It’s hard to find the perfect bag or backpack, but even harder to find a bag that adjusts to carry a different set of gadgets and gear every day.

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag can do just that, slimming down when I need to carry just a notebook, and expanding when I need to carry two notebooks, two tablets and a DSLR.

For the past 6 months I’ve abused the Tom Bihn Brain Bag from Detroit to Denver and through a long week in Vegas covering CES 2012.

I’m impressed with the versatility and the durability of the Brain Bag. Because I can grow and shrink the bag to fit my needs for that day it is my go-to bag.

Tom Bihn Brain Bag

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag has room for 2 Brain Cell notebook cases. These light, but durable cases lock into the compartment to offer a higher level of protection that can easily be removed to double as a stand alone bag.

Tom Bihn sent over one Vertical Brain Cell with the Brain Bag, and it is a perfectly sized for the MacBook Air. Larger sizes are available for almost any notebook. The Vertical Brain Cell is $60.

Brain Cell inside Tom Bihn Brain Bag.

I like that this is a separate part of the bag, and that it provides protection on the base of the bag, a place where many bags skimp.

I often kept my MacBook Air in this spot, and in a pinch kept my iPad in between this and the remaining room.

Tom Bihn Freudian Slip

The next large section can hold a Brain Cell, but I used the Fredian Slip here to keep odds and ends and paper. The large pockets on the back of the Fruedian Slip proved perfect for any size tablet or a thin notebook like the Toshiba Portege z835.

When carrying two notebooks I keep one in this section behind the slip. I also keep adapters and a portable hard drive in the elastic sections at the base of the removable organizer. I used the Snake Charmer to carry my cables to CES and eventually to hold my iPhone 4S camera rig when not in use.

Tom Bihn Snake Charmer

When I arrived at CES I removed the Freudian Slip and the Snake Charmer to lighten the load without the need to do any real unpacking.

When I was in Detroit to check out how Ford is using technology to make awesome cars I had to have my notebook, iPad and a camera on hand, and the front section of the bag proved large enough to hold my Nikon D5100 DSLR without bulging.

A portion of what I carry in the Tom Bihn Brain Bag.

I really like the ability to use the four straps on the sides of the bag to tighten up the bag when I am only carrying a notebook, or let them out when I have a lot of gadgets in the bag. This versatility allows me to pack heavy for a trip and go slim when I arrive.

In addition to the two main compartments, the Tom Bihn Brain Bag includes a large top pocket that is perfect for iPhone battery cases or a MiFi. On each side there is a pocket large enough for a water bottle complete with interior pockets for pens and papers. There is a mesh pocket on the outside of the left pocket as well.

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag has plenty of pockets.

In between the pockets is a hook and latch system that can hold a water bottle, thermos or an umbrella.

The bag is water-resistant and has a water-repellent finish to keep rain and snow from damaging your gadgets and documents. The overall build of the bag is great with little wear noticeable after six months of use.

The bag is comfortable to wear even when loaded up with multiple laptops and tablets and includes a removable chest strap.

I highly recommend the Tom Bihn Brain Bag and accessories to travelers that need a durable, versatile bag. The Brain Bag is well worth the $150 price, especially considering the ability to do the job of more than one bag.

Buy the Tom Bihn Brain Bag at Tom Bihn for $150.

Tom Bihn Brain Bag Gallery

Tom Bihn Brain Bag Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

With tax time and Spring cleaning syncing up in March and April, you may find yourself in need of a great shredder. But you’ll need more time even more than you need a great shredder, which is where the Swingline Stack and Shred 60X comes in.

There’s no shortage of great shredders, but the Swingline Stack and Shred 60X stands out because you can put up to 60 sheets of paper into the shredder at once, close the lid and walk away while it shreds your sensitive documents.

My favorite part of this shredder is that I don’t have to waste 15 minutes to shred a bunch of mail and old tax documents. I’ve used the Stack and Shred for the last month, and I like it as much as I liked the larger capacity Stack and Shred 100X (review).

