This is the highest level of performance in the market. It allows the user to play the newest games such as “Starcraft 2” and “Crysis” at a very high resolution. It is as well perfect for professional and high quality media editing, and encloses high speed multitasking, multimedia and HD video applications. People looking for a way to absolutely kill their productivity and play games all day long, look no further.

• 3DMark 06 1024 x 768

  10813.33 #

• 3DMark Vantage

  4915 #

• PCMark 05

  4790.08 #

• PCMark Vantage

  1566.96 #

• Cinebench xCPU 64Bit

  10249 #

The design delighted the majority of all reviewers and they predicted it to be at the taste of most users. The notebook’s appearance walks a fine line between function and form.

The build quality provides for high standards to people requiring good protection for the laptop’s inner fragile parts. People on the move will find this laptop suited to handle both everyday life circumstances (putting it in and out of your bag/carrying it around) and significant challenges(falling from the desk to the hard floor, using it in a bus travelling on a bumpy road) very well.

• Base Unit Flex

   : 

  4.0/5

  The notebook frame can solidly serve for many years without any major problems. Cracking sounds, gaps and loose parts are almost nonexistent. The surface will resist most abuse, however it will show scratches over time.

• Hinge Stability

   : 

  3.0/5

  The hinge, connecting the monitor and the laptop body, is tight and flexible, though it leaves room for improvement. The screen might move a little after opening the laptop or when moving around, which can be annoying but not disruptive.

• Display Panel

   : 

  3.0/5

  Some minor colour distortions might occur under significant pressure on the back of the display, or when moving the screen back and fourth. Hardly any gaps between the different parts of the frame can be found.

Generally the reviewers evaluated this laptop to be below average. At this level, office work could be manageable. For more demanding tasks like multimedia use, high definition gaming and professional editing you will need a higher quality display. To get a more comprehensive review of this display, users should check the ratings of the different attributes of this screen.

• Display Resolution

  1366 x 768

  This resolution is also called HD-ready. Viewing more than one website on the monitor is almost impossible, as one window takes up almost the whole space. Graphic designers might not be completely satisfied with this resolution, as this latter might be too small. High resolution picture and video editing is plainly impossible. This resolution is a good option for gamers as many graphic cards will be powerful enough to support the native resolution of this display. Watching most movies will be possible without any black bars at the top and bottom of the display.

• Color Reproduction

   : 

  2.5/5

  Though it would be manageable to watch movies with this color reproduction, the experience might not be enjoyable for visually acute users. The coverage of color spectrum is below average, making colors look far from authentic and incomparable to real life experience. High resolution gaming and HD movies viewing will not be pleasant.

• Contrast

   : 

  2.8/5

  The contrast between the darkest color -black- and the brightest color -white- is below average in this computer. This results in having the darkest areas being washed out resembling a dark shade of gray, while the brightest areas appear to be of a light grayish color. Movies can be enjoyed provided that the room is completely darkened. Most office workers will find the readability to be sufficient, while some might be annoyed by the close shades of gray characterizing both the dark text and the bright background. The needs of professional designers will surely not be met with this notebook.

• Contrast Value

  214.5 :1

• Brightness

   : 

  1.5/5

  This level of display brightness is close to ideal for having a long lasting battery. What would however not last for long is the perfect vision you might enjoy now, especially if you persevere in using this laptop in an averagely lid room. You could still find it somehow enjoyable to use your computer in a dark room, but turn the light up, and all you will see is the frame of your screen.

• Average Brightness

  187 cd/m²

• Reflections

   : 

  0.5/5

  The reflection on this display is abysmal. The slightest light source in the surroundings causes the screen to strongly reflect the lighting, making thus deciphering information impossible. It is thus recommended to only use this laptop in pitch-black environments. Continuous use in this setting is far from ideal for both the sanity of the users and their eyesight, as a minimum exposure to light everyday is highly recommended for a human-like life experience.

• Viewing Angle

   : 

  1.7/5

  When you position yourself directly in front of the screen, everything is clearly visible. However, moving your head a little to the side will cause the colors to distort. It is almost impossible for two people to watch a movie unless they seek absolute intimacy. This laptop is recommended for people who demand privacy in public spaces.

The internal speakers of this laptop provided for a below average sound quality. Low sounds are still recognizable. Music can still listened to although the users should account for the necessity of external speakers when planning to watch a movie with a group. Musicians should not even stop to consider this laptop for their work, and gamers will be disappointed as the sound will be convincing. Even maximum volume will not make the sound experience enjoyable.

• Maximum Volume

   : 

  2.5/5

  This laptop provides for a great opportunity to test your hearing abilities. At maximum volume, users can expect the sound to be loud enough to partially cover the space in one room. It would be difficult to enjoy a movie with a group of people if you are not all sitting close to the laptop. Headphones or external speakers should prove to be a good back up for action/thriller movies to be enjoyed.

• Sound Clarity

   : 

  3.0/5

  The clarity of the sound is still ok at this level. While demanding audiophiles will think of it as a disaster, the rest of us will find the sound experience provided by this laptop satisfactory when watching movies or playing games.

• Lows

   : 

  1.0/5

  With the internal speakers of this laptop, there is practically no bass, making music or movies feel flat. The sound is thus either scratchy, too low or flat.

This keyboard will be valued by most users as convenient for frequent use. Be it for writing long emails, or surfing the net, most users will be satisfied with the comfort and the speed this keyboard provides for. If your professional life requires long typing hours, along with the highest levels of comfort, then you might want to consider a keyboard with higher rates.

• Layout

   : 

  4.0/5

  The layout of this keyboard stands firmly within the ranges of conventionality. The positioning of the keys conforms with the standard layout, thus reducing the users adaptation time to their new keyboard.

