Updates to Apple’s MacBook line of laptops are always closely watched, Sony VGP-BPS8 and they generally fall into two categories: there are major evolutions, such as the switch to aluminum unibody construction in 2008, and then there are minor spec upgrades, typically small bumps to processor speed and hard-drive size.
The newest version of the MacBook Pro line surprisingly falls outside of those two extremes.Sony VGP-BPS8B The iconic unibody aluminum construction remains, as does its large glass multitouch trackpad (in fact, from the outside, the new MacBook Pro looks identical to its predecessor). But the revamped internal components are much more than a simple spec upgrade.
The 15- and 17-inch Pro models have moved to Intel’s newer line of Core-i CPUs,Sony VGP-BPS8A from the older Core 2 Duo models (the 13-inch Pro, unfortunately, still uses a Core 2 Duo CPU). Both mainstream Core i5 and high-end Core i7 versions are available. This requires a new chipset architecture (courtesy of Intel) and a switch from the integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400 to Intel’s built-in integrated graphics for the systems’ default GPU.
Our review sample is the highest-end 15-inch base configuration,Sony VGP-BPS9 with a 2.66GHz Core i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce GT330M discrete graphics. At $2,199, it’s definitely expensive, but it’s still $100 cheaper than the previous high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro configuration. The lowest-priced 15-inch model costs $1,799, which is $100 more than the previous low-end 15-inch MacBook Pro–but that system now includes discrete graphics instead of only integrated graphics. Overall,Sony VGP-BPS9/S this round of updates follows the usual Apple trajectory: keeping the price steady but adding faster, more powerful components.
We continue to pine for oft-requested extras such as HDMI, Blu-ray, and 3G,Sony VGP-BPS9/B but at the same time, the Core i7 CPU is extremely impressive, both on paper and in action. With the 13-inch model still stuck with a Core 2 Duo CPU, this revamped 15-inch MacBook Pro now feels like the line’s powerhouse flagship model.
As with the previous MacBook Pro models, the unibody chassis starts with a solid block of aluminum, which is carved down, rather than a thin outer shell that has had support struts added to it.Sony VGP-BPS9A/B The result is a thin yet strong chassis that feels very solid and substantial. Even the $999 white polycarbonate MacBook now uses a similar body type.
We remain fond of the large trackpad that uses multitouch gestures for much of its functionality. In fact, touch controls are almost as vital to the MacBook as they are to the iPhone or iPad (plugging in a mouse is also an option, but you miss out on a lot of time-saving gesture controls that way).
Of the multitouch gestures, our favorite is sweeping moves with four fingers;Sony PCGA-BP2SA left or right brings up the application switcher, and up hides all your active windows. Once you get used to that, going back to a regular touch pad is difficult. We’ve noted in the past year or so that many PC makers have added some form of multitouch functionality to their touch pads, but we have yet to find any that work as well as Apple’s.
This year’s version also includes a small behavioral tweak, which Apple calls “inertial scrolling.” Like on the iPhone and iPad, flicking two fingers up or down to scroll now feels like there’s more mass behind the effort,Sony VGP-BPL8 and the page will continue to move slightly after you’ve lifted up your fingers. The recent Magic Mouse peripheral from Apple included a similar effect.
The 15.4-inch wide-screen display offers a 1,440×900-pixel native resolution, which is what we’re used to from previous 15-inch MacBook Pro models. But with the growth of online HD video, and ever-higher resolutions for digital still and video cameras, some users will want more pixels to play with. A 1,680×1,050-pixel display option is now available,Sony VGP-BPL8A which costs an extra $100 (or $150 for a version that also includes an antiglare coating). Still, for a $2,000 laptop, the higher-resolution screen should be included by default.
Apple embraced the simple joys of the SD card slot in last year’s MacBook Pro update,Sony VGP-BPL9 but this time around there are no comparable new features (although we’re excited that the DisplayPort output now supports audio as well as video).
You do, however, have several ways to push the 15-inch MacBook Pro well past its $1,799-$2,199 default configurations. Bumping the 500GB hard drive from 5,400rpm to a faster 7,200rpm model is a $50 upgrade,Sony VGP-BPS5 and SSD drives are available from 128GB ($200) to 512GB (a whopping $1,300). RAM can be doubled to 8GB for $400, but each of the three base 15-inch models is locked into particular CPU/GPU combos.
The 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros have “automatic graphics switching,” an Apple-engineered variation on Nvidia’s Optimus graphics-switching technology. The concept is simple: the system uses its integrated Intel graphics by default,Sony VGP-BPS5A and when an app launches that requires the discrete Nvidia GeForce 330M GPU, it seamlessly switches over to that, then turns it off when it is no longer required.
