HP ProBook 6555b 15.6-inch business notebook review

The new HP ProBook 6555b is a 15.6-inch AMD powered business series laptop.Get flexibility, functionality and value with the HP ProBook 6555b Notebook PC. Starting at 2.51kg, it’s easy to stay productive with a 15.6-inch diagonal HD LED display, innovative security features, enhanced graphics and wireless connectivity.

The HP ProBook 6555b features a sophisticated brushed-aluminum metal case in caviar or bordeaux. Weighing only 4.71 pounds, it offers enhanced graphics capabilities, outstanding performance and a long ProBook 6555b battery life. Designed for small and midsize business professionals who want stylish, affordable notebooks for everyday office applications, the HP ProBook 6555b includes various productivity enhancing HP Professional Innovations, as well as Central Management for HP ProtectTools.

HP ProBook 6555b Laptop Specifications:

• 15.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD anti-glare display
• Runs on Genuine Windows 7 OS
• 2 megapixel web camera
• WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR & Gigabit Ethernet
• Up to 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 graphics
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL LightScribe optical drive
• 160GB to 500GB SATA II (7200 rpm)
• Express Card slot, & Media Card Reader
• Solid State Drive Up to 128 GB
• 3 USB 2.0, VGA, & DisplayPort
• eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo ports
• Integrated stereo speakers, & microphone
• HP Premier sound

The ProBook 6555B additionally facilities Durafinish on the keys for a longer hold up and a magnesium amalgamate await make up for lengthened durability. Adding to the strong inlet of this commercial operation category notebook, the 6555B includes a tough expostulate insurance to close the expostulate in box of falls and a brief resistant keyboard that sends small amounts of glass out drains in the bottom of the set of keys to keep the notebook running. Finally, the HP Power Assistant provides an easy approach for user to conduct their energy make use of and magnify HP ProBook 6555b laptop battery life.

 

The 6555b will feature dual, triple, and quad core versions. It offers the HD4250 integrated graphics card instead of the Intel integrated and ATI dedicated graphics card. Even though it is physically larger, the 6555b is in fact lighter than the EliteBook 8540p/w. It offers a range of high-end components such as solid state drives, Blu-Ray drive, and a high definition HD+ LED screen (1600x900). With a lower price tag, the 6555b provides corporate and small business buyers with an affordable desktop replacement option alongside the more expensive Intel based 6550b.

 

The display type is LED backlit HD anti-glare and is managed by an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250. Module offers connectivity and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, an Ethernet network adapter and a module for WiFi 802.11b/g/n wireless communications. Optionally you can install the module Gobi for broadband communications also equipped with GPS in tow. HP ProBook 6555b also offers a Premier Sound audio section with integrated speakers, a webcam for video conferencing and various ports and interfaces, including mention an ExpressCard slot, three USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA / USB 2.0 Combo, VGA video output , 1 DisplayPort, FireWire port, one serial and audio connectors for microphone and headphones.

 

Like the rest of the ProBook B series, the HP ProBook 6555B comes with HP Professional Innovations software installed. This software includes: HP Protect Tools (for security), HP QuickLook to provide offline access to e-mail, calendar, task and contact information at the touch of a button, without having to boot up the notebook and HP QuickWeb for quick access to the web.

 

On the base plate there is also a covered battery connection. In order to increase the operating time, one can connect either the travel battery for extended runtimes (AJ359ET) or the 12 cell battery with an extremely high capacity (AT486AA). It is a kind of battery slice which is clamped on to the base unit. HP claims an additional 10 hours of operating time with the 12 cell slice. Considering the so-so runtime of just three hours (WLAN) with the standard HP ProBook 6555b battery, we think this claim is somewhat overly optimistic.

 

The keyboard with separate numeric keypad, type is a full-size and spill-resistant for maximum quiet during use. The software paid in addition to Windows 7 operating system available in various versions, highlight Microsoft Office Professional 2007 (60 days trial), McAfee Total Protection (trial) and Intervideo WinDVD - DVD Player. There are also several proprietary application management system.

 

Although the ProBook is HP’s entry-level brand for business users, its design is far from dull. Underneath the glossy (and fingerprint-prone) black lid, the chassis has a mix of textures: a glossy keyboard deck, a satin palm rest, and a speaker strip lining the top. Because the bezel is thin, it’s easy to focus instead on the bright 16:9 display. As an added touch, the power and QuickLook 2 buttons and LED lights all glow turquoise blue, which also keep the design interesting. The notebook is also available in red (HP calls it merlot)—a pleasant surprise for a business machine.

 

At 5.6 pounds, the ProBook is not unreasonably heavy for a 15-inch system. Because of its 16:9 display, it has a wider footprint, at 14.6 x 9.8 inches. And with a thickness ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 inches, it’s less svelte than some other 15-inch systems.

 

Power 9-cell (93 WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 6-cell (55 WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 6-cell (47 WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 6-cell (51 WHr) HP Long Life Battery,24.3-cell (47 WHr) HP Long Life Battery (AMO),25 optional HP Extended Life Battery (52 WHr),18 optional HP Ultra-Capacity HP ProBook 6555b battery (95 WHr),18.90W HP Smart AC Adapter (discrete graphics) or 65W HP Smart AC Adapter (integrated graphics).

 

The HP ProBook 6555b presents itself as the upper class of business mainstreamers. Equipped with all trimmings like Docking-Port, a matte display, HSDPA module or the excellent keyboard, the first impression remains undiluted. The AMD platform even exceeds the externally identically constructed Intel Variante 6540b with an eSATA port, improved sound from the loudspeakers and a low-vibration 7.200 RPM harddrive.

 

The AMD Models are expected to have UMA graphics while the Intel Models will uses Intel HD graphics and the option to use ATI Mobility Radeon HD540v graphics card will be available to both series. The 6450b and 6455b comes with a 14-inch display and the 6555b and 6550b comes with a 15.6-inch screen. The HP ProBook 6455b/6555b and ProBook 6450b/6550b will be released in June starting at $770 and $859 respectively.

Lenovo ThinkPad T510 Notebook Review

If you are thinking of a device that is durable, with good Lenovo ThinkPad T510 battery power and has nice business capacity, then Lenovo Thinkpad t510 is a great device to have. The build of this model is very solid with a display that offers excellent HD imagery. The battery life can withstand up to 8 hours of power. The design is pretty straightforward and very simple with a matte black outer cover with a rubbery texture so when you hold on to the outside, it will not slip. When it comes to the resolution, the 1600×900 HD capacity of the device is very powerful and amazing with an anti-glare feature. This is an above average screen so aside from work, you can enjoy watching movies and playing some computer games with amazing brilliance. NVIDIA NVS 3100M dedicated graphics with 512MB DDR3 allow for high definition videos or games to be played smoothly.

 

Lenovo’s ThinkPad T410s, T410/T510 and W510 notebooks aren’t new, but the company has brought them up to date at CES 2010 with Intel’s latest dual-core, Core i5 and Core i7 processors. The T410s 14-inch ultraportable has a choice of Core i5-520M and i5-540M CPUs, along with the regular choices of HDD or SSD storage, up to 8GB of RAM, WiFi b/g/n, optional Bluetooth, 3G and WiMAX, while the ThinkPad T410/T510 throw the Core i7-620M into the mixture too.

 

Specifications:

• 15.6-inch HD+ LED-backlit Display (1600x900)
• NVIDIA NVS 3100M dedicated graphics with 512MB DDR3
• Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
• Intel Core i5-560M (2.66GHz, 3MB cache)
• 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
• 320GB Seagate 7200.4 HDD (7200rpm)
• Intel 6200 802.11AGN, Bluetooth
• 94Wh 9-cell, 90W 20V AC adapter
• ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3
• Dimensions: 14.68" x 9.65" x 1.41"
• Weight: 6.22 pounds

Lenovo's ThinkPad T-range provides efficient, robust models for mobile business use. Just like the T500s that have been available for some time the T510s are 15.6 inch laptops. They only differ insignificantly on the outside. But the T510 uses Intel's new innovations inside. A few T510 models only have an Intel GMA HD graphic chip integrated into the Core i processor. Then again, others use the possibility of a dedicated Nvidia NVS 3100M graphic card.

 

The exact name of our model is "ThinkPad T510 - 4349-4JG". Because the inner workings of the single models differ to a large extent, some sections that are strongly related don't apply to other models. One thing first: As already the reviewed ThinkPad T410, the ThinkPad T510 model, with a discrete graphic card, at hand doesn't have switchable graphics.

 

The T510 measures in at 371mm x 268mm x 38mm (14.62" x 10.56" x 1.50") with the included 9-cell Lenovo Thinkpad T510 battery in place, and weighs upwards of 6 pounds. Not the lightest to carry around, but we are eager to find out what kind battery life we can get out of the large 9-cell pack. Read on as we take a closer look at the laptop's features and design.

 

The new ThinkPad T Series keyboard is a joy to use without any of the flex issues that were inherent when the T400/T500 released. We have tested the new keyboard side by side with a ThinkPad Z60 which has the stiffest keyboard on the planet and the T510 keyboard compares really well. And the new design is comfortable to type on.

 

Key spacing has been minimized to reduce crumbs and dust getting under the keyboard. And so that you don’t commit the ultimate gaff and say something untoward whilst you’re on a conference call, separate microphone and speaker mute buttons with built in LED’s have been added to enable you to mute the mike individually.

 

The new ThinkPad T510 notebook is the ultimate business tool, designed to enhance productivity and change the way you work. To begin with, it features a 15.6 inch HD LED-backlight widescreen display that helps to lower power consumption and offers brighter colors. In addition, the T510 notebook comes equipped with a range of technologies that includes the new Intel ® Core i5 processor for not only faster performance, but smarter performance, DDR3 memory, new DisplayPort technology and a wider Touchpad for improved ergonomics. Plus, it’s engineered with Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience for Windows 7, which means faster start-up and shut down times than systems without Enhanced Experience. You will never go wrong with a ThinkPad.

 

Regarding networking, the new ThinkPad sports 802.11n Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth, as well as optional Gobi 3G mobile broadband with GPS functionality and optional WiMAX.

