Core i5 Laptop

Posted on February 1st, 2010 | by admin

intel_core_i5[1]

Today’s technology has really improved from the 386 computers of the prior years to the multi-core technology of today. These multi-cores are known for their great efficiency and improved performance over the single core processors that have been the norm of yesteryears. To describe their functioning, it is best to think of one processor divided into many different subprocessors. That’s what where the name came from: each subprocessor is called a “core.”

The first multi-core to arrive was the Dual Core technology, spearheaded by the Pentium Dual Core by Intel and the subsequent ones by AMD. Through time, the technology was constantly improved until the quad cores or 4-core processors came out, followed by the “i” Cores. The Core i5 then came in and impressed many with its power; however, it is still a notch lower than the ultimate “smart” processor: the Intel Core i7.

The Core i5 is a processor with capabilities just below the Core i7, and slightly higher than the Core i3 processor. The Core i5 processors have at least 2 cores and at most 4 cores.

All that power put together results to only one thing: a fast and seamless performance that will make short work of any task that you have put together. With the Core i5’s processing capabilities, it is certainly built to accomplish whatever tasks given to it.

Laptops are everyone’s handy companions. Businessmen use them, students utilize them and even gamers make use of them for their work. Hence, since they have such a broad range of users, laptops need to be able to meet a wide array of needs. Because of its capabilities, the Core i5 is the best response to such a need. Fortunately, there are already laptops available in the market that have been fitted with Core i5 processors.

MicroExpress NBL 50

NBL50-1[1]

One of these laptops is the Micro Express NBL 50. This one comes with a DDR3 RAM bank that is capable of supporting up to 8 gigabytes of memory. We know that powerful processors work so fast that they eat up memory quickly as well, and when they run out of memory that’s when they start to freeze up. That is how the NBL 50’s large memory bank is so useful.

The NBL 50 comes with a large hard drive capacity as well.

The Micro Express NBL 50 is estimated to be priced at about $1,200.

SPECS
Graphics	ATI HD 5650 (Madison) 128 bits, DDR3 1GB VRAM
Memory	Up to 8 Gigabytes of RAM
Display	Support 15.6” WXGA(1366 x 768) with LED backlight
	Support 15.6” WUXGA Full HD (1920 x 1080) with LED backlight
Hard drive capacity	320GB,500 GB 7200 RPM SATA
	60GB, 120 GB Solid State Drive

PROS

The Micro Express NBL 50 comes with a dedicated graphics controller. With 1GB worth of video RAM, the NBL 50 is ideal for gaming, entertainment and business.

CTL TW9

Dubbed as the “Travel Master,” the CTL TW9 is your versatile, carry-around computer. With the Core i5 processor and other great features, the CTL TW9 will satisfy the needs of even the most meticulous computer user out there. It performs great in typical office tasks, business and multimedia. A little gaming can also be done on the side.

The estimated base price of the CTL TW9 is $1,099.

SPECS
Processor	Intel Core i5 2.53 GHz
Memory	2 GB DDR3 RAM
Operating system	Microsoft Windows 7
Graphics	nVidial® GeForce 9600M-GS 512MB
Display	15″ WXGA Wide Screen LCD, 1280 x 800 Max Resolution
Hard drive	320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

PROS

The CTL TW9 is fast, with a 2.53 GHz Core i5 processor operating behind the scenes. It also has enough hard disk capacity.

CONS

Compared to the other two Core i5 laptops, in this review, the CTL TW9 has a much smaller RAM capacity at 2 gigabytes. Plus, its graphics card only has 512 MB of RAM to allocate for video making it perform at a lesser capacity compared to the NBL 50 and the Acer Aspire AS5940G, which both have 1 gigabyte of VRAM to play with.

Acer Aspire AS5940G

Aspire-AS5940G[1]

In terms of performance, the Acer Aspire AS5490 is the least out of the three Core i5 laptops in this review. It has only a 1.6GHz Corei5 handling all its threads and programs. To compensate, however, the AS5490 has 4 gigabytes of RAM, twice that of the CTL TW9 and half of what Micro Express NBL 50 has. It also has a 1-gigabyte video graphics controller, the ATI Radeon HD4650.

The price for the Acer Aspire AS5940G is at the $2,200-$2,600 range.

SPECS
Processor	Intel Core i5 1.6 GHz
Memory	Up to 4 gigabytes of RAM
Graphics	ATI Radeon HD4650 1GB
Screen size	15.6 inches
Battery life	3 hours

PROS

The Aspire AS5490G has a large RAM capacity to make up for its slower processor, thus ensuring the same seamless performance that the other Core i5 laptops have. Plus, it also has a 1-gigabyte video card to handle its graphics rendering.

CONS

It has a very short battery life of 3 hours. It also has no Blu-Ray DVD support.

Asus X77

asus-x77-laptop[1]

The Asus X77 is powered by the Intel Core i5-430M that runs on clock speed of 2.26 MHz and can be Turbo Boosted to 2.53 GHz. The Core i5 in the Asus X77 is backed by up to 4 GB of RAM. Asus also provided the Asus X77 with a dedicated graphics card in ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730.

The Asus X77 comes with a large 17.3-inch liquid crystal display that carries a 1600 x 900 resolution and a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. The Asus X77 could carry up to 1 TB of digital files, thanks to its dual hard drive system. One could load the Asus X77 with two hard drives of 500 GB each, and have a very large storage space for any large file – HD movies, music and games.

