A Toshiba hard disk is used. It supplies a high capacity with 500GB, but only average rates with not quite 60 MB/s. Despite the common rotation speed of 5400 rpm, the hard disk emits an almost as loud engine noise as is known of 7200 disks. Sony currently doesn’t offer alternative hard disks options (apart from the 320 GB hard disk in the Vaio VPC-B11X9E), let alone SSDs for its business Vaio. But just such an option could increase the system performance significantly.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P1110

The noise emissions can generally be described as inconspicuous and usually only attract attention in quiet surroundings with 31.0 dB(A) to 31.9 dB(A). Particularly the discreet fan noise without unpleasant frequencies is pleasing. A further noise reduction could be achieved with SSDs or very quiet, common hard disks, as Toshiba’s HD engine noise is very audible, as already mentioned.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P1120

Not as nice is the irregular, pulsating fan that is observed especially in the energy profile, high performance and then especially without load. A short turning up, then a speed reduction, and so on. This phenomenon wasn’t really reproducible, but was repeated in irregular intervals.The system noise increases under load to a clearly audible 36 to 38 dB(A), but usually remains within a tolerable, not unpleasant, range.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P2000A temperature development is almost non-existent and absolutely within a green field even under continuous load with a maximum of 36°C selectively. Thus, a use on the lap, or on hot summer days, shouldn’t be a problem.

Sony has placed the loudspeakers above the keyboard and they offer a sufficient quality. Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P2040 They have a large volume range and can be used well even for presentation with several participants. Audiophile finesse shouldn’t be expected though. The sound characteristic is only suitable for basic tasks as they are very treble-prone with little midranges and basses. Surround cinema or party sound at a company party are thus impossible. Headphones or USB loudspeakers are recommendable as an alternative to the notebook case.

Our subject’s power consumption measured at the mains ranges from 14.2 watts in idle up to 64.4 watts under full load. The rates will likely be in a range of about 20 watts at normal use, depending on the energy saving profile and utilization. The consumption increases significantly when computing intensive applications, such as converting, are executed. Those are average rates that are quite reasonable in relation to the computing performance.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P2046

In order to satisfy this power requirement in battery mode, Sony equips the business Vaio with a 6 cell battery that has a capacity of 54 watts. Furthermore, Sony offers two batteries in their accessories program. The VGP-BPL21 (9 cell, 81 Wh, 200.00 euro) and the VGP-BPS21A (6 cell, 54 Wh, 160.00 euro), which also corresponds to the included model.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P2110Sony apparently uses a few additional energy savings tricks in battery mode, as many other manufacturers now do, which allow a significantly reduced power consumption in opposition to mains operation.

We were able to surf via WLAN for 232 minutes (in terms of figures 13.9 watts) and watch a DVD movie for 181 minutes (in terms of figures 18 watts) at an agreeable brightness (ca. 180 cd/m2), if you abide a rest capacity of 3%. Therefore,Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook P2120 there’s nothing standing in the way of an internet evening or movie night in this regard. Even business presentations are possible within this time period, without having to end prematurely with a black screen The runtime only decreases insignificantly by 8-12 minutes when connected to an external display via VGA (comparable to a video projector).

We achieved a mains independency of 340 min. (ca. 10 watts in terms of figures) in the BatteryEater Reader’s test (longest runtime with disabled consumers, dimmed display). The Vaio was exhausted after 81 min. (ca. 43 watts in terms of figures) in the BatteryEater Classic test (shortest runtime, all consumers on, maximum display brightness).A more precise workmanship and a good display with an AR-coated surface and feasible contrasts. A few more interfaces and optional UMTS would also look good on the business book.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6110

All-Day Core i5. Asus has removed the L from their product description and created a more powerful 13.3-incher equipped with a Core i5-430M. Can they live up to their promise of all-day computing with the help of the Nvidia Optimus? Read on to find out!Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6400

Asus U30JC-QX043V: Core i5 strength combined with the Nvidia Optimus and long battery lifeAsus has made a name for itself in the last 12 months;Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6410 on the one hand through gaming-laptops like the G73H and the other side with thin ULV-notebooks like the UL30A-QX050V (13.3-inch), the UL50Vt (15.6-inch), or the youngest UL50VF with Nvidia Optimus. The UL-models are based around Intels most efficient but performance-weak Core 2 Duo CULV processors such as the SU7300. Though the notebooks achieved high numbers with respect to battery life, the performance data was comparatively weaker.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6420

Now Asus has removed the letter L from the product description, out of which comes the handy 13.3-incher, outfitted with a standard notebook processor of the modern variety. Usually, multimedia laptops larger than 15.6 inches are equipped with the Core i5-430M. Asus then tries to achieve a careful balance here and has its work cut out for it. The Asus-website lays claim to the slogan “all-day computing with 9 hours on a single battery charge.”Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6460

Can Asus keep their promises? How does the Nvidia Optimus GPU, a hybrid of the Geforce 310M and the Intel HD, affect the mobility? Can the small casing effectively disperse the heat generated from the processor and graphics when under stress? Our review will clear the air.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook N6470

Stable hingesThe manufacturing quality of notebooks has converged in the last ten years; no longer anymore do we have clapping bay doors and unclean-looking stamped plastic pieces. In order to distance themselves from the competition, many manufacturers place value on premium matte metal surfaces. Asus has reached for the brushed aluminum here. Eyes and hands immediately appreciate Asus’ craftsmanship: the surfaces are smooth and sit securely on the corners and angles exactly as they should.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook C1320

The palm rest feels cool to the touch, even when the device has already ran for several hours without much stress. The same can be said of the thin outer lid, which possesses a good degree of stiffness. Only at the very middle can one slightly dent the surface with a finger. Otherwise,Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook C1320D the outer lid can only be contorted slightly and it sits firmly on locked hinges which sit adjacent to the work area. Because the hatches on the underside are relatively small, the notebook has a compact and stiff form. Only with distinct force could the chassis be bent with two hands.

The stability, however, has its price. The weight of the 2.2 kilogram is heavy for a 13.3 inch notebook. Hence, we do not count the device in the sub-notebook category. Add to this weight a massive power supply weighing in at 360 grams, the cable for which is relatively light and equally short at 65 centimeters.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook C1321

We had a small point of contention with the LED status lights mounted on the front side of the device, which serve to relay the status of the HDD, WLAN, battery-charge and power. These LEDs are not located within the normal viewing position, requiring us to turn and look under the notebook to check hard drive or WLAN activity. In a counter-move, the user is informed through a blue LED next to the caps-lock button if they have caps-lock engaged, which puts an end to the guesswork as to why the on-screen text has suddenly become large.Battery for FUJITSU FMV-Q8220

Webcam cap is included in packaging13.3-inch notebooks users do not want to go without an optical drive and with this model, they don’t have to; a multi-format DVD-burner is located on the right side. The ASUS U30JC’s multimedia ambitions are sizable, but the device brings only the minimum connectivity to the table–exactly the same as its CULV predecessor the UL30: HDMI, VGA, 3xUSB 2.0, Ethernet, 2x Audio ports.Battery for FUJITSU FMV-Q8230

Those who wish to use the U30JC as an all-in-one PC will quickly run into barriers.Battery for FUJITSU FMV-Q8240 Quick data transfers through eSATA hard drives are not possible, nor is the the new USB 3.0 standard on board. An ExpressCard expansion slot as well as a docking-port also fell by the wayside. The front and back sides do not have any ports aside from a CardReader on the front side (SD, MMC, MS, MS-Pro). The deep-seated hinges and rear-mounted battery prevent ports from being located in those areas.Wireless connection possibilities such as Bluetooth 2.1 and WLAN (DraftN-standard) are on board. The integrated Ethernet network card supports Gigabit LAN.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook Q2010

