With a very compact design, small screen, cheap price and no optical drive, it’s easy to think of the Samsung X120 as a netbook. Look at the specs though, and it’s a no-brainer - the Samsung beats most netbooks hands down - but does it deliver in other areas?

The 11.6-inch screen is a stunner, for a start, offering incredibly crisp images and excellent colour reproduction. With a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, there’s enough space to work with a couple of windows open simultaneously - unlike on the vast majority of netbooks - and it’s also great for movie playback. This is also an area in which it copes fine - the integrated Intel GMA 4500M chipset running films without dropped frames.

The X120’s distinctive design features a lip that runs around the edge of the chassis - with the interface sitting slightly lower. It looks great, and with the lip fitting snugly against the screen lid, there’s no chance of anything falling between the display and keyboard when you’re on the move.

The unusual design stretches to the keyboard location, which sits smack in the centre of the chassis with a lot of vacant space above it. As a result, the palm rest is very small, leading to your hands sitting on the desk or hovering as you type. There are no touchpad buttons below the touchpad - they’re located on each side instead, which takes some getting accustomed to.

The keyboard is excellent, with a design reminiscent of Sony’s previous-generation VAIO laptops. The centres are raised, with a slight dip around the edges that makes it a bit easier to type. The keys are well attached and very comfortable to type on, providing a good travel, although it’s not the quietest board during use.

Instead of an Intel Atom processor, you’ll find a CULV Intel Pentium chip running at 1.3GHz. A dual-core chip, and backed by 3072MB of memory, it offers far better performance than you’ll find in similarly priced netbooks, with the ability to multi-task without too much lag. A battery life of around 3 and a half hours is reasonable, although those looking for all-day use will be disappointed.

All three USB ports are located on the right-hand side of the chassis, although with a large amount of space between each one you’ll be able to connect bulky peripherals without fear of blocking the other ports. On the left side, Samsung has fitted both VGA and HDMI ports. There’s a memory card reader on the front, where the power button is also hidden.

Verdict:

We like the Samsung X120. With netbooks all offering the same specifications, and prices rising rather than falling, this product is a refreshing change. There’s enough performance to use for regular home and office tasks, and although it’s still not the fastest machine it features a great specification for the price.

It also provides excellent quality, the screen is top-drawer, and it offers a high-end ultra-portable experience that’s out of sorts with the budget price tag. If you’re on the lookout for a compact machine, then the Samsung X120 is highly recommended.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Samsung Samsung X120

Samsung X120 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:06:23 +0000

HP have finally bitten the bullet and made what many have been waiting an age for: a MacBook clone. It's been in the back of consumer's minds for a while. Why can't PC manufacturers follow through with the design leads laid down by Apple? Why redesign the wheel? We've seen many models that pick up some Mac-alike elements, but the Envy perhaps goes further than most. In fact, the Envy adds detailing that brings some interest where the Mac is just a little too minimalist for some.

The Envy 15, as the name suggests features a 15.6-inch widescreen display. The resolution stands at?1366 x 768 so it qualifies for the HD tag, but not the Full HD variety, unlike the US versions, which do get a higher quality screen (as well as more RAM in their models). However, the LED backlit HD display looks glorious as it is, with nice bright colours. It doesn't have the same wow factor as the Mac's edge-to-edge panel and the black plastic bezel around the screen is perhaps the only part of the notebook design that we'd criticise. It has a gloss finish which is great for movies at home, but suffers reflections if you sit near a window or are out and about.

It is a compact notebook for its size, measuring 38 x 24.4 x 2.65cm and weighing in at only 2.35kg.

The substantial hinge on the screen lets it drop over the back of the body of the notebook, so it will fit into cramped spaces, although unlike the Envy 13 little brother, it is probably a little too large for Economy Class tray tables on planes or trains. There is a small amount of flex in the screen, but the solid construction means it is well protected from the rear. A light sensor to adjust the brightness of the monitor, the webcam and mic sit in the bezel of the screen too.

