HP EliteBook 8740w Overview

When you edit on the road, it’s often a challenge finding the right machine to be your reliable road warrior. This is when it becomes time to bump your laptop up a notch into the mobile workstation class of machines. Mobile workstations are tough, durable and designed to be desktop replacements. As such they are larger and heavier than a small laptop or netbook, but that’s OK. They are meant to survive in challenging locations.

The HP EliteBook 8740w comes in with a hefty price tag, but for serious creative professionals, it comes with the territory. If you want the best, you have to lay down the cash for it. But I’m not making any final decisions yet. I have a long way to go before I give my final review. Come back for the second part of my review where I dive even further into the hardware and software in the HP EliteBook 8740w battery and show you it’s not all rainbows and unicorns in happy town. No, there are some donwnfalls, and maybe even some pitfalls, in this workstation. For the third part of the review, I will dive into the meat and potatoes of any motionographers life–render times. Oh, and we’ll give away one of these beasts to a lucky reader!

The Quadro 5000M card does support Premiere Pro CS5′s Mercury playback engine and hence one can expect realtime playback when working with multiple layers of native tapeless footage (eg, avchd, avcintra, xdcam, RED (R3d) , dslr etc). Even Neo3D which is a plugin for editing stereoscopic footage in Premiere Pro CS5 works quite well on this machine.

A high-end mobile workstation should offer the kind of performance speeds associated with a modest desktop computer. Or put another way, you might expect your new mobile workstation to perform much like your desktop workstation from a couple of years ago. Either description could apply to the 8740w. It’s very fast for a mobile workstation, but will likely feel somewhat slower than your recently purchased desktop workstation. On MAXON’s CineBench R10 benchmark test, the HP EliteBook 8740w AC adapter scored 10,235 points on the CPU render test and 7,380 points on the OpenGL render test. With the 3DMark Vantage benchmark, it scored a P8184 overall with 10,776 points for the CPU and 7,576 points for the GPU. If you’re not familiar with mobile workstations, don’t be put off if these scores are well below the scores for your current desktop. There are inherent design constraints that cause laptop computers to lag behind their desktop counterparts.

The HP EliteBook 8740w is a BEAST! It has a metal casing; very heavy, very well protected, very much like a tank, which is a good thing but with that said. It's also too heavy to take it on the go. The battery is also huge and heavy, like a giant brick. The combination of the laptop and the HP EliteBook 8740w battery would make it impossible to carry around all day.

I took the photos of the skull with the display in the background to test out the color settings and show how it looked in lighted conditions and at wide viewing angles. As you can see, you’ve got a nice wide viewing angle. No one works at that angle, but yeah, there is no visible darkening when moving about dodging things people are throwing at you. The light reflects on the screen, but it’s not as bright as a display with a shiny screen. It’s anti-glare, but not completely anti-glare. OK, I was going to finish the post a long time ago. I really wish you could see how these photos look on this display.

And that's not where the hefty aspect of the HP EliteBook 8740w ends - it will cost you around $3000 to get your hands on one of these, depending on configuration. But both build quality and specification are largely representative of a laptop at this price level.

The HP DreamColor LED-backlit screen is very bright and makes most graphics pop, it really is better than most desktop LCD displays which makes me very envious when I’m using my desktop computer.

If you're in the market for a mobile workstation with lots of CPU power, RAM and hard drive capacity, and most importantly, an excellent screen, the 8740W is definitely one to consider.

But that’s really not the whole story. We are talking about a mobile workstation with an NVIDIA Quadro 5000M inside. That’s quite a technology feat, especially considering that just a year ago we were going gaga over the Fermi architecture and the heat and power issues associated with it. They’ve chained the beast, so to speak, and have crammed it nicely into a quiet, tight little package that just hums along merrily while a HP EliteBook 8740w adapter nuclear blast furnace is raging inside, mere inches away from my fingers. Let’s not forget, we’re talking of a slightly less powerful version of the workstation monster that earned our coveted Golden Fedora (the only GPU to ever do so on Icrontic,) the Quadro 6000, which Bobby Miller called “the fastest workstation card alive“. My benchmarks in CAD/CAM performance are telling, and our friends over at SolidSmack also pushed the 8740W through some very specific GPU- and CPU-crushing tests.