For a home office, I like the smaller size of the Stack and Shred 60X, which fits under my desk in the corner of my office. The shredder is quiet enough that I can take a call while it keeps shredding the 60 sheets I stuffed in it. I try to avoid paper, but there are some things you can’t escape. If you still get paper documents you need shredded the new, more affordable, Stack and Shred 60X is a good solution.

Stack and Shred Video Review

The video below is a review of the Stack and Shred 100X, which is very similar. The 60X handles 60 sheets at a time instead of 100, and features a manual load slot on the top for paper.

The new Stack and Shred models feature a slot to manually shred 5 sheets, credit cards and thick glossy paper. This is a nice touch, as it is annoying to open the shredder up again and again if you end up with multiple single sheets to shred.

The shredder will cross-cut shred your paper document and provides “security level 3″ credit card shredding. The Stack and Shred can handle paperclips or staples in any corner, so you don’t need to organize your documents or remove staples and clips before you put them in the shredder. The Stack and Shred has a 4 gallon basket to hold lots of shredded paper.

The Stack and Shred 60X has a good feel and appears very durable. The last Swingline Stack and Shred I reviewed is sill in use at a local university where it shreds sheet after sheet on a daily basis.

At $150, you might think about picking up a $15 shredder instead, but if you have a lot of shredding to do, and you value your time, you should consider the hands free Stack and Shred 60X.

I hate wasted time, and to me that includes spending 15 to 30 minutes shredding paper. With the Stack and Shred I can keep my office clean without putting work on hold.

Through April 9th, you can enter to win a Stack and Shred form Swingline on Facebook.

Swingline Stack and Shred 60X Review: Hands Free Shredding is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is a new take on PC from Dell.

For $999, you get an incredibly capable, attractive and compact notebook that will sway some buyers away form the MacBook Air 11.6″ model.

While this notebook isn’t perfect, it is one of  the best Dell notebooks I’ve used. From portability to performance, the XPS 13 Ultrabook brings a lot to the table.

The Dell XPS is the best Ultrabook we have used, which is why we are gave it a Notebooks.com Editor’s Choice Award.

The XPS 13 Ultrabook isn’t perfect, but if we only gave awards to perfect notebooks, we would never give out awards. The trackpad, which is our biggest complaint, will likely be fixed by Dell in a driver update, as they have in the past.

If you want an Ultrabook, the Dell XPS 13 offers beauty, the best build quality, and performance at an attractive price.

The Dell XPS 13 is a very compact notebook that is closer in size to the 11 inch MacBook Air than the 13 inch model. In many ways, the XPS 13 Ultrabook is best compared to the smaller MacBook Air. Both models are similar in size and build quality, both have the same 1366 x 768 resolution and both lack an SD card reader.

More importantly, the Dell XPS 13 starts at $999, just like the 11 inch Macbook Air. But, for the same price consumers get a bigger screen, double th hard drive space, double the RAM and a faster processor.

OS X fans may not be tempted to switch to the Dell XPS 13, but shoppers looking for value will appreciate the components and performance packed into the base model we are reviewing.

Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Air 13-Inch

Does the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook have what it takes to beat out the Ultrabook competition and win back users tempted by the looks and performance of the MacBook Air?

Find out in our Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook review.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Video Review

Watch our hands on review of the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook to get up close and personal with Dell’s first Ultrabook. From the aluminum lid to the carbon fiber base we have you covered with impressions of the keyboard, mouse and display.

Who is the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook for?

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is a notebook designed for users who are on the go. From students to travelers, the XPS 13 will be a good fit. The $999 entry-level model we are reviewing offers a faster processor than the MacBook Air 11.6″ and double the storage. If you want a sturdy notebook, the XPS 13 is right up there with Apple, beating out the Portege z835.

Professional creatives may be constrained by this entry-level model’s power, but Dell offers a Core i7 model for $1,499.