The Envy gets a great premium look thanks to liberal use of aluminium in its construction, with the keyboard keys neatly poking through their holes, the same, ahem, as a MacBook. The etching on the back of the screen and on the palm rests might not be for some, but we liked this little addition, giving something of a tactile feel whilst you sit and drum your fingers. The trackpad is larger than you'd normally find on a PC, with HP offering some multi-touch functions -? the pinch zooming works well enough, but the scrolling is a little hit and miss. This is one area where they can't quite match the MacBook Pro. At the bottom of the trackpad are two built-in button sections in lieu of real hard buttons. We like this move as they are still perfectly functional, but give a smoother, cleaner finish, and allow you to move the cursor on-screen across the entire area of the trackpad.

The keyboard is a definite strong point of the Envy. There is no sign of flex at any point, and the travel and response of the keys was very good - we were soon typing up to full speed. There is a full complement of keys however, including shortcut keys down the left and function keys across the top which offer various media controls. We're pleased to see that HP has not resorted to dubious touch controls for these media functions. Unfortunately there is no backlit keyboard option.

Ominously missing from the Envy is a optical drive, although an external USB 8x DVD rewriter is supplied in the box. Opinion is divided on whether this is an acceptable omission on a notebook of this size, but by bundling a drive in the box, you can at least install software or play movies at your desk, but it's an extra lump to carry around on your travels. The drive worked perfectly well for use, but can be a little noisy when spinning. With a 320GB hard drive inside, you've a fair amount of space to store your content, perhaps even a few movies.

Around the body of the Envy you'll find all the connections are located on the right-hand side. You get Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, a shared eSATA/USB port and a 3.5mm jack which is both an audio input and output. The leading edge features an SD card slot, with a little hinging door, giving a neat finish. When a card is inserted it slots in flush too, so you can stick in a card and leave it in there without worrying about it getting caught on things. The Envy 15 comes with a 2GB SD card containing the user guide.

Of course these are all merely external trimmings. Sitting at the heart of the Envy 15 is the Intel Core i7-720QM, running at 1.6GHz and backed by 4GB RAM (expandable up to 16GB), making this a veritable powerhouse indeed. Our review model came running Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) which ran very smoothly. Dedicated graphics are handled by the ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4830, giving you 1GB of dedicated graphics memory.

The results are impressive. Switching between documents and everyday computing tasks are handled in a flash. Movie playback is fantastic too, with Full HD content playing smoothly both on the screen or output via HDMI onto a larger display. You also have the power on hand to play most modern games and we found that Crysis ran smoothly on medium settings. Sound quality from the onboard speakers is a little on the tinny side, but we've heard much worse. There is plenty of volume on offer to provide the sound FX for your gaming or movie watching needs, or merely to keep you in touch with colleagues via Skype or similar.

One thing that is noticeable is the cooling fan located on the left-hand side of the Envy. When going gets tough, it will spin up to life to cool things down. The Envy doesn't get too hot to be used on the lap, but you'll feel a noticable warmth throughout the notebook when in use. Ventilation holes are liberally spread around the edges, but this does seem to be an issue.?

Unfortunately the battery life isn't too impressive. If you plan on stepping away from the mains for any longer than about 1 hour 20 minutes, which we found to be the average battery performance for general office tasks, you might want to look at getting an extra battery, or the accessory "slice" battery, which claims to extend the life up to 7 hours. The limited battery life does push the Envy 15 towards the desktop replacement end of the notebook market, rather than being a truely portable powerhouse.

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Verdict:

The HP Envy 15 has some real strengths: the design is sensational, the keyboard is excellent and the power on offer makes this a really versatile machine. This has to be balanced against the lack of internal drive and poor battery life, which means that this is a PC that will complement your plush office or home better than it will accompany you on your travels. There is no doubting the style on offer however and it will look good wherever you put it and whatever competitor you sit it next to.

It is a bit of a gripe that the UK version of the Envy doesn't get the same specs as the US market, something to bear in mind when it comes to purchase.

