Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Quick Specs:

The system comes with some pretty decent specs like an AMD Phenom II X4 N950 2.1GHz processor, and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics processor which powers the 17.3″ display with a better than average resolution of 1600×900. It also has 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a spacious 640GB hard drive as well as an empty second hard drive bay that you can use to add another drive, like an SSD to make this system really scream during hard drive intensive work. There is also a DVD combo drive for viewing movies and making videos to share.

Who is the Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 For?

As we said this computer is not for the road warrior, but rather for someone who will use it on a desk or table top most of the time only taking with them occasionally. It is powerful enough to do some gaming. We see this as a computer that will be used in a home environment where mom or dad might want to get some work done while at home and then let the kids use it to play games, watch movies and get online. The large screen will be useful for editing video or pictures. If you need two windows open at once, the large wide display will be a benefit.

This would also make a good computer for a small apartment or dorm where the user wants to have more mobility than a desktop, but large enough to replace an entertainment center in cramped quarters.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Hands On Video:

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Build and Design:

The AS7552G is a solid, beefy system. It is heavy and sturdy with stiff hinges. It is not as heavy as most 17″ desktop replacements at just over 7 pounds. The chassis is solid. It feels like this computer will hold up under average use and even survive getting banged about a little bit while in a computer bag. Don’t drop it, but you also don’t feel like you are using a dainty little notebook.

Notice that it picks up fingerprints pretty easily but they don't stand out nearly as bad as some glossy lids thanks to the pattern

We like the dark conservative black color, but those with more flamboyant interests won’t. The lid has a textured feel that you would think resists fingerprints. Unfortunately, that is not the case. They can show up quickly but won’t stand out nearly as bad as fingerprints do on a smooth glossy cover. The brushed aluminum look of the area around the keyboard is finger print resistant, which is where you are most likely to find fingerprints.

The bezel around the display is glossy and does collect fingerprints, but most people don’t massage that part of the computer. You will touch it to adjust the lid and display. But it is not unsightly.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Features:

The most notable features are the size, the quad core processor and the dedicated graphics. It is not the fastest notebooks we’ve ever seen but it has enough pep making it an above average 17-inch system. Having all that screen real-estate with a decent resolution allows for keeping more than one app open on screen at a time. I often have my word processor and other apps open as I do research. Most notebooks do not provide enough room, but this one does.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Display:

Aside from the size and resolution discussed above, the screen itself is like all other glossy screens. It is horrible in direct sunlight and too reflective unless the room you are in is a little dark. Compared to other glossy screens this one is actually more reflective, making it harder to view even in direct artificial light. If you angle the display just right, it looks good. It takes a little finessing.

The viewing angle is good because of the size. Two or three people could easily share the screen for a movie or to show off pictures in a slide show.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Keyboard and Touchpad:

The keyboard is a full-sized keyboard with a dedicated number pad. The keys are spaced well enough apart for comfortable typing, but the feel while typing is a little mushy. It is better than the last couple of Acer keyboards we tested, but left us disappointed.

The keyboard is slightly mushy but better than other Acer keyboards we've tested in the past

I had a friend try it out for a little while and he disagreed. He has an older Acer and is used to the feel of Acer keyboards. I am not. The point is typists who are used to a top of the line keyboard will not be happy with this one. Others won’t have a problem.

The touchpad is just too small making it the computer’s greatest weakness. I am spoiled by the large trackpads of my MacBook Air and Pro. Why can’t PC manufacturers make large sensitive trackpads? The Acer’s is small and below average in its touch and sensitivity. It does offer some gesture control, like a two finger scrolling function, but it is not smooth at all. Like most touchpads it left me searching for my external mouse.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Processor and Performance:

A computer of this size is meant to be a desktop replacement used for multimedia and gaming. And that is where you’d hope it shines. While it is not the fastest machine we’ve tested, it is better than average with the quad-core processor. The hard drive is an average 5400 rpm drive.

