Laptops, Netbooks, Notebooks, NetTops, Eee PC, SmartTops, Mobile PC, Tablet PC

The latest TravelMate from Acer doesn’t just look good in its metallic matte-black exterior, it also has a thin bezel that allows for a 14-inch screen in a body that normally holds 13.3-inches of screen real-estate. It has the biggest screen among all the notebooks in this line-up, except its resolution is only 1366×768 pixels. Acer also managed to get the TravelMate 8481G into a nice and slim shell, with a thickness measuring only 22.3mm. This little black machine also features an Nvidia discrete graphics card for added gaming performance. The solid construction of the entire machine is only let down by the incredible amount of flex in its island-style keyboard.

Dell reckons the Alienware M18x is the most powerful gaming laptop on the planet. This 5.4kg beast runs Windows 7 Home Premium and has an I8.4in screen, 8GB of DDR3 RAM (although you get only 4GB with the base £1,699 model), an Intel Core i7-2630M processor, either a terabyte (TB) or 1.5TB of storage and an nVidia GeForce GTX 460M with 1.5GB of video RAM.

The M18x’s huge screen supports a top resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, while an HDMI port makes this laptop ideal for general entertainment duties such as DVD playback as well as frantic gaming sessions. There are two USB 3.0 ports, so you can very quickly archive off everything to a high-speed external drive and free up some space, should the need ever arise. The 1.3Mp webcam is one of few standard specifications on this extraordinary Alienware laptop.

Dell has created a following for its ultraportable Inspiron Z laptops. The 14z has a 1366×768-pixel screen, a choice of Core i3 and i5 processors and focuses on connectedness on the go. In a home Wi-Fi environment, Dell Stage kicks in to automatically synchronize music, photos and messages.

Content can be called up on any Dell Stage-supported device. Bluetooth, USB 3.0, a webcam and a multiformat card reader mark out the Dell as a high-quality home laptop.

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Most of the time, a Fujitsu laptop means a no-nonsense portable computer that gets the job done no matter what. The glossy black Fujitsu SH761 is no different. It looks professional and its build is extremely solid, with no creaking parts whatsoever. It’s small and lightweight at a respectable 1.6Kg, and even then, has space for an optical drive. This slinky little machine also features an Nvidia 520M discrete graphics card for a slight improvement in gaming performance. Another feature which we really like is the touch-enabled scrolling pad that lets you scroll in all directions.

We’re not surprised to see the Lenovo IdeaPad G570 here – only a few issues ago; it earned a thoroughly deserved Best Value award. But whereas last time we reviewed a basic, no-frills model, this time Lenovo has sent us something tastier.

The familiar Core i3-2310M processor takes center-stage, but Lenovo has pushed up the price and added a few extras. There’s now a generous 6GB of memory, and the 640GB hard disk is a welcome sight for the more download-hungry user. Even more impressive, though, is the fact that Lenovo has squeezed in a Blu-ray reader and dedicated ATI graphics.

As well as these additions, all the best features remain intact. The keyboard remains one of the best you’ll find on any budget model: concave Scrabble-tile keys grip the fingers nicely, and the positive action makes for responsive typing. The touchpad is similarly fuss-free, with discrete, clicky buttons, and a wide multitouch surface that makes for accurate cursor control. Read the rest of this entry »

Given its specification, it’s a surprise that the Acer Aspire Ethos 5943G is so affordable. With a Core i5 processor, Blu-ray drive and dedicated graphics, it easily looks the best on paper of all the laptops here. The reason it’s so cheap is simple: unlike the competition, this one’s from Acer’s last-season range.

The first giveaway is the Core i5-460M, one of the first-generation Intel Core processors. Still, that’s no bad thing. While the latest Core i3 chips have come on leaps and bounds, this is still a more powerful chip than the lot of them – as a result of 0.63 in our Real World Benchmarks shows. Read the rest of this entry »

The black-brushed, 1.35Kg-light, Duralumin-clad Samsung Series 9 definitely strikes us as thin, light and sexy from the moment we laid eyes on it. Duralumin is an alloy used primarily on fighter jets to keep them light and tough, just like on the Series 9. Out of all the Windows-powered notebooks tested, its trackpad is also the biggest and the most comfortable to use. Like the MacBook Air it is competing with, it also sports an SSD that supercharges performance. However it’s a pity it only comes in black. Ports are hidden and can easily be accessed on the side of the machine. The one odd addition to this machine: A Micro-SD card slot.

