or other noise was noticed through the jack besides imperfections in the audio source itself.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The full-size keyboard on the 5310m is a chiclet style design and provides fantastic spacing between keys for typing. Each key is relatively flat with a nice matte texture and the keys sit above a glossy black support frame. The support frame surrounding the keys is quite firm thanks to the design of the chassis which adds additional support for the keyboard. On the larger ProBook 4510s and 4710s we noticed some flex in the keyboard above the optical drive, but the keyboard on the 5310m is quite firm and a joy to use.
The individual key presses are quiet without loud clicking sounds as you type. The depth of each key press is excellent, though some people may dislike the flat, chiclet-style keys. Overall the keyboard layout is extremely nice for a budget 13-inch laptop.
The touchpad is very responsive to my touch with a scroll zone on the right side that works exactly as it should. The glossy touchpad texture is okay, but the low-cost material used is sure to develop wear over time and use. The plastic touchpad buttons are about the right size and have the correct amount of depth or throw when pressed. We would have also liked to see a dedicated touchpad disable button (like the ones HP uses on their consumer notebooks) so that you can disable the touchpad if you're using an external mouse ... but that's a minor complaint for what is otherwise a great keyboard and touchpad.
Ports and Features
The 5310m features a good number of ports on all sides, despite the lack of an optical drive, so let us take a brief tour ...

Left side: Here we see the power jack, heat vent, one USB 2.0 port, DisplayPort and Ethernet jack.

Right side: Heat vent, memory card reader, combo audio jack, two USB 2.0 ports, and Kensington Lock slot.

Rear side: The battery and hinges.

Front side: Nothing here but a status light and more heat vents..

ASUS EEE PC 1201N AND 1201HA SPECS LEAKED

2009-11-13T00:14:00.000-08:00

ASUS EEE PC 1201N AND 1201HA SPECS LEAKED

Asus has been working on its 12 inch notebooks the Asus Eee PC 1201N and 1201HA for a while. The company is yet to announce these products but they are definitely in the pipeline. Detailed specifications of both notebooks have leaked and showed up on some websites.

Asus Eee PC 1201N
Display: 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N330 dual core
Graphics: NVIDIA ION (GeForce 9400M)
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 3GB DDR2
Storage: 320GB HDD + 500GB web-based storage

Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth and Ethernet. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, VGA, SD card slot, headphone, microphone jacks and a 0.3 mp webcam.

The touchpad supports multitouch gestures. The machine weighs 3.1 pounds. The six cell battery is expected to give up to 8 hours of battery life. The notebook is available in three colors – black, blue and red.

Asus Eee PC 1201HA
Display: 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor: 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520
Graphics: Intel US15W / GMA 500 graphics
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 2GB DDR2
Storage: 250GB HDD + 500GB web-based storage

Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth and Ethernet. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports, VGA, SD card slot, headphones, mic and 0.3MP webcam.

The touchpad supports multitouch gestures. The 1201HA is available in three colors – black, blue and red. It weighs 3.1 pounds with the 6-cell battery.

ASUS LAUNCHES CULV BASED THIN AND LIGHT LAPTOPS

2009-11-13T00:11:00.000-08:00

ASUS LAUNCHES CULV BASED THIN AND LIGHT LAPTOPS
Asus has rolled out a new line of thin and light laptops powered by Intel CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Volatage) processors. The series includes the 13 inch UL30A and 12 inch UL20A.

The Asus UL20A is the cheapest in the series. It is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with 2GB of RAM. Other specifications include a 12.1 inch display with 1366x768 pixels and 250GB of hard disk drive. Right now the UL20A comes pre-installed with the Windows Vista Home Premium. Asus also provides a free upgrade coupon to Windows 7. Prices start at $599.

The Asus UL30A starts at $799. It has a 13.3 inch display. Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed. The standard storage option is a 500GB hard drive.

EEE PC 1002N: THE FIRST ASUS NETBOOK TO RUN ON WINDOWS 7

2009-11-13T00:07:00.000-08:00

EEE PC 1002N: THE FIRST ASUS NETBOOK TO RUN ON WINDOWS 7

It has now been confirmed that the first Asus model to run on the Windows 7 platform will be Eee PC 1002n. We have been hearing about this device for sometime, but now its specs are clear too. Asus has not yet announced an official release date, but it is expected soon.

The Asus Eee PC 1002n isn’t your average netbook. It comes with 2GB of RAM and has better specifications than most netbooks. For instance, it has a 12-inch screen, Nvidia Ion based GPU and Windows 7 OS. The processor is the same old Intel Atom.

ASUS G51VX NOTEBOOK REVIEW

2009-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

ASUS G51VX NOTEBOOK REVIEW
An update to the previous G50 line of notebooks, the Asus G51VX is largely aimed at gamers. Prices start at $1049.

Specifications:
Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 (2GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
Display: 15.6" TFT Widescreen display with LED backlighting (1366x768)
Memory: 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz System Memory
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M 1GB GDDR3 Memory
Hard Disk Drive: 320GB 7200RPM SATA Seagate Momentus Hard Drive
Weight: 7.3 lbs

Build and Design
Build quality is satisfactory. The machine is strong in all the right places and looks and feels solid. Design is a bit understated. Just about every component of this laptop can be upgraded, but you cannot change the processor or GPU without voiding the one-year warranty.

Screen and Speakers
The G51VX has an LED backlit display with 1366x768 pixels. The screen is bright enough to become viewable in a bright office setting. Viewing angles are good, but color saturation is still very poor. The panel itself is mediocre. Speaker quality is average; the speaker placement doesn’t improve the situation either.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The chiclet-style keyboard comes with an adjustable backlight feature. The keyboard does show a decent amount of flex, but it is comfortable to type on. You will also get used to it in no time. The touchpad is good. It shows good sensitivity; the buttons also feel right.

Performance
The G51VX comes with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor. While this processor is good for getting most tasks done, it seems to have difficulty handling some new games. The 320GB Seagate hard disk spinning at 7200 rpm considerably improves the performance of this notebook.

Ports and Features
Port selection seems adequate but some users may find their placement a bit odd. There is a VGA port, 4 USB ports, FireWire port, eSATA port, HDMI port, ExpressCard 54 slot, Ethernet port, headphone jack, microphone jack, a DVD+/-RW optical drive and media reader. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel integrated webcam and WiFI 5100 (a/b/g/n).

Battery
It seems that the G51VX isn’t built to be off the mains. At about 2 hours, the battery life is pretty average. But this is hardly surprising given the power hungry graphics and 7200rpm hard disk.

Heat and Noise
The cooling system of this laptop is somewhat poorly designed. The machine tends to heat up during heavy gaming, so you can’t keep it on your lap for long. Fortunately the heat doesn’t radiate too badly off the top surface of the laptop. Heat problems can be solved to a great extent by buying a cooling pad.

Conclusion
The best thing about this gaming notebook is indeed its accessible price point which starts at $1049. Performance is strictly OK. The GeForce GTX 260M GPU can handle most modern games, but the processor performance seems lacking in some aspects. If you can live this, you must definitely consider buying G51VX.

Pros:
Faster GPU
7200rpm hard disk
Backlit keyboard
Good port selection

Cons:
Tends to heat up
Poor battery life
Average processor performance

ASUS UL30 REVIEW

2009-11-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

ASUS UL30 REVIEW

The Asus UL30 is a thin and light 13.3 inch notebook powered by Intel’s Core 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage processor. One of the great features of this notebook is its battery life.

The UL30 comes with a brushed aluminum lid. It is sturdy with good build quality.

ASUS UL30A-A1 Specifications:
Specifications: Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 (1.3GHz, 3MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
Operating system: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (w/ SP1)
Display: 13.3-inch glossy LED-backlit 16:9 display (1366x768)
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Memory: 4GB DDR3 800MHz RAM (2GB x 2)
Storage: 500GB Seagate 5400.6 HDD

Price as configured: $799

Build and Design
The Asus UL30A-A1 has sleek looks. The design will appeal to both the average consumer and the business professional alike.

Build quality is good: the notebook looks and feels pretty solid. The aluminum lid protects the display from any color distortion. The keyboard is equally strong: it shows no flex at all and the screen hinges hold the display firmly in its place. There are two panels on the bottom that provide access to the RAM and Hard drive.

Screen and Speakers
The 13.3 inch LED backlit WXGA display comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display shows good color saturation and contrast. The backlighting is even. But viewing angles are still average.

Speaker performance is lack-lustre. Headphones are a must if you want to listen to music on this notebook.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard features a Chiclet-style. It is very comfortable to type on. The palmrest also appears to be perfectly sized. The touchpad is an ELAN model. It offers limited multi-touch capabilities which include two-finger scrolling. The touchpad works well showing no discernible lag.

Ports and Features
Port selection is satisfactory. There are three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and VGA out. There is also a spring-loaded flush-mount SD card slot. Other features include LAN and audio in/out, Atheros AR9285G/N WiFi and 10/100 Ethernet.

Performance
Asus ships the notebook with some bloatware. Just remove them and you will see remarkable improvement in the system performance. Boot and shutdown times are good. The system has no difficulty handling 720P or 1080P HD video. 3D gaming is still very much out of question. For everyday uses like word processing, internet surfing and streaming HD video, the UL30 has more than enough power under its hood.

Heat and Noise
Heat and noise levels are within normal limits.

Battery Life
The UL30 has a gigantic 84Wh 8-cell battery. At around 10 hours, the battery life is quite impressive, but it does fall short of Asus’ claims of 12 hours.

Conclusion
The Asus UL30A-A1 is a good 13 inch thin and light notebook delivering competent performance. It has an attractive design. An excellent choice for users who are looking for a lightweight machine with good battery life.

Pros:
Great battery life
Good build quality
Satisfactory performance
Good keyboard

Cons:
Poor viewing angles
The AC adapter tends to heat up

ASUS UNVEILES EEE TOP ET2002T AND ET2203T NETTOPS

2009-11-12T23:52:00.000-08:00

ASUS UNVEILES EEE TOP ET2002T AND ET2203T NETTOPS
Asus plans to roll out two nettops for the UK market. Dubbed Eee Top ET2002T and ET2203T, the devices are expected to hit the UK market by the end of October. They will come pre-installed with Windows 7.

The ET2002T is powered by an Intel Atom dual-core 330 1.60GHz processor with Nvidia’s Ion platform. It is equipped with a 20-inch touchscreen display. Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed. The maximum storage capacity is 320GB. Other features include a DVD burner. Prices start at £559.

The ET2203T can be configured with a Core 2 Duo processor. It comes with a 21.6 inch larger touchscreen display. Other features include 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard disk and ATI Radeon HD 4570 512MB discrete GPU. Optional features include Blu-ray drive. Prices start at £819.

Other features common to both notebooks include Asus Top Media Centre App, gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi b/g/n and webcam.

ASUS ANNOUNCES UL30, UL50AG AND UL50VG CULV NOTEBOOKS

2009-11-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

ASUS ANNOUNCES UL30, UL50AG AND UL50VG CULV NOTEBOOKS
The newly announced Asus UL30, UL50AG and UL50VG will run on CULV processors. Besides being power efficient the new laptops feature a thin design and promises to deliver up to 12 hours of battery life.

Design
The chassis is built of brushed aluminum which lends the laptops an aura of elegance while at the same time keeping the design thin. While the UL30 has a 13.3 inch display, the other two notebooks – the UL50AG and UL50VG – come with 15.6 inch displays.

Specifications
The laptops will be powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 1.40GHz processor with 500GB hard disk. The UL50VG will come with a switchable discrete graphics GPU. Another power efficient feature is the Turbo Boost option which improves the performance of the laptops by 33%.

The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. Other features include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi b/g/n, webcam and Altec Lansing Speakers with SRS surround sound.

Pricing and Availability
The laptops will hit the UK market on October 22 with Windows 7. Prices start from £599 for UL30, £699 for UL50AG and £799 for UL50VG.

ASUS ANNOUNCES LOW COST NETBOOK

2009-11-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

ASUS ANNOUNCES LOW COST NETBOOK

Asus has released a new low cost netbook – the Asus Eee PC 1000HT. It is currently available in Japan for about $421. The new netbook doesn’t have any remarkable features. In looks it is similar to the Eee PC 1000H. But unlike the 1000H, the 1000HT doesn’t have Bluetooth or WiFi 802.11n. On the plus side Asus claims that the Eee PC 1000HT will offer up to 6.4 hours of battery life which is better than the 4-5 hours offered by Eee PC 1000H.

Specifications
Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270
Display: 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 160GB HDD
Operating system: Windows XP Home

Connectivity options are Ethernet and 802.11b/g WiFi. Other features include 3 USB 2.0 ports, Microphone, Headphone, SDHC card slot and VGA. The 6 cell battery is expected to give 6.4 hours of up time.

ASUS INTRODUCES CORE i7 POWERED M60J NOTEBOOK

2009-11-12T23:44:00.000-08:00

ASUS INTRODUCES CORE i7 POWERED M60J NOTEBOOK
Asus has introduced yet another notebook powered by Intel’s new Core i7 processor. Dubbed M60J, it is equipped with a 16 inch display and NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M GPU with 1GB of video memory.

The Asus M60J can be configured with either an Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz or 820QM 1.73GHz Processor. The dual hard drives provide up to 1 TB of storage. Up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM can be installed. The 16 inch display features 1366x768 pixels.
The notebook also features the AI TouchMedia feature which is a one-touch multimedia center. Other notable features include WiFi 802.11n, 2 megapixel web camera, a fingerprint reader, an ExpressCard slot, an eSATA port, 4 USB ports, HDMI, VGA outputs and 4-in-1 media card reader. The machine weighs 3.3kg with the 6-cell battery.

Pricing and Availability
There is no information regarding pricing or availability.

ASUS TO LAUNCH A SMARTBOOK IN 2010

2009-11-12T23:42:00.001-08:00

ASUS TO LAUNCH A SMARTBOOK IN 2010
Asus plans to launch a smartbook during the first quarter of 2010. The company has not yet released further details, but smartbooks are 3G enabled highly portable laptops running on ARM-based processors. They are highly power efficient as ARM processors consume much less power than Intel or AMD processors found on typical netbooks and notebooks.

Asus says the new device will cost around $184. It is not yet known whether it would run on Linux, Windows CE or Google Android.

Asus had recently tested a prototype device on Google Android. The prototype had a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with WiFi, integrated GPS, 3G and graphics capabilities. It is still too early to predict whether the proposed smartbook will have similar specifications.

ASUS T91MT NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

2009-11-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

ASUS T91MT NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
Asus plans to roll out an updated version of its Eee PC T91 touchscreen convertible netbook. Like the previous version, the new model is also powered by a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor. Though it ships with 1GB of RAM, it is upgradable to 2GB.

The new Eee PC T91MT runs on Windows 7 Home Premium. It has an 8.9 inch touch screen display that supports multi-touch gestures. The display can be folded down over the keyboard to use the device in the tablet mode. Another update over the previous version is the SSD which is now available in 32GB capacity. Asus also offers 500GB of free online storage.

The Asus Eee PC T91MT is now available for pre-order from Amazon for $549. The netbook has a non-removable battery which is expected to give up to 5 hours of run time. Other features include Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and up to 2GB of RAM.

ASUS INTRODUCES 3D NOTEBOOKS

2009-11-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

ASUS INTRODUCES 3D NOTEBOOKS
Asus has introduced two laptops with 3D displays – the G51J3D and the G72GX. The G51J3D is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce 160M graphics processor. It has a 15.6 inch display.

The G72GX is bigger with its 17.3 inch display. Its specifications have not yet been disclosed.

The Asus 3D notebooks are different from 3D notebooks released by Acer. Asus claims that the special glasses it uses on its 3D notebooks allows for better viewing of 1080p HD video playback. The glasses also provide better viewing angles.

Pricing and Availability
The G51J3D is expected to be released in December and the G72GX in the second quarter of 2010. No information regarding pricing is available as yet.

ASUS EEE PC T91MT TABLET NOW SHIPPING

2009-11-12T23:36:00.000-08:00

ASUS EEE PC T91MT TABLET NOW SHIPPING
The Asus Eee PC T91MT is an updated version of the Eee PC T91. The new version offers multi-touch functionality and runs on Windows 7 Home Premium. The notebook started shipping this weekend.

Detailed specifications of the notebook are as follows:
Processor: 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 Processor
Memory: 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 1 Slot, 2GB Max
Storage: 32GB Solid State Drive + 500GB Free Eee Storage
Display: 8.9-Inch Touch LED backlit LCD Display
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium (32 bit) Operating System

The Asus Eee PC T91MT is probably the lightest and thinnest touch notebook in the world. It can be used both as a notebook and as a tablet. The touch-screen offers multi-touch functionality making it possible to navigate applications with the touch of a finger. And with the included stylus it is easy to jot down notes on the touch screen. The machine runs on an energy efficient Z520 processor and is expected to last for 5 hours. The 32GB Solid State Drive is shock resistant. Asus also provides 500GB of online storage.

Other notable features include the Asus Super Hybrid Engine and the Touch Gate software which makes navigating around the web and folders easy.