The EliteBook 8740W is a big beast: it has a 17in screen, a base that's chock-a-block full of ports and slots, and it weighs over 3.6kg. Its LCD screen is one of HP's DreamColor panels and it's one of the best displays we've ever seen on a notebook. Colour reproduction was excellent during our tests and its viewing angles are wider than what you'll find with a typical notebook screen.

In After Effects, I had an old project with the usual solids, C4D movie files and a short list of effects that I felt would be a good starting point for a quick render test. On my old computer, the render took 5 minutes 31 seconds. On the HP 8740w, it took 13 seconds. Wow. I knew my old computer was slow, but I didn’t think it was that slow. Right away, I knew this was going to be an eye opening review. I proceded to move on to test number two.

I am getting picky here but on the outside of the machine, just under the screen, there are a whole bunch of flashing lights (volume, brightness, etc.) that I couldn’t seem to dim or turn off. They got quite distracting when working at night.

You might be thinking: "So where is HP's individual course?" – In the accessories. Two external HP AV08 battery solutions are offered for the largest workstation in the collection (link). They can be strapped to the base unit's bottom via an own interface. There is a 12 cell battery pack with a weight of about 0.8 kilograms and a capacity of 95 Wh (about 150 euro) or a somewhat weaker option, an 8 cell battery pack with 52 Wh and 450 grams (street price of 80 euro) available. The Dell WU946 battery life they reach can extend the recorded rates accordingly (+75% up to + 140%).

The main body of the laptop is covered in the "HP DuraCase" and "HP DuraFinish" which is essentially a hard plastic and strong magnesium alloy inner shell much like its predecessor strengthened by a brushed aluminum outer shell that is scratch resistant. HP uses a darker color on the outside of the mobile workstations and a lighter silver finish on the standard EliteBook series. The outer shell of the screen casing is made of metal, but the inner screen bezel is plastic. The entire chassis from the base to the screen lid feels exceptionally strong and resistant to flex. The keyboard is the only exception to that rule since it has a tendency to "bounce" under your fingertips when you type with heavy pressure.

The EliteBook 8740w also includes QuickLook 3, which offers instant access to your cached Outlook data, even from a powered-off state. Where older iterations of QuickLook could only show you what was already in your Outlook cache, such as e-mails, contacts, calendar events and task lists, the newest version allows you to edit and update this data on the fly, with updates synching automatically upon power up.

The 8740w would be an awfully expensive notebook to bring to a LAN party—but you could and you’d be glad you did. Where it’ll be more at home, however, is in the hands of a professional designer, architect, or technician who needs the high level of color accuracy of its display. Just make sure the purchase doesn’t overdraw your checking account and be sure to eat your Wheaties before you pick it up and start carting it around.

The beauty and strength of the HP EliteBook 8740w makes it look fine, but its real power is inside. The HP EliteBook 8740w  is no run-of-the-mill computer, and the novice user would probably never realize what is inside. It would feel like a first time driver, driving down the streets in a high-speed car. The seasoned computer user will realize how powerful this computer is because it has Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB 1333 MHzDDR3 SDRAM, and NVIDIA Quadro 5000m. Additional features that can be found are a 17″ LED-backlit WXGA anti-glare HP DreamColor display, 500GB Hard drive, and a spill-resistant keyboard, that is full-sized and backlit. Other additional features are an external VGA monitor, a 2 MP built-in webcam, 4 USB ports, one eSATA port and also a Smart Card Reader, a mic, and headphones. This laptop is called the HP AV08 battery, and it does boast of elite features.

Overall, my first impressions of this machine are this machine, despite the small annoyances, are that it?s well built, quiet and way more power than I?ve ever had before. I opened up about 40 full size photos and didn?t even dent the processing or slow down the performance or responsiveness of the multiple programs running. I plan to apply a little more pressure to see just what it can handle. In the meantime, I leave you with photos of a meat skull posing with the HP EliteBook 8740W.

Pros:
Gorgeous screen
Business-rugged

Cons:
Artifacting and shimmering in high-def video
Touch buttons on top are not super-responsive

Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a business-rugged Dell WU946 battery that has all the power of a desktop and all the sexiness of a Mac, this is the notebook for you.

Dell Vostro V13 Notebook Review

An Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 CPU powers the Dell Vostro V13, and its 1.3GHz clock speed and two CPU cores help move things along swiftly. You can multitask, watch high resolution videos or create media-rich presentations without getting bogged down. Helping the CPU are 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, a 500GB (5400rpm) hard drive and integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics.

