The Portege z835 is an ultrabook, which means it is as thin as can be and lighter than a MacBook Air. Surprisingly, Best Buy and Toshiba are able to sell this ultrabook at a price that is competitive with the MacBook Air and an attractive notebook for students, travelers and anyone who wants a two-pound notebook.

The model I have in for review is the Toshiba Portege Z835-P330, which is available exclusively at Best Buy. This model has enough power for most consumers looking for an affordable light and thin notebook, but those looking to do video editing or processor intensive tasks will be best served by a different notebook with a more powerful processor.

The Toshiba Portege z835 is a super thin Ultrabook available at Best Buy.

Who is the Toshiba Portege z835 for?

I would recommend the Portege z835 to students and frequently traveling home users, but would be wary of recommending it to a business user or road warrior. The small package means you can take it anywhere around town without feeling any extra weight in your bag, but it has much more power than a netbook. The price is also attractive.

Toshiba Portege z835 Hands On Video

Design

The Portege z835 has a magnesium alloy case which helps provide an incredibly strong base to the notebook. This does more than help with the overall feel of the device, combined with the internal honeycomb support you get a very solid typing experience as well. The case is a dark grey, that looks like brushed metal, but this is just a finish. Unfortunately the rubber foot of another laptop was all it took to rub some of the finish off on the corner of the lid, which makes me worry about what this will look like after a year on the road.

Another concern is the flexibility of the lid, which can be bent to some pretty nasty angles thanks to the super thin frame. After several months of use I am less worried that I will break it, but it is enough of a concern to give me pause. Thankfully the keys are recessed, which should help keep the display from getting small key marks on it over time.

A Magnesium alloy case provides strength without tons of weight.

The Portege z835 weighs in at weighs 2.5 pounds and is just .65 inches thick. That’s lighter and thinner than the MacBook Air 13. Trust me, you’ll notice the light weight of this laptop when you pick it up. The good news is you won’t notice it when you have it in your backpack.

Even though Toshiba made this notebook thin, the company didn’t skimp on port selection. There’s an SD Card slot, headphone and microphone connections as well as USB 3.0 on the sides. On the back of the Portege z835 you’ll find an HDMI port, VGA, Ethernet and two USB 2.0 ports, one which can charge your smartphone or gadget while the notebook is asleep.

A look at the size of the Toshiba Portege z835.

If you want to upgrade any of the internals, you’ll need to take the entire bottom of the notebook off, but Toshiba has left the screws out and open so it won’t be a challenge.

I’m a big fan of the look that Toshiba used on this model. Instead of copying the MacBook Air, you get an attractive looking notebook that has a style of its own.

Keyboard and TouchPad

The Toshiba Portege z835 has one of the nicest keyboards I have used outside of the Lenovo ThinkPad line. The keyboard has great support throughout, which minimizes the mushiness you often find in thin notebooks. Toshiba has also done a good job of spacing the keys and giving them decent travel. I do wish that they keys had a bit more of a curve to them, but overall this is a very nice keyboard, one that earns extra points thanks to the fact that it is backlit for working in dark environments.

The Toshiba Portege z835 has a backlit keyboard.

The only real issue I had with the keyboard is a common one on 13 inch notebooks. Toshiba placed the DEL, Home, PgUp, PgDn and End keys on the far right of the keyboard. This means that you’ll often hit the wrong key if you are trying to touch type fast. Even after extended use I haven’t adjusted to the key placement. You can change the key assignments, but I wish there was no need to change these settings.

The touchpad on the Portege z835 is OK. If you are coming form a larger notebook you will need to adjust to the size of the small trackpad, but users will appreciate the dedicated mouse buttons which offer good tactile feedback. The mouse surface is smooth and offers precise mousing. The two finger scrolling was jerky when I began using this notebook, but Toshiba must have updated the software along the road because it is much smoother now.

Display

Toshiba has a nice 13.3 inch display inside the Portege z835. The screen has a 1366 x 768 resolution, which dictates how much you can see on a screen. The higher the resolution, the more of a webpage or email you can see without scrolling. I would prefer a higher resolution, but most consumers are used to this bare minimum resolution. If you want a high-resolution ultrabook, you’ll actually need to look at the MacBook Air.

The Toshiba Portege z835 has a 13.3 inch display.

The display offers very good viewing angles, which will make it possible to share the display with one or two other users while sharing stats or a presentation at a coffee shop. Colors are rich, though they do take a hit when you get too far to the right or left.

In most cases you’ll be using this notebook by yourself, so that won’t be an issue. The display proved great for watching videos on Hulu Plus and Netflix.

Features

The Portege z835 has a handful of extra features that users will appreciate. These extras are simple to use, though you will need to buy an extra adapter if you want to use Intel WiDi.

EcoBoost – Toshiba includes a button that turns on power saver settings that sill cut down on your power consumption. This can help extend battery life. The fact that this is a simple button push, means you may actually use it on a regular basis.

Webcam – There is a webcam built into the system with a single microphone. The webcam is nothing fancy, but will get the job done for Skype calls and Google Hangouts.

Intel Wireless Display - This free program allows you to stream your display to an HDTV with a $99 adapter.

Performance, Battery Life and Multimedia

The Portege z835 is a consumer specific version of the Portege z835, which is Toshiba’s first ultrabook. Powering the thin and light notebook is a 1.4GHz Intel Core i3 2nd gen processor, 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. This configuration provides enough power for most home users, students and business travelers. I would not choose the Portege z835 if I needed to edit a lot of video or if I want to play games.

I commonly used Google Chrome, a browser that Toshiba installs for you, to surf 10-20 websites at once, while using other programs and streaming music without any issues. The system was able to stream video from Hulu and Netflix without any trouble, including full screen.