Estimates show that the Asus X77 would cost at around $1400 and up.

SPECS
Central Processing Unit	Intel Core-i5 430M 2.26 GHz processor
	with Turbo Boost of up to 2.55 GHz
Random Access Memory	Up to 4 GB
Graphics Support	ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 GPU
Screen size	17.3 inch
Screen Resolution	1600 x 900
Storage Space	Up to 1 TB, dual hard drive of 500 GB each
Optical Drive	multi-format DVD burner

PROS

The Intel Core i5 embedded in this laptop surely provides the needed performance for optimum gaming experience, even on the run. Providing support is a large amount of memory, including from the dedicated graphics in ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730. The Asus X77 could store a very large amount of files with its 1 TB hard disk.

Dell Alienware M15x

alienware-m15x-notebook[1]

The present Dell Alienware M15x comes with two processor options – the Intel Core i5 and the Intel Core i7. The Dell Alienware M15x with Intel Core i5 may contain the Intel Core i5-520M or the Intel Core i5-540M.

The Dell Alienware M15x Core i5 version is loaded with up to 4 GB of random access memory as well as 1 GB of VRAM in the Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M. The Dell Alienware M15x Core i5 version also comes with a full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

SPECS
Central Processing Unit	2.4-GHz Intel Core i5-520QM with Turbo Boost
	2.53-GHz Intel Core i5-540QM with Turbo Boost
Read Access Memory	4 GB
Storage Drive	SATA 250GB Hard Drive 7,200 rpm
Optical Drive	BD-ROM/DVD /-RW
Display Size	15.6 inches
Native Resolution	1920 x 1080
Dimension	14.9 x 12.2 x 1.9 inches
Graphics Card	Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M with 1 GB VRAM
Weight	9.0 pounds

Pros

The Dell Alienware M15x with Intel Core i5 is just a level down from its more powerful twin, the Dell Alienware M15x with Intel Core i7. The Dell Alienware M15x with Intel Core i5 offers awesome graphics, full HD display and a Blu-Ray ready drive.

Cons

Dell Alienware M15x comes with an average audio system. With nine pounds of weight, some people might find the Dell Alienware M15x too heavy.

HP Pavilion dv7t

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The HP Pavilion dv7t could now be loaded with the much powerful Intel Core i5 processors. The latest upgrade of the HP Pavilion dv7t contains up to 8 GB of memory backup and either a gigabyte of NVIDIA GeForce GT 320M or 512 MB of GeForce G 105M.

The HP Pavilion dv7t could be loaded with the dual hard drive option, transforming it into a 1.28 TB laptop. The HP Pavilion dv7t’s liquid crystal display sports a 16:9 aspect ratio. Being a multimedia laptop, the HP Pavilion dv7t is loaded with an integrated TV tuner, Altec Lansing stereo speakers, Web cam and an array of connectivity features like USB ports and card reader.

The HP Pavilion dv7t with the Intel Core i5 is pegged to sell starting at $999.

SPECS
CPU	Intel Core i5-430M processor (2.26GHz, 3MB L2 Cache)
	with Turbo Boost up to 2.53 GHz
	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-520M processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L2 Cache)
	with Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
RAM	Up to 8 GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
Hard drive	Up to 1.28 TB
Graphics	512MB NVIDIA GeForce G 105M
	1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 320M – For i3, i5 and i7-620QM
Display	17.3″ diagonal (1600 x 900)
Dimensions	16.2″ x 10.9″ x 1.37″~1.70″
Weight	7.74 lbs

PROS

The HP Pavilion dv7t offers awesome multimedia experience whether games, movies or music, thanks to its powerful processor, large amount of memory, hardcore graphics card, more than 1 TB of disk space and high-quality video and audio.

CONS

The powerful specs contained in the HP Pavilion dv7t’s box causes some uncomfortable warmth when subjected to prolonged usage.

Lenovo ThinkPad T410s

Lenovo-ThinkPad-T410-T410s-T510-and-W510-Notebook-PCs[1]

The Lenovo ThinkPad T410s is powered by Intel’s Core i5 processor; with choices of Intel Core i5-529M 2.4 GHz or Intel Core i5-540M 2.53 GHz processor. Backing this powerful processor is up to 6 GB of DDR3 or up to 8 GB of DDR4 RAM.

Quite a feature of the Lenovo ThinkPad T410s is its switchable graphics. One may alternated between an Intel integrated graphics chipset and a dedicated video card in Nvidia NVS3100m discrete graphics with 512 MB of VRAM.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T410s comes around with a price tag estimate starting at $1,399.

SPECS
CPU	Intel Core i5-529M 2.4 GHz processor
	Intel Core i5-540M 2.53 GHz processor
RAM	Up to 6 GB 1067 MHz DDR3 (4 GB 1333 MHz + 2 GB 1067 MHz)
	Up to 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR4 (4 GB 1333 MHz x 2)
Hard drive	80GB or 128 GB SSD, 160 GB (5400/7200 rpm)
	250 GB (5400/7200 rpm) HDD
	320 GB (5400/7200 rpm) HDD
	500 GB (7200 rpm) HDD
Graphics	Intel integrated graphics and Nvidia NVS3100m discrete graphics 512 MB
Display	LED, 14.1 WXGA+ (1440×900) 16:10
	LED, 14.1 WXGA+ 1440 x 900 MultiTouch
Dimension	13.1″ x 9.4″ x 1″ – 1.25″
Optical Drive	9.5 mm CD/DVD drive with BluRay option
Battery Life	22 hours on 9-cell battery

Pros:

The Lenovo ThinkPad T410s boasts of having an Intel Core i5 processor powering its operations as well as a vast army of RAM and a switchable dedicated graphics. The Lenovo ThinkPad T410s could last up to 22 hours of usage if loaded with a nine-cell battery and around six hours with the six-cell battery.