Right side: AC, USB, DVD-burnerOn the software side, Asus follows the path of many other manufacturers and utilizes the 64 bit variant of Windows 7 Home Premium. A recovery-USB stick was not included in the packaging, though we did find a CD loaded with drivers. Asus for a long time was among the last bastion of manufacturers who included recovery DVDs, though this bastion has since fallen. To this end, buyers will have to utilize the pre-installed AI Recovery Burner to burn DVDs at their own cost.Battery for FUJITSU FMV-B8200

Nevertheless, Asus refrains from loading their machines with bloatware. We found test versions of Microsoft Office 2007 and Trend Micro Internet Security. The latter was consistently on our nerves and continually demanded that we activate it.Battery for FUJITSU LifeBook B6000D

For the largest part, the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G’s design is identical to the big Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G. Everything is just accordingly smaller. The Ethos 5951G also has ample aluminum/magnesium surfaces and thus makes a good impression in terms of looks right from the start. Acer calls all of this “Premium Design” and, like previously the Aspire Ethos 8951G, only black color alternative is available.battery for Dell Vostro 1015 

The manufacturing quality is also impressive. The gaps are even everywhere on our test model and the material processing is also convincing. The base unit proves to be very solid around the keyboard in our pressure tests. Almost nothing budges here. The keyboard itself isn’t quite as stable. While it hardly yields at all on the left, it increasingly yields the further we move to the right. For example, the numpad already yields a bit during normal typing use.battery for Dell Vostro 1014 

In return, the display can score thanks to its good torsional stiffness. Merely the display’s lid can be dented slightly, as it is the case in many laptops. This doesn’t cause image deviations, though. The display’s hinges can’t completely prevent the display from teetering, but keep the display in place most of the time. Fortunately, the hinges have only been pulled so tight that the lid can easily be opened with one hand and without lifting the laptop.battery for Dell Vostro A840 

There is a big cover on the bottom which allows access to the hard disk, RAM and expansion modules, such as the WLAN card. However, only two of the four RAM slots can be accessed.battery for Dell Vostro A860 The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G bids a wide range of possibilities here, for example, to connect external hard disks to the laptop. In addition to USB 2.0, it includes FireWire, USB 3.0 and eSATA. Thus, pretty much every interface for external hard disks is covered. With a total of four USB ports, the laptop also supplies a reasonable number of USB ports (three are USB 2.0, one is USB 3.0). battery for Dell Vostro A860n 

Otherwise there aren’t any strangers among the interfaces. Unfortunately, Acer has placed most ports quite far front. While this is still tolerable on the right, since only the three audio jacks and a USB port are here, it quickly gets crowded on the left. Moreover, it’s just the USB ports that are placed very close to each other. dell vostro 1710

There’s no reason for complaint in terms of communication. Apart from a UMTS module,battery for dell vostro 1720 the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G has everything that could be desired. A Realtek PCIe GBE Family Adapter takes care of wired communication. It allows speeds of up to 1000 MBit/s. WLAN networks are taken care of by a Broadcom module for wireless connections. The wireless module transmits via the standards 802.11 b/g/n. A Bluetooth 3.0 card with HS extension is installed for locating wireless devices in the laptop’s immediate vicinity.battery for Dell Vostro 1310

There’s nothing special here. Besides the laptop, there is the power adapter including cables and the usual documentation in the box. There is also a demo Blu-Ray. We’re not quite sure about what the sense of this Blu-Ray is, though. This data carrier will likely end up in the recycling bin after the first test run. We would have preferred a recovery DVD. That’s all there is to supplies.battery for Dell Vostro 1510

Acer delivers the Aspire Ethos 5951G with a free 2 year pick-up service, including a 1 year International Travelers Warranty. It is made up of a 1 year warranty on product plus a 1 year Acer Advantage warranty extension. battery for Dell Inspiron 1545

The keyboard is the same unit as used in the 18 inch model, the Ethos 8951G, only that there is less room on both sides. The keyboard also has single, free-standing keys. The keys have a size of 15×15 millimeters and thus have a sufficient dimension. The key gaps are also sufficiently sized with about 4 millimeters. Key drop and pressure point have been selected agreeably and enable a comfortable and, at the same time, fast typing. battery for Dell inspiron 1721

A backlight illuminates the keyboard at night. It can only be turned on and off. It’s not possible to reduce or increase the intensity. We don’t have any complaints about the keyboard, except for the numpad. Only the keyboard’s numpad is disappointing. For example, when the key “5″ is pressed (without much pressure), it can be clearly seen how all keys on the numpad yield, right up to the hot keys.battery for dell vostro 1700battery for

We had mixed feelings about the touchpad. Some users will find it handy to be able to additionally use the touchpad as a remote. Others will simply find it annoying and consider the touchpad to be a foreign object in the laptop. The usable surface is agreeably big with a diagonal of 125 millimeters (width: 108 millimeters, height: 58 millimeters). The separation of touchpad and wrist rest is also ensured by two big gaps of about 4 millimeters. battery for dell latitude e4300

The touchpad’s surface is very smooth and every touch leaves fingerprints and smears on it right away. Too bad that the only really fingerprint-susceptible surface on the notebook is the touchpad. The smooth surface needs a bit of getting used to in practical use. When that is accomplished, it’s possible to work well with the touchpad. Multi-touch is also available and benefits from the touchpad’s large size. battery for dell latitude e5500

Both mouse keys are built into the laptop again. They are made of a single large bar and are a bit lower compared to the wrist rest and touchpad.battery for dell xps m1730 Consequently, we repeatedly pressed the touchpad instead of the keys in the test (particularly when we didn’t pay attention to the touchpad) because the feeling evolved that the notebook ends at the lower end of the touchpad. The lowered mouse keys even enhance this feeling. The keys have a pleasant drop and emit a rather quiet click noise.battery for dell studio 1737

The touchpad can carry out its second task when it’s released from its holder via the slider. There is a small button on the upper right edge which let icons appear on the touchpad to, for example, control a video player on the notebook. Of course, it can still be used as a touchpad.battery for dell latitude e5400

Acer builds a frameless 15.6 inch HD screen into the Aspire Ethos 5951G. The screen has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. If that’s not enough, there is also a version with Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) available. The Full HD screen especially makes sense in connection with the Blu-Ray drive. battery for dell inspiron e1505battery for battery

However, it’s still possible to transmit the image to a Full HD capable device via HDMI. A few configuration versions of the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G also have Intel’s Wireless Display Technology (Intel WiDi). Thus, the video signal can be transmitted to a suitable device without cables. Our test model isn’t equipped with this technology, though.battery for dell latitude e6500

Unfortunately, the rates of the installed screen can’t convince. Despite a high illumination of 90 percent, the screen’s brightness is disappointing.battery for Dell inspiron 1300The display achieves an average of 163.6 cd/m2 here. A rate of approximately 200 cd/m2 would have been very welcome and it certainly wouldn’t be too much to ask from a laptop of this price range. After all, even considerably less expensive laptops reach this standard. The screen has a fairly high black value of 1.15 cd/m2 despite the comparatively low brightness. battery for Dell vostro 1400

A rate below 1 cd/m2 would have been desirable here. Consequently, not only do black areas in games or movies have a slight gray cast, but the contrast visible to the naked eye is affected. The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G’s contrast is only poor 146:1. A lot more could definitely be expected from an entertainment laptop. A crumb of comfort is the constant brightness in mode. battery for Dell inspiron 1420