Design

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook has an anodized aluminum body, but instead of using metal on the bottom Dell opted for a soft touch carbon fiber finish that looks and feels great.

This notebook is very compact. At 12.4″ x 8.1″ x 0.24-0.71″ it is about the same size as the 11 inch MacBook Air, and noticeably smaller than the 13 inch MacBook Air. Users who want a very small package will appreciate this compact form factor, even if the XPS 13 is slightly thicker than the Macbook Air.

One of the things basic users will like most about the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is that you don’t need to make the typical trade off between screen size and overall size. The XPS 13 Ultrabook is the same size as many 11 inch notebooks, but delivers the screen size of the Toshiba Portege z835 and the HP Folio 13.

Users will also appreciate the build quality, which is higher, and feels nicer than the Portege z835.

I really like the soft touch finish on the palm rest and keyboard tray. The black looks great against the anodized aluminum edges, and it provides a comfortable place to rest your wrists while you use the XPS 13 Ultrabook.

The Dell XPS 13 has one USB 2.0 port, 1 USB 3.0 port, a DisplayPort and combo mic/headphone jack. There is no SD card slot.

Keyboard and Touchpad

I was really impressed with the keyboard on the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook. The keys feel great and offer good travel, the distance they need to go before being registered. Spacing is also excellent on the island style keyboard. Even though the notebook is compact, Dell didn’t make any weird key placement or sizing choices.

Unfortunately the glass touchpad is another story. While accurate and responsive to gestures, even three and four finger gestures, the touchpad has little to no palm rejection. Even with the settings cranked as high as possible, my cursor still jumped constantly while writing this review.

Another issue with the touchpad is the odd click zones. Too often while I was trying to tap to click anywhere on the touchpad I would activate a right-click. This doesn’t happen every time, but often enough that it was an issue.

If you can overlook these two issues you’ll enjoy the built in two, three and four finger gestures, which bring some of the magic from OS X to Windows with easy swipes to see currently open windows and to show your desktop. These weren’t enough to make up for the other issues in my experience.

These issues are most likely software based, so Dell could fix these complaints in a software upgrade.

Display

Dell is able to squeeze a 13 inch display in this small form factor thanks to a very small bezel, and strengthens the display with Gorilla Glass to prevent scratches and damage from mobile use.

The XPS 13 Ultrabook has a meager 1366 x 768 resolution, which will disappoint power users. This is the same resolution as the 11.6 inch MacBook Air, and the same as you’ll find on most 14 and 15.6 inch notebooks. This is acceptable on an entry-level notebook, but I wish there was an upgrade to a higher resolution display like the 1440 x 900 resolution on the 13 inch MacBook Air.

Colors look great on the 13 inch display and viewing angles on the Dell XPS 13 are also very good side to side. Colors quickly take a hit when you get off-center vertically, but in most use cases you can position the display to stay in the sweet spot. If you need to share the display with someone for a short YouTube clip you can, but I wouldn’t plan on watching a feature film with someone else on the XPS 13 Ultrabook.

Features

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook isn’t just a pretty face, Dell packs in features you will use and love. Thanks to Waves Maxx the XPS 13 has seriously good sound and Intel WiDi helps you connect to your HDTV with no wires.

WavesMaxx Audio – The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook comes with WavesMaxx Audio which delivers a premium sound experience in a small package. The sound is surprisingly clear and loud. You’ll hear a noticeable difference between the XPS 13 and the competition.

Carbon Fiber Base – The carbon fiber base isn’t just for looks. The Dell XPS 13 is able to stay cooler than the competition thanks to this base.

Wireless Display – If you have an optional $99 WiDI adapter you can wirelessly stream your desktop to your HDTV without any wires.

Performance and Graphics

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook review notebook we have is the base $999 model. This has a 1.60GHz Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor, 4GB RAM an a 128GB SSD.

The XPS 13 Ulrabook has the power to run your web browser, chat client and Office apps without any slowdowns, including hopping back and forth between them with ease.