The large cover hides the RAM slots and both hard drive bays

If we were using this thing on a regular basis we would add a small capacity SSD to the second drive bay and run the OS on it and then upgrade the internal 640GB drive to a faster 7200 rpm drive. With that configuration this thing would be much faster. As it is most people will be pretty happy with the way it handles games and crunching movies, photos, and large databases. However, hard core gamers should move on to another computer. Serious video/photo pros also should look elsewhere. This is for consumers who do a lot of different things, but none of them very seriously.

We asked a friend who runs an app with a large database to install it and run it. He said it handled it well. The same app was slow on his older Acer with an AMD dual-core processor.

One review we read said that performance in their tests was terrible. The computer did not do well in their benchmarks. But that is one reason that we don’t put a lot of stock in benchmarks. In actual productivity this thing felt like it did fine compared to other systems we’ve seen like it.

To summarize the performance, this computer is slightly above average and nothing more.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Multimedia and Gaming:

If you are looking to replace a small TV in your office or dorm, the 7552G will be a good option so long as you make sure it doesn’t sit in bright light. We enjoyed watching some streaming video on it. The only weakness here was the sound, but with headphones or a decent desktop speaker system it would be pretty good.

We installed Steam and played a few of our collection of games. For casual gaming or last generation games, this computer does well so long as you add an external mouse. For the fastest and most demanding games, it might slow down and become a disappointment.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Audio and Speakers

The speakers on the 7552G-6436 are nothing special. Using this machine for movies and playing games is fine when you talk about the speed and the display. But the audio in these situations is just okay. Plug in a nice set of headphones if you want really good sound. Add a good pair of desktop speakers for when you have it at home sitting on your desk.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Heat and Noise

For a powerful system like this I didn’t notice too much noise. It doesn’t run that hot either, except when working hard. At the size it is not really a computer you hold on your lap a lot so heat is a non-issue most of the time. Since it is a little lighter than most 17″ systems you may use it as a laptop and feel the heat. Those rare times when you will use it on the couch or while in a vehicle on your lap, you shouldn’t get too uncomfortable.

The optical drive was a little louder than most notebooks. They all seem loud but at times I wondered if this thing was going to take off when it was used to install software via DVD.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Battery Life

Battery life is another huge disappointment with this machine. We tested the battery by using it at 50% brightness. For the first half of the test we did some basic computing tasks, checking email, surfing the web, and typing documents. For the last half of the test we streamed video from the Internet, which requires quite a bit more juice both to play the flash content and to constantly access both the hard drive and the Wi-Fi. Our total time running was just 1 hour and 37 minutes.

Granted this is a desktop replacement with an AMD quad-core processor and a 17″ screen. You are not going to see 3-5 hour battery life. But we hoped we could get enough time to watch one DVD. It would have to be a short one. With Wi-Fi off it might get you closer to finishing a typical length movie, but then again the spinning disc might eat any gain from no Wi-Fi.

In addition to the disappointing battery test, the other complaint in this category is the power brick itself. It is huge! We haven’t seen one this big in a long time.

The power brick is large even for a 17" system

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Connectivity:

The 7552G has all the basic ports for a machine of this caliber. A multi-function flash card reader which handles Memory Stick PRO, xD, SD, and MMC cards. There is also an HDMI port, which will be great for hooking this thing up to an HD TV for viewing movies. It only has USB 2.0 ports, but at least there are four of them. There is also a VGA out and a Kensington Lock.

The left side: Power, Ethernet, Vent, HDMI, 2xUSB 2.0, Audio Jacks

To get online you have a Gigabit Ethernet port and 802.11n for Wi-Fi. They performed as expected.

Right Side: 3xUSB 2.0, DVD Tray, Kensington Lock

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Webcam:

Webcam is nothing special

The webcam is decent. It can take shots with a resolution of up to 1280×1024 and video up to VGA (640×480). It does okay for a webcam. Here is a sample picture.