The sRGB color spectrum can’t be completely covered by the Acer Aspire Ethos’ screen. However, the screen doesn’t do a bad job either. We’ve seen worse. The larger Adobe RGB color spectrum is far from being covered, though. But, with exception of graphic designers and professional image editors, this point shouldn’t bother potential buyers too much.battery for Dell inspiron 1521

Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G vs. Adobe RGB (t)The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G doesn’t have a good hand outdoors. As if it weren’t difficult enough to see something on the glossy screen, the poor brightness and the low contrast do their part here. It’s hardly possible to recognize anything in direct sunlight. The legibility improves a bit in the shade, but the surroundings are intensely mirrored on the screen anyway.battery for Dell inspiron 1525

Viewing anglesThe screen corresponds to most other low-cost displays in terms of viewing angles. When the display isn’t tilted, several persons can sit comfortably in front of the notebook without the image deviating. However, the image worsens quite fast as soon as the screen is tilted.battery for Dell latitude e6400

Acer builds in the “smallest” Sandy Bridge quad core processor into the Aspire Ethos 5951G. The Intel Core i7-2630QM has four cores that can process eight at the same time thanks to Hyper Threading. The default clock of the cores is 2.0 GHz. Even higher clock rates are possible thanks to Turbo Boost. battery for Dell latitude d620

For example, the processor clock can be increased to 2.6 GHz (4 cores loaded), 2.8 GHz (two cores loaded) or 2.9 GHz (1 core loaded) dynamically provided that the processor is sufficiently cooled and that the notebook manufacturer implements this technology.battery for Dell latitude d630

Due to its performance range the processor can cope with all tasks and can be used in many fields.battery for Dell inspiron 1526Compared with the previous Core processor generation, the 2630QM is slightly superior to the former top model, the i7-940XM. Of course, all of this power has to be cooled sufficiently and supplied with energy. Thus, the processor is particularly recommended for big notebooks. This is also reflected in the TDP of 45 watts, so 10 watts higher than the dual core processors of Sandy Bridge laptops. Naturally, the Intel HD Graphics 3000 card is embedded directly into the quad core processor.battery for Dell inspiron 6400

The Intel HD Graphics 3000 card is always used when the Nvidia GeForce GT 555M’s power isn’t required. battery for Dell inspiron 1501Nvidia Optimus takes care of the automatic switching between both graphics cards. This switching between graphics cards happens just as smoothly as the processor’s dynamic overclocking,battery for Dell vostro 1000 and the user doesn’t notice it at all. The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is an entry level graphics card that performs basic tasks, such as Internet surfing or office tasks. It is much more energy saving than the GeForce GT 555M graphics card. The GeForce GT 555M graphics is sooner suitable for more complex tasks, such as image/video editing or even games. Although the GeForce GT 555M is a midrange graphics card, it is very close to the high-end graphics card. Thus, many games can be played smoothly in high details. Only a few exceptions, like Metro 2033, can’t be played smoothly in high details.battery for Dell vostro 1520

For the largest part, the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G’s design is identical to the big Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G. Everything is just accordingly smaller. The Ethos 5951G also has ample aluminum/magnesium surfaces and thus makes a good impression in terms of looks right from the start. Acer calls all of this “Premium Design” and, like previously the Aspire Ethos 8951G, only black color alternative is available.battery for Dell Vostro 1015

The manufacturing quality is also impressive. The gaps are even everywhere on our test model and the material processing is also convincing. The base unit proves to be very solid around the keyboard in our pressure tests. Almost nothing budges here. The keyboard itself isn’t quite as stable. While it hardly yields at all on the left, it increasingly yields the further we move to the right. For example, the numpad already yields a bit during normal typing use.battery for Dell Vostro 1014

In return, the display can score thanks to its good torsional stiffness. Merely the display’s lid can be dented slightly, as it is the case in many laptops. This doesn’t cause image deviations, though. The display’s hinges can’t completely prevent the display from teetering, but keep the display in place most of the time. Fortunately, the hinges have only been pulled so tight that the lid can easily be opened with one hand and without lifting the laptop.battery for Dell Vostro A840

There is a big cover on the bottom which allows access to the hard disk, RAM and expansion modules, such as the WLAN card. However, only two of the four RAM slots can be accessed.battery for Dell Vostro A860 The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G bids a wide range of possibilities here, for example, to connect external hard disks to the laptop. In addition to USB 2.0, it includes FireWire, USB 3.0 and eSATA. Thus, pretty much every interface for external hard disks is covered. With a total of four USB ports, the laptop also supplies a reasonable number of USB ports (three are USB 2.0, one is USB 3.0). battery for Dell Vostro A860n

Otherwise there aren’t any strangers among the interfaces. Unfortunately, Acer has placed most ports quite far front. While this is still tolerable on the right, since only the three audio jacks and a USB port are here, it quickly gets crowded on the left. Moreover, it’s just the USB ports that are placed very close to each other. dell vostro 1710

There’s no reason for complaint in terms of communication. Apart from a UMTS module,battery for dell vostro 1720 the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G has everything that could be desired. A Realtek PCIe GBE Family Adapter takes care of wired communication. It allows speeds of up to 1000 MBit/s. WLAN networks are taken care of by a Broadcom module for wireless connections. The wireless module transmits via the standards 802.11 b/g/n. A Bluetooth 3.0 card with HS extension is installed for locating wireless devices in the laptop’s immediate vicinity.battery for Dell Vostro 1310

There’s nothing special here. Besides the laptop, there is the power adapter including cables and the usual documentation in the box. There is also a demo Blu-Ray. We’re not quite sure about what the sense of this Blu-Ray is, though. This data carrier will likely end up in the recycling bin after the first test run. We would have preferred a recovery DVD. That’s all there is to supplies.battery for Dell Vostro 1510

Acer delivers the Aspire Ethos 5951G with a free 2 year pick-up service, including a 1 year International Travelers Warranty. It is made up of a 1 year warranty on product plus a 1 year Acer Advantage warranty extension. battery for Dell Inspiron 1545

The keyboard is the same unit as used in the 18 inch model, the Ethos 8951G, only that there is less room on both sides. The keyboard also has single, free-standing keys. The keys have a size of 15×15 millimeters and thus have a sufficient dimension. The key gaps are also sufficiently sized with about 4 millimeters. Key drop and pressure point have been selected agreeably and enable a comfortable and, at the same time, fast typing. battery for Dell inspiron 1721

A backlight illuminates the keyboard at night. It can only be turned on and off. It’s not possible to reduce or increase the intensity. We don’t have any complaints about the keyboard, except for the numpad. Only the keyboard’s numpad is disappointing. For example, when the key “5″ is pressed (without much pressure), it can be clearly seen how all keys on the numpad yield, right up to the hot keys.battery for dell vostro 1700battery for

We had mixed feelings about the touchpad. Some users will find it handy to be able to additionally use the touchpad as a remote. Others will simply find it annoying and consider the touchpad to be a foreign object in the laptop. The usable surface is agreeably big with a diagonal of 125 millimeters (width: 108 millimeters, height: 58 millimeters). The separation of touchpad and wrist rest is also ensured by two big gaps of about 4 millimeters. battery for dell latitude e4300

The touchpad’s surface is very smooth and every touch leaves fingerprints and smears on it right away. Too bad that the only really fingerprint-susceptible surface on the notebook is the touchpad. The smooth surface needs a bit of getting used to in practical use. When that is accomplished, it’s possible to work well with the touchpad. Multi-touch is also available and benefits from the touchpad’s large size. battery for dell latitude e5500

Both mouse keys are built into the laptop again. They are made of a single large bar and are a bit lower compared to the wrist rest and touchpad.battery for dell xps m1730 Consequently, we repeatedly pressed the touchpad instead of the keys in the test (particularly when we didn’t pay attention to the touchpad) because the feeling evolved that the notebook ends at the lower end of the touchpad. The lowered mouse keys even enhance this feeling. The keys have a pleasant drop and emit a rather quiet click noise.battery for dell studio 1737

