Lenovo ThinkPad W700 2752 17" Widescreen Laptop Quad Core QX9300 (2.53GHz) 640GB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)EDIT: Full month of usage review is at the bottom!
WARNING! Unless you are looking for filthy speed, raw power, and a display that will rival your HDTV, seek other models. This is not a laptop for mere mortals. Make no mistake. If you are seeking something that is comfortable on your lap, that you can carry to the beach, or otherwise tote around like a book, this laptop is not for you.
It isn't even really a laptop. It's a beast. It's a 13.8lb beast. Let's talk about the w700...
1) Display: It is huge. You can't hide this thing. The 17" LCD is massive. With it's native 1920x1200 resolution, the sheer amount of screen real-estate is absurd.
2) Power: Core 2 Extreme. It's quad-core and what Intel calls their "fastest mobile processor...ever". Enough said. Wait...12MB of L2 cache. Yes, TWELVE MB. Not 4MB, not 6MB...but 12MB of L2 cache.
3) Graphics: It comes with an NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M 128-core CUDA parallel computing processor. I don't even know what a CUDA is but it sounds pretty darn impressive. Oh...and 1GB of Video RAM. ONE GIGABYTE OF VIDEO RAM.
4) Storage: Built-in RAID controller! Two SATA drive bays. Blu-Ray available. Solid-state HD ready. Absurd.
5) RAM: Ships with 4GB. Upgradable to 8GB.
6) Ports: It has a darn HDMI port on the back. That should tell you everything you need to know. Hook this thing up to your TV -- though, it's practically a TV on its own. Ok, 5 USB ports, RJ45, RJ11, mini-USB, microphone, headphones, DVI-D...the list goes on. This notebook connects to everything but the kitchen sink.
7) Keyboard: full-sized...with separate numeric keypad. Fingerprint reader too.
8) Speakers: Holy cow. There is a speaker grille which sits directly above the keyboard. Rich, booming sound comes from the speakers.
9) "Oooo factor": When my coworkers first saw the w700 sitting on my desk, they did a double-take. When they saw how fast it was, they were envious. When they saw the price tag, they had a good laugh.
10) Warranty Support: Backed by a massive, world-wide inventory of parts and technicians, you can rest easy. If bad things happen, Lenovo has you covered. Specific example: I called them at 4pm EDT about some bad RAM in an older Thinkpad. They had new RAM delivered by 8:30am the following morning. No hassle. No "reboot your notebook" or "perform these absurd troubleshooting steps". The drawbacks? There are a few:
1) The AC adapter: Like the laptop, the power brick is huge. The w700, due to the extreme power it consumes, cannot use older Thinkpad power bricks. Replacement power bricks, like most everything associated with this laptop, are expensive.
2) Case/Bag availability: Lenovo sells one. Only one. Targus has two that can carry the w700...they both have wheels and look like luggage. You won't be toting this thing over your shoulder like average people. Then again, if you are looking at the w700, you are not average people.
3) Cost: You could buy three average laptops for the price of this desktop replacement.
So, there it is. That's the w700. A big, bad, powerful beast of a notebook. I ding'ed it one star for the price tag and the $200 replacement power brick.
EDIT: One Month Review
This monster of a computer is, by far, the best portable computer I have ever owned. The DVD burner is blisteringly fast. The processor is so fast that it laughs at my applications. I've thrown everything from virtualization to AutoCAD at this portable and the processor just eats it up. The built-in RAID controller is just silly fast. Bringing this thing into an office will cause some serious "oooo" factor. When I first took out this portable, people were visibly impressed. Others have stopped by and asked about it.
Ok, some drawbacks: 1) The powerbrick can get very warm; 2) The exhaust of this laptop can get warm. Ensure you have adequate ventilation; and 3) 13.8lbs will add up. Even with a rolling bag, lugging this monster around can get old. (not for me...but it could for other people).
Hope this helps. Add a comment if you have any questions. Am happy to answer them.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lenovo ThinkPad W700 2752 17" Widescreen Laptop Quad Core QX9300 (2.53GHz) 640GB

W700 Qx9300 2x2gb/320 Br 17wu Bt F C Vbe

Click here for more information about Lenovo ThinkPad W700 2752 17" Widescreen Laptop Quad Core QX9300 (2.53GHz) 640GB

Read More...