This image is slightly blurry - webcam is more for video than pictures

The image is a little soft, but you won’t be taking very many portraits with this thing. Increasingly, I use my webcam as a quick scanner. So I took a shot of a magazine cover that published an article of mine recently.

I've started using a webcam as a mobile scanner - it would be okay but not for OCR

If I planned to actually use this image I would have imported it into some photo editing software and cropped it and fixed the color and exposure. Notice that it does a good job for what it is. I won’t likely use it for OCR though. Here is a sample video taken in relatively good light.

Again, the image is pretty soft. What is worse is the sound. The built-in mic is picking up a lot of strange noise. The streaming version of this video is much worse than the offline version we made due to the compression needed to make it streamable. But the original sound was still pretty bad. You will want to use a headset with a mic for Skype or recording video podcasts, if that is your plan.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Software:

The software bundle is nothing special. It has Windows Home Premium 64-bit edition. Other than that is as the typical bundle of software like NTI suite for the DVD burner, PowerDVD for watching movies, and Acer’s basic junk. It also comes with security software. Do yourself a favor and get the PC Decrapifier (step 1 in that link) and install better software.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Value:

Right now this model is on sale at Amazon for a good price of $669.99. We think that is a good value. A large screen computer with acceptable multimedia and gaming chops is likely going to set you back $600-$700 for one of this quality. It is not a top of the line system, but it has a lot to offer as a desktop replacement and that is light enough to make it an occasionally mobile system.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Conclusion:

We liked this system, despite the weaknesses. After showing it off to a friend who helped us a little with this review, he plans to get one. People who demand top-of-the-line computers won’t be happy with the Acer Aspire 7552G-6436. If your expectations are modest and you wallet is not fat, this 17.3″ system will be a good choice.

Remember that the keyboard is a little mushy and the trackpad is way too small. Just get an external mouse and you will be happy. Keep it out of direct light and don’t expect too much from the speakers. It should run most of what you throw at it without setting records but getting the job done.

What is really disappointing is that Acer is really close to having an excellent desktop replacement. If they could figure out how to make a nice keyboard and trackpad and add a matte screen, then the Acer Aspire 7552G would be an incredible value even if it cost $100 more.

Pros:

• Decent performance
• Extra hard drive bay for expansion offering great potential if an SSD is added
• Easy to upgrade
• Looks nice
• Strong case and hinges
• Full-size keyboard
• Decent price
• Display has faithful color
• Good resolution useful for dual window panes at once

Cons:

• Fingerprint build-up on lid and around bezel somewhat a problem
• Glossy display is far too reflective
• Keyboard is mushy
• Trackpad too small and not very smooth
• DVD drive a little loud
• Disappointing battery life
• Huge power brick

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Gallery:

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Detailed Specs:

• AMD Phenom II N950 Quad-core 64 bit processor with 2MB Cache running at 2.1GHz (RS880M chipset)
• 17.3″ WSXGA Active Matrix TFT Color LCD 16:9 display with 1600×900 resolution
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6650 with 1GB of graphics memory
• 4GB of DDR3-1066/PC3-8500 SDRAM (up to 8GB in 2 slots)
• 640GB Serial ATA Hard Drive
• DVD-DL R/RW (+/-R/RW)
• Memory card reader – Memory Stick PRO, xD, SD, MMC
• Acer InviLink Nplify IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi
• Gigabit LAN Ethernet port
• HDMI, 4 x USB 2.0, VGA, Kensington Lock
• Full size keyboard with dedicated number pad
• Touchpad
• Webcam
• 6-cell Lithium Ion battery (4400 mAh, 48.80 Wh, 2.2 hour (1.5 real world)
• Height = 1.35″, Width = 16.3″, Depth = 10.8″ Weight = 7.26lbs
• 1-year limited warranty
• Energy Star compliant

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Review [Video] is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Apple had utilized NVIDIA’s solutions exclusively in the current generation pre-refresh MacBook Pros for dedicated/discrete GPU as well as integrated GPU power, but the Mac-maker may be dumping NVIDIA in favor of rival GPU-maker AMD, which had acquired ATI’s graphics business.