The touchpad can carry out its second task when it’s released from its holder via the slider. There is a small button on the upper right edge which let icons appear on the touchpad to, for example, control a video player on the notebook. Of course, it can still be used as a touchpad.battery for dell latitude e5400

Acer builds a frameless 15.6 inch HD screen into the Aspire Ethos 5951G. The screen has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. If that’s not enough, there is also a version with Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) available. The Full HD screen especially makes sense in connection with the Blu-Ray drive. battery for dell inspiron e1505battery for battery

However, it’s still possible to transmit the image to a Full HD capable device via HDMI. A few configuration versions of the Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G also have Intel’s Wireless Display Technology (Intel WiDi). Thus, the video signal can be transmitted to a suitable device without cables. Our test model isn’t equipped with this technology, though.battery for dell latitude e6500

Unfortunately, the rates of the installed screen can’t convince. Despite a high illumination of 90 percent, the screen’s brightness is disappointing.battery for Dell inspiron 1300The display achieves an average of 163.6 cd/m2 here. A rate of approximately 200 cd/m2 would have been very welcome and it certainly wouldn’t be too much to ask from a laptop of this price range. After all, even considerably less expensive laptops reach this standard. The screen has a fairly high black value of 1.15 cd/m2 despite the comparatively low brightness. battery for Dell vostro 1400

A rate below 1 cd/m2 would have been desirable here. Consequently, not only do black areas in games or movies have a slight gray cast, but the contrast visible to the naked eye is affected. The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G’s contrast is only poor 146:1. A lot more could definitely be expected from an entertainment laptop. A crumb of comfort is the constant brightness in mode. battery for Dell inspiron 1420

The sRGB color spectrum can’t be completely covered by the Acer Aspire Ethos’ screen. However, the screen doesn’t do a bad job either. We’ve seen worse. The larger Adobe RGB color spectrum is far from being covered, though. But, with exception of graphic designers and professional image editors, this point shouldn’t bother potential buyers too much.battery for Dell inspiron 1521

Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G vs. Adobe RGB (t)The Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G doesn’t have a good hand outdoors. As if it weren’t difficult enough to see something on the glossy screen, the poor brightness and the low contrast do their part here. It’s hardly possible to recognize anything in direct sunlight. The legibility improves a bit in the shade, but the surroundings are intensely mirrored on the screen anyway.battery for Dell inspiron 1525

Viewing anglesThe screen corresponds to most other low-cost displays in terms of viewing angles. When the display isn’t tilted, several persons can sit comfortably in front of the notebook without the image deviating. However, the image worsens quite fast as soon as the screen is tilted.battery for Dell latitude e6400

Acer builds in the “smallest” Sandy Bridge quad core processor into the Aspire Ethos 5951G. The Intel Core i7-2630QM has four cores that can process eight at the same time thanks to Hyper Threading. The default clock of the cores is 2.0 GHz. Even higher clock rates are possible thanks to Turbo Boost. battery for Dell latitude d620

For example, the processor clock can be increased to 2.6 GHz (4 cores loaded), 2.8 GHz (two cores loaded) or 2.9 GHz (1 core loaded) dynamically provided that the processor is sufficiently cooled and that the notebook manufacturer implements this technology.battery for Dell latitude d630

Due to its performance range the processor can cope with all tasks and can be used in many fields.battery for Dell inspiron 1526Compared with the previous Core processor generation, the 2630QM is slightly superior to the former top model, the i7-940XM. Of course, all of this power has to be cooled sufficiently and supplied with energy. Thus, the processor is particularly recommended for big notebooks. This is also reflected in the TDP of 45 watts, so 10 watts higher than the dual core processors of Sandy Bridge laptops. Naturally, the Intel HD Graphics 3000 card is embedded directly into the quad core processor.battery for Dell inspiron 6400

The Intel HD Graphics 3000 card is always used when the Nvidia GeForce GT 555M’s power isn’t required. battery for Dell inspiron 1501Nvidia Optimus takes care of the automatic switching between both graphics cards. This switching between graphics cards happens just as smoothly as the processor’s dynamic overclocking,battery for Dell vostro 1000 and the user doesn’t notice it at all. The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is an entry level graphics card that performs basic tasks, such as Internet surfing or office tasks. It is much more energy saving than the GeForce GT 555M graphics card. The GeForce GT 555M graphics is sooner suitable for more complex tasks, such as image/video editing or even games. Although the GeForce GT 555M is a midrange graphics card, it is very close to the high-end graphics card. Thus, many games can be played smoothly in high details. Only a few exceptions, like Metro 2033, can’t be played smoothly in high details.battery for Dell vostro 1520

So it’s a reasonably priced business device? According to Lenovo, the Thinkpad Edge series offers “innovative, straight-forward, reliable and affordable” models in various sizes and equipment configurations.Asus F7400

We are taking a detailed look at the smallest member of the family, namely the Thinkpad Edge 11, and want to find out how and to what extent it differs from the previously reviewed Thinkpad X100e, which is visually almost identically constructed. We reviewed an Edge 11 with Intel equipment, namely a Core i3 380UM CPU, GMA HD Graphics chip, four gigabytes of RAM and a conventional harddrive.Asus F7400B

Lenovo also offers models with an AMD CPU as an alternative. We will soon look closer at one of these in a comparison test. Sections dealing with performance-bearing components are not necessarily applicable to other models.The Kensington Security Slot is to the right rear on the Edge 11.Asus F74B

The rear is the same as the previous oneExternally,Asus F7B the Edge 11 reminds us a great deal of the X100e. Although the later was still completely black, the chrome-colored edging on the Edge 11 serves to loosen up the optics. What’s new is that the I-point of the two ThinkPad logos was moulded with a small red LED which lights up during operation. Those who nevertheless find the black version too depressing can also get a model with a display lid painted in gloss-red – together with all the drawbacks, smudges and scratches that go along with that.Asus L7

In spite of the plastic case, one can be very satisfied with the pressure stability and torsional stiffness of the base unit and display. Only the display frame gives somewhat under pressure. The battery sits firmly in the case, however when removed it leaves a recess above the keyboard. Asus L7000

Though the small hinges are relatively stiff,Asus L7000B they can’t totally prevent teetering after the opening angle has been adjusted. The display also vibrates somewhat when working in unstable environments, such as on a train. Though it is possible to close it with one hand, opening or increasing the opening angle requires both hands due to the light weight of the base unit.Asus L7000C Since Lenovo did without a transport lock, and as the hinges don’t have enough tension force to keep the laptop completely closed with the base unit, one has to make sure that no bits of foreign matter slip in between the keyboard and display during transport.Asus L7000D

Compared to the X100e,Asus L7000E the case of the Edge 11 now receives a thin grip on the chrome-coloured display frame for easier opening of the notebook. A word of caution to all those who are still tempted to grab for the upper edge of the display when opening the laptop: Both touchpad keys close up flush with the display lid and base unit. As the gap between the touchpad buttons and the base unit is larger than that between the display lid and base unit, attempting this could result in the display being pulled up together with the touchpad buttons. So caution is advised!Asus L7000G

One wouldn’t expect such abundant interface equipment just based on the form factor alone. Even so,Asus L7000H the Edge 11 offers 3 USB-2.0 ports in all, one of which is executed as a “powered USB”, thereby allowing it to load small devices from the laptop when turned off. Especially appealing: In addition to a VGA port for analogue connections of an external monitor or beamer, there is also an HDMI interface. Further we discovered a combined audio port for connection a headset and a 4-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro).Asus L7200

