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IBM 92P1087

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:32:22 +0100

Asus Taichi 21 Review

Introduction
Windows 8 has certainly ushered in a renaissance in hybrid or convertible laptop/tablet designs. In the last several months we've seen a screen that spins (Dell's XPS 12$1,099.99 at Dell), a screen that slides (Sony's VAIO Duo 11), a screen that folds all the way around (Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga$899.00 at B&H Photo-Video), and a screen that twists (Lenovo's ThinkPad Twist$752.99 at antonline.com). Asus X52F Battery

All of these variations certainly make the job of evaluating PCs more interesting. But none of the above systems earned our Editors' Choice seal of approval, due to some mix of high prices, poor battery life, or design issues that make a product feel a bit funky in use.

With the Taichi 21, Asus aims to deliver a better hybrid device by negating the need for a fancy hinge. The company's solution: slap a second screen on the back of the lid. This way, you get a well-designed, familiar ultrabook in laptop mode, and a heavy but powerful tablet when you close the lid. Acer Aspire 5750G Battery

This approach also allows for novel uses, like mirroring the two displays for close-quarter presentations. But the extra screen and Gorilla Glass-covered lid push the 11.6-inch laptop's weight up to nearly three pounds. And the lack of touch input on the inner display makes the Taichi feel clunky when used in laptop mode with Windows 8.

That, combined with short battery life and a high $1,599 price tag for our review model, leaves Computer Shopper still looking for its first hybrid Editors' Choice. But for those who can make good use of both screens, the Taichi gets a lot of the ultrabook basics right while delivering a premium design that we quite like. Asus K50I battery

Dual-Screen Details
Switched off, the Taichi 21 looks like a premium ultrabook with a glass lid, like last year's HP Envy 14 Spectre. But under a sheet of Gorilla Glass on the lid hides a 1,920x1,080-pixel multi-touch display. Lift up the lid and you'll see a second 1080p display right where you'd expect to find one on any laptop.

Both displays are 11.6 inches, and both are surrounded by fairly substantial bezels. Both are also in-plane switching (IPS) panels with impressive viewing angles and vivid colors. Asus definitely didn't skimp on the quality of either screen. DELL Latitude E6220 battery

The problem is, as we've found ourselves writing repeatedly lately, Windows 8 was built for touch navigation. Once you've gotten used to tapping, swiping, and using gestures on screen, you won't want to live without it. That goes for both tablet mode and laptop mode. But the Taichi's internal laptop screen doesn't have touch.

And we'd be willing to bet that, once you've used the pleasingly responsive touch screen on the outside of the device in tablet mode, you'll find yourself frequently prodding the inner screen, forgetting that it doesn't respond to touch. You can, of course, use the Asus' touch pad to swipe between running programs or bring up the Charms bar. Samsung series 5 ChromeBook battery But that's a lot less intuitive than reaching out to the screen, especially once you get used to doing so (which doesn't take long).

The two displays also complicate things like, say, what happens when you close the lid. To control this and other dual-screen issues, you tap a button on the top row of the keyboard, just to the right of the F12 key. Doing this brings up a Taichi-specific control panel, with four display modes illustrated in the upper right.

Here you can toggle among laptop mode, tablet mode, mirror mode (both screens on, showing the same content), and dual-screen mode.HP COMPAQ NX9005 battery The last is a bit confusing, as it makes Windows think the outer screen is to the right of the inner. You can drag or snap windows from one to the other, but you won't, of course, be able to see the apps you've moved to the outer screen unless you spin the laptop around. This could be handy for presentations or, say, letting your kids watch a video while you try and get some work done. But other than that, the appeal of this mode is probably pretty limited. (It will, of course, drain the battery pretty quickly as well.) HP HSTNN-LB60

Much of the settings for how the two screens work is handled in software. But oddly, to keep the external screen from turning on when the laptop closes, there's a toggle switch you have to flick on the left side of the laptop.

The Taichi also comes with a battery-powered, pressure-sensitive N-trig stylus that worked quite well when we took it for a spin in the preinstalled FreshPaint app. There's no slot on the Taichi to store the pen, but Asus at least includes a pouch for the laptop, which does include a slot for the stylus. IBM ThinkPad Z60m battery

Overall, managing the two screens takes a bit of getting used to, but Asus handles the required settings pretty well—even though we fumbled a bit at first, after a few days, the process started to feel intuitive. And the company puts a shortcut to tutorials for these settings, along with similar lessons for Windows 8 basics such as shutting down and installing apps, right on the desktop. Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 battery

Design & Features
Dual screens aside, the Taichi is a well-designed system with a premium feel. Asus knows how to make a first-class laptop, and that expertise isn't spared here. The all-metal shell looks and feels good, though again, there's a fairly thick bezel around the interior screen (a bit less than an inch on the sides and a little less on the top). For an 11-inch ultrabook, though, the Taichi's 2.8 pounds feel a bit heavy. Several similarly sized single-screen ultrabooks weigh about a half-pound less. Lenovo 3000 N500 battery

Port selection is okay, although there's no flash-memory card slot; it seems the latter was done away with to make room for the toggle switch for the top screen. On the right side of the Taichi, you'll find the power connector, a USB 3.0 port, a Mini HDMI port, and the spring-loaded power switch:

The silver power switch is on the side because you need a way to turn the laptop on (or wake it from sleep) when the lid is closed. But we'd be happy to have an SD card slot or another USB port in its place. The left edge of the laptop houses a headphone jack, the second USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort connector, a volume rocker, and the aforementioned toggle switch that keeps the top screen from turning on when you close the lid: Lenovo ASM 42T4756

It's a bit odd that the Taichi has both HDMI and DisplayPort miniature connectors, especially when the port space is so cramped. DisplayPort can be converted to HDMI, VGA, or DVI with fairly inexpensive adapters. Asus at least includes an adapter for VGA as well as a USB-to-Ethernet adapter in the box. But we still wish the designers had nixed the HDMI port and somehow found room for a media-card slot instead. Toshiba PA3589U-1BAS

The keyboard is quite good by ultrabook standards and considering the Taichi's size. The keys are backlit (with three adjustable light levels), key travel is good (again, for an ultrabook), and the keys aren't bunched up on one another. The top row of keys and the arrow keys, though, are half the size of their letter-clad counterparts. Overall, we'd say the Taichi offers up one of the better typing experiences on an ultrabook of this size. Dell Latitude C640 battery

The buttonless touch pad is quite roomy, at about 4.75 inches diagonally, and pleasingly flush with the wrist rest. The feel of clicking the pad is also pleasingly tactile with a good amount of resistance. The pad performed pretty flawlessly in our testing, other than the single time it interpreted our attempt to move the cursor across the screen as a swipe to move between open apps. This, though, seems to be an issue with Windows 8 in general, and not really a fault with this specific touch pad. DELL Vostro 3550 battery

Still, while the touch pad here is pretty great, we frequently wanted to reach out and tap or swipe the screen. More than a few times, we found ourselves doing so out of instinct.

Components & Performance
Our $1,599 review model of the Taichi came with a 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive. Those looking to spend a little less can opt for a lesser Core i5-3317U model that also cuts the solid-state storage in half for $1,299.

Those who plan on editing video or doing other time-intensive, CPU-centric tasks may want to pay for the Core i7 version. But provided you can live with 128GB of storage space, we suspect most users will find the lower-priced model sufficiently powerful. HP Probook 4730s Battery

Of course, we didn't bemoan our lot in having to benchmark the faster model. In our PCMark 7 test, which measures a system's overall performance potential, the Taichi edged out other convertible and touch-screen laptops we've seen lately:

Compared to the Core i5- and i3-equipped hybrids here, the Taichi is better equipped to tackle high-end productivity tasks like image and video editing. This extra potential shows in our Adobe Photoshop CS6 test, in which we apply a set of demanding filters and effects to a large image: The dual-screen system easily bests a trio of Core i5 hybrids, with the Core i3-based Asus VivoBook X202E$399.00 at B&H Photo-Video far behind. IBM 92P1087

The Dell XPS 12 and Lenovo Yoga were a bit closer here, but the Taichi still finished first. Its speed advantage will, naturally, be greater when converting a full-length movie.

Graphics & Gaming Tests
While the Taichi may have an edge in CPU horsepower, the systems here share the same Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics. As a result, their scores are pretty similar in our 3DMark 11 benchmark, which measures a machine's overall gaming potential:

These scores have "casual gaming only," or at most "moderately demanding games at low resolution and detail settings," written all over them. Unigine's Heaven 3.0 bears that out: Even dialed down to 1,366x768 pixels, the Taichi can't quite make it halfway to the 30 frames per second threshold for smooth gameplay. Lenovo ThinkPad L420 Battery

Battery Life & Conclusion
Greater processing power generally results in shorter battery life. It's no real surprise, then, that the Core i7-equipped Taichi falls behind the machines here with lesser Core i5 and Core i3 processors. Still, we were disappointed that the Asus couldn't even get close to four hours in our video rundown tests.

To be sure, our video rundown test is harder on batteries than most productivity work, but it only uses one display. Giving a presentation to someone seated across from you with the Taichi, with both screens illuminated, will likely render PowerPoint powerless before you know it. Dell Inspiron N5010 battery

Conclusion
There's little arguing the fact that the Taichi is a well-built premium laptop. And both of its screens are of excellent quality. But like pretty much every hybrid or convertible we've seen so far, its split personality results in a compromised experience on both sides.

As a tablet, the Taichi is powerful and responsive, but it's also about twice as heavy as most similarly sized dedicated tablets. And battery life is also pretty short by tablet standards.

As a laptop, the Asus fares a bit better. The keyboard and touch pad are pretty great and the interior screen, while it lacks touch, offers terrific viewing angles. HP 593553-001

But you lose valuable port space to make room for two extra switches on the edges of the device, so there's no room for a card reader. And battery life isn't as good as it could be, because extra weight that could go to a bigger battery is instead taken up by an extra screen and the protective Gorilla Glass that's necessary when you put a display on the outside of the lid. ASUS G72GX Battery

And, not to beat the point into the ground too much, but Windows 8 feels hobbled without a touch screen. The more time you spend using the Taichi as a laptop, the more you're going to miss the touch controls that are a world away, right on the other side of the lid.

At this point, we're not wildly enthused about any Windows 8 convertible device. The Taichi is one of the best-built of the handful we've seen. But for the asking price, you could get a nice single-screen ultrabook with better battery life and have money left over for a mobile tablet. Asus A32-K53 battery Unless you have a specific use for the Taichi's two screens, that's probably a better option.

N51V Battery UX31A battery

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:23:48 +0100

Toshiba Satellite P845T-S4310 Review

Introduction & Design
Price determines everything. Toshiba's Web site lists the MSRP of the Satellite P845T-S4310 as $909, at which price it's competitive with, well, nothing. Best Buy, however, offers the 14-inch touch-screen laptop for a considerably more tempting $749, and sometimes puts it on sale for still less. Acer Aspire 5100 battery That makes the P845T-S4310 a valid rival to the likes of Asus' VivoBook S400CA$639.99 at Rakuten, although we still have our doubts: Toshiba's site also describes the Satellite P series as the company's "premium performance" line, while the only truly premium features we could find on the system were its speakers.

That's not saying the Satellite's a dog by any means. Its Harmon Kardon speakers are accompanied by handsome aluminum styling and a long-lasting battery. But its performance is decidedly average, no better than that of 14-inch ultrabooks (which sport the same adequate-for-mainstream-use Intel Core i5 CPU and integrated graphics). And it's noticeably more hefty than those machines, though CD and DVD diehards will appreciate that it has the onboard optical drive that most ultrabooks lack. Sony VGP-BPS13/S

Still, we can't help wishing that Toshiba had taken advantage of the decision to use a laptop rather than ultrabook chassis to put a little more horsepower under the hood. As is, shoppers who don't have their hearts set on an optical drive may want to consider not only the VivoBook S400CA but touch-screen ultrabooks such as the HP Envy TouchSmart 4t-1100$824.99 at HP Direct—or, if willing to step down from a 14- to a 13.3-inch display, the Sony VAIO T Series 13. (Toshiba's own contender in the touch-screen ultrabook space, the Satellite U925T, is still smaller-screened at 12.5 inches, plus more expensive.) Dell Inspiron 1564 battery

Design
The Satellite P845T-S4310 measures 13.6 inches wide by 9.1 inches deep and runs from 1 inch thick along its front edge to 1.3 inches thick at its rear. At 4.8 pounds, it's a pound or more heavier than 14-inch ultrabooks. There was a time where a nearly 5-pound, 14-inch laptop was perfectly acceptable, and it's certainly still quite portable, but why carry an extra pound with you when you don't have to?

Relative portliness aside, the Satellite is fairly sharp-looking, with a textured, silver-finished aluminum body that feels sturdy and repels fingerprints. The screen glass runs edge to edge for an attractive, seamless look. Touches of chrome and black, such as around the touch pad and on the speaker grilles above the keyboard, add class. ASUS Eee PC 1008HA-PU1X-Pi Battery

Features
The display itself features LED backlighting for a bright image, today's lowest-common-denominator 1,366x768 resolution, and 10-point multi-touch support. Photos and videos looked crisp and vivid in our time with the laptop, and the touch screen felt quick and responsive. An HD Webcam sits above the display.

Not every Windows 8 laptop or ultrabook features a touch-screen display as you get with the Satellite P845T, and this feature is appreciated in particular here because the other two input devices—keyboard and touch pad—leave something to be desired. The keyboard features generously spaced keys, but no backlighting, and the keys feature a glossy coating that doesn't offer the best feel. Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q

As for the touch pad, it's also generously proportioned, but the integrated mouse buttons are more trouble than they're worth; you'll need to train yourself to keep your thumb from resting on the bottom edge of the pad while your fingers go about their mousing business. In our tests, the touch pad repeatedly misread a haphazard thumb and swiping finger as a multi-touch gesture. What's so wrong with having dedicated mouse buttons that are separate from the touch pad? Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery

We don't have any complaints about the Satellite P845T-S4310's audio output. Two Harman Kardon speakers sit above the keyboard and emit excellent, powerful audio. Volume reaches impressive levels when turned all the way up, and the sound remains clear and dynamic. It's some of the best audio we've heard from a laptop. The Toshiba is one of the few laptops capable of acceptable music playback (provided you're located in a small room), in addition to more than capably handling movie dialogue and effects. ASUS ZenBook UX31A battery

You won't find any surprises among the system's ports and connections. There are three USB 3.0 ports in all, two on the left side and one on the right. The two on the left support Toshiba's Sleep-and-Charge feature, which lets you recharge USB devices even when the laptop is shut down. Also on the left edge are an Ethernet port and a slot-loading DVD burner.