ASUS EEE PC T91MT GETS A SPECS BUMP

2009-11-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

ASUS EEE PC T91MT GETS A SPECS BUMP
The new multitouch version of the Asus Eee PC T91MT is now available for purchase. The T91MT is a convertible tablet PC with an 8.9 inch touchscreen display. It can be used either in tablet or laptop mode. The new version is better than the previous version in many aspects:

The new T91MT supports multi-touch gestures. The Solid State Drive is now available in 32GB capacity as against the 16GB drive that came with the previous version. The new model comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. The previous model had Windows XP.

Asus has also updated the computer’s Touch Gate software. The new version of the software supports gestures such as pinching to zoom in the photo application.

REVIEW: THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO

2009-11-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

REVIEW: THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO

The Apple MacBook Pro - the collective mind is conditioned to perceive the combination of optimum functionality with sleek and stylish packaging as an improbability when it comes to portable computers and laptop PCs. Add to an intuitive modern piece of portable artistry a graphical user interface with unparalleled visual features, and the improbability turns into a straight up impossibility for most laptop enthusiasts within the portable computing populace. But this is the exact point in the technological spectrum of the world that the Apple MacBook Pro breaks barriers and stuns the world as yet another visual and technical portable masterpiece from Apple.

Bundled with the latest technology when it comes to processing power, the Apple MacBook Pro gives justice to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor when it comes to a sleek combination of functionality and style. The Intel Core 2 Duo is a processing chip that packs twice the punch you could get from a single core processor. This tiny chip can provide the Apple MacBook Pro users of the world more than 2.4GHz of processing power bundled with L2 cache features necessary to share the power between the Intel Cores whenever necessary together with 4MB of Smart Cache functionality.

Built for the purpose of graphical 3D and 2D viewing amongst its many uses, the Apple MacBook Pro can also act as a complete portable tool for your online and offline video viewing and editing needs. In addition, the Apple MacBook Pro can also provide you with a means to access state-of-the-art music viewing and editing functions while on the road that can only be found in a laptop Mac. After all, with the Apple MacBook Pro's support for 250GB digital data storage disks together with an 800MHz front-side bus compatibility feature that allows faster data processing, the Apple MacBook Pro's DDR2 memory features worth a blazing 667MHz of up to 4GB physical RAM can be seen as icing on a portable piece of modern laptop ingenuity that can only be the Apple MacBook Pro.

With the steady rise of 3d computer video games when it comes to overall visual quality and functionality, the Apple MacBook Pro assures that it will not be left behind with all the modern visual treats by incorporating the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics controller on the core of the Apple MacBook Pro's graphical processing capabilities. With an option to enjoy downright larger than 15-inch visual quality through the Apple MacBook Pro versions that come with a power-efficient and mercury-free 17-inch display optionally packed with 1920-by-1200 pixel display features, all you would get is prime visual entertainment and functionality at its finest while on the road. Being packaged in a stylish casing that measures an inch thin and weighs 5.4 to 6.8 lbs., the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi device is built into the connectivity core of the Apple MacBook Pro laptop in order to serve its purpose as the final touches on the Apple MacBook Pro when it comes to wire-free online connectivity.

FASTEST WINDOWS VISTA LAPTOP

2009-11-07T22:40:00.000-08:00

FASTEST WINDOWS VISTA LAPTOP
Apple has made a laptop which does not only impress me this laptop is also the fastest windows vista laptop on the market present the 17-inch MacBook Pro.

This laptop got a wonderful and luxury design, with a backlit keyboard and a slot-fed DVD drive. This MacBook Pro offers an amazing performance equipped with a 2,4 GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, 4GB Ram, 160 GB hard disk and the new Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT. All these parts got a stunning performance and other high end laptops like the latest from Dell and Toshiba will have no chance of comparing with it. When this Laptop got tested it outran it competitors very easy even though the laptops it was up against like Dell and Toshiba are tuned to run Vista (something MacBook Pro is not) they didn’t stand and chance.

When Farcry got tested on the MacBook Pro it ran on 141 FPS and at world bench 6 beta 2 it got a score of 88 points which is really good. I also have to mention that MacBook Pro is also the lightest 17-inch notebook available right now, and its just 1 inch thick. This laptop got it all a tasty design, impressive performance and you just get a good feeling when you use it.

The laptop only got three USB ports and no memory card which is something we miss. The battery life also disappoints me, only 2 hours and 45 minutes but I guess you can get everything perfect. On the other hand it got blue tooth and 802,11n Wi-Fi which is very useful these days.

However the MacBook Pro work like the wind with an amazing performance and a stylish design, wouldn't it be the perfect time to switch for a Mac?

APPLE MACBOOK PRO REVIEW - 17-INCH 2.4 GHZ

2009-11-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

APPLE MACBOOK PRO REVIEW - 17-INCH 2.4 GHZ

Introduction
This is a fine laptop with a backlit keyboard, a slot-fed DVD drive and a high quality 17-inch screen. This machine is also available to run Windows Vista very well and could almost be the ultimate notebook of 2007.

Design
This laptop is simply 1 inch thick and weight only 6.6 pounds. This is very good for a 17-inch laptop actually it is the lightest 17-inch laptop available at the market. However you will only get three USB ports and the laptop offers no memory card slots. This laptop also comes with an ExpressCard/34 instead of the better ExpressCard/54 slot and the battery life is poor, it only lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes. However you will also get good features like two FireWire ports, Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a very good design.

Performance
The design on the Apple MacBook Pro is very good and it’s the best laptop for Windows Vista. This laptop even runs Windows Vista better then the best laptops from Dell, HP Toshiba and the rest of the famous brands. The funny thing is that this is a MacBook and it is not even optimized for Windows Vista. Equipped with a 2.4-GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, the maximum 4GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and nVidia's GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, the machine did excellent at benchmarks and game tests. In Far Cry we got an average 141 average FPS and on WorldBench 6 beta 2 we got a score of 88 points which beats all the other competitors.

Overall
The MacBook Pro really shows an amazing performance and is well suited to be one of the best laptops of 2007. It is the lightest and fastest 17-inch laptop to run Windows Vista. This laptop can be used by the hardcore gamer, the student or the average man.
With MacBook Pro you get everything in one high quality package.

Pros
+ Very light
+ Excellent performance
+ Overall high quality

Cons
- Only 3 USB ports
- Uses a ExpressCard/34 and not ExpressCard/54

APPLE MACBOOK BLACK ( SANTA ROSA ) REVIEW

2009-11-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

APPLE MACBOOK BLACK ( SANTA ROSA ) REVIEW

A magnificent combination, that of Apple's Leopard OS, attractive design and Intel's power platform, Santa Rosa, this notebook has attracted our interest. Is it worth the attention? Lets check it out.

Design
Superb design, the words escape me even before I can detail you with it. Covered in a full black cloak,with only 1” thickness and weighing a little over 2 kgs, this is the most portable notebook I have come across recently. The product has 2 USB ports, 1 Firewire, and Bluetooth 2.0, and WiFi of course. The absence of memory-card slots and Express-slots is a drawback though. A 13.3” screen resides under its hood, which is good in presenting color contrasts and quality, and supports a large range of viewing angles. A 1.3MP webcam, which is integrated into the laptop, makes a good option for video conferencing. The keyboard layout is trademark Apple style, very ergonomically designed and a boon for touch-typists.

Performance
The laptop comes with a 2/2.2 Ghz Intel Core-2-Duo processor, 1 GB RAM, 80/120/160GB of storage space and a combo-drive/DVD-writer depending on the model. The notebook scored a decent score of 3527 in PCMark 05 which can be labeled as good for the notebooks of this category. Multi-tasking sessions did not see a problem at all, owing to the ample memory, storage and good processor power. However, its performance in the visual department was not very encouraging. It scored a meagre 1752 3DMarks, which can be blamed on to the old generation Intel onboard graphics processor. The battery performance is excellent for the notebooks of this category, with the machine lasting nearly 4 and a half hours on near-full load.

Conclusion
The laptop has its share of good and bad, but the good triumphs over the bad. Artistic design, good performance, flawless Leopard OS make this as a viable option, even for those who are planning to shift to Mac from PC, but are reluctant due to the learning curve involved.

Pros
+ Great design
+ Good performance
+ Great battery backup

Cons
- Poor graphics performance
- Not enough USB, card reader slots

MAC BOOK MB 881 LL/ A QUICK REVIEW

2009-11-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

MAC BOOK MB 881 LL/ A QUICK REVIEW
One of the latest product offering from the Apple’s laptops stable, this white piece; is a true example of apples’ technological advancement. This sleek and light stylish notebook offers multiple user options to its users; making it a must have product especially for users who are constantly on the move.

The Intel Core 2 Duo processor in Mac Book MB 881 LL/ A ensures that the user does not face any problem while opening multiple applications simultaneously. The laptop comes with standard preloaded Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system. The use of this operating system ensures that the user enjoys a hassle free navigation, a clutter free desktop and most importantly it’s easy to use back up options.

As a part of the standard accessories comes the ‘Magsafe’ power adaptor. The innovative adaptor works on the technology of a magnetic connection rather than a physical connection when used. It also has an inbuilt web camera, also known as the ‘iSight’. One can use the advanced features of the ‘iSight’ for easy and effective video conferencing tasks. It has a very easy to use and functional track pad, which can be operated with the help of a couple of fingers.

The system runs on Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which offers improved connectivity, fast processing speed and an exceptional extended battery life. It’s built in wireless connectivity system, churns out 5 times more speed for improved connectivity solutions for the users. The 13.3’ display screen, provides immaculate crisp images for the viewers providing best in class experience. It also uses a graphic processor, which helps it in utilizing space in a much improved and effective way under its hood.

It has a 120 GB hard drive, enabling the user to store loads of data on the system without worrying about the space constraints. Apart from these the Mac book has standard hardware features of 24x combo DVD ROM/ CD –RW drive giving multiple usability options to the users.

This thin multi utility machine weigh just over 5 pounds and is only 1.08’ thin, making it very comfortable and easy to maneuver and carry around. It has a unique polycarbonate outer case, which makes it more combative to rough handling and use without the worry of getting damaged. It presents a very unique and user friendly key board design to the users giving an unparalleled experience.

Price: Approx. $1500

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 17-INCH REVIEW

2009-11-07T22:24:00.000-08:00

The Macbook Pro has long defined itself as the premier notebook in style features and performance. And while it has not been one of the cheapest notebooks, it still gets high praise for its keen adherence to design and performance.

Design & Performance

The design of the new Unibody MacBook Pro is one more of refinement then innovation.

For starters the system is now housed in a shell made from a single sheet of aluminum (hence the name unibody). According to Apple this allows the system to be more environmental friendly (a big issue with Apple these days) as well as providing easier access to parts and components.

The screen has now been embellished with a new edge to edge glass screen which results in significant glare in highly lit rooms. Ironically Apple offers an anti-glare option for a cool $50. (yeah we know). Clearly Apple is aiming this laptop at photographers and graphics designers as it touts the high color gamet of the screen (something regular users would not be interested in).

The keyboard has also been reworked and has been given the spaced click-it keyboard that has been in the MacBook 13-inch for years. We have noticed that while they look the same, the feel is above average for the MacBook Pro and feels a lot more refined.

The touch pad has also been reworked. In all the single button has been removed and instead has been replaced with a multi-touch pad that can accept one, two and four finger gestures. The whole thing has been turned into a giant click pad which does get some getting used to but is totally worth it.

You've probably heard about the integrated battery. This has been our major problem with the new system. Although it does perform nicely (and lasts for 1000 charges according to Apple) it still falls short for those who would be tempted to use this computer for more then six hours without charging it or an extended battery.

In terms of specs: the system can take up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM (equivalent to 16GB of DDR2), up to 500GB HDD and or 128GB SSD, NVIDIA integrated and discrete graphics as well as 3 USB ports Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n.

We just wish Apple would have given a little thought to putting a card reader into the thing and a Blu-Ray option.

Performance
Performance was a little disappointing to us. Mainly because we had tested the MacBook Pro 15-inch and was expecting a little more for $3400.

Although the system did not disappoint performance wise, it was not a great step up from the 15-inch model.

As we said before, this system is mainly intended for those who want a 15-inch system with a little more screen real estate.

The system was able to do basic tasks such as word processing and web surfing just as good as the MacBook but totally blew it away when it comes to graphic performance.

We'll just note that this is not a gaming system so if you're looking to play Crysis or COD4 you should probably look else ware. But it can handle most mid range games with decent graphics.

The SSD option really boosts hard drive performance and if you have the money its something you should invest in.
Conclusion
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro is a prize winner (just not in price), and if you have the dough you will not be disappointed. However we cannot justify the premium price for such a little upgrade over the 15-inch model. But if you want the best of the best, then this is your call.

RUMORS CLAIM THE ARRIVAL OF A $700 MACBOOK

2009-11-07T22:20:00.000-08:00

RUMORS CLAIM THE ARRIVAL OF A $700 MACBOOK
Rumours of a less expensive MacBook have started doing the rounds. Some stories published by AppleInsider two weeks ago stated that Apple plans to revamp the design and specs of its 13 inch white MacBook.

The 13 inch white MacBook currently sells for $999. It is the only model remaining in this line. In June this year, Apple moved its two unibody MacBooks into the MacBook Pro lineup. The MacBook Pros have a starting price of $1,199. If Apple does release a MacBook with a price tag of $700, it will be able to claim its share in the netbook market.

The Original MacBook carried a price tag of $1,049. It was equipped with a 1.83 GHz Core Duo Intel processor, 512GB of RAM and a 60GB hard drive.

MACBOOK GETS UNIBODY CHASSIS

2009-11-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

MACBOOK GETS UNIBODY CHASSIS

Apple has finally equipped its MacBook with a unibody chassis, although it is still made of plastic. Other features of the device have also been upgraded.

The new and improved MacBook has a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 250GB hard disk drive and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics. RAM is upgradable to 4GB. Another nice feature is the new glass multi-touch keypad. The 13 inch glossy LED-backlit display has 1280x800 pixels.

The connectivity options include a Mini DisplayPort, WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth and 2 USB ports. The audio in/out port supports both optical digital out and analog in/out. The built-in battery is expected to give up to 7 hours of up time.

Pricing and availability
The new MacBook is now available for purchase for $999.

ALIENWARE AREA-51 M5790 REVIEW

2009-11-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

ALIENWARE AREA-51 M5790 REVIEW

Desktop Replacement Notebook from Alienware, this one is an economical option for a Gaming notebook, and is at an initial price of $1,200.

Design
The notebook has been given a deep glossy look, and a shiny silvery finish. There is the Alienware logo along with the alien head on the top, which glows blue when the laptop is on. They keyboard is a nice full size, a must for every gamer out there. There are additional keys above the keyboard which have various functions like the Power ON. The screen is a WUXGA, 17” and it offers great color reproduction and quality. Presenting a vibrant and clean feel, it can support a maximum resolution of 1920x1200. The screen has a great viewing angle and absolutely no problem was faced while viewing it from different locations. The adapter port and one USB port reside on the left and Firewire , 3 USB and Ethernet port on right. A DVI port has also been provided at the back of the laptop, which has an advantage over the traditional VGA.

Performance
The laptop has an Intel Core-2-Duo T5600 processor, 1GB RAM and 256MB ATI Radeon Mobile x1800. The laptop performs well and you can carry out a fair amount of tasks simultaneously, without any lag or slowdown. It scored a 4,411 in PCMark 05 and 2,625 in 3DMark 06, which is an average score for a gaming notebook. The notebook could play latest games at medium settings easily, but faltered at higher settings. The sound system of the notebook deserves a special mention, because the speakers of very good quality and it also includes a sub-woofer at the bottom as well. The sound-card was a bit of a setback though, and I had a feeling, that the speakers could perform better had the card been better. The battery is a plain-jane, with lasting around 1 hr and 30 mins.

Conclusion
The performance is good but there is definite scope for improving it. The price is a definite plus for a notebook as powerful as this, and the features and configuration is justified by the price tag.

Pros
+ Good design
+ Good performance-price ratio
+ Superb screen viewing angle

Cons
- Poor battery life
- Sound card limits the speaker power.

ALIENWARE M17X REVIEW

2009-11-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

ALIENWARE M17X REVIEW
Alienware claims that its m17x is the fastest gaming notebook on the market. This monster is built mostly of aluminum and comes with a customizable lighting system.

Specifications of the laptop under review
Display: 17-inch WUXGA (1920x1200) edge-to-edge display
Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 (2.53GHz/12MB/1066MHz) quad-core processor (overclockable)
Graphics: Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1GB graphics cards in SLI/integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400M 256MB graphics card
Memory: 8GB DDR3-1333 RAM (2x 4GB)
Storage: 1TB RAID 0 (500GB 7200RPM x2) hard drive array
The base configuration can be bought for a modest $1,799. A fully decked up machine, on the other hand, will cost a lofty $4,649.

Build and Design
The Alienware M17x has a ‘stealth’ design. In looks and feel this machine is quite unique. It is constructed of high-quality aluminum so build quality is good. The M17x is available in 3 colors – Black, silver and red. While the aluminum offers good build quality, it isn’t without its share of disadvantages. All the metal used in the construction adds up to over 13 pounds. The m17x is actually one of the heaviest notebooks in the market.

A distinct feature of this notebook is its fully customizable LED lighting system called AlienFX which allows users to create lighting themes to suit every occasion. Another design element that needs to be mentioned is the screw-less design of this notebook – there are no visible screws on M17x.