 

The T510 features a multi-touch trackpad, a 2MP web camera, four USB ports (one of these is an eSATA/USB combo port), an ExpressCard slot, DisplayPort and VGA outputs, a Firewire port, 5-in-1 media card reader, a fingerprint reader, and an optional Smart Card reader.

 

The T510 has a clean, professional, all-business look about it. Some laptops are all glossy black and shiny, but the ThinkPads are designed to let you focus on your work, not on bells and whistles and lights on the keyboard area. As such, they have a slightly textured surface around the palm rest area and the touchpad surface, while being flush with the palm rest, has a rougher surface area that may take some getting used to. Personally, I like the Trackpoint on ThinkPads, so I primarily use it along with the right and left thumb mouse buttons just below the space bar.

 

ThinkPad keyboards are a pleasure to use. They continue the traditional ‘clicky’ feel that I liked so much about the old IBM keyboards. One thing I have to get used to is the function key (Fn) in the lower left corner of the keyboard to the left of the CONTROL key. On my Dell, these keys are reversed, so I find myself hitting Fn+ whatever key to perform an operation that requires Ctrl+ instead, like Ctrl+V to paste.

 

Pros

1. The Thinkpad T510 model is another solid offering from Lenovo that offers high quality performance and speed.
2. The build quality is really impressive that could compete with other newer notebooks in the market.
3. The matte screen, touchpad, and keyboards all combine to deliver ease of use.
4. Although the display screen’s native resolution is also good enough, you can also opt for the HD model and you have to pay an additional $50 for that.
5. Although designed for business applications, it still delivers quality performance when used on mainstream games.

Cons

The addition of new key options could take a while for users to get used to. The same applies for the revamped touchpad layout.

 

Battery life of LenovoThinkPad T510 was insufficient despite the use of 9-cell Lenovo ThinkPad T510 laptop battery pack. You can only use it for a maximum of a few minutes more than 3 hours, which really is not good enough for intensive business use.

 

Lenovo is trying really hard to make the T510 your new ultra-slim business laptop. The ThinkPad T510 actually is only 1.4″ thick and weighs just 5.9lbs. and if you look at all the options for configuration this laptop is already a great deal. Don’t think that Lenovo went cheap either with the T510 they still kept their signature ThinkPad build quality. In tests the keyboard exhibited flex only under lot’s of pressure on it which we found to be acceptable.

 

The Ibex Peak graphics technology optimizes decoding and encoding plus editing and playback of MPEG-4 AVC video used in Blu-ray Technology and HD 1080p video so we expect to see the new ThinkPad T410 and T510 fully HD optimized.

 

Its 15.6″ LED backlight display is supported by NVIDIA Quadro NVS 3100M graphics processoe with 512MB dedicated video memory. Lenovo ThinkPad T510 (431329U) also comes loaded with DVD±R/RW optical drive, 802.11 bgn WiFi, webcam, card reader as well as 9-cell lithium ion ThinkPad T510 battery for up to 9 hours of life. Price, newegg has Lenovo ThinkPad T Series T510(431329U) NoteBook for $1,179.99.

Dell Precision M6500 Overview

The Dell Precision M6500 notebook has a true, full-size keyboard and superior LED technology in its 17in screen. However, it is heavy, somewhat cumbersome, and pricey.

The laptop market is a strangely fragmented consolidation of different user needs and preferences expressing themselves through a vast array of options. In the midrange - the bulk of the market - are standard workaday laptops that provide knowledge workers what they require plus a few gewgaws for entertainment. Products from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, and Apple all battle for the hearts and minds of consumers in this space.

Churning through the SPECviewperf 10 benchmarks really showed off the quality of the image and evenness of the backlight, and it isn't only in specialist applications that this laptop flies. In our 2D benchmarks it scored 1.9, putting it right up there with Lenovo's latest ThinkPad T510 as the fastest laptop we've tested.

Specifying anything but the base model on Dell's website will get you a USB 3 port for your cutting-edge peripherals, and the Precision M6500 battery also features DisplayPort and D-SUB outputs, a smart card reader (standard or contactless) and an optional fingerprint reader for added security. A slot-loading DVD writer comes as standard, with Blu-ray available, and video-conferencers will appreciate the integrated 3.2-megapixel webcam and dual microphones.

Dell supplies a couple of other dedicated buttons as well, though fewer than we usually see on powerful laptops--a simplification that I appreciate. Above the number pad sit a calculator button and three volume control buttons (up, down, and mute). The calculator button, which brings up the Windows calculator, is one of the most useful dedicated buttons I've ever seen on a computer.


The M6500's array of ports is fairly normal: On the left side are two USB 2.0 ports, a 1394 six-pin port, headphone and microphone jacks, an eight-in-one card reader, a PC Card slot, and the DVD+/- RW slot (not a tray). On the right side are two more USB 2.0 ports (one a USB/eSATA combo), a VGA-out port, a display port, an ethernet port, an ExpressCard slot, and a Wi-Fi switch.

Specifications:

• Core i7 Extreme Edition Quad Core
• 32GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM
• 1GB Nvidia Quadro FX 3800M graphics
• 500GB HDD or 256GB SSD with optional 2nd & 3rd drives and RAID support
• Blu-ray or 8x DVDRW
• 17″ widescreen display
• USB 3.0 ports
• Windows 7 Pro 64-bit

The M6500′s specifications are extremely impressive, it features an Intel Core i7-920XM processor, with up to 16GB of RAM (either 1066MHz, 1333MHz or 1600MHz), perhaps most impressively it features NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M graphics. It is thought that all Windows versions from XP onwards are supported (32-bit and 64-bit) along with Red Hat Linux 5.3 64-bit.

The Dell Precision M6500 battery has numerous connectivity options, including a powered six-pin 1394 connector, four USB 2.0 connections (current quad-core models ship with two USB 3.0 connectors on the left and two USB 2.0 connectors on the right, one of which is a dual USB/eSATA port), and VGA, DisplayPort, RJ45, and audio ports. Additional connectivity options include Bluetooth 2.1 and ultra-wideband (UWB; comselected countries only), wireless LAN, next-generation mobile broadband, GPS, Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g or Dell 1510 802.11 a/g/n 2x3 mini-card, Intel Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n 3x3 mini-card, and Dell Wireless 5620 HSPA — EVDO Revision A (selected countries only).

Dell supplies a couple of other dedicated buttons as well, though fewer than we usually see on powerful laptops, a simplification that I appreciate. Above the number pad sit a calculator button and three volume control buttons (up, down and mute). The calculator button, which brings up the Windows calculator, is one of the most useful dedicated buttons I've ever seen on a computer.

The M6500's array of ports is fairly normal: On the left side are two USB 2.0 ports, a 1394 six-pin port, headphone and microphone jacks, an eight-in-one card reader, a PC Card slot and the DVD+/- RW slot (not a tray). On the right side are two more USB 2.0 ports (one a USB/eSATA combo), a VGA-out port, a display port, an ethernet port, an ExpressCard slot and a WiFi switch.

Dell Computer launched new notebooks which are included in the Dell Precision M6500 mobile workstation. Dell Precision M6500 equipped with a capacity of 32GB 1333MHz DDR3 memory. Other specifications such as CPU Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition & Quad Core, 17-inch LED screen, three options HDD or SSD storage media, Blu-ray drive, graphics card NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M 1GB DDR3 Graphics, and operating system Windows 7. On the laptop there is also Wireless, Bluetooth, WiMAX, WWAN, Mobile Broadband, GPS, Smart Card Reader, Fingerprint Reader, 3.2MP webcam, and 8-in-1 card reader. Initial price offered valued at $1,899.

On its own, this monster machine carries more systems and expandibility than your average desktop, wraps everything in a stylish metal casing, somehow doesn't neglect to include a keypad, capable audio and pointing subsystems, while it generally leaves most competitors in the dust.

Laptop Dell Precision M6500 also offers minimum configuration with an Intel Core i7 720QM (1.60 GHz) CPU, 2GB RAM, 160GB SATA HDD, ATI FirePro M7740 GPU with 1GB of VRAM and DVD. The Dell Precision M6500 is a laptop 17-inch widescreen TFT LCD with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels (WXGA +), four USB 2.0 ports, IEEE 1394, DisplayPort, D-Sub, ExpressCard/54 slot, 8-in – 1 card reader and Ethernet card. It is equipped with 9-cell Dell Precision M6500 laptop battery and Windows XP Professional.

Surprisingly, with such components, the Precision M6500 might heat. We measured 35°C on the right palm in idle and not less than 55°C on full load, which takes not less than 210 W load. Temperatures suggest that the heat dissipation could be improved. The camera becomes unusable many a times and so just do not put it on your knees with 3D. However it is anyway absurd to take almost 4 kg on knees when you have a perfect
device in your office.

It's hard to imagine why someone would need 16GB--let alone 32GB--of RAM on their laptop,but if you're looking for a powerful desktop replacement, the M6500 battery is a good choice. It's quick, smooth, and full of simple elegance--and its only significant drawbacks are its weight and its short battery life.

HP Mini 5103 Review

The HP Mini 5103 is a corporate-oriented netbook that does just about everything right: It has a plethora of business and security features, an excellent keyboard and touchpad, and a touchscreen. However, performance is mundane, and a larger display would be nice--especially on a unit this pricey. The Mini 5103's configurations, and there are a lot of them, start at $399 and can run up to nearly $1000 even before including extended service and warranty plans. At this writing, the configuration we tested would set you back $649.

The HP Mini 5103 is an evolution of the current line of HP Mini 5100 netbooks. Physically, the machine is identical to previous offerings in the family. It sports a strong, yet lightweight, magnesium frame with an aluminum shell that protects the netbook’s screen. The model we tested had an attractive espresso finish that sets off the machine nicely. It isn’t quite as flashy as a model like the look-at-me Sony VAIO W Series Imperial Lime Edition, but the Mini 5103’s subtle beauty is a sight nonetheless. Overall, the footprint is a very portable 10.3x7.1 inches and only an inch thick. Those dimensions are par for the course for a netbook.