On the right edge, you'll find HDMI and VGA ports and headphone and microphone jacks. Lenovo L10S6Y01 Hiding on the front edge is a media-card slot. Wireless technologies comprise Wi-Fi, of course, but also Intel Wireless Display (WiDi), which lets you stream video and audio from the laptop to an HDTV set or larger monitor with the aid of a $100 Netgear adapter.

One last note on the ports and connections: the power cord plugs into the right side and is plagued by a long and awkward adapter. The rigid adapter that plugs into the laptop sticks out a good two inches, which is similar to the nuisance we noticed with the HP Envy TouchSmart 4t-1100. Unlike the HP in question, the Satellite's plug fits snugly into the laptop. Still, the awkward adapter could spell trouble in tight or crowded working conditions. An L-shaped connector would be more space-efficient. Dell Latitude E4200 battery

Performance & Conclusion
Following a trend we are seeing with Windows 8, the Satellite P845T-S4310 comes with more than its share of bloatware, likely in an effort to populate the Windows 8 Start screen with a matrix of colorful tiles. Right out of the box, you'll find tiles for Amazon, eBay, iCookbook, iHeart Radio, Netflix, and WildTangent games.

The system's specs, too, follow a recent trend: Like the abovementioned Asus and HP, as well as the Vizio CT14-A4$849.00 at Microsoft Store and CyberPower Zeus-M we chose to round out our benchmark charts, the Satellite relies on a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor and Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics. ASUS N51V Battery Toshiba rounds out the core specs with 6GB of memory and a 750GB hard drive.

With the same CPU across the board, the laptops posted basically identical scores in our Cinebench processor-crunching benchmark (not charted here). But we saw a variety of results in PCMark 7, a synthetic benchmark that measures a system's overall performance. We hoped here that the Satellite P845T-S4310's extra RAM (6GB rather than 4GB) would give it a boost, but the system finished last while the laptops with solid-state drives ran away with the contest: Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 064746U battery

The Toshiba managed a more competitive finish in our Handbrake video encoding test, which converts a five-minute 1080p clip to smartphone format—it more or less tied for the win with three other contenders, while the Asus VivoBook was an outlier in last place:
And the Toshiba and Vizio were the class of the field in our Adobe Photoshop CS6 test, which applies a series of complex filters and effects to a large JPEG image:

Graphics & Gaming Tests
The Satellite posted a narrow victory in 3DMark 11, a synthetic measurement of overall graphics performance, though all of the scores were in the casual gaming zone rather than the hardcore or demanding titles zone: Samsung AA-PL2NC9B

Neither it nor any of its competitors could come close to the 30 frames per second threshold for smooth gameplay in our Heaven 3.0 (not charted here) or Aliens vs. Predator gaming simulations:

Battery Life & Conclusion
The Toshiba finished on a high note in our battery rundown test. It played back our video test file for almost five and a half hours, placing second only to the HP Envy TouchSmart ultrabook:
Overall, other than its weight and perhaps the touchy touch pad, there are no deal-breakers with the Satellite P845T-S4310. On the flip side, apart from its excellent audio and respectable battery life, there are no must-haves here, either. Asus X72F Battery

Call the S4310 what it is: an affordable mainstream laptop for users who want both a touch screen for Windows 8 and an optical drive for CD and DVD enjoyment. We believe they're outnumbered by users who'd rather forfeit the optical drive and save a pound, but they'll come to appreciate the Harmon Kardon speakers in short order.

ASUS A85VJ Battery

Thu, 16 May 2013 03:20:34 +0100

Review Asus VivoBook U38DT Subnotebook and battery life

The VivoBook U38DT-R3001H is for mobile users who need a compact, lightweight and portable device. Under the hood of the aluminum chassis is primarily AMD hardware.

ASUS A85D Battery Let us start with a few specs before we get to the details: Asus has decided to use the A8-4555M CPU. The inexpensive ULV model is primarily focused on newcomer and modest users with a clock of 1.6 up to 2.4 GHz. The dedicated graphics card performs better. Depending on the application the performance of the Radeon HD 8550M is in the low or mainstream area. ASUS A85DE Charger

The memory equipment is midrange with 4 GB DDR3 RAM (1600 MHz). While 2 GB are in a common slot, the remaining two GB are soldered onto the mainboard. To avoid storage problems Asus integrates a 500 GB hard drive with 5,400 rpm. The anti-glare display with a resolution of 1366x768 is suitable for the notebook class. The operating system is Windows 8 64-bit. ASUS A85DR Battery

The excellent case is one of the great strengths of the VivoBook U38DT. Asus almost exclusively uses brushed aluminum that gives the 13-inch device a great quality impression. The silver-gray colored surfaces are exceptionally sophisticated. Except for the manufacturer labels (cover & display frame) the 13-inch device is matte finished throughout. Very few notebooks are that dirt resistant. Compared to other devices the surfaces are pretty durable. ASUS A85N Battery

The praise continues with the good stability: Despite the thin case the surfaces hardly dent even under high pressure. Smaller weaknesses can be found with the touchpad and in the center of the keyboard. The subnotebook also offers a great performance when it comes to the looks. University, office or desk at home: The 13-inch device looks good in every environment. ASUS A85V Battery

Because of the low height (just under two centimeters [~0.79 inches] at the thickest point) and the lightweight construction (1.55 kg/~3.42 pounds) the mobility of the device is very good. Standard notebooks appear enormous and bulky next to the U38DT. Even the light (236 grams/~0.52 pounds) 65 Watt power supply unit is directly connected to the socket and at 75 x 75 x 28 millimeters (~2.95 x 2.95 x 1.10 inches) also surprisingly small. ASUS A85VD Battery If you are often on the road you do not want to be without it. Thanks to the small dimensions the subnotebooks becomes the ideal companion.

In the category of build quality the manufacturer does not disappoint as well. The material transitions of our review sample were very clean. The hinges are also well designed. The base unit does not swing: the device can be opened with one hand. Great: Vibrations have almost no impact on the cover. ASUS A85VJ Battery

Maintenance
A special tool is required to access the inside of the subnotebook. The reason is that the bottom cover is made of a single metal plate and attached to the case with 12 Torx screws. The absence of a typical maintenance cover, which allows fast access to the memory and hard drive, might have a negative impact for some users. To avoid damage to the shop unit we did not remove the bottom cover as an exception. ASUS A85VM Charger

The amount of preinstalled software is small: 25 applications are an indication of a reasonably cleaned up hard drive. In the windows control panel (right picture) the buyer discovers primarily drivers and manufacturer tools. Numerous elements are already known from other Asus notebooks. The "Splendid technology", for example, tunes the color reproduction. ASUS A85VS Battery "Power4Gear Hybrid" handles the energy settings. The "USB Charger Plus" supports the charging of external USB devices.

Accessories
The scope of delivery is pretty standard. Additional to the port adapters are; a warranty card, a manual and zip ties. Absolute highlight is the brown colored and pretty tight notebook bag. The leather cover is attached to the textured main body via Velcro. The black inside provides a good basic protection. Driver and Windows DVDs are not included. For the system recovery you can use the Windows function Restore (PC settings, general). ASUS F45 Battery

Input Devices

Keyboard
The dark gray chiclet keyboard leaves a good impression. Thanks to generous key lettering and the white illumination, which can be adjusted in multiple steps, the result is a very convenient input. Typical for Asus is the uneven illumination, but is has almost no negative impact for everyday use. ASUS F45A Battery

The key size (mainly 16 x 14 millimeters/~0.63 x 0.55 inches) should also be convenient for most users. Be aware the arrow keys and the keys of the F-row are pretty small (only 8 millimeters/~0.31 inches high). The layout is okay, yet the combined Ins/Del key was distracting. There is not much to complain about with the keyboard feeling: pressure point and stroke are designed sufficiently. ASUS F45C Battery Nice details like the slightly rounded edges are other factors for the positive overall picture. With our experiences the keyboard is suitable for frequent writers.

As usual, with Fn-combinations several comfort functions can be activated. Besides the brightness the volume can also be adjusted. A deactivation/activation of the wireless module, the display and the touchpad is also possible.

Touchpad
The minimally lowered touchpad is strikingly similar to the mouse replacement of the recently reviewed Lenovo IdeaPad Y500. Similarities do not only come with the dimensions (10.5 x 7.0 centimeters/~4.13 x 2.76 inches) but also with the buttons. ASUS F45U Battery The latter are directly integrated into the smooth touchpad surface.

The corresponding mechanisms are definitely a matter of taste. While one appreciates the seamless transition to the button area, the other criticizes the limited stability. Compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 the touchpad cannot be pushed in so deeply but the stability is not quite perfect. The convenient gestures that are presented clearly in the Smart Gesture software (see screenshot above) also have their flaws. ASUS F45V Battery The zoom function is especially unruly.

Although the precision is at a decent level, Asus could put some work into the accuracy of the touchpad. All in all it is still enough for the rating "Good".

The 1.6 to 2.4 GHz clocked A8-4555M belongs to the family of power efficient ULV processors and is produced, like its Trinity siblings, in the outdated 32 nm process (Intel is long producing in the 22 nm process). With 19 Watts the Thermal Design Power is significantly reduced compared to the standard models. ASUS F45VD Battery The similar clocked quad-core A8-3500M (1.5-2.4 GHz), for example, has almost twice the TPD with 35 Watts.

The A8-3555M can only process one thread per core simultaneously because of the lack of Hyperthreading or similar parallelization technology. Four MB L2 cache seem pretty much compared to Intel products, however the Core-i generation also has a 3 to 8 MB large L3 cache. The immediate Intel competitors Core i5-2537M (1.4-2.3 GHz) and Core i5-2467M (1.6-2.3 GHz) cannot compete with 1.3 billion transistors.ASUS F45VD1 Battery Both Sandy-Bridge representatives "only" have 624 million transistors.

Throttling
The manufacturer has a big problem with the processor. When more than one core is in use, the clock of the A8-4555M is temporarily reduced from the standard 1.6 GHz to a meager 900 MHz. Our measurements show that the throttling can have a massive impact on the performance. We checked the energy settings repeatedly (Windows control panel and AMD drivers) and the results with the second review unit were too low as well. ASUS F55 Battery We assume a general problem with the VivoBook U38DT.

During use of a single-core the situation is more relaxed. According to the tool CPU-Z the A8-4555M does not come close to the maximum available turbo clock, but at least it is 200 MHz more than the base clock with 1.8 GHz.
CPU Performance
The low CPU performance is the weakest point of the subnotebook. The Cinebench R11.5 score is very low with 0.42 points for the single-core rendering and 0.78 points for multi-core rendering. ASUS F55A Battery The already mentioned Core i5-2537M is more than 100% faster with 0.9 and 1.93 points (Samsung Series 5 530U4C-S02). Even the slow 1.4 GHz Core i3-2367M with 0.53 and 1.32 points is superior (Asus UX32A-R3001V).

If we have a look at the Lenovo IdeaPad S405 we can see that the A8-4555M without throttling and a higher turbo margin achieves 0.57 points (+36%) and 1.24 points (+59%). ASUS F55C Battery We can only hope Asus fixes the problem with the clocks as soon as possible.

GPU Performance
The performance of the AMD graphics very much depends on the requirements of the application being used. The higher the CPU influence, the higher is the limiting factor of the throttling A8-4555M.

The subnotebook handles the 3DMark 11 (1280x720, "Performance Preset") quite well. With a GPU score of 1,307 points the Radeon HD 8550M is on the same level as the GeForce GT 640M LE (1,259 points @ Fujitsu LifeBook AH532) or Radeon HD 7690M XT (1,346 points @ HP Pavilion dv7-6c07eg). For comparison: The Radeon HD 7600G only manages half of that (628 points @ Lenovo IdeaPad S405). ASUS F55CR Battery

The result of the Unigine-Heaven-2.1 benchmark (1280 x 1024, High, Tessellation normal) is not very overwhelming. With 14.1 fps it can compete with the GeForce GT 630M at most (14.3 fps @ Medion Akoya P6633).

System Performance
Because of the second-class hard drive and the pretty slow CPU the performance of the overall system is in the bottom third. 1,714 points for the PCMark 7 won't impress anybody. With this result the 13-inch device can only compete against notebooks with a cheap Intel B-series processor (Pentium B950 to B980). ASUS F55U Charger Among others we have the Lenovo IdeaPad G580-MBBG3GE (1,670 points), the HP Compaq Presario CQ58-148SG (1,700 points), the HP Pavilion g6-2200sg (1,723 points) or the Lenovo IdeaPad N581-MBA4YGE (1,742 points).
Gamers should avoid the VivoBook U38DT. The low clock of the A8-4555M pulls the performance down to a level that only modest and/or older games can be played with more than 25 fps. From the 25 tested titles only 10 were fairly playable. ASUS F55V Battery Most of the time the user has to live with minimum details and a slightly reduced resolution.

And even if the frame rate suggests a smooth experience on paper, during gaming there are constantly annoying frame drops due to reloading - whatever settings you select. Even the integrated Intel HD 4000 processor graphics performs better sometimes. Without the CPU throttling the performance should be much better. ASUS F55VD Battery

System Noise
While idling the noise level is similar to the Asus UX32A-R3001V (Core i3-2637M & HD Graphics 3000) we reviewed a few months ago. Just under 31 dB (A) is quite low, although the 13-inch device is never completely silent. Even with little load the user hears a slight noise and a subtle clatter of the hard drive. Simple tasks like MS Office, video or web browsing are also not disturbed by a distracting noise level. ASUS F55VDR adapter

With CPU-intensive tasks (3D applications etc.) the sound intensity rises to a proper but not annoying level. From a distance of 15 centimeters (~6 inches) we measured an average 38 dB (A) for the 3DMark 06. Although the fan noise is pretty high-pitched (and makes the notebook subjectively louder than the values would suggest) it can be tolerated pretty well. ASUS F75 Battery More than 41 dB (A) were not possible even in our stress test. The identically priced UX32A (800 Euros/~$1092) has no dedicated graphics and is quieter under load (36-38 dB (A)).
The temperature development was good without exceptions. During idle the whole chassis remained pleasantly cool: Just under 27 °C (80.6 °F) provides convenient long-term use. At higher loads the rear area of the notebook gets noticeably warmer. ASUS F75A Battery A maximum of 43 °C (109.4 °F at the top) or 38 °C (100.4 °F at the bottom) are non-problematic. The palm rest reaches a maximum value of 31 °C (87.8 °F) - a moderate result.

Overheating of the hardware is no problem. After one hour maximum load (FurMark + Prime95) the graphics and the processor remain at around 80 °C (176 °F).

Energy Consumption
The switchable graphics make sure the 13-inch device wastes no unnecessary power. With 10 to 17 Watts the consumption during idle is slightly above the Asus UX32VD with a 1.7 GHz Core i5-3317U and a GeForce GT 620M (6-13 Watts). ASUS F75A1 Battery Under load the VivoBook U38DT is more frugal (42-52 Watts against 45-61 Watts).