Screen and Speakers
The edge to edge display is covered by a large piece of glass. The M17x is available in two resolutions - WXGA+ (1440x900) and WUXGA (1920x1200). The display has an aspect ratio of 16: 10.

The display is OK. It has dual lighting lamps, but it isn’t particularly bright or vivid. Horizontal viewing angles are good; vertical viewing angles are average. The backlighting isn’t very even because some areas appear brighter than others.
There are two full-range speakers beneath the palm rest. The speakers produce very good quality audio. The m17x comes with several audio output options including two headphone jacks, HDMI, and surround sound out.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The backlit keyboard is full-sized. It comes with a dedicated number pad. The keyboard is comfortable to use. The touchpad has a textured matte finish. It can be used with both dry and damp fingers. The touchpad is automatically switched off when you plug in an external mouse.

Ports and Features
There are two video output options. With HDMI you can connect to external HDTVs and with Display Port you can connect to monitors that support that feature.

Other features include VGA, Ethernet, 4x USB, e-SATA, IEEE 1394 mini Firewire, ExpressCard/54 slot, memory card reader, slot-loading Blu-ray drive, headphone, surround sound center speakers, surround sound rear speakers and microphone.
M17x runs on the Windows Vista 64-bit operating system. Alienware also offers free Windows 7 upgrade coupons.

Heat and Noise
A good cooling system is extremely essential for a gaming notebook. Alienware has done a good job in this regard. The heat and noise levels remain well within normal limits.

Battery
The M17x has a Stealth Mode feature which turns off the high performance GTX 280M GPU and turns on the integrated GeForce 9400M graphics card. At a little above 2 hours, the battery life is good for a gaming notebook of this size and capacity.

Conclusion
The M17x is an extremely good gaming notebook. It has a cool lighting system which enhances the gaming flavor of this notebook. Performance is good. The only downside of this notebook is its display which is subpar.

Pros:
Good build quality and design
Snappy gaming performance
Customizable AlienFX lighting system
Good cooling system

Cons:
Not-so-great screen
Pricey

ACER RECALLS FIVE ASPIRE SERIES LAPTOPS

2009-11-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

ACER RECALLS FIVE ASPIRE SERIES LAPTOPS

Acer has warned that some of its Aspire Series notebooks may be susceptible to overheating. The company has, therefore, decided to recall five models of its Aspire series notebooks.

Acer said that the affected models may experience overheating if you put too much pressure on the left palm rest. Extreme pressure on the left palm rest will cause the microphone cable to heat up. The problem will, in turn, result in the deformation of the unit and possible system failure. The increased temperature in the chassis may also cause other components to malfunction. The affected Aspire models are: Acer Aspire AS3410, AS3810T, AS3810TG, AS3810TZ and AS3810TZG.

You can determine whether your model is affected or not by filling out the form on Acer’s website. Acer will replace or repair the affected models free of cost.

ACER RELEASES ASPIRE ONE D250 WITH BOTH WINDOWS 7 AND ANDROID

2009-11-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

ACER RELEASES ASPIRE ONE D250 WITH BOTH WINDOWS 7 AND ANDROID

Acer has been talking about an Android + Windows 7 notebook for sometime. Now they have kind of assembled it. Actually Acer has released demo units of a new version of the Acer Aspire One D250 pre-installed with both Windows 7 and Google Android. You can decide which operating system you want at launch. The only problem is that you actually have to boot Android first. You may then choose the ‘Switch OS’ option to load Windows 7. A handful of tech news sites have managed to review the demo unit and their response is mixed.

Laptop Magazine said that even though Android boots really fast (30 seconds), the User Interface isn’t quite designed for laptops. Another problem, according to Pocket Lint, is the lack of keyboard shortcuts to support the Android features. You are left with no options but to navigate with a touchpad and the Esc button.

The device is expected to be available in the UK on October 22nd for £279.

ACER ASPIRE ONE AOA 150-1555 QUICK REVIEW

2009-11-07T21:43:00.000-08:00

ACER ASPIRE ONE AOA 150-1555 QUICK REVIEW

These days, being a student is hard work – there is so much to learn and so much information to absorb, and school is as demanding as ever. Students today have subjects about concepts and topics that did not even exist yet when their parents were students, and all this is largely due to the many technological advances that have taken place over the last few decades. Thankfully, the exponential developments in technology have lent itself to the advancement of the many tools that a student uses to survive academics, and personal computers are definitely one of the main technological advancements that have helped many a procrastinating college student survive cramming a Jane Austen book report, an English presentation, or an accounting and finance spreadsheet.

Enter the Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 – a student’s perfect companion to surviving the rigors and demands of today’s academic world. It’s lightweight, making it the perfect carry-anywhere computer companion for those constantly on the go. More importantly, it is also very affordable, cashing in at an amazing three hundred US dollars, making it ideal for the budget-conscious scholar.

Weighing in at barely over two pounds, the Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 is ultra light and portable, but it isn’t lightweight on the specifications – it boasts of a monitor that measures 8.9 inches, a hard drive that’s packed with 160 GB, and Intel’s new Atom processor. At the same time, the Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 isn’t all serious and boring – with a built-in webcam and wireless connectivity, students can go online to chat it up with classmates and friends or update their profiles on Facebook and MySpace and other social networking sites when taking a break from all the homework and research.

The Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 is also powered by a 3-cell lithium ion battery that allows the mini-notebook a considerable amount of battery life, perfect for a group meeting at a coffee shop or an hour-long presentation and panel interview for class.
As a laptop that’s affordable, ultra-portable and perfect for going online, the Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 is the perfect companion for a student, or even a business traveler who is constantly on the go. And with a price tag that will set you back a mere three hundred dollars, doting parents of students going off to college and living in a dorm will find the Acer Aspire One AOA150-1555 a perfect going away gift for their children who are off to fulfill their college dreams and graduation goals.

Price: Approx. $500

Acer Aspire One AOA 150-1555 Ratings:

Value for money

THE ACER AS5633 REVIEW

2009-11-07T21:40:00.000-08:00

THE ACER AS5633 REVIEW
With its 224 megabytes of graphic display, the Acer AS5633 is ideal for those users who want to play high-end graphics games and watch DVD movies on their laptops. What is more, it meets most of your computing needs.

The Acer AS5633 comes with an 80 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM and a 1.68 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. There is a large 15.4 inch TFT screen ideal for watching DVD movies. There are 4 USB slots, so you can plug-in many applications at the same time. The Acer AS5633 isn’t quite light. It weighs 2.89 kilograms.

Its sound system includes the Sound Blaster Pro sound component, the best among laptop sounds. So you can not only listen to mp3 quality music, but also watch DVD movies with great sound quality. The battery provides 2.5 hours of up time. And there is a wireless connection card inside with which you can connect your laptop wherever wireless internet connection is available.

Acer AS5633 is value for money. It comes with most features you look for in a laptop - be it the Windows Vista Operating System, DVD Super Multi-Dual Layer Drive or the extra hard drive space.

ACER TRAVELMATE 3201 XCI NOTEBOOK

2009-11-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

ACER TRAVELMATE 3201 XCI NOTEBOOK
The Acer TravelMate 3201XCi is a thin and light laptop specially made for mobile professionals. It is powered by the Intel Centrino MOBile Technology. And with optional Bluetooth, wired and wireless 802.11b/g LAN connectivity, an optional DVD burner, full dockability, IrDA Wireless Fast Infrared, USB Ports and a 3-in-1 card reader (MS/MMC/SD), the TravelMate 3201 packs enough power inside its chassis. With TravelMate 3201XCi, you will be able to connect to the internet in a variety of ways. The estimated battery life is 4 hours.

System configuration
The TravelMate 3201XCi runs on the Windows XP Pro. It uses the 1.5GHz Intel Pentium M Processor. RAM is 512 MB and hard drive capacity is 60 GB. The display is 14.1” TFT.

Pros:
Elegant design
Dedicated graphics system
eKey system

Cons:
No DVD burner

ACER ASPIRE ONE D250-1165 REVIEW

2009-11-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

ACER ASPIRE ONE D250-1165 REVIEW
The latest addition to the Acer Aspire One D250 netbooks is the highly affordable D250 – 1165 series. This series of netbooks comes with a small battery and no Bluetooth.

System Specifications
Operating System: Genuine Windows XP
Processor: Intel Atom N270 Processor 1.60GHz
Memory: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (533MHz)
Internal Storage: 160GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
Display: 10.1-inch diagonal WSVGA+ (1024x600)
Graphics: Intel GMA 950

Build and Design
Build quality is good. There three USB 2.0 ports, a 5-in-1 media card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, Ethernet port, and a standard VGA out port. The D250-1165 uses the Intel Atom processors. Over all performance is good. You can easily perform the daily activities like surfing, email, using MS office or listening to music on this netbook. The poor performance of the Intel Integrated Graphics make this netbook unsuitable for gamers. Battery life is reasobale at 3 hours.

Pros:

Highly affordable
Good build quality
Easy to Upgrade

Cons:

Poor battery life
Small keyboard and touchpad
Weak integrated graphics

ACER ANNOUNCES TIMELINE 8000 NOTEBOOKS

2009-11-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

ACER ANNOUNCES TIMELINE 8000 NOTEBOOKS

Acer will soon launch the Timeline 8000 Series of Laptops. The new Timeline series will have notebooks in the 13.3 inch, 14 inch and 15.6 inch display sizes. This line is aimed at businesses and consumer segment users and claims to offer up to eight hours of battery life. There is no information on pricing or availability as yet.

Acer's Timeline series are powered by Intel's low power processors. The 8000 series of notebooks will have the following configurations:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core 2 Solo Ultra Low Voltage Platform based processors
Memory: Up to 4GB for 32-bit Operating systems; up to 8GB for 64-bit operating systems
Storage capacity: 160GB or 500GB HDD/80GB Intel X25-M SSD
Graphics: Intel 4500MHD integrated chip or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics card.

All Timeline 8000 series laptops will have a multi touch trackpad. They will also support Draft-N wireless standard for better wireless Internet connectivity.

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ACER ASPIRE GEMSTONE SERIES

2009-11-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ACER ASPIRE GEMSTONE SERIES

The Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue series has two new additions – the 15.6 inch Acer Aspire AS5536 and 17.3 inch Acer Aspire AS7735Z.

Both models are aimed at entry level to mainstream laptop market. They offer DDR3 memory and enough power to handle HD media fluently. The new notebooks are available in an attractive sapphire design called Gemstone Blue. They have HD displays with 16:9 aspect ratio and with Dolby surround audio.

Specifications of AS5536
Processor: AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core QL-64 2.1 GHz
Memory: 3 GB DDR2 RAM
Display: 15.6" WXGA TFT Active Matrix
HDD: 320 GB Hard Disk
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics
Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium

Other features include 4 USB 2.0 ports, RJ-11 (modem), RJ-45 (NIC), HDMI, Bluetooth and multi-touch trackpad. Prices start at $479.99

Specifications of AS7735Z
Processor: Intel Pentium T4200 2.0GHz processor
Memory: 4GB of DDR3 RAM
HDD: 250GB
Display: 17.3" HD+ LED Backlit Display
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500MHD Graphics

Other features include an 8X DVD Super Multi Double-Layer Drive, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/Draft-N) and multi-gesture touchpad. Prices start at %599.

ACER ANNOUNCES NEW ASPIRE NOTEBOOK

2009-11-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

ACER ANNOUNCES NEW ASPIRE NOTEBOOK

Acer has announced the release of its new Aspire notebook – The Acer Aspire AS5739G. This is the newest addition to the Gemstone family of Acer laptops.

The AS5739G has a 15.6 inch display with an aspect ratio of 16:9. Its specifications are as follows.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 2.1GHz processor
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT130M 1GB discrete graphics card
HDD: 250GB
Display: 15.6 inch LED-backlit LCD display

Other features include wireless-N, Dolby Surround sound technology, DVD/optical drive, integrated fingerprint reader and multi-gesture touchpad.

Pricing and Availability
The notebook is now available in the retail market. Prices start at $749.

ACER LAUNCHES A FERRARI-BRANDED NETBOOK

2009-11-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

ACER LAUNCHES A FERRARI-BRANDED NETBOOK
Acer has announced a Ferrari-branded laptop – the Acer Ferrari One. Asus was the first to launch this trend with the production of a Lamborghini-branded notebook. But now one has got to agree that Acer is racing ahead of the pack.

The Acer Ferrari One is an 11.6 inch netbook. It is different from conventional netbooks. Firstly, it is powered by an AMD processor based on the newly released Congo platform. Secondly, it uses a discrete graphics card.

The dual-core AMD Athlon X2 L310 used on this netbook has a clock speed of 1.2GHz and 1MB cache. It uses the M780G chipset. For handling multimedia, there is an ATI Radeon 3200 GPU which is powerful enough to decode HD video.

ACER TO LAUNCH TWO THIN AND LIGHT NOTEBOOKS

2009-11-07T21:17:00.000-08:00

ACER TO LAUNCH TWO THIN AND LIGHT NOTEBOOKS
Acer will soon launch two thin-and-light notebooks – the Acer Aspire 3935 and the Gateway EC series. The products were unveiled at a recent press meet.

The Acer Aspire 3935 will have a 13.3 inch display with 1366x768 pixels. It will run on an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU with 4GB of RAM. Acer claims that the device will offer up to 8 hours of battery life. Other features include fingerprint scanner and WiMAX.

The Gateway EC series of notebooks will be equipped with 13.3 inch displays having an aspect ratio of 16:9. The standard storage option on these notebooks will be Solid State drives. Other features include HDMI output, optional 3G and Bluetooth.

No word on pricing is available as yet, but the Aspire 3935 is likely to be pricier than the Gateway EC series.

ACER TO LAUNCH GATEWAY LT20 AND GATEWAY LT30 NETBOOKS

2009-11-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

ACER TO LAUNCH GATEWAY LT20 AND GATEWAY LT30 NETBOOKS
Acer unveiled three netbooks at a recent press meet in New Jersey. The machines are dubbed Gateway LT20, Gateway LT30 and new Acer Aspire One.

The Gateway LT20 and the Gateway LT30 will probably differ only in screen sizes. While the LT20 has a 10.1 inch display, the LT30 will sport a 11.6 inch display. Both netbooks will have Bluetooth, WiFi, optional 3G and multitouch touchpad.

The new Acer Aspire One is equipped with an 11.6 inch display with 1366x768 pixels. It measures less than 1 inch in thickness and sports a larger keyboard. Sources claim that this device will run on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor with 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive. It is expected to start shipping by the end of April.

ACER ANNOUNCES ASPIRE 1820P WITH MULTI-TOUCH DISPLAY

2009-11-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

ACER ANNOUNCES ASPIRE 1820P WITH MULTI-TOUCH DISPLAY
Acer Has announced an equivalent to Gateway’s EC18T, the 11.6 inch convertible netbook. The move is hardly surprising as both companies are owned by Acer.

Much like the Gateway EC18T, the Acer Aspire 1820P will have an 11.6 inch display. It is expected to have similar hardware specifications as the Aspire 1810T. The only major difference between the two models will probably be the capacitive screen on 1820P. Apparently the 1820P supports multi-touch gestures.

The Aspire 1820P is slightly heavier than Aspire 1810T. Acer will ship the tablet with Windows 7.

Pricing and availability
The Aspire 1820P is expected to hit the markets by the end of this year. There is no word on pricing as yet.

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE TIMELINE AS1810TZ

2009-11-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE TIMELINE AS1810TZ

Acer has updated its Aspire 1410 a.k.a. 1810T. The new model called Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ is equipped with a dual core 1.3GHz Intel Core Two Duo SU7300 ULV processor. Unlike its predecessor, it is expected to be better at handling CPU-intensive tasks liking playing HD Flash video.

The SU7300 is still very much an ultra low voltage processor, and you can’t expect it to compete with high end processors found in expensive laptops. On the plus side the CULV processor helps keep the size and price of the laptop down while at the same time offering decent battery life. Acer claims that the new device will offer 6 to 8 hours of battery life. It will probably, but you always need to take these claims with a pinch of salt.

The Aspire AS1810TZ will run on Windows 7 Home Premium. The 11.6 inch display has 1366x768 pixels. Other features include Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet and built-in webcam. The notebook will be available in black, blue and brushed aluminum. Prices start at $550.

ACER ASPIRE REVO GETS SPECS BUMP

2009-11-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

ACER ASPIRE REVO GETS SPECS BUMP

The Acer Aspire Revo is famous for being one of the first nettops to feature a Nvidia Ion GPU and now Acer has made the device even better. Recently the Aspire Revo received another specs bump. The new Aspire Revo runs on Windows 7 with a dual core processor and full version of the Nvidia ION graphics. Previous versions featured Light Edition of ION. This version is now available for purchase in the US.

Detailed specifications of the Aspire Revo R3610-U9012 are as follows:
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom 330 dual core
Graphics: NVIDIA ION (full version, not ION LE)
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 160GB

Connectivity options are: 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Ethernet. Other features include HDMI, VGA, eSATA, 6 x USB 2.0, mic/headphone jacks. Prices start at $330.