CNET again reports that “AMD ‘discrete’ graphics silicon is now offered in the larger, more powerful MBPs. As in previous MacBook Pros, the discrete graphics chip is only fired up when heavy lifting is needed. When power savings is paramount or high-end graphics processing is not necessary, the system defaults to Intel’s graphics.” The AMD discrete GPU will be found on Apple’s 15- and 17-inch systems, while the lower-end 13-inch notebook will utilize Intel’s integrated GPU solely.

Chatter of the AMD transition was reported late last year by Kevin, but at the time it was believed to be a negotiation ploy by Apple. The news has recently been brought up again by CNET earlier along with the site’s speculations that Apple will standardize its MacBook Pro offerings on Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors.

While Intel is claiming better performance with its integrated GPU solution, there still exists a need for a more powerful professional Mac notebook with discrete graphics. This space, will soon be filled by AMD if CNET’s postulations prove to be correct. As Apple is speculated to be announcing its MacBook Pro refresh today, we’ll have a few more hours to wait and see what the company’s official plans are for the MacBook line as it transitions to Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors.

AMD Discrete Graphics to Power New High-End Apple MacBook Pros? is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

When AMD bought graphics card maker ATI, the result was an awkward double branding of AMD and ATI that as it turns out confused consumers. But AMD has decided that one acronym is enough and will be dropping the ATI name from the company’s graphics processors.

However, the familiar mobile graphics title Radeon will live on as the “AMD Radeon”  brand.

In the not too distant future AMD plans to release a new pairing of both microprocessors and graphics chips together on a single chip. The marriage of AMD CPU and Radeon graphics, dubbed Fusion by AMD, would likely be more confusing with both AMD and ATI brands; based on the company’s consumer tests.

Soon the ATI Mobility Radeon chip that we are so used to seeing in notebooks will instead have the AMD name. When the CPU and GPU come together we hope that consumers will see slightly lower prices too.

Along with this name change the Fusion name that stood for this marriage of the two chips into one will be dropped and the technology incorporated into the AMD Vision program.

AMD Benches ATI Brand, Keeping Radeon is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

HP Pavilion dv6z Quick Specs:

The HP Pavilion dv6z comes with a metal alloy case that houses a 15.6″ HD HP Brightview LED backlit screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution,  an AMD Phenom II Quad-Core Mobile Processor P920, 3GB DDR3 RAM, a 320GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive and a 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 switchable graphics solution.

Who is this Notebook For?

The HP Pavilion dv6z is a great fit for users who want power and a big screen but also want a notebook that is portable and affordable. The dv6z as configured would be a good fit for students who want one notebook to handle web browsing,  homework, video and image editing as well as entertainment and mild gaming. Though this notebook is slim, the battery life limits it from being the best option for an on the go professional or small business owner.

Build and Design

The HP Pavilion dv6z was one of the notebook lines refreshed this summer by HP in a move that saw metal alloy lids and cases gracing the entire Pavilion line. These new cases don’t just prevent fingerprints, they add to the overall durability and build quality of the notebook. The dv6z felt very durable during use with no flexing or bending of the screen or case when we tried to stress it. The hinges also felt sturdy and kept the notebook closed when you shut the lid.  When compares to a last generation HP dv6 this notebook is slimmer and felt noticeably sturdier.

HP Pavilion dv6z hands on

Screen

The screen on the review unit was glossy, but not so bad that we couldn’t use it in an office with florescent lights, in a coffee shop near a window or even in the car. It isn’t one that you would want to use outside on a daily basis but so long as there is something between you and the sun it is usable.