Depending on how occupied it is, left-handers unfortunately won’t be too pleased with the interface layout. Conveniently, at least the VGA is found in the rear. Missing is the docking port typically found on business machines. However, Lenovo does offer a USB port replicator as an additional at-cost accessory for the ThinkPad.Asus L7300

Wired Ethernet connections can be made with help of the Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E GBE NIC (10/100/1000Mbps). Asus L7B The built-in Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN (bgn) module supports Standard-n and therefore allows for fast connection via WiFi-Hotspot if given the appropriate infrastructure. At hand is also a Qualcomm Gobi 2000 HS- USB modem 9205 for mobile broadband connections. The corresponding SIM slot isn’t located in the battery compartment as is usual, but rather below the service access panel.Asus L7C

A webcam is found in the upper display frame, meaning that the user is well-equipped for video conferencing, etc. Lenovo also kept Bluetooth in mind for communication with small mobile devices such as a PDA or mobile phone.Asus L7D

Although the 11.6-incher from Lenovo is classified as a business device, it doesn’t offer any special security features, indeed probably due its size. A commonly found Kensington security slot is the only thing on board. Asus L7E

As is typical with Lenovo, only the necessary accessories are delivered, i.e. battery, power adapter, cable and some printed information. The user has to themselves take care of setting up data recovery medium via the ThinkVantage Tools.Asus L7G

One can choose from quite a few optional accessories at an extra cost: bag, external mouse and keyboard, harddrive, a universal power pack with various adaptors, a port replicator and a so-called Power hub which can be used for loading the notebook’s battery, connecting up to four USB devices and loading devices via USB.Asus L7H
Guarantee Their ex-works guarantee is 12 months.

The input devices are on the whole the same as those on the Thinkpad X100e.ASUS L1 The Chiclet-keyboard, in other words a design with individual keys, has a standard layout apart from the swapped Ctrl and Fn keys typical of Lenovo. Thus the user quickly feels at home and easily gets going in the touch-typing system. Again pleasing are the, for laptop size standards, relatively large keys measuring around 15 millimetres wide and 14 millimetres deep. Their front edge facing the user were rounded and they have a relatively generous spacing of 3 millimetres.ASUS L7

Also pleasing are the mechanical characteristics, balanced stroke and clear feedback. They have a pleasantly quiet stop sound even during energetic typing.ASUS L8

As is typical for the Thinkpad, it again comes with two mouse sets. One is a thin touchpad measuring around 75 millimetres in width and 34 millimetres in depth, which lies clearly deeper than the surrounding case housing. The non-rounded edge is raised up around 2 millimetres out back and thus clearly separates the touchpad from the case.ASUS M1

The touchpad surface has a pleasant satiny feel and offers good gliding characteristics. Precision and response are outstanding. In addition to the vertical and horizontal scrolling area, the touchpad also supports mutli-touch movements, for instance pinch-zoom, rotation and pivoting. ASUS M5N

The corresponding buttons are relevantly thin and end flush at the front edge of the case. They are evenly responsive across their entire surface and offer a relatively long stroke. They also work relatively quietly. ASUS M8

Also on board is of course the red trackpoint between G, H and B. As usual, it works flawlessly and after just a short settling time, the mouse cursor can be controlled precisely and effortlessly. The corresponding keys were designed as flip switches, yet they respond evenly across their entire expanse. If the centre key is held down, one can scroll through a document by moving the trackpoint.ASUS S1

Here is where the first difference from X100e becomes apparent. The 11.6” (26 cm x 14 cm) display with a maximum resolution of 1366×768 pixels, in other words a 16:9 format, has a reflective surface. More specifically it is an LGD02BE from LG Display.ASUS S5

The resolution is very fine for an 11-incher, which means that fonts appear very small. This can be resolved temporarily with a screen magnifier or permanently with a larger font display.ASUS S5N

Though the display, with a maximum 204 cd/m² and approximately 182 cd/m², is on average a bit dimmer than that of the X100e, it is a bit more evenly illuminated with a brightness distribution of 79%, which is just barely good enough. With a slightly lower level of black of 1.16 cd/m² and the lower brightness level, the two displays are about on the same level in terms of contrast (142:1).ASUS S8

HP 484171-001 , HP 485041-001 , HP 485041-003 , HP 487296-001 , HP 487354-001 , HP 497694-001 ,  , HP EV06055 , HP HSTNN-CB72 , HP HSTNN-CB73 , HP HSTNN-DB72 , HP HSTNN-DB73 , HP HSTNN-IB72 , HP HSTNN-IB73 , HP HSTNN-LB72 , HP HSTNN-LB73 , HP HSTNN-UB72 , HP HSTNN-UB73 , HP HSTNN-XB72 , HP HSTNN-XB73 , HP KS524AA ,

Read on to find out how Acer managed to squeeze desktop performance of a compact 13.3″ subnotbook with a cheap consumer level processor and a GeForce 310M hybrid graphics card, while still being able to impress with the long battery life provided by the 8 cell battery which is provided.Dell Inspiron N7010D Battery

Sliding switches instead of pressure switchesOne thing is for sure however, this piece of technology won’t be winning any beauty competitions any time soon. Acer’s test unit looks pretty chunky and weighs in at a hefty 2.11 kilograms. This is very heavy by subnotebook standards. Other 13″ laptops in this category typically weigh less than 2 kilograms. The reason for the weight gain can be found with the 8 cell battery, which by itself weighs 425 grams. Dell Inspiron N5010R Battery

The casing is suitable for mobile applications as it is very warp resistant. “As strong as steel” would only be one way of describing what we experienced. No matter how hard we tried to bend, flex or pull the base unit, it refused to give an inch. The Acer engineers definitely did their homework while they were working on this 13″ colossus. Dell Inspiron N5010D Battery

The palm rest impresses with its level of stiffness and refuses to be warped under pressure. All the surfaces, which includes the keyboard, base plate and lid are very solid and don’t flex at all. Not even under extreme force. Even the level of stiffness in the middle of the aluminum lid (pressing down), managed to impress us. Dell Inspiron N4010R Battery

Consider its thin construction, the lid is very warp resistant. Grabbing it at the corners, we only managed to bend it a little bit. The hinges are mounted firmly to the base plate. The display is held taught. The wobbling screen one may be accustomed to during car and train journeys won’t be found here.Dell Inspiron N4010D Battery
The protruding 8 cell battery sticks out like a sore thumb. Acer managed to turn a lemon into lemonade however by adding rubber feet to the underside of the battery. This raises the rear of the subnotebook giving it a more ergonomic feel while being used at a table, while also providing good grip while being carried. The battery itself does move slightly when locked into place, but there is no risk of it coming lose at any point.Dell Inspiron N3010R Battery

The surface of the workspace is ideal for heavy use. Acer chose to avoid the use of glossy materials throughout. The matt, silver power and WLAN buttons try to provide a little contrast to an otherwise monotone exterior, but don’t really succeed. Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T Battery

Fingerprint ReaderAcer went for minimalism when deciding on interfaces. Compared to business laptops such as the HP ProBook and Elitebook, which manage to cram in a large variety of interfaces into even the smallest spaces, the TimelineX 8372TG offers next to nothing. The reason for this might be, that there is a docking station which can provide all the interfaces one could ever need while working in an office environment. More about that in the next section.FUJITSU LifeBook T4220 Battery

This 13.3″ laptop has a DVD drive,DELL XPS L701x battery which is another reason why there is not much room left for other interfaces. Most of the interfaces are on the left side. The rear is occupied by the battery. The positioning of the interfaces seems logical: The VGA is located next to the Easyport IV connector on the left hand side. This prevents thick cables from getting in the way of a “right handed” mouse. For left handed users the VGA cable is most definitely in the way however (not when used in combination with the EasyPort docking solution). The interfaces are located quite far forward. DELL XPS L501x battery