ACER LAUNCHES PACKARD BELL BUTTERFLY TOUCH

2009-11-07T20:54:00.000-08:00

ACER LAUNCHES PACKARD BELL BUTTERFLY TOUCH
Acer has introduced another laptop identical to the just-launched Aspire Timeline 1810TZ under the Packard Bell name. The Aspire 1810TZ is a convertible tablet with an 11.6 inch touch screen display and a high capacity battery.

Like the 1810TZ, the Packard Bell Butterfly Touch has an 11.6 inch touch screen display with 1366x768 pixels and runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium. It reportedly has an 8 cell battery. Other specifications of both laptops are more or less the same. The Butterfly Touch is expected to be available in Europe for 599 Euros from October 22nd.

ACER'S ASPIRE D250

2009-11-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

ACER'S ASPIRE D250

Acer’s Aspire D250 that dual boots Windows 7 and Google Android is out and bloggers have posted videos of just how the device works. So if you are one among those scores of people wondering what the big deal is you may find this post helpful.

The D250 first boots into Android. It appears that there in no easy way of booting directly into Windows 7. On the plus side, Android boots really fast. It takes only a few seconds to load. The Android interface allows you can go online and perform basic activities. After booting Android you can also decide if you want to switch to Windows 7. Users who don’t want to boot Android every time they switch the PC on may want to suspend or hibernate it to be able to skip the ritual. They can also consider getting a Windows 7 installation CD and wiping Android off.

In case you decide that Android is enough to meet your needs, you can stay there. But you will still have to pay the Windows 7 license fee when you buy the laptop as Acer ships the notebook with both Android and Windows 7.

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE 5738DG 3D LAPTOP

2009-11-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE 5738DG 3D LAPTOP

Acer has unveiled a laptop supporting 3D vision. The Acer Aspire 5738DG, as it would be called, uses Nvidia’s 3D system hardware and glasses. And the included TriDef 3D screen has good refresh rate to make the 3D experience really smooth.

The 5738DG has a 15.6 inch display with 1366x768 native resolution. It is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.20GHz processor with up to 4GB of RAM. The standard storage option is a 320GB hard disk drive. There is a discrete graphics card in the form of an ATI Radeon HD 4750 with 512MB of dedicated memory. The machine will run on the Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating system. Other features include WiFi b/g/n, four USB 2.0 ports, multi-format card reader, webcam, Dolby optimized stereo speakers and a DVD burner.

The machine weighs 6.16lbs with the 6-cell battery. It is now available for purchase at the starting price of $799.99.

ACER UNVEILS CONVERTIBLE ASPIRE 1420P TABLET

2009-11-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Acer has unveiled a convertible tablet called Aspire 1420P. It has a flexible multi-touch display and runs on an Intel CULV processor.

The Aspire 1420P is based on the Intel GS45 chipset. It is powered by a Celeron processor. Up to 8 GB of DDR2 RAM can be installed. The storage option is a 320GB hard disk. The laptop has an 11.6 inch display with 1366x768 pixels and it supports 200-nits bright colors. The display is multi-touch enabled and accepts finger and pen input. For handling graphics, there is Intel GMA X4500MHD integrated chipset supporting HD video offloading. Other features include 3USB 2.0 ports, HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet, WWAN 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi b/g/n and Kensington lock.

The machine weighs 3.80lbs and comes with Windows 7 Operating System. The 5600mAH 6-cell battery is expected to give up to 8 hours of battery life. The machine is available in three colors – Diamond Black, Sapphire Blue and Ruby Red.

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE 8940 18.4 INCH NOTEBOOK

2009-11-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

ACER UNVEILS ASPIRE 8940 18.4 INCH NOTEBOOK

Acer has unveiled its Aspire 8940 notebook with an 18.4 inch display. It is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. The machine is equipped with a full 1080p screen resolution. Detailed specifications of the model are as follows:

Processor: Intel Core i7 Processor 720QM (1.60GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
Display: 18.4" Full HD Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit Display with 1920x1080 pixels
Memory: 4GB DDR3 Dual-Channel 1066MHz Memory
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M with 1GB dedicated DDR3 VRAM
Storage: 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Other notable features include Blu-ray reader/DVD SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive, digital media card reader, WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/b/g Draft N and integrated webcam. There are 5 USB 2.0 ports, 1 HDMI port and 1 eSATA port. There is a Dolby Home Theatre and Acer CineSurround Sound System with 5 built-in speakers to enhance the multimedia experience.

The Aspire 8940 will run on the Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating system. It is expected to be available this holiday season for around $1349.99.

Apple iBook 12-inch 1.2GHz

2009-11-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

Apple iBook 12-inch 1.2GHz

Apple Computers are known for their elegant design, innovation, and relative ease-of-use. But with those competencies, it comes at a cost. The cheapest PowerBook starts at $1,599 for the 12-inch model. While that may be steep to most consumers considering the aggressive lower price offerings from a PC laptop, Apple managed to stay competitive in the budget end with the iBook line.

+ Pros
Small, compact, and portable
Elegant design: case is solid and durable
Easy: very intuitive and simple to use
Great built-in features: CD-RW/DVD, Wi-Fi, USB, FireWire
Operates silently and runs cool
Long battery operating time
Good value: affordable

- Cons
Keyboard feels flimsy and cheap
Keyboard and touchpad button makes loud noise
Loud CD/DVD read access
Mediocre performance
Lacks DVI and PC Card slot (PCMCIA)
Lacks screen-spanning
Poor sound quality from built-in speakers
Small standard storage capacity
Short warranty

System Configurations:
iBook 12-inch
PowerBook 15-inch

OS
Mac OS X Panther 10.3.7
Mac OS X Panther 10.3.7

CPU
1.2GHz PowerPC G4
1.25GHz PowerPC G4

Bus
133 MHz
167 MHz

RAM
256MB DDR266
PC2700
512MB DDR333
PC2700

Hard Drive
Fujitsu 30GB 4200RPM
Hitachi 80GB 5400RPM

Video
ATI M-RADEON 9200 32MB
ATI M-RADEON 9600 64MB

Battery
50-watt Lithium-Ion
46-watt Lithium-ion

Apple MacBook 13-inch

2009-11-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

Apple MacBook 13-inch

The new 13-inch widescreen Apple MacBook is the powerful new value laptop, replacing the Apple iBook. Available in both white and black colors, the MacBook is Apple's first completely redesigned Intel-based laptop in the thin and light spectrum. Although this laptop is meant to be thin-and-light, weighing 5.2 pounds is relatively heavy for its size. But built to last, the MacBook is composed of a durable polycarbonate shell that provides a unique solid feel. The brightly lit, glossy widescreen display is breathtaking, and the keyboard is top notch in comfort and tactile feedback.

+ Pros
Stylish design
Fast processor
Can run Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows XP, and Linux natively
Competitively priced
MagSafe AC adaptor
Fantastic keyboard
Vibrant 13.3-inch Glossy widescreen
Built-in iSight camera
Excellent software package
Digital Audio-input

- Cons
Intel integrated graphics
Ships with only 512MB of RAM
Heavy for 13.3" widescreen
Runs warm

Configurations
Specifications MacBook 13-inch PowerBook G4
Processor
Intel Core Duo 2.0GHz
G4 1.67GHz
Bus
667MHz
167MHz
LCD 13.3-inch Widescreen Display 15.2-inch Widescreen Display
Hard Drive 80GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache SATA 100GB Seagate 7200RPM 8MB Cache
Memory
512MB DDR2 667 PC5300 SDRAM (1 x 512MB)
1.5GB DDR2 PC2-4200
Graphics
Intel GMA 950 integrated
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 128MB
Optical Drive SuperDrive SuperDrive
Weight 5.2 pounds
5.6 pounds
Operating System Mac OS X 10.4.5 Mac OS X 10.4.5
Battery
55-watt
50-watt

Apple MacBook Air

2009-11-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

Apple MacBook Air

Apple’s much anticipated and much talked about ultra-portable notebook computer has arrived and it’s definitely a looker. This incredibly razor-thin computer is quite possibly the sexiest little laptop to come around. Ever. With a height of just 0.76 inches at its thickest (0.16” at the tip), the MacBook Air is the thinnest notebook on the market. And with looks that Paris Hilton will certainly love, the MBA is going to attract attention wherever you tote this 3 lb. aluminum beauty around…even inside a manila folder!

+ Pros
Incredibly thin and light
Incredibly sexy
Multi-touch trackpad
Multi-finger scrolling for web browsing
Illuminated keyboard
Gorgeous widescreen screen
Impeccable build quality
- Cons
Incredibly expensive
External optical drive is an optional purchase
Only 1 USB port - doesn't fit all devices
No additional ports nor expandiblility
So-so battery life
So-so performance - slower than MacBook
No stereo sound (mono speaker)
Large for a ultra-portable class laptop
Did I mention it's incredibly expensive?

Performance
wise, the MacBook Air is decent at best. It works wonderfully like any Mac would, with the excellent and swift Leopard OS X, but it lags behind the considerably cheaper MacBooks and upmarket MacBook Pros. 3D performance is a non-starter of course, with integrated graphics. Worse, the fixed battery only manages a disappointing 3-4 hours of juice under normal usage. Specs MacBook Air iMac PowerBook 12"

Specs
Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM, 1.8" 4200rpm HDD, GMA X3100 graphics, OSX 10.5.2
Core Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM, 3.5" 7200rpm HDD, ATi Radeon X1600 128MB, OSX 10.5.2
PowerPC 1.33GHz, 512MB RAM, 2.5" 5400rpm HDD, NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5200 64MB, OSX 10.4.10
CPU Test
85.14
85.97
54.39
Memory Test
139.41
134.26
33.80
Quartz Graphics Test
97.63
137.66
65.97
OpenGL Graphics Test
17.15
145.39
67.33
Disk Test
26.29
78.73
20.28

As you can see from the table above, the Intel processor platform has a significant processing advantage over the old PowerPC days. Even more interesting is the fact that despite being higher clocked, the Core Duo is about as fast as the lower clocked Core 2 Duo.

Apple MacBook 2008

2009-11-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

Apple MacBook 2008

It's big news whenever Apple announces new products and now Apple’s bestselling consumer notebook receives the long rumored major redesign that is no doubt, another stunner. Just when you thought Apple couldn’t make the previous generation MacBook any better, they come around and offer this aluminum and glass beauty that is even thinner, lighter, and more powerful than before. Now that Apple has brought its renewed MacBooks ($1299 starting) and MacBook Pros ($1999 starting) even closer together by offering the same design, engineering, and -for the first time on the MacBook - aluminum body to both notebook lines, the once straightforward consumer and pro-line product differentiation is slowly fading away. Is this the best MacBook to date? Is it safe to call the MacBook, the MacBook Pro "mini"? Read on.

+ Pros
- Aluminum enclosure
- Dedicated nVidia GPU
- Buttonless glass trackpad with Multi-Touch
- Revolutionary unibody construction
- Light and thin
- Stunning design

- Cons
- No FireWire
- Somewhat pricey
- No external monitor-out adapter included
- Buttonless trackpad takes some getting used to
- No digital media card reader

Performance

We've ran the awesome xbench scoring system for the Mac OSX system. The following xbench file has been generated:

Results 166.40
System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.5.5 (9F2088)
Physical RAM 2048 MB
Model MacBook5,1
Drive Type FUJITSU MHZ2160BH FFS G1
CPU Test 130.27
GCD Loop 231.33 12.19 Mops/sec
Floating Point Basic 110.01 2.61 Gflop/sec
vecLib FFT 89.98 2.97 Gflop/sec
Floating Point Library 161.79 28.17 Mops/sec
Thread Test 223.78
Computation 394.19 7.99 Mops/sec, 4 threads
Lock Contention 156.24 6.72 Mlocks/sec, 4 threads
Memory Test 169.95
System 187.15
Allocate 219.84 807.34 Kalloc/sec
Fill 160.39 7798.53 MB/sec
Copy 190.62 3937.16 MB/sec
Stream 155.64
Copy 148.05 3057.84 MB/sec
Scale 147.50 3047.36 MB/sec
Add 165.94 3534.84 MB/sec
Triad 162.89 3484.61 MB/sec
Quartz Graphics Test 156.66
Line 144.27 9.60 Klines/sec [50% alpha]
Rectangle 187.28 55.91 Krects/sec [50% alpha]
Circle 153.22 12.49 Kcircles/sec [50% alpha]
Bezier 151.91 3.83 Kbeziers/sec [50% alpha]
Text 152.99 9.57 Kchars/sec
OpenGL Graphics Test 137.40
Spinning Squares 137.40 174.30 frames/sec
User Interface Test 263.01
Elements 263.01 1.21 Krefresh/sec
Disk Test 34.41
Sequential 40.08
Uncached Write 60.79 37.32 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 24.75 14.00 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 29.32 8.58 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 113.16 56.87 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 30.14
Uncached Write 11.14 1.18 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 65.17 20.86 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 58.06 0.41 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 96.87 17.97 MB/sec [256K blocks]

Battery Life: 187 minutes Recharge Time: 122 minutes

M17 17 Notebook - Customizable

2009-11-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

Description

Alienware M17 17-inch Extreme Gaming Notebook Computer to meet extreme gaming needs. The base model features 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile P8400, 2GB DDR2 memory, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 video card, a large 160GB SATA hard drive, 8x Dual Layer Burner drive, and a large 17-inch 1400 x 900 widescreen glossy LCD screen.

Technical Specifications

2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile P8400, 2GB DDR3, 160GB, DVD±RW DL, Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit, 17" LCD - MPN: PCLTM17

Alienware Aurora m9700

2009-11-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Alienware Aurora m9700

Today we bring you an in-depth review of the mighty Alienware Aurora m9700. Featuring extreme gaming performance and a price tag to match, we'll see just how badass it is, and what you can expect from a laptop of this caliber.

+ Pros
Nice LCD for gaming
SLI graphics and 1GB of total graphics memory
Fancy design and color
Great for desktop replacement

-Cons
PRICE
No dual core CPU option
Poor battery life

Technical Specifications

The Alienware Aurora m9700 is configured with AMD's Turion 64 ML-44 mobile processor, and is clocked at 2.4GHz with 1MB L2 cache. This processor has a TDP (Thermal Design Power, or maximum thermal output) of 35W and is a 90nm 'Lancaster' core CPU. It is Socket 754 based. One wonders though why at this price, a dual core CPU is not offered.

The m9700 sports NVidia's Mobile SLI chipset, and is equipped with not one, but two 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS PCI-E graphics cards running in SLI mode for a total of 1GB of video memory. Built on a 90nm process with 24 pixel pipelines and 8 vertex pipelines, and core clock and memory speeds at 375MHz and 500MHz respectively, the GeForce Go 7900GS SLI is in the top tier of notebook video cards. You can expect a really kick ass gaming experience, which I will elaborate on later in the review.

On the memory front, the m9700 is outfitted with 2GB dual-channel DDR-400. Configurations start at 512MB and max out at 2GB.

Our m9700 came with 200GB of hard drive space in the form of 100GB x 2 Serial ATA 1.5GB/s 7,200 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache in RAID-0. Hard drive performance seemed to be average, and despite having two drives, they were inaudible. Alienware has a number of different hard drive configurations possible for every type of user. For users that want a single hard drive (no RAID), Alienware offers:
4200 RPM - 200GB SATA
5400 RPM - Up to 250GB SATA with NCQ
7200 RPM - Up to 200GB SATA with NCQ

For someone who wants maximum capacity, there are dual hard drives in RAID 0:
4200 RPM - 400GB SATA (2 X 200GB)
5400 RPM - Up to 500GB (2 x 250GB)
7200 RPM - Up to 400GB (2 X 200GB)

In case you skimmed that last batch of bullets quickly, that's a maximum of 500GB in the Aurora m9700. Holy $#@%!

For users who want data backup features and a more warm and cuddly feeling that their data isn't going anywhere, Alienware offers dual hard drives in RAID-1 as well:
4200 RPM - 200GB SATA (2 X 200GB)
5400 RPM - Up to 250GB (2 x 250GB)
7200 RPM - Up to 200GB (2 X 200GB)

The m9700 is equipped with an HD Audio processor which provides pretty good sound for a laptop. There are two speakers mounted on the front of the laptop base, and a subwoofer mounted in the bottom. I didn't notice a booming bass experience with this sub, but I didn't really expect to, so I won't deduct major points there.

Alienware includes a nice integrated TV tuner in the Aurora m9700. The TV tuner worked very well with Windows XP Media Center Edition, and I was up and running with my local cable channels within minutes. Recorded and live TV quality looked great and the included full size remote worked flawlessly.

I have to take this time to say that I really dug Alienware's completely barren desktop. Not many OEMs get this, but it's very gratifying when you come across one that does. To have 38,000 icons for AOL, dial up and trial movie services, and other useless crap on your desktop BEFORE you even use it is annoying as hell. Alienware put only one icon on the desktop, and that was a shortcut to an XML file that listed every driver and piece of software that was installed on the laptop, as well as the associated benchmark scores as reported by Alienware's technicians. I thought this a really cool thing to do. Alienware also has a feature called AlienGUIse, which is basically a rebranded Window Blinds-esque program that allows you to change your XP theme to one of the few alien-related selections. I tried it out briefly but actually liked the way the original theme was, so that's the way it stayed for the duration of my testing.

