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.

Unlike many business notebooks, the HP ProBook 5330m has backlit keys, good Beats Audio and a premium on looks.

Pros

A durable frame with good looks wraps up a decently powerful notebook with features like Beats Audio, backlit keys, enhanced security options, pay as you go 3G and good performance.

Cons

The 5330m has a nice screen, but the lack of a good matte display means you won’t like using this notebook outdoors. The keyboard is pretty good, but the key placement leaves something to be desired. Also, the touchpad could be bigger.

A Business Notebook with a Fun Side

Quick Specs

The HP ProBook 5330m has an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and a 500GB 7200 RPM hard drive. The 13.3″ display has a 1366 by 768 resolution and an anti-glare coating, but it is not a traditional matte display. The notebook includes a fingerprint reader, bluetooth 2.0 and WiFi a/b/g/n as well as a cellular connection through Sprint.

Who is the HP ProBook 5330M for?

HP is aiming the ProBook at business professionals who want a notebook that can easily go from the office to home and on business trips without looking like you’re stuck with a boring business machine.

Students should also consider this well-built and affordable notebook. Unlike many other business notebooks I recommend to students, this one has better than average sound, backlit keys and good looks — all more important to this segment than it is in the corporate world.

HP ProBook 5330M Review Video

Watch the video review of the HP ProBook 5330m to learn more about this business notebook and get a closer look at the build, features and performance.

Build and Design

HP focused heavily on the design of the ProBook 5330m, and it shows. The two-tone brushed aluminum finish is appealing to the eyes and feels good in the hand. The notebook has a metal case that adds to the durability and overall premium feel of the machine, and the magnesium alloy bottom is designed to withstand the on-the-go hazards of business use.

The notebook is under an inch thick, and lacks an optical drive, which helps it feel smaller in your hand and in your bag. Despite the small size, you get a full complement of ports.

The display has a drop hinge that helps keep a slim profile and a the black bezel helps tie together the whole look of the 5330m.

Along with the good looks is an attention to how the notebook feels in your hands. The soft magnesium alloy bottom feels good while carrying it around and offers a non-slip surface when used in your lap. The brushed aluminum on the lid and palmrest also feels nice, though the palm area can get warm after long sessions of use.

Features

Beats Audio, Security and Business Features

HP includes a number of nice features on this notebook, which are impressive to find in a business notebook that starts at $799. Some of the most notable features are;

Beats Audio – I’ll touch on the performance of Beats Audio more below, but suffice to say, this is better than the standard speakers in most systems.

Security – The ProBook 5330m has a number fo security features like a fingerprint reader, facial recognition (paired with your Bluetooth phone) and other enterprise security options.

HP QuickWeb – Don’t wait for the computer to boot all the way up, if you are in a hurry, you can boot right to a web browser to quickly look something up.

No Contract 3G Connectivity – Purchase access on Sprint’s network with the HP DataPass option and avoid paying for service when you don’t need to be connected.

Display

HP kept the display small on this portable machine, but I wish they had bumped up the resolution a bit, so that you get more screen space. There is an anti-glare coating on the display, but during my time using the notebook on a sunny day, I had to go find shade to get any real work done. This is a disappointment on a business notebook, and a surprise to me when I sat down in the sun.

The display has an anti-glare coating, but isn't great outdoors.

Viewing angles are sufficient indoors, but this is primarily a notebook you will want to use for yourself while in your office or on the road.

For watching videos and doing presentations, you’ll be OK with the colors, but the white is a but blue-ish when compared to the display on the MacBook Air, and colors don’t pop as much.

Keyboard and TouchPad

The keys on the ProBook 5330m are coated in HP Duracoat to allow them to last longer than your average key. While I can’t test this, the actual use of the keys feels pretty good. The two biggest issues I had with the keys are flatness and placement.

While travel and spacing was very good and I could type without slowing down much, the keys are too flat for my liking. I would prefer a bit of curvature to the keys for a better feel.