While I streamed the latest episode of House, the system was a little warm by the end, but not so hot that I couldn’t keep the system on my lap if I wanted to.

The Toshiba Portege z835 has a faint fan noise while on.

One issue I found with the z835 is a faint fan noise that you can hear anytime the machine is powered on, even with no programs running. If you have music or a TV show on you won’t hear the fan, but if you like to work in silence this noise could get annoying pretty quick.

The speakers on the z835 aren’t great, but the small speaker slots on the front of the device deliver sound loud enough to fill a small room or hotel suite. There is no real depth to the music, but at the same time there is no distortion. If you want premium audio you’ll need a pair of speakers for when you are at home.

The battery life on the Portege z835 is rated for over 8 hours, but using the LAPTOP Magazine Battery Test (constant web surfing over Wi-Fi with the screen set at 40%) the notebook lasted just short of 6 hours. All said, 5 hours and 56 minutes of battery life isn’t bad for a notebook this thin and light. If you cut back on the brightness and use eco mode you should be able to stretch longer.

Toshiba Portege z835 vs. The Competition

The Portege Z835 I reviewed has a 1.3Ghz Intel Core i3 processor,  4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD and a 13.3 inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution. The notebook has one USB 3.0 port, to USB 2.0 ports and includes HDMI, Ethernet and VGA connectivity.

Toshiba Portege z835 vs MacBook Air

Toshiba Portege Z835 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad U400

The IdeaPad U400 offers a comparable experience for the same $900 price point. The U400 offers a faster processor, more RAM and dedicated graphics, but it is also heavier and thicker than the Portege Z835. The U400 has similar battery life and for this price is worth considering before you purchase a new notebook. The U400 is not an Ultrabook, but it is still thin and light with good performance.

Toshiba Portege Z835 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

While we saw a number of Ultrabooks at CES 2012, not many are available for sale yet. Of those that are out, the IdeaPad U300S offers something worth looking at. The IdeaPad U300s also has a faster processor and similar battery life, but it has a much higher price tag. At $1,499, the IdeaPad U300s, users will want to make sure that they need the extra power of the U300s to justify paying nearly double the price.

Toshiba Portege Z835 vs. MacBook Air

Another competitor is the MacBook Air 13 inch. The MacBook Air starts at $1,299 with similar specs, but you also get a much higher screen resolution and slightly longer battery life. The MacBook Air 13 inch has proven much better for multimedia editing thanks to the built in iMovie software.

The Bottom Line

Despite the fan noise and flexible display frame, the Portege z835 is a solid ultrabook offering for the average consumer. If you want a thin and light notebook that won’t break the bank, Toshiba’s first ultrabook is a stellar choice. Thanks to the inclusion of backlit keys, all the ports you need and a super thin package the Portege z835 offers an attractive value for the mainstream consumer.

Toshiba Portege z835 Gallery

Toshiba Portege z835 Review: The $850 Ultrabook is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

I picked up the NP300U1A-A01US model over the holidays for a steal for only $350, which is part of why I am impressed with this machine. Sadly the price jumped back up to $699 after Christmas, but if you look around you can get this nice little laptop for a lot less than retail. The Series 3 11.6″ Notebook is worth it for mobile users with simple business needs.

$500 budget notebooks are a dime a dozen these days. I like the Samsung Series 3 machine because it has decent power, sufficient battery life and a comfortable keyboard. Unfortunately a few of the features come up short.

Pros

The computer has a decent display, comfortable keyboard and decent performance for an Intel Core i3 notebook at an affordable price.

Cons

You’re not going to do much multimedia work and the battery doesn’t last as long as many ultraportables. The keyboard’s extra keys feel cramped and the touchpad is not up to task.

Quick Specs

My Samsung Series 3 came with an Intel Core i3 2357M processor, 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. With Intel GMA HD graphics and a 1366 x 768 screen resolution on the 11.6″ display, you get bare minimum HD 720p. The b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 provide basic wireless connectivity. You can hook the notebook up to a TV or projector via HDMI output or VGA. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, and an SD card reader. If you want to watch movies you’ll have to stream them or download them, as there is no DVD drive.

Who is the Samsung Series 3 For?

Mobile users who don’t have very demanding needs will enjoy this little system. It fits nicely between all the tiny netbooks amd heavier systems with 14 or 15-inch screens. If playing Angry Birds or Bejeweled satisfies your gaming needs, then you will feel at home using the Samsung Series 3 NP-300U1A.

Video Review

Design and Build

The Samsung Series 3 feels pretty sturdy for a small computer. The brushed aluminum lid has a slightly two-tone black/dark great finish that looks nice even if it does attract finger prints. The Series 3 isn’t as thin as the Series 9, but it’s still a sleek and attractive looking notebook.

Along the front (see above) you have the SD card slot on the left and the fan two fan vents that you can’t even see when the computer sits on a flat surface. That’s because of the tapered design of the bottom of the chassis.

The left side (see above from left to right) includes the power connector port, which is smaller than most laptops. The Ethernet port folds out, thanks to the thinness of the computer’s base. In between a USB port and the HDMI out port you get another exhaust fan. Closest to the front is a dual mic/headphone jack.

Along the right side you only see two USB ports and the VGA port. The back only has the hinge.

On the bottom you have a door that covers the memory and the standard battery. If you wish to change out the hard drive, you would have to remove the entire bottom case.

Keyboard and Touchpad

As expected, the keyboard is a little small on this 11.6 inch notebook, but I was still able to touch type without much effort. The key travel was good and the Series 3 doesn’t have a mushy keyboard. The chiclet style keys feel good, and while I wouldn’t want to write a 10 page report in one sitting or use this as my primary machine, it is great for when you need to answer emails, work on part of a document or surf the web while on the go.