I loaded up the included full copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, and edited a number of photos very quickly. The system didn’t struggle with quickly applying filter after filter, no did it struggle when I decided to undo my 18 changes by quickly hitting undo over and over.

The notebook handles streaming video with ease. I watched an episode of Family Guy on Hulu Plus at 720P while all the above apps were open. The XPS 13′s carbon fiber base and large vent kept the notebook nice and cool even at the end of a 20 minute episode.

One issue that users may have is fan noise. During most of the time I used the Dell XPS 13 the fan was audible. It was not so loud that it overpowered the music or audio on these speakers, but if you want a silent notebook, the XPS 13 is not it.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook resumes from sleep almost instantly, and boots to a usable state in 20-25 seconds.

Battery Life

The Dell XPS 13 is rated for 8.5 hours of battery life, but I came up short. Using the Laptop Magazine Battery Test, which simulates web browsing with the screen at 40% brightness I was able to record 6 hours an 19 minute of battery life.

This is good real world battery life for a compact and light notebook, on par with the rest of the Ultrabook notebooks we have tested. If you drop the screen brightness lower, you will likely achieve longer life, without making the notebook completely unusable.

The Bottom Line

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is an impressive notebook that delivers a lot in a small package, especially at $999. If the trackpad was as good as that on the Macbook Air I would say that Dell had bested Apple in that price range, but sadly that’s not the case.

If you plan to use an external mouse with the XPS 13 Ultrabook, you are in for a great experience. One that will suit Windows fans better than a 11 inch MacBook Air. If you have $999 to spend on a new notebook and the 11 inch MacBook Air’s 64GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM sounds cramped, the XPS 13 Ultrabook is a good option to look into.

Even though the XPS 13 carries the same size display as the 13 inch MacBook Air, the $300 price difference and the higher resolution of the Air put the two at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Gallery

Specs

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Review: Best Ultrabook Yet is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell XPS 14z is a step above the standard Dell notebook, but it comes with an attractive $799 starting price that puts it within the range of students and creative professionals on a budget.

The XPS 14z is thin and light, but unlike most notebooks in this category and the new Ultrabooks, the XPS 14z includes an optical drive.

Even though the XPS 14z starts at $799, it is a very capable notebook that includes features like a backlit keyboard, battery meter and great sound. The keyboard is mediocre and there are only two USB ports, but the XPS 14z is still a contender.

The Dell XPS 14z starts at $799, with power and good looks.

Who is the Dell XPS 14z for?

The Dell XPS 14z is a notebook for creative professionals and students in need of the horsepower to create movies and use programs like Photoshop and other Adobe products. The design is very similar to the MacBook Pro, which isn’t a bad thing, and will attract users who value a good-looking notebook with the specs to get work done.

Design

As I mentioned, and as most people I showed the Dell XPS 14z to mentioned, the XPS 14z looks a lot like the MacBook Pro.

The Dell XPS 14z reminds us of the MacBook Pro.

The notebook has an aluminum case that feels good to the touch. When you open the XPS 14z, you immediately notice the barrel-shaped hinge that catches your eye where the display meets the notebook base. This hinge is sturdy, but because of the placement you cannot open the display too far.

The palmrest is thankfully not aluminum, instead it is a softer, nicer to the touch material that feels more comfortable than the palmrest on my MacBook Air.

There are speaker grilles on both sides of the keyboard, cut with a pattern that you also see on the base of the unit.

The barrel hinge limits how far you can open the display.

The Dell XS 14z is slightly wider than the MacBook Air 13, even though it has a 14 inch display. This is thanks to the very small bezels around the screen.

The XPS 14z weighs 4.36 pounds and measures in 13.2 x 9.2 x 0.9 inches, which puts it out of the Ultrabook category, but still in competition as a thin and light notebook with power inside. Plus, it has an optical drive.

Most of the Dell XPS 14z's ports are on the rear.