Battery Runtime
The non-removable battery has a capacity of only 48 Wh and the runtimes are very limited. Under load and with maximum brightness the battery keeps the device running for 1.5 hours, with wireless Internet browsing and medium brightness just under 4 hours are possible. The result of the idle test is not listed because of some strange values (Battery Eater seems to be always assigned to the Radeon HD 8550M). ASUS F75V adapter A DVD test was not performed due to the lack of an optical drive.

If you overlook the limited port equipment and the annoying throttling (multi-tasking reduces the CPU clock to 900 MHz), Asus made almost everything right with the U38DT-R3001H.

The main attraction is the very stylish and very lightweight metal case (only 1.55 kg/~3.42 pounds). Such a high build quality usually cannot be found in devices less than 1000 Euros (~$1365). Apart from some small details the input devices are also very good. ASUS F75VD Battery The manufacturer shows no weakness with the display either. The matte HD panel offers decent to good values.

Considering the low notebook height (less than two centimeters/~0.79 inches) we find the performance reasonable. Further positive aspects are the moderate temperature and noise levels. Even under heavy load the 13-inch device does not get excessively loud or warm. The included notebook bag helps to overlook the missing driver and recovery DVDs. ASUS F75VD1 Charger The battery runtime could have been better for our taste. Runtimes over 4 hours are only possible with little load and reduced brightness.

All in all we can still give a clear buy recommendation for the U38DT-R3001H. Price conscious users who want a small device with high mobility are at the right place.

hp 671567-831 Battery

Tue, 14 May 2013 02:58:44 +0100

Review HP EliteBook 8770w DreamColor Notebook and battery life

The workstation portfolio of Hewlett Packard is extensive. The offering ranges from 15- to 17-inch models (even a few mobile 14-inch models are included). The two smaller workstations, HP EliteBook 8470w and HP EliteBook 8570w, have proven their worth in past reviews. hp WD548AA-ABB Battery Now, we take a look at the HP EliteBook 8770w. The large top model offers a few unique features: the strongest hardware and most extensive configuration options. The large case offers a lot of space and good cooling. Our test model will have to compete with models from HP and other manufacturers. For example, the Dell Precision M6700, the Fujitsu Celsius H920 and Bullman's E-class are very powerful, 17-inch workstations with many appealing features. hp WD549AA Battery

The HP EliteBook 8770W offers 12 different configurations. The prices start at 1,650 Euros (~$2,202) and end at 5,000 Euros (~$6,674). The variety of available components is as large as the price span. A multitude of Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processors cover the CPU section. Four different professional graphic cards and three different displays make up the graphics section. hp CC03 Battery Next, the configuration lists a variety of RAM modules and storage devices. The OS is Windows 7 Professional, as Windows 8 is currently only available here and there.

Our test model uses an Intel Core i7-3610QM CPU, an Nvidia Quadro K4000M graphics card, 8 GB RAM, a 750 GB HDD, 24 GB SLC cache module, Windows 7 Professional and the infamous DreamColor display with RGB LEDs. The price lies at 4,300 Euros (~$5,739). hp CC06 Battery Replacement

Case

The heavy case is made of different shades of metal which creates an intriguing green-grey color scheme. The tapered sides give the model a slimmer look. The test model weighs 3.92 kg (according to HP - minimum is 3.47 kg with SSD and empty modules). Combined with the 1 kg power adapter, bag and accessories, the set will weigh up to 6 kg. hp CC06X Battery

The high weight translates to high stability, as the various tests of the MIL-STD810G standard will attest. The entire work area, including the hand-rest regions and the keyboard, is sturdy. Only the area around the "Enter" key is prone to bend a little. The hinges do a good job of keeping the screen in position, while allowing the user to open the laptop with a single hand. The laptop base does not rise when it is opened. hp CC06XL Battery The display border can be bent a little, but in comparison to the competition, it is very sturdy.

The bottom of the laptop is a mix of synthetic material and metal. The battery is placed at the rear, secured by a slide mechanism. A second slider unlocks the large bottom flap which hides most of the hardware. Thankfully, the user will not have to remove any screws. The rubber feet are placed directly onto the case. hp CC09 Battery Replacement

Communication
The EliteBook 8770w is equipped with everything the heart desires. Sadly, the selection is slightly limited for the test model with the DreamColor display - no HSPA or LTE modem can be combined with our model. The WLAN connectivity is provided by Intel's Centrino Advanced-N 6205 module. This module has two antennas and operates at the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies (theoretically up to 300 Mbit/s). hp HSTNN-CB2F Battery Although this module supports Intel's Wireless Display technology, HP does not seem to have activated this function. Bluetooth 4.0, a 720p webcam and Gigabit LAN round off the interesting package.

Security
HP includes an extensive security packet for the EliteBook. Trusted Platform Module 1.2, fingerprint sensor, BIOS password, facial recognition, Smart Card reader and Computrace Anti Theft secure the laptop. These various features are controlled using HP's Security Manager ProtectTools, which can be found in the Control Panel. hp HSTNN-DB2F Battery Additional information about notebook security can be found in our FAQ.

Accessories
As is typical, HP does not include accessories for the EliteBook 8770w. However, the manufacturer does offer a multitude of accessories for the workstation. Various optical drives, hard drives, SSDs and an empty module are offered for the Upgrade Bay. The HP Upgrade module includes a 750 GB hard drive (H2P66AA - 224 Euros, ~$299). hp HSTNN-E04C Battery A battery can not be installed in the slot like in the Dell Latitude E6530. HP's docking solution is also interesting. The HP Advanced docking station (2 x DVI and 2 x DisplayPort) can run up to 5 displays (AMD Eyefinity). Our test model can control up to 4 displays thanks to the Nvidia Quadro K4000M.

Maintenance
The large maintenance flap uses no screws. Thanks to the slide mechanism, it can easily and quickly be removed. This grants the user access to the most important hardware components. Although the cooler fan is half-covered, it is possible to clean it. hp HSTNN-F08C Battery The two RAM slots on the bottom are empty and offer room for upgrades. Two additional slots under the keyboard require more effort to find, but are important if the user plans to install more than 16 GB of RAM. Two regular slots and the Upgrade Bay are available for the storage devices. Although the second slot is empty in our test model, we did not receive a disk frame or screws in the delivery. hp HSTNN-F11C Battery Replacement

Performance

The performance of the HP EliteBook 8770w is at the typical workstation level. The CPU is a quad-core Intel Core i7-3610QM, which offers enough performance for many different scenarios. The Intel HD Graphics 4000 IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) cannot be used. The manufacturer compensates by providing the Nvidia Quadro K4000M-GPU, which has good performance and scores well in all areas. hp HSTNN-I90C Battery

The RAM amounts to 2 x 4 GB (entry-level), but it can be quickly upgraded to 16 or 24 GB using the two empty slots. The models with the quad-core CPU can support up to 32 GB. The dual-core CPUs are limited to two slots (16 GB). The storage device is a combination of a 750 GB HDD in RAID 0 with an Intel 24 GB cache module. This hardware may appear to be quite meager given the price tag of 4,300 Euros (~$5,739), but as HP asks for an additional 955 Euros (~$1,274) just for the DreamColor display, the price seems to be appropriate. Charger hp HSTNN-I91C

Processor
The Intel Core i7-3610QM-CPU is used in different notebook classes and can be described as the "bread and butter" CPU. Hyperthreading and TurboBoost technologies allow the CPU to offer the maximum possible performance at any time. In Cinebench R10 64 bit, the processor scores 5,559 (Single) and 21,357 (Multi) points. Additional numbers can be found in our CPU benchmark list. hp HSTNN-LB2F Battery

In the practical test, the CPU achieves 47.1x speed in the iTunes audio conversion (typical single-thread task). Pure CPU video conversion using Cyberlink MediaEspresso places the Intel Core i7-3610QM near the top of the benchmark list. However, a few faster processors manage to beat it to the throne.

On battery, a 30% performance drop is to be expected. Cinebench R11.5 (Multi) was run by the CPU at 2.3 GHz instead of 3.1 GHz. Thus, the result drops from 6.2 to 4.5 points. Charger hp HSTNN-LB2G

CPU throttling did not crop up even after multiple hours of high load on the CPU and GPU. The CPU ran at a constant 3.1 GHz (multi-core load).

System Performance
The system performance takes all hardware into account. This section reveals that the workstation is very balanced. Only the storage devices, despite the Intel cache module, slow down the system slightly. The cache module enables quicker start of programs and the OS, thus making the daily work more fluid. hp HSTNN-LB2H Battery Of course, this module cannot hope to reach the speeds of a full-sized SSD, but it serves as a slower alternative. PC Mark Vantage records 11,265 points on the HP EliteBook 8770w, while PC Mark 7 offers 4,360 points. These are very good results and indicate no limitations while using any program.

Storage Solution
HP offers a variety of possible combinations of storage devices for the EliteBook 8770w. Theoretically, up to four drives can be installed as the laptop has an mSATA slot, two regular slots and the modular slot. hp HSTNN-LB2I Battery We have a regular 750 GB hard drive from Seagate in the test model. The HDD operates at 7200 rpm and is combined with an Intel SSD cache module. This duo is set in the RAID 0 connection. The cache memory is made of single-level chips and can be found in the mSATA slot.

The test results are sobering. The maximum transfer rate of 116 MB/s and an access time of 15 ms is only a good result when compared to traditional HDDs. However, the programs and the OS start faster. hp HSTNN-OB2F Battery Other supported RAID configurations (depending on the number of drives) are RAID 1 and RAID 5 (minimum of 3 drives required). The combination of an SSD (for OS and programs) and the traditional HDD (for data storage) is possible with the EliteBook 8770w thanks to the two regular drive slots.

Graphics Card
The professional Nvidia Quadro K4000M GPU is one of the most powerful graphics processors available for professionals. It is only topped by the Nvidia Quadro K5000M. The GPU has a 256 bit memory interface, 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 graphics memory and operates at 600 MHz.hp HSTNN-OB2G Battery In comparison to consumer graphic cards, the GPU offers performance at the level of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 670MX. The Intel HD Graphics 4000 IGP of the processor is not used. This means that the user cannot make use of features like Intel's Quick Sync technology for conversion. Additional information about the IGP can be found here.

The traditional graphic benchmarks like 3D Mark Vantage, 3D Mark 11 and Cinebench 11.5 OpenGL Shading deliver 15,362, 3,673 and 70.87 points. hp HSTNN-OB2N Battery These are high results and indicate high performance for regular 3D tasks.

The strength of the Quadro GPUs is the special BIOS and the Quadro graphics driver, which is optimized for professional applications. This allows the GPU to score high scores with professional applications, especially CAD programs, unlike conventional GPUs of the GeForce series. hp HSTNN-UB2F Battery A strong competitor of the Quadro GPUs is the AMD FirePro series which have the same purpose. We used the SPECViewperf.11 benchmark to record the performance of the professional GPUs. This benchmark runs a selection of CAD programs in different modes at a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Although the Quadro K4000M has higher performance on paper, there are few sections of the benchmark where it could show it. hp HSTNN-W81C Battery For Lightwave, Maya and Solidworks especially, the supposedly weaker AMD FirePro M6000 is a better choice.

The results (especially in the professional tests) depend heavily on the driver used. A new driver can change the score considerably. We used the standard graphics driver installed by the manufacturer and the latest update of November 2012 (306.96) posted by HP. The SPECViewPerf.11 results are nigh identical. With Lightwave and Siemens NX, small improvements are noticeable, but the Pro Engineer ends slightly lower. hp QK639AA adapter

We use the Luxmark 2.0 benchmark to check the OpenCL performance. The benchmark checks the ray tracing properties of the GPU (light/shadow processing of 3D objects). In the Sala test, we record 221 points and 101 points in the Room test. It is quite hard to place the GPU on a ranking list as we currently have few results for comparison. Still, in comparison to an AMD GPU, a significantly weaker ray tracing performance is noticeable. hp QK640AA Battery

An additional use of the GPU is the video conversion using the CUDA engine. For this test, we will employ the media converter, MediaEspresso from Cyberlink. Our two test videos were processed relatively quickly with a CPU load of 12-16%: 98 and 134 seconds. Thanks to the transfer of the processing to the GPU, the system has enough processing power left over for other tasks. hp QK642AA Battery

On battery, the performance is reduced by around 40%. The GPU runs at a much lower 270 MHz. In Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL Shading, the laptop scores 42 instead of 70 points.

Gaming Performance
The gaming performance of the Quadro GPU is similar to that of equivalent GeForce GPUs. We did not notice any performance drops, graphic errors or other issues using the special Quadro driver. All-in-all, the performance is enough for high to max settings, which allows the user to enjoy a full gaming experience. Only in Total War: Shogun 2, Anno 2070 and Battlefield 3 does the workstation struggle with the FullHD resolution and max settings. hp QK643AA Battery

Noise Emissions
While idle, the noise emissions are dominated by the HDD: relatively loud at 32.7 dB(A). However, the HDD is only audible when the user switches off the "Fan always on" option in the BIOS. Otherwise, the cooling system drones out the storage device with its constant 34.4 dB(A) (even the HDD clatters during data access - 33.5 dB(A)). hp ST09 Battery

At medium load, the emissions rise to 40.9 dB(A) and at full load, the user has to bear an annoying 50.6 dB(A). At this level, the workstation is fully occupied and cannot be used for any other task. In everyday life, full load like this (we used Furmark and Prime95 simultaneously) is hard to find. While running SPECViewperf.11, we recorded 41.2 dB(A) and during the CUDA video conversion, the emissions were a comfortable 37.9 dB(A). HP 671277-171 Charger High-frequency noises or an uncomfortable fan operation were not issues which popped up in our test.

Temperatures
HP keeps the surface temperatures under grip. Even at full load, we did not measure more than 45.1 °C on the bottom. This would not be comfortable for use on the lap, but that is not a desired operating mode for the 8770w. However, on the table, this is an acceptable temperature level and indicates a well-working cooling system. The HP EliteBook 8770w uses a single fan, unlike the Dell Precision M6700. HP 671518-800 Battery We did not notice any negative aspects of this choice. The hand-rest regions stay under 30 °C - comfortably cool. None of the other work areas reach high temperatures. At low load, the temperature emissions range from 30 to 34.2 °C. If the "Fan always on" option is turned on, the system stays at 25 - 29.3 °C. The interior of the laptop does not hit any critical levels. Throttling? None. HP 671602-001 Battery

Energy Management

Power Consumption
The power consumption is a minimum of 24.7 W - a large disadvantage of the HP EliteBook 8770w. As only the Nvidia Quadro K4000M can be used, there is no way to lower the idle or low load power consumption (by using the Intel HD Graphics 4000 and turning the dedicated GPU off). The power consumption rises up to 40.7 - 149 W (max) depending on the load and power profile. hp 671567-831 Battery The display brightness itself contributes 10 W (difference between minimum and max brightness). CUDA video conversion requires around 83 W. The power adapter has a 230 W rating and we did not notice throttling of the power adapter.