The screen on the dv6z tilts back enough to be usable in many situations whether on a table or on your lap and when it comes to brightness; the brightest setting was sufficient for use while working or watching a movie and when set a lower brightness to save battery the notebook was still usable for text based work or web browsing. Screen quality was good with no dead pixels, uneven backlighting or light leaks.

Mouse and Keyboard

The keyboard on the HP dv6z, like the rest of the refreshed Pavilion line, is a chiclet or island style keyboard that is easy to use with decent feedback and key spacing. The keyboard was not mushy nor did it flex during extended typing sessions which heavy typers like myself will appreciate. The keys are not as good as those we saw on the ThinkPad edge but are on the upper end of consumer notebooks.

One thing we didn’t like was the inclusion of a function row of keys to the left of the keyboard where you would normal find the Tab, Caps Lock, Shift and Ctrl keys. These keys launch various pre-defined programs and will take some serious adjustment to handle. After 2 weeks with the machine I was still consistently opening the calculator instead of hitting Shift.

Most users will appreciate the switch in function keys that rest above the keyboard though. Instead of needing to hit function to adjust volume, brightness etc. you can just hit the corresponding key. If you need to use a function key like F7, you can use the Fn key and press F7. If you prefer to have the function row work as F1 – F12 by default you can turn this on in the BIOS.

The Mousepad is large and generous which again mirrors the new trend on HP Pavilion notebooks of incorporating the mouse buttons into the mousing surface. The large touchpad can be pressed at any point and will make a clicking noise, but  the clicks only register as left or right when your finger is in the bottom section of the mousepad.

This style of mousepad is ultimately one that users either love or hate, but after a week of use and turning palm check up higher the mouse was usable.

Processor and Performance

When it comes to processing power the HP Pavilion dv6z we tested is packing the power in the form of a quad-core AMD Phenom II processor. In testing the notebook it was able to handle video editing using Sony Vegas software without any issues as well as handle some gaming we threw at it thanks to the switchable graphics solution that will automatically switch between the high-end graphics when plugged in and the integrated solution when unplugged to save on battery life. You can also control this manually if you need more graphics horsepower when you are unplugged.

While the dv6z was able to handle many processor intensive tasks we threw at it there were still the occasional hang up while using Chrome with many windows and tabs. This issue did not occur when using Internet Explorer, but is worth noting.

Audio and Speakers

The Dolby Advanced Audio and Altec Lansing speakers go a long way towards keeping the dv6z out of the muddy and tinny sounds that seem to surround many notebooks these days. For music or movies in a small room the speakers are sufficient and provide an enjoyable level of volume without distortion. That said if you are going to be pumping out the tunes for a small gathering or sharing a movie with more than one other person you will want to connect the dv6z to external speakers.

Heat and Noise

Surprisingly even though the dv6z has a Quad-core processor heat was not a problem. Even during extended use the palmrest and bottom of the notebook did not reach uncomfortable temperatures. Noise was also not an issue while using the dv6z.

Battery

The Battery life of the HP dv6z can vary by a large amount depending on what you are doing and whether or not you have the dedicated graphics solution running. While editing a video with the higher power graphics turned on the notebook lasted just over two and a half hours but when relying on the integrated graphics for standard web work the notebook could hit the four hour mark. It would be great to see a longer battery life, but given the power this notebook is packing it is a trade off you may be willing to make; especially at the pricepoint.

When configuring, you do have the option of selecting between a 6 cell battery high capacity 6 cell battery and an oversized 9 cell battery. For users who need to be away from outlets for extended times the $60 upgrade to a 6 cell battery and a 9 cell battery is a good deal.

Connectivity

Software

The Hp dv6z comes with a standard assortment of software in Windows but it also offers the HP QuickWeb instant on OS that lets you browse the web, use Skype and a few other web related apps. Until using this tool I wondered who had such an urgent need to get something done that they couldn’t wait for Windows to load, but during my time with the dv6z I came t appreciate this feature. After shutting down the notebook at a local coffee shop I received a text message asking me to update a project I was working on that is inaccessible from the mobile browser. I was able to use the QuickWeb environment to quickly wrap up the task in the time it would have taken to load Windows and start Chrome.