MSI Wind U123-002US 10.2-Inch Red Netbook - 6 Cell Battery Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My main computer is a Toshiba Satellite laptop with a 17" screen, and it is a pain (literally) to carry everywhere. So after much research, I decided to buy the MSI Wind U123 (in red). After a few days of using it, I can say that I am pleased with my decision so far. MSI may be a lesser known brand, but they make great little netbooks.
Immediate improvements: The first thing I did was upgrade the memory to 2gb (Crucial Technology CT25664AC800 2GB 200-pin SODIMM DDR2 PC2-6400 Memory Module). [A word on the memory upgrade... I have heard mixed things as to whether the upgrade voids the warranty. I would suggest contacting MSI if this is a concern for you.] I also upgraded the touchpad drivers to allow for a scroll zone on the right side of the touchpad[...]. That makes it MUCH better.
The Wind did not come with a lot of bloatware, which saved me a lot of time. I have installed a variety of apps on it, including Open Office, iTunes and SPSS. It does not seem to have any trouble streaming video from Hulu or streaming music over the network from my primary computer. But as a grad student, I was most concerned about how well it would handle SPSS, the statistical analysis software I use most often. It is noticeably slower than other computers I've used, but only when running more complicated analyses. That said, it was still much quicker than I had expected.
Downsides: I haven't really noticed anything so far... The previous reviewer commented on the touchpad buttons. I'm not sure that they feel cheap as much as they feel stiff. You have to push pretty hard to get them to click. I'm wondering if that will loosen up with use. Otherwise, I may opt to use a mouse. But all in all, that's not enough to make me take away a star.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MSI Wind U123-002US 10.2-Inch Red Netbook - 6 Cell Battery

Atom N280 1.66G 160GB SATA drive 1GB RAM 6 cells b/g webcam carry bag & Windows XP Home

Click here for more information about MSI Wind U123-002US 10.2-Inch Red Netbook - 6 Cell Battery

Read More...

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS3820T-5246 13.3-Inch HD Laptop (Black Brushed Aluminum) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When receiving the package, I immeadiately charged it. Afterwards, downloaded all the programs that I needed to replace my four year old laptop. Talked to the internet company to get that started (my fault b/c I forgot a step to set up). After my set-up was done, I absolutely LOVE it!!!!
My soul purpose for the Timeline is writing. But I do need to carry the laptop to different locations and interview clients. And this "dream" laptop is a sure delight. The processing speed is quick for what I do. Downloads are fast. And the biggest plus....this laptop does not get HOT like my old one. So, I'm ditching the "lap"top cooler! I'm free to roam.
The Battery life is outstanding! I surfed the web for over two hours(unplugged from the ac adaptor) before I came to write this review, my indicator is showwing 90%...8 hours left! WOW!!! Granted, I did some tweaking to the display and power adjustments. But still, 8 hours left after two hours of surfing the net....I love this laptop!
Now the down side. If you're looking to webcam with this laptop, you'll be disappointed. You need to be outside for the proper lighting. Or you can have the lamp light your face if you're indoors. I have adjusted the webcam to a certain degree, but still the quality wasn't there. But like I mentioned before, the soul purpose is for writing.
PRO: Lightweight, Battery life!
CONS: Webcam quality.
If anything should arise in the near future, I'll add it to my review.
I highly suggest the Timeline X to everyone who is in my position.
Addendum:
Someone asked for the Windows Experience Index:
Processor: Calculations Per Second..... 6.3
Mem(RAM): Memory Ops Per Second..... 5.9
Graphics: Desktop Performance for Win..4.7
Gaming Graphics: Performance.....4.9
Primary Hard Disk: Data transfer..... 5.9


Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire TimelineX AS3820T-5246 13.3-Inch HD Laptop (Black Brushed Aluminum)


8-Hour, All-Day Performance with the Acer Aspire TimelineX 3820T Combining Intel Core i3 processing performance with extended battery life, the breathtaking thin and lightweight Acer Aspire TimelineX laptop (model AS3820T-5246) gives you the freedom to roam all day long with an 8-hour battery life and stay productive with its 13.3-inch LED-backlit display.

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire TimelineX AS3820T-5246 13.3-Inch HD Laptop (Black Brushed Aluminum)

Read More...

ASUS N71JQ-A1 17.3-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This laptop is simply awesome for the price. Lots of upgrade potential for the future too.
It has two hard drives, so if you want to add storage in the future you can replace the second hard drive without needing to mess up your windows installation.
The LED display has the edge-to-edge glass which looks fantastic, and is much nicer than the typical lame glossy coating. The edge to edge glass is usually a minimum of a $100 upgrade from their competitors.
I priced out other configure to order laptops and wound up getting prices between $2000 to $4000 without even getting everything this laptop has to offer.
Something else I find amazing... This laptop has a two year warranty, with 1 year accidental damage included...BUT if you register for the warranty within 60 days they'll give you an extra year of accidental damage. Go to a competitor and see how much that costs, you're looking at a minimum of $300 extra just for the warranty. (2 year premium protection from "big blue" for this price range is $449).
Another great thing about this laptop is the hand rest area. Yes, it keeps cool, but that's not as nice as the soft feel of it. It's just plain comfortable to use.
We're professional graphic and web designers, so we needed something with great power, great graphics, and great comfort. This laptop has it all. I rarely write reviews for something I like, but this laptop deserves the praise.


Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS N71JQ-A1 17.3-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

N71jq-a1 i7-720qm 1.6g 8gb syst640gb w7hp

Click here for more information about ASUS N71JQ-A1 17.3-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

Read More...