The 75 Wh battery offers standard capacity for a business notebook. However, this will not suffice for the power-hungry workstation and results in short runtimes. The battery life would have been far shorter had the performance not been reduced on battery mode. Theoretically, a max of 3 hours and a minimum of 30 minutes would be possible. hp H2L56AA Battery

The actual results reached by Battery Eater Reader's test ("Power Saver" profile), minimum brightness, modules off) are 4 hours and the Battery Eater Classic test ("High Performance" mode, max brightness, everything on) records 1:30 hours. The realistic WLAN test (159 cd/m², "Power Saver" profile, wireless modules on) and DVD playback test (max brightness, wireless modules off, "Power Saver" profile) record around 2 hours of battery use. hp H2L55AA ABB Charger

The battery life can be extended a little, by purchasing a stronger 83 or 100 Wh battery from HP. Together with the standard battery this will extend the run time to 4 - 5 hours.

The HP EliteBook 8770w impresses us in all workstation ratings. CPU and GPU performance are top class and will suffice for almost any possible scenario.

The connectivity is extensive and offers a flexible use of the interfaces. The positioning of the ports is not so good, as most of the important interfaces are placed up front, right in the middle of the work area. hp HSTNN-LB3N Battery

The possible upgrades are many. The bottom flap does not use screws and is easy to remove. Once removed, it grants the user access to a variety of empty slots which can be used to upgrade the workstation in many ways.

The undisputed highlight of this workstation is the DreamColor display. Except for the tiny blue strip at a remote location, we have nothing to complain about. The color space coverage, contrast, brightness and viewing angles of our test model are hard to beat. hp HSTNN-LB3P adapter

In short, the HP EliteBook 8770w offers high performance and connectivity, but the user has to accept severely limited mobility. The battery life is around the 2 hour mark and the relatively high weight and case size further limit mobility. Noise emissions of a high-performance workstation, such as this one, are expected to be quite high. However, our test model operates at an unnecessarily high level, which can be changed in the BIOS.

Acer TravelMate 3274WXMi charger

Fri, 10 May 2013 05:52:10 +0100

Review Acer Aspire TimelineU M3-581PTG Ultrabook and battery life

2013 is the year for touchscreen Ultrabooks – that is what chip giant Intel and manufacturers like Asus and Acer claim. The goal is to boost the sale of Windows 8 laptops and to make these mobile devices more user-friendly. Acer TravelMate 3270 charger

After testing the HP Spectre TouchSmart 15 and the Toshiba Satellite U920t-100, we now turn to the Acer Aspire TimelineU M3-581PTG. This test model has a chance to show what it has to offer in our in-depth review. The 15-inch laptop carries a 1,000 Euro (~$1310) price tag and runs on the Intel Core i5-3337U, which, combined with 4 GB RAM and a large 256 GB SSD, ensures fluid program performance. Thankfully, unlike many of its competitors, our test model is equipped with an optical drive and a dedicated GPU. Acer TravelMate 3270-6569 chargerThe recently released Nvidia GeForce GT 730M is ready and eager to tackle the newest games and is conservative enough to satisfy the TDP requirements of an Ultrabook. Despite all this hardware prowess, Acer promises up to 8 hours of run time.

The chassis of the TimelineU M3 is similar to its predecessor. Dark black and gray tones still dominate the matte-glossy look, which gives the Ultrabook a luxurious appeal. Thankfully, the glossy surfaces are quite resistant to smudges and the user will only have to worry about cleaning off the dust that accumulates over time. Acer TravelMate 3273WXMi adapter

A thickness of 9.7 mm (~0.38 inches) and weight of 2.3 kgs (~5.1 pounds) makes the M3 much heavier/thicker than its 13 or 14-inch counterparts - this is the price you have to pay for a larger screen. A small border (about 15 mm (~0.59 inches) - on the sides and above) frames the panel and gives a graceful touch to the TimelineU.

Acer TravelMate 3274WXMi charger Acer primarily used metals for the M5 series, but our test model consists heavily of synthetic materials. Overall, the sturdiness is quite high, but in the usual problem areas, like above the DVD drive, weak points can be found. The display cover uses an aluminum alloy, which offers great sturdiness. We would also like to praise the stiff hinges, which do a good job of keeping the screen stable.

The good workmanship is tainted by a flaw in our test model: the front and back of the display are not properly fused together. This results in a sharp gap on the top left edge that is a few millimeters long. Even if our test model is just a single bad egg, we expect more of a laptop, which carries such a high price tag. Acer Travelmate323x charger

Communication
The Qualcomm module (formerly known as Atheros) of our test model is named the AR5BWB222. This entry-level model only supports IEEE standards 802.11b/g/n and thus cannot access any of the networks operating at the 5-GHz frequency. In addition, the maximum transfer rate is limited at 150 MB/s, as the module only operates in single stream (1x1). Looking past these limitations, we found the module to establish and maintain stable connections and have good range. The TimelineU also supports Bluetooth 4.0 + HS. Aspire 9100 charger

An integrated 1.3 MP webcam is provided for taking pictures and video. However, the meager quality of these captures will make few users happy. Even in comparison to the other poorly equipped competitors, our test model has poor picture and video quality. The clear microphone does a much better job and the user will hardly require an additional headset.

Accessories
The delivery of the notebook includes a 65 W power adapter and the typical brochures. The included dust cloth will go a long way in keeping the touchscreen clean. The M-Disc DVD is a nice extra: it can be written on with the internal burner and read by any DVD drive. According to the manufacturer, it can last up to 1,000 years.

The preinstalled Windows 8 is filled with a multitude of Apps, the majority of which are hardly useful. A clean installation is recommended. Most of these Apps are demos or mini games like "Cut the Rope", which are essentially provided to test out the touchscreen.

Keyboard
Thanks to the wide 15-inch case, the manufacturer has enough room for a chiclet keyboard with an integrated numeric pad. The gray 15 x 15 mm (~0.59 inch) keys have a comfortable surface, but lack lighting. The user will have to get accustomed to the keyboard as it has some unique features, like the left "Shift" key, which is quite small. With the exception of these, the keyboard layout is normal.

The typing feel is satisfying although we would have liked a stronger pressure point and a longer stroke distance. No keys clatter or jam, as may be expected of cheap plastic. Thanks to the high sturdiness and clean workmanship, the TimelineU scores highly.

Touchpad
In comparison, the touchpad quality is lower. The good dimensions (10.5 x 7.8 cms/~4.1 x 3.1 inches) and good sliding properties are appealing. This touchpad originates from the manufacturer Elan. A serious flaw is the delayed reaction time. The cursor feels sluggish, which makes it hard to navigate accurately and quickly. The touchpad supports all the typical multi-touch gestures (with two or four fingers). These can be configured to suit your personal preferences.

Acer has kept to the current trend by integrating the mouse keys into the touchpad surface. Apparently, the touchpad of our test model was poorly installed: the left key is recognized by pressing down about 1 mm but the right key practically has no stroke distance. Both keys require a lot of force – the user might be better served by an external mouse.

Touchscreen
The third input device is the capacitive touchscreen, which can recognize and work with up to 10 fingers simultaneously. In previous reviews, we have expressed our feelings on using a Windows notebook with finger input. We believe that it is best for the potential buyer to decide for him/herself how useful a feature like a touchscreen will be. Overall, the input is well-recognized and swiftly executed. Once again, the stiff hinges are a great help as they keep any and all wobbling to a bare minimum.

Display

The touchscreen may be a nice gimmick, but its picture quality is important. Sadly, Acer has picked a relatively cheap WXGA panel, which sports a resolution of 1366x768 pixels – barely higher than the resolution of a good Smartphone. Taking into consideration the display diagonal of 15.6 inches, the pixel density amounts to 100 dpi. This means that the GPU will have less work cut out for it, but the user will be faced with a very limited desktop, not suited for a 1,000 Euros (~$1310) Ultrabook.

The display has modest brightness. Even at maximum, we measure a mere 203 cd/m², which was evenly distributed over the panel. The TimelineU is suitable for indoor use, but higher brightness levels would have been good - especially for outdoor use.

The manufacturer has cut corners with the panel: instead of a high-quality IPS screen, Acer chooses a TN panel from AUO (B156XTN03). The contrast of 495:1 and black value of 0.42 cd/m² are quite good for this type of display, but they cannot hope to compete with high-class panels on the market. In comparison, the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15 (1,400 Euros/~$1834, Full HD, IPS) offers a contrast of more than 800:1.

The Acer Ultrabook is primarily aimed at private users, which makes color spectrum coverage less interesting. The display has strong deviations (Delta E 13.8) and a clear blue tinge. In addition, the relatively small color space cannot cover the sRGB or AdobeRGB spectrums. Most users will not notice any of this as the TimelineU is suitable for easy tasks, like editing holiday pictures.

Haswell, the Ivy Bridge successor, is due for launch in a few months, which means it is time for Intel to do some spring cleaning and launch a handful of new models, which are often dubbed "speed bumps". This includes the Core i5-3337U of our test model, which replaces the older i5-3317U. The difference is a mere 100 MHz higher base and Turbo clock speed, which expands the speed range to 1.8 - 2.7 GHz. No additional features, like the support of Hyperthreading or the 3 MB L3 cache, have been touched. The TDP is still similar to that of an ULV CPU: 17 Watts.

The graphics processors of the laptop include the HD Graphics 4000 IGP (350 - 1,100 MHz) and a dedicated GeForce GT 730M GPU. Depending on the application, Nvidia Optimus will use the optimal GPU: simple 2D programs will be run with the conservative Intel IGP, whereas the more demanding 3D games are executed with the GT 730M. The switch between the two is fluid and, most of the time, automatic.

Acer offers two configurations for the M3-581PTG. The entry-level configuration costs 800 Euros (~$1048) and employs a classic 500 GB HDD, whereas the configuration of our test model costs roughly 200 Euros (~$262) more and includes a 256 GB SSD and 4 GB DDR3 1333 RAM, of which 2 GB are soldered onto the motherboard.

Processor
As the increase in clock speed is minor, the Core i5-3337U cannot beat its predecessor, the i5-3317U, by a large margin. In Cinebench R11.5, we measure a score of 2.49 points - roughly 4% higher. The differences are just as small in the Cinebench R10 (64-bit) benchmark: the TimelineU scores 4,651 and 9,546 points (Single/Multi). Still, the dual-core processor is not to be underestimated: even the 35 W middle-class i5-3210M is only 15 to 20 percent faster. The AMD top model, the A10-4600M, falls far behind our test model. With the exception of a few demanding programs (for example, HD video editing or rendering), the Core i5-3337U is suitable for all modern applications.

Although the TimelineU includes a free 2.5-inch slot, the manufacturer has installed a compact mSATA SSD from Toshiba. The model is the THNSNS256GMCP, which is not sold in shops and probably uses the Sandforce controller. This should be the SF-2281 controller with a 24 nanometer NAND (also from Toshiba). However, as many notebook manufacturers use different sellers, this information can be inaccurate.

In any case, the SSD boosts performance: sequential read speeds of 512 MB/s and write speeds of 359 MB/s (AS SSD). This places the drive at the very top of the market and it even beats the popular Samsung PM830. While dealing with small 4K files, there is no clear champion, but the Toshiba SSD shows its strength in writing (4K-64: 269 MB/s).

System Performance
Thanks to the fast SSD and powerful Core i5 CPU, the Ultrabook shines in PCMark 7. The 4,791 points it scores, places it at the level of competitors like the Acer Aspire S7 (4,824 points), HP TouchSmart 15 (4,414 points) or Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 (4,396 points). This should come as no surprise as the CPUs and storage devices of these different models, which are the deciding factors of the PCMark score, are very similar.

In everyday use, the TimelineU M3 benefits greatly from its fast flash memory. It has short load times and a quick response time. Windows 8 boots in less than 12 seconds and is practically instantaneously ready.

Graphics Card
The Nvidia GeForce GT 730M, which was introduced at the beginning of the year, is known to us from the Acer Aspire V3-571G. Although the name suggests a new generation, the GPU actually uses the well-known GK107 Kepler chip – which can also be found in the GeForce GT 640M or 650M. The 28 nanometer GPU has a clock speed of 725 MHz and 384 shaders. This is only slightly higher than the GT 645M, but with Turbo Boost, the speed hikes up to 895 MHz. As a result, the 730M is barely slower than the DDR3 version of GT 650M (950 MHz Turbo). This GPU has 1 GB memory (900 MHz, 128-bit DDR3). The standard practice is to provide 2 GB VRAM, but this would not make much of a difference in this performance class.

The result is good: an impressive 2,135 points in 3DMark 11 make the TimelineU M3 one of the fastest Ultrabooks available. The scores from 3DMark 2013 (Fire Strike: 1,168 points) promise great gaming suitability.

In fact, all the games we tested ran fluidly at the native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. There were differences in what detail settings we had to use: while the relatively less-demanding Diablo 3 or Dishonored could be run with max settings and active AA at frame rates above 60 fps, games like Battlefield 3 had to be run at medium settings. A heavier drop in the graphics settings was necessary only for a handful of very demanding games, like the recently released Crysis 3, which did not run perfectly at medium settings. This confirms our previous assertion: the GT 730M is just shy of the GT 650M in terms of power.

Noise Emissions
While idle, the fan of the Ultrabook runs constantly and emits between 31.7 and 31.9 dB (A). This level of noise emission is not distracting, but it is noticeable in quiet surroundings. The emissions rise a little more while surfing (occasionally turning up to 34.8 dB (A)) or playing a DVD (36 dB (A)). Thanks to the SSD, the annoying access noises of a traditional HDD are not present.

At load, the powerful graphics card forces the fan emissions higher: 41.2 to 41.4 dB (A). If we take into consideration the power of the hardware, we believe this to be an acceptable level of emission. In fact, it is not much louder than other Ultrabooks that lack a dedicated GPU. In comparison, the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15 emits 35.2 to 44.2 dB (A).

Without load, the surface temperatures barely reach the 30 degree (86 degrees Fahrenheit) mark, which indicates great energy management in the TimelineU. This does not change when performing normal, everyday tasks and the user can keep the notebook on his/her lap.

The situation at full load is less appealing, especially near the back right side, where the ventilation opening is placed - here the temperatures can rise up to 57 °C (134.6 °F). The hand-rest regions and the "WASD" area (which holds interest for gamers) remain relatively cool - this is useful in summer.