A card reader (SD, MMC, MS/Pro, xD), as well as audio ports can be found at the front. Three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA and an Ethernet interface is all you will get at this point. E-SATA, display port, HDMI or FireWire, which you may find on units such as HP’s 12″ EliteBook are luxury items which this Acer TravelMate simply can not offer.DELL XPS L401x battery

The Broadcom 802.11n adapter supports the fastest WLAN, Draft-N standard. Acer’s SignalUp wireless technology is meant to provide an enhanced signal as well. A Bluetooth module (2.1 + EDR) has been included as well. Those who want to benefit from the gigabit switch in the office will be able to do so with Broadcom’s NetXtreme gigabit Ethernet card. The network card is Wake-on-LAN ready(remote support).Dell CF623 Battery

The hard drive is mounted in a rubber surround (Acer DASP - Disk Anti-Shock Protection). The finger print reader cannot only be used for the Windows login but also for the Pre-Boot Authentication (PBA). The BIOS also provides the option to setup user, supervisors and hard drive passwords. A TPM Module (Trusted Module Platform) is not included in the 8372TG. Dell Latitude E6510 Battery

The 8372TG is equipped with a Docking-Port for the Acer EasyPort IV interface (roughly 100 Euro). This unit replicates the existing ports as well as providing additional ones such as HDMI and a line-in, while reducing the amount of wires on the table surface. ASUS Eee PC T91 Battery

This way users no longer have to connect their peripheral units to the 8372TG one piece at a time. Often it would not be possible to work without the additional interfaces that are provided. The EasyPort IV provides 4 USB-, RJ-45- (LAN), VGA- (D-Sub), DVI (24-pole) and audio ports (line-out, line-in, microphone). The laptop will also be charged through the docking station which is supplied with its own 90W power supply. The Ethernet port has a “passthrough”.
Asus A42-G73 Battery

Acer offers a 2 year warranty for the TravelMates which includes a 1 year international travelers warranty. The 2 years consist of a 1 year product warranty and 1 year advantage warranty.Sony vgp-bps23/w

The Keyboard is solid and gives the typist a hard yet quite noticeable keystroke, even if it is very short (approx. 2 millimeters). At first glance, the surface of the keys looks completely level but looking closer one can see there is a slight impression in each key. It is so small however, that it does not help ones fingers to feel their way around the keyboard. Sony VGP-BPS21/B Battery

The arrow keys have been squeezed into the right corner of the keyboard and have to share this space with the Euro and Dollar symbols. The enter and shift keys on the other hand are well proportioned. Because of its small size, a number pad is out of the question, but users can use the Fn key to use the “number pad” which can be found in the regular keyboard layout. This can be identified through the blue numbers and calculation symbols. VGP-BPS21A/B

The touchpad is made up of a Synaptics-Touch-Pad V7.4 with diameter of 8.5 centimeters.VGP-BPS13B/S Battery The surface is reactive right up to the outer edges. The pad has both vertical and horizontal scroll surfaces (inactive as default). In addition, the multitouch pad will perform all the “multi finger” inputs you are familiar with. We were not as pleased with the short stroke on the two “mouse” buttons. The pressure point is noticeable however, and the clicking noise is nice and subtle.VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery

Despite the matt surface, the AUO panel (type B133XW03 V3), doesn’t really impress. The 16:9 screen provides a resolution of 1.366 x 768 pixels which is pretty average for this type of screen. Unfortunately, the weak contrast of 166:1 is pretty standard as well. VGP-BPS13A/Q Battery 

The colors aren’t very radiant and the black colors have a grayish tinge to them. The matt finish is however not the reason for the low contrast levels. A glare type would provide more radiant colors, while not affecting the black (1.13 cd/m²). The small color palette is in line with most laptop displays which are currently on the market and only provides a small section of the Adobe RGB or sRGB range.VGP-BPS13/Q Battery 

What this AUO panel is really missing, is a good level of brightness. We measured an average of 182 cd/m². The highest level registered by the Mavo Monitor was an value of 189 cd/m² in the middle of the screen. Considering that this unit may be used outdoors on a regular basis, a value exceeding 230 cd/m² would have been preferable. Never the less, the brightness is very evenly distributed across the screen: 90%.Dell Latitude E5500 Battery

Is a display with a matt finish just the right thing for working outdoors? As a matter of fact it is one of the most important things one needs to ensure, that working outdoors, remains a relaxing yet productive experience. No matter which we turned or tilted the 8372TG we only saw very weak reflections. Dell Latitude E5510 Battery 

The substandard brightness of 182 cd/m² is, however, simply too low. These pictures show the display during a slightly cloudy day. The illumination is sufficient when looking straight on with indirect sunlight. Looking from the side sees a significantly reduced level of brightness however. If the intensity of the sunlight were to increase, the screen would be too dark to be able to work comfortably. Just like the owners of glare-type screens, it looks like outdoor fans of this unit will have to go and find themselves a shaded corner to sit in.Toshiba PA3591U-1BRS Battery

Outdoors - left, direct sunlightThe horizontal viewing angles are quite good. Text is recognizable up to 50 degress away from the ideal, head on viewing angle. The colors start to invert a bit sooner at around 40 degrees. Looking downwards (vertically), one can easily read written text up to an angle of 30 degrees. The brightness on the other hand starts to drop off rapidly once one goes past a 10 degree angle. Text is still legible, but there is a significant amount of color inversion.Asus Eee PC 1015PE Battery

Balancing for business. HP’s latest laptop in the ProBook S-series aims to balance form, function and specifications for professional users on a budget. Does it combine these demands into a solid business laptop?acer aspire 5100 battery

It’s always hard to be a business laptop. Unlike their counterparts on either end of the cost-value spectrum, business laptops usually have to navigate an uneasy balance between cost and features. acer aspire 5920 battery

After all, users might expect lower specs from a 10.1-inch netbook or extra weight on a 17-inch desktop replacement, but when a laptop falls right in between, users can be difficult to please (it can’t be too heavy or have low specs or short battery life or…).acer aspire 5050 battery

For consumers, laptops such as the HP ProBook 4430s are a perfect example of this dilemma. Touting a 14-inch display and a starting price of $579 USD, the ProBook 4430s has its sights set towards budget-conscious business users who don’t want to be shortchanged on features or aesthetics. Can it pass the test? Read on to find out.acer aspire one battery

Visually, the ProBook 4430s is fairly minimalistic. Like the rest of HP’s ProBook line, the 4430s features brushed aluminum on the keyboard and most of the display. The combination of greys and black throughout the ProBook 4430s’ chassis gives it a sharp, if unassuming appearance.acer aspire 5670 battery

Besides lending the ProBook 4430s aesthetic appeal, the metal keyboard deck also provides extra durability. The brushed aluminum easily resists smudges or fingerprints and is surprisingly dense. Even after applying moderate pressure to the keyboard’s palm rests, the ProBook 4430s’ body provided little give.acer aspire 9800 battery

The laptop’s display is constructed in a similarly straightforward fashion. As with notebooks such as Apple’s MacBook line, the ProBook doesn’t rely on any hinges to secure the display to the rest of the computer when it’s folded up, which makes it much easier to open. acer aspire 5100 battery

Additionally, the display relies on seven black rubber stoppers to keep it distanced from the keyboard deck. The stoppers are spaced out well enough to be relatively unobtrusive and set against the display’s black plastic trim, they’re even harder to notice.acer aspire 5101 battery

