Last updated May 28, 2011
The new X series laptops launched by Samsung is all about mobility, the model with highest specification in this category is Samsung X 520. The new X 520 Samsung laptop has a 15.6 inch display and a great capacity six cell battery, thus its weight of 2.2 kg is worth it. However its build is reasonably compact with 32.4 mm thickness and 382 mm width. It has a spanking LED backlit display having a glossy covering giving you the dazzling flamboyant images. Its great 1366 x 768 resolution will surely lure the movie lovers.
The base unit of the laptop has a thin silver rim around it giving it a little tacky look. Its three close by USB ports may sometime look inconvenient to the use but an extension USB could be used to solve this problem. Though there’s no PC Card slot or Express Card, but has VGA and HDMI outputs.
Samsung X520 is powered by the Intel Core 2 Duo SU3700 (1.30 GHz processor). How fast is this ? Read in Intel SU3700 Core 2 Duo Processor.
The new Samsung X520 laptop offers both WiFi and Bluetooth with WiFi bale to cover close by 802.11n routers. Its grand 500 GB facilitates you to store games, movies and music. It also comprises an SD card reader positioned on the front rim of the frame.
Samsung has not changed its keyboard design and this new X520 also has its customary flat and full size keys. Though the touchpad ought to be a little wider for move the fingers expediently
Its touchpad’s buttons are also very small making them uncomfortable to use, and have a very spongy feel. The addition of an Intel SU7300 processor will let down the users who want the raw performance. The speed of this processor is just 1.3 GHz.
Despite being low-powered as compared to others, this processor is more than competent of handling the pre-installed Windows 7. Its 4GB of memory can store backups for almost every task.
More to the point, being a portable laptop, the Samsung X520 is not the right choice for playing games. It is specially designed to provide extensive battery life. It may reach to about six hour battery backup when followed the power saving features such as a dim screen.
In spite of the low-powered processor inserted, the X520 is absolutely adequate for simple users who use the system just for some browsing and surfing, word processing and a little with image editing and not more than that. With an improved battery life and a well-brought-up key board the Samsung X520 is worth buying it.
pros
Samsung’s lates X520 notebook offers a great deal of power at the expense of the portability. If you do not mind a little heavy size, this notebook is a great option.
cons
pricey compare to other similar category of laptop
not useful for gamers
Final thought
If we come on its monetary aspect, it’s fairly pricey at £649. However, it is very well known with all computer users that the price tag of the Samsung laptops falls down in a few months after their release. So let’s all hope that X 520 also follow this trend it will soon be obtainable at £500 which is absolutely affordable as per its plus points.
Last updated on May 28, 2011
ASUS launch of U30JC notebook has generated generally positive feedback from the users. The notebook comes with NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics that provides its users excellent gaming experience. It has a long battery life compared to its competitor which is definitely an added advantage for those who work for long hours on their laptop. Here is ASUS u30Jc review
The prices has gone down to as low as $609 from the peak of $899 ( when it was launched).
Specification, build and design of ASUS U30JC
Asus U30JC appears little heavier than its predecessor Asus UL30A-A1, which is due to addition of optical drive. The bigger look of the chassis of Asus U30J might be due to dedicated graphics card but it didn’t increase the notebook size notably. The keyboard of Asus U30JC notebook is chicklet style and comfortable to use. Palm rest is also very comfortable.
Asus U30JC is powered by Intel Core i3-350M processor which provides great performance. The operating system is 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Asus U30J comes with 13.3 inches LED backlit display with resolution of 1366 x 768 which provides good color and contrast.
One of the greatest features of this notebook model is its graphics. It comes with Intel GMA HD incorporated with NVIDIA Optimus The notebook works great in both graphics mode. Even in NVIDIA mode, the user can make changes to 3D-specific applications and select between default global setting, integrated graphics, or dedicated graphics. But NVIDIA GeForce 310M dedicated graphics is just great for gaming purpose.
As expecte,d Asus U30JC also comes with multiple ports and other connectivity features which consists of HDMI and VGA port and have 3 USB ports apart from LAN and audio ports.Asus U30JC also integrated with a spring-loaded flush-mount SD-card slot, useful for increasing storage capacity. You don’t need to take out the card while placing it in carry bag.
It’s also equipped with DVD burner for those who require burning DVD or software installation.
Asus U30JC incorporates with 320GB Hitachi Travel star 5K500.B hard drive which gives user enough disk space.
If you are considering battery, then ASUS U30J’ s 8-cell 15V 5600mAh 84WHr Battery claimed to provide 10 hours long battery life which quite impressive than other similar system.
Pros
Great performance with Intel Core i3 CPU
High Graphics performance
long battery hours
Cons
no Bluetooth.
Excessively heavy for a 13 inch screen
Final thought
At $900, Asus U30JC provide you high graphic performance with long battery life but it lacks Bluetooth or e SATA port which is very much common now a days in notebooks. There is no alternative for adding up mobile broadband. For mobile broadband connectivity you need USB 3G antenna. But With Intel Core i3-350M processor and NVIDIA Optimus it is performing great.
The newest addition into the Asus laptop family of Eee PC product line has been unveiled – Asus Netbook Eee PC T101MT. This particular model has been hinted by the company for quite a while now, so many are interested to find out exactly what it has in store for modern consumers’ tastes.
About Asus Netbook Eee PC T101MT
The new Asus netbook model carries a hefty price tag of $663 and is packed with lot of power despite, which belies its 10.1-inch multi-touch capacity. It is expected to launch at nearly the same time in both Europe and US.