We love what HP have done from a design perspective and the time and effort they have put into creating a great looking notebook will appeal to some users, who will be happy to pay the premium price this notebook commands. For some though, the asking price might just be too high.

Related links:

• Link - HP Envy homepage

Tags: Hardware Laptops HP HP Envy 15

HP Envy 15 1060ea notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:56:22 +0000

Sony’s VAIO CW1S1E sits smack in the middle of the company’s laptop range, offering impressive value for money without compromising on features or style. With a 14-inch screen and weighing 2.3kg, it’s slightly larger than Sony’s ultra-portable laptops, but it offers better usability as a result.

The screen has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which is average at this price point. Images are crisp, and LED backlighting offers bright and vivid colour reproduction. That said, it was possible to see the individual LEDs at the bottom of the display on our review sample – which affected colours and also proved distracting.

The design is attractive and cohesive, with a range of bright colours on offer. The palm rest stands higher than the rest of the chassis, giving this machine an individual appearance, and is the same colour as the lid – including deep red, blue, black and light pink. The area surrounding the keyboard is a slightly more subtle colour – from light pink on some models, to black.

Identical in style to most recent VAIO keyboards, the CW’s chicklet style board offers a decent and comfortable typing action. There’s plenty of space between each of the keys, and it’s a responsive and firmly attached interface. The touchpad is larger than many of those found on rival laptops, offering a precise way of navigation, and the mouse buttons are also large and comfortable. ?

The Nvidia GeForce GT 230M graphics card is a surprise inclusion in a machine of this size, giving the compact Sony serious 3D power. With the relatively low screen resolution, it means that even the latest games will run without issue, along with regular home and office applications. As a result, you’ll be able to use the VAIO CW as your sole PC.

Office performance is equally adept, with a mid-range 2.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 processor in place. It’s backed by 4096MB of DDR3 memory, and we found this an excellent machine to carry out office work or run a host of applications simultaneously. The 320GB hard drive offers more than enough space for most music and photo collections.

There are a trio of USB ports for adding peripherals, with two on the left-hand side of the chassis, and one on the right. Other ports include VGA and HDMI, offering connectivity for analogue and digital displays. As with most other VAIO models, there are two card readers on the front of the chassis, supporting Sony’s Memory Stick and SD formats. 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet provide decent networking options, but it’s a shame to see 3G/HSDPA omitted.

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Verdict:

The VAIO CW may not be Sony’s most desirable laptop, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great choice. The combination of size and power make it an ideal machine for all types of user, and that it’s just at home on the commute, in the living room or in the office is testament to just how good an all-rounder it is.

PHOTOS: Sony Vaio CW

Tags: Hardware Laptops Sony Sony Vaio CW1S1E Sony Vaio CW

Sony VAIO CW1S1E notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:39:08 +0000

How thin is thin? That's the question Dell has asked itself with the launch of the Dell Adamo XPS. The answer it seems is 9.9mm, but has the journey to make a laptop thinner than a CD jewel case meant corners have been cut? We grabbed a gander at the new model ahead of the official announcement.

The first thing you'll be thinking is "where did it all go?" the Adamo XPS is thin, very thin. To get an idea of how thin it really is you need to stop reading for a second. Yep you heard that right. Now go find a CD jewel case you've probably got floating around the office or your house and awe that a computer can be thinner. At its thinnest point it's 9.7mm at its thickest its 10.3.

To give you the full dimensions they are 340 x 273.9 x 9.9mm with a weight of 1.44kg.?To achieve that thinness, Dell has done something drastic, it's taken the keyboard and made it fit into a recess the size of the 13.4-inch screen.

In real terms it means that the hinge isn't at the base of the screen, as it is in normal laptops, but slightly further up - say by about 100mm (see pictures). The payoff in placing the hinge higher up in the design is that the metal chicklet keyboard doesn't actually sit flat on your desk - a rather strange experience - but at a 30 degree angle. In use it's surprisingly comfortable and reminiscent of how keyboards used to be before they became super flat.