Cons

The Lenovo ThinkPad T410s lacks enough VRAM to support hardcore games.

Quad Core, now Core i7 laptops.

Posted on January 10th, 2010 | by admin

5 comments

A year ago people where asking, quad core laptop or duo core laptop. Things have moved on and the current, latest and greatest, is Core i7 laptops. The Intel Core i7 is the successor to the Intel Core 2 brand. The current models still use 4 cores so it is still technically quad core laptops, but will soon utilize up to 6 cores, all of them hyper threaded.

The geek stuff.

The mobile version of the Core i7 has 6-8 MiB of layer 3 cache. It uses a uPGA-989 socket with minim feature size of 42 nm. The TDP is 45-55 W.

Take a look at this gaming benchmarks from the PC Games Hardware. The core i7 blasts its competition away.

Do you need a core i7 laptop?

They come at a price the Dell/Alienware M15x for starters will have a base price of $ 1 499. The core i7 will for now mostly appeal to gamers who are always looking to get an extra few FPU’s. The core i7 does have the advantage of very low power usage even while performing at incredible speeds. Who doesn’t want a laptop with long battery life? As software require an ever more powerfull laptop everybody will soon find themselves shopping for a core i7 laptop.

Quick overview of Core i7 Laptops available.

Dell/Alienware M15x: Core i7 CPU with Nvidia discrete graphics, 8GB of RAM.
Dell Studio 15 and Dell Studio 17: Core i7 CPU with Radeon 4000-series discreet graphics.
Asus M60J soon 2 more gaming laptops will be released The G60J and the G51J.
HP Pavilion DV8 18.4, the laptop features Core i7 and Geforce GT 230.
HP Envy 15 claimed by HP to be the fastest consumer laptop ever, need we say more.

We cant wait until the Core i7 laptops come out later this year with 6 cores. Until then enjoy these core i7 laptops.

HP Compaq Presario – Review

Posted on January 6th, 2010 | by admin

9 comments

Compaq-Presario-CQ60-200[1]

The HP Compaq Presario series is a line of business laptops that have been produced by Compaq. It is currently made up of three models: the CQ20, the CQ40 and the CQ60. For this review, let us look at the series as a whole as well as take a quick peek at what each unit has to offer the consumer.

Clearly, Compaq has intended this series to appeal more to the businessman or the student rather than the gamer. These people need processing power that will allow them to finish work quickly. They cannot afford lags as these are people that are always constrained by time requirements and tight deadlines. As such, they are all powered by an Intel Centrino 2 GHz P7350 Core2Duo processor. Though a little older than the next-generation Core i7 processor technology, the Core 2 Duo processor can still hold its own and is powerful enough in its own right. In other words, the HP Compaq Presario series still promises a satisfactory performance in multi-tasking and multi-threading even with memory hungry applications. This power is backed by a fat memory bank of 2 gigabytes.

The CQ laptops lack dedicated graphics card, with the exception of the CQ60 which has an Nvidia GeForce 9200 GS 256MB video processor. Otherwise, the CQ20 and the CQ40 rely on an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD and an Intel GMA X4500 graphics card, respectively. This doesn’t matter though, because first and foremost the HP Compaq Presario is intended solely for normal computing requirements. The CQ60 does stand out with its dedicated graphics adapter, although at 256 megabytes it still cannot process heavy graphics like 3D and the newer games on the market. You would need at least 512 megabytes of video memory for that, and you would be better off looking at other models.

Since its target base requires ample disk space to store their important files in, the HP Compaq Presario laptops are equipped with 250 gigabytes worth of hard disk space. There’s more than enough room for school reports, business documents, as well as multimedia files like music and movies.

The HP Compaq Presario series laptops are all armed with the necessary connectivity features to make data sharing a bit easier. They all have USB ports, as well as connections for both infrared and Bluetooth. They even have modems for 56kbps Internet, although so few people now rely on such a connection. They are all also capable of running wireless local area networks with support for multiple LAN standards.

Lastly, all HP Compaq Presario notebooks are armed with HDMI ports that will allow you to connect them to an HDTV. You can use this to watch your favorite shows in true HD resolution. With the CQ60’s GeForce graphics card, you can even play some games in large screen.

HP Compaq Presario CQ20

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The little brother of the three HP Compaq Presario laptops, the CQ20 is armed with a very small 12 inch LCD screen for its display. It is also the lightest of the three, weighing less than kilograms. This makes the CQ20 a very good traveling companion.

Price: The CQ20 falls right into the US$1000 price range, as estimated by Cnet.

SPECS
Operating system	Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor	Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo P7350 2 GHz
Graphics	Intel GMA 4500MHD
Memory	2 GB
Hard disk space	250 GB

PROS

It is very light. It is like carrying nothing when taking the CQ20 along on a journey. The HDMI port is also a very welcome feature, as well as the 1280×800 resolution on its display screen.