As mentioned above, the display screen measures 10.1 inches with a touchscreen feature. Meanwhile, the screen’s pixel resolution of 1024×600 and the use of an Intel Atom N450 processor joins together in producing an efficiently running machine that generates up to 1.66GHz of speed.
However, there are differences in the US and European versions of the model. The US consumers will get the short end of the stick since their own version seems to have weaker specs, as compared to that which will be released in Europe. The latter version will have the Windows 7 Home Premium as its operating system, and comes with 320GB HD and 2GB RAM. Meanwhile, the US version will only have 160GB hard drive memory and 1GB RAM, while its operating system will be the
Pros
To learn about the advantages of picking up Asus Netbok Eee PC T101MT, read on below:
The multitouch capacity of the netbook device is definitely a step ahead of its competition.
There are several connectivity options available, which include a wireless connection via the 802.11b/g/n networks.
Cons
To learn about the downsides of purchasing this new netbook model, you can read on below:
The review models also failed to meet an acceptable battery life span, only managing to last between 3.5 to 4 hours of use. Consumers are actually hoping this has improved on the final product.
The Bottom Line
To conclude, the Asus Netbook Eee PC T101MT device has been much awaited by consumers who have enjoyed using the innovative features of the Asus laptops released in the past. And this one does not disappoint. While there might not be much of a breakthrough feature, there is the basic fundamental of what makes an excellent netbook device.
Hewlett Packard, or better known by the abbreviation HP, is a trusted name in the laptop and computer industry. And this year, they have decided to unveil the all-new HP Elitebook 8740w Core i7, which by the initial design and appearance could make any techy-savvy individual drool. But does this new laptop model have anything to offer apart from a slick design? Find out all the answers below.
About HP EliteBook 8740w Core i7
Unlike the previous laptop models that HP has released into the market, this one appears dominating, in every sense of the word. It comes with a 17-inch screen, which is not your ordinary laptop screen either. The display screen is equipped with LED-backlit anti-glare mechanism, which will help produce a clear and crisp display output.
HP Elitebook 8740w Core i7 will run using the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition processor and RAM memory of up to 16GB. You can pick out from three possible choices of graphics card for your unit. These three choices include Quadro FX 3800M, ATI FirePro M7820, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M. For its connectivity feature, it comes with a USB 3.0 port. The unit has been tested in military-standards and has been proven to withstand extreme conditions such as dust, vibration, and humidity.
Pros
If you are a fan of HP laptops in the past, here are some more reasons why you will love HP Elitebook 8740w Core i7:
The anti-glare feature in the backlit screen makes it friendly to your eyes when you are working on your laptop, even in various lighting conditions.
HP is a trusted brand name in the laptop industry and has had a reputation of introducing quality models into the market. Hence, you can rest assured that this one will be no different.
Cons
Despite the strength in its features, HP Elitebook 8740w Core i7, there are some drawbacks to this particular model of laptop:
Despite the power of this laptop unit, some people might find portability a lacking feature. After all, it can be bulky and quite heavy with its 17-inch screen.
The Bottom Line
With a laptop that bears the name “Elite” on it, you have an idea of what to expect. And indeed, HP Elitebook 8740w Core i7 is on a league of its own. It delivers on the fundamental aspects and even comes with a few surprises in store. However, you have to make sure you have enough money on the pocket because this one comes with a hefty price tag.
Update on March 18, 2011 – The review is an year ago. Obviously, today you can get a much better notebook for $799 – possibly one based of Intel Core i5 processor.
First off, Lenovo IdeaPad U550 comes with a hefty price tag of around $799. Upon realizing that, most consumers head on right away into the nitty-gritty of its specifications to find out what this notebook can offer for such a massive price tag. What they get though is a unit that pleases in one way, and then disappoints in another.
The design pattern and texture of Idea pad U550 is exactly as what you have come to expect from Lenovo, since it has become some sort of their staple. There are some issues with the material used on the lid though, which could leave visible fingerprints on the surface. Moving over onto the display screen, that one is another source of disappointment too. It offers a resolution of 1366 x 768 panels, which is really below the current market standards.
Other hardware specifications include Intel’s GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics, 512MB of dedicated RAM, 320GB hard drive capacity, 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and several choices of connectivity features like USB, Ethernet jack, and power jack, to name a few.
Pros
Although this laptop is powered with Intel graphics, it does offer a decent battery life to ensure that it can support heavy and intense usage.
The lightweight design increases the portability factor of this laptop, which makes it easy to carry around with you during long trips or business travels.
Aside from usual office applications, Lenovo Idea U550 also offers high quality gaming performance for added leisure options.
Both the touchpad and keyboard design are pretty solid, which increases user functionality and convenience.
It offers a wide array of inputs and connectivity choices to make it easier to copy and share files on your laptop.
Cons
This unit is loaded with bloatware.
The webcam quality of Lenovo Ideapad U550 is disappointing for its overall capacity, especially when compared with its counterparts.
The display screen resolution is also sub-par and it would have delivered a more pleasing experience when using it to view movies or video files.
The plastic lid of Levovo Ideapad U550 looks rather cheap, which is frustrating because the unit is not at all cheap.
The speakers could have been much improved.
The Bottom Line
When the developers and manufacturers conceptualized Lenovo IdeaPad U550, they were hoping to produce a do-it-all notebook that comes within an affordable price range. Although it does have its fair share of pro’s and con’s that could split prospect buyers to either direction, it does deliver in terms of power for graphics and decent battery life that makes it quite a useful tool to have around during holiday trips or business travels. The use of a CULV processor delivers high quality performance that makes it stand out from the rest of its competitors. But still, there are several areas that many were hoping they can get from here but failed to find it.