Like many of its competitors, this Acer model suffers from throttling. In our stress test, the CPU temperature reached up to 95 °C (203 °F), which brought about a drop in the clock speed to 1.3 GHz. After the cores had cooled down, the speed shot back up to 2.5 GHz and the circle repeated itself. However, it is important to note that such a full load situation was simulated using the synthetic benchmarks Prime95 and FurMark. In real applications and games, no throttling is present. The graphics chip constantly runs at its max clock speed of 895 MHz and heats up to a max of 81 °C (177.8 °F).

The front of the notebook houses two stereo speakers, which have a significant maximum volume. Music and movies sound clear (above average) and the speakers only lack bass. The various equalizer settings do little to change that, but we like the "Music" preset best.

External speakers can be connected digitally via HDMI or using the classic headphone jack. The latter offers good signal quality but not enough for high-impedance entertainment headphones.

Power Consumption
Thanks to Optimus, the TimelineU consumes 6.0 - 7.7 W while idle. This is very similar to other Ultrabooks.

This changes once the GeForce GT 730M kicks in. The consumption of 56.5 W in 3DMark 06 and up to 67.4 W in the stress test (fluctuates) exceeds that of the competition (at least those which lack a dedicated GPU) by 25 to 30 Watts – precisely the consumption of the GPU. The 65 W power adapter is only barely capable of supplying the necessary juice to the laptop.

Battery Life
The integrated Lithium-Polymer battery has a capacity of 54 Wh and, according to Acer, delivers up to 8 hours run time. This is not an exaggeration: although the Battery Eater Reader's Test (minimum brightness, "Power Saver" profile, WLAN off) could not be forced to use the conservative Intel IGP, the laptop lasted a good 7 hours and 35 minutes.

When we adjusted the brightness (around 150 cd/m²) and surfed online with the WLAN, we found the run time to be 6 hours and 17 minutes. In this practical test, the M3 exceeds many other Ultrabooks, which can only offer 4 to 5 hours.

Although Acer does not limit the CPU or GPU on battery, the test model lasts an impressive 2 hours and 16 minutes in the Battery Eater Classic test (max brightness, "High Performance" mode, WLAN on, running on battery). Demanding 3D games will drain the battery much faster.

Multi-faceted but with weaknesses - this would be an appropriate description of the Acer Aspire TimelineU M3-581PTG. Thanks to the powerful Nvidia GPU, the Ultrabook can run the newest games without problems. The Core i5 CPU and the fast SSD do their part in giving the system good performance. The resulting power consumption and noise and temperature emissions cannot be avoided.

However, the real weakness of the laptop is a different area. The glossy display makes it hard to use the laptop outdoors. The touch feature raises the question: is it really necessary? The user might have been better served by a high-quality IPS panel. Still, this is a matter each potential buyer has to decide for him/herself.

Other small flaws are also noticeable. We expect more from a 1,000 Euro (~$1310) Ultrabook. These flaws include a spongy and poorly installed touchpad and workmanship errors on the display cover. Let us hope that this is an isolated case, as our test model does originate from a reseller. If you are looking for a long-lasting Ultrabook with a touchscreen, optical drive and a fast graphics card, our test model is a prime option.

Tag: laptop battery ,charger,adapter,replacement battery for laptop

Acer Aspire 3030 Charger

Thu, 09 May 2013 03:23:38 +0100

Review Acer Aspire E1-571G Notebook

A frequent question asked when buying a laptop for around 500 Euros (~$651) is whether an Intel or AMD processor should be installed. In this price range, only few manufacturers offer strong processor from Intel's Core i-range and they are partly energy-efficient ULV processors that only provide limited power.Acer BATCL32 Charger Intel's Core i3-3110M from the latest Ivy Bridge generation lets Acer's Aspire E1-571G virtually stand out among the affordable entry-level laptops as a unique selling point. It also includes an Nvidia GeForce GT 620M that should have enough power to render up-to-date games in low details.

However, Acer's Aspire E1 range can also be configured. Buyers who want to invest less can opt for an Intel Pentium processor alongside the integrated Intel graphics card for less than 400 Euros (~$520). Those looking for more power can opt for Intel's Core i5-3210M besides more storage capacity for roughly 600 Euros (~$781), which is also an interesting offer. We have already tested a laptop based on the same chassis dubbed Acer Aspire E1-531. BATCL32L Charger

There is enough competition among low-budget devices; even Sony has a Vaio for less than 500 Euros (~$651) in its range, although the manufacturer is specialized in stylish designer devices. Affordable devices are sooner expected from Packard Bell, but the manufacturer belongs to Acer and sends in a test device that features an Intel Core i3 from the second generation. As mentioned, Dell wants to satisfy buyers looking for long battery runtimes with the Inspiron 15R featuring energy-saving processors. Samsung's NP355V5C-S05DE costs a bit over 500 Euros (~$651) and is completely based on AMD components. Smart-savers can also find something by HP and Asus in the form of AMD-based laptops for less than 500 Euros (~$651).

Plastic, plastic, plastic - Acer does not offer more for this price. The display's glossy-black lid is comprised of plastic, just like the wrist-rest in silver-gray and the keyboard's matte rim. Acer gives the Aspire E1-571G with basic, elegant looks that should not put anyone off. Fans of flashy design details will have to look elsewhere because a rather serious contour prevails here, which is not unusual but quite appealing.

We quite like the build-quality. Apart from the keyboard that yields, the casing makes a very rigid impression. Even the single plastic parts are joined well and no uneven transitions are felt. The display's lid could be a bit stiffer but no miracles should be expected for 500 Euros (~$651).

Users who place great value on exceptional design will be better off with Samsung, which offers a pink lid as an option. Dell also offers various metal surfaces in different colors for its Inspiron 15R. Sony is very traditional in both build and design and maintains these qualities in the low-budget sector. The Aspire E1-571G remains unobtrusive.

Communication

Not every laptop from this price range sports a Gigabit Ethernet adapter such as Acer's Aspire E1-571G. However, all devices used for comparison feature Wi-Fi standard 802.11 bgn like our Acer test laptop. Our test device also scores in Wi-Fi transmission. The reception did not weaken even at a distance of 10 meters and 3 walls to the router. Acer's Aspire E1-571G does not feature Bluetooth, which is unfortunate when the user wants to link a phone with the PC or owns a Bluetooth headphone. However, HP and Asus do not include this wireless interface either.

Software

The 64 bit version of Windows 8 is installed as the operating system. The additional program dubbed "Acer Power Button" is a practical improvement of the operating system. The laptop can be shut down, put to sleep, etc. directly from the desktop.

Besides a bit of annoying adware from eBay or LoveFilm, there is also convenient software, such as Acer Cloud which allows accessing stored data even in remote places. Smaller additions, like EverNote, Skitch and the social media hub "Social Jogger" complete the bundle.

Warranty

Acer includes a 2 year bring-in warranty on the Aspire E1-571G. In case of damage, the laptop has to be sent to the manufacturer. An "International Traveler's Warranty" is also included. The laptop can be sent to a service point anywhere in the world when traveling for 12 months after purchase. Only the shipping costs within the country are due.

It is also possible to upgrade the warranty via Acer's online shop. For example, a one year warranty upgrade costs 79 Euros (~$102). This investment could be worthwhile despite the laptop's low price if the user want to be on the safe side.

Keyboard

Big keys, a dedicated number pad and the entire surface covered by keys - the keyboard of Acer's Aspire E1-571G looks stylish with its square keys. However, typing on the keyboard is not as compelling. The keyboard is very bendable and features a spongy typing feel. The big surface of the single keys compensate for the small gap between the keys.

Special keys, such as for volume control, are not available. These functions are accessed using FN key combinations. A highlight of the keyboard is a dedicated euro and dollar sign key above the arrow keys. They could have been omitted considering the very cramped keyboard and the fact that both signs are on the keyboard anyway.

Touchpad

The touchpad has been nicely integrated into the wrist-rest and is very far left. The scroll area at the right edge is clearly palpable and visible. A key below the touch-sensitive field can be pressed on the right or left and prompts the corresponding mouse click. The keys convey a firm impression when clicked, which is particularly due to the crisp pressure point. The drop of the touchpad's keys is also well-chosen, so neither too short nor too long and also makes a high-quality impression on us.

The surface provides the fingers with good gliding traits and multi-touch gestures are supported. The desktop can be zoomed in and out like on the touchscreen of a smartphone, which is very useful in Windows 8. The touchpad key is convenient to use. Left and right clicks are well-separated on the continuous bar.

Performance

For us, one of the most exciting chapters is performance. Can Acer's Aspire E1-571G stand out from the competition with its Intel Core i3-3110M and the dedicated GeForce GT 620M featuring 1 GB of memory? Smooth workflow, watching movies and the occasional game should at least be possible in low details.

Processor
An Intel Core i3-3310M is installed in Acer's Aspire E1-571G. It is based on Intel's latest Ivy Bridge architecture. Unlike the more expensive models from the Core-i range, this processor does not feature CPU Turbo. Consequently, its default clock of 2.4 GHz cannot be increased. This maximum clock was available on battery power or during longer load in our test device and the performance remained constant.

Our test device scored as expected when the synthetic Cinebench loads all processor cores. It achieved a clear performance advantage of 10 - 20% over the entry-level Pentium B980 processors in Sony's Vaio SV-E1712F1EW and HP's Pavilion g6-2200sg. AMD's A4-3305M in Asus' K53-TK is clearly defeated with 50% in multi-core operation. All contenders are quite close in single-core processor load.

System Performance
Our test device also stands out from the competition in PCMark, which rates the system's overall performance. A large part of this is certainly due to the superior processor. The devices otherwise only differ marginally in performance relevant components.

Acer's Aspire E1-571G is perfectly equipped for routine use of an entry-level multimedia laptop. Movies in the screen's native resolution or via HDMI to a Full HD monitor are no problem. Routine work should also run smoothly. The system can be upgraded to 8 GB of working memory if pictures or videos are to be edited.

Storage Devices
The hard drive in our system is dubbed Toshiba MQ01ABD050. It has a capacity of 500 GB and spins at a slow 5400 revolutions per minute. The hard drive's capacity is adequate for the price range. Only Samsung's NP355V5C sports a larger 750 GB hard drive. Asus K53TK is only available with a smaller 320 GB HDD. The access and transfer rates are on an average level. We did not record outliers in either direction. Users who want faster data access can replace the hard drive with an ultra-swift SSD after removing a few screws.

Graphics Card
The GeForce GT 620M ranges in the lower midfield of graphics cards. Consequently, it should be able to render up-to-date games in low details. It might also be necessary to reduce the resolution. The graphics card features a 1024 MB dedicated memory and uses Nvidia's Optimus to save power. The energy-efficient, processor-integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 takes care of low load and the GeForce automatically jumps in during demanding tasks unnoticed by the user.

The graphics card's power was not throttled even after longer load or on battery power. It maintained its full clock rate of 625 MHz. Our test device was approximately on a par with the contenders, which exclusively use AMD graphics cards, in 3DMark 06. Only Dell's Inspiron 15R scored by about 20% higher with its newer AMD Radeon HD 8730M.

Just how suitable is the Intel Core i3 processor and the lower midrange graphics card combination for gaming? Our test shows that the stronger processor gives our test system a small advantage in some games. However, the performance is largely dependent on the GeForce GT 620M. It can render many up-to-date games in medium detail settings as long as the games are not exceptionally demanding.

Stuttering may occur when the screen gets too crowded in Anno 2070 and Diablo 3 still runs smoothly even in high settings. However, the performance gets tight when too many monsters occupy the screen here as well. Thus, it is recommendable to select a lower detail level to really experience a stutter-free game. These games can usually be played in the native resolution because the screen's resolution is fairly low.

Overall, Acer's Aspire E1-571G is on the same performance level as the other entry-level laptops. The better processor can only squeeze out minor performance advantages in games. Users who want to play in higher resolutions and with more details will have to invest a few hundred Euros more and opt for a laptop featuring a Radeon HD 7730M, GeForce GT 640M or higher.

System Noise

Acer's Aspire E1-571G has to be stressed to quite an extent before it becomes audible. The fan virtually whirs silently with a maximum of 32.5 dB and is sometimes completely inactive during very little load. Our test device's noise increased up to an audible 43.2 dB when it was really loaded, but it remained within a still tolerable range.

It is also pleasant that the DVD drive does not get too loud with 35.8 dB when playing a movie. Generally, the noise from the Acer Aspire E1-571G is quite within the common range for this category and will likely only disturb very noise sensitive people when loaded.

Temperature
The temperatures also remain on a good level. The laptop's center only warmed up to 40.8 °C during longer load, which is only a slight warming. The fact that the wrist rest heats up in low load is not as pleasant. However, it remains within a tolerable range. Sony's Vaio SV reaches much higher temperatures despite its larger casing. All other devices stay on the level of Acer's test device.

Speakers
A good sound is vital for a multimedia device. The competition partly installs brand name speakers, such as Altec Lansing (HP and Asus), but with quite varying outcomes. Acer's Aspire E1-571G manages to extract a decent maximum volume from both no-name speakers located above the keyboard. The sound is also quite balanced and good for laptop conditions, although the low ranges are virtually non-existent like in most cases. Users who like to listen to music on their laptop should prefer external speakers or a headphone. The sound output via the audio port was flawless in our test device.

Power Consumption

Acer's Aspire E1-571G drained a maximum of 55.4 watts from the outlet and quite clearly places itself as an energy-saver before the Samsung and HP contenders, which are not as strong. It is not due to the power supply unit. The handy power adapter from LiteOn supplies 90 watts when necessary, which seems a bit oversized for our test device.

The device proved to be modest and consumed a maximum of 11.5 watts during little load. The device still consumed 0.2 watts from the outlet when it was turned off and 0.5 watts in energy-savings mode. Dell's contender proves to be the leader and only consumes 0.1 watts when turned off and 0.2 watts when idling.

Battery Runtime
The battery runtime of our test device is also on class level. The 44 Wh battery, which can be removed using a pointy object, provides a runtime of up to 8:20 hours when it is hardly loaded and all communication modules are disabled. Acer is fair and states a runtime of 4:30 hours on its website, which corresponds to a much more realistic measurement. For example, we almost achieved this exact runtime while surfing on the internet. The runtime should also be enough for watching two DVDs. Almost 2 hours of work is possible when Acer's laptop is fully loaded.

Acer's Aspire E1-571G is a solid entry-level device that does not exhibit any major weaknesses. However, it does not feature any highlights like the competition sets in one way or another. Fans of design will be better off with devices from Dell or Sony. Samsung offers more interfaces and HP's Pavilion g6-2200sg sports better speakers, which is not unimportant in a multimedia device.

Acer's test device can score with a strong Core i3 processor from the Ivy Bridge generation, which makes it 20% faster than the competition in many applications. Even games can be played well in low details alongside its noise development, power consumption and temperature, where the device stays agreeably discreet.