I did have a problem using the arrow keys and the CTRL, Fn, and ALT keys due to the placement, causing me to look down at the keyboard when I needed them.

The touchpad is another story. I have to admit that I used to hate touchpads before I started using MacBooks. The atrocious touchpad on the Samsung Series 3 reinforced my opinion of touchpads on Windows notebooks.

It’s tiny and only has one button, which I hate. Give me two buttons! Finally, for no reason, the tap-to-click feature just goes away. I uninstalled and reinstalled the driver software, which only fixed the problem temporarily. The driver configuration software doesn’t fix it either. A reboot sometimes solves the problem and other times it doesn’t. You can still use the buttons, but I prefer to tap.

You’ll want to invest in a good travel mouse to go along with this system.

On the wrist rest you have a pair of LEDs near the front left. One shows the charge status when plugged in and the other shows if the computer is powered on or in sleep mode. Along the back of the keyboard you have the speaker grill. Three LEDs show the status of the Wi-Fi, caps lock, and hard drive activity. The power button is on the right.

The same bushed aluminum pattern on the lid gives the silver keyboard area a texture. The wrist rest has a speckled texture that feels good as you type.

Display

I’m pleased with the display. It’s plenty bright enough for most environments. The glossy screen ruins outdoor viewing, but even in brightly lit rooms I could view text and images without issue. Notice below that the viewing angle allows more than a couple of people to view the screen with you as you share a YouTube video or a website with friends.

I do wish glossy screens would go away, but I’ve used plenty of displays that were harder to view than this one. Colors seemed faithful and images and video look good. Text was clear enough to read.

Performance

When you remember that Samsung made this for people with simple computing needs, it performs quite nicely. My kids seldom bother to turn on the TV anymore, fighting over the Samsung for Hulu and Netflix. They enjoy watching videos with it.

Video ran smoothly and programs start up and shut down responsively. I’d love to see how well it runs on an SSD, but with the 5400 rpm hard drive, it worked well.

You’ll be satisfied with the Series 3 while running office apps, online stuff and watching video. You won’t be satisfied if you want to do anything more than very light multimedia editing or gaming.

Battery Life

The battery on the Samsung Series 3 lasted 3:50 using the Laptop Magazine Battery Test, which repeatedly opens web pages with Firefox over Wi-Fi with the screen brightness at 40% and Bluetooth turned off. That’s not bad. It will get you through a morning of meetings and then charge up over lunch to last most of the afternoon. You can take it to class and have time for typing papers in the library afterwards, but I wish it would run for maybe an hour longer at this price point.

Software

Samsung loads up their systems with the typical crapware – Norton junk and proprietary tools for turning things like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on/off. You get a nice update feature and in the short time I’ve owned the laptop I’ve received updates on two occasions, so at least they are still supporting this system despite releasing it more than 6 months ago.

A free copy of Microsoft Home and Student 2010 added a lot of value to this budget system. It isn’t the Starter version that accompanies most systems these days. You get Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote along with trial versions of Outlook and Access. After the trial ends you still have the first four programs. That’s a nice addition for an budget system.

Amazon Kindle readers will like that it comes pre-installed with their PC Kindle app as well.

Competition

Samsung released the Samsung Series 3 notebook before the Ultrabook craze hit. I’d rather have one of those, but at two to three times the price budget buyers get a great deal. For the mobile-minded user who wants a decent computer without paying Apple prices, the Samsung Series 3 is a good option. If you like what you saw you might want to compare it to the HP 3115M or the Gateway NV55S05U.

Few other ultra-portable notebooks in this price range come with a free copy of Microsoft Office making this a great option for those who don’t already have a retail copy of the office suite.

Gallery

Samsung Series 3 11.6″ Notebook Review is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

When you do hear good audio it’s usually found on notebooks designed to be stuck on a desk, but the Dell XPS 14z is able to pack in some of the best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard, in a surprisingly portable package — one that starts at $899.

I’ve spent the morning working on the Dell XPS 14z, after lusting over the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook we’re giving away at GottaBeMobile, and I’m incredibly impressed with the sound quality coming out of this system.

The Dell XPS 14z has a few things working for it, including the large top open speaker grills which send the sound right at your head, instead of into your jeans like so many other notebooks do. Also helping out is the inclusion of Waves MaxxAudio on the system, which helps deliver better sounding audio in smaller packages.

The Dell XPS 14z speaker grilles help deliver great audio directed at your ears, not your lap.

Listening to a variety of music I was most impressed with the depth and clarity of the music. While listening to 99 Problems by Jay Z and I Put Your Picture Away (Live) by Kid Rock on Pandora it was hard to believe these were notebook speakers. I could make out background sounds that don’t come through on other notebooks and on some dedicated systems I have tried out.

Volume is good, though if you want to host a house party with this system, you’ll need to connect to some bigger speakers. For a dorm room, small office or a hotel room though, you get great sounding music at a sufficient volume.

This isn’t the only system from Dell with Waves MaxxAudio included, the Dell XPS 15z which I reviewed last year also impressed. If you are looking for a great audio experience on your notebook, I highly recommend the Dell XPS 14z, and suggest checking out other Dell systems with similar setups.

Stay Tuned for a full Dell XPS 14z review.

Dell XPS 14z Rocks – Great Speakers and Sound is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

On first glance you might mistake this IdeaPad for a MacBook Pro thanks to the all-metal body, minimalist design, and skimpy port selection. Once you get beyond looks, the U400 impresses thanks to good performance and longevity. All in a package not too heavy to carry around if you need to.

Is the Lenovo IdeaPad u400 the right notebook for your needs? Read on to find out.