• Keyboard Size

   : 

  4.0/5

  The size of this keyboard allows for a good typing experience, as the keys are large enough to reduce typos. The palm rest is as well a quality of this keyboard, deep enough for easy and comfortable usage. The gaps between the keys make the keyboard quite proportionate, and to the linking of most users.

• Key Responsiveness

   : 

  3.4/5

  The responsiveness of this keyboard allows for most users to be satisfied with individual key feedback. The keys do require some pressure for efficient typing, without being either too soft or too stiff for manipulation. Most users will find this keyboard supportive for long typing hours as the keys can be pressed down without any difficulty and they respond back quite fast. Although this keyboard might not be responsive enough for some, the general feel of the keyboard should be within the ranges of satisfaction for most of us.

• Keyboard Flex

   : 

  2.0/5

  This keyboard may be for some users manageable, although for most it will be rated below average. The plastic below the keyboard sometimes flexes and the uncontrollable movement of the individual keys will throw you off your typing flow. Smooth typing is far from being an attainable reality, and will make users take some deep breaths to lower their levels of frustration and anger.

• Keys Clicking Sound

   : 

  3.3/5

  The sound produced when clicking on individual keys could be considered by some at the verge of being disturbing. Most users however will not be bothered by it.

Most reviewers agreed that this touchpad should be to the liking of many users. The levels of accuracy, the size and the smoothness vs. resistance rates make this trackpad fairly above average. It is well suited for office work, browsing online and most other usage, although demanding users, designers and alike, might require a higher level of accuracy and would thus prefer an external mouse. The trackpad button quality was generally described as good and fitting the needs of most users.

• Touchpad Surface

   : 

  4.0/5

  The feeling of the touchpad will work at your satisfaction with its relatively smooth surface allowing quick scrolling up and down your pages. If you require rougher textures, the trackpad of this computer can be pleasing, as it combines both smoothness and good surface resistance.

• Sensitivity

   : 

  3.5/5

  Your expectations of an accurate touchpad should be generally satisfied. The levels of precision and speed provided by this touchpad are quite decent, and for most users, this touchpad will be just enough for daily use. Although the accuracy can be fine tuned in the Windows or Mac settings, the basic accuracy hardware wise is enough.

• Touchpad Size

   : 

  3.8/5

  The size of this touchpad is above average. You can browse through large displayed pages, although it might require frequent finger movement. Putting the sensitivity settings up on your computer should make your mouse move faster, and thus cover “more ground”, without much sacrifice of the accuracy of your pointer.

• Buttons

   : 

  4.0/5

  The feedback of the trackpad’s buttons will fulfil the needs of most users. The well defined pressure point gives adequate feedback, making it clear when and where the buttons have been pushed. Therefore they are efficient for most activities, even those requiring high levels of precision such as picture editing. Nearby individuals will rarely be disturbed by the unobtrusive and soft button’s clicking sound.

• Buttons Noise

   : 

  4.0/5

  The buttons of the touchpad offer a nice clicking feedback while pressing.

The picture can be a little bit noisy when the light conditions are not good but for video chatting it will be okay.

The battery of this laptop will only allow you to work independently from a power source for quite a short period of time. For doing office work and light browsing, you must set your display brightness to the minimum and make sure that your energy saving mode is on. Even if you take all these precautions into consideration, you can only count on two hours at most of independence. Most users will feel that it is mandatory to have a second battery within reach, or to be condemned to always be plugged to a power source.

• Battery DVD/Video

  0:55 h

  It is best not to count on this battery to perform any energy consuming tasks. It will last for a maximum of one hour, so it can get you through a short presentation, but it will not be enough to get you through the Q&A session. Always have the charger with you, as the battery will only be good enough to protect you from a short power shortage. If you desire any mobility, buying a second battery is a must.

Some users will be exhausted carrying the computer with them, even for a few minutes. Although the weight is within the range of acceptability, it might yet be challenging to find a fitting bag for comfortable mobility. If you take into account the extra weight of the charger, this notebook will be tiring to walk around with even for a short period of time. It might as well occupy too much space for convenient use in cafes or airplanes.

This laptop was rated by reviewers as rather noisy. In quiet environments such as libraries, lecture halls and the like, the laptop will make itself noticed. The noise of this laptop will challenge noise sensitive users, particularly in quiet environments.

• Noise Idle

   : 

  2.0/5

  The laptop is audible while idle.

• Noise Normal Use

   : 

  2.0/5

  Noise coming from the laptop will be quite intrusive to some, even during light tasks like office work and Internet browsing. It is even more emphasized when the surroundings are silent, making the noise much more noticeable. If you need to study for an exam for example, you should account for some good headphones with music flooding the laptop noise, so you can concentrate on your preparations.

• Noise Full Load

   : 

  1.3/5

  Running high performance applications such watching movies, editing videos or gaming will make your laptop roar. Not very pleasant when in a quiet environment, or when trying to be discrete.

The laptop often gets too warm. Most reviewers found, at normal room temperature, it may be okay to keep the notebook on your lap when you are just surfing the net. The laptop will definitely get hot when you stress it, watching a movie or alike.

• Heat Top: Full Use

   : 

  3.5/5

  At normal use the laptop gets warm but this is not problematic.

• Heat Top: Normal Use

   : 

  2.3/5

  The notebook can get a little bit warmer on top.

• Heat Bottom: Normal Use

   : 

  1.5/5

  The laptop gets quite hot on the bottom. Using a laptop cooler could help.

• Heat Bottom: Full Load

   : 

  0.5/5

  There are spots, where the laptop gets extremely hot.