HP Pavilion dm3-3010us 13.3-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It lives up to the hype. I've gotten great battery life out of it, and it's so light, and the resolution is AWESOME. The matte Black finish is semi-grippy as well, so it's easier to hold on to. I wish it had one of the i -series processors, but you can't have it all....except you get so much anyway. On-board Bluetooth (Best Buy kept telling me that BT was being phased out, and nobody used it; guess what dweeb? I DO!), and lots of memory... it's a very nice machine and just the right size. And there are tons of 13 inch Macbook sleeves and cases that fit it PERFECTLY.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion dm3-3010us 13.3-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Black)

HP Pavilion dm3-3010us Notebook PC. Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; Intel Pentium Processor U5400 (Dual Core); 1.20GHz; 3MB L3 Cache; 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM) Max supported = 8GB; 2 Accessible Memory Slots; Intel HD Graphics with up to 1695MB total graphics memory; 320GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection; HP Imprint finish in black; HP TrueVision Webcam with integrated digital microphone; 13.3 diagonal High Definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366 x 768); Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector) Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n WLAN & Bluetooth.

Get 1% OFF

Click here for more information about HP Pavilion dm3-3010us 13.3-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Black)

Read More...

Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5134 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We tested a variety of Toshiba Satellites - and it's very confusing, because there are so many model numbers that are so similar.
We highly recommend the Toshiba Satellite, just not this model (C655-S5134). The problem is, it's using one of the SLOWEST processors on the market today. It's roughly 10-year-old technology.
To make matters even more confusing, after testing a dozen different Toshibas, we actually bought another Satellite C655 model (the C655-S5048) for the same price. It's almost identical in every respect, except the processor on our model (AMD P320) has a clock speed of 1,261. The clock speed on the C655-S5143 has a clock speed of (get this)... 350! That's nearly 1/4th the speed!
This was all very confusing to us, but here's the "short cut" - when you're shopping around for laptops, write down the name of the processor, and look it up at: CPUbenchmark-net
You will see some ridiculous inconsistencies, and you will be an informed consumer. Just poke around on Amazon for a few minutes - you will find plenty of Toshiba laptops for under $400, with processor speeds over 800-1,000 (which should be considered the bare minimum).
Don't think for a second that a faster processor will cost more. We also reviewed some of the more expensive Satellites ($599-$699) and found slow processors in that price class as well! And this is consistent with pretty much all computer manufacturers - the problem is that Intel, AMD, etc., invest a lot of money in marketing, and consumers demand chips they don't know anything about. But you can be a more informed consumer, and feel really good about your purchase.
Here are some general comments about the C655-series Toshiba Satellites:
PRO:
-Keyboard is an excellent size, and numeric keypad on the side is excellent for us. We use it all the time.
-Screen is fantastic - love it, no complaints. (I would not recommend the Toshiba models with the Trubrite screen - models with the TruBrite cost a minimum of $100 more & it picks up lots of glare/reflections.)
-Stays very cool (even when playing videos), and the fan rarely kicks on.
-It's light weight & durable. My 12-month old will pound on the keys occasionally, and it holds up just fine.
-Comes with built-in antivirus software. I recommend also installing Avira, and every computer/laptop you own should be running Hostsman.
-The battery isn't shabby, although this model has a slightly cheaper battery than the one I bought. The battery on the C655-S5048 lasts at least an hour longer.CON:
-No built-in camera or mic.
-Sound is not great. Most people assume it's cheap speakers, but it's not. Speakers are fine - but the sound driver itself is the problem for some reason. You can uninstall the driver & have Windows install a generic driver that will boost your sound levels by 50% (easier said than done in Windows 7).
-We have some general complaints against Windows 7, not Toshiba's fault (a discussion for another day). The biggest problem is, with the 64-bit version of Windows 7, we could not port any of our software from our previous Satellite to our new one.
Bottom Line: (1) Don't buy this model - it's a very nice laptop, but the speed is too slow. (2) You don't have to be a techie to be an informed consumer. It only takes 5 seconds to look up the speed on the site provided above (again, 800-1,000 should be considered the absolute minimum). (3) Unless you need a super-computer for specialized programming, you should be able to find a Toshiba Satellite with a great processor & all the amenities you need for under $400, right here on Amazon.
Please don't get frustrated in your search - I give this laptop 5-stars except for the speed. This is a good brand (Satellite) and a good price (under $400). But there are at least 5 other models that are 3-4x faster for the same price. If you're looking at this product, reading this review, you are definitely on the right track. Hope this helps, and enjoy your new laptop!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5134 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)


Toshiba Satellite C655D: Affordable Mobile Computing
A nicely affordable, easy-to-use PC for basic productivity at home or in the office, the Toshiba Satellite C655D (model C655D-S5134) gives families, students or small and home-based businesses the essential power and workspace to study, tackle budgets with a handy 10-key pad, keep up on Facebook and Twitter, or simply do more at their desk.
Black Trax Texture.

Get 11% OFF

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5134 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

Read More...