As far as placement, the right column of keys is dedicated to home, pg up, pg dn, end and >. This is great if you use these keys everyday and have no use for backspace, enter and shift. Sadly, I use these three keys on a daily basis and the extra indentation made it a pain to find them reliably while touch typing.

The touchpad on the 5330m is small, but performs admirably, even with tasks that normally give windows touchpads an issue, like two finger scrolling. There are two dedicated rubbery buttons that are easy to find and responsive to touch.

You can turn off the touchpad with a double tap in the upper left corner if it is in your way while typing, but I didn’t have any issues with my palms moving the mouse.

Performance, Battery Life and Multimedia

The ProBook 5330m I have in for review has an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and integrated graphics. This setup proved to be more than enough power for standard office work, watching videos and web browsing. Opening up large excel files didn’t bog down the machine, nor did running many applications, browsers and playing music at the same time.

When I got into more intensive tasks like photo editing or video editing, I could get some work done, but if these are your primary tasks, you will want to look for a different notebook.

During heavy use, or after long periods of use, the notebook will get a little warm, but it is not too hot to use on your lap.

Battery life on the 5330m is rated at just over five hours by HP. Using the Laptop Magazine battery testing tool, which simulates web browsing with the screen set at 40% brightness, the HP ProBook was able to last three hours and thirty minutes. This is representative of what you might expect under normal use, but if you use the built in HP Power Assistant, you can get closer to the five-hour mark when long life is more important.

As I mentioned, the notebook has Beats Audio for a premium audio experience. While you won’t be replacing a home audio system, the ProBook has a very capable set of speakers and sounds noticeably better than standard business notebooks. Plugging in good quality headphones also helps delivery better sounding music.

While the low-end is still lacking, Girl Talk’s Oh No, which has everything from War Pigs to Teach Me to Dougie, sounded quite good. The music had a crisp sound and there was a depth to the music and clear left and right audio that added to the listening experience.

Connectivity

The HP ProBook 5330m does not have an optical drive, which might bother som users, but other than that you have a full complement of ports including VGA and HDMI.

Left Side: Kensington, VGA, eSATA/USB 2.0, HDMI, SD Card Slot

Right Side: Headphone/Mic Jack, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 (Sleep and Charge), Ethernet, Power

Value

Starting at $799, the HP ProBook 5330m offers an amazing value. Many users will be satisfied with the slower Core i3 processor on the cheaper model, but even the model we had for review offered a great experience for reasonable price.

Both business users and students would be well served to check this model out closely before settling for a business notebook with fewer consumer friendly features or picking up an all plastic notebook from the shelves of Best Buy.

HP ProBook 5330m Gallery

HP Probook 5330m Review — Business and Beats Sounds Good is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The simple utility will run in the background and shows you a live preview as you hover over your OS X Dock icons. If you have more than one instance of that application running it shows you all of the windows for most applications. For example, in the image below I have two Microsoft Word documents open. When I hover over the Word icon in the Dock it shows me two live previews of each dock. Move your mouse point over one of the previews and a preview of that document will fill the entire screen, with a slightly colored hue to visually tell you it’s not open but just a Dockview preview. Click on one of the live previews and it will bring that window to the front, ready for you to use.

Notice the Live Previews as I hover over the Word Dock icon

The live previews also have a keystroke, which you can use to bring the window to the forefront. It assigns keystrokes using the Command key and numbers. If you have two windows they will each have a keystroke for bringing it forward (Command+1 for the first and Command+2 for the second and so on).

Below is the company’s demo video:

The Dockview icon doesn’t show up in the dock itself by default, but runs as a menulet. From there you can adjust all of the many preferences which let you control how you want Dockview to work.

You can change the color and look of the live previews. You can change the hotkeys for engaging windows. You can also change which kinds of windows you want that will have live previews.

I love this utility, which you can get in the Mac App Store for just $4.99. When you first install the app it warns you that it doesn’t behave well with Dock Magnification turned on in OS X, but I didn’t have much trouble even with magnification turned on.