The 13-inch Vostro V13 is essentially a business laptop in the shell of the slim and stylish Dell Adamo. It has a sturdy aluminum body, curved angular edges, and polished exterior which looks and feels very elegant and premium. The Dell Vostro V13 AC adapter twin metal hinges aren't situated on its spine (where the screen meets the rest of the chassis), but a little inside. This allows the spine to be used as a handle of sorts -- great example of thoughtful design.

For Windows 7 and a Core 2 Duo ULV, the price rises in the range of mid-to-high $600, which is still really good compared with its closest competitors, the HP Pavilion dm3 and Asus UL30A-A1. The Vostro V13 will support up to 4GB of RAM, and can be optionally upgraded with 3G mobile broadband.

The spine acts as a handle of sorts. The location of the screen gives the notebook more strength and changes its centre of gravity. It feels beautifully balanced; when the notebook is lying flat on a desk, the screen can be lifted using only one hand (it doesn't have a latch). The hinges have just the right amount of resistance to allow precise adjustments.

The Dell Vostro V13 is beautiful thin brushed aluminium laptop with a quality professional appearance for those who wish to have an attractive stylish laptop for business or personal use. The price is very good and by not resorting to glossy plastic and bright glowing lights, it gives the impression of a much more expensive laptop, being actually very reasonably priced.

The Vostro V13's Windows Experience Index (WEI) of 3.2 (out of 7.9) was brought down by the graphics subsystem. Both Graphics (desktop performance for Windows Aero) and Gaming Graphics (3D business and gaming graphics performance) scored 3.2. Processor (calculations per second) was rated at 3.9, while RAM (Memory operations per second) got 4.9. The highest score, 5.9, went to Primary hard disk (Disk data transfer rate).

In what is obviously a cost saving move, Dell hasn't extended the aluminum casing under the lid, and instead the deck is covered in black, matte plastic. The full size keyboard, while comfortable to our digits, has a bit too much bounce and flex to it. We should also mention that we happen to like the clickyness of the keys, but those that prefer a quieter typing experience may not dig the Dell 0449TX battery typing experience. Honestly though, it would be hard for a ULV laptop's keyboard to best that on the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13 -- we're still madly in love with it.

Our configuration of the Vostro V13 cost $991, but its starts at $449. At that price, you get a 1.3-GHz Intel Celeron M ULV 743 processor, Ubuntu Linux version 9.04, 2GB of RAM, a 5,400 rpm, 250GB hard drive, and 802.11b/g wireless. It also lacks one-year next business day on-site service. Another preconfigured model ($619) comes with a 1.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor, Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB of RAM, a 7,200rpm, 320GB hard drive, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.

In fairness, there's not a huge price difference between the top-end V13 and our review model – only $90 in fact, and we'd argue that's well worth it. For the extra cash you get the same beautiful design and build quality, plus an entire extra processor core and 4GB of RAM instead of 2GB, which gives a more practical level of Dell T1G6P battery performance for those who want a laptop that performs well in a variety of situations.

In the Battery Eater Readers test (maximum possible battery life) the Vostro achieved 326 mins away from a power socket. In the Dell Vostro V13 battery Eater Classic test (minimum possible battery life) it only survived for 114 mins, just under two hours. On the other hand, in the more realistic wireless internet surfing test, with 80% screen brightness and the W-LAN module enabled, we reached 239 minutes which is a very respectable time. And the notebook will last long enough in most cases when playing films from the hard drive, as in our test it only failed after 176 minutes, around the three-hour mark.

Power users – those who need the latest graphics processing techniques or a fast enough system for running multiple applications and maybe a compiler or two – will find that the V13 is still adequate. In our tests, running about six applications including the Ekiga softphone client and several business apps, the V13 hummed along quite nicely without choking on a paltry allotment of RAM.

The VGA port on the back is the only 'serious' disappointment - we'd have preferred an HDMI port, but those business types like VGA to hook up their presentation projectors to. The meagre external features are rounded off by a media card reader compatible with SD, MMC and Memory Stick cards, and an ExpressCard 34 slot.

Annoyingly, the 6-cell Dell T1G6P battery which powers the machine also resides under that aluminium baseplate we mentioned earlier—so there is no way to swap in a spare. Also, on test we found the Dell 0449TX battery to be no more than average in performance (3-4 hours), so if you need a laptop that can survive for a full working day in meetings or on the road this may not be the best option.