Back to that design and you'll find that when folded, the keyboard slots into a recessed screen area, allowing it to claim the overall thinness and enabling you to gloat at your friends. It's very clever.

To keep things to a minimum the Adamo XPS isn't loaded with ports, sockets, buttons or other paraphernalia. You get a DisplayPort socket, power socket, headphone, line out jack and two USB ports that are neatly placed down either side. Like the MacBook Air, it loses the Ethernet socket as well as an optical drive, both of which (Blu-ray included) are offered as external devices.

Aside from the ports, the laptop is fairly void of detail. The aluminium casing oozes MacBook Pro chic. Big brash logos are left to be etched into the underside of the device rather than blazoned on the back of the screen. There is branding of course, but it's small and discrete, just like the button to open it.

We say button, though that's not strictly the case as there isn't actually one. Instead you'll be expected to stroke your finger in a certain place to release a latch. What happens when the power runs out? You can't open the laptop, but then Dell's response is logical - why would you want it open, the battery is dead.

Back to the underside and you get a couple of fan holes, a webcam and a removable battery that Dell says will give you a rather disappointing 2 hours 36 minutes. Those looking to hit the road should go elsewhere.

So we've got past the design, but is that it? Luckily not. The specs read quite nicely too.

The glossy screen is a 13.4-inch HD WLED 720p (1366 x 768) offering, while Dell has turned to Intel bringing its Intel Core 2 Duo ULV (1.4GHz) processor to power this size-zero machine. Memory comes in the guise of 4GB DDR3-800MHz and the hard drive is a Solid State 128GB model as standard.

XPS might have been Dell's gaming line once, but no more. With an Intel GS45 integrated graphics card, this isn't going to be a gaming machine, but then gamers are not the target here. Dell has confirmed to Pocket-lint that XPS now means power over gaming and with the Alienware brand going strong they've got that market sector covered.

Connectivity is offered via Wi-Fi a/g/n standard and there is Bluetooth 2.1 in there too.?Power the machine up and you'll get Windows 7 Ultimate edition as standard. Windows 7 is leap years ahead of Windows Vista or XP and therefore by no means a negative.

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Verdict:

Our play was brief, which is why this First Look focuses on the hardware and design implementation rather than speed and performance of the laptop in a real-life situation.

As we move away from CDs and DVDs the need to have an optical drive isn't as vital as it once was. We can't actually remember the last time, apart from installing the OS, we actually used our laptop's optical drive anyway.

There is a concern that the battery life will be the Achilles heel here, but at least you can replace or swap it out if you are attempting a road warrior moment. Yes it should last longer, but that is clearly a payoff to the size and weight. There is a larger 40WHr battery that promises 5 hours 17 minutes.

So what's the bottom line? If you want to impress, this is clearly going to be the device to do it with. The decision to give it a powerful processor over the Intel Atom offering and the ability to swap out the battery, for us, makes this one to watch if you are after style and want substance.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS Intel First look

Dell Adamo XPS notebook - First Look originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Toshiba’s Satellite U500-178 is a highly portable laptop that’s great for either home use or a life on the move. With a 13.3-inch screen, it’s small enough to slip into most laptop bags, yet also packs in a powerful Nvidia GeForce G 210M graphics card.

The screen offers impressive colour reproduction, and the 1280 x 800 pixel resolution also provides sharp images. Unlike most of the Toshiba’s rivals, it’s not a 16:9 widescreen panel, so isn’t quite so ideally suited to movie playback, but those using spreadsheets will appreciate the extra height. The glossy finish won’t suit all users, but reflections aren’t too problematic unless you’re working in direct sunlight.

The U500 features a compact and attractive design, using textured plastics to good effect. Our review sample featured a distinctive dark brown finish, and quality throughout was very impressive. All of the plastics are tough enough for daily use and, although the weight of just over 2kg isn’t the lightest we’ve seen on a machine of this size, it’s easily light enough for the commute.