A better screen, more interfaces and a higher quality keyboard would have reaped in a few more points for the device. Nevertheless, the Aspire E1-571G is an alternative for everyone who wants a bit more performance from the entry-level range for their money.

HP EliteBook Folio 9470 Ultrabook Charger

Mon, 06 May 2013 07:36:03 +0100

Review Fujitsu Lifebook N532-0M3501DE Notebook and battery life

If you want your powerful PC anywhere you go and not waive a large display, the 17.3-inch Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is a good choice. The notebook is an all-rounder that equally suits business customers with its special configuration as well as casual gamers. HP Pavilion m6 Charger

The Lifebook N532 can be equipped with a variety of different Intel Core-i processors and up to 2 TB mass storage ex works. SSDs are also available, even a WWAN module for mobile internet can be installed. The mainstream graphics Nvidia GeForce GT620M is always on board.

Our review unit with the label 0M3501DE features mainstream hardware; it is equipped with the popular Intel Core i5-3210M dual core processor, a 500 GB hard drive and no WWAN module. HP Pavilion m6t Charger

The Lifebook N532 explicitly wants to be an all-rounder so we compare it with different competitors in its class: The Asus K75VJ offers faster core components for a similar price but lacks any business features. The HP Envy dv7-7202eg also has faster internals and basic protection via fingerprint reader. The HP ProBook 4740s has one too. If you are interested in more performance you should have a closer look at the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500, which is more gamer oriented. We also have an AMD based competitor with the Toshiba Satellite L875D-10E. HP EliteBook Revolve Charger

Case

Do you like plastic? In this case you will be in good hands with the Lifebook N532. The chassis is completely made out of plastic but with its matte looks and pleasant haptics it makes a high quality impression. The transitions between the different parts are also very precise and have no perceptible edges. HP Mini 200 Charger

There is not much criticism with the stability of the notebook: The bottom can hardly be bent and the keyboard is surprisingly sturdy even above the DVD burner. This is a weak point for many other notebooks. Only the display can be bent a bit too much for our taste, which is also indicated by brightness distortions on the display. The pressure resistance of the cover from behind is not very good either. HP Mini 200-4200 Charger

The design is best described as inconspicuous; Fujitsu made no experiments and chose a simple design that will not scare off anybody. Silver-gray and black dominate and will neither stand out in the office nor at home. That is how it should be for a notebook that wants to be an all-rounder. HP Mini 200-4200so Charger

Performance

As mentioned before there are numerous hardware configurations for the Fujitsu Lifebook N532: Starting with an Intel Core i3-2328M up to a Core i7-3630QM almost every processor from the Core-i series is available. Also relevant for the performance: The hard drive. Here you can configure RAID systems or select Solid State Drives. Up to 16 GB memory can be integrated. Only the Nvidia GeForce GT620M graphics cannot be changed, it is a low midrange solution, which is usually used in 14-inch devices, for example in the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge S430.HP Pavilion 15 Charger

Our system is equipped with a Core i5-3210M, a 500 GB hard drive and 4 GB RAM, which is lower midrange if you consider the available configurations. Overall our system should be sufficient for office tasks but there are not many performance reserves if the tasks become more demanding. The system is not powerful enough for 3D-calculations, video editing, etc. HP Pavilion 15t Charger

Processor
The processor is the most powerful component in our review unit. With its two cores that can execute up to four threads simultaneously and a nominal clock of 2.5 GHz the Intel Core i5-3210M is adequate for most tasks. The system can also dynamically adjust the clock via Turbo Boost and raise it to 3.1 GHz for one core or 2.9 GHz for two cores.

In the synthetic benchmarks our system gets similar results compared to devices with the same processor. Throttling, a reduced clock of the processor, for example due to insufficient cooling, should not be a problem. In fact we saw the full Turbo clock in a short test; it is also not reduced during battery use as long as the profile "Maximum Performance" is selected. HP Pavilion 15z Charger

System Performance
Even if our system does not have the high end components, the system performance indicated by PCMark 7 is similar to comparable devices. Unfortunately PCMark Vantage does not work with Windows 8 so we have no test results for this benchmark. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15 Charger

All in all, the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is even ahead of the competitor HP ProBook 4740s. The components seem to work well together and result in a low midrange system. No component slows the system down noticeably. The Lifebook N532 has sufficient performance for daily tasks but there could be problems with more demanding applications.

Storage Devices
The Toshiba hard drive with a capacity of 500 GB is not really the fastest: It only works at 5,400 revolutions per minute. Both the HDTune benchmark as well as the Crystal Disk Mark results are clearly lower than competitive devices with similar hard drives. However, this is not noticeable during practical use, applications and the operating system boot quickly. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15t Charger

15 GB of the hard drive is used by the recovery partition that contains a system image. This is redundant because the notebook is delivered with recovery DVDs, so you can delete this partition if necessary and use the additional space. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15z Charger

Graphics
Usually the Nvidia GeForce GT620M can be found in considerably smaller devices and so far we did not review a 17.3-inch device with this graphics card. It is a low midrange solution with a clock of 475 MHz and 1,024 MB dedicated memory. Via Nvidia-Optimus technology the graphics card can be deactivated for low demanding tasks and then the Intel HD Graphics 4000, which is integrated into the processor, can be used instead. The user can also step in and choose the graphics for each application. HP Pavilion 14 Charger

The graphics card gets solid results in the benchmarks that are partly much higher than competitors with the same graphics (compare Lenovo ThinkPad Edge S430). These devices often had a version with reduced clocks to avoid critical temperatures. This is not necessary with the Lifebook N532 and it is also not a problem, even with battery use and continuous load the graphics card does not reduce its clock. However, the same graphics in the Acer Aspire E1-571G has a significantly higher clock with 625 MHz. The gaming benchmarks will show if there is an impact on the performance. HP Pavilion 14t Charger

Gaming Performance
Gaming should be possible with the GeForce GT620M graphics, yet it will not be sufficient for the native display resolution and high details in many games. The reduced clock is another factor.

In fact our review unit performs worse in all games compared to competitors with the same graphics but higher clocks. For better comparison we tested the same games that we used in the Acer Aspire E1-571G review. We can see a 20% performance disadvantage of the Lifebook N532 because of the reduced clock. And the competition? The HP ProBook 4740s is on the same level and the Asus K75VJ is far ahead in many games thanks to the more powerful GPU (GeForce GT 635M). HP Pavilion 14z Charger

Overall most of the latest games are playable on the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 with reduced details and a reduced resolution. However, it is not really future-proof, so if you want to play browser or casual games in the future you should consider a more powerful device.

System Noise
Both the Intel Core i5-3210M and GeForce GT620M have proven to be very easy to cool, especially in a 17.3-inch chassis like the Lifebook N532. It is not surprising that the fan is even completely deactivated from time to time and the HDD is the only audible part during idle. We measure 33.3 dB when there is absolutely no load, this hardly changes during idle. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14 Charger

With maximum load we measure a maximum value of 42.3 dB. This is audible but not annoying. During movie playback via DVD burner you have to live with 36.4 dB. Still audible but it should not interrupt the cinematic enjoyment. All in all, the system noise of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is similar to most competitors, for example the HP ProBook 4740s. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14t Charger

Temperature
When the fan is spinning it is very quiet. Does this result in higher surface temperatures? Not at all: The absolute maximum is just 37.3 °C at the left back side of the bottom. The warming can be felt but the notebook can be used on the lap without any problems. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14z Charger

Especially with little load the maximum temperature of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 is only 33.6 °C at the rear left. Only at one spot the frugal cooling becomes evident: The palm rest is about 20% warmer during idle compared to maximum load. That is because the fan transports more heat from the case during maximum load. But even during idle the temperature of the palm rest is never unpleasant. HP 3125 Charger

Speakers
The speakers are located above the keyboard behind a grid over the entire width. The two speakers have the DTS license, which usually takes care of good cinema sound. Sounds promising, right? Unfortunately the speakers cannot keep the promise that comes with the "DTS Boost" symbol: Although the high and mid tones are okay, the deep tones are completely missing. This results in an empty sound from the speakers, which is not very enjoyable. HP 3125m Charger

At least the maximum volume is convincing but without bass nobody wants to listen to that. The speakers are well suited for video chats; for music playback or movies you should use the stereo jack: Attached headphones or speakers deliver a good sound. HP Reveals Pavilion 14 Charger

Energy Management

Power Consumption
The maximum energy consumption is within the norm with 70.6 Watts, unfortunately we have no comparative data from other 17.3-inch notebooks since the GeForce GT620M is usually only used in smaller systems. All in all, the Lifebook N532 is in the middle of the competition when it comes to energy consumption, so we can rule out an exceptional high or low consumption. HP EliteBook Folio 9470 Ultrabook Charger

With minimal use the notebook consumes at least 9.5 Watts. Activated WLAN and the "Maximum Performance" energy profile raises this minimal consumption up to 15 Watts. These values are also within the norm. On its website Fujitsu advertises the epeat-Gold label and the Green-IT label for the Lifebook N532 so the notebook has to meet certain consumption requirements. In one point the notebook is very green: Turned off as well as in standby it pulls 0.0 Watts from the socket. HP EliteBook Folio 9470m Ultrabook Charger

Battery Runtime
For how long does the battery at the back keep up with these consumption values? Let us clear up the basic data first: Fujitsu uses a lithium-ion battery with 57 Wh, so it is smaller than the competition. HP EliteBook Revolve 810 Charger

With little load the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 runs for up to 5:20 hours. This is not the promised seven hours by Fujitsu but this scenario is not really realistic anyway. Surfing via WLAN or watching a DVD are more realistic - then the runtime is 4:02 hours and 3:33 hours respectively before the battery has to be recharged. With maximum load it runs out of juice little after an hour. So how about the competition? HP EliteBook 8770P Charger

The HP ProBook 4740s is actually ahead when it comes to runtimes thanks to its larger battery (WLAN runtime: 4:38), the HP Envy dv7 with its more power-hungry components is beaten despite the larger battery (WLAN runtime: 3:03). The runtimes of the Lifebook 532 are between the competition and therefore good average. HP ProBook 6360t Mobile Thin Client Charger

The Fujitsu Lifebook N532 wants to please everybody and be a notebook for business customers as well as multimedia users. So does it sit between the chairs? Yes, in many areas this device is just too average. The display is okay but nothing that would impress movie enthusiasts or gamers. Many security features can be upgraded but overall the available security features will not be sufficient for business customers. The graphics card is basically capable of gaming but notebooks with better GPUs often cost the same or even less. HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook Charger

We liked the solid build quality and the very good input devices of the Fujitsu Lifebook N532. Does that justify a purchase? During the review we often wished Fujitsu would have been more courageous and would have either made a distinct office or a consumer device. Now the Lifebook N532 offers a bit for everybody and does not make any big mistakes, but it cannot inspire either. HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15t Charger If you are looking for a basic 17.3-inch notebook and your demands are not too high, you can give the Fujitsu Lifebook N532 a chance, everybody else should consider more specialized products.

TAG:laptop battery ,charger , adapter ,replacement battery.

Asus A2C Adapter

Mon, 06 May 2013 05:50:38 +0100

Review Samsung Series 3 355E7C-S05DE Notebook and battery life

The entire casing is black and Samsung completely relies on plastic. The base unit's top and the lid's back feature matte, brushed metal looks. The illusion of a metal surface is implemented very successfully. The display's frame and the keyboard's bezel are made of a glossy plastic and make fingerprints unavoidable. Packard Bell's laptop is also completely made of plastic. Toshiba uses aluminum components besides plastic in its Satellite. Hp TPN-W106 Adapter

The base unit is not the most stable. It dents when pressure is applied to the area underneath the touchpad and on the keyboard's left. Also, the base unit's front right corner lifts from the surface when the frame on the keyboard's left is pushed down. The base unit's stiffness could also be better. The same is true for the lid. Its back can be pressed to such an extent that minor picture distortions are seen. The hinges keep the lid firmly in place but rock a bit. It is not possible to open the lid with one hand. Hp TPN-W107 Adapter

Performance

With the 355E7C, Samsung has a 17-inch all-rounder in its range. Most tasks are no problem for the device. It easily copes with internet communication, office tasks and video playback. Even up-to-date 3D games are no big challenge for the laptop. The laptop is currently sold for 600 Euros to 700 Euros (~$777 to $907) and is available in other configurations. The differences are found in the installed APU, working memory capacity and hard drive size. The currently least expensive model, featuring AMD A4-4300M APU, 4 GB RAM and a 500 GB hard drive, is available for 490 Euros (~$634). Hp TPN-W108 Adapter Samsung also sells innumerable other laptops in various sizes and configurations under the name Series 3.

Processor
Samsung's laptop is powered by AMD's A8-4500M APU, which is part of the Trinity generation. The APU's CPU part is a quad-core processor that clocks with a base speed of 1.9 GHz. The clock rate can be boosted up to 2.8 GHz (AMD Turbo Core).

The CPU processes the CPU single and multi-thread tests of the Cinebench benchmarks stably at 2.3 GHz. The scores are on a par with the Satellite (AMD A8-4500M, Radeon HD 7640G + HD 7610M dual-graphics). However, neither contender can compete with the scores of Packard Bell's laptop (Core i5-3210M, GeForce GT 630M) since it sports the strongest CPU. It is the other way around in the Cinebench R11.5 GL tests. Hp TPN-W109 Adapter Both Samsung's laptop and the Satellite deliver a much better score than the Packard Bell laptop. The dual-graphics solution is stronger than the GeForce GPU at least in this synthetic benchmark.

System Performance
The system runs mostly smoothly and without hitches. The odd delay was noticed when running programs. We assume that this is due to the stuffed Windows installation. Samsung preinstalls many apps and tools. The PCMark 7 score is on a par with the very identically equipped Satellite (AMD A8-4500, Radeon HD 7640G + HD7610M dual-graphics). The score of Packard Bell's laptop (Core i5-3210M, GeForce GT 630M) is higher than that of the contenders owing to the stronger CPU. 671567-831 Adapter

Graphics Card
Samsung installs a dual-graphics solution in the 17.3-inch laptop. That means two graphics cores calculate the displayed pictures. AMD calls this technology Crossfire. The dual-graphics solution could principally be deactivated so that only the integrated GPU is used. The Crossfire array in the 355E7C consists of the integrated Radeon HD 7640G GPU and dedicated Radeon HD 7670M GPU. Both chips support DirectX 11. The HD 7670M is a member of the GPU midrange. More information about the dual-graphics solution can be found on the corresponding data sheet. Hp H2L56AA Adapter

The results of the 3DMark benchmarks are on a good level and are marginally better than the scores of the Satellite (AMD A8-4500M, Radeon HD 7640G + HD 7610M dual-graphics). Packard Bell's laptop (Core i5-3210M, GeForce GT 630M) takes the lead in the 3DMark 2006 benchmark. The CPU has a bigger impact on the score in this test and the laptop with the strongest CPU consequently is at an advantage. The GeForce GT 630M can no longer keep up with either dual-core solutions in the newer 3DMark versions.Hp H2L55AA-ABB Adapter The 3D performance of the dual-graphics solution in Samsung's laptop ranges between the GeForce GT 630M and the latest GeForce GT 730M in the synthetic 3DMark benchmarks (see comparison graph). The gaming benchmarks will reveal whether this is also true in real life.