Value

The HP Pavilion dv6z is a value notebook and it offers a users looking for significant processing power and switchable graphics a good value for their money.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, even though the keyboard layout takes some getting used to and the battery is just OK, the fact that you can get a durable body, Quad-core processor and switchable graphics in a system that can handle anything from web work to video editing makes this notebook stand out in sea of competing 15.6″ notebooks.

Pros:

• Quad Core at an affordable price
• durability
• switchable graphics

Cons:

• Battery life
• Issues when running Chrome

HP Pavilion dv6z Gallery:

HP Pavilion dv6z Detailed Specs:

HP Pavilion dv6z Review: Quad Core at Bargain Price is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Utilizing TriDef’s 3D technology, the IdeaPad Y560d is able to convert 2D content into 3D. How does it pull that off? The new IdeaPad has a specially coated screen, TriDef software, and unique polarizing glasses. Another plus is that you can create 3D photos using TriDef’s Photo Transformer. This same technology is built into the Acer Aspire 5738DG. The only downfall is that this laptop does not support 3D Blu-ray content, making you choose near-limitless standard definition 3D-content with the IdeaPad, or limited 3D Blu-ray content with other 3D-enabled laptops, such as the Toshiba Satellite 665 3D Edition.

Looking past the 3D capabilities or lack-there-of, let’s dive into the specs of Lenovo’s new IdeaPad Y560d:

• 15.6-inch HD widescreen
• Up to an Intel Core i7 processor featuring Turbo Boost Technology
• Up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM
• Up to 750GB HDD
• ATI Radeon HD5730 1GB graphics card
• JBL-designed speakers with Dolby Home Theater Surround Sound
• Optional Blu-ray Disc drive
• HDMI out
• 802.11n WiFi
• Bluetooth
• Ambient Light Sensor – Automatically dims the display based on distance from the display
• SlideNav – touch sensitive slide bar application for easy desktop navigation

The Lenovo Y560d will be available by the end of June, with pricing starting at $1199.99.

Via Engadget

Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d 3D Laptop Announced is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

Sony, who just announced the Billabong inspired VAIO W, seems to be trying an artsy look with their laptops to gain interest. As said in their advertising for their EA series, Believe in nonconformity.” The new EA, EB, and EC with their vibrant color options stay true to this new philosophy.

VAIO EA

This new 14-inch laptop, weighing 5.2 pounds, is available in high-gloss colors (Iridescent Blue, Caribbean Green, and Hibiscus Pink). However, for those of you who aren’t into the flashy high-gloss colors, Coconut White, Lava Black, and Gunmetal Black may be more up your alley. The Sony VAIO EA sports either an Intel Core i3-350M, Core i5-520M, or a Core i5-540M processor. Choose up to 8GB of RAM and up to 500GB HDD. There is also an optional Blu-ray drive, and an optional ATI HD 5470 Graphics Card with 512MB of VRAM, though it comes standard with an integrated Intel GMA HD Graphics Card. One new feature of the VAIO EA is that is comes with Intel’s new Wireless Display Technology, allowing the user to stream the display from the laptop to a TV. For a look at a laptop with similar technology check out our review of the Toshiba e205.

Pricing starts at $769.99 from the SonyStyle Website

VAIO EB

Like the EA series, the 5.95 pound VAIO EB comes with either an Intel Core i3-350M, Core i5-520M, or a Core i5-540M processor, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 500 GB HDD, an integrated Intel GMA HD Graphics Card with an optional ATI HD 5470 Graphics Card with 512MB of VRAM.

The VAIO EB comes with a 15.5-inch screen featuring 1366×768 resolution. The same high-gloss colors are available as well as the more subtle white and black versions.