The far left empty, while the right side only a Memory Stick slot and ExpressCard/34 memory card reader and SD compatible. Sit on a plate is difficult to obtain due to the left and right edges of the inside of the slope. This provides an elegant, but prevents access. The front edge of the box is a pair of audio jacks. There is no optical drive, which can be a deal breaker for some business users.

Yet when it comes to the screen Dell have certainly not held back, the 13.3inch screen isn’t coated with the glossy coating that causes numerous reflections and annoyingly acute viewing angles and is easy to use when reading documents or watching films.

We should also note another aspect of the Dell Vostro V13: RAM. Dell specifies a maximum of four GB DDR3 (1066 MHz) RAM. The Intel GS45 chipset, which is used in the Vostro V13 only offers a single RAM slot. This Dell Vostro V13 adapter should not be obstructive, as Dell's data sheet only mentions 32-Bit operating systems so far. Two GB, should be sufficient for office applications under Windows 7 anyway. As alternatives Windows Vista or Windows XP (downgrade) or Linux Ubuntu are also supported.

The V13 incorporates a 13.3” LED backlit HD enabled display which is HD compatible. The screen is literally wafer thin and almost feels as if it’s not there at all; this can be attributed to its LED backlighting. Dell also chose to include anti-glare technology which we must admit is surprisingly effective with regards to reducing light pollution onscreen.

Ports and Webcam Port selection is average. There is a USB port, an eSATA / USB combo port, Ethernet, VGA, an ExpressCard slot, 5-in-1 memory card reader, headphone and microphone jacks. The keys are a bit noisy when pressed. The touchpad measures 3.2 x 1.7 inches and is great for a notebook of this size. The touchpad surface is slightly recessed and offers the right amount of friction.

Despite its business-oriented facade, we can see the Vostro being used by students or as a replacement for a netbook, though its non-removable Dell Vostro V13 battery and low battery life may limit its attractiveness. Dell's Vostro V13 is an enjoyable, well constructed machine. Its port options are limited, as is its performance, but for the asking price it fits the bill nicely.

HP EliteBook 2540p Overview

In last year’s ultraportable notebook roundup (August 2009), HP’s EliteBook 2530p put in a strong showing, wowing us with its good looks, sturdy construction, and strong performance. Its successor, the EliteBook 2540p, is strikingly similar in many regards but has the advantage of new and improved components and a lower price.

The other benefit of using a low-voltage processor is superb HP EliteBook 2540p battery life. Managing just over seven hours in our light-use test, the laptop should be able to last a full day's work on a single charge.

Like the EliteBook 8440p we looked at back in April, the 2540p adopts a look somewhere between boardroom and livingroom – a working man’s laptop that’s not afraid to show some class. All the functional parts including the keyboard, base and bezel get a rubbery matte black dressing that makes them disappear, but brushed aluminum plates on the palm rest and lid supply a literal dose of cool (as in, chilly wrists in the winter cool).

It’s worth noting that because Ultra-Low Voltage systems like this one have a 1.8-inch hard drive (standard-voltage systems have a 2.5-inch drive), this version of the 2540p has room for three USB ports in addition to an optical drive. The standard-voltage version of this notebook does not have room for an optical drive, and has just two USB ports.

Graphically this isn't the case, however, and the integrated graphics card only allows light photo editing or entry-level gaming. If you need power for high definition (HD) video editing, for example, the MacBook Air or Sony VAIO is the better option.

Despite its size, the 2540p is jam-packed with features. It's one of the last remaining 12-inch systems that come with an internal DVD burner, though this feature is only available with a low-voltage processor. Standard voltage processors require bigger cooling methods, and thus, there isn't enough room for one. It has three USB ports, VGA-Out, an Ethernet port, ExpressCard, and SD slot. Unlike the Lenovo X201, the 2540p managed to squeeze in a DisplayPort and a Firewire port.

With all this rugged durability built into the design, you have to expect a trade-off, which in this case is weight. Some 12-inch business class notebooks tip the scale at 3 pounds or less. The EliteBook 2540p has a starting weight of 3.38 pounds with a 6-cell HP HSTNN-DB22 battery, but the added durability more than makes up for a minor weight increase.