CONS

The CQ20 lacks a good graphics card that will allow it to process 3D graphics. People who’d like to play games would be sorely disappointed at the CQ20. The 12-inch LCD screen could make it difficult to use by people with vision problems.

HP Compaq Presario CQ40

cq40

The middle range laptop of the series, the CQ40 is a 14-incher sports a similar resolution as its little brother the CQ20. It shares all the features of the CQ20 as well as some of the features of the CQ60 with the exception of the dedicated graphics card. Just like the other two HP Compaq Presario notebooks in this review, the CQ40 also has an HDMI port for connection to an HDTV.

Price: for the CQ40 are estimated to start at US$700 according to Cnet figures.

SPECS
Operating system	Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor	Intel Centrino P7350 Core 2 Duo 2 GHz
Graphics	Intel GMA 4500MHD
RAM size	2 gigabytes
Screen size	14.1 inches
Resolution	1280×800
Weight	2.4 kilograms

PROS

The 14-inch screen is large enough, and its native resolution gives the user access to clarity and detailed displays. You can even expand it to an HDTV like the CQ20, thanks to the HDMI port in its graphics processor.

CONS

The CQ40 also lacks the capability to process heavy graphics, since it also has an integrated graphics media accelerator that shares memory with the motherboard.

HP Compaq Presario CQ60

Compaq-Presario-CQ60-200[1]

The CQ60 has all the features of the other two CQ models. However, it is unique because of its Nvidia Geforce 256 MB 9200M GS video adapter. This gives the CQ60 the ability to process games that the CQ40 and the CQ20 cannot accommodate; however, the options are still quite limited for the gamer.

Price: The starting range for the CQ60’s price is at US$1,103.64, as estimated by Cnet.

SPECS
Processor	2 GHz Intel Centrino P7350 Core 2 Duo
Memory	2 gigabytes
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce 9200 GS
Hard disk space	250 gigabytes
Screen	16 inches
Operating system	Windows Vista Home Premium edition

PROS

The Nvidia Geforce graphics card boosts the performance of the CQ60, since graphics don’t have to eat away at the memory used by the computer to run programs.

CONS

Though it has a dedicated graphics card, it only has 256 megabytes of video memory so it still cannot play the heavier games common today.

Dell Studio – Review

Posted on January 1st, 2010 | by admin

6 comments

Studio_XPS_Studio_13

The Dell Studio series was created in part to blast misconceptions that specs of laptops are set in stone and that they have similar appearances. People clamor for personalization, which also translates to what they prefer in a computer or laptop.

Fortunately Dell has heard everyone’s clamor. The company has paid close attention to the buzz in its own forums, and other community forums frequented by computer users. Because of all the discussion about the need for a customizable laptop, Dell has developed the Studio series specifically to answer those claims.

True enough, the series has a flair for the personal melodrama that each computer user has. Dell offers these laptops in many colors. Of course, the aesthetics of each unit are not the focus. Each Studio model is powered by a “muscled” processor from Intel, from Core2Duo to the next-generation Core i7 processor technologies. Each Studio unit may also store up to 4 gigabytes of random access memory to support the powerful features of the processor.

You could say that beyond its beautiful exterior, there lies a very powerful unit that can tackle just about any task that you can throw its way.

Storage space is not a problem with the Dell Studio series. Dell has installed at least 250 gigabytes worth of hard disk space for its Studio models. Some models even have hard disk space that totals 500 gigabytes. Downloaders, gamers and businessmen alike will appreciate the amount of space that they have at their disposal.

Its graphics capabilities are also topnotch. Most of the laptops under the Studio series are powered by a GeForce graphics accelerator. The least you can get for a graphics card would be the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with 256-megabyte video ram.

Studio XPS Studio 13

The XPS stands for the unit’s extreme performance capabilities. Indeed, the Dell Studio 13 is armed to the hilt and ready for some heavy functioning with 2.93 GHz Intel processor options including the Core2Duo T9800, up to 8 gigabytes of RAM and powerful graphics cards.

Specifications
CPU	Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9800 (2.93GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
Memory	Up to 8GB1 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Graphics	NVIDIA® GeForce® 9400M G
Display	“Edge-to-edge” Glossy 13.3 inch WXGA CCFL LCD display
	“Edge-to-edge” Glossy 13.3 inch WXGA WLED LCD display

Pros:

Clearly geared towards both gaming and entertainment, the Studio 13 has some of the most powerful specifications in the entire series with its graphics card options and its 2.93 GHz processor.

Cons:

Of all the Studio models, the Studio 13 has the smallest screen at 13 inches. Some gamers may find it difficult to use because of the amount of screen available to them.

Studio 14z

As its designation suggest, the Dell Studio 14z is the one with the 14-inch screen. In a way, it is similar to the Studio 15 in terms of features except for a few differences. It only has one graphics card option and that is the Nvidia GeForce 9400M, and no integrated graphics card for its default configuration. It does not have the Core i7 option as well.

Specifications
CPU	Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors
Memory	Up to 5GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM2
Graphics	NVIDIA® GeForce® 9400M
Display	14 inches 720p and 900p resolutions

Pros:

The option of having a GeForce 9400M as a default configuration is a welcome fact. The Studio 14z also features a good amount of RAM at 5 gigabytes, though slightly lower than the Studio 15.