Pricing starts at $480 from the SonyStyle Website

VAIO EC

The VAIO EC offers the same spec options as the EA and EB, but contains the 512MB Radeon HD 5470 by default with a 1GB Radeon HD 5650 available as an upgrade. The EC has a larger, 17.3-inch display with 1600×900 resolution. It is only available in the Gunmetal Black and Silver White color schemes and weighs in at 7.3 pounds.

Pricing starts at $819.99 from the SonyStyle Website

All three models allow you to add a brightly colored rubber keyboard skin for $19.99 more.

Via SonyStyle

Sony Announces New VAIO EA, EB, and EC Laptops is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

Right now on Woot.com, you can pick up a beefy Blu-ray playing entertainment notebook.

• 17.3-inch LED HP Britghtview HD display (1600×900 resolution)
• 2.5GHz AMD Turion II Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor M620 with 2 MB L2 Cache, using VISION Technology from AMD
• 4GB of RAM, Upgradeable to 8GB
• 500GB 7200RPM HDD
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Graphics Card
• Blu-ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Double Layer with LightScribe
• Altec Lansing sound system with SRS Premium Sound
• Full sized keyboard with numeric keypad
• Touch Pad with on/off button and vertical scrolling
• HP Webcam with integrated microphone
• 7.69 pounds
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 8-Cell battery (up to 5 hours and 15 minutes of usage time)
• 90 Day Warranty through HP

In the Box:

• HP DV7-3165dx Notbook
• Battery
• Power Adapter

Get on over to Woot.com to order yours, today only, for the low price of $599.99 plus $5 shipping.

As stated on their “What is Woot?” page, “Woot.com is an online store and community that focuses on selling cool stuff cheap. It started as an employee-store slash market-testing type of place for an electronics distributor, but it’s taken on a life of its own.”  They offer a different deal everyday, unless there is a “Woot-Off”.

In a “Woot-Off”, an item is put up for sale in limited quantities. Once an item sells out, a new one is put up for sale, and so on. The popularity of the Woot-Off is due largely to the “Random Crap” (also known as the “Bag of Crap”) that usually occurs once at a random time during the Woot-Off. The “Random Crap” is $3 plus $5 shipping. The buyer does not know what they will receive, but it could be anything from an action figure, to a big-screen TV.

Woot also has other sites, such as sellout.woot.com (in partnership with Yahoo), shirt.woot.com, wine.woot.com, and kids.woot.com.

Via Woot.com

HP dv7 Entertainment Laptop Deal on Woot is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

The HP Envy 14 is a mashup of the first two HP Envy notebooks – the Envy 13 and Envy 15. HP is discontinuing the Envy 13 because it didn’t deliver enough horsepower for some users. The Envy is much more powerful than the Envy 13 and more portable than the Envy 15.

One thing that stands out about the Envy 14 is its beautiful 14.5″ Radiant display. It is very bright and has a high color gamut. Photos and video look much better on the Envy 14 than most notebooks, including HP’s Pavilion lineup. The Envy 14′s display is rated at 350 nits and has a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels.

The Envy 14 can be configured with a choice of Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7  processors. Of course the more powerful processors will cost more and shorten battery life.

It measures a little over an inch thick and weighs in at 5.15 pounds. It’s not nearly as thin as the Envy 13, but tradeoffs had to be made to fit the more powerful processors, GPU and optical drive.

An ATI HD Radeon 5650 GPU with 1GB of RAM comes standard in the HP Envy 14. The HDMI and mini-DisplayPort can be used to output simultaneously output video to two external displays. With ATI’s EyeFinity technology, HP Envy 14 users can stretch video games across the two external displays.

The Envy 14 has switchable graphics technology to improve battery life when unplugged. The ATI graphics shut down and Intel graphics take over automatically when the system is unplugged. The standard battery is rated to last for up to seven hours on a single charge. The slice battery  doubles this number under ideal conditions.