The big win for travelers is the EliteBook’s aircraft-inspired construction. The aforementioned magnesium/aluminum alloy exterior means this things is tough. Extremely tough. It’s purpose built with resistance to general wear, spills, vibration, temperature, dust, drops, and scratching. While we didn’t actually throw our review sample in the microwave or take it scuba diving, HP backs up its claims with a pretty strong warranty should any of these become an issue.

This laptop is comfortable to carry around during a busy day, with all your information within reach. Though there are lighter notebooks available and the extra weight in your bag will be noticeable, it will yet not be exhausting, even when you pack the charger. The weight of this laptop will not be a problem for most users, even those not used to carry around heavy weights.

Closer inspection shows that the HP 2540p is made by Foxcomm (the same company that makes the Apple iPhone and iPad), and Foxcomm is known for their quality hardware but also for their high suicide rates and low worker equality.

Such is the case of HP’s EliteBook 2540p, a 12-inch rugged-but-portable notebook with a low-voltage Intel Core i7 processor, six-cell battery, Windows 7 Professional, and a weight of four pounds. Other features include a 250GB hard drive, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), Bluetooth, webcam, fingerprint reader, DVD burner, and a three year warranty.

The EliteBook has a 2.3GHx Intel Core i7-640LM and 4GB RAM to give it the speed it needs to feel powerful enough to handle Web browsing, Office apps and pretty much any software on the planet at the time with zippy speeds. Without a dedicated graphics processor however, it scores poorly in any benchmark test for gaming and 3D software. This HP EliteBook 2540p AC adapter is designed for business users though, and most will not find this a downfall as they may never touch the gaming aspect of this notebook in their entire time owning it.

In our Blender 3D rendering and iTunes MP3 encoding tests, the HP EliteBook 2540p's CPU proved that, despite being an ultra-low-voltage model, it can still be used for relatively taxing tasks. It completed the Blender and iTunes tests in 61sec and 62sec respectively, and this represents an improvement of approximately 30sec over the 2530p's Intel Core 2 Duo SL9400 CPU. In the 3DMark06 tests, the 2540p scored 1515, which means its graphics HP EliteBook 2540p adapter is over twice as fast as the 2530p's. It took 1hr 10min to encode a DVD to an Xvid file, and this is on par with what the much bigger Dell Inspiron 15R N5010 achieved in the same test with its 2.4GHz Core i5-520M CPU.

A nice thing about the EliteBook 2540p (and, indeed, most of HP's computers) is the customization options -- you can add a DVD writer in the upgrade bay, add a fingerprint sensor for extra security, use a docking station or add a second hard drive, preinstall a mobile broadband module, and more.

The $1629 Smart Buy (tested) will bump the system up to 4GB of RAM and Intel’s Core i7 640LM, a 2.13GHz low-voltage processor. This system gets better HP EliteBook 2540p battery life than the standard voltage one and has the optical drive. It has the 2540p’s standard a/b/g/n WiFi and then also Bluetooth 2.1. One thing to keep in mind is that the system uses a 1.8-inch hard drive in some builds and a 2.5-inch one in others, which means some users might want to keep storage options in mind. An 80GB SSD is available for $100 over the 160GB 5400RPM disk and a 7200RPM is available as well, though hard drives selection is dependent up on the processor you choose. The standard voltage models get the 2.5-inch equipment and the low-voltage (with optical drive) get the 1.8-inch gear.

The 2540p is fitted with a 62 Wh HP HSTNN-DB22 battery (5,225 mAh). This keeps the notebook on its feet for four and a half hours (275 minutes) while surfing the web. When you consider the increased processor performance compared to the Core 2 Duo SP9400, for example, the battery life seems appropriate. The Dell Latitude E4300 with SP9400 achieved a marginally longer battery life (290 minutes).

HP has done an impressive job with the EliteBook 2540p, delivering just about everything a business user could want while keeping the weight down. If you’ve stayed away from an ultraportable because you hate the thought of an external optical drive, it’s time to take another look.

Pros:
Zippy processor can handle any office task
Small but still fits full keys and big features

Cons:
Screen colors and contrast look muted
Weak gaming and 3D software performance

Bottom Line:
Small enough to travel anywhere, the EliteBook 2540p breezes through business tasks.