Dell places most of the ports on the back of the XPS 14z, including Ethernet, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI and DisplayPort. There is an SD card slot on the left side as well as microphone and headphone jacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Dell XPS 14z keys don't offer much travel and could provide a better typing experience.

The Dell XPS 14z keyboard is disappointing for several reasons. The keys feel cheap compared to the rest of the notebook and offer very little travel. Key placement is excellent with no odd sized keys, but backlighting is very poor.  I ended up turning backlighting off because it lit the keys unevenly, making it hard to see the R, D, C and I, K, M keys.

Note the lower light on the R, D, C and I, K, M keys.

The touchpad is large and includes two dedicated mouse buttons. The touchpad handles two finger scrolling very well, delivering perhaps the best two finger scrolling on a Windows notebook in recent memory. It also offers precise pointing and buttons that have a good feel.

The Dell XPS 14z's touchpad is surprisingly good for a Windows notebook.

My palm often moved the mouse with the default settings, but after increasing Palm Check, I was able to type without worrying about errant cursor movement. This is very important given the size of the touchpad and the likelihood that your right palm will touch it when typing.

Display

The Dell XPS 14z has a 14 inch display with an average 1366 x 768 resolution.

The small bezel around the 14 inch display allows the XPS 14z to stay compact, but unfortunately the display has a lackluster 1366 x 768 resolution. This limits how much you can do on the screen at once, and is an issue for users who want to take advantage of the power to work on photos and edit movies.

Viewing angles are limited by the glare that quickly gets in the way when you move to the left or right of the notebook. Even with the limited range of the display, the vertical viewing angles are good enough that you’ll be able to find a comfortable angle in most settings.

The colors looked good overall, delivering an enjoyable video watching experience, but it is disappointing that there is no higher resolution option.

Features

WavesMaxx – The Dell XPS 14z has WavesMaxx Audio and wonderful sounding speakers, much nicer than most notebooks.

Webcam & Dual Array Mics – The built in 1.3MP webcam offers clear images for video chatting in most settings, and the dual array microphones deliver good audio to the person on the other end.

Optical Drive – Unlike most notebooks that are thin and light, the XPS 14z has an 8X slot load DVD drive capable of burning both CDs and DVDs.

Battery Meter – The built in battery meter on the right side allows you to check your battery life without turning the notebook on.

Performance and Graphics

My Dell XPS 14z review unit has a 2.40GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M 1GB graphics with Optimus switching to enhance battery life.

I was really impressed with the power in this small package. I was able to run through PhotoShop tasks without any issue, and video editing on Sony Vegas didn’t strain the system thanks to the GPU and healthy helping of RAM.

The Dell XPS 14z offered speedy resume times, so you can get back to work after moving to a new location or taking a break almost as fast as you open the notebook.

The Dell XPS 14z has stylish vents that keep the notebook cool.

Through all of this the notebook was cool enough to keep on my lap, though the fan is loud enough to hear even with just a few programs open.

The Dell XPS 14z isn’t a gaming notebook, so don’t plan on playing the most intense games out there, but with the GT520M and 1GB of RAM you can play recent games with the graphics turned to lower settings. Still, I wouldn’t make this notebook my top pick if I want to do any serious gaming.

When it comes to watching the video you create, the system has the power to playback HD video locally and from sites like Netflix and Hulu without any trouble.

The Dell XPS 14z speakers offer great quality and good volume.

I was really impressed with the audio on the Dell XPS 14z, which delivers depth to your music. I am surprised by how good these speakers are given the reasonable price of the XPS 14z and the small size of the notebook. More on the Dell XPS 14z speakers and sound.

Battery Life

You can check the Dell XPS 14z battery life with this indicator on the right side.

The Dell XPS 14Z is rated for just under 7 hours of battery life by Dell. I used the Laptop Magazine battery testing tool, which simulates web browsing with the screen at 40% brightness and the XPS 14z lasted 5 hours and 32 minutes, which is similar to what we saw on the Lenovo ThinkPad T420s. Given the price and the specs, this is decent battery life.