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Binalone’s HomeSurf 705 costs only £99, but comers have been cut: the 7in, 800 x 480 resistive screen is unresponsive and pallid, and underneath is a processor that finished the SunSpider benchmark in 41,045ms-twiceas slow as the £160 Storage Options Scroll. Basics such as web browsing are this tablet’s limit, and there’s no sign of the Android Market – its replacement is void of recognizable names – and it’s also lumbered with the outdated Android 2.1. Given the lack of quality, the four-hour battery life feels like a mercy. If you have the opportunity to spend your money elsewhere, do so. Read the rest of this entry »

The very professional-looking HP Elitebook 2560p has everything you need (including DVD-drive) built into a relatively small body. Its metallic exterior and interior doesn’t just look pretty, but makes the machine feel extremely solid and rugged. Like previous generations of HP business notebooks, the Elitebook 2560p is built like a tank, both inside and out. Solid metal lines the palm rest, which also helps with dispersing heat. Our favorite part of the machine is the keyboard. The chiclet-style design not only features wide spacing in between buttons, but also a rigidity in the keys that appeals to us greatly, making this our favorite keyboard out of the whole bunch.

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While Intel’s Sandy Bridge technology faced some obstacles right out of the blocks with faulty hardware that necessitated a recall, the problem’s now fixed, with numerous laptop makers all jumping in with offerings of their own. In this review, we take on Fujitsu’s S-series 13.3-inch LifeBook SH561.

Aesthetically, the SH561 is clad in “Urban White” for the most part, save for its base unit that’s adorned in black. The lid sports pin-striped etchings with Fujitsu’s infinity Mark brandished in silver. Generally, the SH561 offers a durable build with little flex on the wrist-rest. At 1.75kg, this baby is also highly portable considering it packs a DVD drive as well. Read the rest of this entry »

These days, when people think laptops and notebooks, they want something they can literally put on their laps without causing any actual stress on their thigh bones. But of course there also exist users who are much more particular about the performance of their machine. When we talk about performance however, it usually isn’t about having multiple spreadsheets open at the same time, but rather, the ability of that machine to play games. Traveling gamer, introducing your new best friend, the 17.3-inch Toshiba Qosmio X770. Read the rest of this entry »

Wonderfully light and the least bulky of the 10-inchers, the Tab 750 has a clean, spartan design. It is fast and furious where row speed goes. Though purists will disagree, once you get used to it, Samsung’s proprietary TouchWIZ ser interface skin over Android can be quite agreeable and useful. The preinstalled apps—especially the office suite and the photo editor—propelled by TouchWIZ get you off the ground right away without shopping around. The 1,280×800 display is capable of sharp, vibrant imagery and provides superb viewing angles. Read the rest of this entry »

With rivals sporting Blu-ray drives, dedicated graphics and other novelties, the Acer Aspire TimelineX 4830T seems rather ordinary. Spend some time actually using this Min laptop, however, and it’s clearly anything hut.

It’s very good-looking. The blue lid is infused with a hint of turquoise, and crisp lines are complimented by a smattering of silver and black on the inside. For a budget laptop, it’s gorgeous; by any other standards, it’s still smart.

It isn’t quite as light as the other I4in laptop in this group, HP’s Pavilion dm4, but at only 2.03kg we wouldn’t baulk at carrying it around regularly. We only wish it was sturdier. Pressure on the lid quickly shows through onto the LCD panel, and there’s the slightest hint of bounce in the wristrest. We’d invest in a padded laptop bag to keep it in good nick. Read the rest of this entry »

This 13in screen Vaio Is very much the money-no-object suggestion in our round up of portables to which you might consider treating yourself this Yule, Far from a run-of-the-mill model, the Z is thinner and tighter than a MacBook Air. It’s also the first laptop to have its own dedicated multimedia dock that contains a dedicated graphics card. DVD drive and LightPeak optical connector. The Sony’s carbon-fiber frame is both incredibly strong and very light – a fact helped by the inclusion of a 256GB solid-state disk (SSD) rather than a plain old hard disk.

The laptop is powered by a Core i7 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM, Ergonomics and typing comfort are marginally compromised, but the Vaio bristles with ports and connectors. It also has a webcam and Skype support, plus a fingerprint reader to control access.