Dell Inspiron 3800 14.1" Laptop Review

Dell Inspiron 3800 can be considered as the most excellent computer for the business and home environments. Dell Inspiron 3800 laptop comes with Intel celeron processor with a speed of 600 MHz that provides enormous speed. The laptop is compatible with Microsoft Windows 98 Operating System. This notebook has got 12.1 inch display with tremendous clarity. The memory of this laptop is 32 MB SDRAM and it can be upgraded to run a greatest of 512 MB RAM. The Dell Inspiron 3800 laptop consists of ports such as 9-pin connector port, S-Video connector and 25-hole connector parallel port. Dell Inspiron 3800 laptop comes with 1 W channel stereo internal speakers. The graphic processor used in this notebook is ATI Mobility M1 graphics accelerator that offers advanced graphical experience.

The system we reviewed -- which we tested under both Windows ME and 2000 Professional -- was a high-end configuration featuring an 850MHz SpeedStep Pentium III processor, 128MB of RAM and a 20GB hard drive. However, the key difference between the Dell Inspiron N4020 AC adapter and other desktop replacement systems is that it uses a desktop chipset, the Intel 815E, that significantly boosts the system's performance in key areas such as hard disk throughput. In our benchmark tests, the Inspiron 8000 was impressive, returning an overall Business Winstone 99 score of 37.2 under Windows 2000. The 815E chipset and the powerful 32MB ATi Mobility M4 graphics controller also ensured healthy component benchmarks. We did run into one performance problem with the Inspiron 8000. Incompatibilities between the 815E chipset, the system BIOS and Windows ME meant that our BatteryMark 4.0 test failed to complete. Unfortunately, this isn't just a technical glitch: it's also an inconvenience for users because the power-saving SpeedStep applet is not loaded.

Dell has roving promos all the time from free S+H to free components and upgrade. Each promo lasts for about 2 weeks, so if you don't care for what they are offering, you can wait a couple of weeks and see what they're offering next time. I ordered my notebook with a free 2nd battery for the 2nd modular bay, which doubles the time I can use the notebook on Dell Inspiron N4020 battery.

The Inspiron 3800 delivers style and affordability in a lightweight design. Choose from a wide range of options and colors to create the computer that is just right for you.

The 12GB IBM TravelStar hard disk is removable, and the memory sockets are readily accessible beneath a panel in the base, but we did notice that the 128MB supplied occupied both sockets, so if you need to upgrade you will lose a 64MB module. The existing memory count should be sufficient for most users, though.

The low price, user-friendly features, and excellent documentation and support of the Dell Inspiron 3800 make it worth a look. The Inspiron, available in your choice of forest green, dark blue, maroon, or midnight gray, comes with both a pointing stick and a touch pad. Our 6.7-pound test model came with a CD-ROM drive; we recommend you opt for the DVD-ROM drive, a $149 upgrade. Also note that Dell may be offering this model with a Celeron/500 or Celeron/600 by the time you read this, not the Celeron/550 we tested. As a multimedia player, the Inspiron is adequate but not specially provisioned. You cannot play an audio CD without turning on the computer, for example, and there are no separate hardware media controls. Performance and Dell 0M4RNN battery life (2:48) were solidly midpack.

Dell Inspiron 3800 comes with 12.1 inch display and it is an integrated graphics multimedia Laptop. This Laptop is available at reasonable price and it uses Intel celeron processor for the superior performance. Dell Inspiron 3800 laptop is totally customizable and it comes with wonderful keyboard and perfect structure. Dell Inspiron 3800 laptop uses video-out port for watching video on a TV.

The left bay takes batteries only, while the right can be used for options like a CD-RW, Zip, LS-120 drive, a second hard disk or a second Dell Inspiron N4020 battery pack. There's a software utility that allows you to hot-swap drives, excepting a hard disk of course, and the floppy module can be run externally from the parallel port if the main bay is already in use.

All the requisite connectors are here, including a pair of USB ports, S-Video, and -- in a first for a Dell notebook -- IEEE 1394. A mini-PCI slot lets you choose between a 56Kbit/s modem only or a combo card that adds a 10/100 Ethernet Dell Inspiron N4020 adapter. SpeedStep problems under Windows ME aside, the Dell Inspiron 8000 is one of the fastest and most capable desktop replacement notebooks available.