The keyboard offers excellent levels of comfort, with large and responsive keys. It’s let down by a spongy typing action, however, with the board flexing under pressure. Backlighting on our range-topping sample makes up for this slightly, making it easy to work in any lighting conditions.

Despite the compact footprint, this is a machine you’ll be able to use for any task – from video editing to playing the latest games. The powerful Nvidia GeForce graphics card can draw upon 512MB of dedicated video memory, with everyday performance further boosted by the inclusion of 4GB of system memory. Helping to offer value for money, a speedy 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor provides quick responses, and helps the system to run smoothly at all times.

Networking features are comprehensive, including 802.11n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth. Unfortunately, 3G/HSDPA isn’t an option, which may be an issue for those wanting to work on the move. On the left-hand side of the chassis, there are two USB ports and an ExpressCard slot.

There’s a further USB/eSATA port on the right-hand side, supporting Toshiba’s USB Sleep-and-Charge technology. Letting you charge other devices – such as your iPod or mobile phone, even when the laptop isn’t turned on, it’s a feature we’re quite fond of. Most popular memory card formats are supported, via a 5-in-1 card reader. An HDMI port rounds off the specification.

Verdict:

Although the quality of the keyboard lets it down, the Toshiba Satellite U500-178 is a great machine for those wanting to combine their desktop PC and laptop. It’s easily small enough to take to work with you each day, yet provides outstanding office and multimedia performance. A great all-rounder, and well worth a look.

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Related links:

• Photos - Toshiba Satellite U500

Tags: Hardware Laptops Toshiba Toshiba Satellite U500

Toshiba Satellite U500-178 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:41:32 +0000

It’s easy to imagine that Sony has been hit harder than most by the current netbook explosion, with little point in paying a premium for high-end ultraportable machines when a netbook will suffice. The Sony VAIO VPC11Z1E/X-series aims to change this, proving far more portable than any laptop or netbook we’ve seen so far.

It’s even thinner and lighter than the company’s own miniscule VAIO P-series, although a lot more conventional in design. It measures just 16mm in depth, and weighs comfortably under 800g, and genuinely is a laptop you can put in your bag, take with you everywhere you go and forget it's there.

The 11.1-inch led-backlit screen is excellent, and every bit the equal of other similarly priced ultraportable laptops. The resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels results in sharp image quality, and colours are also vivid and true. With a screen coating that sits somewhere between matt and glossy, brightness levels are good, and reflections are also well suppressed when working outdoors.

The keyboard is tiny, but is surprisingly usable, even for those with larger hands and fingers. The keys themselves are also small, but it’s not problematic due to decent spacing between each one. The main issue is the amount of travel – or lack of – caused by the thin size of the laptop itself. It means the keys only move a fraction when typing – it’s not an issue once you get used to it – but it’s unlikely to suit all users.

The square touchpad is smaller than the one found on Sony’s VAIO W-series netbook, but it’s precise and responsive. Like the keys, the touchpad buttons are large enough for comfortable use, but are also restricted in movement.

Sony has used carbon fibre to help keep the weight as low as possible, distinguishing this machine from the netbooks it will inevitably be compared to. Quality is excellent, with a perfect fit and finish to all of the panels, with an attractive glossy carbon lid. It’s not a machine you’ll be able to throw in your bag without any protection, however, with the skinny chassis flexing more than most laptops or netbooks.

Those of you expecting to find a CULV processor at the heart of this machine will be disappointed as, like the VAIO P-series, Sony has stuck to an Intel Atom Z550 chip. That said, at 2GHz, it’s quicker than the current crop of netbooks – further helped by 2GB of memory and a 256GB solid state drive. Battery life is also decent – lasting for over 6 hours with the standard four-cell battery.

Unsurprisingly, you won’t find that many ports on the chassis. The two USB ports are located annoyingly close together on the left-hand side of the machine, there’s a VGA port but no HDMI, and a couple of card readers on the front supporting both Sony’s Memory card format and the more popular SD format.?