Previously, switching between the (integrated) GeForce 9400 and the (discrete) GeForce 9600 found in last year’s MacBook Pros required you to manually flip a software switch on the power options menu, and then log out and log back in. Sony VAIO VGN-FZ17
The GeForce 330M (available in 256MB and 512MB versions) is not a hard-core gaming powerhouse, but it should be capable of playing just about any current PC game–although you may have to dial down the detail levels or resolution for optimal frame rates. It’s the seamless switching between GPUs that interests us more,Sony VAIO VGN-FZ145E as it lets you take advantage of the discrete graphics for HD video and gaming, but won’t run down the battery when not in use. In the Mac version of Call of Duty 4 we got 34.5 frames per second at 1,440×900-pixel resolution, with 4XAA and other high-end graphics options turned on, and 59 frames per second at the same resolution, but medium in-game graphics settings.
Motorola Droid owners now have a reason to be jealous. Verizon’s third and arguably best vgp-bps8 Droid handset is the HTC Droid Incredible, an Android 2.1 powered device with an updated version of HTC’s Sense interface. The Incredible sports a sleek black-and-red design, an optical trackpad in lieu of a trackball, and a brilliant, 3.7-inch 480 x 800 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. If that isn’t enough, the Incredible comes with a 1-GHz Snapdragon processor, a sharp 8-MP camera, vgp-bps8a and tethering capabilities right out of the box (take that, iPhone). While we have some complaints, and the $199 price will be too steep for some, overall the Incredible is one sweet smart phone. laptop
The Incredible is a gorgeous, black phone with red accents (signifying its ties to Verizon). It measures 4.6 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches, making it quite pocketable and thin, and it weighs 4.6 ounces. That’s significantly lighter than the Motorola Droid (6 ounces) but the same weight as the GSM version of thevgp-bpl8. It felt light enough that we sometimes didn’t notice it in our pocket. Up top you’ll find a 3.5mm headset jack and the power button, which serves as a sleep/wake button when the phone is turned on. The right side of the device is clean and devoid of any buttons, the left houses a micro-USB port and a volume rocker.vgp-bps9,vgp-bps9/s,vgp-bps9/b,vgp-bps9a/b
When you flip the Incredible over and look at the back, things start to look busy. There is a large, red 8MP camera with a dual LED flash sitting on a backplate with an odd, terraced design that looks like a topographical vgp-bps13. We wondered whether the ridges and raises were just an arbitrary design feature, but when you remove the HTC emblazoned battery cover, you’ll find that they’re there because of the phone’s internals. You’ll also be hit with more red than you’ve ever seen on a device as both the inside PA3451U-1BRS Battery and the battery are a very bright red. You’ll either love it or hate it.vgp-bps13a/b
The face of the phone features a 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 WVGA AMOLED Dell batterycapacitive touchscreen display. Below the screen are the typical Android home, menu, back, and search touch buttons, all of which haptic feedback. The most noticeable design change versus the Nexus One is that PA3478U-1BRS Battery has abandoned a trackball in favor of an optical trackpad. The optical trackpad works well for swiping through screens, icons, and general navigation. When you want to select an item, you just press down on it like you would a trackball. We did find the trackpad to be a little too recessed; also, it felt awkward to PA3450U-1BRS Battery across it because we could feel the edges around the trackpad. Sometimes it wouldn’t register our gestures.
While notebook may prefer the huge 4.3-inch display on the HD2, the Incredible has plenty of real estate for surfing the Web PA3399U-2BAS Batteryand running the latest Android Apps, as well as plenty of resolution (800 x 480). Plus, even though the Toshiba Notebook Battery Incredible has the same screen size and resolution screen as the Nexus One, when compared side-by-side the Incredible seems to be richer in color and contrast. The auto-brightness function worked well during most lighting condition changes, and it’s also easy to see the screen in bright sunlight (though direct sunlight causes too much glare). The capacitive touchscreen is also very Sony battery and supports multitouch gestures in the browser, maps, and even on the home screen with the Leap feature which we’ll get to later. PA3399U-1BAS Battery
One thing PA3534U-1BRS Battery we can get really picky about are soft keyboards.PA3435U-1BRS Battery It’s really hard to duplicate the accuracy and speed of the iPhone’s layout, but the Incredible comes really close. PA3479U-1BRS Battery the soft keyboards on the Motorola Cliq XT or Backflip, the Incredible’s keyboard let us fly. The auto-correct feature was fairly accurate and helped us save time, although we found that the space bar occasionally didn’t register our input–a problem we’ve had with other Android handsets. Overall, typing on the Incredible keyboard was a pleasant enough experience that we had no problem texting or e-mailing our friends and colleagues regularly. Yes, some may prefer the Droid’s physical keyboard, but that flat layout is one of the few things we don’t like about Motorola’s handset.