The Inspiron 3800 laptop by Dell contains specifications that work well both in the office and at home. Dell Inspiron 3800 Laptop is primarily designed for small and average business class users and home users. Dell Inspiron 3800 Laptop is appropriate for the users to complete their needs. Dell Inspiron 3800 Laptop is very powerful and it helps to finish the tasks speedily.

The Dell machine offers a good keyboard, good Dell 0M4RNN battery life and plenty of power and features for an attractive price. The only downside is the construction of the case, which we'd like to see toughened up a bit.

Specifications:
Intel Celeron 500 MHz (100MHz bus)
32KB L1 cache, 128KB on-die cache
14.1" TFT XGA Active-Matrix Display
8MB ATI Rage Mobility M1 2X AGP video
32MB SDRAM memory
Dual Pointing: Point Stick & Touchpad
6GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive, .5MM
Modular 24X CD-ROM drive
Modular Floppy Drive
Internal Modem V.90 56K Modem (ordered)
Xircom v.90 56 model PC card (received)
Windows 98SE w/ WinME upgrade
Microsoft Works Suite 2000
Norton Antivirus 2001
9-cell Lithium-Ion Battery, 53WHR
2nd battery (Free promo)

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s Notebook Review

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s delivers a more affordable ThinkPad experience to small business users without cutting corners on reliability and looks. On the contrary, this luscious looking business notebook combines chrome accents with extras like Dolby Home Theater v4 to deliver a notebook worth asking for by name.

Specifications:

• 14-inch "edge to edge" glossy display (1366x768 resolution)
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• Intel Core i5-2410M dual-core processor (2.3~2.9GHz Turbo Boost, 3MB cache, 35W TDP)
• Intel HM65 chipset
• Integrated Intel HD graphics
• 4GB DDR3-1333 RAM (1x 4GB, supports up to 8GB - 2x 4GB)
• 320GB 7200RPM Seagate hard drive (ST320LT000, 7mm height)
• Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN wireless network adapter
• No internal Bluetooth
• Integrated 720p webcam
• Slot-load DVD burner (HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GS30N)
• Integrated biometric fingerprint reader
• Internal non-removable Li-polymer 48.8Whr battery
• Weight: 4.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 13.7 x 9.3 x 0.9~1.2 inches

Lenovo Thinkpad E420S price is mid-ranged. Given the set of specs, the Lenovo Thinkpad price in India is placed at attractive point. The Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E420s adapter have been suggesting that it is a business laptop. Both stylish and subtle, it is capable of eliciting screen without being obnoxious about it. The Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E420S review tells that this sophisticated styled device is a perfect piece for small business.

Advanced technology and built-in conveniences boost your productivity and streamline your workday. The Edge Series offers innovative solutions and productivity-enhancing technology in a versatile, reliable, easy-to-use laptop.

The ThinkPad Edge E420s features a spill-resistant, island-style keyboard that provides the same legendary quality and responsiveness we've come to expect from Lenovo business notebooks. With curved, "smile-shaped" keys that make it easy to avoid adjacent-key errors, a comfy rubberized palm rest that cradles your wrists, and a heavy dose of tactile feedback, the Edge E420s allowed us to achieve a high rate of 86 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, 8 percent above our typical score. Too bad the keyboard isn't backlit, like the new HP ProBook 5330m.

You will find 4GB of RAM and 320GB of hard drive space included on this laptop computer. We were surprised to see such a large amount of memory and storage space for this basic computer; you'll have plenty of room for storing all your important data.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 is priced at Rs 38,725. You can easily get a better spec’d laptop at this price, but this one does not want to beat the competition in terms of specs; it wants to beat them in terms of functionality and durability. At this price, the Edge E420 is targeted more towards SMBs and professionals wanting a laptop with all their business functionality preloaded onto it. If you’re a professional wanting the experience of a ThinkPad and you have a limited budget, then the Edge E420 is a good buy.

You should expect a battery life of about five hours for average daily use, which is very good for a 14-inch laptop. It should also be noticed that the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s battery is integrated in the housing, people from Lenovo resorting to this trick to reduce the size and weight of the laptop. This mean that the battery will not be easy to change, and those who tend to remove the battery from the notebook when using it plugged cannot do so.