You’ll also find a half-sized Ethernet port, with the lower half dropping down when you want to connect an Ethernet cable. Because this lowers one side of the X-series slightly, there are a couple of little legs on the bottom of the machine, helping to keep it stable. Wireless connectivity on the range topping model is top-notch, with 802.11n Wi-Fi and a 3G/HSDPA adapter both built-in.

Verdict:

There’s no doubt about the amazing portability on offer from the Sony VAIO VPC11Z1E/X, but whether it’s worth the money will depend entirely how much you value that portability. Think of it as a Sony VAIO TT replacement – a high-end ultraportable for executives – and it’s an excellent little device. It’s difficult to escape the fact that it does the same job as many netbooks however, and although none can match it for wow-factor or quality, several can better it for battery life or performance.

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Related links:

• Photos - Sony Vaio X netbook

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Sony Sony VAIO VPC-X11Z1E/X

Sony VAIO VPC-X11Z1E/X notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:22:57 +0000

The MSI X600 is the latest addition to the company’s ultra-slim X-series, following on from the affordable X300. With a larger 15.6-inch screen, the X600 isn’t as small, but it’s still impressively portable for such a large machine.

The most striking aspect is just how thin and light it is – measuring 25mm at its thickest, and weighing in at 2.1kg. The 15.6-inch screen offers impressive brightness levels, but contrast could be better, with colours appearing over-exposed. With a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, it’s a sharp panel, and it’s great for watching films on.

With a similar design to the X300, it looks like a scaled up MacBook Air, with curved edges and getting thinner at the front and sides. Despite this, it feels robust in the hand, with no sign of flex from the chassis itself. The screen doesn’t offer quite the same level of strength, bending slightly in the centre, but overall it feels like a quality piece of kit.

After the X300’s disappointingly bendy keyboard, we were sceptical about this machine’s build quality, but needn’t have worried. The keyboard is a vast leap in terms of quality, offering a solid base on which to type. The flat keys are large and responsive, and offer a comfortable typing action.

The left-hand of the chassis houses a USB/eSATA combo port, HDMI, Ethernet and VGA ports. They’re all located quite close together though – which could prevent you plugging in an HDMI cable if you’re using a bulky USB device. On the right-hand side, you’ll find a further two USB ports – which are also situated infuriatingly close together – headphone and microphone sockets, and a memory card reader.

Features-wise, you’ll find a capacious 500GB hard drive in place, and connectivity includes 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet. A webcam in the top of the screen surround rounds off the specification.

Processing power comes from an ultra-low voltage Intel Core 2 Duo U9600 chip, running at 1.6GHz. With 4GB of memory, we found performance to be impressive, and much better than most low voltage systems. At around 4 hours, battery life is slightly more average, but at least this is a portable machine that is actually capable of multi-tasking.

Things get even better when it comes to multimedia use, as MSI has somehow crammed in a dedicated graphics card. With ATi’s Mobility Radeon HD 4330 chip in place, HD movies play back smoothly, you’ll be able to carry out video editing tasks, and even play the odd game in your spare time.

Verdict:

MSI’s X600 is an impressive laptop, packing a lot into its svelte lines. It may not offer the aluminium finish of Apple’s MacBook Pro, for instance, but it’s still robust and comfortable, and one of the most portable 16-inch machines we’ve seen. Add impressive performance to that, and it’s a difficult package to beat for the price.

Tags: Hardware Laptops MSI MSI X600 MSI X600

MSI X600 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0100

The Asus G71Gx is the latest laptop in the Taiwanese company’s gaming line-up, and balances a powerful GPU with a high-end quad-core Intel processor. Although it only has a single graphics card, it’s also a lot cheaper than many high-end gaming machines, striking a good compromise between price and power.

With bright colours and an edgy design, the G71Gx is a distinctive machine. The styling won’t appeal to all users, proving slightly fussy, but overall it’s a reasonably attractive product. As with many of its rivals, you’ll find coloured LEDs as an integral part of the design, including lights on the sides of the screen and surrounding the touchpad.