Time and again, Gateway’s NV series has made our shortlist of top budget notebooks, but with a few vgp-bps8a. We’ve always enjoyed its balance of performance and battery life and, with the exception of its lone mouse button, have praised its design. The revamped NV59C09u ($799), a 15.6-inch laptop, has a slimmer, lighter build that includes a social networking hotkey and dashboard, along with a Blu-ray player, something most sub-$800 laptops don’t offer. This time around, though, the NV’s performance was less impressive in comparison to other notebooks in the same price range.vgp-bps8
After churning out umpteen NV notebooks with updated specs but the same design, vgp-bpl8 has re-thought this line of laptops. Following a trend set by HP and Dell, Gateway ditched its super glossy lid and instead went with a subtly patterned one whose finish has a bit too much kick to be called matte, but is still subdued enough that it’s not reflective. The result is an attractive, more understated surface that masks fingerprints. The lid and palm rest’s silver color and fine pattern of wavy lines should also prove gender-neutral. vgp-bps9,vgp-bps9/s,vgp-bps9/b,vgp-bps9a/b
Gone, too, are the touch-sensitive multimedia controls above the keyboard. Instead, there’s a thin chrome strip above the keys that houses Dell battery for Wi-Fi and battery status, as well as a discreet power button. The multimedia keys are now baked into the top row of the keyboard, as they are on Macs. In addition to multimedia keys, there’s a dedicated button for launching Social Network Service—Gateway’s own dashboard for vgp-bps13, Flickr, and YouTube (more on that later).
The chiclet-style vgp-bps13a/b—basically, Acer’s FineTip design—is new to the NV series, too, although Gateway still fits in a full number pad, something many other 15-inch systems lack. As a result, though, the touchpad is placed left of center, so that it falls in the center of the keyboard, but not the palm rest itself. The NV59C09u feels surprisingly compact at 15 x 10 x 1.3 inches and 5.4 pounds; it weighs the same as the Editors’ Choice–winning notebookand is lighter than the minimalist 5.6-poundToshiba Notebook Battery and older 5.6-pound Sony battery
Despite having an island-style layout and a full number pad, the PA3399U-1BAS Battery is still spacious enough that the Enter, Backspace, and right Shift keys are all full-sized (the left Shift key is another story). Although the keys weren’t terribly bouncy, we were still able to type at a fast clip, notching an all-time high score of 100 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test.
The large, gesture-enabled touchpad responded smoothly to pinching and zooming,PA3399U-2BAS Battery as well as to one-fingered scrolling. With a smooth, low-friction surface and an easy-to-press touch button to match, this redesigned NV is an improvement over its predecessors.
Even after playing a Hulu clip at full screen for 15 minutes, the PA3534U-1BRS Battery stayed cool, measuring 90 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad and 92 degrees at the center of the keyboard and on its bottom side. True, the average notebook this size also measures 90 degrees around the touchpad, but it also reaches temperatures of 93 degrees on the keyboard and 98 degrees on the bottom, the side that gets the least ventilation.PA3435U-1BRS Battery
When we watched the first Iron Man movie on Blu-ray, the picture looked bright and sharp on the 15.6-inch screen, as PA3450U-1BRS Battery did a lower-resolution SNL Digital Short on Hulu. Still, the benefits of having a Blu-ray drive are mostly lost on a 1366 x 768 display. A higher resolution would have been nice, although we suppose that’s a reasonable trade-off to make in a sub-$800 machine.
The speaker strip, barely noticeable above the keyboard, PA3479U-1BRS Batteryproduced slightly metallic bass notes when we played “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones.
The PA3451U-1BRS Battery includes every port most users could need, including three USB 2.0 ports; HDMI and VGA output for high-def and standard-def monitors and TVs, respectively; an Ethernet jack; and headphone and mic ports. Rounding out the list is a 5-in-1 memory card reader. The Blu-ray player takes up most of the right side, save for two of the USB ports; the rest of the ports are on the left side (the memory card slot is tucked into the front edge).
The 1.3-megapixel webcam has a maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024. While our photos showed good colors and brightness,PA3478U-1BRS Battery could only make out a fair amount of detail, even at the highest resolution. Our video, meanwhile, showed motion blur even at VGA resolution, while the laptop’s microphone produced echoing sound, too. In general, the Gateway Video laptop Camera software is too minimalist; there aren’t even thumbnails of photos and videos you’ve just shot.
It’s easy to find a notebook that’s good at vgp-bps8. But what if you want to edit photos and video? Or multitask without your laptop wheezing? Enter the vgp-bps8a, an excellent multimedia machine under $900 for people who want to do more. We love its comfortable keyboard, high-resolution webcam, strong performance, rich sound, and long battery life. Gamers might want to look elsewhere, but everyone else should be well satisfied.