Cons:

Though it has a good graphics card, you are still restricted to only one option. When time comes you realize that you need to upgrade, you won’t be able to do so with the Studio 15.

Studio 15

The Dell Studio 15 is the 15-incher of the Studio series. Armed with powerful options for a processor including the next generation Core i7 processor, the Studio 15 has so much in store for the buyer.

Specifications
CPU	Intel® PentiumTM Dual Core, Intel® Core™2 Duo and Intel® CoreTM i7 processors
	Up to Intel® CoreTM i7-820QM Mobile Processor (1.73GHz, turbo up to 3.06GHz, 6MB L3 Cache)
Memory	Two DIMM slots providing up to 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 @ 1333MHz
Graphics	Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Display	15.6-inches with 720p, 900p or 1080p resolutions

Pros:

The Studio 15’s display screen stands out by being able to reach 1080p high-definition resolutions. Plus, it can be fitted with powerful graphics processors from ATI.

Cons:

The default configuration has only an integrated graphics media accelerator. This could restrict the graphics processing that the person on a tight budget can have access to with this model.

Studio XPS 16

Another XPS model, you can expect this unit to stand up to even the most memory-hungry applications out there. With a powerful processor backed up by up to 8 gigabytes of RAM and its ATI Mobility graphics cards, you can put the Dell Studio XPS 16 through abuse and find it still standing.

Specifications
CPU	Up to Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9800 (6MB cache/2.93GHz/1066Mhz FSB)
Memory	Up to 8GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Graphics	ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670-512MB
	ATI Mobility RADEON HD 4670-1GB
Display	Edge-to-edge Glossy 15.6 inch HD WLED display (900p)
	Edge-to-edge Glossy 15.6 inch Full HD WLED display (1080p)
	Edge-to-edge Glossy 16.0 inch Full HD RGB-LED LCD display (1080p)

Pros:

The strongest points in the Studio XPS 16 are its powerful graphic cards that complement its memory and processor. Its display screens are also capable of up to 1080p resolutions.

Cons:

Unlike its cousins, the XPS Studio 16 does not have high-definition audio speakers but instead has simple 7-watt stereo speakers with a built-in subwoofer.

Studio 17

In terms of specifications, the Dell Studio 17 is perhaps the most powerful of the 5 Studio series laptops by Dell. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Core i7 processor, which is considered a next-generation technology. It also has a 1-gigabyte ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650.

Specifications
CPU	Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor @ 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
Memory	4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
Graphics	1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650
Display	17.3” HD+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera

Pros:

What we like about the Studio 17 is its powerful processor and graphics card. The screen is also decently sized at 17 inches.

Cons:

Compared to the other Studio series laptops, the Studio 17 cannot output true HD resolution in its display. Accordingly, it also has only 4 gigabytes of memory to back up its processor.

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Asus UX – Review

Posted on December 15th, 2009 | by admin

3 comments

One of the concerns that most users think about when selecting a new laptop to buy is the thickness or width of the device. The thickness decides how much space the laptop is going to consume, and is very important especially when traveling. Though most laptops have their own individual carrying case, some users do stuff their notebook in together with their clothes.

So, the thinner the laptop is, the greater the space it can save. Asus has recognized these concerns and has come up with some of the thinnest laptops there are in the market: the Asus UX series.

Indeed, thin is the middle name of the Asus UX series. With a thickness of only 1.2 inches at most, these laptops will be ideal for your traveling needs. You can easily stuff them among clothing – nothing heavy though as this will damage the laptop – or you can use a smaller carrying case. This means that you can carry these devices around easily without a problem, as opposed to the larger and thicker laptops that you can find in the market. They also are very light as well, weighing at least 3.5 pounds depending on the configuration.

Another amazing thing about the Asus UX series is that, as opposed to its thickness, its insides are packed with powerful features that make your computer usage as enjoyable and dependable as ever. Flexibility is at its best with the Asus UX series.

Depending on which model you would want to purchase, the Asus UX series has something for gaming as well as for normal and business computing requirements.

Performance is another thing most users look for in a laptop. The Asus UX series offers more than one choice depending on the performance they want from the portable computer. The UX50V, for example, is definitely a gaming platform. It runs on an Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a processing speed of 1.6GHz, and a dedicated graphics card – the GeForce G105M with a video memory of 512 megabytes. The other model, the UX30, only makes use of an integrated Intel GMA 4500 graphics card. However, it makes use of a slightly slower but still powerful Core 2 Solo processor running at 1.4 GHz.

All UX series models are packed in both random access memory and hard disk space. Asus allows a user to set up to 500 gigabytes of hard disk space, and a maximum RAM of 4 gigabytes. These make an excellent support for the equally powerful brains of the UX series laptops.

Another great feature that Asus has installed for this series is the Altec-Lansing speaker system. Altec-Lansing is known worldwide for the excellent quality of its speakers, thus buyers of both UX laptops will be delighted to know that they now have access to the rich and detailed audio that Altec-Lansing speakers can offer them.

Deserving mention is the Consumer Ultra Low Voltage feature that Intel has included in its processors for the UX series laptops. CULV processors use very low voltages or energies thus despite its high processing power the notebook generates very little heat. The CULV is solely the platform that has made ultra-thin notebooks like the UX series possible. Without it, the electronics would be fried due to insufficient space for heat and air to circulate.