The 17-inch screen is on par with most other gaming laptops, which means you’ll find a high-definition 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution and near faultless image quality. Colour reproduction is especially good, producing bright and even colours.

Asus has fitted a high-end GeForce GTX 260M graphics card. It’s not the company’s flagship GPU, but it’s still more than powerful enough to play most games. The screen’s HD resolution does take its toll in some of the more demanding titles, however, where you may have to turn down detail settings slightly. Despite this, games still look great, and for the most part run smoothly and at high frame rates.

Along with the powerful graphics card, Asus has fitted Intel’s Core 2 Quad Q9300 processor, which runs at 2GHz. We’ve seen more powerful machines when running single tasks, but this machine is really in its element when it comes to multi-tasking. 4GB of memory rounds off the specification, resulting in smooth office performance. With a weight of over 4kg, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to take this machine on the road with you, but if you do you’ll find the battery lasts for just over an hour between charges.

The keyboard offers good levels of comfort, with a responsive and springy keyboard that has a great typing action. It’s not the quietest board we’ve seen though, and the sparkly finish is reminiscent of Asus’ Eee PC S101 netbook. Although it looks great on a ?400 netbook, it’s slightly more questionable on a laptop that’s getting on for ?2k.

The materials are all of a good quality, with robust plastics used, but it’s a shame Asus has abandoned the aluminium finish of the more powerful W90 gaming laptop. The thick screen surround offers loads of protection for the display, with no sign of flex under pressure, and details such as the magnetised covers for the ports are a nice touch.

The plastic flaps cover ports on both sides of the chassis. Along with a USB port, on the right-hand side you’ll also find headphone, mic and SPDIF sockets. The left flap covers a further two USB ports and 1394 FireWire. There’s an HDMI port for connections to HD screens, a VGA port for analogue displays, and also an eSATA port, letting you transfer data to external hard drives at high speeds.

There’s an optical drive that’s capable of playing Blu-ray discs, along with writing to regular CDs and DVDs. 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet combine to make this a very well specified laptop.

Verdict:

The G71Gx can’t match some of the more expensive gaming laptops when it comes to sheer power, but it does strike a good compromise between price and performance. The quad-core processor sets it apart from many of its rivals when it comes to multi-tasking and, aside from battery life, it’s a good all-round package.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Asus Asus G71Gx Asus G71Gx

Asus G71Gx notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:09:44 +0100

Samsung's N510 netbook is one of the first machines featuring Nvidia's ION technology to hit the market. With a relatively powerful graphics card alongside the regular Intel Atom processor, the N510 offers a much more rounded package than most rival netbooks, with the ability to easily play back HD movies and even some light gaming.

The ION chipset allows for an Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics card to be used - offering similar 3D performance to much larger laptops. We managed to run some of the latest games on the N510 - albeit at rubbish frame rates and low settings - but it's still a surprise to see proper multimedia abilities from a netbook. It's at its best when playing back HD movies, however, where films run smoothly - and there's an HDMI port to let you output high-definition content to a HDTV.

Unlike most other netbooks and laptops, the N510's 11.6-inch screen is a matt TFT panel, which pays dividends when you're using it outside. Reflections and fingerprints are well suppressed, and it's ideal for use on a train or on the move.

Colours aren't overly vibrant, but it's good enough for most uses. It's also a very sharp panel, aided by a crisp 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. There's more than enough space to open a couple of windows - as with Sony's VAIO W-series netbook - but the Atom processor means that multi-tasking isn't something that's really on the menu.

As with the other Samsung netbooks we've managed to get our grubby mitts on, the N510 features an excellent keyboard. The large keys are all well shaped and with decent travel, and it's easy to type without fear of clipping the adjoining keys. Overall, the typing experience is similar to Samsung's full-sized laptop line-up.