Who is the U400 For?

People looking for a sturdy mainstream notebook that won’t choke under heavy multitasking. Users who don’t intend to play graphics intensive games or need robust multimedia editing power. Those needing a portable yet powerful system that does more than an ultrabook yet isn’t so heavy that carrying it all day is a pain.

Design

The best way to describe the design of the IdeaPad U400 is to say: Imagine a MacBook Pro. Now put Lenovo’s logo on it.

That sounds harsh, I know. And unnecessarily reductive. But that’s not a knock on the IdeaPad. In broad strokes, the U400’s “one-piece aluminum shell”, “intelligent glass touchpad”, and chiclet keyboard all evoke the Apple aesthetic. At the same time this design is also a continuation of the U series look.

I think it’s more noticeable with the U400 because of the size. At 13.4 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches with a 14-inch display it straddles the the space between the 13 and 15-inch Apple models.

Though the notebook sports a sturdy all-metal design it only weighs 4.4 pounds. I like how the matte dusky gray aluminum feels under my fingers and hands. The lid could do a better job not picking up fingerprints, especially as there’s little to detract from them.

The bottom and back of the notebook are both smooth, so there’s no removable battery or discernible way to get at the innards to change the hard drive or RAM.

The disappointments in design come from the more practical areas. At this size the manufacturer had plenty of room to include plenty of ports, but instead we only get 1 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet and a slot-loading DVD drive. No VGA output and no SD card slot.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Not only does the U400′s keyboard look like the one found on a MacBook, it feels like it, too. It’s serviceable and comfortable, but doesn’t offer strong tactile feedback or the accuracy-upping dip in the center of the keys.

I’m used to IdeaPad keyboards not living up to the Lenovo standards given to the ThinkPad line, but I still wish for something more than “adequate” in this area.

Another annoyance is the shrunken Backspace and Shift keys on the right. They’re small to make room for a column of keys that no one needs as much as they need Backspace or Shift. I accidentally hit them so much I learned how to re-map keys to avoid the issue.

The wide glass touchpad is both beautiful and easy to use for basic mousing. The smooth glass surface offered no friction and offers precision and accuracy.

Executing typical multitouch gestures like two-finger scroll or pinch to zoom reveals how finicky and oversensitive it is for anything involving more than one finger. That sensitivity can be tweaked in the Mouse Settings of the control panel. Users will need to, as the defaults don’t offer a smooth experience.

There are additional three an four-finger gestures that mimic functions I’m more used to seeing in OS X. When you can get them to execute they’re useful.

Display

The 14.0 glossy display has a sadly typical 1366 x 768 resolution. On a screen this size I’d pay more for 1600 x 900 to take best advantage of the space.

Glossy screens tend to do well with colors and true, deep blacks, and this one is no exception. They also usually have narrow viewing angles; no exception there, either. Watching video is a pleasant experience as long as you keep the display positioned in the sweet spot.

Features

Audio quality on the U400 is impressive for a notebook. Volume is enough to rock out for real when necessary, and the bass and treble are round enough that music actually sounds as if it has layers. Still flatter than you’d get from external speakers, but better than average.

The 1.3MP webcam also offers better than average picture quality for an embedded model. Colors aren’t as deep as I’d like but are true. Plus there’s not much blur, even when you move around quickly. It’s capable of 720p video chat on systems that support it.

Multimedia fans will appreciate the inclusion of Intel’s Wireless Display Technology, which allows users to broadcast whatever is on the screen to an HDTV provided you have a the separate $99 adapter.

Performance, Graphics and Battery Life

My review unit (09932-9U) has an Intel Core i5 2430M processor, 6GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics processor backed by 1GB of video RAM.

In overall performance, the IdeaPad U400 did well. A monster multitasker won’t have any trouble running multiple programs and switching between dozens of tabs in Chrome or Firefox or both, as I did. Even with a traditional 5,400 rpm hard drive inside it booted in a snappy 46 seconds.

Graphics intensive tasks are another matter. Though the U400 has a discrete GPU, it doesn’t activate when needed at all times. AMD’s Catalyst Control Center utility will mark some programs as needing “High Performance” and thus activating the Radeon GPU. However, the average user won’t even know this is possible.

I discovered that the CCC didn’t think that Firefox or the image editing program Paint.net needed better performance when both of those should get it automatically. Users can manually change the settings for programs, but this is tedious and shouldn’t be necessary.

Even with High Performance activated users won’t find this satisfactory for anything beyond casual gaming on Facebook. Real games are playable, but framerates are slow enough that it’s not worth even loading them.

Video isn’t a problem, though. Even when streaming or watching 1080p clips I didn’t see any dropped frames. The notebook performed well when scenes transitioned from light to dark or with languid motion.

Whenever I used a program that taxed the GPU I noticed that the U400 got noticeably hotter. When just surfing the web and typing in Word it was cool enough to keep on my lap thanks to the breathable keyboard and vent on the left side.

But when watching streaming video or playing games the temperature went up. It got hot enough on the left side that I needed something between the laptop and my lap.

On the LAPTOP Magazine Battery Test (constant web surfing over Wi-Fi with the screen set at 40%) the U400 lasted for 6 hours and 3 minutes. A nice score from a notebook this size. With on and off use it could last you all day.

IdeaPad U400 vs. The Competition

The most obvious competitor is the MacBook Pro line from Apple. The U400 matches it in style and design easily. And at $884 it’s less than the least expensive model in the Pro line. However, when comparing graphics prowess the MacBook Pro 15-inch leads thanks to a more powerful GPU. The 13-inch Pro only comes with Intel’s integrated graphics, so the U400 has the edge.