Asus UX30

The less powerful of the two, the Asus UX30 is apparently designed for less strenuous processing requirements. This makes it ideal for people who want to use it for business purposes mostly, and perhaps a little gaming on the side.

SPECS
Operating system	Genuine Vista Home Premium or Basic
Display	13.3-inches Color Shine LCD
Memory	Up to 4 gigabytes DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM
Graphics	Intel GMA 4500 integrated graphics card
Processor	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor SU9400 1.4GHz

PROS:

The strong points for the Asus UX30 include its fast processor which runs at 1.4 GHz, as well as the detailed resolution of its 13-inch screen at 1366×768. Another thing that we love about the UX30 is the presence of hot keys, which allow for one-touch operation for turning the laptop off, for adjusting the brightness and other routine tasks in using the UX30.

CONS:

What is disappointing about the Asus UX30 is its minimal support for gaming. Having only an integrated graphics card, it is less capable of playing the newer games in the market. However, one can still play the older and less demanding games in terms of processing power.

ASUS UX50V

The big brother of the UX30, it is apparent that the Asus UX50 is the more powerful of the two. Unlike its sibling, the UX50V allows one to perform more functions because of its more powerful features and processor.

SPECS
Operating system	Genuine Vista Home Premium or Basic, Ultimate and Business
Processor	Intel Core2Duo Processor SU9600/SU9400 1.6 GHz, 1.4 GHz
	Intel Core2Solo Processor SU3500/SU3300 1.4 GHz, 1.2 GHz
	Intel Pentium M Processor SU2700 : 1.3 GHz
Display	15.6″ HD (1366×768) LED backlight,Color-Shine (Glare-type)
Memory	Up to 4 gigabytes DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce G105M , with 512MB VRAM

PROS:

The UX50V is raw power. From its processors to its graphics card, the UX50V gives one a lot more options when it comes to usage. You can play games here, thanks to its 512MB video card that is capable of more demanding usage as compared to the UX30.

Just like the UX30, the UX50V has hot keys for one-touch operation.

CONS:

Its price. The UX50V has a very high price tag that can discourage people and let them turn their back almost immediately.

Top 5 Netbooks.

Posted on December 14th, 2009 | by admin

3 comments

The netbook craze started a few years ago when Asus spearheaded the marketing of smaller laptops that weighs just a few pounds and measures just enough to fit within a small suitcase or even a backpack.

A netbook retains certain laptop features like Internet connectivity and basic mobile computing. It fits the needs of a travel-hungry computer user just as well as it fits in a small luggage. More importantly, most netbooks come at prices below $400, which can easily fit anyone’s budget.

With netbooks dominating the mobile PC market despite the worldwide economic downturn, computer manufacturers have started venturing into creating faster and bigger capacity small thinking machines.

Aside from the absence of an optical drive, a prevalent disadvantage of a netbook is its lack of storage space. It is understandable that netbooks’ disk space is only a fraction of laptops and notebooks since bulky data download and large file storage are usually done not on the run. The general public would rather have cheap but very portable PCs that contain the essentials rather than bring expensive laptops that serve as desktop replacement or gaming machines or graphic editors.

Below are five must have netbooks that we think have topped the small thinking machine category in 2009.

5. Dell Inspiron Mini 10

dell-mini-10

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is one of the netbooks that fall in the upper price range of more than $500. It may be priced higher than the other dell laptops but the extra hardware explains the additional cost – it comes with a TV antenna and tuner that allows its users to watch shows while traveling.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 comes with a Z-series Intel Atom processor, which features a chipset that supports better video playback. This netbook is run by an Intel Atom Z530 processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. This processing power is supported by an installed memory of 1 GB DDR-800.

Weighing 3.4 lbs, the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has dimensions of 10.3 inches x 7.2 inches x 2 inches. Despite its size, this netbook has a small and light layout that makes it stylish. The Dell Inspiron has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, higher than most netbooks’ 1024 x 600 pixels.

4. Acer Aspire One AO751h

Acer_AO751H

While most netbooks have 10.1 inches of display, the Acer Aspire One AO751h is bigger by an inch-and-a-half at 11.6 inches. This beefs up the resolution size to 1366 x 768 pixels, which is slightly larger than its competition. It is also a bit more expensive than other netbooks in the market. The Acer Aspire One AO751h has full dimensions of 11.2 inches x 8.5 inches x 1.3 inches. It weighs 3.6 lbs.

Due its larger size, the Acer Aspire One AO751h features more media slots than other netbooks at three.

The Acer Aspire One AO751h is powered by an Intel Atom Z520 processor that runs at a speed of 1.3 GHz. It is backed by 1 GB of DDR2-667 SDRAM.

3. Asus Eee PC 1005HA

asus_eee_pc_1005ha

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA can pass off as the twin of the slightly older Asus Eee PC 1008HA. The Asus Eee PC 1005HA contains almost the same technical specs, namely: a processor of Intel Atom N280 clocking 1.6 GHz, a memory of 1 GB of DDR2-800, a display size of 10.1 inches and a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Both also have the capacity to store 160 GB of digital files.

The difference comes in size and price. The Asus Eee PC 1005HA is slightly bigger at dimensions of 10.3 inches x 7 inches x 1.5 inches. The reason for this is the location of the VGA port – the older Eee PC has it on a space-saving dongle while this version has it grafted on the side. This is why the Asus Eee PC 1005HA is designed to be slightly bigger than the Asus Eee PC 1008HA, and why it’s cheaper too.