HP Mini 5103 Netbook Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Atom N550 dual-core 1.5 GHz
• Storage: 160 GB, 7,200 rpm
• Memory: 2 GB
• Display: 10.1-inch, 1366×768, multitouch
• Ports: 3 USB, VGA, Audio in, out, SD/MMC
• Communications: 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1
• Webcam: 2 MP
• OS: Windows 7 Pro (32-bit)
• Battery: 6-cell
• Dimensions: 10.30 x 7.09 x 0.98 in
• Weight: 2.86 lbs.

On the other hand, the HP Mini 5103 came alive when it came time to display video. The netbook played every movie we threw at it smoothly, including one at 1080p and a high-bitrate 720p MP4 file that gives a lot of netbooks, and even some laptops, a hard time. The video also looked quite nice on the 1366x768 screen, although for other applications that resolution is a bit high for a 10.1in display. Icons and text appear quite small unless you increase their size.

Like the Mini 5101 and 5102 before it, the 5103 very much looks and feels like a shrunken HP ProBook, which is a compliment. HP hasn't changed the outer design much for this generation, which is mostly a good thing (with the exception of the touchpad). You get a case with anodized aluminum on top and magnesium alloy on the bottom. Add in a soft-touch treatment on the deck and a clear HP DuraKeys coating for the keyboard, and you have a netbook that can stand up to a fair amount of abuse. Not that the 5103 doesn't have style; the lid on our unit was a brown espresso color instead of the standard black, a treatment that carries over to the deck.

Weighing 2.8 pounds (with the six-cell battery) and measuring 0.9 inches thin, the Mini 5103 can easily slip into a backpack or briefcase. The six-cell HP Mini 5103 battery protrudes a bit from the bottom of the system, but it's hardly noticeable. To make the 5103 more attractive to students, a carrying handle is available; it screws on and replaces the rear feet.

The HP 5103 has been design as a business netbook and should appeal to all users who want a processional looking netbook. As well as having a stylish and strong exterior and many configurable options, the hard drive features a sensor to protect the drive from a fall.

The trackpad on the 5103 could use improvement; there are three things I don’t like about the implementation. It’s very small, which isn’t surprising given the small size of the netbook. It lacks multitouch, which has become the norm for notebooks, and the lack of two-finger scrolling is inconvenient. There’s a scroll area on the right of the trackpad, but it’s no substitute for multitouch. The surface of the trackpad is a glossy material that actually provides mild resistance to finger sliding on the surface, making it harder to use as a result.

You might expect the extra power from the Atom N550 to come at the expense of 5103 battery life. Indeed, HP suggests that the laptop takes a bit of a hit in their tests, while offering a 20 percent performance boost in CPU only tests. But you know what? I got about 6 hours of run time from the HP Mini 5103. That’s just about exactly the same amount of run time I got from the HP Mini 5102 with a single core Atom N450 processor.

On the one hand, that’s much lower than the 10 hours of battery life HP promises from the 6 cell, 5700mAh, 66Whr Mini 5103 battery, but it’s really not that bad for a dual core mini-laptop. More importantly, it looks like the Atom 550 processor doesn’t drain power all that much faster than a single core Atom chip.

As with its predecessor, the 5103 sports a speedy 7,200rpm hard drive. The 160GB capacity, however, falls short of the 250GB ones found in the Toshiba NB305-N410 and Acer AO521-3782. Attached to the motherboard is a Broadcom HD decoder card, which allows you to playback high definition video, since the dual-core processor isn't powerful enough by itself. All my 720p and 1080p video files played back beautifully, even though its viewing capacity is limited to a 10-inch widescreen. There isn't an HDMI port that connects to an HDTV, like the one found in the AO521-2782 and Asus EeePC 1215N ($500 street, ). You also have to make sure all your HD videos are played through Windows Media Player, as Quicktime, a popular player for H.264 videos, doesn't support hardware acceleration, and choked on all of these tests. There are 3 USB ports, a media card reader (SD and MMC), Ethernet, and VGA support. A Webcam and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi are also present.

Viewing angles were above-average with colors starting to invert with the screen tilted forward or back 25-30 degrees. Horizontal viewing angles were better, staying visible to about 80 degrees before glare off the screen prevented you from viewing what was being displayed.

The multitouch display was responsive in our testing, but the small screen size combined with the higher resolution display did present some problems with the user interface. Aiming for small buttons, especially when located near the corners resulted in many tries before you could close a window or hit the back button in a web browser. With scaling increased some of this could be elevated, but then you take away any benefits of even having the higher resolution panel to increase screen real-estate.

From top to bottom, the Mini 5103 feels like a premium product: it's solid and sleek, but a bit on the thick side. A brushed aluminum back lid and solid, smooth-opening hinge feel like fine furniture compared with the rest of the netbook landscape. Inside, textured plastic that feels like soft rubber coats the keyboard deck and makes for a comfortable but slightly narrow palm rest. The colour of the finish inside and out is called Espresso, and looks like a rich metallic brown. Overall, the Mini 5103 looks exactly like a mini version of the small-business-targeted HP ProBook.

A central power button above the keyboard glows light blue, and is graced to the left with two small lit buttons launching the default web browser and whatever email/scheduling software is installed.

The HP Mini 5103 is a dual-core netbook that features an Intel CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and a sleek, sturdy metal body that is lightweight and is extremely portable at around 3 pounds. There's also a 10-inch widescreen display with an option to get it with a capacitive touch screen and 2GB of memory.

There is a power button above the keyboard at the center which glows light blue. To the left of it are two small lit buttons for installing software and launching web browser. To the left of Mini 5103 there is a plug for power adapter next to VGA port. Before the bending at about an inch and a half is the plug which is quite large though. It has a keyboard which is edge to edge raised and is below the rest of the deck. Typing on the keyboard is very comfortable with square keys which compress quickly and they are reactive

The HP Mini 5103 had a rather standard port layout, including three USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, headphone and microphone jacks, LAN, and a SDHC-card slot. With a 4 cell HP 5103 battery and standard display, the HP Mini 5103 measures 10.3″ x 7.1″ x 0.9″ and weighs about 2.6 pounds.

It is available with a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display which is virtually indistinguishable from those on any number of other netbooks. The video also looked quite nice on the 1366x768 screen, although for other applications that resolution is a bit high for a 10.1in display.

The anecdotal performance and multitasking prowess is slightly better, as are the benchmark results. Just as we heard, there's about a 20 percent improvement -- most other single-core Atom N450 netbooks score around 1,200 on PCMark05, while the Mini 5103 notched a 1,866. That's a nice increase, but it's not quite as fast as AMD's single- and dual-core Nile "netbook" or ultra-thin platform. The Dell Inspiron M101z hits double the Mini 5103's score on PCMark Vantage as does the Neo K125-powered Acer Aspire One 521. In addition, the desktop grade, dual-core 1.8GHz Atom D525 processor inside the Eee PC 1215N also provides about double the speed and, as we said before, the 12.1-inch Eee PC certainly feels faster in everyday use to us.

Dell Latitude E6420 Review

Dell is working on two new laptops one is Dell Latitude E6420 Laptop while other one is Dell Latitude E6520 Laptop. This information is come from the Software engineer , Eric G who said that Dell is planning to launch two new latitude Laptops that will be featured with features 2n Generation Intel Core processors codenamed “Sandy Bridge” and we already know about two new laptops of Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p that are quipped with the same processors. These laptops are designed by considering the requirements of business professionals.

There’s no info on CPUs in the 14-inch Latitude E6420 replacing the E6410, but from the past we’ve learned that it should use the same CPU family as its larger sibling. Eric G. says the E6420 will include a new 9-cell battery with a capacity of 97Whr. For comparison, the 9-cell Dell LATITUDE E6420 battery for the current E6410 is rated at 90Whr. Other features include a built-in Ericsson F5521gw (Dell DW5550) mobile broadband module with 21Mbps download and 5.7Mbps upload speed, USB 3.0, Intel ATT 3.0 anti-theft technology, and also a 3.2MP webcam.

On a other palm a Latitude E6420 provides a 15.6" White-LED LCD with optional touchscreen, as well as 3.2MP camera. The laptop is based upon a ultimate Sandy Bridge Intel Core processor (Core i3/i5/i7).

Bridge processors and other breakthroughs, according to multiple leaks. The Latitude E6420 and E6520 would be direct replacements for the existing, respective 14- and 15.6-inch model that would both use faster processors. The Dell Lab insider doesn't list specs for the E6420 but said the E6520 would have chips ranging from a dual 2.1GHz Core i3 through to dual 2.7GHz and quad 2.3GHz Core i7 options.

Latitude E6420 and E6520, laptop with longest dell laptop battery will soon come with faster processors. The people in the Dell Lab did not inform the specification for the E6420 but said the E6520 will have a choice of chips ranging from 2.1GHz Dual Core I3 up to 2.7GHz dual and quad 2.3GHz Core i7.

Specifications of Dell Latitude E6420:
* The Dell Latitude E6420 15.6-incher replaces and E6410 and features 2n Generation Intel Core processors codenamed “Sandy Bridge”,
* including dual and quad core chips,
* optional touchscreen,
* LED display backlight, and
* a 3.2MP web camera.

On the other hand the Latitude E6420 provides a 15.6″ White-LED LCD with optional touchscreen, and 3.2MP camera. The laptop is based on the latest Sandy Bridge Intel Core processor (Core i3/i5/i7). No word on pricing or availability.

In this regard, Dell also intends to recommend its Latitude E6420, a notebook form factor and with 14-inch USB 3.0 ports, as well as F5521gw Ericsson Mobile Broadband WWAN Mini-card with support for up to 21 Mbps in download and 5.7 Mbps in upload.

What we want to introduce for you now is codenamed Dell Latitude E6420 laptop battery with its outer design on the offered image. As for its weight, Dell Latitude E6420 is light. However, just some features, we have not known its price tag as well as the released date. And we will tell you as soon as possible from the update news in the near future.

Other laptop leaks on Eric’s blog include the Precision M6600 and M4600 mobile workstations, the update of recently released Dell XPS 17 L701X – the L702X, and new details on the upcoming Dell Alienware M17x gaming notebook.

Talking of the Dell Latitude E6520, the newbie replaces the existing E6510 model while entering the market. The E6520 has a 15.6-inch screen and boasts of being propelled by the latest and upcoming Intel Core “Sandy Bridge” processors, including dual and quad core chips. That apart, this model will also feature an optional touchscreen, LED display backlight, and a 3.2MP web camera.