Alienware Area-51 m9750

2009-11-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

Alienware Area-51 m9750

Today we bring you a review of our second Alienware gaming laptop, the Area-51 m9750. It should be fun seeing how Alienware managed to improve on the m9700 I tested back in June. You know it's going to be badass, so let's see if it's 'Darth Vader badass', or more like 'Anakin Skywalker in Episode III badass'.

+ Pros
Nice LCD for gaming
Fast SLI graphics with 1GB of total memory make for a killer gaming system
Great for desktop replacement
Scratch- and fingerprint-resistant

- Cons
Price
Runs hot
Touchpad was slow and clunky

Technical Specifications

The m9750 sports an Intel 945PM + ICH7M-DH chipset, and is equipped with not one, but two 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950GTX PCI-E graphics cards running in SLI mode for a total of 1GB of video memory. Built on a 90nm process with 24 pixel pipelines and 8 vertex pipelines per GPU, and core clock and memory speeds at 575MHz and 700MHz respectively, it does not get any better than GeForce Go 7950GTX SLI. You can expect amazing gaming experience, which I will elaborate on later in the review.

On the memory front, our m9750 was outfitted with 2GB dual-channel DDR2 at 667MHz, with 5-5-5-15 timings. Configurations start at 1GB and max out at 4GB.

Our m9750 came with 320GB of hard drive space in the form of two Seagate Momentus 160GB Serial ATA 3.0GB/s 7,200 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache in RAID-0. Hard drive performance seemed to be average, and not tremendously faster due to the theoretical speed boost from the RAID array. That said, these two drives were near-silent under normal operation. Alienware has a number of different hard drive configurations possible for every type of user. For users that want a single hard drive (no RAID), Alienware offers:
5400 RPM - Up to 250GB SATA with NCQ
7200 RPM - Up to 200GB SATA with NCQ

For someone who wants maximum capacity, there are dual hard drives in RAID 0:
5400 RPM - Up to 500GB (2 x 250GB)
7200 RPM - Up to 400GB (2 X 200GB)

So there's a maximum of 500GB you can toss in this sucker that's damn sweet!

The m9750 is equipped with a Realtek HD Audio processor which provides pretty good sound for a laptop. There are two speakers mounted on the front of the laptop base, and a subwoofer mounted in the bottom. I didn't notice any great bass improvement with this sub, but I didn't really expect to, seeing as the m9700 was the same way.

Not really a 'technical specification', but I feel it's worth mentioning- the default desktop. As with the Aurora m9700 before it, I was impressed with Alienware's completely barren desktop. It's really annoying to get a new system and have it all cluttered up with icons that you probably won't use anyway, like 81 different dial-up offers.

ALIENWARE RELEASES M15X GAMING LAPTOP

2009-11-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

ALIENWARE RELEASES M15X GAMING LAPTOP

Alienware has introduced its M15x 15-inch gaming laptop. The company claims that it is the fastest 15-inch gaming machine out there. The M15x is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with GTX 260M GPU. It supports up to 8GB of RAM.

Specifications
The Alienware m15x comes with the following specifications:

Processor: Up to Intel Core i7 920XM (2.0GHz, 8MB cache)
Display: 15.6-inch LED display with a standard resolution of 1600x900 (1920x1080 optional)
Graphics: 512MB GeForce GT 240M standard, 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M optional
RAM: Up to 8GB DDR3-1333
Storage: Up to 500GB 7200RPM or 256GB Solid State Drive

Ports and features

There are 3 USB 2.0 ports (one of them a USB/eSATA combo port), slot loading optical drive, integrated Ethernet RJ-45, VGA, DisplayPort, 8-in-1 media card reader, ExpressCard Slot, audio in and microphone jack. Optional features include Blu-ray drive. The M15x is not a lightweight machine. It weighs over 9lbs with its 6-cell battery.

Pricing & Availability
The M15x is now available for purchase. Prices start at $1,499. It is available in three colors – Cosmic Black, Lunar Shadow and Nebula Red.

FUJITSU TWO P-SERIES NOTEBOOKS

2009-11-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

FUJITSU TWO P-SERIES NOTEBOOKS

Fujitsu has announced two new additions to its P-Series of notebooks. The Fujitsu LifeBook P3110 and P3010 are available in beautiful colors with attractive design.

Both notebooks have an 11.6 inch display with 1366x768 pixels. While the P3110 runs on an Intel Pentium SU4100 1.30GHz processor, the P3010 has an AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 1.60GHz processor. Both notebooks come with a DVD Burner. Other common features include WiFi, multi-touch trackpad, 1.3MP camera, Bluetooth 2.1, stereo speakers, integrated graphics and spill-resistant full size keyboard. The laptops are available in three colors – Glossy Black, Glossy Silver and Glossy Red Ruby.

The machines weigh 3lbs and measure just an inch in thickness. The included batteries are expected to give 6.7 hours of up time. No information regarding pricing or availability has been announced as yet.

GATEWAY UNVEILS THREE NEW LAPTOPS - THE EC14, EC54 AND EC58

2009-11-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

GATEWAY UNVEILS THREE NEW LAPTOPS - THE EC14, EC54 AND EC58

Gateway has announced three new laptops – the EC14, EC54 and EC58. The machines are highly portable and run on Windows 7 operating system.

All notebooks will have more or less the same hardware including a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core SU4100 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 320GB hard disk drive and Intel’s GMA 4500MHD graphics. Other features common to the notebooks include WiFi 802.11b/g/n draft-n, 3 USB ports, HDMI, integrated webcam and multicard reader. The trackpad supports multi-touch gestures. The machines are expected to give 6-8 hours of battery life.

The EC14 is the smallest model with its 11.6 inch display. It weighs around 3lbs. The other two models are equipped with 15.6 inch displays. The EC14 starts at $549.99 while the larger models cost around $649.99.

GETAC'S NEW 9213 BOTH STYLISH AND RUGGED

2009-11-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

GETAC'S NEW 9213 BOTH STYLISH AND RUGGED

Getac’s 9213 laptop is aimed at businesses. It is both stylish and rugged. Rugged notebooks are known for their durability and ability to survive in unfavorable conditions like high pressure and temperature.

Getac 9213 isn’t built to compete with Panasonic’s Tough book, but it has a lot of good features such as Magnesium alloy chassis and case, shock-mounted hard disk, encased LCD display, spill resistant keyboard and touchpad. The notebook can withstand shock and drop. Other plus points are its lightweight and good battery life.

Specifications
Processor: Intel Core 2 duo (Penryn) Ultra Low Voltage SU9400 1.40 GHz Processor
Memory: 3 GB of DDR2 RAM
HDD: Up to 250 GB HDD
Graphics: Intel GS45 onboard graphics chip
Display: 13.3-inch LED Backlit WXGA display
Weight: 3.75lbs

Getac 9213 supports Intel Ultimate Wi-Fi Link 5300 and Bluetooth. There is a TPM security module for enhanced security and 1.3 megapixel webcam. Optional features include a 3.75G HSUPA module and fingerprint reader. The estimated battery life is 8 hours. Prices start at $1799.

GIGABYTE M1028

2009-11-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

GIGABYTE M1028

Gigabyte has unveiled a convertible touchscreen tablet – the Touch Note M1028. The device is equipped with a 10.1 inch touchscreen display.

Sources reveal that the Touch Note M1028 will be available in four different configurations. While two models feature displays with 1024x600 pixels, the other two will have higher resolution displays with 1366x768 pixels. All models will come pre-loaded with 1 GB of RAM which can be upgraded to 2GB. The storage capacity is 160GB. The tablets are likely to run on the new 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor. While three models will have the integrated Intel 945GSE GRAPHICS chipset, the Touch Note M1028P (one of the two models with higher resolution) will have the Intel GN40 chipset which is expected to improve HD video performance.

Other features include Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth. All models will run on Windows XP. Some models will also have 3G mobile broadband and WiMax

HI-GRADE NOTINO D2200

2009-11-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

HI-GRADE NOTINO D2200

The Hi-Grade Notino D2200 is a pink ultra portable laptop which is not that much catchy. Most of the viewers do not go for it and they do not like the looks. Some of its technical specifications are

12.1in, 1,280x800 screen;

1.95kg; 303x225x28mm;

battery life 1hr 5 mins;

1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2350;

1GB DDR2 RAM;

120GB hard drive; 802.11 a, b, g; Bluetooth; Ethernet; 3x USB; 1x FireWire;

128MB Intel GMA 945; 1.3Mp camera;

1-year warranty

These features are not so attractive for this price as we could always get a better model at this price in the market. This is not too heavy to be lifted. Easy to carry and portable. The Hi-Grade Notino D2200's keyboard is nice and large. The speakers are good but the real fact is that it has failed to pull the attention of the laptop users as its compatriots do.

I do not know where the manufacturers have gone wrong in this. The total model is ridiculous. Useful blue and green status lights glow warmly from the front of the unit's base and a catch secures the lid when the Hi-Grade Notino D2200 is not in use. This alone is catching.

Also gamers would find no interesting part here. It does not support so many features as supportive for gaming. The battery power is too concerning. Under rigorous testing it has got only an hour and 5 minutes which is filthy. The only factor that is good is it is also available in silver version which gives a nice presence. The abysmal battery power is a concerning factor for all kinds of its users.

+ PROS

->Portability

-> Cheap

- CONS

->Low battery life

-> Does not efficiently support the gaming features.

HP MINI 311 AND 110

2009-11-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

HP MINI 311 AND 110

The HP Mini 311 and 110 are now available subsidized from Verizon. Purchase the devices along with a wireless contract from Verizon and you will definitely save some money.

The HP Mini 311 is famous for being the first Atom netbook with a Nvidia ION graphics. The machine is quite powerful and can handle 1080p HD video content with minimal efforts. It runs on Intel Atom N270 with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard disk drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. Verizon offers the notebook for $249.99 when purchased along with a contract.

The Mini 110 isn’t as powerful as the Mini 311. It comes pre-installed with Windows XP and has the regular netbook specifications. Unlike Mini 311, the Mini 110 doesn’t have ION graphics. The 10.1 inch netbook will be available from Verizon for $199.99 when purchased with a wireless contract.

The Mini 311 is now available at the subsidized price. The Mini 110 is expected to be available from mid-November.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S12

2009-11-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

LENOVO IDEAPAD S12

Lenovo has equipped its IdeaPad S12 with Nvidia ION chipset. The new and improved S12 can handle full 1080p HD video. The machine is now available for purchase.

The ION-equipped S12 was supposed to be the first NVIDIA ION netbook in the US, but that distinction ultimately went to HP Mini 311. Lenovo delayed the device because it wanted to release it with Windows 7. Now Windows 7 is here, so is S12.

The IdeaPad S12 is powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor with 2GB of DDR2 RAM and a 250GB hard disk drive. The 12.1 inch display has a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. Other notable features include 3 USB 2.0 ports, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, HDMI, multi-card reader and integrated webcam. It runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

The above version of the S12 retails for $599. A higher end model with 3GB RAM and a 320GB HDD is available for $649.

MSI WIND U230

2009-11-04T10:14:00.000-08:00

MSI WIND U230

MSI has released an updated version of its U2xx series of notebooks. The new MSI Wind U230 looks very similar to the U200/U210 notebooks already available in the market.

Major updates pertain to the processor and the operating system. While the U200/U210 laptops run on Windows XP, the U230 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium. The processor has also been upgraded to dual core AMD Neo X2.

Quick specs
Display: 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel screen
Processor: AMD Yukon MV40/L335 dual core processor
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD3200
Memory: Up to 4GB of DDR2 667/800MHz RAM (2 DIMM slots)
Storage: 160GB/250GB/320GB HDD

Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet and optional Bluetooth. There are 3 USB ports, HDMI, headphone, VGA, 4-in-1 card reader and 1.3Mega Pixel webcam. 3-cell and 6-cell battery options are available. The expected battery life is around 4 hours.

PORTABLE ONE SXS37

2009-11-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

PORTABLE ONE SXS37

Introduction
The Portable One SXS37 is primarily a multimedia notebook and offers very attractive features. It is a light weight laptop which allows its users to design the system anyway they want. It has a very exceptional feature, the trans reflective TrioView screen which is meant for outdoor purposes. It is equipped with 1GB RAM and a fingerprint scanner for extra security.

Pros
+ Very strong and sturdy design
+ Internal up gradation is very easy
+ Good horizontal viewing angles

Cons
- Loud noise from fan when operating under stress
- Irksome touch pad

Conclusion
The Portable One SXS37 offers a lot of options to its users along with the transreflective screen which holds an edge over other laptops. In short, a user friendly notebook at a great price.

Specs:
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 , 2 GHz
Memory: 1GB DDR II SDRAM
Hard disk: 120 GB Serial ATA-150, 5400 rpm
Screen: 13.3 in TFT active matrix, Cinematic Widescreen Display
Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G, 256 MB
Optical units: DVD±RW (+R DL) / DVD-RAM
Dimensions: 12.6"x9.3"x1.3"
Weight: 4.4 lbs

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK Y7

2009-11-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK Y7

The much awaited update to Y5, the Panasonic Toughbook Y7 is a on-the-move notebook which lets executives accomplish tasks easily while on the go.

Design
Widely known for being light weight, this notebook from Panasonic weighed only 3.7 pounds, much lighter than it actually looked. The design is trademark Panasonic rough-and-tumble one, which provides it with a sturdy base. The screen is a 14.1 inch with a maximum resolution of 1440x1050 which is decent enough for most of your productivity tasks. The anti-glare feature has been added to the screen which makes it an excellent view even in bright light. However, the effective anti-glare reduced the color vibrancy and richness. The connectivity includes 2 USB ports, SD memory card reader, Ethernet, headphone/MIC, VGA and Modem. The keyboard has been effectively designed to support quick touch typing and the spacious design would definitely make it a favorite amongst many.

Performance
Powered by the 1.6Ghz Intel Core-2-Duo L7500, 2GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, the specifications of the notebook failed to make a mark, especially after the high price of $2,500+ . The overall performance was good, with the laptop able to multi-task with ease amongst various applications like media player, Document editor, Browser etc. The low 3DMark score of 1,040 is a clear indication of the systems incapability of giving good gaming or graphical performance. As per an ultraportable, the results were decent, but not something which should be given out for $2,000+.

Overall
The Panasonic Toughbook Y7 is a decent notebook with exceptional endurance and strength. The battery life is also great at nearly 6 hours at power saver, another example of its endurance. But apart from the positives, there is nothing which should justify the high price tag, not even the good portability.

Pros
+ Super portable and light weight
+ Long battery life

Cons
- High price
- Poor graphics

X59

2009-11-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

X59

Philips laptops aren’t necessarily the best known portable computing machines available today. But with X59, they have done a very commendable job.

Philips X59 comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor 1.66 ghz. It has several attractive and useful features. With its sleek dimensions of 37mm x 297 mm x 213 mm, the X59 can be mistaken for any other trendy laptop of today. And it weighs just 1.89 kg making your portable world indeed portable.

This model has a 12 inch display screen and comes with the latest graphics and sound cards. It Uses the Windows Vista operating system and has a 100 GB hard drive and a 2MB cache. It also has an inbuilt modem to help you get connected to the internet wherever you may be. And with the 3 extra USB ports you can connect a variety of devices like multi-media extensions, extra sound capacity or extra memory to the laptop.

The LI-ION battery offers a commendable 3.5 hours up time which is good for a machine that comes with so many features. Philips X59 comes preloaded with MS applications including Word and Excel. And there is a useful diary to help you arrange your life on the go.

Our Verdict
Philips X59 isn’t perhaps the best laptop available out there. Nevertheless, it has some very useful features and is ideal for students and those buying their first laptop. Sleek, smart and light-weight, it is packed with features. It is no wonder then that it has raised considerable interest among buyers.

SAGER NP8660

2009-11-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

SAGER NP8660

The Sager NP8660 asserts to be the world's best ever 15.4-inch gaming laptop. It is dependent on the new-fangled Intel Centrino 2 platform and captures a top-of-the-line 512MB NVidia Geforce 9800M-GT graphics accelerator card.

Design
The NP8660 seems solid and business-like. Its framework is practically all black, put aside for a silver trim portion around the margin of the cover and bottom of the laptop. The NP8660 has a customary squared-off intend: there are no visualize design curves on this laptop as there are on typical multimedia consumer laptops. The back of the cover and around the keyboard is enclosed in black brushed aluminum, which both seems and feels of high excellence. There are only 2 places on the NP8660 where lustrous plastic can be spotted: a thin ribbon bordering the keyboard, and a slender trim section going around the far exterior of the indoor lid.

Performance
The NP8660 arrives with no operating system as the bottom of the variant; our adaptation has Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (32-bit edition also incorporated). Windows XP and other adaptations of Windows Vista are also accessible. There is a negligible amount of software pre-installed. This arrangement goes for a shadow over $2,350. The NP8660 begins at $1,742 as of writing.

Items appeal noting in our design are the DDR3 memory and Intel Turbo Memory 2.0. Both approach as an ingredient of the new-fangled Intel Centrino 2 codename "Montevina" platform.
The NP8660 is accessible with 2 diverse resolutions: WSXGA+ (1680x1050) and WUXGA (1920x1200); ours has the previous. The display is lustrous though not exaggeratedly so; the silken finish on this exhibit is not as deep as other glossy displays I have used. Brightness is additional than sufficient and contrast is razor-sharp.