Design
While the Studio 15 eschews many current design trends—matte or metallic surfaces, island keyboards—it’s nonetheless attractive and comfortable. Both vgp-bpl8 and keyboard deck have a glossy surface, but neither picks up fingerprints. That’s partly because although they’re glossy, they still have a flatter finish than other reflective lids. Also, a subtle circular pattern, echoed on both the lid and palm rest, helps mask smudges. vgp-bps9,vgp-bps9/s,vgp-bps9/b,vgp-bps9a/b
While the palm rest is gray and the keyboard, black, the lid comes in a variety of colors, including pink, green, purple, red, and blue (as is wont, you’ll pay $40 extra for colors other than black; when you purchase it in pink, Dell battery donates $5 to the breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure).
One of the other things that makes the Studio 15 a pleasure to use is that rather than cluttering up the chassis with touch-sensitive controls, it built the multimedia controls into the row of function keys, just as Apple does with its Macs. Our only gripe: the hinge, vgp-bps13, vgp-bps13a/b contains the speakers, is wide, and pushes the display farther back than we’d like.
The 9-cell battery on our configuration creates a bulge on the bottom of the laptop, making the notebook (a reasonable six pounds) slightly awkward to carry and a relatively heavy 6 pounds. Those who care more about looks and portability than endurance should stick with the 6-cell battery.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Studio 15’s keyboard is one of our favorite things about the Toshiba Notebook Battery. Sure, its closely spaced, terraced keys aren’t as stylish as a chiclet keyboard, but with a soft finish they’re very comfortable to type on. In fact, we smashed our long-time record of 88 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing test, pounding out 94 words per minute with a one percent error rate. And while we usually have to pause to find the Shift key or the question mark, touch typing felt seamless with Sony battery.
The touchpad, whose surface has very little friction, PA3399U-1BAS Battery also doesn’t draw much attention to itself (that’s a good thing). PA3399U-2BAS Battery touchpad is a little small for pinching and zooming, one of the enabled gestures, but scrolling along either the right or bottom edge of the trackpad felt pretty natural. We like that if you go to Control Panel > Mouse > Dell Touchpad, you can use Dell’s own intuitive interface to enable or disable gestures, and customize how responsive the trackpad is.PA3534U-1BRS Battery PA3435U-1BRS Battery .
Ambient Heat
Even after extended use, the Studio 15 ran at pretty normal temperatures. PA3451U-1BRS Battery For instance, PA3450U-1BRS Battery after playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, we observed temperatures of 91 PA3479U-1BRS Battery PA3478U-1BRS Batterydegrees on the touchpad, 90 degrees at the center of the keyboard, and 97 degrees on the underside (that temperature rose to 102 degrees when we moved to the front center of the bottom surface). When you think that the average laptop in this weight class measures 90, 93, and 98 degrees in the same spots, you realize the Studio 15’s temperatures are reasonable, if not slightly cooler than other notebooks.
Even though Apple only introduced the vgp-bps8 last Fall, we weren’t surprised that the company’s consumer vgp-bps8a saw a refresh shortly after the MacBook Pro line saw its upgrades. Like the Pros, the MacBook’s updates are mostly limited to internal specs, with the same excellent outer design and $999 price remaining the same. Also true to the last generation, this new MacBook’s specs are very similar to the vgp-bpl8, which costs $200 more. Apple draws the line between consumer and professional at aluminum vs. plastic, plus the number and type of ports on offer. Considering its excellent battery life, design, operating system and customer support, the MacBook remains a strong buy. But for the lower price you’ll sacrifice some features.
If you were to take a 13-inch MacBook Pro and replace the metal exterior with plastic, you’d pretty much have the MacBook. Its gleaming white glossy plastic interior and exterior—including the keyboard—continues the clean aesthetic of previous Macs, and hides fingerprints well, too. Like the MacBook Pros, this thin and light system also features a sturdy unibody construction. The result is a design that feels like it will stand the test of time. vgp-bps9,vgp-bps9/s,vgp-bps9/b,vgp-bps9a/b
While the aluminum-clad MacBook Pros with their black keyboards are definitely sleek, the all-white MacBook seems somewhat friendlier. The bottom panel, held in place by 8 screws, is coated in a soft light gray rubber, which keeps it from slipping around on a desk, and feels comfortable on your lap.
At 13.0 x 9.1 x 1.1 inches and weighing 4.8 pounds, the MacBook slightly larger and heavier than the 13-inch MacBook Pro (12.8 x 8.9 x 1.0 inches, 4.4 pounds), but isn’t too great a difference that we couldn’t carry it comfortably in our messenger bag. vgp-bps13, vgp-bps13a/b
After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, Toshiba Notebook Battery we measured the temperature of the MacBook in several places:Sony battery the touchpad only got as hot as 81 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H key reached 92 degrees, and the underside of the notebook reached just 94 degrees. The hottest area of the notebook was nearest the hinge on the bottom, which measured a whopping 120 degrees. This was noticeable when on our lap and much hotter than the previous generation, which only reached 97 degrees during the same test.