Looking to slightly large systems, the 15.5-inch Sony VAIO SE is the same weight (4.4 pounds) and at 14.5 x 10.1 x 0.9 inches, not much bigger than the U400. The VAIO also has AMD graphics, but that GPU offered a better gaming experience. Plus you get a full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution on the display. The speakers on the VAIO are weak compared to the U400, as is the battery life.

The Bottom Line

At $884 the Lenovo IdeaPad U400 is a good value for a well-built mainstream notebook that offers excellent overall performance. If the middling graphics performance were the only drawback, it would be easy to recommend this notebook. The issues with the keyboard and touchpad are a big distraction, especially for such important components.

Gallery

Specs

Lenovo IdeaPad U400 Review is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

We invite you to check out the Best of CES 2012 list below, which highlights the most amazing gear of the show, gear we want to purchase when they hit store shelves.

Best in Show – Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga

The IdeaPad Yoga is the one computer we simply can’t wait to review…and buy. If you thought the convertible notebook/tablet form factor was dead, Lenovo’s Yoga will change your mind. While there was no shortage of ultrabooks and other thin notebooks released at CES 2012, the Yoga is much more than a notebook.  The Yoga’s display folds 360 degrees to transform into a Windows 8 tablet. Combined with a ten-finger touchscreen, users will truly get the full Windows 8 experience. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga proves that we are not in the post-PC era just yet. Read our IdeaPad Yoga coverage here.

Best Ultrabook – HP ENVY Spectre

The HP ENVY Spectre is a new take on the Ultrabook from HP which uses a beautiful Gorilla Glass finish to set it apart. Inside the slim body, we have a 14 inch high resolution display packed into a body the size of your average 13″ Ultrabook. The great looks, thin package and numerous extras helps this stand out in a sea of Ultrabooks and earns it our Best Ultrabook of CES 2012 award. Read our HP ENVY Spectre 14 coverage here.

Best Notebook – Samsung Series 9

The redesigned Series 9 is the kind of notebook only a company like Samsung can make. Designed in 12 months with dozens of custom-made and engineered components, this ultraportable isn’t just thin or light, it pushes the boundaries of design while still offering mainstream performance.  The minute you hold this notebook you’ll know it’s something special. Samsung managed to wrangle 13″ and 15″ displays into footprints typically found with notebooks with smaller displays.

Best Innovation – Ultrabook Revolution

Intel’s commitment to the Ultrabook came to fruition at CES 2012, and continuing through the year we’ll see Ultrabooks arrive in a number of new form factors. From convertible tablets to Ultrabooks with larger screens, Intel is driving innovation in a meaningful way. Consumers can expect thinner and lighter notebooks at more affordable prices this year thanks to Intel’s leadership.

Best Gaming Laptop – Samsung Series 7 Gamer

This notebook exemplifies all the things gamers look for in a machine, portable or not. Still, when a laptop combines powerful specs (third gen Core i7 CPU, Nvidia graphics, 2 TB hard drive) with eye-catching flair and a relatively thin and light design, we can’t help but be impressed. This notebook is ready to rock the latest video games thanks to its overclocked gaming dial, second generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GTX 670M graphics.

Best Accessory – Novatel Jetpack 4G LTE MiFi 4620L

Novatel took everything we liked about the MiFi and added an OLED display to show signal strength, battery life and text messages, as well as the ability to connect up to 10 devices so that you don’t have to choose between your array fo WiFi devices. Couple this with the extended battery option for close to 10 hours of battery life and you’ll understand why we picked the MiFi Jetpack as our Best Notebook Accessory of CES 2012.

Best Storage Solution: Seagate GoFlex and GoFlex Desk Thunderbolt

 The Seagate GoFlex and GoFlex Desk drives are now compatible with Thunderbolt ports, which can transfer data at up to 10 Gbps, leaving USB 3.0 and eSATA in the dust. Thankfully, you won’t have to go out and buy entire new external drive if you upgrade to a Thunderbolt-enabled notebook if you’re fortunate to already own a Seagate GoFlex drive.  With Thunderbolt hard demanding a steep premium, these adapters will let more consumers fully utilize their shiny new notebooks’ Thunderbolt ports.

Best New Notebook Feature Toshiba F755 Glasses-Free 3D

The Toshiba Qosmio F755 brings 3D gaming and movies without forcing you to wear funny looking glasses. Glasses free 3D takes the pain out of 3D content on your notebook, making it an option in public and for those of us who wear corrective glasses. The eye tracking software works well, drawing you into the game without worrying about losing 3D when you get wrapped up in an intense battle. We loved the prototype of this technology Toshiba showed us last year and we love it even more now that it’s a real product.

Best Prototype – Tobii Eye Tracking Software

 Tobii’s gaze interaction technology will change the way you use computers. By using one’s eyes to focus on icons and elements, users can accomplish tasks faster and increase efficiency. Plus, it’s just cool to control your computer with your eyes

Best of CES 2012 is a post by Adam Mills from Notebooks.com.

This notebook comes with a lot of the features you’d expect to see on a gaming notebook, but its designers managed to do so in a tasteful manner and fit it all into a relatively thin and light package. With a sticker price of $1,799, the Samsung Series 7 Gamer comes with a massive 2TB hard drive, Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA Geforce GTX 675 graphics with 2 GB of memory.

The Series 7 Gamer doesn’t have an overly aggressive appearance, which means it’ll blend into the non-gaming world a lot better than gaming notebooks from Alienware and others. The Series 7 Gamer has an overclocked processor, a keyboard that shifts colors, the speakers pulsate with ambient light and you can choose between fancy gaming-inspire desktop backgrounds. But that’s only when you spin a small dial into gaming mode and get ready to do battle. The Series 7 Gamer behaves itself and quiets down into library or balanced modes the rest of the time.