E6420 is reportedly selling point is the LATITUDE E6420 battery. The package will reach nine-cell 97 Watt hour or maybe over 10 hours and help attract Dell for business users who focus on battery life above all else. This laptop will have a single USB 3.0 port along with the usual USB 2.0 ports and an optional 21Mbps HSPA + 3G modems from Ericsson. Both the E6420 and E6520 will have a 3.2-megapixel webcam.

The availability of Dell Latitude E6520 and E6420 is expected in early 2011. We recall that Dell is also preparing to launch two workstations Precision M4600 and M6600 and the Alienware M11x gaming netbook (R2). The new Precision models incorporate the latest Intel processors to combine high performance with significant efficiency. These reports confirm the desire of producers to use the new Intel Sandy Bridge architecture for their systems, a powerful solution that can reduce consumption and, therefore, suitable for devices dedicated to mobility.

HP ProBook 6550b 15.6-Inch Business Laptop Review

The HP ProBook 6550b is designed to be an affordable business notebook that doesn’t compromise on features and build quality, and it delivers on both of these fronts.

 

HP ProBook 6550b offers similar components (bar the graphics card) that the more expensive EliteBook 8540p offers but at a lower price. What is missing from the 6550b in comparison to the 8540p is the sleeker and more durable structure (magnesium alloy chassis, anodised aluminum lid). The 6550b only offers 1 year parts and labor warranty as opposed to the 3 years offer by the more expensive EliteBooks. HP ProBook 6550b is a well priced notebook aimed at small businesses with a range of high-end components to pick from. Whilst it might not be as rugged at the Elitebooks, the 6550b does a fine job as a portable desktop replacement.

 

Specifications:

• CPU Options: Intel Core i7, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i3, Intel Celeron
• Display size/resolution: 15.6 inches/1366 x 768, 1600 x 900
• Hard Drive size/speed: 160, 250, 320, 500GB/7,200 rpm. Also a 320GB self-encrypting drive, and 128GB SSD
• Graphics: Integrated: Intel HD; Discrete: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
• Optical Drive: DVD SuperMulti DL, Blu-Ray
• Wireless: Intel or Broadcom 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1
• Optional EV-DO/HSPA Mobile Broadband
• Size:14.6 x 9.8 x 1.4 inches
• Weight: 5.8 pounds

The ProBook 6550b features the Intel Core i3-350M, i5-520M, i5-540M or i7-620M processor, the Intel HD integrated graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon HD540v 512MB dedicated GPU, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 160 or 320GB hard drive or a 128GB solid state drive, DVD burner, anti-glare 1366×768 or 1600×900 LED-backlit display, and standard 6-cell, Long Life 6-cell or 9-cell ProBook 6550b battery.

 

As with the 6450b, the only hardware difference that sets the 6540b and 6550b apart is the replacement of an USB2.0 port by an eSATA/USB combo port and the availability of the cheaper Intel Core i3 processor. The new ATI HD5xxV series graphics cards are also offered. Weight and dimensions of this notebook remain unchanged. It offers similar components (bar the graphics card) that the more expensive EliteBook 8540p offers but at a lower price. What is missing from the 6550b in comparison to the 8540p is the sleeker and more durable structure (magnesium alloy chassis, anodised aluminum lid). The 6550b only offers 1 year parts and labor warranty as opposed to the 3 years offer by the more expensive EliteBooks. The ProBook 6550b is a well priced notebook aimed at small businesses with a range of high-end components to pick from. Whilst it might not be as rugged at the Elitebooks, the 6550b does a fine job as a portable desktop replacement.

 

The HP ProBook 6550b's 6-cell, 55 Watt-hour hp laptop battery lasted 2hr 12min in our rundown test, in which we disable power management, enable Wi-Fi, maximise the screen's brightness and loop an Xvid-encoded video. This is only two minutes off what the ProBook 6540b recorded with the same battery and only a slightly slower CPU speed. You could get a lot more life out of this HP ProBook 6550b battery by employing a balanced power profile, lowering the brightness and letting the screen switch off during idle periods.

 

The HP ProBook 6550B is very similar to its slightly smaller brother, the 6450B. The big difference between these two is that the 6550B comes with a 15.6-inch diagonal 16:9 HD LED backlit display and a choice of UMA graphics solution or a high performance discrete GPU powered by ATI Mobility. The extra screen space on the ProBook 6550B will come in handy for business users who need to compare documents or spreadsheets on a regular basis.

 

The HP ProBook 6550b Notebook PC offers flexible options for your business needs and budget. Starting at 5.5 lb, you’ll stay productive on the go with a 15.6-inch diagonal HD LED display, innovative security features and wireless connectivity.

 

The HP ProBook 6550b is designed to be an affordable business notebook that doesn't compromise on features and build quality, and it delivers on both of these fronts. Similar to the ProBook 6540b, a sturdy design is what's immediately noticeable when you start handling the HP ProBook 6550b laptop battery: it has metal hinges, the base feels solid when you pick it up from either corner, the lid can take a fair bit of force before puddling appears on the screen and the keyboard has keys that are crisp and perfect for long sessions of typing.

 

The keyboard also includes a number pad. Just above the keyboard is a row of touch-sensitive buttons that can be used to manipulate the volume, launch your email and web browser applications, as well as disable Wi-Fi. We're not a fan of these buttons; not only are they too bright (the LEDs on most HP notebooks seem to be too strong) but they are also a little sluggish. Volume changes, in particular, take a couple of seconds before you can see the effect via an on-screen indicator. The response of the touch buttons is also not reliable and sometimes you have to press a button more than once to activate its function.

 

With a base that's filled with features, a hardware configuration that supplies good performance and management tools that can be useful, the ProBook 6550b is definitely a laptop worth considering. It looks a feels a little bulky, but it's not overly heavy and, most importantly, it's easy to type on.

Review: Dell Latitude E4310

Dell Latitude E4310 is an ultra-thin light-weighted laptop that comes in a sleek -matte metallic covering along with high-quality durable technologies which is well-suited for both home and business propose. It is equipped with DDR3 SDRAM Memory, 500 GB 5400 rpm or 7200 RPM SATA, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet with Wireless Bluetooth, 2.0 Mega Pixel Web Camera with Dell Webcam Central software option, and includes DVD-ROM, DVD+/-RW, Blu-Ray, Travel Lite Module optical drives. It comes with 13.3" inch WLED Anti-Glare LED Display which is powered with Intel HD Graphics Card with dynamic frequency and Mobile Intel QS57 Express Chipset. It is powered by Intel Core i5-540M or Intel Core i5-520M Processor and works with Multi-Operating Systems includes Genuine Windows 7 Professional of 32/64-Bit or Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic 32-Bit or Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate 32-Bit or Genuine Windows Vista Business 64/32-Bit.

 

The all new Dell Latitude E4310 laptop is an ideal laptop for any frequent traveler. It is ultra thin and ultra light yet powerful and compact.

 

Dell E4310 is ultra portable with a mix of sleek and stylish looks with excellent durability and unmatched wireless connectivity like no other. It is a fully featured and compact, lightweight notebook for your daily use on the move. The security features are advanced and prevents data loss. It is a part of the advanced and newly formed Latitude E-Family with a blend of commonality and reliability. It is highly recommended for those who are frequent flyers especially business executives. It is a solid performer used for regular use and it is specially focused on price with performance. It is powered by Intel Core i5 Processor with operating platform like Windows 7 Professional. Dell 4310 battery come with 2GB memory with 13.3†silver high definition WLED flat panel LCD screen with in-built camera. Latitude 4310 Notebook has massive storage of 250GB hard drive and for digital entertainment 8X optical DVD R/W drive with integrated graphics card from Intel and comes with 3 year service support.

 

Specifications :

• Processors:Intel Core i5 Dual Core
• Chipset:Mobile Intel QS57 Express Chipset
• Displays:13.3″ WLED Anti-Glare LED Display (1366×768)
• Graphics Cards:Intel HD Graphics with dynamic frequency
• RAM: up to 4GB
• Hard Disk: 500GB
• Mobility Solid State 128GB & 256GB
• Free Fall Sensor on the motherboard – standard
• Optical Drives:DVD-ROM, DVD+/-RW, Blu-Ray, Travel Lite Module
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• 56K v92 External Modem (Optional)
• WiFi b/g/n
• Dell Wireless 375 Bluetooth 3.0
• Smart Card Reader and Contactless Smart Card Reader (optional)
• Fingerprint Reader OR FIPS Fingerprint Reader (optional)
• Stereo Speakers
• Integrated microphone
• Integrated 2.0 Mega pixel webcam and Dell Webcam Central software (optional)
• Starting weight : 1.54 kg (with 3-cell battery)

Dell rolls out its latest Latitude notebook, the E4310 ultra portable with a sleek look and a thin, light design. The E4310 is a 13.3-inch laptop powered by Intel’s Core I5-540M 2.53GHz or i5-520M 2.4GHz processors, up to 4GB of DDR3 memory and onboard Intel HD graphics.

 

The Latitude E4310 gets up to a 7200RPM 500GB hard drive or 256GB SSD and a DVD burner )Blu-ray available as option). It supports WiFi, optional Bluetooth and can be equipped with optional EVDO+HSPA+AGPS mobile broadband module. Other features include 7-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard 34 slot, 2 Megapixel camera, Smart Card Reader, Fingerprint reader, and eSATA/USB combo port.

 

That's not to say it's ill-equipped. On its US site, Dell says it'll be stuffing the E4310 battery with a choice of Intel Core i5 CPUs, up to 4GB of DDR3 1,066MHz SDRAM, a choice of mechanical or solid-state hard drives, plus a Blu-ray option -- though we can't imagine many city-dwelling office types taking advantage of that last one.

 

More useful is the addition of a SIM-card slot, which allows you to connect to the Web almost anywhere, and an integrated GPS module, which lets you take advantage of location-based services or navigate between meetings using the magic of satellites.

 

Released Dell Latitude E4310, E5410, E5510 powered with intel Core i5, i7. The 14.1-inch Dell Latitude E5410 and 15.6-inch Dell Latitude E5510 feature the Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs or the new Intel Celeron P4500, all with dual cores, up to 320GB hard drive or up to 128GB solid state storage, up to 8GB RAM, Intel HD graphics, a DVD burner or Blu-ray drive, and Windows 7, Vista, or Ubuntu Linux OS.