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA comes with a Bluetooth, 802.11n, a three-cell battery, and two USB ports.

2. Asus Eee PC 1008HA

Asus_Eee_PC_1008HAjpg

Like its predecessors, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA comes in a sleek, stylish and fairly solid design. It is powered by an Intel Atom N280 that clocks at 1.6 GHz and is supported by 1 GB of DDR2-800 SDRAM.

With a display measuring 10.1 inches, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA offers a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The Asus Eee PC 1008HA weighs just around 2.9 lbs, thanks to its sleek dimension of 10.3 inches x 7 inches x 1.1 inches.

However, unlike its small-capacity ancestors, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA comes with a higher disk space of 160 GB, which is more than enough for storage for typical office files as well as a moderate amount of multimedia files.

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA also comes with a Bluetooth, 802.11n, and a three-cell battery that has a life of four hours. This makes it ideal for people who frequently travel with their mobile PCs.

1. HP Mini 5101

HP_Mini_5101

The HP Mini 5101 is a netbook that almost feels like a laptop to most users. Aside from being powered by an Intel Atom N280 that clocks at 1.6 GHz, this netbook’s 1 GB DDR2-800 SDRAM support could be upgraded to 2 GB, giving it a faster performance when switching between applications. That speed is relatively good for a netbook, and is actually not that much different from a laptop in that aspect. Other netbooks offer only 1 GB of memory.

Another feature that makes the HP Mini 5101 comparable to a laptop are its layout and design. It has a sleek aluminum-magnesium alloy frame with a box measure of 10.3 inches x 7.1 inches x 1.5 inches. With a weight of 3.6 lbs., the HP Mini 5101 also offers a near-full size keyboard, and neatly positioned mouse buttons.

The HP Mini 5101 comes with a 10.1-inch anti-glare display and a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. It has a storage space of 160 GB. All these features and its similarities to a laptop are what makes the HP Mini 5101 number 1 in our list.

Acer Travelmate – Review

Posted on November 29th, 2009 | by admin

7 comments

The Travelmate series by Acer is quite a prolific line of business notebooks. To date, more than 10 models have been released to the public.

One of the commonalities shared by the entire Travelmate line is the use of integrated graphics cards. These cards seriously hamper the performance of the notebooks in the graphics section, making these business laptops and not heavy gaming. One cannot expect these notebooks to fare well especially with games that use 3D graphics because the Travelmates simply cannot process that.

The Travelmate notebooks are also fitted with fingerprint readers. This is important for data security, since some companies have sensitive proprietary data that must not be leaked to the public. These computers also have the proprietary Disk Anti-Shock Protection: this feature senses if the notebook is on free fall, and automatically shuts down the disks. This is to prevent or minimize data loss, a feature that businesses would surely value.

For this review, we will be pointing the spotlight at the members of the big Travelmate family featured on the company website. We will present to you the specifications, pros and cons, as well as a general overview of each Acer Travelmate notebook.

Travelmate 5530

One of the Travelmate series notebooks to use a non-Intel processor, the Acer Travelmate 5530 is powered by processors produced by AMD. One can choose between the Turion and the Athlon dual-core processors; all of these promise an impressive performance especially when multi-tasking.

One of the downsides of the 5530, however, is its relatively short battery life: only 2.5 hours in optimal settings.

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS
CPU	AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-75 (1MB L2 cache, 2.2GHz) AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-65 (1MB L2 cache, 2.1GHz) AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-65 (1MB L2 cache, 2.1GHz) AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-64 (1MB L2 cache, 2.1GHz)
Operating System	Genuine Windows 7 Business or Vista Professional
Memory	Up to 4GB (2GB installed in one of two memory slots) DDR2 667 SDRAM
Hard drive	Up to 320GB* SATA hard drive with Acer® DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection)
Display	15.4″ (1280 x 800) TFT LCD
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Battery Life	Up to 2.5 hours

Travelmate 6593

One of the newest offerings from the Travelmate series, the Acer Travelmate 6593 is regarded to be promising with its powerful P800 Core2Duo processor. There is sufficient room for memory as well, with up to 4GB worth of RAM in its capacity. It may not work well with some games, however, because it only has an integrated 4500MHD Intel graphics media accelerator.

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS
CPU	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (3MB L2 cache, 2.53GHz, 1066MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 (3MB L2 cache, 2.40GHz, 1066MHz FSB)
Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Professional Genuine Windows Vista® Business
Memory	Up to 4GB (2GB installed in each of two memory slots) DDR3 1066 SDRAM
Hard drive	Up to a 320GB* SATA hard drive, 7200RPM, with Acer® DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection)
Display	15.4″ (1280 x 800) TFT LCD with white LED backlight
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Battery Life	Up to 6 hours depending on battery type

Travelmate 6493

The Acer Travelmate 6493 is the closest to the 6593 in terms of specifications, but with one crucial difference: the display screen. It has a smaller screen, only 14.1 inches, but its resolution is more than enough to make up for its screen size. Just like the 6593, the 6493 produces an output of up to 1280×800 pixels so it could be easy for the businessperson to stack up or tile windows side by side when multi-tasking.