Dockview Brings Live Windows Style Previews to Mac Doc Icons [Review] is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

I used this laptop for about a month and wasn’t blown away, yet it quietly impressed me. For someone with basic needs who wants enough horsepower to occasionally tackle more demanding tasks — like making movies, working on family vacation pictures or playing a few causal games at a great price — the DV4T is your computer.

Pros and Cons

Video Review

Design

In the day of MacBook Air or Samsung Series 9 styling, a small machine like the DV4T actually seems chunky, but pick it up and you realize you have a decent mobile machine with a screen large enough for older eyes. The dark lid with a subtle diagonally crossed patter would have grabbed attention ten years ago, but today looks more business than consumer. The metallic accents add a little to the design, making it stand out a tad more than the run-of-the-mill budget laptop.

Despite the glossy finish on the lid and wrist rest, the computer doesn’t show as many fingerprints as some machines. I have naturally oily skin so almost all laptops attract my fingerprints, but this one doesn’t collect them as badly as some.

The DV4T has all the ports you’d expect on a budget all-rounder. Along the right side (below) you get a DVD burner, mic/audio ports, USB 2.0 port and charging connector.

On the left (below) there is a Kensington lock, the air vent , VGA out, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and 2 USB 2.0 ports. Closest to the front left corner you have two LEDs for power and disk activity.

The front only sports an SD card reader on the left side (below) with the rest taken up by decent Altec Lansing speakers with Dolby Home Theatre 4 sound.

The back features nothing but the hinges and HP’s name.

Keyboard

The island or chiclet style keyboard gives the user a full-sized feel and keys are spaced well. After awhile you to get used to the feel and I was banging away on it without much trouble. I’d say the DV4T keyboard is middling at best.

The fn/F-keys along the top row give the user a typical set of features like brightness and volume control among others. You can get a nice upgrade over the baseline configuration with a backlit keyboard, something that makes typing in lower light a dream. At just $25 more I’d jump on it if you’re configuring your own system at HP.

Touchpad

The DV4T has a typical under-sized Synaptics touchpad with split keys for right/left click. Touch was responsive but the two finger scrolling gesture needs to be smoother. Also, why can’t PC makers learn from Apple? They have great trackpads on MacBooks.

The HP trackpad had a textured feel that seemed grimy. It’s not dust, since I cleaned it. I didn’t like the feel.

Display

For a budget laptop, the DV4′s 14″ inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution provided a decently bright image. I prefer brighter screens and am willing to sacrifice battery life to get it. Few laptops give me a bright enough screen at a frugal 50%, but this one was plenty bright enough with enough contrast to make it very usable at half brightness. The resulting battery life was a pleasure, giving me over 6 hours most of the time.

The wide viewing angle makes the DV4T  useful for working with a some coworkers flanking you on either side without either missing out.

Text and color both looked good. Text was crisp enough for long typing or reading sessions, and colors were faithful. Pictures and videos looked nice.

Sadly, it still has a glossy finish, making it hard to view in direct light. While not as bad as some laptops I’ve tested, I won’t be using it out on the porch at my favorite local coffee shop, something I can do with better screens. However, in a normally lit room it works fine.

Audio

The Altec Lansing speakers with Dolby Sound may not have the richest sound, but they do provide ample volume for use in the average work environment. Headphones or external speakers are better still. Most budget laptops skimp on sound, but not HP. These speakers create a good listening experience compared to other budget laptops. Music, movies, and video all sounded fine.

Performance

The DV4T provides enough power for simple tasks and a little headroom for occasionally performing more demanding tasks. I am the kind of user that HP had in mind when configuring this machine. I seldom play graphics-intensive games and mostly do office work or Internet browsing. While I do like to do some visually creative tasks like photo and video editing, I don’t fault this computer for not measuring up in those area at this price point. You don’t buy a $500 laptop and get mad because it takes a little longer to encode video.