 

Like always, we started out by testing its main hardware component, the central processing unit (or CPU in short). We were happy with what we found: an Intel Core i5 540 M processor running at a good speed of 2.53 GHz, on an L2 cache of 3 MB. This helped it perform extremely well in all our tests and it passed our most resource intensive tests without encountering any problems or errors. For its great performance, agility, and versatility, in our Dell Latitude E4310 review, the notebook receives 10 out of 10 points. We were very happy with how it performed!

 

The Dell Latitude e4310 is a full- featured Ultraportable notebook, the latest addition to the Dell Latitude E-Family of notebooks. The Dell Latitude E4310 ultraportable has a memory of 8GB with a storage capacity of up to 500GB, 250GB or 256GB. This Thin, Light & Sophisticated 13.3″ Laptop is suitable for the executive or for those who are frequently on the move.

 

Being the eagle-eyed scouts that we are, we already alerted you to the new 13.3-inch Latitude E4310 and its fine looking product page, but Dell's putting all of its cards on the table today with pricing and availability. Starting at $1,149, the new 1.1-inch thick, corporate-looking laptop will be available later this month with Core i5 CPUs as well as your choice of SSD and hard drive options. That's above the $1,000 threshold, but we're told that's because of its durable tri-metal build and backlit keyboard, both of which sound delightfully delightful. We're curious to see the machine in person, but if you aren't into those extras, Dell's got you covered with its 13.3-inch Latitude E5410 and 14.6-inch E5510, which start at $759 and $789, respectively. While these two aren't the trimmest of the bunch at over 4.5 pounds, they can be configured with Core i3 or i5 processors, DDR3 RAM, and up to 320GB 7,200rpm hard drives. Not a bad bunch of options for the briefcase, but take sometime to peruse the press shots below and the PR after the break before you bust out the plastic.

 

The Latitude e4310 has undergone rigorous durability testing and thanks to the Dell Tri-Metal case and Reinforced LED display, this notebook is designed to last. Mobile business users will appreciate the small form factor, 3.4 pound starting weight and mobile broadband options for anywhere connectivity. Users can also rest easy knowing that the notebook is equipped with a free-fall sensor to lock the hard drive and Dell StrikeZone shock absorbers to protect your data in the event of a fall.

 

And if you think the E4310 is too expensive, Dell also launched a lower-cost Latitude E5410 and E5510, for small businesses and startups. Cheaper still, for classrooms and government establishments, is an updated version of Dell's business netbook: The Latitude 2110.

 

The Latitude E4300 enclosure is approximately the same size as the Dell Latitude E4310 battery it replaces, though there are some changes (it's slightly wider and shorter) because of the move from a 13.3-inch 16:10 display to a 13.3-inch 16:9 display. This LED-backlit display is 1366 x 768, yielding a resolution of approximately 118 dpi. Along with the previously released Latitude E6410 and E6510, the E4310 has a new brushed aluminum ("Slate Silver") cover. The E4310 uses the same power supplies and docking solutions that the E4300 used.

 

The Latitude product palette by Dell includes a whole series of different model groups, all designed for professional use. On offer are diverse formats, beginning with the 10 inch Netbook, up to the high performance 15 inch platform. Approximately in the middle of this series lies the Latitude E4310 battery, which essentially represents the fusion between performance and mobility with its 13 inch display. Especially "management and frequent travelers" should be keen on this notebook, at least according to an advertising slogan on the Dell homepage.

 

The included features such as a speedy Intel Core i5 CPU, and comprehensive communication options, as well as several security features, have to be paid for: from 1249 Euros excluding VAT and postage and packing, although this does include three years of on-site service on the following work day.

 

Overall, although the Dell Latitude E4310 is a fairly speedy machine, the big and boxy design and shortish battery life are disappointing, especially when you take into account the high asking price.

HP ProBook 5320m business laptop review

The ProBook 5320m is HP's latest ultra-portable laptop aimed at businesses. Despite this, it's surprisingly stylish. The brown brushed metal and black plastic design resembles a more compact version of HP's larger, heavier ProBooks such as the 4720s.

 

Hewlett Packard is all set to launch its ProBook 5320m – a 13.3-inch notebook fuelled by Intel Core CPU and onboard graphics. Besides, the stylish design of ProBook 5320m is a much talked about attribute.This ultraportable notebook, with just 0.9 inches thickness, is targeted on the business persons who like to be in touch with their PCs always.

 

This is not a cheap 13in notebook, but it is one whose standards of build quality and internal components are a step above most consumer laptops. An admirable condensation of high performance, long battery life and upmarket construction lets the HP ProBook 5320m stand apart from the pack.

 

It's not a case of all looks and no substance for this laptop though, as its specifications are generally impressive. A dual-core Intel Core i5 450M with hyperthreading support for four virtual cores runs at 2.4GHz standard and can Turbo-clock to 2.66Hz. It's backed by 4GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 RAM, which with its single DIMM slot is the maximum this laptop supports.

 

Unlike the model of the 4720s we looked at, which despite carrying the same amount of memory sported a 32-bit OS for greater compatibility, this 5320m comes with a 64-bit version of Windows 7 Professional, though downgrades to a 32-bit version and even Vista are available. To be honest we can't think of a single reason a user would opt for Vista over 7, and XP would have been a more logical option.

 

HP ProBook 5320 powered by Intel Celeron U3400 1.06GHz processor / 2.26GHz Core i3-350M / 2.4GHz Core i3-370M / 2.4GHz Core i5-450M processor, up to 4GB of RAM, and 250GB/500GB of hard disk drive. The display has 13.3-inch LED backlit like HP ProBook 4320s, 2M pixel webcam, wifi 802.11 b/g/n, gigabit ethernet, Intel integrated graphic card, optional bluetooth and 3G modem.

 

Specification HP Probook 5320m

• Processor : Intel Core i5-450M Processor (2.40 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache)
• Intel Core i3-370M Processor (2.40 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache)
• Intel Core i3-350M Processor (2.26 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache)
• Intel Celeron Processor U3400 (1.06 GHz, 2 MB L3 cache)
• Main Memory : Up to 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• Graphic system : Intel HD Graphics
• Display : 13.3″ diagonal LED-backlit HD anti-glare, 13.3″ diagonal LED-backlit HD BrightView
• Hard Disk : Up to 500GB SATA II (7200 rpm)
• Webcamera : 2MP
• Optical Disc Drive : HP External USB 2.0 CD/DVD R/RW (select models)
• Sound : High definition audio support, Stereo speakers
• GPS : HP Mobile Broadband (powered by Gobi) with GPS
• Wireles : Broadcom 802.11a/b/g/n, Broadcom 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth : Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• Input/Output Port : 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x VGA, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x combo stereo, headphone/mic jack, 1 x AC power, 1 x RJ-45
• Expansion Slots : Memory Card Reader
• Operating System : Genuine Windows 7 Professional 32
• Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic 32
• Battery : Up to 10h (Primary 6-cell Battery) or up to 6h30min (Primary 4-cell Battery)
• Dimensions : 32.80 x 22.10 x 2.35 cm
• Weight : Starting at 3.79lbs. (1.72 Kg)

 

Typing on the island-style keypad is smooth and fluid, while the trackpad's two buttons have a responsive and solid feel to them that’s vastly superior to those featured on two recently-reviewed laptops from the Samsung Q series (the Q330 and Q530).

 

The overall design of the 5320m is well executed, with a nice matted finish covering the surfaces and arrangement of key buttons well thought out.

 

The HP ProBook 5320m reach the international market in August with Windows 7 or Windows Vista, with a price that starts at 599 euros, as announced the brand. I leave these two images to delight you.

 

Helping the pace is a fast 7200rpm 2.5in hard disk and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. In the lab, we saw a WorldBench 6 score of 107 points, a very nippy turn of speed for such a totable notebook.

 

And battery life of the HP ProBook 5320m is impressive too, thanks to an extended HP ProBook 5320m battery that lifts the back of the notebook slightly from the desk. We measured a little over six hours runtime (379 mins), running the MobileMark 2007 Productivity benchmark.

 

HP lauched its new laptop named HP Probook 5320m, comes with outstanding features and affordable price. HP Probook 5320m has 13.3-inch screen get vivid images with a 33.8 cm diagonal HD LED-backlit BrightView or anti-glare display, or connect to an external display with the new VGA port or DisplayPort. Let’s talk about the price, features and specification about HP Probobok 5320m in details.

 

HP ProBook 5320m Slim Business Notebook is powered by a 1.06GHz Intel Celeron U3400, a 2.26GHz Core i3-350M, a 2.4GHz Core i3-370M or a 2.4GHz Core i5-450M processor, up to 4GB of memory, and 250GB to 500GB hard drive. The HP ProBook 5320m comes with style-conscious professionals, which brings a sleek brushed-aluminum design on top, magnesium-alloy chassis as durable notebook. This notebook has a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display, an Intel integrated graphics, 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Gigabit Ethernet, and optional Bluetooth and 3G modem. Measuring 328×221×23.5 mm and weight 1.7kg.

 

The display is housed in an attractive -frame that also contains a built-in 2-megapixel webcam. Typing on the island-style- keypad is smooth and fluid- while the track-pad’s two buttons have a responsive and- solid feel to them that’s vastly superior to- those featured on two recently-reviewed laptops- from the Samsung -Q series (the Q330 and Q530). The overall design of the 5320m is well executed- with a nice matted finish -covering the surfaces and -arrangement of key buttons well thought out. A neat addition- is the inclusion of three -buttons along the right edge- of the keyboard- one for accessing email- another for the internet- and one for turning Wi-Fi on and off.

 

The first thing you notice on taking this laptop out of the box is his sense of class, with a mocha-colored brushed aluminum top and a soft-touch black bottom that is easy to keep beautiful. HP ProBook 5320m is a bit on the heavy side, starting at 1.72kg with a four-cell battery and our model with its 62 watt-hour ProBook 5320m battery lasts up to 1.83kg. However, much of the weight of the laptop magnesium aluminum chassis, which is a good thing.