The quality of the rest of this machine is also good. It's not the most stylish netbook - with sombre black plastics - but it's tough and small enough to take with you on the daily commute.

Aside from the chipset and GPU, there's little else special about the N510 when it comes to components. The Intel Atom N280 is a second-generation Atom chip, backed by the usual 1GB of memory and running Windows XP Home. The 5 and a half hours we managed to run the N510 for between charges is impressive considering the performance on offer. The 160GB hard drive is also in line with rivals.

Along with the HDMI port for HD video connections, there's a standard VGA port on the left-hand side of the chassis for regular analogue connections. A single USB port and Ethernet socket are also situated on that side of the machine.

Two additional USB ports are found on the right-hand side, along with a power socket and Kensington lock attachment. There's a memory card reader on the front of the chassis. Wireless connectivity is top-notch, with both 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in place.

Verdict:
With a mid-level price, the Samsung N510 strikes a good balance between performance, portability and comfort. Its large keyboard is one of the best you'll find on a netbook, and despite a lack of vibrancy the screen is also sharp and highly usable.

The ION chipset allows for a decent GPU, and the results are much better than we've come to expect from a netbook. If you want to play HD content or even play older games in your spare time, then this compact machine is well worth a look.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Samsung Samsung N510 Samsung N510

Samsung N510 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:11:12 +0100

The Asus UX30 is a CULV laptop, using low powered components in order to keep the dimensions as small as possible. As such, the 13.3-inch machine measures a smidgen over 2cm at it’s thickest, and weighs in at 1.5kg, putting it broadly on par with Apple’s MacBook Air.

Like the Air, quality is also an area where this laptop shines, with a neatly integrated brushed aluminium lid, and tactile textured plastics. It’s a stylish and cohesive design, with the ports hidden behind magnetised covers, and a glossy cover over the screen that stretches right to the edges of the chassis.

The 13.3-inch screen uses LED backlighting to offer bright and vivid colours, also cutting down on power consumption. The 1366 x 768-pixel resolution results in detailed images, with enough space on screen for a couple of documents side-by-side. While the glossy coating looks great, and enhances the design, it’s a case of form over function, proving highly reflective once out on the road – which is where this machine will surely be used most.

The keyboard features the same isolation style as many other high-end rivals, with keys sticking out through separate holes in the chassis. It’s backlit, adding a hint of quality and making it easy to use in dark conditions, although some users will find the keys slightly too small. It’s easy to strike up a decent typing speed, however. Excellent usability is also offered by the touchpad, which is more than large enough for comfortable and precise use. ?

Intel’s Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor, backed by 4GB of memory, offers adequate office performance, but it lacks the power of the MacBook Air, or other high-end rivals such as Sony’s VAIO Z-series. Battery life is good – lasting for over 5 and a half hours when carrying out several office tasks simultaneously, so 6 hours is on the cards when running single apps.

Graphics are handled by an integrated Intel GMA 4500M chip, so don’t expect to carry out intensive 3D tasks or play games in your spare time. Granted, this isn’t a major setback in a laptop of this type, but it does place it behind the Air, Z-series and even the latest ION netbooks in the multimedia stakes.

There’s no optical drive, but there is a decent array of ports – putting the Air to shame. On the left-hand side of the chassis, behind the plastic cover, you’ll find a single USB, mini-VGA, HDMI-out and an Ethernet connection. The left side houses a further two USB ports, and there’s also a flash memory card reader. Along with Gigabit Ethernet for speedy fixed network connections, draft-n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth offer wireless connectivity.

Verdict:

Despite the fact most other CULV laptops are selling for considerably less than the Asus UX30’s ?999 price tag, it’s difficult not to be impressed by this stylish machine. Few laptops can offer such a great mix of style and quality at this price, and the compact dimensions and light weight make it a great companion for the daily commute. Look elsewhere if value for money is high on your agenda, however, and the same goes for those of you seeking a portable powerhouse.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Asus Asus UX30 Asus UX30

Asus UX30 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:42:53 +0100