Still, I do wish the video card was beefier. An Intel HD Graphics 3000 handles most of my tasks but I do have one application that takes most computers to their knees if they don’t measure up in hard drive speed, processor speed and graphics power. Soon after launching it the fans started whirring and everything slowed down.

If you have powerful software that needs a lot of high-end specs thrown at it, then look elsewhere. If you type papers, work in an office, or just need a basic computer for around the house but not for serious gaming, then the DV4 has enough power without making you tear your hair out.

Battery Life

With the basic 6-cell battery HP promised 7.25 hours. In my real-world test I was able to get a little over 6 hours. In our battery drain test using it still hit the 5:45.

The HP power brick is standard. I’m spoiled by the Apple Magsafe power cords, which are small with great cord management. Why can PC manufacturers get a little imaginative in the little things, like power bricks. With the decent battery life, you may not need to carry it.

Value

For the average Windows 7 user, the HP Pavilion DV4T will serve you well. At $500 it competes with netbooks and low-end laptops. With a machine like this available I’d never get a netbook, since I can have a little more screen real estate at just $100-$150 more. With some customizations at HP’s web site, you can overcome a few of the limitations by adding a faster 7200 rpm hard drive or jumping to a 750GB 7200 rpm hard drive without adding too much expense. As I suggested above the backlit keyboard only adds another $25. With the upgrades you still have a decently priced computer with just a little more power and function at around $700. And remember that just after shipping me this review unit HP updated the processor to a faster Core i5.

With my oldest son going off to college soon, this would be a great machine for him. I might just get him one to replace his 5-year-old HP DV5T, which died only recently.

Function trumps specs every time, so, I can say that I’d recommend this system to friends and family if they were looking for an inexpensive computer to get some basic work done at home or while on the road. So long as you are not a creative type or a gamer, you should be happy with it.

Head on over to HP to configure yours starting at $479.99 or check out the deals at Amazon.

Pros

• Decent value for the price
• Nicely spaced keyboard
• Decent display with good viewing angle
• Good battery life
• Better than average sound
• Glossy cover and wrist rest don’t attract fingerprints

Cons

• Under-powered graphics card
• Grimy feeling touchpad that’s too small

HP DV4 Gallery

HP Pavilion DV4T Review: A Decent All-round Laptop for a Good Price is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

We put the M17x through the paces with today’s top games, like Call of Duty Black Ops with settings cranked to the max, and found ourselves with power to spare. While it didn’t improve our gaming skills, getting killed in Call of Duty never looked so beautiful.

The Alienware M17x Strikes a Bright and Intimidating Pose

Quick Specs

Inside the sleek black exterior you’ll find a blazing fast Intel Core i7 2.2Ghz Sandy Bridge quad core processor, 8GB RAM and 1.35TB of Storage in RAID0. From a graphics standpoint, our unit was configured with an AMD Radeon HD 6970M GPU with 1GB RAM.

The notebook has a Blu-Ray drive and a 17″ display with 1080P resolution so that you can game in full HD. The notebook also includes Intel Wireless Display and the WirelessHD for multiple wireless display options.

Who is the Alienware M17x For?

The Alienware M17x is a notebook for gamers and power users, but mostly gamers. If you want a notebook that won’t leave you wanting when it comes to gaming, this is one of the notebooks you need at the top of your list.

The notebook is portable enough that you can take it to a LAN party, but this isn’t meant to go out on a daily basis. If you like to play console games too, you’ll appreciate the HDMI-in port that allows you to use the display just like you would your HDTV. If you need loads of power for demanding programs, Alienware is also a popular choice, but you should also consider mobile workstations.

Hands On Video

Build and Design

The Alienware M17x keeps the same distinct look you are used to, which means defined edges and a very strong look. This time around though, the M17x looks more refined. There are still plenty of lights and vents galore, but the finish feels a little better on your hands and the notebook is a bit trimmer, perhaps as svelte as you can expect on a 17″ gaming notebook.

The Alienware M17x Has Defined Lines, But A Svelter Body.

The M17x feels very solid in your hands, and that’s not because it is a hefty notebook. The hinges are sturdy and overall build quality is impressive.