 

As we'd expect from a business laptop, the 13.3in screen has a matt finish. Unlike a screen with a glossy sheen, it doesn't reflect as much light from overhead sources such as fluorescent strips. This results in reduced glare, making the screen easier to look at, but the trade-off is brightness. Although it's bright enough at the highest brightness setting, it's noticeably gloomy when brightness is reduced by 50% to conserve battery life. It's good enough for web, email and office tasks but is less than ideal for editing photos.

 

This is not a cheap 13in notebook, but it is one whose standards of build quality and internal components are a step above most consumer laptops. An admirable condensation of high performance, long 5320m battery life and upmarket construction lets the HP ProBook 5320m stand apart from the pack.

Dell Vostro 1520 Laptop Computer Review

The Dell Vostro 1520 is a laptop sold by Dell that is designed for small businesses. It has a thin design, 15.4" display, and a glossy black finish. If you're familiar with the Vostro 1510, this is the update. This update includes a wide variety of processor configurations, ranging from a 2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo T6670 to 7200RPM.

 

The Vostro 1520 includes the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Intel’s GMA X4500MHD integrated GPU or the NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS 256MB dedicated video card, up to 8GB of DDR2 memory, up to 250GB of hard drive space or a 128MB solid state drive, and a DVD-ROM, Combo drive, or a DVD burner.

 

The Vostro 1520 battery has a dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover thing going on, because although the form isnt working for most people, functionality is definitely good. The Windows Experience Index rating is 4.3 out of 7.0, which is quite good for laptops of its kind. Although its a laptop, I think it can replace desktop computers as it is good with performing everyday office tasks. The 15-inch screen is convenient and comfortable, and the connectivity ports allow its user to work and get it connected in any way he or she wants.

 

The high end model comes with Windows Vista Business and features 802.11a/g/n WLAN, an integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam and digital microphone, 250GB SATA hard drive with free fall sensor, 2GB of 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM and a 2.20GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 processor.

 

As already mentioned, the Dell Vostro 1520 lets you choose from different configurations. If you have a tight budget, then you may opt for an Intel Celeron 900 processor and a hard drive of 160GB SATA. If you prefer something faster then why not have an racy Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 2.66 GHz with a fast 128 GB Solid State Drive. If that’s not enough, you have an Nvidia 9300 graphics card. Of course, with the upgrades come increases in weight. So think carefully what it is you really want on a Dell Vostro series laptop.

 

Details:

• Brand: DELL
• Model: Vostro 1520 (464-2008 - 58976P)
• Part#: 464-2008 - 58976P
• Color: Black
• Operating System: Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade
• CPU Type: Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 2.2G
• Screen: 15.4" WXGA
• Memory Size: 3GB DDR2
• Hard Disk: 250GB
• Optical Drive: Dual Layer DVD Burner
• Graphics Card: Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Video Memory: Shared memory
• Card slot: 1 x Express Card
• Dimensions: 13.05" x 10.15" x 1.03" - 1.49"
• Weight: 5.58 lbs.
• CPU Type: Intel Core 2 Duo
• CPU Speed: T6670(2.20GHz)
• CPU FSB: 800MHz
• CPU L2 Cache: 2MB
• Screen Size: 15.4"
• Wide Screen Support: Yes
• Display Type: Wide XGA
• Resolution: 1280 x 800
• Operating System: Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade
• GPU/VPU: Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Video Memory: Shared system memory
• Graphic Type: Integrated Card
• HDD: 250GB
• HDD RPM: 7200rpm
• HDD Interface: SATA
• Memory: 3GB
• Memory Speed: DDR2 800
• Memory Spec: 2GB x 1+1GB x 1
• Memory Type: 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM
• Memory Slot (Total): 2
• Memory Slot (Available): 0
• Optical Drive Type: Dual layer DVD Burner
• Optical Drive Interface: Integrated
• Optical Drive Spec: Tray Load 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability
• LAN: 10/100/1000Mbps
• WLAN: 802.11b/g Wireless LAN
• Card Slot: 1 x Express Card /54 slot
• USB: 4
• IEEE 1394: 1
• Video Port: 1 x VGA
• Audio Ports: Yes
• Audio: Integrated Sound card
• Speaker: Internal Speakers
• Touchpad: Touch Pad with two buttons
• Keyboard: Full-Size Sealed Keyboard
• Card Reader: 8-in-1
• Battery: 6-cell lithium ion
• Dimensions: 13.05" x 10.15" x 1.03" - 1.49"
• Weight: 5.58 lbs

The Dell Vostro 1520 features a 15.4 inch WXGA anti glare LED widescreen with an impressive resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The elegant note book is designed in great style and demonstrates a ultra sleek look. The mid-end business laptop is loaded with advanced technology and flaunts about its multimedia features such as 8X DVD +/-RW, Blu-Ray Disc, 2 speakers, and an integrated 1.3 Mega pixel camera with single digital microphone. The gaming and computing experience becomes scintillating with a built in 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS Graphic Card. Parading of its connectivity options like wi-fi, bluetooth, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and a 8-in-1 media memory card reader; the exquisite note book external memory could well be expanded up to 320 gb. Weighing just about 2.4kg, the Dell Vostro 1520 battery is steered by Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9550 and operates on genuine windows professional.

 

The keyboard is a bit too noisy, especially if you're a two-finger typist. And if you plan on giving presentations, note that the only video port is a VGA connector, which won't be compatible with some newer monitors or projectors that may have only a digital DVI or HDMI video input.

 

The hinges are well proportioned, but there are small sways of the screen when you change the angle of the same from the base. The screen, however, is stable at every turn, the notebook can be opened up to almost 180 degrees. When approached at the corner of the lid is closed, it closes automatically. Given the lack of a locking system, which would prevent the undesired opening of the screen, during transport should be careful not to allow any object to be stranded between the keyboard and the screen to avoid unpleasant surprises.

 

Under the hood, the Dell Vostro 1520 has an Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 CPU, which runs at 2.4GHz. It supplies enough grunt for everyday office applications. This was shown in our WorldBench 6 benchmark where it scored 96, which is almost as good as a laptop with a 2.53GHz CPU. It's also powerful enough to run 3D rendering programs (it recorded a relatively zippy 1min 15sec in Blender 3D) as well as encoding tasks (it took 1min 10sec to encode 53min worth of WAV files to 192Kbps MP3s in iTunes). You also get 2GB of DDR2 RAM, integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics and a 250GB, 5400rpm hard drive (Seagate ST9250424ASG). The hard drive can be encrypted with the supplied software from EMBASSY systems, which works in conjunction with the trusted platform module (TPM) in the BIOS (this feature can also be found in the Dell Vostro 1720).

 

The Vostro 1520 has a decent range of ports. Four USB ports is certainly enough, FireWire is good to have and other than that everything is pretty standard as far as what’s included. The web camera and fingerprint reader are optional. For students the web camera would be a nice option to get ($40 upgrade), I’m not so sure the fingerprint reader is necessary unless you like to have that for easier logins. Missing is any type of higher resolution display output such as HDMI, DVI or even S-Video. If you don’t plan on giving presentations or using a large external LCD screen this won’t be a problem. Blu-Ray was an option on the 1520 battery at the time of my purchase, but without a method for hi-def output and no hi-def screen option this would be a wasted (and expensive) selection.

 

Performance wise the Dell Vostro 1520 initially comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 2.1 GHz which is a dual core processor as the name indicate and is quite good at performance, but in case of some need of even higher performance the dell Vostro 1520 do have options to be upgraded up to Intel Core™2 Duo Processor T9550 2.6GHz. Thus provides flexibility to users.

 

The Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M HD is great for general office use and even some multimedia programs. All of the word processing and spreadsheets applications run smoothly with this card. However, if you expect to use a great deal of multimedia applications, you may want to upgrade to a dedicated graphics card, such as the nVidia GeForce 9300MGS.

 

The Vostro family does a pretty good job of this, borrowing carefully from both modes of life. The keyboard is flanked by speakers and topped by a strip of back-lit, touch-sensitive buttons for multimedia playback, while the notebook's clean, if somewhat stolid, lines lend a professional air.

 

This is the Core Duo and Core Solo successor with a longer pipeline and 5-20% more speed without more power consumption. As an addition to the Core Duo design there exists a fourth decoder, an amplified SSE-unit and an additional arithmetical logical unit (ALU).

 

The Core 2 Duo for laptops is identical to the desktop Core 2 Duo processors but the notebook-processors work with lower voltages (0.95 to 1188 Volt) and a lower Frontside bus clock (1066 vs 667 MHz). The performance of equally clocked notebooks is 20-25% lower than Desktop PCs because of the lower Frontside bus clock and the slower hard disks.

 

Overall, as you can probably tell from this Dell Vostro 1520 review, it is a good laptop, and it serves its purpose as an office computer well. Even if your business keeps you on the run a lot, this laptop is fairly portable. You can do everything from photo manipulation to creating spreadsheets on this computer. You can also surf the web, check email, and run multimedia applications. When you’re away from your office, the battery life will keep the laptop running for a good amount of time.

Acer Aspire AS1410 Review

Acer has lauched the new Acer Aspire AS1410 notebook in the US market. The new Acer Aspire AS1410 laptop is now on sale in the US at price of  $449.99. Weighing just over 3 pounds and measures 1.2 inches slim, the Acer Aspire AS1410 packs 11.6-inch LED-backlight widescreen display with 1366 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 200-nit high brightness, 1.2 GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor, a 250GB of SATA hard drive, 2GB of RAM, Intel GMA 4500MHD and the latest Microsft Windows 7 64-bit operating system which designed for faster and more reliable performance.

 

The Acer Aspire AS1410 also has a Multi-Gesture Touchpad, an integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam, 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN, Gigabit LAN, Stereo speakers with Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement, 5-in-1 memory card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI port and a 6-cell Acer Aspire AS1410 battery that provides up to 6 hours of continuous use.

 

From the outside, the Acer Aspire AS1410 looks the same as the Acer Aspire Timeline 1810T; in fact, at 11.2 x 8.0 x 1.2 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds, it’s the same size and weight. Our review unit had a glossy, Ruby Red lid with Acer’s metal logo impressed in the lower corner; the lid picks up fingerprints fairly easily. The same color extends to the deck, which is offset by the matte black keyboard and glossy black bezel.