Unlike the MacBook Pros, the MacBook’s keyboard is not backlit; some concessions have to be made for the price. However, PA3399U-1BAS Battery seems to be the only concession. Not only is the island-style keyboard well-spaced, but the keys themselves were comfortable to the touch, and were snappy in response.
Apple has also brought the same touchpad as on its other notebooks: it doubles PA3399U-2BAS Battery the touchpad and the touch button. At 4.0 x 3.0 inches, not only is this trackpad the largest we’ve ever tested, but is very low friction, too. Like the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple’s honed the design: we were able to effortlessly press down on the button without thinking about the fact that there’s no dedicated touch button (nevermind two).
The multitouch gestures work smoothly, too. By pushing four fingers toward the top of the touchpad, we were able to fling windows up toward the top of the screen, exposing a clean PA3435U-1BRS Battery. When we used two fingers to zoom in and out of pages in Safari 4, the onscreen response was very quick. More importantly, it wasn’t jerky and finicky, like the touchpad/button combo on the PA3451U-1BRS Battery. We were able to rest our left thumb on the pad and still move the cursor around without the notebook misinterpreting our movements.
Just as with the new MacBook Pros and the iPhone and iPad, Apple added inertial scrolling to the MacBook’s touchpad. It makes getting around long webpages and Google Reader feed lists much easier, but users who find it annoying can disable it in the system settings.PA3534U-1BRS Battery
The 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy display on the MacBook has a resolution of 1280 x 800, and images were bright and crisp. However, PA3450U-1BRS Battery this system doesn’t have the same 60 percent greater color gamut as the MacBook Pro line, so photo editors will want to think twice. Viewing angles were excellent from side to side, and unlike the previous generation MacBook, vertical viewing angles are just as good. We did note pixilation and blocky colors when watching both standard and high definition video streamed from Hulu and YouTube. Video played from the hard drive or DVD was smoother,PA3465U-1BRS Battery but pixels were still noticeable.
While the speakers on the MacBook were loud, PA3475U-1BRS Battery producing enough sound to fill a room, they were lacking in bass. Higher sounds, such as the drums and guitar riffs in Guns n Roses’ “November Rain” tended to be somewhat harsh.
The one area where we’d like to see Apple splurge a bit more is with its port and slot selection. The MacBook has two USB, a mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, and a headphone jack on the left side; on the right is the slot for the SuperDrive DVD burner. Considering their ubiquity (you can find them on $300 netbooks), we’d like to see an SD Card slot, as well as at least one more USB port. The PA3478U-1BRS Battery, for example, has all of the above, as well as FireWire and HDMI.
When conversing with a friend over Google PA3479U-1BRS Battery, she said that our image was clear, and the embedded mic picked up our sound well, but the camera on the MacBook had a hard time adjusting to lower-light conditions.
Mobile banking apps are so last year. Concept designers Kim Jin-Yi, Yoon Jin-Young, Lee Jun-Kyo, and Lee Young-Ho have collaborated to create the Live Checking Card, which won the prestigious Red Dot design VGP-BPS8 award for 2009 in the productivity category. Employing a thin E-Ink display and gleaning power from ambient light around it, these cards allow consumers to check the balances of a given account at a glance on the surface of the card, eliminating the need toVGP-BPS8A check in with your bank via phone or web. The card is even smart enough to warn you if funds are low; its edge will glow blue when you’re within your spending limit, and red if you’re in danger of overdrawing. As this project is only in preliminary concept stages, the implications of ubiquitous Live Checking Cards are still uncertain. VGP-BPS8B Without proper safety precautions, for example, would-be thieves could potentially have an easy time figuring out if your accounts are worth robbing. Proper implementation, however, could allow budget-conscious consumers to enjoy sony battery at-a-glance balance checks using a proper privacy filter.
It’s green, but does it cost too much green? With the VAIO W Eco Edition Sony vgp-bps9 seeks to stand out with a design that’s partially made of reprocessed plastic from CDs, as well as a carrying case made of recycled PET bottles. The keyboard, at 86 percent of full size, feels somewhat cramped. And while we like the HD display and the bundled Kidzui browser that’s designed to keep kids safe, parents may think twice about paying an $80 premium (or more) over competing netbooks for Sony’s latest mini-notebook. The $480 VAIO W Eco Edition offers style, eco-friendliness, good performance, and a robust software bundle, but it’s not the best value. Read on to see how this netbook vgp-bps9/s stacks up to the competition.