The design is something you’ll either love or hate. The defined edges and corners are exactly what you would expect on an Alienware machine, and mix well with the vent lights and backlit keyboard.

Customize the look of your Alienware M17x keyboard with With Built-in Software.

You can use the Alienware FX studio to change the color of the backlighting and any LED-lit areas. The studio allows you to use pretty much any color you can create by dragging the color sliders around. You can even have the keyboard zones set for different colors for looks or for fast locating while gaming. Sadly you can’t pick the color of individual keys, or of the WASD keys.

Features

The Alienware M17x has a laundry list of features, but the biggest feature is the fact that this notebook is ready for gaming. During my time with the notebook, there wasn’t a time where I needed to to turn down settings or noticed lag. This is thanks to a speedy processor, powerful GPU and plenty of RAM. If you can afford it, pick up the Wireless HD upgrade, which will allow you to wirelessly use your HDTV as a bigger display when you are at home.

Display

The Alienware M17x  has a great looking 17.3″ display with a full 1080P resolution. This means you’ll have a full HD gaming experience no matter where you are. You can also use the HDMI-in to turn this display into your connection for a console or for another computer if you need a second display.

Opt for the 1080P HD Display Upgrade if You can Afford it.

This upgrade is a must in my book, not only for gaming, but also for using the notebook to get work done. At 1080P, you can work on two documents side by side, or watch a movie on one side while you work on the other side.

When gaming, the display is wonderful. Colors are nice and rich, with no noticeable ghosting or lag during my time with the notebook. Playing Call of Duty Black Ops on this HD display was a joy, as was using the HDMI in to play other games from an Xbox 360.

Keyboard and Touchpad

This isn’t a keyboard I would pick for work, but if you need to tap out a few term papers or wrap up the occasional work project you will be alright. The keys feel good, with a soft finish and offer a large surface to hit while you are gaming. The only real disappointment I have with the keyboard is the amount of give in the WASD key area. As you saw n the hands on video above, the M17x keyboard bows heavily in this area. An area you would expect to be top notch in a gaming notebook.

The Alienware M17x has a Decent Keyboard, but Mushy WASD Keys.

The mousepad on the mousepad performs well enough for random gaming sessions, web browsing and daily use. That said, I would still pack an external mouse in your bag for gaming sessions, but in all it was a decent, and spacious, touchpad.

Processor and Performance

There’s not much to say about the Alienware M17x performance. The quad core Core i7 processor and Radeon HD 6970 GPU make for an amazing team. Unlike some powerful combos, the M17x handles your day to day tasks just as well as it does the power intense gaming and movie creation tasks.

As you’ll see below, the M17x is suited well for gamers, but is also a good fit for end users who need access to portable processing power. After testing out Adobe CS 5.5 on the unit I was not left wanting. Sony Vegas Movie Studio also made quick work of several video projects.

Multimedia and Gaming

The M17x is the first gaming notebook I have used, where I had to turn all of the settings up when I entered a game. From Portal 2 to Call of Duty Black Ops and Just Cause 2, the games performed brilliantly on high settings. The details looked sharp and there was no slow down while playing. Sadly, this does not translate into making me a better gamer, but getting killed in Call of Duty never looked so good.

If you want to play the latest games out there, without worrying about your settings or slow down, the M17x will get you there.

If you need a larger screen to game on, just turn on Wireless HD. This optional upgrade allows you to play games lag free on a wireless external display. You can check out the video below for a demonstration of the WirelessHD system and adapter in use.

When it comes to watching movies or TV on the M17x, you can use the built in display, or use the Wireless HDMI setup shown above. This proved a great way to get past the pesky Hulu Plus restrictions on shows you can watch on your Xbox 360 or mobile device.

Audio and Speakers

The speakers in this large notebook are by Klipsch, and include a dedicated subwoofer. The system offers a 5.1 surround experience, which can help you place the location of others while gaming, and can handle digital 7.1 sorround sound over HDMI or SPDIF.