 

Unlike the Acer Aspire One 751h netbook, the 1410’s six-cell battery does not bulge out the back. Instead, it bumps out of the bottom, tilting the 1410 at a slight downward angle towards the user.

 

Specifications:

• Processor speed: 1.2GHz
• Processor: Celeron
• Amt of RAM: 2048 MB
• Hard drive: 320 GB
• Optical drive: 160
• Graphics hardware: Intel GMA X4500
• Diagonal screen size: 11.6 inch
• Operating system: Win 7 Home Premium
• Weight w/battery: 1.35 kg
• Wireless LAN: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n

With the rising popularity of social networking, consumers are more connected than ever to the online world,” said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. “When it comes to selecting a notebook, they’re increasingly concerned with size, weight and style. The AS1410 Series is small enough to be carried in a backpack or even a large purse but with enough power for spreadsheets and presentations. Aggressively priced, the Aspire AS1410 battery is an affordable mobile solution for checking Twitter updates, viewing YouTube videos and handling productivity applications on a plane, at school or a coffee house. Those in the market for a netbook should consider this notebook as an option, due to the step up in processing power.”

 

Just one-inch-thin and 3.08 pounds, these systems are sleek and light, but with a full-size keyboard. The full-sized keyboard is comfortable and easy to type on, particularly for taking advantage of productivity applications. The compact size combined with a traditional keyboard comprises a convenient platform for frequent travelers and students. With the needs of mobile users in mind, the AS1410 Series is designed to suit an individual’s own personal flair with three elegant color options - Diamond Black, Sapphire Blue and Ruby Red.

 

Performance was about what I expected. When officially benchmarked, the Core Solo SU3500 is about 20 percent faster than an Atom N270 at 1.6GHz, but ‘real world’ it felt about the same. Knowing the difference in real world experience between Vista and Windows 7, I can only imagine that with 7 the AS1410 would be noticeably snappier than its Atom brethren.

 

For media this is certainly a nice little machine, but once again, without a good GPU, some HD Flash content does see stutter and minor delays. Using the rgbFilter Montage! video as a test, the YouTube HD version played back with smooth audio but at about 10-12fps (better than Atom, but not great), whereas the original 720p MP4 had no problems whatsoever. I’m going to chalk part of this up to the Vista OS, as Windows 7 just seems to handle heavy lifting better when coupled with a low-end CPU. As for HD output over HDMI, it looked great on the studio’s 50″ Panasonic plasma TV. The 4500 GPU is certainly much better than the typical Intel GMA 450/500 found in netbooks for video playback, but when it comes to gaming, is still no Nvidia ION.

 

Size 11.6-inch laptop also has a 250GB hard drive capacity and is supported by the connection device such as Wi-Fi. This laptop has been marketed in Makassar by price range Rp6-7 million.

 

Wich makes it look like an enticing bargain. This a point echoed by Liliputing, who felt that there isn’t “another machine that offers as much as the Aspire AS1410 at this price point.” They managed to get around 5 hours out of the battery under normal web use.

 

Netbooked also thought it offered great value for money and “wholeheartedly recommended it.” The large keyboard was easy to type on and the touchpad was well-sized too. The dual-core processor enabled HD YouTube playback out of the box. However, they only managed around 4 hours of battery life in their tests.

 

It seems this laptop is ideal for those who are crazy about collecting merchandise from Olympic organizers.

 

I tend not to use Windows, except when that architecture's support for DRM comes into play (as with Netflix) or I'm locked into using a Windows-only application. I've found very little to argue about with the little Acer's performance under Windows 7, with everything being reasonably responsive and suitable for daily use. Given the integrated graphics, I haven't tried gaming with anything more demanding than Plants vs. Zombies. Flash video from You Tube has played acceptably, although the tinny and underpowered speakers mean that you'll want your audio through headphones.

 

If performance under Win 7 is good, the little subnote excels at running Linux. My first flavor was Mandriva 2009.1 with Gnome not the lightest distro available. Performance nonetheless was outstanding, with 30-40 second boot times and little or no noticeable lag opening most programs. Ubuntu 9.04, 9.10 and 10.04 all worked seamlessly as well, with Lucid booting particularly quickly. My current distro is Lubuntu, which flies, booting typically in around 15-20 secs. I've had no hardware compatibility issues, except between Lucid's implementation of ALSA and the integrated sound, and even that had initially worked.

 

Given the AS1410’s price, we were happy to see any useful third-party software. Acer includes its own eRecovery backup-and-restore utility, as well as Microsoft Works SE 9.0 (with a trial for Office 2007 Home & Student preloaded) and EgisTec’s My WinLocker utility. (The latter includes a file shredder and a “safe” for hiding files from view via password protection.) We were also pleasantly surprised to see that Acer backs the AS1410 with a two-year warranty.

 

With the Aspire AS1410, Acer has raised the bar on low-cost ultraportables. It delivers a decent feature set and respectable speed overall for a $400 laptop. For another $150, you’ll see some faster performance in the Gateway EC1430u, but the difference is relatively minor. The Acer AS1410 battery — and low-priced ultraportables like it—just might blast netbooks out of the running for good.

HP ProBook 5310m Laptop Review

We've looked at quite a few CULV laptops of late, including our CULV roundup. HP's ProBook 5310m is CULV with a twist: it doesn't have to be a CULV laptop, as regular CPUs are also available with significantly more performance on tap. Worth particular note is that the ProBook 5310m is a business laptop rather than a consumer model, which means there's a matte LCD option for a change. (And there was much rejoicing….) HP launched the 5310m late last year, so it's lost some of its shiny newness, but the ProBook still gets a lot of areas right.

 

The ProBook 5310m comes with an aluminum cover and palm rest, though the LCD bezel remains glossy. This is a very thin and light laptop—less than an inch thick and weighing in at 3.8 pounds. We really like the spacing on the keys, and the keyboard has been comfortable for use in limited testing. The default battery is a bit thinner than a AAA battery and the standard configuration ships with a 4-cell 41Wh HP ProBook 5310m battery good for up to ~6.5 hours of mobility (testing still pending). An optional $20 upgrade gets you a 6-cell battery, which should boost battery life quite a bit. Most of the other features are the same as other CULV laptops, but the 5310m does ship with a DisplayPort output instead of the common VGA/HDMI output.

HP ProBook 5310m is definitely proven to be a powerful and extremely portable laptop that comes with a screen as wide as 13 inches. And in terms of battery, you are guaranteed to have the longest life of batteries to use. Although for one thing, you will need to upgrade on some of the HP ProBook 5310m's features to get the optimum efficiency you want.

 

What is more, the HP ProBook 5310m presents itself as a laptop that is very grand-looking. Although the lid may look so plain with its emblem in silver, it still delivers a regal look for a laptop. It weighs so light making it very portable and ideal to businessmen who frequently travel. And another thing, the keyboard is spill-proof and very comfortable to type in. You cannot feel any texture to it; making the fingers controlled when typing and not sliding easily.

 

Specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo P9300 Processor (2.26GHz, 6MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB)
• Microsoft Genuine Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
• 13.3-inch LED-backlit anti-glare HD display (1366 x 768)
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• 2GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM
• 320GB 7200RPM HDD
• WiFi (802.11a/b/g/draft-n), Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity
• 4-Cell 41WHr Battery (14.8V)
• Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty
• Dimensions: 12.9 x 8.7 x 0.93 inches
• Weight: 3.81lbs

The ProBook 5310m isn’t the lightest ultraportable on the market, but it bests or comes close to its higher-priced competitors. At 12.9 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches and 3.8 pounds, the 5310m is significantly lighter and thinner than the HP ProBook 4310s (4.4 pounds, 1.1 inches thick) and the Dell Latitude E4300 (3.8 pounds, 1.3 inches). It’s also the same thickness (but about 0.4 pounds heavier) than the Lenovo ThinkPad X301, which costs more than $1,800. Twelve-inch systems such as the Toshiba Portégé R600 (2.4 pounds, 0.8 inches thick) and Lenovo ThinkPad X200s (3.2 pounds, 1.4 inches) are lighter, but the R600 costs well over $2,000, and the X200s is much thicker.

 

The ProBook 5310m looks much sexier than its $699 starting price would indicate. The black anodized aluminum lid and deck, sleek island keys, and durable magnesium rubberized bottom make the 5310m sexy enough for the club room while staying conservative enough for the boardroom. Though it has a similar shape and keyboard layout to the HP ProBook 4310s, the 5310m’s piano black color, thin lines, and subtle status lights give it a much more sophisticated look than its sibling, which lacks the aluminum and magnesium materials.

 

You don't have to sacrifice performance either to get to the desired thickness. The 5310m runs on a standard voltage processor. It's not a netbook CPU or an Ultra Low Voltage processor, both of which sacrifice plenty of performance in favor of battery life. The 2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 processor is a terrific pick because it emphasizes both speed and energy efficiency. Though 2GB of memory seems meager in these modern times, the 5310m still achieved impressive performance scores. Its video encoding and Cinbench R10 scores easily beat out the Lenovo X301, HP ProBook 4310s, and Getac 9213. It runs on Intel's integrated graphics, though, so don't expect to rack up those 3D gaming frame rates on your free time.

 

A 41WH (4-cell) battery and a standard voltage processor usually spell trouble for battery life, but not so for the 5310m. In MobileMark 2007 tests, its score of 5 hours 18 minutes places it in the same league as the Lenovo X301 (5:24) and Getac 9213 (4:50)—both of which have bigger batteries. Imagine what the 5310m can do with an extended battery. By early next year, an 8-cell ProBook 5310m battery option will available and potentially take battery life well beyond its 5-hour mark.

 

The screen looks great and crisp at its 1366-by-768-pixel resolution. Sample video footage running off the 320GB, 7200-rpm hard drive came across smooth and stutter-free. A shuttle-launch sequence popped on the screen, with fiery plumes rising against the morning sky. Still pictures looked equally sharp, exhibiting deep blues and rich greens. And the display offers the added bonus of being backlit, so it's viewable indoors and out without the screen's glossy sheen being too jarring. In fact, the shine of the plastic interior frame surrounding the panel was more distracting.