In a nice touch for users fond of keeping coffee or other drinks close by, the ProBook 4430s also touts a spill-resistant keyboard – a layer of mylar film keeps liquid contained within the keyboard and away from any components that could be damaged.acer aspire 3610 battery

Additionally, users interested in doing upgrades by themselves will find much to like in the 4430s. On the laptop’s underside, the battery installation hinges also hold the back cover in place. acer travelmate 8204wlmi battery

Once you release these hinges, the back cover comes off as a single unit, which gives you access to the entire motherboard, including the hard drive and RAM bays. If you want to customize your 4430s’ internal components, having a screwdriver free installation process is always a plus.acer travelmate 8200 battery

Elsewhere on the laptop’s chassis, though, it’s easy to see where cost-conscious decisions were made. The ProBook 4430s bottom, display casing and side all rely on varying styles on plastic, though this isn’t necessarily a downside - along the display and side of the computer, the dark grey trimming pairs nicely with the rest of the computer’s color scheme. acer travelmate 2420 battery

The laptop’s underside does rely on the same thin grade of plastic that’s typically found on budget-grade laptops, which doesn’t provide the best durability – portions of the bottom case flexed considerably when we applied light amounts of pressure.acer ferrari 5000 battery

Beyond this, though, we had few issues with the ProBook 4430s’ build quality. It’s solidly constructed and aesthetically pleasing, but for obvious reasons, we’d avoid having the laptop take too big of a drop.acer aspire 5920 battery

The ProBook 4430s carries a surprisingly full-featured set of ports for mobile connectivity. Besides standards such as VGA and HDMI ports, the laptop also touts an ExpressCard slot, a single USB 3.0 port and, inexplicably, an RJ-11 jack on certain models. On the ProBook 4430s’ chassis, generous spacing is provided in between each port to prevent excessive cable clutter. acer aspire 7520 battery

If you’ll frequently be plugging multiple types of devices into the ProBook’s USB ports, though, space can be tight. Plugging two iPod USB cables into a pair of USB ports left virtually no extra space – thumb drives or larger USB-based devices will definitely have to be divided between the pair of USB ports on the opposite side of the laptop.acer aspire 5610 battery

Along with expected Ethernet and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi compatibility, the ProBook also features support for Bluetooth 3.0-based devices. A hotkey on the upper right-hand corner of the keyboard dock also allows you to automatically enable or disable the laptop’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth receivers.acer aspire 5050 battery

Users can also boot into HP’s QuickWeb, a Linux-based instant-on application that provides access to a web browser,acer travelmate 6292 battery email and other assorted utilities. QuickWeb’s user interface can take some time to get used to – with its reliance on widgets for services such as Twitter and CNN, the general experience feels closer to operating a mobile device – but the application works extremely well. acer aspire 3680 battery

We were able to boot into QuickWeb and hop online in less than a minute. Additionally, setting up our wireless network credentials only required us to open a simple configuration window. Business users operating under a tight deadline will likely find much to like within QuickWeb.acer travelmate 2480 battery

Those basic specs aside, we now take a closer look at this AUO panel, model number B173RW01 V3. The maximum screen brightness of 214 cd/m2 is nothing more than average. Fortunately, the screen is incredibly evenly lit at a 94% brightness distribution. Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery

This model is luckily unaffected by clouding of LEDs or poor brightness distribution that often plagues its competitors of the same price range.Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Other measurements we took only confirm this picture of a mediocre display. Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery The black level is a bit too high at 1.1 cd/m2, making blacks appear more gray and bringing down the contrast to a low 193:1. High picture contrast is most important in making films appear more vivid and enjoyable to watch. For other purposes, the colors and sharpness of the picture are perfectly fine and will likely go unnoticed.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery

HP Pavilion g7 vs. sRGB (t)We didn’t expect the Pavillion to display a very broad range of colors. Still, the image at the right here shows that the HP’s color space here covers a good deal of the sRGB reference color space. This means, the notebook is not terrible for a professional applications like image processing.Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery

Outdoors, the notebook can’t quite overcome the reflective rays of the sun. The screen brightness would otherwise have been high enough if it weren’t for the glossy screen that makes the display more of a mirror than a computer screen.Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

Finally, the range of viewing angles confirms our suspicious about this being a cheap TN panel. Looking at the screen from the left or the right, the picture remains discernible for viewing angles up to 45o away from the ideal. Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery

Vertically, this happens much faster. Even a small tilt away from the ideal position results in color inversion or an over-exposed looking picture (see image below). Get a better impression of this phenomenon by watching the video below.Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery

The hardware within the g7 is not limited by much except for your own imagination. The ample selection of CPUs allows you to extensively customize to match your needs. In addition to older Intel CPUs, AMD processors as well as Intel’s new line of Sandy Bridge processors are available for the g7. Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery

The model we reviewed is equipped with an AMD Phenom II X4 P960 quad-core processor. Running at a base clock rate of 1.8 GHz with only a 2 MB L2-cache it can be considered an inexpensive (but relatively weak) option for multi-core processing. Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery

If you’re looking for more power, the new Sandy Bridge CPUs—which are manufactured via the ultramodern 32 nm process—might be the way to go with their speedy data retrieval from L3 cache. Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery

The AMD Phenom processor—found in the particular configuration we’re reviewing here—only manages a performance on par with the previous generation of Intel’s mobile CPUs, however.Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery

Moving on to the graphics card, things get a little more interesting. In addition to the on-board AMD Radeon HD 4250 graphics card, we also find the AMD Radeon HD 6470M dedicated graphics card with 1 GB RAM. Sony VGP-BPS8 battery

With 160 stream processors, UVD3 video decoder and DirectX 11 support,Sony VGP-BPS8A battery this GPU proudly sports the latest graphics technology. The manual graphics card switching is not the most convenient way to achieve a good balance between energy efficiency and powerful graphics rendering. Sony VGP-BPS10 battery

In the Catalyst Control Center,Sony VGP-BPS2 battery you can switch between which of the two GPUs is active. The new AMD PowerXpress 4.0 aka BACON (automatic switchable graphics) is not installed. But since BACON is still little more than a prototype, it’s probably a good thing you have to manually switch graphics cards—which functions flawlessly by the way.Sony VGP-BPS2A battery

The first tests we ran dealt with the performance of the processor. The single-core performance is particularly limited due to the lack of a L3-cache. The CineBench R10 (64-Bit) benchmark from Maxon only confirms this. Sony VGP-BPS2B battery

Earning a mere 1922 points, the CPU in place here ranks in within the bottom third of our entire database. A very similar score is produced by the Intel Core i3-330M. The current mainstream model, the Core i5-2410M, runs 57.2% more quickly at 4493 points.Sony VGP-BPS2C battery

In the Multi-Thread Rendering,Sony VGP-BPS22 battery the AMD processor here picks up the pace and places closer to average with 6649 points. The new AMD Llano APU A6-3410MX in the HP Pavilion dv6-6110eg earns 7198 points (+ 7.6 %). The dual-core i5 alternative is even faster (+ 29,9 %). Even Intel’s current starter model from Intel, the Core i3-2310M, is a bit faster than the P960 (+ 9.3 %).Sony VGP-BPS22A battery

It’s striking that the Intel tool for displaying Turbo Boost no longer showed any spikes.Asus Eee PC 901 battery It didn’t show anything at all. However, the user is made to believe that the CPU is still running with 2.3 GHz.Asus Eee PC 904 battery

The Intel CPU’s core temperatures don’t rise into critical ranges, though. We aborted after 2 hours and ran 3DMark06 again. It now recorded 8262 points. Asus Eee PC 1000 battery