Series 7 Gamer Battlefield 3 Demo

Its display is absolutely gorgeous, making games more immersive. If you spend too much time using this notebook you’ll have a tough time switching back to a notebook with an ordinary display.

Battlefield 3 performed very well on the Samsung Series 7 Gamer. Gaming purists may still opt for fully upgradeable desktops, but most people will be completely satisfied with this notebook.

The Series 7 Gamer notebook is Notebooks.com’s pick for Best Gaming Notebook of CES 2012.

Best Gaming Notebook: Samsung Series 7 Gamer is a Stylish Beast (video) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

]]> http://notebooks.com/2012/01/11/best-gaming-notebook-samsung-series-7-gamer-is-a-stylish-beast-video/feed/ 0 http://notebooks.com/2012/01/10/hp-envy-spectre-14-hands-on-video/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hp-envy-spectre-14-hands-on-video http://notebooks.com/2012/01/10/hp-envy-spectre-14-hands-on-video/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:42:16 +0000 Josh Smith http://notebooks.com/?p=65611 Here at CES 2012 there are a number of new notebooks, but the glass loving HP ENVY Spectre 14 stands out in a crowded room with a design that incorporates glass on multiple sides. I was able to go hands on with the new glass covered beauty at PepCom and came away impressed with the [...]

HP ENVY Spectre 14 Hands-On Video is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

]]> Here at CES 2012 there are a number of new notebooks, but the glass loving HP ENVY Spectre 14 stands out in a crowded room with a design that incorporates glass on multiple sides.

I was able to go hands on with the new glass covered beauty at PepCom and came away impressed with the look and feel of the device, but hoping for a more intimate experience with the new HP ImagePad.

I was curious about the glass coverings, but after playing with the glass and seeing a Gorilla Glass demo next door, I enjoyed the looks of the notebook and have hopes for the resilience of the device. The glass isn’t just for looks though, HP tells us that this notebook enjoys better radio performance thanks to the glass lid, bezel and palm rest.

HP ENVY Spectre 14 Hands On Video

In our ENVY Spectre 14 hands on video, you can see a closer look at all the ports, including a little flip down Ethernet port that gives you access to corded connections without the need for a dongle.

I do like the look and feel of this notebook, which doesn’t borrow from the MacBook Air like many Ultrabooks have done. We’ll be paying close attention to this new notebook from HP, and hope to get a review unit in soon to put it through its paces.

HP ENVY Spectre 14 Hands-On Video is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

]]> http://notebooks.com/2012/01/10/hp-envy-spectre-14-hands-on-video/feed/ 0 http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/samsung-series-9-2012-announced/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=samsung-series-9-2012-announced http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/samsung-series-9-2012-announced/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:01:16 +0000 K. T. Bradford http://notebooks.com/?p=65531 Last year Samsung proved that it was possible to make an ultraportable laptop that could match or exceed the MacBook Air on every front: design, performance, and coolness. The Series 9 became the template for the ultrabook wave we’re experiencing now with the exception of the price. Samsung’s Series 5 Ultra laptops bear the ultrabook [...]

Samsung’s Second Generation Series 9 Proves There’s Still Room For Premium Ultraportables is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

]]> Last year Samsung proved that it was possible to make an ultraportable laptop that could match or exceed the MacBook Air on every front: design, performance, and coolness. The Series 9 became the template for the ultrabook wave we’re experiencing now with the exception of the price.

Samsung’s Series 5 Ultra laptops bear the ultrabook moniker, but there’s still room in the market for premium ultraportables that push the limits of how thin, light, and and impressive a notebook can be. Thus Samsung also announced the second generation Series 9 today, a machine so sweet you may be tempted to save up your pennies to afford the $1,399 asking price.

The new Series 9 has a smaller footprint than the first generation even though it has the same display. And I mean the exact same display — 400 nit SuperBright, 1600 x 900 resolution, matte — just with a smaller bezel.

The first generation Series 9 (left) and the new model (right)

Overall this model is 37% thinner and 0.4 pounds lighter resulting in a 2.5 pound weight and half an inch thickness. When I held it for the first time I was filled with envy. Even my netbook isn’t as light as this, and it’s certainly not as powerful.

Just as before the notebook will come with Intel’s Core i5 processor inside and a 128GB SSD. Samsung is leaving open the possibility of bringing out a more powerful Core i7 version, but right now there are no plans.

Despite being far thinner, the second gen Series 9 is better with port arrangement, ditching the pull-down drawers and just placing the two USB 3.0 ports and DisplayPort at the back edges where the notebook is a bit thicker. There’s also a full SD card slot instead of a microSD — much more useful.

This model isn’t made from Duralumin like the previous generation, though it does have an aluminum unibody design. It’s also a little less swoopy than before, but still keeps to the wave idea in design.

Full SD card slot

The 13.3-inch version will cost $1,399 and will be available in February.

Now id you’re looking at all this fancy thin and lightness and thinking it would be super awesome if you could have the same design but with a bigger display you’re in luck. Samsung is bringing out a 15-inch version of the Series 9 as well. It will also hit shelves in February and cost $1,499. This larger Ultrabook has a bigger screen, but it is wedged into a 14 inch frame to keep things nice and compact.

As a fan of the original Series 9 I will admit that I’m very excited about this new version. It balances weight and size well yet delivers plenty of power for any mainstream task and even some of the workhorse stuff I need. And I’ll reiterate: the 13-inch one is lighter than my netbook. That’s enough to make me consider saving all my pennies for this one.