The speakers handle in game audio well, and the virtual surround was easy enough to hear while walking about a level with flames in Portal 2. I personally have trouble placing and reacting to the noises in a fast paced game like Call of Duty, but if your reactions are faster this could give you an edge.

The Backlit Vents Channel Sound Towards you.

Music sounds good, but there was a surprising lack of bass given the dedicated subwoofer. Overall audio quality for music is OK, but don’t think the subwoofer will deliver pounding bass.

Watching movies is a enjoyable, even with much background noise in a scene the dialogue was easy to understand.

Heat and Noise

This notebook can get hot during gaming sessions, but you should expect this from a 17″ Quad Core gaming notebook that isn’t meant to sit on your lap anyway.

Noise wasn’t loud enough to disturb gaming sessions, and shouldn’t be an issue during your average web browsing.

Battery Life

Obviously the Alienware M17x has a healthy appetite for power, but the ability to switch to the integrated Intel GPU will earn you some decent on the go battery life. Using the Laptop Magazine Battery Testing tool, which simulates web browsing, the M17x lasted four hours and 11 minutes.

Gaming will cut into this, as will watching videos, but if you need battery-powered web browsing, you can get through half a day. Impressive given the poor battery life of single GPU systems we have used before.

Connectivity

The Alienware M17X has a handy collection of ports, including a few you don’t normally find on a notebook.

Left: Kensington, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, Displayport, USB 3.0, USB 3.0, SP DIF, Mic, Headphone, Headphone

Right: Blu-Ray Drive, SD card Reader, USB 2.0, USB 2.0, eSata USB Combo, HDMI In

The front of the notebook has no ports, and the rear only has a power port.

The 2.0MP webcam proved capable for Skype calls, delivering a good video chat experience and accurate colors on images.

Value

The Alienware M17x notebooks start at $1,499, which is an attractive price for a gaming notebook. The unit we reviewed, with the display and WiHD upgrades, as well as RAID hard drives, 8GB RAM and a high-end video card actually clocks in around $2,500.

If you are looking for a dedicated gaming machine, and you have the money to spend, you certainly get a lot of bang or your money. If you are a casual gamer, you may want to look at the entry-level specs, which are still pretty impressive, or look at the M11x and M14x, which have lower starting prices and similar options.

Conclusion

When it comes to unbridled power and striking looks, the Alienware M17x delivers. You won’t be left wanting a bit more power while gaming, and the ability to get on Facebook and surf the web for four hours while on the go is also a nice touch.

The experience is complete thanks to the 1080P HD screen upgrade and the ability to game and entertain on the big screen with Wireless HD. WiHD may be an expensive add-on, but it’s central to the enjoyment I had with this powerful gaming notebook.

Alienware M17x Gallery

Alienware M17x Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The app works with BusyCal, Entourage, and Outlook as well. I don’t use any of those, but assuming it behaves the same way with all four calendar tools, it will be fantastic for you too.

Being able to enter appointments using natural language makes this app stand out. Plenty of calendar apps let you add appointments from a Menu bar, but with Fantastical I just type something like the following:

Meet with John on Saturday at Noon at the Coffee Shop.

The app populates the important fields as follows:

• Meet with John – becomes appointment title
• on Saturday – goes to date field choosing next Saturday
• at Noon – goes to time field
• at the coffee shop – enters The Coffee Shop into location

The menu icon when clicked shows you a calendar with today’s date circled. If you have typed in an appointment, the date of the appointment will be highlighted in blue. Above the calendar you will find the entry fields to add an appointment (left) or search for appointments already in the calendar (right). If you can’t remember when you were supposed to go to the doctor next month, just type doctor and it will list all the appointments with the word doctor associated with them.

Below the calendar Fantastical shows a listing of the next few appointments. That way you can quickly see what your day will be like without opening your calendar application.

In preferences you can set the app to add alarms to your new appointments so that you won’t miss an appointment. The alarm will sound on your computer or on your smart phone, if you have the calendar setup to sync new appointments to it. I use Google Calendar for this kind of syncing and it works great with my iPad or my Android phone.