That is even slightly more than is reached in a cold operating state. Consequently,Asus Eee PC 1000H battery the observed throttling induced by extreme load won’t likely have an impact on routine use. However, it can’t be completely excluded in especially computing intensive games, such as Battlefield BC2.Asus Eee PC 1200 battery

The (gaming) benchmarks that we executed were all within the expected range considering the installed hardware. Throttling wasn’t indicated. Asus Eee PC 901 battery

A hard disk from Western Digital with a memory capacity of 750 GB serves the Acer Aspire 4830TG as mass memory. Asus Eee PC 904 battery The 2.5 inch hard disk, model WD7500BPVT-22HXZT1 from the Scorpio Blue range, rotates with 5400 revolutions per minute. Thus, only an average performance is presented in the test programs.Asus Eee PC 1000 battery

The maximum transfer rate is between 86 and 94 MB/s, Asus Eee PC 701 battery depending on the test program, so nothing extraordinary. Long load times have to be expected with this kind of hard disk.Asus Eee PC 900 battery

However, the hard disk is easily removed and replaced by a hybrid disk or a solid state drive (SSD).Asus M9 battery Such a disk would be beneficial for the Aspire 4830TG as well as its write/read performance. Asus M9A battery

The Acer notebook can also be used for games. Graphic intensive games, such as StarCraft2, Mafia 2 or Call of Duty: Black Ops still run smoothly in a medium resolution. Asus M9F battery

The dedicated graphics comes to its limits in higher resolutions. The frame rate sinks to under 50 fps, which is clearly noticed in fast gaming sequences. Games are simply no fun with that.Asus M9J battery

The determined graphics performance is within an acceptable range and meets all expectations.Asus M9V battery A look at our GT 540M database shows that the differences are marginal. As noticed correctly in the previously reviewed 15.6 inch model, the GT 540M is also generally suitable for more current games. Asus A8 battery

It is recommendable to use the processor’s HD graphics when you’re on the move. Not quite as graphic-heavy games also still run smoothly on the incorporated graphics (Fifa).Asus A9T battery

The battery runtime is reduced when the nVidia graphics is used and the Aspire 4830TG has to go back to the mains after fairly short gaming fun.Asus U5 battery

The Acer Aspire 4830TG is agreeably quiet during routine work. Merely a quiet noise was perceptible in applications that only ran with the built-in Intel graphics.Asus U5F battery

The level increased audibly with the dedicated graphics. It also got louder while playing DVD media. This time, the troublemaker was the installed optical drive and not the CPU or GPU. Asus W3000 battery

The DVD drive emits an extremely,Asus W3000A battery partly unpleasant high noise when it’s used. However, the noise quickly fades in the room when you move away from the laptop. Persons with a very sensitive ear won’t be happy with it, though.Asus W3A battery

The cooling system’s fans are also only slightly louder during full load. We could determine a noise of 40.6 dB(A) at the peak.Asus W3Z battery

The CPU’s and GPU’s waste heat is discharged quickly and efficiently out of the case with the new fan design that is used in the Acer Aspire 4830TG. There is a large vent on the left for this. Asus W1 battery

The fan blows out the warm air here. As described above, with up to 40.6 dB(A). The exhausted air gets noticeably warmer during load than during only surfing or writing texts.Asus W1000 battery

The temperatures on the case’s bottom increase under load and can get unpleasant for the lap when the notebook is placed there.Asus M6 battery

But not only the laptop got warmer, the 90 watt power adapter also increased to almost 42 degrees Celsius.Asus M6N battery

The sound system consists of two speakers that Acer has placed on the notebook’s bottom. The rim, found between the keyboard and display, would let you await even more speakers.Asus M67 battery

However, this rim on which Dolby Home Theater is also printed is only an optical enhancement. The sound system doesn’t include a subwoofer. The software can’t compensate this fact, either.Asus M67N battery

One of the most important test criteria for a mobile device is the battery life. Notebooks have taken over the conventional desktop’s rank for quite some time already.Asus M68 battery

Why confine yourself to the office if you can be on the move with a laptop or even work outdoors. Asus M68N battery
The Aspire 4830TG has a lithium ion battery (6 cells) with a charge capacity of 4000 mAh for mobile use. At least, this is what Everest (87BSANYO) reads out.Asus M6000 battery

Acer speaks of a 6000 mAh battery on its product website. This, in combination with the measured power consumption, also sooner fits to our observations. Asus M6000N battery

The fact that the battery is built-in and can’t be removed is a drawback. Even if it can’t fall down or be forgotten somewhere, the user can’t exchange it, either.Asus M6700 battery

The lithium ion battery had to show how long it can last in various tests. The battery lasted 7 hours and 29 minutes in idle mode when WLAN / Bluetooth are disabled.Asus M6700N battery

The display brightness was set to its lowest level. That may sound good, but who wants to use their notebook this way? So, another test with normal surf behavior was simulated. The battery runtime could still convince with 6 hours and 32 minutes.Asus M6800 battery

This isn’t quite a whole work day, but a good start. The battery ran for 4 hours and 16 minutes in DVD rendering with disabled WLAN and Bluetooth modules.Asus M6800N battery

That should be enough for two cinema movies. The battery life was a bit shorter in load and maximum display The power consumption is as expected on a low level in standby mode and in a deactivated state. Asus L5 battery

The consumption is slightly higher than what current Sandy Bridge laptops achieve in idle mode. The installed hardware’s potential is very evident in load. Asus L5C battery

Acer Aspire Timeline X 4830TGThe long battery life of up to 6.5 hours makes the Acer Aspire 4830TG to a perfect travel companion. Moreover, it is fairly handy with a weight of only 2.1 kg and the small size.Asus L5D battery

The 14 inch display has a resolution of 1366×768 pixels, which is more than sufficient for this screen. However, the LED backlit HD CineCrystal High Brightness display reflects a lot of the surroundings. Asus L5G battery

The person working on the device is also frequently mirrored in the display. You should always look for a shady place for outdoor use. The display doesn’t forgive direct sunlight.Asus L5000 battery

Acer has proved to have a good eye as it selected the hardware. The Core i5 CPU, which is standardly clocked with 2.3 GHz, is automatically overclocked up to 2.9 GHz when needed via the Turbo Boost 2.0 technology. The 4 GB RAM is fully sufficient for the system. The 750 GB hard disk has an equally good size. As to the graphics, Acer doesn’t only rely on the processor’s HD graphics. There is also a GeForce GT 540M from nVidia in the notebook as a dedicated graphics, which is automatically enabled in games or applications. Asus L5500 battery

In the opinion of the author, the recommended retail price of 799 euros is more than justified for this configuration and performance.Asus L5800 battery

Webcam: Acer Crystal Eye 1.3 MP HD WebCam, Notebook, 90 Watt Netzteil mit Netzkabel, Handbücher, Acer Clear.fi, Acer Backup Manager , Acer ePower Management , Acer eRecovery Management , Acer Crystal Eye, Acer Video Conference Manager, Acer Accessory Store, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Reader 9.1, eSobi , Microsoft Office Starter 2010, 24 Months Warranty, Asus L5900 battery

The Acer Aspire 4830TG has a very handy size and is light. The 14 inch display looks bigger than expected.Asus M5 battery

14 incher’s are mostly found in the business field. This device category has almost been completely replaced by more compact 13 inchers in the consumer market. Potential alternatives: Samsung QX412, Sony CA1S1, HP Envy 14.Asus M5A battery

Workmanship 8%, Keyboard 8%, Mouse 6%, Connectivity 8%, Weight 6%, Battery 8%, Display 10%, Games Performance 10%, Application Performance 10%, Temperature 8%, Noise 8%, Impression 10% Asus M5N battery