Samsung’s Second Generation Series 9 Proves There’s Still Room For Premium Ultraportables is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

]]> http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/samsung-series-9-2012-announced/feed/ 0 http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/ultrabook-screens-grow-and-prices-drop-in-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ultrabook-screens-grow-and-prices-drop-in-2012 http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/ultrabook-screens-grow-and-prices-drop-in-2012/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:34:07 +0000 Adam Mills http://notebooks.com/?p=65555 Today, Intel announced that it has more than 60 new Ultrabook designs in the pipeline for 2012 and that it is committed to helping manufacturers lower prices even while the displays increase in size. The first of these new Ultrabooks will arrive in the spring and they will be powered by the company’s new, third-generation [...]

Ultrabook Screens Grow and Prices Drop in 2012 is a post by Adam Mills from Notebooks.com.

]]> Today, Intel announced that it has more than 60 new Ultrabook designs in the pipeline for 2012 and that it is committed to helping manufacturers lower prices even while the displays increase in size.

The first of these new Ultrabooks will arrive in the spring and they will be powered by the company’s new, third-generation Core processors, code-named, Ivy Bridge.

Intel also made it clear that it wants to help manufacturers keep prices down, even while the Ultrabook screens increase in size.

Intel predicts that Ultrabook screens will grow in 2012.

The current lineup of Ultrabooks boast 13-inch screens while the models that will be headed to shelves in 2012 will be comprised of mostly 14-15-inch displays.

And, up until yesterday, Ultrabooks were in the $1000+ range. However, we have begun to see Ultrabook and Ultrabook-esque devices starting below $700, like the new Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and U410 that were announced yesterday.

In addition to the Lenovo announcements, we have also seen several other Ultrabooks announced here at CES.

Handful of Ultrabooks coming out at CES 2012.

Acer unveiled three new Ultrabooks set for release in 2012 which include the Aspire S5 and 14-inch and 15-inch versions of Aspire Timeline Ultra.

Toshiba highlighted the Portege Z83o and Portege Z835, which have been available for a month or so, but are seeing increased attention and marketing in 2012.

The mainstream Ultrabook should closely resemble Acer’s Aspire Timeline Ultra which you can see in action here:

These Ivy Bridge powered Ultrabooks will be followed by devices running Intel’s “Haswell” processor which the company says will come along with the third wave of devices in 2013.

Ultrabook Screens Grow and Prices Drop in 2012 is a post by Adam Mills from Notebooks.com.

]]> http://notebooks.com/2012/01/09/ultrabook-screens-grow-and-prices-drop-in-2012/feed/ 0 http://notebooks.com/2011/12/14/lenovo-ideapad-u300s-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lenovo-ideapad-u300s-review http://notebooks.com/2011/12/14/lenovo-ideapad-u300s-review/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:48:44 +0000 K. T. Bradford http://notebooks.com/?p=65265 The Scoop Lenovo’s ultrabook embodies many of the best aspects of this new notebook category, including a seriously thin design coupled with impressive performance. The design is singular instead of following the Air-clone crowd, with a Clementine Orange option that stands out. Still, the IdeaPad U300s excludes several features to keep the size and cost [...]

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Review – This Stylin’ Ultrabook Is No MacBook Air Clone is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

]]> The Scoop

Lenovo’s ultrabook embodies many of the best aspects of this new notebook category, including a seriously thin design coupled with impressive performance. The design is singular instead of following the Air-clone crowd, with a Clementine Orange option that stands out. Still, the IdeaPad U300s excludes several features to keep the size and cost down, including some needed ports and a backlit keyboard. Even at that, it never reaches the sub-$1000 goal.

Pros

A combination of eye-catching design with robust performance and decent battery life. Plus this ultrabook includes useful software and very little crapware.

Cons

Due to the design, users can’t replace the battery or upgrade RAM. Though the clickpad is large and does the basics well, it’s finicky when it comes to multitouch. The keyboard lacks backlighting. Several important ports aren’t included.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s | $1,499 | Ultrabook
Specs Who is the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s For? Design and Build Keyboard and Touchpad Features Performance IdeaPad U300s vs the Competition	Unboxing and First Impressions All Ultrabook Coverage

Quick Specs

Our Lenovo IdeaPad U300s review unit has a 1.8-GHz Intel Core i7-2677M processor backed by 4GB of RAM, Intel’s GMA HD 3000 integrated graphics and a 256GB solid state drive (SSD). The 13.3-inch glossy display has a resolution of 1366 x 768. Connectivity includes an 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi card and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Who is the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s For?

Ultrabooks are aimed at consumers looking for a notebook that is both very light and reasonably powerful. The U300s is particularly suited to the latter task thanks to the inclusion of the Core i7 processor. Since this is the ultra low voltage version of the chip, it’s not the notebook to get if you’re looking to do heavy-duty gaming or video editing. It is a good choice if you’re a major multitasker with programs that hog the processor a bit, like Firefox.

Design and Build

With the U300s, Lenovo proves that an ultrabook can look good even if it doesn’t copy the MacBook Air design. Instead of a slim chassis that tapers, this IdeaPad looks similar to other notebooks in the line. This bit of aesthetic loyalty is pleasing, especially since it makes the U300s stand out in the crowd.

This 13.3-inch ultrabook looks like a thinner version of the 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 right down to the orange color on the lid and bottom. (It’s available in silver as well.) Instead of tapered edges, you get square ones with rounded corners. Lenovo makes it work, somehow. The aluminum body has a nice tactile feel to it and doesn’t pick up fingerprints on the outside.

The unibody design has aesthetic value, but also means that users can’t replace the battery themselves or add extra RAM.

Measuring just 12.8 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches and weighing 3 pounds, the U300s definitely fits the ultrabook ideal of ultra thin and light. Picking it up by a corner – something I did often – I could feel how sturdy it is. Don’t pick it up by the lid, though, as you’ll see some alarming flex due to it being so thin.