The Bottom Line

The Dell XPS 14z won’t replace a MacBook Pro, but it is decent alternative for creatives on a budget. The low screen resolution and the unimpressive keyboard are a reason to look at alternatives like the HP ProBook 5330m which offers a better typing experience, though no optical drive.

If you spend more time in Photoshop and movie editing tools than writing papers and emails, the Dell XPS 14z is a notebook you should seriously consider, especially with a $799 starting price.

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Specs

Dell XPS 14z Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 is a consumer notebook with a bright blue design that stands out in the crowded $600 notebook market.

With a 13.3 inch display and compact dimensions, the Z370 is an attractive option for students and home users who don’t want to carry a bulky notebook to class or the cafe, but aren’t ready to pay up for an Ultrabook.

The IdeaPad Z370 is missing the latest features like USB 3.0, but users will find it tough to argue with sale prices that drop to $569 on a regular basis.

Who is the IdeaPad Z370 for?

The IdeaPad Z370 is a notebook for consumers and students who want a well-built machine that will stand out in the crowd. The bright blue patterned lid and blue interior won’t appeal to everyone, but students drawn in by the looks will find more than enough power for school and personal tasks thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor.

Design

The IdeaPad Z370 has a distinct plastic feel I’m not a fan of, but that doesn’t mean the Z370 isn’t sturdy or a nice look to it. The base of the notebook is very well built, with no flex under pressure and no flex in the center of the notebook, which helps deliver a better typing experience.

The lid has a solid feel and hinges that keep it in place at the angle you open it to. As I mentioned, the Z370 has a very loud color scheme, accentuated with the transparent 3D design that catches the eye.

The Z370 weighs in at 4.41 pounds, which isn’t going to win any contests, but is light enough to carry in a backpack to and from class without too much weight. The IdeaPad Z370 is .08 to 1.3 inches thick, which is still thin enough for most users, but I wouldn’t want to take it on a trip all the time.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The IdeaPad Z370 has an island style keyboard with good spacing and a nice tactile feel. The keys have a slight indent and offer an OK amount of travel, but there were definitely times where I missed a letter because I didn’t push in enough.

The key layout is OK, but Lenovo continues the trend of placing keys to the right of Shift and Enter, which can slow down touch typers and cause odd spelling errors due to pressing Home or End. The right shift key is also smaller, so you’ll be pressing up accidentally on a semi-regular basis.

The touchpad has a nice tactile feel that makes it easy to mouse to a specific place, but the accuracy is lost when you are trying to select multiple lines of text while holding down the left side of the single mouse button.

Scrolling is smooth with the right side of the trackpad, but if you want to use two fingers be ready for a jumpy scrolling experience. Overall the trackpad is usable, but for extended sessions I suggest a good travel mouse.

Display

The 13.3 inch display on the IdeaPad Z370 has a standard 1366 x 768 resolution which makes it difficult to compare two documents at the same time, such as a web source and Word, or to surf the web and carry on chat conversations.

Unless you plan to spend significantly more though, you’ll be stuck with this relatively low resolution. If you tend to focus on one task at a time, this isn’t a huge deal.

The display is glossy, one of the glossiest I have used recently, kicking back glare from a ceiling light at home and ruling out use outdoors.

Still, the display has good horizontal viewing angles and offers good colors, making it useful for sharing a few YouTube clips with a friend or two. Vertical viewing angles go bad fast, but the display opens up to a wide angle, so you can find a position that works in most settings.

The OneKey Theater button allows you to tweak display settings for a better viewing experience.

I’d recommend using the HDMI connection to mirror to an HDTV if you plan to watch a full movie with more than two people.

Performance and Graphics

The IdeaPad Z370 has an Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM which combine with the integrated Intel 3000 HD graphics to offer plenty of performance for students and home users looking to surf the web, watch movies, listen to music and work in Microsoft office.