When you do as I did in my example above and enter a person’s name, the name will be highlighted. You can then mouse over the name and a drop-down list of contacts with that name will show up. Click the proper contact to invite him or her to the appointment.

The app integrates with Alfred and LaunchBar, two Mac OS X utilities. Alfred searches your Mac and the Internet, and LaunchBar provides keyboard computer control to OS X so you can use shortcuts to do many different tasks on the computer. Developers can add Fantastical integration as well, as can users who create scripts using AppleScript, the OS X built-in automation tool.

In the short time I’ve used the app I’ve become very impressed and can’t imagine not using Fantastical to enter appointments and interact with my calendar.

You can still get the app via MacUpdate Promo , a package of 11 useful OS X tools, for about $50 or in the Mac App Store for $19.99.

Fantastical: Fantastic Calendar Management For Everyone is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The new desk is the WorkFit-D, which offers a full size desk that raises and lowers. It is also compatible with the Ergotron Arms for Monitors so that you can get just the right size.

The WorkFit-D is the sit stand desk I have been looking for. I have reviewed the WorkFit-C, a sit stand desk on wheels with a small worksurface. I have also used the WorkFit-S, which bolts on to your existing desk too. I like both of these solutions, but I miss the full work surface that you get with a traditional desk. The new WorkFit-D solves this problem beautifully.

WorkFit-D Sit Stand Desk

The WorkFit-D can be raised or lowered in a 20″ range and offers a 23″ deep x 48″ wide workspace. There are a number of accessories which can be added including monitor arms, a keyboard and mouse mount as well as a floor mat to fight fatigue from standing.

In addition to the new desk which retails for $899, Ergotron has updated the WorkFit-C. The new version looks much nicer, less clinical, than the early version. This retails for around $800 depending on your configuration.

The WorkFit-S remains as it was, but they do offer several new accessories including a tablet/paper holder, attachable work surface and more to customize the experience. The thing I like most about this unit is the affordable price and ability tot work with almost any existing desk. The WorkFit-S starts at $379.

Each of these Sit Stand configurations support one to two monitors and can be configured with a monitor and a laptop if you desire. The company is now offering conversion kits for users that want to switch form a Laptop/LCD configuration to dual LCD etc.

I have been using a sit stand desk for over a year now and my back is loving it. The extra calories I burn while i stand are also quite helpful when holiday season arrives. I’m not getting skinny using a sit stand desk, but my back is noticeably better and my weight stays in check better.

While I ma in the process of moving I haven’t had my sit stand desk, which has given me some back pain and a hit in productivity as I feel more confined.

For more on the sit stand revolution, check out our Sit Stand Desk Guide with measurements examples and the info you need to get started with a DIY desk.

Ergotron Launches WorkFit-D: Full Size Sit Stand Desk is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

This 14″ notebook is part of Gateway’s ID series of notebooks, which are designed to deliver more style and performance than you would normally expect from a Gateway notebook.

Based on my limited time with the notebook so far, the Gateway ID47H02u is not your average Gateway, and worth a closer look for notebook shoppers who want a good looking notebook with great specs and an affordable price tag.

The Gateway ID47H02u retails for $699 at Newegg and other retailers.

Gateway ID47H02 Display

The size of the Gateway ID47 is what strikes you the first time you see the notebook. You see, the 14″ display runs edge to edge. The super thin bezel not only looks nice, but allows for the ID47 to fit inside a 13″ frame. This size difference doesn’t sound like much, but when you compare it next to a typical 14″ notebook it’s quite striking.

Gateway ID47 v Lenovo 370 v Thinkpad T420s

Once you get past the size of this sleek little notebook, you’ll find a decent set of specs. There’s an Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive and Intel HD 3000 graphics. The small notebook even packs in a DVD Super Multi Drive and a full collection of ports like USB 3.0, USB Sleep and Charge, VGA, HDMI and an SD card reader.