These speakers are in relation to the identical as typical laptop speakers. They have essentially no bass and too much treble. I establish the upper assortment of these speakers to be insensitive. The NP8660 has a solitary large fan that crops air through a colossal vent in the rear of the laptop. At leisure, the fan clamor is chiefly non-existent.

The 8-cell battery power pack afforded about 2 hours of battery life during my testing, with the display at 1/3 brightness and while surfing the Internet. This battery sprint life is lower than a archetypal 15.4-inch gaming laptop, which accomplish around 2 and a half hours with a 6-cell battery.

Overall
The Sager NP8660 is an outstanding high-performance laptop. It is as dominant as the majority of 17-inch gaming laptops, yet sits in a 15.4-inch framework. The build excellence is stupendous. The input devices and display of are excellent quality, and the power pack life is sensible for a laptop with this kind of power. The hallmark of this arrangement is its astral cooling system, which does its trade inaudibly and proficiently.

Pros
+ Top notch performance
+ Brilliant build eminence
+ Concrete input devices
+ High-quality display

Cons
- Keyboard might have additional tactile feedback
- Bulkier than a archetypal 15.4-inch laptop.

SAMSUNG N130

2009-11-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

SAMSUNG N130

The Samsung N130 is now available in the US. You can order the N130-13B, the model with slate blue lid, from Buy.com for $328.99 and Amazon for $350.99. Here is a quick rundown of what you would get for the money.

Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270
Display: 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
Operating system: Windows XP Home
Memory: 1GB
Hard disk: 160GB, 2.5″ 5400rpm

Connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Ethernet. Other features include VGA, headphone, mic, 3 USB, SD card slot, 0.3MP webcam and one 1.5W speaker. The machine weighs just 2.82 pounds with the 6 cell battery.

The Samsung N130 is one of the two recently announced N series netbooks. The other netbook – N140 – has a silightly better N280 processor. It is yet to hit the market.

SONY LANUNCHES ULTRA THIN VAIO X LAPTOP

2009-11-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

SONY LANUNCHES ULTRA THIN VAIO X

Sony has unveiled a VAIO X ultrathin laptop with prices starting at $1300. Like other VAIO notebooks this machine too features a carbon fiber frame and a high end solid state drive.

With its Intel Atom processor VAIO X is cheaper than most other VAIO notebooks, but it isn’t necessarily better. The power efficient processor may offer better battery life, but it wouldn't make VAIO X a high performance machine.

The VAIO X has a 11.1 inch display with 1366x768 pixels. It weighs around 1.5 pounds with the standard battery. The notebook is powered by a 2 GHz Intel Atom Z550 processor with Intel GMA 500 graphics. The standard storage option is a solid state drive with a maximum capacity of 128 GB.

Sony said that the standard battery would provide up to 3.5 hours of up time. If you need more life, you can opt for an extended battery which is expected to give up to 14 hours on a charge. Other features include Bluetooth, GPS, and a Verizon Wireless mobile broadband module.

Pricing and Availability
The laptop will be available on October 22, the official launch date of Windows 7 and Sony has started taking preorders. The base model starts at $1299.99. A higher end version with 128GB SSD may cost as much as $1499.99.

ZEPTO 6625WD

2009-11-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO 6625WD

Zepto is one series of Laptops that always delivers its worth, be it gaming or any general use, I can guarantee you that Zepto laptops will always be up to the mark. although not an international company, it is rising up very quickly, today we are going to review the new Zepto 6625WD Laptop.

Now, every laptop has some good things and some bad things associated with it, unless of course it is manufactured by God Inc. So then we'll now check out the good and bad in this awesome new laptop.

The Good:

Display: The Display of 6625WD is really top notch quality. Now firstly, this laptop has a nice wide screen. 15.4 Inches all in all. This screen comes with a very nice lighting up to it. As in, when you turn the laptop on, you'll see that this laptop's screen is much brighter than any of its predecessors. Even at high resolutions, the pictures are crystal clear and seldom blurry (as the case with most high end laptops)

Awesome Gaming!: After playing a few FPS games on this machine, we at LaptopAdvisor were convinced of the fact that this machine could really be on of your most favorite gaming partners since its FPS rate is very impressive to say the least. And that is if you're playing the game at full hardware acceleration. It DOES however lag here and there a bit but that shouldn't be a cause of concern as you could rather easily put the acceleration down and get the best performance.

Look: 6625WD looks really sleek and smooth. Hmm not exactly sleek maybe due to its traditional rectanglex2 design but still it looks quite alright. The keyboard is innovatively designed as well and it looks good too, no additional comfort for hands, but the design is kind of supportive.

No noise: Yep, even at full accelaration this thing makes no distinctive noise, I mean like yeah of course it does make a little bit of noise, which is very natural. But it never crossovers the sound emanating from the speakers. So yeah relatively quiet.

Good sound: Nice sound on this laptop. Really good detail into the sounds and plays everything really nice for a laptop computer. Although it still doesn't match up to a common desktop's speakers, but still relatively much better than other laptops.

The Bad(s)

Overheating: The only real bad thing about this laptop is the fact that it is extremely prone to overheating, if there is even a little clog in the vents and you're running the thing at medium accelaration, it could overheat very quickly. Therefore, one must always keep a watch at the temperature if they have this laptop.

All in all a must buy for gamers!

ZNOTE 3215W FOR STUDENTS

2009-11-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

ZNOTE 3215W

Zepto made the perfect student laptop by releasing the Znote 3215w.
Zepto allows you to customize any of their laptops. This means that you can customize Znote 3215w just as you want; you can add a larger hard drive or a better CPU etc.

The standard Znote 3215w computer comes with a 15.4" WXGA Screen. The 15.4" screen is very clear and reflective. The crystal clear screen gives natural colors and a good user experience.

The Znote 3215w (standard) comes with 1.86 GHz Intel Celeron M 540, 1 GB DDR2 RAM, 80 GB hard drive, Intel GMA X3100 and 6 Cell Battery. But you can customize the laptop and add what you want. The Znote 3215w has an incredible battery; it can last for many hours before you have to charge it again.

Pros:
+ The price is only $550 (standard)
+ You can customize the laptop
+ The battery lifetime
+ 2.8 kilograms (good for students)

Cons:
- The screen is a bit too large for students (should be 13" or 14")
- The graphic card is not so good, it can not run many games
- You can only buy the laptop in some countries
- Operative system is not included

Conclusion
The battery lifetime and good hardware makes the Znote 3215w a powerful student computer. The price makes the laptop very attractive too. So if you are a student with almost no money, this is the laptop you should buy.

ZEPTO ZNOTE 6224W

2009-11-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO ZNOTE 6224W

Introduction
Znote 6224W is the perfect laptop for gaming and for professional use. The laptop can handle graphical task with ease. This laptop got very positive results in tests.

Design
Zepto Computers/Laptops have unique designs. Znote 6224W is no exception, the design is unique and very shiny. The black color makes the Znote 6224W look like a black diamond with a lot of horse power and ready to go.

Screen
The screen is based on "ultracrisp" screen. This means that this laptop has an anti-reflecting screen. The screen gives you natural colors and very nice and comfortable computer experience.

Performance
The performance of the laptop is very very positive. You get what you pay for. If you want to play games, you can do it with ease. The laptops graphic card: NVIDIA® 8600M GT 512MB can handle almost every job. You can play for hours with the laptops 12 cell battery and you can play games, create heavy 3D jobs and run many applications at one time.

Conclusion
This laptop is very good for people who wants to play games on their laptop. The laptop can also be used by Graphic designers because the performance of the computer can handle 3D tasks. The laptop costs a little bit over than $1000 but it is worth it. You can do almost everything with this laptop. As you maybe allready know, Zepto allows the customers to design their own laptop. This means that you can design Znote 6224W just as you want.

Pros
+ Good equipment
+ You can design it
+ Powerful

Cons
- Just a little bit expensive for normal customers

ZEPTO ZNOTE 6324W

2009-11-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO ZNOTE 6324W

If you know what you need in a laptop and have a clear budget to stick to, wouldn’t you like to pick and shop elements of your notebooks to suit your needs? Zepto laptops are built to customize to meet the needs of clients regardless of budget.

Design
The Zepto Znote 6324W is built on the newest Intel Santa Rosa expertise. At 1st glimpse the all-white, lightweight Zepto Znote 6324W laptop looks like a toy made by Fisher Price but once you get your hands on it; it's actually is quite brawny with a secure lid including clutches to keep it closed.
Performance
The 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo T5450 may not be the most powerful processor but it just scrapes through the World Bench real-world speed benchmark. This isn't exceptional, but with the 1GB memory combo and 120GB storage capability the Zepto Znote 6324W’s all-round performance is satisfactory.

The Znote 6324W's track pad is quite difficult to use and the buttons below it a bit limp. There is no in built camera and no media-playback hot keys, but the Znote connects to a, G and N wireless networks and has Bluetooth inter connectivity.

The 14.1in screen is Ultra crisp but it bogs down a little in clarity. The sound on the 6324W was healthier than we had expected, even though the speakers do look a bit tacky. The Zepto is loaded with a 3-in-1 card reader.

So, the Zepto Znote 6324W is a run of the mill looker and performer that doesn’t have the best battery life. The performance it managed was just a mere 72 minutes under test conditions isn't too scruffy.

Overall
This ZEPTO is not the smoothest-looking notebook and the all-white surface is prone to fingerprints. However the verity that you can customize the Zepto Znote makes it a smart option for those with a discrete idea of what they want. The 6324W will never be a power horse, and its screen could have been better.

Pros
+ Custom designing the combination is possible
+ Decent memory & Connectivity options
+ Basic Functions
+ Good sound

Cons
- Too slow performance
- Bad display
- Battery life

ZEPTO ZNOTE 3414W

2009-11-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO ZNOTE 3414W

Searching for a transportable office Laptop? If the EEE-PC and comparable laptops aren't idyllic, for the reason that their recital does not please your requirements, the Mac Book Air by Apple and the X300 by Lenovo are merely too luxurious, and 15.4 inch middle class laptop not handy enough, it's about time to mull over a laptop with portable 14.1 inch screen.

Design
The 14.1 inch Znote 3414W produced by Zepto Carries the dimensions of 33.7 cm x 24.4 cm x 4.3 cm large and therewith about 8 to 10 percent lesser than wide-spread 15.4 inch laptops. Weighing 2.5 kilograms in whole, it is still practical, although other laptops of the similar size, e.g., the Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo Mobile M9400 and the Samsung X22-Pro, which weigh at about 2.2. Kilograms are still lighter and peak concerning on weight.

Performance
The evaluated Znote 3414W was prepared with an Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile processor T7250. The T7250 is similar to the T7300 planted with a highest clock rate of 2.0 GHz. But, the economical T7250 is only powered with 2 as an alternative of 4 MB 2nd-level cache (L2). In practice the presentation dissimilarity is that negligible that the consumer will barely be familiar with any. Two DDRII-667 RAM units of 1.024MB capability each provide a total RAM capability of 2 GB. In addition, the customer is free to decide supplementary parts at arrangement time.

The screen of the reviewed laptop is a 14.1 inch sparkly WXGA wide display.
The Znote 3414W by Zepto is equipped with a shade of matte black keyboard with 87 keys. The maximum volume of the incorporated speakers is not elevated. In homecoming there are barely any deformations.

The sound level in inoperative mode and with customary office work load is little. We calculated 33.3 dB (A). Also under standard load the noise level is only 38.2 dB (A), which is all right. Idling under Vista, we gauge an power insist of 17.6 up to 27.2 Watt. This is about customary for laptops with this paraphernalia. The power insists is much superior with standard load (50.6 Watt) and as high as 75.6 Watt under full load.
The 6 cells power pack of 53Wh battery has a sprint time of up to 3.5h with the Battery Eater Reader's test.

Overall
The Znote 3414W by Zepto is a customary performer. This rock-hard 14.1 inch laptop weighs only at around 2.5 kg, its workmanship is high-quality and its input units are easy to use. When compared to supplementary 14.1 inch laptops its gear is also high-quality. So is the request presentation, whereas the sound emissions are low in office means. To sum up, the Zepto Znote 3414W tariff is good.

Pros
+ Compressed size
+ Reasonable weight
+ Rock-hard Case
+ High-quality workmanship
+ Concrete input apparatus

Cons
- Lid responsive to force
- Keyboard arrangement not typical
- No DVI or HDMI

ZEPTO ZNOTE 3415W

2009-11-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO ZNOTE 3415W

Zepto sets the path for laptops in Scandinavia. Today the Danish 'Znote 3415W' is also accessible in Germany, whereas the reviewed adaptation is really commanding. The specification plate notifies that it is planted with one of today's greatest mobile processors, an Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile T9500.

Design
The Znote 3415W by Zepto seems modern and stylish. However, due to its size of 36.5 cm x 27.0 cm x 3.9 to 4.5 cm, it appears to be a little bit bulky, yet, not extraordinary for this notebook category. Furthermore, with a total weight of 2.9 kg the Z-note 3415W is the whole thing but not one of the lightest of the fashionable 15.4 inch multimedia laptops.

Performance
As already talked in the prologue the Z-note 3415W is planted with a very swift dual core processor by Intel. The Core 2 Duo processor T9500 with 2.6 GHz clock rate comes loaded with 6MB 2nd-level cache and an express 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB). So, the laptop was exceedingly rapid regardless of the detailed benchmark or test we ran and in addition with our perspective work. Therefore, there is no necessitating hassling about performance in any way.

The same is spot on for running Windows Vista. It does not only run effortlessly on the Znote 3415W, the Znote is exceptionally sprightly. The 2 accessible RAM slots at the underside side of the laptop are occupied by express DDRII-667 modules. The reviewed laptop was planted with 2 PC5300 modules with an aptitude of 2GB each, so as long as a total of 4 GB RAM. However, the 32 bit adaptation of Vista can only address 3 GB, but also the 64 bit Vista can be installed on this variant of Znote 3415W.

In broad the gaming presentation of the Geforce 8600M GT united with the commanding T9500 is not shocking. Despite its high recital, the cooling system of the Znote 3415W is to a certain extent hushed. In idle type the highest noise level is 32.2 db (A). At the summit side of the Znote 3415W we gauge a highest temperature of 42.8° Celsius at the left pinnacle area, while the room warmth was 20.3° Celsius. Of course one can anticipate a pleasant reverberation from a multimedia laptop. Nonetheless, most producers do not put together great magnitude on it. The Znote 3415W commands much energy. The energy supervises displays energy stipulate between 20.9 and 32.5 Watt in redundant mode under Windows Vista.

Overall
The 'power' adaptation of the Znote 3415W is certainly extremely powerful. In addition, its working clamor is hushed. The paraphernalia can be tailored with any of the up-to-date Penryn processors, a big and rapid 200 GB hard disk, 4 GB RAM and 300 MB/s WLAN. So, it is an idyllic bundle for demanding supremacy users. To recapitulate, the Znote 3415W rates superior in the multimedia laptop category.

Pros
+ High-quality workmanship
+ Biometric reader
+ 2Mega Pixel web cam
+ Switch for WLAN
+ Draft-n WLAN (300 MBit/s)
+ Total performance sky-scraping
+ 24 month warranty

Cons
- No customary keyboard layout
- Jagged touchpad
- Clanking touchpad buttons
- No DVI or HDMI

ZEPTO NOX A15

2009-11-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

ZEPTO NOX A15

Don't be concerned if you haven't stumbled upon a brand Zepto -- most people haven't. It's a huge outfit, though. This Danish notebook producer has developed since 2002 to be converted into the self-proclaimed principal local producer of notebook PCs in Europe, delivering machines to 19 countries. Its most recent attempt, the Nox A15, is ingredient of its recital range, and captures high-spec components and seems to die for. Prices initiate from around £932.

Design
The Nox A15 is an eye-catching animal. The complete thing has a stunning matte black terminate and cambered edges that formulate it evocative of the old black MacBook. The closure has a Zepto emblem printed in an off-white color, but it's so minimalist, we essentially desire it to the large back-lit apple on the MacBook.

Performance
Unlike several producers, Zepto permits customers to constitute its notebooks before buying. As a consequence, there is a quite few ways you can squeeze the A15. Our test equipment came with an Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 sprinting at 2.26GHz, plus 4GB of DDR2 800MHz memory. Nevertheless, for an additional £62 you can pace up to a 2.4GHz P8600 or for £157 more, a 2.53GHz P9500 monster with 6MB of L2 cache.

Zepto has selected an NVidia Geforce 9600M GT graphics accelerator adaptor for the Nox A15. This, you'll be satisfied to hear, is rather powerful and won't reticent away from sporting the most recent games -- even though perhaps not at the uppermost resolutions. The A15 arrives with a 1,280x800-pixel panel as customary, but if you necessitate more display real estate, you can avail yourself a 1,680 x 1,050-pixel panel for £62.

An outcome of this elevated presentation, however, is lackluster battery sprint life. The Nox A15 sustained a measly 1 hour and 23 minutes in our Battery Eater Classic test -- but that's to be anticipated from a notebook of this breed. If you desire something with enhanced battery life, then you'll require looking at a diverse class of notebook.