The notebook is capable of casual flash based gaming, but isn’t going to replace an Xbox 360 for gaming. Lenovo includes a Game Console app with the notebook that gives you quick access to many casual games.

I was able to run multiple Chrome windows with about 15 tabs, music playing in Windows Media Player and chat with friends without issues.

The integrated 2.0MP webcam is capable enough for Skype or a Google Hangout, but you won’t come across as crystal clear, though audio does well in chat.

The Z370 has SRS Premium audio enhanced sound which does give a boost in the depth of music and clear highs, but the middle is left muddy. You are able to crank the built in speakers to the Max to fill up a dorm room or bedroom.

When it comes to movies and TV, you can watch Netflix and Hulu without any trouble, though the notebook will hear up after an episode of The Daily Show.

If you want to edit photos for red eye, automatic color correction and cropping, this notebook has enough power, but it wouldn’t be my first pick for a graphic design student. The same is true for video editing.

Battery Life

While using the Laptop Magazine Battery Test, which simulates web browsing on 40% brightness until the battery dies, the Lenovo Z370 was able to last 4 hours and 39 minutes, which isn’t bad, but far below a full day of use.

If you need a full day of computing power, you can carry a second battery, unlike many of the ultrabooks which don’t allow for a replacement.

The Bottom Line

The IdeaPad Z370 is a capable notebook for students and home users, with good build quality and eye-catching looks. There aren’t many frills, but with web sales prices starting at $569, you don’t need or expect the world.

If you are OK with the so so keyboard layout and poor two finger scrolling, the Z370 is a nice catch, especially at the sale price under $600.

Gallery

Specs

Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The ThinkPad T420s is a capable business notebook with a high-resolution display, durable lightweight frame and plenty of business features.

The ThinkPad T420s commands a price premium over the T420, but that accounts for the lighter weight and the 1600 x 900 resolution display that won my heart during this review.

I would appreciate longer battery life, but the great keyboard, system performance and durability help the T420s move past this shortcoming.

Who is the ThinkPad T420S for?

The ThinkPad T420s is a business notebook aimed at businesses who will deploy them to a full workforce. The ThinkPad T420s isn’t a newfangled Ultrabook, but it is still thin and light enough for the business traveler to take cross-country without complaints. Small businesses and students would also be wise in looking at the ThinkPad T420s.

Design

There’s no surprises in the Lenovo ThinkPad design, with a standard matte black finish and metal hinges. Like the classic black suit, it doesn’t go out of style, especially in a corporate environment.

That said, Lenovo has added a soft touch finish to the lid and curved the edges more so it doesn’t look like you’re carrying a chunky work notebook if you happen to take it with you on vacation or to the coffee shop.

Lenovo uses a carbon fiber reinforced bottom and a ABS plastic lid to add to the durability and strength of the T420s, which is carried over to the interior with a roll cage to keep your hard drive and components safe in case of drops or other accidents. The keyboard is also water-resistant with drain holes on the bottom.

The T420s is .8 to 1 inch thick and weighs in at four pounds, which makes for a portable business notebook that isn’t going to break your back or bulge your backpack.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Lenovo is known for excellent keyboards and users of the classic ThinkPad style keyboards will feel right at home on this notebook. While there is no island style keyboard or backlit keys like the ThinkPad X1 and ThinkPad Edge notebooks, this is still an amazing keyboard.

There are no odd key placements to the edges of the keyboards, which ruin the typing experience on many new notebooks. The key travel is great, though some users will need to adjust to spacing if they are coming from a island style notebook at home. I enjoy using this keyboard, and could use it on a daily basis, which says a lot about its quality.

The ThinkPad T420s has a touchpad and TrackPoint.

The touchpad is small, thanks in part to the extra buttons right below the spacebar which are there for TrackPoint users. If you like TrackPoint you’ll be happy with this system, which performs very well. The touchpad is relatively small at about 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall. The touchpad is textured which aids accuracy, but you can forget about using multitouch gestures. There are dedicated buttons at the bottom of the touchpad which fold over the edge, but are large enough to easily hit without looking.