Design
The rounded edges of the 10.5 x 7.1 x 2.0-inch Sony VAIO W remind us of the Samsung N130’s pebble-like design. The white, vgp-bps9/b matte lid eschews fingerprints and includes a large but tasteful embedded chrome VAIO logo. This color allowed every mark to be immediately apparent, and we wished for something a bit darker to hide scuff marks. Sony offers two other color choices for the non-Eco Edition, but environmentalists will have to live with Sugar White for now. Under the lid, the deck has a dimpled pattern and a tasteful sea green color that meshed well with the silver metallic keyboard. We also like the green interlocking loop pattern on the silver touchpad. vgp-bps8a
The six-cell battery juts out from the bottom of the VAIO W a full three quarters of an inch, which gives the netbook a useful forward incline but also a noticeable thickness in the back. Though it’s not as svelte as some of our favorite netbooks of vgp-bps9a/b , it weighs the standard 2.8 pounds.
Greenness
As vgp-bps8 implies, the VAIO W Eco Edition has a few more environmentally friendly aspects than most netbooks. The chassis is made from 20 percent recycled CDs. There’s no cardboard packaging to throw out when you buy this netbook—it comes in a carrying case made from recycled PET bottles. However, we would have liked to see the green theme extended to the software package, with Sony battery making it easy for users to monitor and adjust how much energy the VAIO W uses (similar to Toshiba’s eco Utility).
Charging the battery after it was fully drained took 3 hours and 45 minutes. During this time the VAIO W used an average of 31.3 watts. Owing to its relatively short battery life (6:42), this netbook’s LAPTOP Battery Efficiency Rating was 17.5. While that score is equal to the category average, it’s worse than most other Pine Trail netbooks we’ve tested. The dell laptopbattery, for example, has an Efficiency Rating of 10.4. Still, the VAIO W boasts an EPEAT Gold rating of 21 out of 27, which is quite good.
Heat
The VAIO W kept its cool during our heat test. After streaming a Hulu video for 15 minutes, we measured the temperature on the touchpad at 82 degrees Fahrenheit; the vgp-bps12 space between the G and H keys reached 87 degrees; and the middle of the underside rose to 96 degrees. Though the underside’s temperature is right at the cusp of our “acceptable” threshold (below 100 degrees), we were never uncomfortable using the VAIO W on our lap.
Obwohl sowohl Vorderkante als auch Hinterkante keine Schnittstellen beherbergen, konnte Dell doch eine wirklich brauchbare Auswahl an Schnittstellen unterbringen.acer ferrari 5000 akku Mit von der Partie ist neben einem analogen VGA-Ausgang auch eine HDMI-Schnittstelle für den digitalen Anschluss von externen Monitoren oder Fernsehgeräten. An insgesamt vier USB-2.0-Schnittstellen kann der Benutzer Peripheriegeräte wie beispielsweise Drucker oder externe Maus anschließen. Eine davon wurde als USB-eSATA Kombination ausgeführt, sodass beim Anschluss von externen Laufwerken bessere Übertragungraten als via USB möglich sind.
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Sollte die Funktionalität des Vosto 3500 nicht ausreichen, kann man weiter Funktionen über eine ExpressCard/34 nachrüsten. Allerdings fehlt der, bei Businessgeräten übliche,acer aspire 5920 akku eigenständige Dockingport. Stattdessen werden hier USB-Docking-Lösungen, etwa der Kensington SD100 USB Port Replicator um zirka 50 Euro in Deutschland, angeboten. Diese erleichtern das Einbinden des Gerätes in eine existierende Arbeitsumgebung und erweitern das Schnittstellenangebot.acer aspire 7520 akku Der Kensington SD100 bietet allerdings nur fünf USB-Anschlüsse, einen Ethernet-Anschluss und Audio Anschlüsse. Vor allem für Linkshänder wäre es praktisch auch die Video-Schnittstellen an der Docking-Station zur Verfügung zu haben: Je nach Belegung können störende Kabel gerade den Arbeitsbereich links vom Laptop gravierend einschränken.
Kabelgebunden kann mit dem Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E GBE NIC (10/100/1000MBit) eine LAN-Verbindung aufgebaut werden.acer aspire 5610 akku Via Dell Wireless 1520 Wireless-N Half Mini Card erhält man Zugang zu WLAN-Netzwerken. Dabei wird auch der Standard 802.11n unterstützt. In einigen Ländern soll auch eine Dell Wireless HSPA 2.0 Minikarte optional verfügbar sein.acer aspire 5050 akku Den zugehörigen SIM-Kartenslot findet man im Akkufach. In Deutschland wird diese Option zur Zeit aber nicht angeboten. Gemeinsam mit der eingebauten 2.0 MP Webcam sind also Videokonferenzen via Internet kein Problem. Schließlich kann man mit der Dell Wireless 365 Karte via Bluetooth Daten mit mobilen Kleingeräten austauschen.