Conclusion
We akin to the Zepto Nox A15. We're huge fans of its not glossy black finish and filleted edges, and even superior fans of its presentation and customizability. If you fancy something a diminutive diverse to the Dells and Acers of this planet, then you could do far inferior.

Pros
+ Matte black framework;
+ Customizability.

Cons
- Keyboard not the best;
- Poor battery sprint life.

Zepto Znote 6214W

2009-11-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

Zepto Znote 6214W

Unless you happen to be from the Nordic region, where Zepto is apparently the biggest OEM notebook producer, the chances of you having heard of Zepto are incredibly slim. Although initially sounding like a completely made up word, it’s actually a prefix that means one sextillionth, or ten to the power of -21. So one zepto-second would be a very small amount of time, or indeed something very fast. But then we all knew that – right?

Clever naming and geek humour aside, Zepto products have recently been launched into the UK market starting with this notebook – the Znote 6214W.

On the inside things are fairly well specced. There is an Intel Core Duo T2300, which is a dual core “Yonah” processor, operating at 1.66GHz. The chipset is 945PM, which is of course necessary for dual core operation. There is a single 1024MB DDR-II SODIMM installed, leaving room for an upgrade to 2GB (for an extra £72). This does mean the memory is running in single instead of dual channel configuration, but this can almost be forgiven as we’d prefer to be able to upgrade to 2GB later without having to first throw away two 512MB modules.

The hard drive is an 80GB SATA Hitachi Travelstar spinning at a 5,400rpm. 80GB is enough for storing a decent selection of games and MP3’s but you’d struggle if you like to store films or TV rips. If you find you need a little bit more, then the dual layer DVD burner will come in handy. This particular drive is slot loading, as preferred by car stereos and Apple Macs around the world. I also have a bit of a soft spot for them too and I don’t see them often enough. The only real downside to them is that they can be a pain when it comes to non-standard sized discs – but you encounter discs like that fairly rarely these days.

The screen is a widescreen 14.1in at a native 1,280 x 768 resolution. I find this is a good size for desktop work and it is the perfect resolution to accompany the integrated GeForce GO 7600 graphics chipset. Since the Go 7600 is a mid-range card, 1,280 x 768 should be a comfortable resolution for it to handle. Possibly more important is that 1,024 x 768 fits perfectly on the screen, rendered as a 4:3 square in the centre of the display. This means a lower resolution is available for when newer games come along while staying at a pixel native resolution. This means you have black bars on either side, but it also means picture quality stays optimal as there is no scaling.

The graphics chip is almost identical to the desktop 7600 GS I previously reviewed but with a slightly faster 450MHz core (compared to the 400MHz of the 7600 GS) and slightly slower 700MHz memory when compared to the 800MHz of the 7600 GS. A certain amount of marketing leverage has been put on the fact that there is a 512MB frame buffer, but all this is really going to do is consume more power. The 7600 GS is a capable mid-range desktop card, so I’m expecting good gaming performance from this notebook.

Naturally, audio plays a big part in gaming and this is taken care of by a Realtek High Definition audio chipset. This supports 7.1 when using the optical output, but for analogue users there is only a headphone jack. There is an integrated microphone should you need it, as well as a jack for plugging in your own.

As well as the standard Intel 11/54Mbit wireless adapter, there is a Realtek Gigabit Ethernet connection, running on the PCI Express bus for optimal performance. Bluetooth is also included, running the popular IVT BlueSoleil chipset.

Specifications:

Getting right to the point, here are the specs of Zepto 6214W as reviewed:
14.1" WXGA (1280x768) Matte
Intel Core Duo T2500 @ 2.0 GHz
nVidia GeForce Go7600 512MB
2048MB DDR2 PC5300
80GB 7200RPM SATA
Sony DVD-RW DL Slot-in
Realtek HD 7.1 Audio
Intel Pro/Wireless 3945 (802.11 a/b/g)
Integrated Bluetooth

ASUS Eee PC 1101HA

2009-11-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

ASUS Eee PC 1101HA

Now that 10-inch netbooks are de rigeur, PC makers are looking to bridge the gap, at least physically, between these secondary PCs and full-size notebooks, and the most obvious way to do that is by increasing the screen size to 11 or 12 inches. Somewhat surprisingly, ASUS is late to this game, having been beaten by Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung. However, that doesn’t mean the $429 Eee PC 1101HA should be dismissed. On the contrary, this 11.6-inch netbook has much that we like about recent ASUS netbooks—including superb battery life and a stylish design—but its performance could be better.
Design

The largest member of ASUS’ Seashell family, the Eee PC 1101HA is an up-sized version of the 1005HA. Though less svelte than the inch-thick 1008HA, the 1101HA has similar curved panels and a sharp look. Gone, however, is the uniform body of the 1008HA; no plastic covers the edges or hides the ports. Its glossy lid, only available in black, is covered in a scratch-resistant Infusion Finish, which is far from fingerprint resistant, so you’ll want to keep a cloth handy.

At 11.3 x 7.6 inches, the 1101HA is roughly an inch narrower than the Lenovo IdeaPad S12, and has nearly the same footprint as the Acer Aspire One 751h. However, the 751h is thinner, staying at a constant 1 inch thick, whereas the 1101HA tapers from 1 inch at its front to 1.4 inches at its rear. Still, the 1101HA’s six-cell battery is better concealed, and doesn’t protrude like those on the 751h and S12.

Tipping the scales at 3 pounds (and 3.4 with its power adapter), the 1101HA is the same weight as the Aspire One 751h, and didn’t put any strain on our shoulder as we carried it in a messenger bag.
Ports

On the left side of the 1101HA is a USB and VGA port. On the right side are a 3-in-1 memory card reader, an Ethernet port, two USB ports (bringing the USB total to three), and headphone and microphone jacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Eee PC 1101HA includes the same comfortable, spacious keyboard that is found on the 1008HA. Unlike the Aspire One 751h, there are no spaces between the raised black matte keys, which are more akin to those on the IdeaPad S12. The keys provide nice, tactile feedback. In a slight regression to earlier Eee PCs, the right Shift key is undersized; however, it is in the correct position. ASUS should have made better use of available space; while the notebook is the same width as the Aspire One 751h, the 1101HA’s keyboard is just 10.2 x 3.8 inches; on the Acer, it’s 10.6 x 4.2 inches.

Similarly, ASUS could have used the larger chassis to incorporate a more spacious touchpad; as it is, the touchpad is the same size (2.5 x 1.5 inches) as that on the 1005HA. Also like its smaller brother and the 1008HA, the touchpad blends in with system’s deck and is covered with small, braille-like dots. The pad had very little friction, and navigating the desktop didn’t require much backtracking.

As with other Eee PCs, the touchpad also supports multitouch gestures; using two fingers to pinch the pad and zoom in on a Web page in Firefox was easy, and the image quickly rendered in its new size. The single mouse button was comfortable for making selections, although we prefer the Toshiba mini NB205’s larger 3.1 x 1.6-inch pad with dedicated right and left buttons.
Display, Audio, and Webcam

The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768-pixel resolution LED-backlit display on the 1101HA allows Web pages and windows to fit well on the screen. A 720p video (“Super Speedway”) was crisp, and colors were bright. Unfortunately, playback was less than smooth (more on that below). Tilting the glossy screen back 45 degrees resulted in a slight glare; horizontal viewing angles were better. From afar, the glossiness of the black bezel made it look as if the screen were flush with the frame; up close, though, you can see that the bezel is slightly raised.

Above the display, a 1.3-megapixel webcam provided clear images in a Skype video chat. Our chat buddy was able to see fine details on our face, and saw little motion blur when we waved quickly. The speakers, located at the bottom front edge of the system, allowed us to hear his voice loud and clear from across the room. Similarly, when we listened to The Killers’ “Shadowplay” streamed from Pandora, the sound was loud enough for a few people clustered nearby, but provided the usual netbook tinniness.

CPU: 1.33-GHz Intel Atom Z520
OS: Windows XP Home
RAM/Expandable: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 160GB/5,400 rpm
Optical Drive: N/A
Display/Resolution: 11.6 inches/1366 x 768

Price as Reviewed: $429.00

Asus F70SL

2009-11-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

Asus F70SL

Laptops continue to outsell desktop PCs and the continuing evolution of ‘desktop replacement' laptops is one of the reasons. The Asus F70 series (we're reviewing the F70SL-TY076C here) certainly has the screen to do it, claiming to be the first notebook with a 17.3-inch display. This sounds a mite exciting, until you remember that 17.0-inch screens are relatively commonplace in large portables.

The 0.3-inch improvement does mean the F70 has a true 16:9 aspect ratio, though, which Asus claims gives it a ‘Full High Definition 1080p display'. This is not true: HD 1080p requires a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, so quite how does a 1,600 x 900 screen, as fitted to the F70, match up?

Hype excepted, this is a good screen and it does well with Standard Definition movies. The sound is good, too, as there's an Altec Lansing sound system with SRS surround built in. The bass is still weak, but it delivers better mid-range frequencies than many.

The keyboard is light and easy to use, as it's full size and has a separate number pad. The touchpad is big, smooth and has a dedicated scroll strip down the right-hand side. There's a see-saw button bar for the mouse buttons, though the buttons are much stiffer than they should be and make a click loud enough to annoy librarians.

Round the edges of the case are four USB sockets, along with Ethernet, external VGA, microphone and two headphone jacks, the second doubling as an S/PDIF connector. It also has an HDMI socket which supports HDCP, so you could get full 1080p on an external monitor or TV.

The main hardware spec is good, but not spectacular. The processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo T5850 processor, with 4GB of main memory and a 320GB SATA hard drive. There's a dual-layer DVD rewriter, an ExpressCard slot and one for both SD and MemoryStick cards. A 1.3-megapixel webcam is set in above the screen.

The graphics chip is an Nvidia GeForce 9600, which is powerful enough for most of the things you'd want to do, but is not going to run the latest games smoothly; certainly not at anything like full resolution.

Supplied software includes Norton IS 2008 and Nero 8 Essentials, as well as a number of Asus utilities, such as the strangely-named Splendid for screen colour settings and the more utilitarian Data Security Management for setting up an encrypted data vault.

Under test, PCMark Vantage returned an index of 2,701, which is fair, though there are rival laptops which do better. Battery life on a machine this size is less important than on a netbook, but you won't get through a feature film running full-screen: we saw 1 hour and 39 minutes of Spider-man 2 before the screen faded to black and the machine shut down.

Specifications

The F70SL is a good-looking, reasonably well-equipped, desktop-replacement laptop with a big screen. It isn't ‘Full HD' as Asus claims, but it's still good for most 2D uses. There is another version of the F70SL, the TY129C, which is currently around £850 and includes a 2.4GHz P8600 processor. The TY076C machine reviewed here appears better value.

Asus - F70SL price

Buy Asus F70SL securely online at a bargain price

£759 inc. VAT

Asus UK: 0870 120 8340

uk.asus.com

Asus F80

2009-11-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Description
The Asus F80 is a durable notebook with a scratch-resistant design and a spill-resistant keyboard. It features an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD graphics, HDMI connectivity, DVD SuperMulti drive, 1.3 megapixel webcam, and an 8-in-1 card reader.

Specifications:
Screen Size: 14-inches
Processor: Core 2 Duo
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD

The ASUS N90SV-A2

2009-11-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

The ASUS N90SV-A2

is an 18.4" multimedia gaming notebook designed for people who might not need the power of a W90, or have the budget for one. Offering dual hard drives, NVIDIA Geforce GT 130M graphics, optional Blu-ray playing capabilities, and a FullHD 1080P display the N90 is perfect for someone who wants a true multimedia hub for their dorm room or office. With prices starting as low as $1,399 online depending on configuration, is this 18.4" multimedia rig worth it? Read our full review to find out.

ASUS N90SV-A2 Specifications:
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 (1066MHz FSB, 6MB L2 Cache)
Chipset: SiS 671DX+968
4GB PC2-6400 RAM (2GB x 2GB)
2 x 500GB Seagate 5400rpm
NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M 1GB GDDR2 VRAM
18.4" 1080P HD FHD LCD 1920x1080 (Glossy)
Optical Drive: BD-ROM + DVDRW+/-
Wireless: Atheros AR928x B/G/N Wifi and Bluetooth 2.0
8-cell 14.8V 4.4Ah 62Wh battery
Dimensions: 18.4" x 12.4" x 1.8"
Weight: 9lbs 8.3oz
Warranty: 2-year global, 1-year accidental damage
Price as configured: $1,799

Asus Eee PC 1008HA

2009-11-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

Asus Eee PC 1008HA

Anyone who has followed Asus' continually expanding Eee PC line will understand just how significant a diversion the product we'll be looking at in this showcase is for the company. Since the very beginning, Asus' pioneering netbooks designs have looked about like the Eee PC 1000HE that we reviewed back in February. Simple, if not boxy enclosures were a given, and while you may find a few curves or accents here or there, you could tell that style was not always in the foreground with these utilitarian, low-cost notebooks
Today, we're looking at the very first Eee PC netbook that looks nothing at all like its predecessors. In fact, we'd wager that Asus included this machine in its Eee PC line simply because of the brand recognition. Although, Asus isn't content with labeling this only an Eee PC. The Eee PC 1008HA is the first member of the burgeoning "Seashell" line, a family that already includes this machine and the to-be-released 1005HA. The 1008HA was originally unveiled in March at the CeBIT conference in Germany, but the ultra-slim laptop has just now started filtering out to the US market.

Specifications

Intel Atom N280 @ 1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB
1GB of 667MHz DDR2 Memory
10.1 inch LCD (1024x600 resolution); LED backlight, Color-Shine
Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics
160 GB Seagate Momentus 5400.5 (5400RPM) 2.5 inch hard drive, 8MB cache
10GB Eee Online Storage
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
No optical drive
1.3 megapixel webcam + Digital Array Microphone
VGA Output (via dongle)
USB 2.0 x 2
RJ-45 (Ethernet 10/100)
Headphone / Mic Input Jacks
MMC/SD card reader
Twin speakers
Gesture-enabled trackpad (multi-touch)
92% full-size keyboard
2.42 Pounds (with battery installed)
1-inch thick
Non-removable Li-ion Battery (Up To 6 Hours of Computing)
262mm (W) x 178mm (D) x 18-25.7mm (H)
Windows XP Home or GNU Linux
Color Options: Black, White, Blue, Pink, Sapphire Blue, Ruby Red
Protective Sleeve
1-year limited warranty

Asus K50IJ

2009-11-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Asus K50IJ At first glance the ASUS K50IJ might not look like anything special. Even the ASUS website describes the K50IJ as being "designed to provide a no-frills computing experience to users while on the move." Well, with glowing prose like that how can we be anything other than impressed?

In all seriousness, the K50IJ isn't a poorly built laptop. The chassis is pretty solid with a mixture of glossy and matte plastics and doesn't suffer from the flex or squeaks that are common to cheap plastics. The glossy palmrests are nice and large with good support and the full-size keyboard with dedicated number pad is comfortable to type on during a full day at work. The one and only obvious area of weak build quality are the plastic covers over the screen hinges ... which can pop off with just a little bit of pressure.

Overall, the K50IJ is a reasonably nice looking desktop replacement. I use the term "desktop replacement" because most people in the market for a 15-inch notebook aren't planning to haul their notebook everywhere during frequent airline travel. The nearly six-pound weight of the K50IJ makes this laptop an unlikely candidate for road warriors.

ASUS K50IJ-C1 Specifications:
Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit)
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6500 Processor (2.1GHz)
15.6" 16:9 Wide Format (1366 x 768) HD LCD Display
4GB DDR2 800MHz RAM, 1 slot, 4GB Max
Intel GMA X4500M integrated graphics
250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
DVD Super Multi Double Layer optical drive
802.11 B/G/N Wireless LAN
10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Weight: 5.83 lb. including 6-cell battery
Dimensions: 14.57 (W) x 10.08 (L) x 1.22-1.40 (H) inches
Battery: 6-cell battery
Warranty: 2-year global warranty, 1-year accidental damage, 1-month zero bright dot LCD warranty
Extras: Notebook carrying case and mouse
Retail Price as configured: $699

Asus K40

2009-11-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Asus K40

It wasn’t that long ago that you had to spend at least a grand to get a lightweight notebook with discrete graphics. The ASUS K40 (IN-B1), a 14-inch machine that sports an Nvidia GPU, is priced at at an aggressive $799, making it a good choice for students. This system also features an attractive design, strong Wi-Fi performance, and a generous two-year warranty. The lack of HDMI output and relatively low speaker volume may give some pause, but overall the K40 is a good value.
Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the 13.6 X 9.8 X 1.4-inch K40 is its attractive lid; it features a black finish with a subtle blue dot pattern. Upon lifting the lid, you’ll notice that the finish extends to the base of the system (except for the strip directly north of the keyboard) for a unified look. As with other glossy notebooks, the K40 collects fingerprints and smudges, but those can be easily remedied with a quick wipe. At 5.2 pounds, the system is quite totable, but is a bit heavier than similar notebooks. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y450, for example, weighs just 4.6 pounds.
Keyboard and Touchpad

E-mailing friends and crafting Word documents was a breeze, thanks to the K40’s spacious base and roomy palm rest area. The keyboard, however, could use some work; not only does its left portion have a significant amount of flex, but the keys themselves had a somewhat hollow feel. On the plus side, a number of keys have special blue characters that allow you to launch programs when used in conjunction with the Fn key. Pressing Fn + space bar, for example, lets you cycle through power settings; Fn + F1 puts the system to sleep. It’s a nice way to quickly accomplish simple tasks.