Gaming Performance
Owing to the dual-graphics solution, the Series 3 laptop can render up-to-date computer games smoothly on the screen in HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) using medium and frequently even high quality settings. The dual-graphics solution only has problems generating adequate frame rates with very performance-hungry games like Hitman: Absolution or Crysis 3. Hp HSTNN-LB3N Adapter Games that don't have such high hardware requirements also run smoothly in the Full HD resolution and maximum quality settings, for example FIFA 13, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or Diablo 3.

Micro-stutters occur around 30 fps on AMD's dual-graphics solutions. We noticed these again this time. Generally, the dual-graphics solution's frame rates were disappointing. They were lower than Toshiba's laptop in Diablo 3 and Anno 2070. Here it becomes obvious that Samsung's laptop tends to throttle in high temperatures. This is too bad because Samsung's laptop should theoretically supply better frame rates seeing that it has the stronger dual-graphics solution. Hp HSTNN-LB3P adapter

System Noise

Samsung's laptop is not noticed adversely due to excessive noise when idling. We measured rates between 30.8 and 34.4 dB. The fan is often inactive. Packard Bell's laptop (30.6 to 31.5 dB) is quieter and the Satellite (32.4 dB) is on a par with Samsung's laptop. The 355E7C did not get very loud during medium load (3DMark 06) with 36.1 dB. The Satellite (38 dB) is louder and Packard Bell's laptop (34.3 dB) is a bit quieter. Hp HSTNN-YB3N Adapter The laptop from Packard Bell is also the quietest during full load with 36.6 dB (stress test via Prime95 and Furmark). Samsung's laptop (38.7 dB) and the Satellite (40.1 dB) generate more noise.

Samsung's Silent Mode can be activated should the laptop still be too loud. It reduces the fan's noise. This mode can be enabled in Samsung's settings menu. The start icon is located in the task bar. The fan's noise is reduced by slowing the CPU. Activated Silent Mode reduced the clock rate of all four cores to 900 MHz when Cinebench R11.5 benchmark was performed (energy profile: High Performance). Hp HSTNN-YB3P Adapter

The casing's idle temperatures ranged from 25.8 to 41.2 °C. These rates are too high for idle. This also proves that the fan is often inactive and the heat can accumulate in the casing. The very identically equipped Satellite heats up much less. Surprisingly, Samsung's laptop produced less heat during full load in the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run simultaneously) at both the peak as well as on average. We measured temperatures between 25.6 and 40.7 °C. Both contenders are roughly on a par with Samsung's laptop during full load. Asus A2000T adapter

As already mentioned several times, the 355E7C and Satellite feature very identical equipment. Thus, the CPU and GPU exhibit very similar speeds during load. In AC mode, the CPU started the stress test with strongly fluctuating clock rates (Prime 95 and Furmark run for at least one hour). The processing speed settled to around 1.4 GHz after a short while. There were recurrent fluctuations up to 2.3 GHz and down to 900 MHz. These peaks largely ceased after about 15 minutes. Battery for Asus A2508H The dual-graphics solution ran through the stress test mostly at a speed of 497 MHz in AC mode. It was recurrently accelerated to 655 MHz for a short time. In rare cases, it was slowed to 335 MHz for just as short a time. The CPU clocked stably with 900 MHz and the dual-graphics solution with 335 MHz when the stress test was performed on battery.

We reran the 3DMark 2006 benchmark right after the stress test in AC-mode. The score dropped slightly compared with the laptop's cold state (7688 points vs. 8493 points). The CPU's temperature settled to 75 °C in AC-mode. Asus A2514H Adapter

Speakers
The speakers in Samsung's laptop are located above the keyboard. They produce a low-bass sound that cannot hide a tinny quality. Speech is clear and intelligible. The sound experience can be enhanced by using external speakers or headphones.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Battery replacement Asus A2534H The idle power consumption of 11.6 to 17.1 watts is a bit high. The identically equipped Satellite (8.2 and 15.4 watts) and Packard Bell's laptop (7.6 to 14.2 watts) show better rates. During full load (simultaneous Prime95 and Furmark), Samsung's laptop is satisfied with a power consumption of 54.5 watts and places itself before the Satellite (61.1 watts) and Packard Bell's laptop (81.1 watts). However, it should be kept in mind that the CPU in the 3557C, like the Satellite's CPU, does not clock at full speed (throttling). Asus A2D Adapter

Battery Runtime
The 355E7C achieved an idle runtime of 4:22 h. The Satellite (4:03 h) and Packard Bell's laptop (3:51 h) lag slightly behind that. The idle runtime is ascertained using Battery Eater's Reader's test. The screen's brightness is set to minimum, the energy-saving mode is enabled and the wireless modules are off. Samsung's laptop finished the load test after 1:11 h and is on a par with the Satellite (1:12 h). Packard Bell's laptop lasts a bit longer with 1:41 h. We use Battery Eater's Classic test to determine the load runtime. The screen is set to maximum brightness and the high-performance profile and the wireless modules are enabled. Asus A2C Adapter

The Wi-Fi test ran for 2:35 h on the 355E7C. Both contenders (Toshiba: 3:31 h; Packard Bell: 3:06 h) last longer. Websites are automatically opened every 40 seconds in this test. The energy-savings profile is enabled and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². Should the user want to use Samsung's laptop as a DVD player, it is recommendable to have the power supply at hand. Asus A2G Adapter One battery charge is enough for a playback time of 2:13 h. The Satellite (2:07 h) is on a par with the 355E7C and Packard Bell's laptop lasts a bit longer with 2:33 h. The DVD test is performed in enabled energy saving mode (or a higher profile should the DVD not run smoothly), maximum screen brightness and disabled wireless modules.

The batteries of the three laptops have an identical capacity of 48 Wh each.

Samsung sees the 355E7C as a family laptop. We can quite agree with this self-assessment. The laptop convinces with decent application performance and good equipment (high storage capacity, 8 GB of working memory). Even the gaming performance is satisfactory and enables playing most up-to-date computer games. Asus A2H Adapter It also pleases with a matte screen and good keyboard. Thus, the laptop can cover many different application fields. On the con side, we have the screen's moderate contrast and the poor battery runtimes. These points can be tolerated in a 17.3-inch multimedia laptop. Samsung offers potential for saving: Users who are satisfied with a dual-core processor, less working memory and hard drive capacity can attain the 355E7C for less than 500 Euros (~$647).

Asus A2K Adapter Although Toshiba's Satellite L875D-10E features a very similar configuration, there are differences that make it interesting. That would be the three year warranty and the higher contrast screen. Packard Bell's EasyNote LV44HC-137GE would cater to users looking for an as silent-running laptop as possible and/or a laptop with a higher contrast screen.

TAG: BATTERY FOR LAPTOP . charger ,adapter.replacement battery for laptop

HP ENVY Dv6t Battery

Fri, 03 May 2013 03:27:39 +0100

Review Acer Aspire S7-191 Ultrabook

Acer has been struggling for market shares with a few, more or less successful devices since the beginning of the ultrabook era. However, a steady development could be observed. The manufacturer is undoubtedly motivated. HP ENVY TouchSmart 4-1218tu Ultrabook Battery

Alongside the 13 inch Aspire S7-391, Acer now sends its 11 inch Aspire S7-191 into the fight against the exclusive contenders. With a market value ranging from EUR 1300 to EUR 1600 (depending on the configuration) and interesting features, such as the aforementioned 11.6 inch Full HD IPS touchscreen, but also a clip-on battery, which extends the internal battery capacity of 28 Wh by additional 28 Wh when docked, the slim silver unit wants to attract potential buyers. The other components is solid ultrabook fare: In addition to Intel's Core i7 3517U from the Ivy Bridge generation and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 256 GB SSD storage device is installed. It also awakens eager anticipation because it is a RAID 0 array comprised of two 128 GB SSDs. HP ENVY TouchSmart 4-1220tx Ultrabook Battery The Aspire S5 was designed in a similar concept and was extremely fast.

However, the competition is well-prepared: Asus supplied a very solid ultrabook with its ZenBook Prime UX21A and Apple's MacBook Air has always been a market leader. Both devices feature a good 11.6 inch screen and the Asus even comes with a similar Full HD IPS screen like in our model. If you are looking for a touchscreen in the ultra-portable segment, Asus' VivoBook S200-E, Dell's XPS 12 Convertible or even the bigger Aspire S7-391 might cater to your needs. HP ENVY Dv4 Battery

Like the 13.3 inch Aspire S7, our 11.6 inch model is clad in a very elegant dress. Unlike its bigger brother that was still comprised of magnesium, aluminum and Gorilla Glass II, our test device is based on an aluminum unibody - at least that is how Acer names it. The slim ultrabook does not look like it has been made of one cast because the base plate is magnesium. HP ENVY Dv4t Battery

The S7's high price range is noticed immediately. Its surfaces feature a very velvety feel. The lid's brushed surface with a diamond pattern is compelling. The display is behind a touchscreen made of rigid, but glossy Gorilla Glass II. The other surfaces are velvety yet sleek. A nice side effect is that they have a higher resistance for grime and fingerprints than others. HP ENVY Dv4z Battery

As fragile as the slim 12.2 millimeter casing's clear lines and minimalistic design may look, so rigid and stiff it proves to be in every situation. You will likely be astonished about how light (1.08 kg without secondary battery) the laptop seems the first few times when picking it up. However, the experienced portability became natural for the tester after a while. You no longer think about how or where you should pick it up because it does not matter. HP ENVY Dv4-5200 Battery No creaking noises are heard and nothing warps. The tester often found himself carrying the wide-opened device from one room to another with the left hand while surfing on the Internet via gestures with the right, like a tablet. In the other room, the Aspire S7 was again placed on the table or the lap and used in the usual "laptop" mode, i.e. the keyboard and touchpad were used for navigating. This switch is just as automatic as it is easy. Nothing out of line tears us from the single task - it simply works. HP ENVY Dv4-5300 Battery

This is also because the two tiny display hinges have two stops. The lid can be opened smoothly up to an opening angle of approximately 95° before the second, firmer stop takes effect. The hinges provide a higher resistance from this point in order to keep the display firmly in position during touch use, which works flawlessly. The small Aspire enables flexible options for almost every work position with its maximum opening angle of approximately 145° - including the tablet-like use as described above. HP ENVY Dv4-5214tx Battery

The slim device also reaps in some criticism. Docking the secondary battery is still fairly easy when you have found out how. However, removing it usually ends up with cursing the manufacturer. Both securing screws frequently cannot be removed as easily and the user is usually then faced with a fiddly task.

Performance

Our test device features the configuration for around EUR 1500. It sports a swift, energy-efficient Core i7 3517U (2x 1.9 GHz, Turbo up to 3 GHz) including an integrated graphics accelerator (Intel HD Graphics 4000) and a 256 GB storage device. HP ENVY Dv4-5213tx Battery The latter is certainly a special feature of our little Aspire S7 because it is a fast RAID 0 array of two 128 GB SSDs from Lite-On. It subjectively displayed extremely short booting times in various tests and will very likely also show a good (system) performance in the benchmarks. The DDR3 working memory features a standard capacity of 4 GB.

The competition usually only offers a single solid state drive and will likely be a bit inferior in the write and read rates. If you want a touchscreen in a portable but less expensive device, you will have to be content with the much slower Core i3 3217U (2x 1.8 GHz) in Asus' VivoBook S200E. Dell's XPS 12 Convertible test device sported the faster Core i7 3667U (2x 2 GHz, Turbo up to 3.2 GHz), but most of the named competitors will likely use the same processor as in our test device as the maximum. HP ENVY Dv4-5304tx Battery

The initial situation for our comparison test has been explained. Now we will look at whether the slim and elegant device can meet the high expectations placed on it.

The Core i7 3517U inside our Acer Aspire S7 is now actually the standard Ivy Bridge CPU in expensive ultrabooks. We do not say this with disfavor, but with a quite positive undertone. This energy-efficient ULV processor from Intel is the second fastest of its kind with a TPD of only 17 W. HP ENVY Dv4-5305tx Battery In addition to a default clock of 2x 1.9 GHz via different technologies, e.g. Hyper Threading (every CPU core can process two threads at the same time) and Turbo Boost up to 3.0 GHz, it offers everything that an ultra-portable heart might desire in terms of performance (more information here). Thus, it is possible to do virtually everything up to HD video editing with our test device. An exception would be demanding games.

We ascertain the processor's performance in computing tasks as well as the Turbo Boost's functionality via Cinebench R11.5. The Aspire S7-191 did quite a good job here. HP ENVY Dv4-5306tx Battery

Although the Aspire S7 slightly lagged behind the identically equipped competition (including the bigger sister model) in the multi-core benchmark, it had a marginal performance advantage in the single-core benchmark. Its Turbo Boost proved to be more efficient and almost never deviated from the maximum frequency with just below 3 GHz. We conclude that the disadvantage in multi-core calculation compared with the equally fast sister model is because our little Aspire S7 gets a bit warmer than the bigger sister model when both processor cores are loaded and which consequently can maintain the maximum Turbo rate without a longer break. HP ENVY Dv4-5302tx Battery All told, we are very satisfied with the processor's performance.

System Performance
We ran our test device through PCMark 7. In addition to the processor, it is particularly the storage device that contributes to the ascertained system performance. This allows conclusions about the test device's total application performance in routine use because tasks such as image editing, word processing, Internet surfing, video playback and even a 3D acceleration sequence are simulated and assessed. HP ENVY Dv6 Battery

Like the bigger sister, the little Aspire S7 is compelling in terms of performance. It scores a bit poorer than the previously mentioned 13.3 inch version and Asus' Taichi 21 in PCMark 7's total rating. Our Aspire especially lagged behind in the productivity rating.

However, a good overall result was achieved as can be seen below. The ultrabook could surpass its slim main contender, the ZenBook UX21A, by 15% as well as the equally swift MacBook Air 11 by 19%. HP ENVY Dv6t Battery

Gaming Performance
Most games can be played as long as they are not very hardware hungry, such as Battlefield 3. However, they usually only runs smoothly in low settings.