A sacrifice many ultra thin notebooks must make is in number and size of ports. The U300s has two USB ports – one 2.0 and one 3.0 – a full-size HDMI port, and a combo headphone/mic. That’s it.

No Ethernet, no card reader, no VGA. This is pretty disappointing given that other ultrabooks such as the Toshiba Portege Z835, the ASUS Zenbook, and the Acer Aspire S3 include most or all of the missing ports.

The only real mark against the 13.3-inch display is the 1366 x 768 resolution. Yes, it’s standard, but I wish there was at least an option for greater resolution, especially for a notebook that is capable of being a primary system for many.

The glossy screen doesn’t do well in the sunlight or under annoying fluorescents. Indoors the viewing angles are wide enough for two people to comfortably share the screen to watch a movie. Vertical angles aren’t wide enough for comfortable use on an airplane tray table in coach, though you don’t have to push it much past the 90 degree mark to see the best of the rich colors and deep blacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The island-style keyboard on the U300s is standard for recent IdeaPad models and looks like the one found on many new ThinkPad laptops. However, IdeaPad keyboards usually lack the strong tactile feedback and springy travel of their business cousins, and the U300s is not the exception.

Keys are spaced well and at least have a gentle dip to improve accuracy for touch typists and messier hunt and peckers. However, the travel is pretty shallow and there’s little tactile feedback.

Lenovo chose to put the Home, End, Page Up and Page Down buttons along the right edge as well as leaving the arrow keys full-size. This results in smaller than normal Backspace and Shift keys. Too often I hit the Home key when reaching for Backspace and missed Shift when in a hurry.

As this is a consumer notebook the media keys are one press away with the Fn key needed to get at the Function keys along the top.

No backlighting on the keys, alas.

One MacBook Air-esque feature did sneak in: a large Clickpad instead of a more traditional touchpad and mouse buttons. The wide surface means not having to lift your finger much to move around the screen. The bottom of the pad has clicky integrated left and right mouse buttons but tap to click was very responsive.

Multitouch gestures are available, though not as easy to execute as I’d like. I stopped trying to two-finger scroll because it was just faster and easier to tap the PgUp and PgDn buttons. Flicking three fingers left or right bring up some extra screens, such as a sticky note app, but don’t do really useful tricks like OS X.

I had to fiddle with the sensitivity on the touchpad to keep my cursor from jumping as I typed, which didn’t help the multitouch.

Features

One Key Recovery — a small key on the left side activates this useful backup and restore utility. The software utility is simple to understand and use, even for novices.

Intel WiDi — Intel’s wireless display technology allows users to project the IdeaPad’s screen onto an HDTV via a separately sold adapter.

Software — Thankfully, there isn’t much crapware on board this notebook. The programs that are included are actually useful: Microsoft Security Essentials, SRS Premium Sound, Google Chrome. Trialware includes 30 days of Computrace LoJack for Laptops and Absolute Data Security.

Performance

Ultrabooks were never meant to be powerhouses, though they aren’t supposed to be as basic as netbooks. The U300s will deliver just fine for most users with this configuration — 1.8-GHz Intel Core i7-2677M (Sandy Bridge) processor, 4GB of RAM, 256GB SSD. Apps open in seconds thanks to the fast SSD, and the system handled multitasking well. I was able to run Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome with upwards of 10 tabs in each at the same time without noticeable lag or struggling.

When editing large images the notebook didn’t hesitate when cropping, applying filters, etc. Editing HD video taxed the system visibly, though it finalized my 10 minute project in under a half an hour. Depending on how many programs you have open, the U300s can resume from sleep in as little as 3 seconds, though sometimes is took as long as 20.

Due to the integrated graphics meaningful gaming is right out. Even Flash-based Facebook games like Zuma Blitz and Bejeweled Blitz didn’t run as smoothly or speedily as I like.

Lenovo included several power profiles to help users squeeze more hours from the battery or bump performance when needed. While using the notebook to write, post to blogs and social networks, and stream music, it lasted a little under 5 hours with the screen brightness at 40%. However, on the Laptop Magazine Battery Test (constant web surfing over Wi-Fi at 40% brightness) the ultrabook lasted 6 hours and 18 minutes. With the ultra power saving feature on I was able to use the notebook for 4 hours and only got down to 35% battery.

The Competition

The U300S comes in two configurations. Our review unit retails for around $1,499. A model with a 1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-2457M processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD retails for $1,050. However, if you buy through Lenovo.com you’ll pay a lot more.

The less expensive config will suit most mainstream users who aren’t heavy multitaskers and who don’t edit heavy duty projects.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s vs. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

Apple’s MacBook Air line is obviously the template for the ultrabook concept and the summit to which many PC makers aspire. Lenovo avoided making their entry into an obvious Air clone on the outside, though both have similar internal specs. An Air with a Core i7 CPU and the same amount of RAM and internal storage costs $1,699, $200 more than the U300s.

What do you get for that extra cash? A 1400 x 900 pixel display, backlit keyboard, an SD card slot, a Thunderbolt port in addition to two USB 2.0 ports, and Bluetooth 4.0.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s vs. Toshiba Portege Z835

The Toshiba Portege Z835 costs just $849 at Best Buy and includes an Ethernet port, a memory card slot, an extra USB port plus backlit keys. It also weighs less than most netbooks (2.47 pounds). However, it’s powered by a Core i3 processor and has no Bluetooth.

Consumers looking for a notebook that performs basic tasks with aplomb won’t mind the less powerful processor. However, for multitaskers, the Portege at that price isn’t as good a choice.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Review – This Stylin’ Ultrabook Is No MacBook Air Clone is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

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