A slot-loaded DVD burner is included, but unfortunately Blu-ray is missing in action. According to HP, there aren’t any slot-loading Blu-ray drives with a low enough profile to fit in the HP Envy 14.

Like with the HP Envy 17, you’ll find loads of premium features on the Envy 14. BEATS audio is an example of one such feature. You might not buy a notebook because of its audio features, but music lovers will certainly appreciate how good music sounds when played back via the Envy 14′s audio jack.  The HP Envy 14 also comes with a backlit keyboard, a very nice touch.

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Please find the detail configuration / specification below.

HP Envy 14 specification / configuration:

HP Envy 14: Style and Power Starting at $999 (video) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The HP Envy 17 has components more commonly found on professional mobile workstations. Power-hungry notebook users will appreciate how HP combined the latest quad-core Intel Core i7 processors, up to 2TB of storage, up to 8GB of memory, a 1080p 17.3″ display and an ATI Radeon GPU capable of pumping out 1080p video to three displays simultaneously. An entry level version of the HP Envy will come with an Intel Core i5 processor and lower definition display will also be available.

The Envy 17 looks almost exactly the same as the HP Envy 15, its smaller sibling. Both notebooks share an etched metallic design, premium BEATS audio and custom theme. Keep in mind that the Envy line is a premium notebook series and is priced accordingly.

The HP Envy 17 has a three separate video outputs. The ATI Radeon HD 5850 GPU with 1GB of video memory can drive three external displays via the DisplayPort, HDMI port and VGA port. As you can see in the demo, the displays can be stitched together for video gaming. The Envy 17 also comes with integrated Intel graphics to improve battery life when unplugged.

The HP Envy 17 comes with either a slot-loading DVD burner or Blu-ray disc drive. Previous HP Envy models came with optional external drives.

Like with the HP Envy 15, the Envy 17 can be configured with either one or two storage drives. HP Envy 17 buyers will be able to configure their machines with a selection of hard drives ranging up to 1TB or a pair of 160GB solid state drives.

The HP Envy 17 is best suited for those who plan on using it as a desktop replacement. It measures 16.38″ wide, 10.83″ deep and ranges from 1.24″ (front) to 1.52″ (back) thick. The Envy 17 weighs in at 7.51 pounds. The included 62Whr battery probably won’t get you too far, but you can buy an optional 93Whr battery to more than double battery life if you need to occasionally hit the road with the Envy 17. The extended battery attaches nicely to the base of the Envy 17, just like what we saw with the Envy 15.

Music enthusiasts will be treated to BEATS audio. The system produces an incredibly clean audio signal that makes music files sound significantly better than when played from most notebooks, iPods and portable devices. The audio jack is compatible with all-in-one headsets, including iPhone combatible headsets.

In addition to the audio and video outputs detailed above the HP Envy 17 has plenty of ports. The Envy 17 supports both eSata and USB 3.0. There’s also a 5-in-1 media card reader.

One thing we’re glad to see on the HP Envy 17 is a backlit keyboard. This feature completes the Envy 17′s premium appearance and makes it easier to punch at keys in the dark.

Please find the detail configuration / specification of envy 17 below.

Slide 1

HP Envy 17 specification / configuration:

HP Envy 17: Most Powerful HP Consumer Notebook Yet (video) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Included in the new suite will be Mercury, a better HD Video rendering engine. The reason Mercury is an improvement is that it uses the power from nVidia graphics cards to do decoding for a better overall experience. ATI users will not get this benefit due to the fact that software developers do not  yet have full access to ATI’s OpenCL API for driver support.

The other touted benefit of this upgrade is Flash Catalyst, which is a development engine used to create Flash programs focused on designers and graphic artists, similar to Microsoft’s Expression Studio.

There is no official word from Adobe about pricing yet.

UPDATE: Adobe is now confirming this with a new web page for counting down till the big launch.

April 12th Release of Adobe CS5 Good for nVidia Users is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.