The Aspire S7 range is no exception here, although it usually renders the sequences faster than the named contenders. For example, Anno 2070 could still be played fairly smoothly with 20 frames per second in medium details and a resolution of 1366 x 768 on our test device. Asus' Taichi 21 using the same processor (Core i7 3517U / HD Graphics 4000) only managed jerky 13 fps. In return, the 13 inch sister model managed 22 fps with the same hardware owing to the somewhat better cooling. HP ENVY Dv6z Battery

The surface temperatures on both the top and the bottom never noticeably surpassed 30°C during normal use (browsing, Office, etc.). Almost all (im) possible working positions are imaginable owing to the cleverly placed vents and the opening angle of approx. 145°. The ultrabook also makes a good impression when used on the lap.

When the laptop is fully loaded for a longer period, like in our somewhat unrealistic stress test, merely the base's middle upper area heats up extremely to an average of 47.6°C. HP ENVY Dv6-7300 Battery However, this is not distracting because neither the knees nor the fingers touch this area (a gap of about 3 cm is between the key bed and display hinge). The cooling system is beneath that. This design appears well-considered despite the resulting temperatures. We also did not observe throttling, so a reduction of the CPU clock during full load. The clock rate remained stable at its default clock of 2x 1.9 GHz, like in the sister model.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

HP ENVY X2 Battery With 6.2 up to exactly 10 watts, the Aspire consumes a bit more power in idle than the average of comparable, small 11.6 ultrabooks. The ZenBook Prime UX21A is the leader of energy efficiency here with a very low power consumption of 4.6 to 9.6 watts.

However, our test device belongs to the leaders of energy savers with a power consumption of mere 33 watts during full load. There is not a big difference among the exclusive contenders though.

Battery Runtime

Hp 632113-151 Battery Acer's idea to simply detach a part of the battery capacity is certainly interesting. It was only possible to design the casing this small and slim without accepting losses in hardware or cooling performance by leaving 4 power cells (28 watts) outside of the chassis. A 28 Wh, non-removable battery is also installed in the ultrabook. This equals a capacity of 56 Wh alongside the secondary battery.

Hp HSTNN-F10C Battery Runtimes that are quite comparable with the 11 inch competition are achieved when the battery is inserted. The battery lasted for 1 h 49 min in BatteryEater's Classic test in full load and enabled Wi-Fi. It was even 11 h 4 min during low load, so BatteryEater's Reader's test using maximum energy saving settings (disabled wireless modules, minimum brightness). The ultrabook had to be reconnected to the mains after 4 h 7 min when we surfed on the Internet with a brightness close to 150 cd/m² via Wi-Fi. These are all average rates for compact ultrabooks. Hp HSTNN-I93C Battery However, their batteries usually have a 10 Wh lower capacity. The device does not really manage the available resources extraordinarily well.

The secondary battery has to be removed to carry the little silver ultrabook around in its charcoal black leather sleeve. The battery capacity is consequently reduced by 28 Wh if it is to be left at home. Mere 2 h 30 min were then possible without the clip-on battery in the standardized Wi-Fi test. This is not awe-inspiring for an ultrabook's overall impression. The competition is also slim and manages runtimes identical to the Aspire but without a secondary battery. Hp HSTNN-IB2P Battery

What is an ultrabook? Is it a slim, rigid and as small as possible chassis including sufficient runtimes, performance or even a touchscreen with 1920 x 1080 pixels? Acer wants to fuse all these qualities in the Aspire S7-191. However, the mass of features first have to be compressed in a 12.2 mm height and an 11.6 inch casing.

This often involves developing interesting ideas. Leaving out half of the battery capacity, which can be docked via a secondary battery when required, adds flexibility and an agreeable slanted position for typing. Hp HSTNN-LB2P Battery However, we were not completely happy with the implementation. Contenders with an identical, if not somewhat longer runtimes, e.g. Asus' ZenBook Prime UX21A, are a few millimeters higher, but the entire battery runtime fits into the included sleeve. Also, the fiddly mounting of the secondary battery, which will likely soon infuriate some gentle-mannered natures, is needless.

The screen also leaves mixed feelings. Technically, a very good, focused and contrast-rich Full HD screen based on state-of-the-art IPS technology is installed. However, the ideal brightness rates (approx. 400 cd/m²) are only available where we do not need them - namely at the mains. Hp QK641AA Battery You have to cope with just below 190 cd/m² when on the move and that will usually not be able to defy the reflections on the screen in most light conditions.

The touchscreen works properly, but we like the one in the 13.3 inch Aspire S7 more because it can be opened further and lies evenly on the table. It is possible to play a group game that way.

Of course, we are complaining on a high level because the Aspire S7 does a lot of things very well. The flawless, rigid and light aluminum unibody casing, the very compelling application performance and the cooling system that always enables consistent speeds without interruptions or slowing down with its twin fans. Hp VH08 Battery It also stays fairly quiet in everyday use, with exception of gaming.

If you do not need a touchscreen, you will find less compromising ultrabooks in the aforementioned ZenBook as well as in the somewhat slower, yet still great MacBook Air 11. They do not exhibit as many discrepancies or rouse as many questions. They are also EUR 100 - EUR 300 cheaper. If you simply want an affordable, portable laptop with a touchscreen, Asus' VivoBook S200E is available for a competitive price of around EUR 550, but its performance is weaker. Hp VH08XL Battery

If you are looking for the ultimate versatile 11.6 inch ultrabook, you will have to make compromises in the one or other area. Not only our test device underpins that in this price range, but also the contenders listed in the right column.

TAG: laptop battery , charger , adapter , replacement battery , battery for laptop .

ASUS Eee PC 1015PDG Battery

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:48:34 +0100

Review HP Compaq Presario CQ58-350SG Notebook and battery life

Case

The CQ58-350sg uses the same case as the CQ58-148sg. For this case HP uses black plastic. The backside of the screen as well as the palm rest have a shiny surface. The rest of the surface is in matte black. The shiny surface is especially susceptible to fingerprints. The cases of the Samsung and Aspire computers are also completely made of plastic. ASUS Eee PC 1025CE Battery

The base-unit only gives in slightly under pressure. However, around the touchpad it can be bent. For a laptop of this price segment, the torsional rigidity is also more than acceptable. While the base-unit is solid, it is a different matter with the lid. It can be noticeably twisted. Especially in the middle it can be pushed in to a point where image alterations can be observed. The hinges keep the lid tightly in its position. It is not possible to open the lid with only one hand. ASUS Eee PC 1015 Battery

Performance

The AMD APU used in the CQ58-350sg is not designed for high performance, but for low energy consumption. However, the processor can handle daily tasks like internet communication, editing, internet browsing and playing videos. Even Full HD videos (1920x1,080 pixels, H.264-coding) can be watched. The integrated decoder (UVD3) carries out the main part of playback. We have tested playback with the DXVA Checker tool and established a CPU usage of 10%. ASUS Eee PC 1015B Battery

The CQ58-350sg is currently available for about 340 to 400 Euros (~$443 to $521). HP sells countless more models inside the CQ58-series – with Intel as well as AMD technology.

Processor
Inside the CQ58-350sg is an AMD E1-1200 APU. The CPU part of the APU consists of a dual-core processor which runs at a speed of 1.4 GHz. There is no turbo available.

The results of the Cinebench benchmarks hold no surprises: The CPU runs through all tests at 1.4 GHz, which causes the results to fall into the expected area. The CQ58-350sg scores lower in the CPU tests than the Samsung laptop (AMD E2-1800, Radeon HD 7470M) and the Aspire (Pentium B960, HD Graphics). This is due to the fact that the HP notebook is fitted with the weakest CPU. In the GL tests, the HP notebook again cannot keep up with its competitors. The only time it can keep up with the Aspire is in the GL test of Cinebench R11.5. Owing to its dedicated GPU the 355E5C always leaves both competitors far behind. ASUS Eee PC 1015BX Battery

System Performance
Basically, the system runs smoothly. It only starts to struggle when the built in APU is overtaxed. This happens, for example, when too many browser windows are simultaneously open. You always have to keep in mind that the advantage of the AMD APU is low energy consumption and it is not classed as a powerful processor. The result of the PC Mark 7 Benchmark lies where we expected to find to after numerous tests of this specific APU. Once again, it is no surprise to find the 355E5C (AMD E2-1800, Radeon HD 7470M) and the Aspire (Pentium B960, HD Graphics) ahead of the HP computer. Both laptops are equipped with more potent hardware. ASUS Eee PC 1015C Battery

Gaming Performance
Those looking for a gaming notebook should avoid the CQ58-350sg. The integrated AMD APU is not suitable for playing current 3D games. The games do not even run smoothly with a low resolution and on low quality settings. Even a game like FIFA 13, which has very low hardware demands, cannot be played. Unfortunately, fitting a second memory module would not increase the frame rate, because the memory control of the notebook only supports single-channel mode.

Those looking for a low-priced and gaming-grade 15.6-inch notebook should have a closer look at the Acer Aspire E1-571G (Core i3-3110M, GeForce GT 620M) or the HP Pavilion g6-2200sg (Pentium B980, Radeon HD 7670M). ASUS Eee PC 1015CX Battery

Communication
The WLAN-module of the HP laptop is from Ralink and supports the WLAN-standards 802.11 b/g/n. The WLAN reception varies tremendously. Even within a close distance (about 3 meters) of the router, the Windows WLAN display swings between two and five bars – depending on how the notebook is positioned. The reason is found inside the laptop: HP uses only one WLAN antenna for its cost-effective notebooks – and this is also the same for the CQ58-350sg. At least two antennas should be used as standard. HP also fails to shine in the area of cable-supported networks, because only one Fast-Ethernet chip was fitted into the CQ58-350sg. A Gigabit-Ethernet chip ought to be included by today's standards. The webcam delivers slightly washed-out pictures up to a resolution of 320x240 pixels. ASUS Eee PC 1015P Battery

Accessories
Accessories are limited: Beside a quick-start poster, you will find a list of worldwide telephone numbers for HP support and a short manual for Windows 8.

Operating System and Recovery
HP delivers the CQ58-350sg with a preinstalled version of Windows 8 (64 Bit). A Windows DVD is not included. You can make a set of recovery DVDs with the HP Recovery Manager. Alternatively, HP offers the possibility to buy the corresponding DVD. The recovery DVD contains the operating system and also all drivers and preinstalled software. The price is currently about 38 Euros (~$49). The recovery medium can be ordered here. You need the product number of the notebook to order (which is stated on the packaging). ASUS Eee PC 1015PD Battery

In case of a defect, the operating system can be repaired with the help of the Windows 8 recovery system. To start it, you need to press the F11 key right after turning the notebook on. Besides repairing it, you can also set it back to factory settings or reinstall completely. ASUS Eee PC 1015PDG Battery

There is no support from HP if the preinstalled Windows 8 is replaced with Windows 7. HP only offers drivers for Windows 8. Many of the Windows 8 drivers should also operate under Windows 7. Only trial-and-error can show which drivers will work and which won't. Do not forget: Before deleting Windows 8, make a set of recovery DVDs.

Maintenance
The memory, hard drive, WLAN-module and BIOS battery are behind two maintenance covers. There is no access to the fans. ASUS Eee PC 1015PDT Battery

The CQ59-350sg is equipped with two memory slots. One slot is occupied by a 4 GB module. The memory can be extended up to 8 GB (manufacturer's information). Even with a second module, the memory does not operate in dual-channel mode, because the memory controller does not support it in this mode. It's easy to replace the hard drive. Only the fixing screws need to be loosened and the hard drive can be taken out. We had a 7mm hard drive in our test device. However, you can also use the common 9.5 mm hard drives. The frame of the hard drive can be attached to both types. ASUS Eee PC 1015PDX Battery

Warranty
Buyers of the CQ58-350sg have to be content with a 12 month bring-in guarantee. If a repair is required the owner sends the notebook to HP. Buyers of the Samsung or the Aspire laptop are better off. Both devices are equipped with a 24 month guarantee. The guarantee of the HP computer can be extended up to two or three years – including pick-up service. Extensions cost 60 to 100 Euros respectively (~$78 to $130). On HP's website all guarantee extensions are listed and can be bought in conjunction with the product number. ASUS Eee PC 1015PE Battery

Power Consumption
Since the HP computer only employs an economical AMD APU, the power consumption is rather low. During idle, we ascertain between 7.7 and 12.4 Watt. The power consumption of the Samsung notebook (9.7 to 15.3 Watt) turns out to be slightly higher, while the Aspire (6.9 to 12.8 Watt) roughly draws level with the CQ59-350sg. During medium load (3D Mark 2006 running) or full load (Prime95 and Furmark running), the HP notebook appears to be the most economical with 23.1 to 29.4 Watt. The Aspire (32.6 to 51.6 Watt) as well as the 355E5C (35.2 to 43.9 Watt) are less economical. ASUS Eee PC 1015PEB Battery

Battery Runtime
During idle, the CQ58-350sg achieves a runtime of 8:33 h. The 355E5C (6:07 h) and the Aspire (6:10 h) lie far behind. The runtime during idle is determined by the Battery Eater Reader's Test. The screen is running with minimum brightness, the energy saving profile is activated and all radio modules are turned off. Under full load, the battery does not quit until 2:15 h. This places the HP laptop behind the Samsung notebook (2:47 h) but far in front of the Aspire (1:13 h). We use the Battery Eater Classic Test to ascertain the runtime under full load. The screen is running with maximum brightness, high-performance profile and radio modules are activated. ASUS Eee PC 1015PED Battery

The more relevant WLAN test ends after 4:22 h. The 355E5C (3:51 h) and the Aspire (3:55 h) have to end their operations earlier. During the WLAN test, websites are automatically opened for 40-second intervals. The energy saving profile is active and the display brightness is set to 150 cd/m². One charge of the battery provides DVD playback time of 3:51 h. Once again, the competitors (Samsung: 3:24 h, Acer: 3:10 h) fail to keep up. The DVD test is conducted with activated energy saving profile (or a higher profile, if the DVD does not run smoothly), full screen brightness and deactivated radio modules. ASUS Eee PC 1015PEG Battery

The HP Compaq CQ58-350sg offers low energy consumption, low case temperature, moderate system noise and good battery runtimes. Despite those advantages, it is difficult to recommend buying this notebook. The low-contrast screen is not very convincing and neither is the twelve-month guarantee. Additionally, latest interfaces are missing from the device (USB 3.0, Gigabit-Ethernet). ASUS Eee PC 1015PEM Battery

If low energy consumption is not the main purchase criterion then there are better notebooks in the price segment of 300 to 400 Euros (~$391 to $521). For example, the Dell Vostro 2520 offers better battery runtimes and much more computing power. The Acer Aspire E1-531 is suitable for when a good display is needed. The Aspire's high-contrast screen is difficult to come by in this price segment. Anyone who prefers a matte screen should turn to the Samsung 355E5C-S02DE .