Auf unserem Testgerät war Windows 7 Professional 32-Bit vorinstalliert.acer aspire 3680 akku Wahlweise erhält man das Vostro 3500 ohne Aufpreis auch mit der 64-Bit Version. Für ein Downgrade auf vorinstalliertes Windows XP Professional (32-Bit) verrechnet Dell 10 Euro. Ein 32-Bit Betriebssystem ist für die ab Werk verbauten drei Gigabyte RAM ausreichend. Sollte man aber den Hauptspeicher erweitern wollen, so ist eine 64-Bit Version anzuraten.acer travelmate 6292 akku
Neben einem Kensington Security Slot, welcher zur Diebstahlsicherung benutzt werden kann,acer travelmate 2480 akku hat das Vostro 3500 auch einen Fingerabdruckleser zur Verfügung. Damit kann Passworteingabe durch Einlesen des Fingerabdrucks ersetzt werden.
In der Schachtel des Testgerätes befanden sich auch Betriebssystem und Treiber und Tools DVDs.acer travelmate 2300 akku Zusätzlich kann man sich mit einem Dell Tool, problemlos welche erstellen lassen.
Mit der Vostro-Familie richtet sich Dell speziell an kleine Unternehmen.acer aspire one akku Wer ein preisgünstiges Business-Gerät mit aktueller Hardware sucht, kann hier zwischen dem Vostro 3500 in 15.6-Zoll und dem Vostro 3700 in 17.3 Zoll wählen.IBM thinkpad t40 akku
Im Test befand sich das 15-Zoll Modell mit Core i5 430M Prozessor, eigenständiger Nvidia GeForce 310M Grafikkarte und 7200 U/min schneller 320 GB Festplatte.acer aspire 5670 akku Typisch Dell kann das Vostro 3500 jedoch umfassend konfiguriert werden. Auf die verfügbaren Optionen wird im folgenden im Detail eingegangen. Abschnitte, die stark von der eingesetzten Hardware abhängen,acer aspire 9800 akku wie Leistung, Emissionen und Akkulaufzeit sind nicht unbedingt auf anderes ausgestattete Modelle übertragbar.IBM thinkpad t42 akku
Gehäuse
Drei verschiedene Farben stehen für Displaydeckel und Seitenkanten zur Auswahl: Silber (Aberdeen Silver) wie unser Testgerät, acer aspire 5100 akku oder zum Aufpreis von 30.- Euro Kupfer (Brisbane Bronze) oder Rot (Lucerne Red).acer aspire 5101 akku Das Gehäuse selbst wurde aus Aluminium und Kunststoffteilen zusammengesetzt und sorgfältig verarbeitet.
An der Stabilität des Aluminiumdeckels gibt es grundsätzlich nichts auszusetzen. Beim einhändigen Anheben an einer Ecke verwindet er sich nur geringfügig und unseren Drucktest hält er problemlos stand. Dabei bleiben Bildveränderungen jedenfalls aus.acer aspire 3610 akku Ebenso kann man mit der Druck- und Verwindungsfestigkeit der Basiseinheit zufrieden sein. Einzig im Bereich des optischen Laufwerks gibt das Gehäuse unter stärkerem Druck geringfügig nach.acer travelmate 8204wlmi akku Der Arbeitsbereich ist in mattem schwarzem Kunststoff mit angenehmer Haptik gehalten.
Die gewinkelten, am Bildschirm angebrachten Scharniere beschränken den Öffnungswinkel auf etwa 130 Grad.acer travelmate 8200 akku Sie halten den Bildschirm sicher in Position und wippen nach Anpassen des Öffnungswinkels nur geringfügig nach. IBM thinkpad t43 akku
Abmessungen von 275 Millimetern Breite,acer travelmate 2420 akku 250 Millimetern Tiefe und eine Höhe welche von 22.9 (vorne) auf 31,9 mm (hinten) ansteigt sind für einen 15-Zöller nicht ungewöhnlich. Der Laptop wiegt 2.45 Kilogramm inklusive Akku. Dazu kommen zusätzlich 0.42 Kilogramm für das Netzteil,IBM thinkpad X60S akku womit das Transportgewicht insgesamt im Rahmen bleibt.IBM thinkpad r60e akku
Apropos Transport: Auf einen Transportverschluss wurde verzichtet.Lenovo thinkpad r60 akku Man sollte daher beim Transport Vorkehrungen treffen, dass keine Fremdkörper zwischen Tastatur und Bildschirm eindringen können.