There’s also a decent set of speakers tucked into the small frame of the ID 47 which get a boost from the Dolby Home Theater v4 audio technology. We’ve been impressed with Dolby’s latest audio and the ID 47 is no exception. Instead of muffled sound, made worse by palms blocking small speaker holes we have a full sound that was able to fill up my small office without distortion. I do wish the volume would go a little louder, but it is respectable for a notebook at this size and price.

Gateway ID47H02 Edge to Edge Display

The keyboard and extra-wide mousepad are both good, though the mousepad is a bit touchy when you put two fingers on it. I’m not sold on the key placement which puts Gateway’s Social Media Button where you would expect the backspace key and volume controls where I expect to find Shift and Enter. That said, the actual key spacing and travel are pretty good.

Stay tuned for our full review of the Gateway ID47H02u as I put this notebook through its paces and see how the new display technology.

Gateway ID47H02 Gallery

Gateway ID47H02u Review: First Impressions is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Ristretto I reviewed is made for the MacBook, 13″MacBook Pro and 13″ MacBook Air. There is also a smaller version which is designed to fit the MacBook Air 11″ just right.

After using this Tom Bihn bag for a few trips and as a daily driver, I am impressed with the protection, comfort and ability to carry exactly what I want; without tempting me to take along more than I need.

At $120 this bag isn’t cheap, but as I recently told a college, it’s worth every penny. If you want a cheaper Macbook Air bag, check out the Timbik2 Quickie XS which Xavier just picked up at GottaBeMobile.

Protection

The notebook section of the Ristretto offers good protection thanks to a padded compartment, complete with a fold over lid that seals the top of the notebook in and keeps it protected as well. The padding carries over to the bottom of the bag, so you won’t ding up your Macbook Pro when you set the bag down.

There is a small amount of space ion between the padded notebook compartment which is just the right size for an iPad or an Android tablet. This area is not as padded, but I felt safe placing my tablet in this small section with the screen facing the padded notebook compartment.

As you move further away, you have a zippered compartment and an open area with pockets. I routinely kept a Macbook Air charger in the zipped compartment as well as a MiFi and a review phone in the other pockets. I was hesitant to keep the phone in these pockets because the top of the Ristretto buckles in place in one spot, leaving an open area, but during my use I didn’t drop anything I kept in these pockets.

The open area was empty for the first few days, but turned out to be just the right size for carrying my Nikon D5100 around town. This section isn’t padded, so I wouldn’t do this on a flight or without some additional layer of protection.

Carrying Power

As you can see, I was able to fit quite a bit of tech in a very small bag. The Tom Bihn Ristretto is one of my favorite notebook bags because it allows me to carry something very small, without feeling like I have to make choices about what I carry. Normally when I pick up a bag that is this size I end up switching to a bigger bag within 2 weeks, but as long as I am taking my Air with me, it’s in the Ristretto.

As you can see, I was able to fit quite a bit of tech in a very small bag. The Tom Bihn Ristretto is one of my favorite notebook bags because it allows me to carry something very small, without feeling like I have to make choices about what I carry. Normally when I pick up a bag that is this size I end up switching to a bigger bag within 2 weeks, but as long as I am taking my Air with me, it’s in the Ristretto.

Comfort

The small Ristretto is also comfortable to carry thanks to the upgraded shoulder strap. This option bumps the price up $150, but is worth it if you plan to carry as much gear as I do on a daily basis.

Recommendation

The Tom Bihn Ristretto for 13″ MacBooks offers a killer combination of size and well laid out storage space. At $120, it is well priced for the value it delivers. I would be hesitant to use the inner pockets for anything important if I had to put the bag flat through a scanner, but for any other situation they are deep enough to keep your gadgets safe. You can purchase the Tom Bihn Ristretto in several color combinations to suit your taste.

Tom Bihn Ristretto 13 MacBook Air 13″ Bag Gallery

Tom Bihn Ristretto Review: An Amazing MacBook Air Bag is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.