Display

Lenovo knows that business users need to be able to get work done on the go, and many times that means comparing two documents side by side or using multiple programs at once.

The ThinkPad T420s has a 14.1 inch matte display which helps keep the weight and size down, but there’s nothing small about the 1600 x 900 resolution. Because Lenovo opted for this higher resolution I was able to use this notebook to accomplish tasks that normally would have taken significantly longer or required a second monitor. Most notebooks this size stick with a bare minimum 1366 x 768 resolution.

The viewing angles and colors are both good. Though vertical viewing angles suffer, the ability to adjust the angle of the display all the way flat means you can find a comfortable angle in almost any situation.

The matte display makes working outdoors or in harsh lighting possible, and is a must have for business users that need the ability to work wherever they are.

Features

Dual mics and great camera for video.

The ThinkPad T420s has a number of business friendly features that will help you sell this notebook to your IT manager.

• Docking – The ThinkPad T420s can dock on a port replicator or Mini Dock Series 3 to simplify connecting the notebook in your office and taking it out for a trip.
• Microphones – Dual HD Microphones greatly enhance conference calls, and can keep the other caller from hearing keystrokes as loud and focus the microphones on your voice, or turn it into a speakerphone for a small group.
• Security – Optional fingerprint reader, smart card support and the Lenovo Hardware Password Manager offers a nice collection of security features.
• Durability – The ThinkPad T420s meets eight military specification tests for harsh conditions and durability, so it can handle work in the real world.

Performance and Graphics

The ThinkPad T420s review unit we have comes with a 2.5GHz  Intel Core i5 2nd Generation processor, 4GB RAM and a 320GB 7200 RPM hard drive. Graphics are left to the integrated Intel 3000HD processor, which delivers enough processing power for most office tasks and business users.

When it comes to accessing Access databases, complex Excel spreadsheets and using other business software the T420s is more than capable.

If you need to watch HD video, do simple video conversions or process the occasional HD video, it will also work out well. You can use the included DVD drive to burn it to disk.

Don’t plan on playing games on this unit or doing video editing on a daily basis, unless you opt for the NVIDIA NVS 4200M discrete graphics upgrade.

Dolby Home Theatre v4 adds oomph to the audio on the ThinkPad T420s. While it isn’t incredibly loud, you get decent depth and good overall sound for sharing a presentation with a small group or listening to tunes in your office or on the road.

Battery Life

Because the ThinkPad T420s is a thin notebook, you have to give up some battery life, but even with the compromise you end up with more than a half day of battery life. Using the Laptop Magazine Battery Test, which simulates web browsing at 40% brightness, the battery lasted just over 5 hours. 5 hours and 18 minutes of battery life isn’t bad, especially given the size and weight of this notebook.

The Bottom Line

The ThinkPad T420s offers great performance, an incredible high-resolution matte display and an excellent keyboard. With extras like better video conferencing and premium audio users will appreciate the T420s as much as IT managers appreciate the security and durability.

Thanks to the great $1,099 starting price and feature-set, the ThinkPad T420s is very attractive for business users and a good option for students who want a notebook capable of surviving four years of years of school.

Gallery

Specs

Lenovo ThinkPad T420s Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Toshiba has torn apart what you think a $900 notebook should look like and delivered the Best Buy exclusive Toshiba Portege z835.

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.

The Samsung Series 3 11.6″ Notebook won’t wow users with power and speed, but it does offer a step up from low-end netbooks at a nice price with understated style and mobility. Since picking out this ultramobile machine I’ve been pretty impressed.

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.

The HP ProBook 5330m is a business notebook, but if you didn’t know that, you might confuse it for a very nice consumer notebook thanks to a number of user-friendly features.

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.

For those of us jumping from Windows to a Mac, one feature I miss from Windows 7 is the live previews that the OS shows you as you hover over the taskbar icons. With Dockview you can now have those Windows Style Live Previews of your open applications.

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.