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS
CPU	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (3MB L2 cache, 2.53GHz, 1066MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 (3MB L2 cache, 2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8400 (3MB L2 cache, 2.26GHz, 1066MHz FSB)
Operating System	Windows 7 Professional or Windows Vista Businessl
Memory	Up to 4GB DDR3 1066 RAM
Hard drive	Up to 320GB SATA hard drive, 7200RPM, with Acer® DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection)
Display	14.1″ (1280 x 800) TFT LCD with white LED backlight
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Battery Life	Up to 7.5 hours depending on battery type

Travelmate 6293

Boasting a robust battery life of seven hours, the Acer Travelmate 6293 seems up to the task of fulfilling the requirements of the traveling businessperson. Since the 6293 weighs only 4.7 pounds, it will be easy to carry around on a trip. The 6293 also has a webcam installed, so video conferences can be held with just a few clicks of the button. Its powerful Core2Duo processor and large memory capacity, coupled with its hard drive capacity, promise a smooth performance that will help the user accomplish tasks faster.

The 6293 has a very small screen – 12.1 inches – which may make it difficult for some users to make out the graphics on the screen.

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS
CPU	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (3MB L2 cache, 2.53GHz, 1066MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 (3MB L2 cache, 2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB)
Operating System	Genuine Windows 7 Professional or Vista Business
Memory	Up to 4GB (2GB installed in each of two memory slots) DDR3 1066 SDRAM
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Battery Life	Up to 7 hours

Travelmate 5730

Fitted with wireless and wired connectivity options, the Acer Travelmate 5730 makes it easy for business people and office executives to share information and important data within or outside the office. Acer has seen it fit to give it a dock, which makes the notebook compatible and connectible with important office peripherals like the printer.

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS
CPU	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 (3MB L2 cache, 2.40GHz, 1066MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6670 (2MB L2 cache, 2.20GHz, 800MHz FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6570 (2MB L2 cache, 2.10GHz, 800MHz FSB)
Operating System	Genuine Windows 7 Professional or Vista Business
Memory	User upgradeable up to 4GB
Hard drive	Up to 320GB* SATA hard drive with Acer® DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection)
Display	15.4″ (1280 x 800) TFT LCD
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Battery Life	Up to 5 hours depending on battery type

Other Travelmate models

Here are some of the older models that belong to the Travelmate series:

* Acer TravelMate 2300 Model

* Acer TravelMate 2350 Model

* Acer TravelMate 2400 Model

* Acer TravelMate 2420 Model

* Acer TravelMate 3000 Model

* Acer TravelMate 3020 Model

* Acer TravelMate 3210 Model

* Acer TravelMate 5720 Model

* Acer TravelMate 4200 Model

* Acer TravelMate 4600 Model

* Acer TravelMate 5500 Model

* Acer TravelMate 5510 Model

* Acer TravelMate 8100 Model

* Acer TravelMate 8200 Model

* Acer TravelMate 8210 Model

Dell Vostro – Review

Posted on October 15th, 2009 | by admin

13 comments

If you’re the owner of a small business and are looking for a laptop that has mobility and your specific needs in mind, then you’re bound to find the Dell Vostro Series almost irresistible. The series consists of 5 models with various features and capabilities that suit every business professional and those that have a simple network. Since the laptops are all priced well below $1,000, these cheap business laptops will most likely meet the buyer’s budget too.

Dell is working on the principle that business isn’t only done in the office and as a result, this series has features that protect the laptop from falls, spills, and moisture. Its Free Fall Sensor detects if the laptop is in a state of free fall and shuts off the hard drive to prevent data loss. Compared to most laptops, the Dell Vostro Series laptops are slimmer and lighter. They have long-range wireless capability and come with security options that will be invaluable for protecting critical information. Display size ranges from 13.3” to 17” while processors being offered range from AMD to Intel Core 2 Duo. (more…)

5 Cheap Business Laptops.

Posted on October 11th, 2009 | by admin

8 comments

When choosing laptops that are meant for use in conferences and meetings crucial to the business, there is a distinct set of standards that should be met. For starters, they have to be lightweight, boast a long battery life and have the ability to load quickly yet contain all the programs and features needed for the specific tasks to run a business. Of primary consideration are storage capabilities, security features, screen size, and portability.

The laptop has to have fast processing speed and it has to allow for intense multitasking. Graphics capability doesn’t have to be at a gaming or video editing level. Ensuring that your laptop has sufficient connectivity features saves you from a lot of hassle later on. As a rule, a business laptop should have Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth and there should be a minimum of 3 USB ports.

Here are the laptops that would be perfect for those with a limited budget. These may not have all the features the user could possibly desire but they possess everything your business requires at a price that’s less than $1,500. (more…)

Quad Core Laptops

Posted on September 22nd, 2009 | by admin

15 comments

Core i5 Laptop

MicroExpress NBL 50

CTL TW9

Acer Aspire AS5940G

Asus X77

Dell Alienware M15x

HP Pavilion dv7t

Lenovo ThinkPad T410s

Quad Core, now Core i7 laptops.

HP Compaq Presario – Review

Dell Studio – Review

Asus UX – Review

Top 5 Netbooks.

5. Dell Inspiron Mini 10

4. Acer Aspire One AO751h

3. Asus Eee PC 1005HA

2. Asus Eee PC 1008HA

1. HP Mini 5101

Acer Travelmate – Review

Dell Vostro – Review

5 Cheap Business Laptops.

Quad Core Laptops

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