Für schnelle Übertragungsraten bei entsprechender Infrastruktur sorgt kabelgebunden ein Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E GBE NIC (10/100/1000MBit).Lenovo x200 akku Für die Kommunikation via WiFi-Hotspot war in unserem Testgerät ein Realtek RTL8191SE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E Modul eingebaut, welches auch Standard-n unterstützt. Zumindest in den US gibt es in Bezug auf WLAN-Karte einige Optionen: Standardmäßig wird ein ThinkPad bgn Wireless verbaut,Lenovo ideapad s10 akku ein Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2×2 AGN) ist zum Aufpreis von $20.00 erhältlich, ein Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 kostet $55.00 mehr.Lenovo thinkpad r61 akku Weiters kann man das Thinkpad L512 in den USA um ein integriertes Breitbandmodem für 150 US-Dolloar erweitern und um 20 US-Dollar mit Bluetooth.akkus
Mit der 2.0 MP WebCam (1600×1200 Pixel),Lenovo x300 akku welche auch in schlechten Lichtverhältnissen ausreichend empfindlich sein soll, Lenovo r50e akku sollten also Videokonferenzen kein Problem sein. Diese befindet sich, wie sooft, im oberen Bildschirmrahmen.
Wie üblich ist Lenovo auch beim Thinkpad L512 recht knausrig in Bezug auf mitgeliefertes Zubehör.Lenovo r51e akku In der Schachtel befinden, neben Poweradapter und Stromkabel, gerade einmal ein paar Zettel. Eine Schnittstellenbeschreibungen oder ein gar ein Handbuch findet man nicht einmal in elektronischer Form direkt am Laptop,Lenovo 3000 n200 akku ganz zu Schweigen von anderen nützlichen Utensilien wie etwa Recovery-Datenträger oder Treiber- und Utility Software auf DVD. Dafür kann man sich mit den komfortablen Thinkvantage Tools einfach solche erstellen lassen.Lenovo 3000 c200 akku Außerdem ist an Software noch eine Trial-Version von Microsoft Windows 2007 und InterVideo WinDVD vorinstalliert.
Wer gerne sein Gerät selbst wartet oder upgraded, der hat beim Thinkpad L512 leichtes Spiel.Lenovo 3000 y410 akku Via Wartungsklappen sind die Systemkomponenten leicht zugänglich. Im Testgerät waren etwa nur 2 Gigabyte Arbeitsspeicher, in Form eines einzigen Riegels verbaut. Was ist also leichter als einfach einen weiteren hinzuzufügen? Ab 3 Gigabyte und mehr sollte man dabei jedoch auf die Wahl eines 64-Bit Betriebssystems achten, um diese auch effizient ausnutzen zu können. Auf unserem Testgerät war Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit vorinstalliert. Mögliche Optionen reichen aber von Windows 7 Home Premium 32 Bit bis zu Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit.
Tastatur
Das Tastaturlayout ist wie gehabt. Anfangs muss man sich erst daran gewöhnen,Lenovo 3000 n100 akku dass Fn und linke Ctrl Taste vertauscht wurden. Doch danach kommt man mit dem Tastaturlayout beim Tippen im Zehnfingersystem ganz gut zurecht. Das Tippgeräusch ist mit Ausnahme der Leertaste relativ leise. Normalem Tippen hält die Unterkonstruktion auch gut stand, sodass diese bei Normaleinsatz nicht mitfedert. Hinsichtlich Tippgefühls kann man die eingesetzte Tastatur durchaus als „Thinkpad-typisch“ bezeichnen. So zeigen die einzelnen Tasten einen gut spürbaren Druckpunkt mit einem für Notebook-Verhältnisse durchaus großzügigen Hubweg. Auch an der Tastengröße gibt es nichts auszusetzen.
Zum Schutz des Laptops verfügt die Tastatur über einen Spritzwasserschutz.
Trackpoint und Touchpad
Inmitten der Tastatur findet sich wiederum der Trackpoint in Form des roten Gummistöpsels, welcher sehr ergonomisch und benutzerfreundlich gestaltet ist.Lenovo 3000 v200 akku Dies gilt für die Form des Trackpoints selbst, für das Ansprechverhalten desselbigen, als auch für die drei zugehörigen Tasten.
Das Touchpad zeigt eine angenehm zu bedienende Oberfläche mit einem optisch und haptisch markierten horizontalen und vertikalen Scrollbereich.Lenovo 3000 v100 akku Die beiden Touchpadtasten lassen sich aufgrund ihrer Lage an der Vorderkante des Notebooks sehr gut bedienen, sowohl mit dem Daumen beim Navigieren mit nur einer Hand, als auch bei beidhändiger Benutzung. Unterstützt werden auch einige Multitouchgesten, welche teilweise erst in den Mauseinstellungen aktiviert werden müssen.