Below the keyboard is a slightly textured touchpad that let us swiftly move the cursor across the desktop. The mouse buttons (much like the keyboard) felt mushy, and didn’t offer much in the way of feedback.
Display and Audio

Our Iron Man DVD looked good on the K40’s 14-inch (1366 x 768) display. The reds and golds in Tony Stark’s armor really popped, and night scenes had a suitable amount of darkness without overwhelming the visuals. The LCD’s 16:9 aspect ratio means that the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are smaller than usual while watching widescreen movies. Like many glossy displays, the K40’s screen kicks back reflections, which minimizes viewing angles.

A pair of Altec Lansing speakers with SRS audio boosting technology delivered good audio quality. Kool & The Gang’s “Too Hot” had a nice balance of highs and lows, and the audio had a very warm feeling throughout. The only downside is that the speakers could benefit from a higher maximum volume; the audio wasn’t loud enough to fill a medium-sized conference room.
Ports and Webcam

The right side of the K40 features two USB 2.0 ports, VGA, Ethernet, and headphone and microphone jacks; its left side houses two additional USB 2.0 ports, and an 8X DVD±RW drive. The back of the system contains two Kensington lock slots, while the front has a 3-in-1 memory card reader. Unfortunately, the machine lacks an HDMI port for delivering a 1080p image via a single cord to a high-resolution monitor or TV. This omission is surprising given that the K40’s Nvidia GeForce G102M GPU is more than capable of exporting HD video.

The 1.3-megapixel webcam served up accurate colors and lifelike skin tones in both bright and low light when we chatted with friends using Meebo. Buddies reported that both the audio and visuals were good, but there was some motion blur when we moved quickly. We liked that we could take still photos ranging in resolution from 160 x 120 up to 1280 x 1024 pixels, and video with resolutions escalating from 160 x 120 to 640 x 480 pixels. The LifeFrame software allowed us to add Black & White, Sepia, and several other effects.

Specifications

CPU: 2.1-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6500
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
RAM/Expandable to: 4GB/4GB
Hard Drive/Speed: 320GB/5,400 rpm
Optical Drive: 8X DVD±RW
Display/Resolution: 14 inches/1366 x 768

Price as Reviewed: $799.00

Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell

2009-11-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell

It's hard to believe that the machine we'll be inspecting in the pages ahead is actually real and shipping. It's not so much a feat of engineering as it is a feat in product development. You see, we just wrapped up our evaluation of Asus' 1008HA Seashell three weeks ago, and already we're being treated to the second "Seashell" model to ship stateside.

The 1005HA is undoubtedly a member of the expanding Eee PC lineup, and while it's numbered lower than the aforesaid 1008HA, there are actually a few aspects that we prefer on this model versus its predecessor. Actually, maybe predecessor isn't the proper term; it's not like the 1005HA is taking the place of the 1008HA. In fact, we envision them both hanging around on store shelves for some time to come.

Specifications

Intel Atom N280 @ 1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB
1GB of 667MHz DDR2 Memory
10.1 inch LCD (1024x600 resolution); LED backlight, Color-Shine
Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics
Intel 945GSE chipset
160 GB Hitachi Travelstar 5K320 (5400RPM) 2.5 inch SATA II hard drive
10GB Eee Online Storage
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
No optical drive
1.3 megapixel webcam + Digital Array Microphone
VGA Output
USB 2.0 x 3
RJ-45 (Ethernet 10/100)
Headphone / Mic Input Jacks
MMC/SD card reader
Twin speakers
Gesture-enabled trackpad (multi-touch)
92% full-size keyboard
2.8 Pounds (with battery installed)
1.4 inches thick
Removable 6-cell Li-ion Battery (Up To 10.5 Claimed Hours of Computing)
10.2” (W) x 6.9” (D) x 1.4” (H)
Windows XP Home or GNU Linux
Color Options: White, Black, Pink, Blue
Protective Sleeve
1-year limited warranty

Asus U20

2009-11-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

Asus U20

[Singapore, 9th July 09] While most thin and lightweight notebooks face the problem of scaled back functionality, the new U/UX Series from ASUS promises an exquisitely crafted, thin and lightweight notebook that does not compromise on functionality.

Designed to Perform
The Intel® ULV processors and Core™2 Duo processors promise better overall performance and power-optimized mobile processing, enhanced to handle today’s demanding software applications. Both the U and UX series also incorporate Express Gate which allows users access to a host of commonly used applications such as instant messaging clients, multimedia manager, as well as the Internet in just a few seconds.

Designed to Delight
The U/UX Series is equipped with AI Light sensor technology which adjusts the brightness of the screen, as well as the backlighting of both the illuminated keyboard and interactive touchpad, to ensure visual comfort and ease of use

Specifications
UX30 (UX3014UH50DPM)
Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology
-Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor SU9400 (1.40GHz, 800MHz, 3MB L2)
-Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N 5100ABGN network connection 802.11a/b/g/n
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Intel® GS45 Express Chipset with integrated 3D graphics
13.3" HD (1366 x 768) Colorshine & Crystalshine LED, 16:9 aspect ratio
4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB SATA HDD
Integrated Bluetooth™ 2.0
Built-in Web-Camera 1.3 Mega Pixel & 8-in-1 Card Reader

RRP: S$1,898 (GST Included)
Availability: Aug 09

U20 (U20A14UH50DPM)
Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology
-Intel® Core™2 Solo Processor SU3500 (1.40GHz, 800MHz, 3MB L2)
-Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N 5100ABGN network connection 802.11a/b/g/n
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Intel® GS45 Express Chipset with integrated 3D graphics
12.1" WXGA (1280 x 800) Colorshine & Crystalshine LED
4GB DDR2 RAM
500GB SATA HDD
DVD Super-Multi Double Layer Drive
Integrated Bluetooth™ 2.0
Built-in Web-Camera 1.3 Mega Pixel & 8-in-1 Card Reader

RRP: S$1,598 (GST Included)
Availability: Aug 09

Asus G51

2009-11-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

Description
The ASUS G51-series is a 15.6" gaming notebook offering dual hard drive bays, NVIDIA GTX 260M graphics, and an optional quad-core processor. To enhance the multimedia experience this notebook offers a 1080p 16:9 display, a backlit Chiclet-style keyboard, and Altec Lansing speakers.

Quick Specs
Screen Size: 15.6-inches
Processor: Core 2 Quad
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce

Asus Eee PC 1101HA

2009-11-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

Asus Eee PC 1101HA

by Michael A. Prospero on August 6, 2009

Now that 10-inch netbooks are de rigeur, PC makers are looking to bridge the gap, at least physically, between these secondary PCs and full-size notebooks, and the most obvious way to do that is by increasing the screen size to 11 or 12 inches. Somewhat surprisingly, ASUS is late to this game, having been beaten by Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung. However, that doesn’t mean the $429 Eee PC 1101HA should be dismissed. On the contrary, this 11.6-inch netbook has much that we like about recent ASUS netbooks—including superb battery life and a stylish design—but its performance could be better.
Design

The largest member of ASUS’ Seashell family, the Eee PC 1101HA is an up-sized version of the 1005HA. Though less svelte than the inch-thick 1008HA, the 1101HA has similar curved panels and a sharp look. Gone, however, is the uniform body of the 1008HA; no plastic covers the edges or hides the ports. Its glossy lid, only available in black, is covered in a scratch-resistant Infusion Finish, which is far from fingerprint resistant, so you’ll want to keep a cloth handy.

At 11.3 x 7.6 inches, the 1101HA is roughly an inch narrower than the Lenovo IdeaPad S12, and has nearly the same footprint as the Acer Aspire One 751h. However, the 751h is thinner, staying at a constant 1 inch thick, whereas the 1101HA tapers from 1 inch at its front to 1.4 inches at its rear. Still, the 1101HA’s six-cell battery is better concealed, and doesn’t protrude like those on the 751h and S12.

Tipping the scales at 3 pounds (and 3.4 with its power adapter), the 1101HA is the same weight as the Aspire One 751h, and didn’t put any strain on our shoulder as we carried it in a messenger bag.
Ports

On the left side of the 1101HA is a USB and VGA port. On the right side are a 3-in-1 memory card reader, an Ethernet port, two USB ports (bringing the USB total to three), and headphone and microphone jacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Eee PC 1101HA includes the same comfortable, spacious keyboard that is found on the 1008HA. Unlike the Aspire One 751h, there are no spaces between the raised black matte keys, which are more akin to those on the IdeaPad S12. The keys provide nice, tactile feedback. In a slight regression to earlier Eee PCs, the right Shift key is undersized; however, it is in the correct position. ASUS should have made better use of available space; while the notebook is the same width as the Aspire One 751h, the 1101HA’s keyboard is just 10.2 x 3.8 inches; on the Acer, it’s 10.6 x 4.2 inches.

Similarly, ASUS could have used the larger chassis to incorporate a more spacious touchpad; as it is, the touchpad is the same size (2.5 x 1.5 inches) as that on the 1005HA. Also like its smaller brother and the 1008HA, the touchpad blends in with system’s deck and is covered with small, braille-like dots. The pad had very little friction, and navigating the desktop didn’t require much backtracking.

As with other Eee PCs, the touchpad also supports multitouch gestures; using two fingers to pinch the pad and zoom in on a Web page in Firefox was easy, and the image quickly rendered in its new size. The single mouse button was comfortable for making selections, although we prefer the Toshiba mini NB205’s larger 3.1 x 1.6-inch pad with dedicated right and left buttons.
Display, Audio, and Webcam

The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768-pixel resolution LED-backlit display on the 1101HA allows Web pages and windows to fit well on the screen. A 720p video (“Super Speedway”) was crisp, and colors were bright. Unfortunately, playback was less than smooth (more on that below). Tilting the glossy screen back 45 degrees resulted in a slight glare; horizontal viewing angles were better. From afar, the glossiness of the black bezel made it look as if the screen were flush with the frame; up close, though, you can see that the bezel is slightly raised.

Above the display, a 1.3-megapixel webcam provided clear images in a Skype video chat. Our chat buddy was able to see fine details on our face, and saw little motion blur when we waved quickly. The speakers, located at the bottom front edge of the system, allowed us to hear his voice loud and clear from across the room. Similarly, when we listened to The Killers’ “Shadowplay” streamed from Pandora, the sound was loud enough for a few people clustered nearby, but provided the usual netbook tinniness.

Specifications:

CPU: 1.33-GHz Intel Atom Z520
OS: Windows XP Home
RAM/Expandable: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 160GB/5,400 rpm
Optical Drive: N/A
Display/Resolution: 11.6 inches/1366 x 768

Price as Reviewed: $429.00

Asus UX50

2009-11-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

It’s easy to think of Asus as a netbook manufacturer thanks to the success of its Eee PC. Asus hopes to change this with the introduction of the high-end UX range, and we’ve managed to get our hands on the first pre-production sample of the 15.6-inch UX50V.

The most noticeable thing about the UX50V is the striking design – it’s like a bigger version of the stylish Eee PC 1008HA Seashell netbook. This means a surprisingly thin, clamshell design, minimal ports to ruin the lines, and a very, very glossy design.

The palm rest features a mirrored finish, looking more like glass than plastic. It’s the most reflective laptop we’ve seen yet, and can easily be used as a mirror. It looks great straight out of the box, but once you start using it it’s quickly covered in prints. Asus supplies a cleaning cloth, and if you want to keep your UX looking good then you’ll probably end up taking it with you wherever you go.

Quality is a cut above average though, with smart textured plastics used in the areas that aren’t mirrored, a neat cylindrical hinge that holds the display firmly in place, and plenty of protection for the LED display.

The screen features a high-gloss plastic coating, stretching from edge to edge, creating a frameless appearance. It looks good, but once again puts form ahead of function, with a reflective outcome that can be quite frustrating. Colour reproduction is good though, with bright images on offer. The 16:9 aspect ratio offers a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels – offering reasonably crisp if unexceptional image quality.

An nVidia GeForce G105M graphics card has been shoehorned into the skinny chassis, offering moderate 3D performance. It’s no gaming machine, although older games should run without trouble, and you’ll have no problems running office tasks, movies or browsing the web. When battery life is a primary focus, you’ll also be able to switch to an integrated Intel GPU.

The keyboard offers excellent comfort, with the same isolated key design now sported on Sony, Apple, Samsung and HP machines. Decent spacing between the keys makes it easy to type at speed, and ambient backlighting is built-in. The board on our pre-production unit flexed slightly under pressure, but Asus was keen to assure us that this will be changed for full production models.

Office performance is likely to be more limited, with an Intel 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo processor used. 4096MB of memory is a welcome inclusion, although the fact we had a pre-production sample meant we were unable to carry out benchmarking or battery tests. Many users will lament the choice of processor, but we found it a reasonably effective machine in daily use, only showing signs of lag when running a host of processor-intensive applications.

Ports on the side of the UX50V are hidden by a plastic cover – as with the Eee PC 1008HA. On the left-hand side, you’ll find a single-USB port and a memory card reader, with a slot-loading DVD drive on the right-hand side. The rear offers a further two USB ports, along with VGA and HDMI-out for connecting analogue or digital displays. 802.11n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth are all provided as standard.

With prices starting at £999, the UX50V offers a lot of style and quality for the money. It’s also a comfortable choice, with a decent amount of 3D power on offer. Whether it’s stunted by the single-core processor remains to be seen, but it’s still an impressive start for Asus’ UX series

Available from early July, visit Asus for more information.

Dell Latitude E4300

2009-11-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

Dell Latitude E4300

The Dell Latitude E4300 is Dell's most powerful ultraportable machine released to date. This 13.3" notebook is powered by low voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processors and boasts an incredible battery life with no compromises in performance.

Dell Latitude E4300 Specifications:
Intel Core 2 Duo SP9600 (2.53GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP2, with downgrade rights for Windows XP SP3 and upgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional
13.3" LED WXGA LCD Screen (1280x800)
1GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM (upgraded to 4GB)
80GB 7200RPM Western Digital 2.5" Hard Drive
Intel X4500MHD video card
Internal Fixed DVD+/-RW Optical Drive
Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Intel Gigabit Ethernet, WWAN Capable
Backlit Keyboard
6-Cell 60WHr Battery, with 6-Cell 48WHr Battery Slice
3-Year Warranty with On-Site Technical Support
Dell E-Port Docking Station, with Dell Flat Panel Monitor Stand
Dimensions: 12.2" x 8.6" x 1.1"
Measured Weight: ~ 3.7lbs

The Latitude E4300 starts at $1,349, which is fairly average for an ultraportable business machine. However, we all know that the extra options and features always cost more - this notebook as configured will set you back by a staggering $2,054 before taxes.

Dell Studio XPS 16

2009-11-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Dell Studio XPS 16

The Dell Studio XPS 16 is designed for those who want power, cutting-edge features, and style. If you're someone who likes to make a statement with your notebook, the metal and leather looks of the Studio XPS 16 will help you in that area too. Sleek design combined with a 1080p display and powerful components come together to make for an awesome notebook. But is the Studio XPS 16 compelling enough to make shoppers spend some extra cash during tough economic times? Let's take a closer look and find out.

Specifications

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz)
Memory: 4GB - 2DIMM DDR3
HDD: 320GB 7200rpm
Graphics: ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670 (512MB)
Display: 16.0" 1080p Full HD RGBLED LCD with 2.0 MP Webcam
Optical Drive: 4X Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive (DVD/CD +/- RW +BD Read)
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
Software: 15-month Trend Micro security subscription, Microsoft Works 9
Wireless: Intel Wireless 5100
Mediabay: 8-in-1 Media Card Reader
Battery: 6-cell and 9-cell batteries
Other: Facial Recognition Security; Dell Dock; Dell Video Chat; 2GB Data Safe Online
Dimensions: 0.95"-1.34" x 15.15" x 10.02" with 6-cell battery (H x W x D)
Weight: 6.53 lbs with 6-cell battery
Price as configured: $1,804 (Starting price: $1,199)

Dell Vostro 1520

2009-11-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Dell Vostro 1520

AT&T has announced the Dell Vostro 1520, a new laptop offering embedded 3G data connectivity marketed to small businesses.

Users should appreciate the extended 8-hour battery life that the Vostro promises. The computer includes a fingerprint reader and encrypted hard drives to make sure that its data is safe. The Vostro 1520 also comes with an embedded video camera and pre-installed software to host video chat conferences.

The laptop is powered by a 2.66GHz Intel core 2 Duo CPU, up to 8GB of DDR2 SDRAM, a Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator, a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300M graphics chip, and more. It is customizable through Dell, as are several other Dell laptops that include 3G data connectivity provided by AT&T.

The Vostro follows several other AT&T netbook offerings, like the mobile computers it announced in July: the Acer Aspire One, the Dell Inspiron Mini 10, and the Lenovo S10, as we reported.

The Dell Vostro 1520 is available now through AT&T's small business channels and can be purchased for $633 with a two-year customer agreement with AT&T's DataConnect 5GB service plan.