Finished in black and brown, Lenovo’s IdeaPad S205 is unlikely to set anyone’s heart aflutter. It has the same AMD E-350 processor as its 11,6in rivals, backed up by 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard disk.

At 1.42kg, it’s the lightest model in this month’s Labs, but that’s reflected in the build quality. The slender base flexes to and fro when tugged upon, and it lacks the more substantial feel of the others here. Given the excellent stamina – it boasts 6hrs 50mins of light-use battery life – we’d keep it in a padded sleeve when on the move.

While the keyboard is typically excellent, and the little touchpad works well, the display is disappointing. It’s dim, and images look pale and unnatural.

At this price, we’d usually suffer a few faults. As it stands, though, the HP isn’t just prettier; it’s the better all-round choice.

If you’re after an inexpensive laptop and are more interested in performance than a fancy name, the Packard Bell EasyNote TS1IHR039 is well worth a look. It ran away with the crown in our most recent group test of budget laptops, outshining every other contender in terms of speed. It achieves this by packing in an Intel Core i5 processor; although this is twinned with a modest 3GB of RAM, music and video plays well, although gaming isn’t great. Connections include 802.l1b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI and a trio of USB 2.0 ports. There’s a dual-layer DVD-R/RW drive and a media-card slot that takes Memory Stick and xD-Picture Cards as well as the more common SO Card format. Slight compromises in the form of integrated Intel graphics and a 500GB hard drive are our sole criticisms of this excellent and very well-priced I5.6in-screen laptop.

Toshiba’s Satellite L755D is the only laptop here powered by one of AMD’s Llano processors. In some respects, the Toshiba lags behind the Intel-powered opposition. A result of 0.45 in our Real World Benchmarks is a little off the pace, and battery life leaves the Toshiba bringing up the rear.

When it comes to gaming, however, AMD’s Llano takes on models with dedicated graphics. It wasn’t until we pushed up our Crysis test to Medium detail that the Toshiba slowed to an average of 25fps. It’s mightily impressive.

Elsewhere, the Toshiba puts in a solid effort. The keyboard and touchpad throw up no nasty surprises, and the display delivers lively colour reproduction. Connectivity is good, too, although USB 3 is entirely absent.

It isn’t perfect, but those looking for good gaming ability on the cheap won’t be disappointed.

As the largest laptop on test, Samsung’s RV720 cuts an imposing figure. But despite its huge 17.3in display and generous specification, it comes with a much more compact price: a very reasonable £464 inc VAT.

With exactly the same design as the smaller RV520, the RV720 is a lovely looking laptop. The textured black and silver lid is as sleek as ever, and the strip of glossy black pooling around the keyboard adds a flourish on the inside. There’s no getting away from the all-plastic construction, and the size means there’s a little more flex in the chassis, but it isn’t bad for the money.

One glance at the keyboard is all you need to see that Samsung has failed to capitalize on the extra space. It’s exactly the same as that of the RV520, which means the same slightly hollow feel to each tap of the finger, but the light key action and wide expanse of the wristrest more than make amends. Read the rest of this entry »

The Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 is the newest member of the Portege line, and it’s Toshiba’s first ultrabook. Available exclusively through Best Buy, the Portege Z835-P330 is currently the cheapest of the new slim-laptop category of ultrabooks, selling for just under $800. It also has a featherweight chassis, an unusually full feature set, and a long-lasting battery that will take you through an entire workday. Whether or not those highlights are enough to make you overlook its middling performance and mediocre graphics capability is up to you. Read the rest of this entry »

Netbooks are now available in a range of bright colors that don’t perhaps suit the boardroom. Although the ‘Matte Luminous Rose’ HP Mini lives up to type, it also comes in more sensible hues. We tested the Midnight Greyh version.

The HP is slightly faster than the average netbook, although a WorldBench 6 score of 38 is still well short of even the slowest ultraportable, if you require something only for checking email and browsing the web on the move, it ought to be adequate.

The keyboard, according to HP. is 93 percent of a full-size model. It’s very usable, enabling you to type with barely an error. The keys are well spaced, while the accompanying touchpad supports some multitouch gestures. This can be turned off while you’re typing, and its textured surface makes it easier for your fingers to find without looking down. Read the rest of this entry »