 

The audio, unsurprisingly, veers toward tinny. Keep a pair of headphones handy. I can't complain a lot, I suppose, since the 5310m is a business-first portable. That much seems obvious when you consider the bundled proprietary software, which includes Skype, Roxio Creator Business, HP Webcam, HP QuickLook, and HP QuickWeb. QuickLook ties Outlook (2003 and 2007) to the quick-launching Linux shell OS; so, unlike with the Dell Latitude Z600, which can also quick-launch an OS, on this machine the modifications you make inside the OS are visible in QuickLook 3. (Very handy, but it's actually a further refinement of what has been surfacing in higher-end HP business models for some time now.) The QuickWeb software makes it equally easy to hop online, view Flash, run Java--basically, what you'd expect from running a regular Web browser inside Windows. The only difference here: It's secure. No unwanted junk installs on the computer, and if you want to download anything, just pop in an external drive.

 

The mouse buttons have a satisfying amount of give. What we're not crazy about, though, is their size, which feels - to us, at least - a little too thin to hit. More often than not, we found ourselves tapping just below the buttons, expecting them to be placed somewhere they weren't. But that is a highly subjective, very personal experience.

 

The screen looks great and crisp at its 1366-by-768-pixel resolution. Sample video footage running off the 320GB, 7200-rpm hard drive came across smooth and stutter-free. A shuttle-launch sequence popped on the screen, with fiery plumes rising against the morning sky. Still pictures looked equally sharp, exhibiting deep blues and rich greens. And the display offers the added bonus of being backlit, so it's viewable indoors and out without the screen's glossy sheen being too jarring. In fact, the shine of the plastic interior frame surrounding the panel was more distracting.

 

The 32-bit version of Windows 7 Professional is preinstalled, along with McAfee security software; WinZip, Skype, and Roxio Creator utilities; and the trial version of Microsoft Office 2007. More interesting are HP QuickLook 3 and QuickWeb, programs launched by dedicated buttons to the right of the keyboard that work when Windows is shut down: These use a mini-Linux environment to start in under 20 seconds, without booting Windows, for speedy access to contact and calendar information and a Web browser.

 

QuickLook 3 pulls up your Microsoft Outlook 2003 or 2007 information, letting you look up a contact, add an appointment, or type an e-mail that's sent the next time you log into Outlook and the network. QuickWeb works with a hardwired or WiFi Internet connection to summon a full-featured browser, including history, bookmarks, and a write-protected mode for guest access or surfing suspicious sites. It even includes a screen brightness control and a battery power gauge to avert unexpected rundowns.

 

In addition to the 32-bit Windows 7 Professional operating system and QuickLook and QuickWeb utilities, the HP ProBook 5310m laptop battery comes preloaded with a fairly minimal software mix: Roxio Creator Business 10.3, WinZip, Skype, and the ubiquitous trial version of Microsoft Office 2007. You also get the handy HP System Diagnostics tool and HP ProtectTools suite, which includes utilities for permanently deleting files or wiping the hard drive and protecting your passwords. Also included in the package is standard-length warranty coverage: a one-year plan with 24/7 toll-free tech support.

 

All told, the HP ProBook 5310m is all you could ask for in an under-$1,000 ultraportable. The QuickWeb and QuickLook features are ideal if you often steal a few minutes here and there to check e-mail and the Web, and the compact body and good battery life make it an ideal travel companion.

Review: Toshiba Portege R700

From the moment you pull the Toshiba Portege R700 from its accompanying leather suitcase, you can tell it’s going to be a class act. There’s none of the plastic smudge of a cheap Fisher-Price netbook, and all of the class and business prowess of a Lenovo ThinkPad, and portability to match the MacBook Air and Acer Aspire Timeline X series.

Although you’ll be pleased with the aesthetic finish of the Toshiba Portege R700 (subtle plastic that appears to have a brushed metal finish), what you’ll come to appreciate most over time is its extreme portability. While at 25.7mm thick at its deepest point, the Portege R700 isn’t going to fit inside a manilla envelope any time soon, it feels stunningly light for a 13.3-inch laptop – and considering the full power innards, that’s impressive.

Despite its tiny form factor, the review sample we saw featured a high-powered Intel Core i7 processor and 4096MB of DDR3 memory. Core i3 and i5 models are also planned for the Toshiba Portégé R700's release and even at this pre-production stage this is one of the most powerful ultraportables we’ve seen.

During preliminary testing, we found the Toshiba Portégé R700 extremely fast to use, running standard office applications and more demanding programs with ease. The use of an integrated Intel GMA HD graphics card means even basic multimedia tasks such as photo or video editing are also possible.

Specifications:

• Processor: 2.67GHz Intel Core i7 M620
• Memory: 4GB RAM
• Storage: 128GB SSD
• Optical Drive: DVD±RW
• Screen: 13.3 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
• Graphics: Integrated Intel HD
• Weight: 3.01 pounds
• Dimensions (HWD): 1.01x12.44x8.94 inches
• Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)

Visually the R700 is quite a departure from previous models. Out is the slightly outdated-looking silver plastic; in is an extremely smart, black brushed metal finish to the lid and body. This instantly gives the R700 a credibility more befitting its target market, while enhancing the already slim (16.8mm to 25.7mm) and light (1.46kg) chassis. Reinforcing this about turn is the use of an isolation keyboard, the black keys of which merge seamlessly with their surroundings.

Dig a little deeper, however, and the DNA of the R500 and R600 is plain to see. Still present is the impossibly thin and somewhat flexible lid, while the arrangement of the fingerprint reader between the two touchpad buttons and the chromed hinges have been lifted straight from its predecessors. In other words, this isn't a wholly new machine, merely another evolution upon a theme.

The port design of the R700 is also said to be improved over the R600 in that all of the major ports use harnesses now. The power and USB ports, which are the most used ports on a notebook, all use leads to connect to the motherboard, which means that there of damaging the board if you plug a peripheral in too forcefully. The power port even has three dabs of glue holding it in place, which let it withstand more force without getting unstuck.

The optical drive, hard drive and dock connections, which were traditionally connected and held to the motherboard via solder alone, now overlap the circuit board and are screwed together so that the solder doesn't have to take survive any tugs from these connections. All these little behind the scenes tricks should come together to hopefully make the Toshiba Portege R700 battery immune to breakage. Even the wireless antennas have undergone a transformation and are now 'chip-mounted'. Their wires still snake around the screen though.

Toshiba claims the third-gen SSD offerings for the Portégé R700 offer between five and 10 per cent better performance over second-generation drives. Toshiba also says that from July all of its SSD offerings in all product ranges will shift to third-generation drives, so the Portégé R700 won't be the only platform to benefit from the new SSDs. Only the two high-end models of the Portégé R700 will include an SSD; the other three models in the range will have conventional hard drives.

Graphics performance will be handled by the integrated Intel QM57 chipset, which will be powerful enough to drive the 1366x768-resolution screen, as well as Full HD resolution via the HDMI port in the side of the chassis. You also get two USB 2.0 Sleep-and-Charge ports, VGA, a combination eSATA/USB 2.0 port, headphone and microphone ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, an SD card slot and, depending on the model you choose, you'll get an ExpressCard slot and a built-in 7mm thick DVD burner.

In a break from tradition, Toshiba has broken away from their traditional aluminium finish for the Portégé. The new R700 has a brushed matte black finish that looks elegant. Although we didn’t put the R700 through a tough roadtest, it was obvious that the finish wouldn’t scratch easily and could take being carried in a backpack without having to worry about superficial damage.

The ins and outs are well covered. The R700 has a pair or USB 2.0 ports. Conveniently, one is placed on either side of the unit so so that one side of the device doesn’t get too cluttered if multiple devices are connected. Toshiba’s USB drivers allow for USB ports to be used for device charging when the computer is in either “sleep” or “stand-by” modes. Each time a USB device is inserted, a dialog pops up so you can choose whether or not enable this mode. That way, the 5800mAh Portege R700 battery isn’t totally discharged inadvertently while traveling.

The Portégé R700 has a starting weight of just three pounds, and measures just one inch thick, and sports a new Airflow Cooling Technology co-developed by Toshiba and Intel that uses directed air streams to cool heat-generating components so the systems can use ful-powered Intel Core processors; the R700s also feature magnesium alloy casing with a honeycomb rib design incorporated into the palm rests and base to increase rigidity without adding weight.

The Portégé R700s will be available with Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors and Windows 7 Professional (XP downgrades available). The units sport an HD 1,366 by 768-pixel LED-backlit display, 4 MB of RAM, an ExpressCard slot, an eSATA/USB combo port, as well as an integrated DVD±RW drive and webcam; folks can also dock with a port replicator for connecting up more desktop peripherals. The R700 will ship with a six-cell battery that should give up to 8.5 hours of use; although an optional 9-cell Toshiba PA3832U-1BRS battery can kick that all the way up to 12.5 hours.

The R700 is staggeringly quick too. Our test sample used a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M with a healthy 4GB of DDR3 memory for company, and it sliced through all the apps we threw at it without any hint of a delay.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a silent laptop, however. In our tests, the fan was audible despite its relatively low spin rate, and when we pushed the Core i5 sample in our test machine the fan audibly revved up. That said, this was a pre-production unit so we’ll wait to see how the final machines cope with hard graft.

More pleasing is the fact that Toshiba has managed to squeeze a DVD rewriter into such a small laptop, for read/write access to CDs and DVDs.

Connectivity is also top-notch, courtesy of 802.11n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet. There's also a 3G module for wireless broadband access.

You can also deactivate the touchpad with a button right beneath the space bar. Zooming in and out with multitouch gestures (when we intended to) worked better than on other notebooks we've tested recently.

The two plastic touchpad buttons are a bit smaller than we'd like, and that's because Toshiba put the fingerprint sensor in between them. This made right-clicking somewhat of a challenge without looking--at least at first.

Toshiba's Portégé R700 is a well-made 13.3in. ultraportable whose only significant issue is a rather flexible lid section. Some users may find the keyboard too spongy for their liking, and you'll have to move up the range if you want an integrated optical drive. Battery life is good, though, and that could be enough to tip the scales in the R700's favour.