The Edge E420s may be slim, but it doesn't skimp on power. It's equipped with a second-generation Intel Core processor, the 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M, and 4GB of RAM. If this setup doesn't make the laptop as powerful as a mobile workstation, it has plenty of power for most business software. In PCMark Vantage, our general-performance benchmark test, the Edge E420s scored 6,688 points; this puts it ahead of SMB laptops with previous-iteration CPUs, such as the Asus B43J-A1B ($700 street, 3.5 stars), which scored 6,310 points with its Core i5-560M. And though the E420s is fast in regular use, it's a hair slower than our previous (and still-available) Editors' Choice, the Lenovo ThinkPad X220 ($1,299 direct, 4 stars): In our CineBench R11.5 processor test the Edge E420s scored 2.5 to the X220's 2.82.

The E420's soft-touch black lid, with gently rounded corners and a silver-colored edge, adds a subtly classy note to the traditional ThinkPad aesthetics. With the lid open, you can see that the soft-touch finish repeats on the surface below the keyboard, which (as usual) is one of the best reasons to consider any ThinkPad. Here, the keys are gently curved, contoured, and separated, making touch typing a delight.

We read out the minimum Dell WHXY3 battery life with the tool, BatteryEater Classic Test. Among other things, an Open GL calculation is executed and the maximum display brightness, the WLAN module and the dedicated AMD graphics are enabled. The whole capacity is used up after short 72 minutes and a power outlet shouldn't be too far away. The contrasting assessment, with minimum display brightness, disabled WLAN and enabled processor graphics, is given by the Reader's Test of our benchmark program. The runtime of 7 hours and 42 minutes is acceptable, whereas a lot more would be possible with the new Sandy Bridge CPUs.

There's a time and place to act a fool, like at a Ludacris concert for example, or when entertaining your in-laws during a holiday function in which you're trying to encourage a hasty departure. Likewise, there are situations where showboating simply isn't appropriate. Wondering what this has to do with a laptop review? Well, the same concept applies to PCs. Think about it -- if your main goal is to pack as much horsepower underneath the hood as humanly possible, regardless of weight or battery life, then you're looking for a desktop replacement. And the flashier, the better, presumably because you'll be toting it around to LAN parties in between trips to the chiropractor. On the other hand, if you spend most of your time in board rooms and pitching PowerPoint presentations to co-workers and clients, a flashy system with an LED light show sends the wrong message. This is where the ThinkPad Edge 420s comes in.

The ThinkPad Edge E420s’ keyboard is easily one of the best in the business with chiclet style keys. The keys are slightly concave which makes typing a much nicer affair. The tactile feedback is extremely good; there was zero flex from the keyboard deck while typing. The plush palmrest further enhances the typing experience on the device. This Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s like its predecessors is a remarkable device to type on.

The ThinkPad Edge E420s’ keyboard is easily one of the best in the business with chiclet style keys. The keys are slightly concave which makes typing a much nicer affair. The tactile feedback is extremely good; there was zero flex from the keyboard deck while typing. The plush palmrest further enhances the typing experience on the device. This Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s like its predecessors is a remarkable device to type on.

Considering the fact that that isn’t the widest chassis on analyze typing on the keyboard is comparatively comfy, yet you have to learn to avoid unintentionally knocking the particular trackpoint if you don’t want your cursor scooting off with annoying times.

Our review unit had a second-generation 2.30Ghz Intel Core i5, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Intel HD3000 graphics, 320GB of storage and Windows 7 Professional. With this, the notebook scored a 3.8 in the Windows Experience Index, a score mainly because of integrated graphics. For a business machine, the integrated graphics are more than enough, however Lenovo has made the provision for those who want a more powerful machine with optional AMD Radeon HD6630M graphics. Lenovo's RapidDrive technology is also present using which boot and shutdown times have been drastically cut to about 15 seconds.

This laptop was rated by reviewers as rather noisy. In quiet environments such as libraries, lecture halls and the like, the laptop will make itself noticed. The noise of this laptop will challenge noise sensitive users, particularly in quiet environments.

Given that it isn’t the widest chassis on test typing on the keyboard is relatively comfortable, but you need to learn to avoid accidentally knocking the trackpoint if you don’t want your cursor scooting off at inconvenient moments.

The 14.0” 1366 x 768 Edge E420 screen is definitely not going to provide any wow factor, it’s very average. Average level brightness, average viewing angles, average screen resolution and average color depth. This is what you expect in this price range laptop. The good thing is that the screen is matte instead of glossy, I personally find glossy screens a strain on the eyes after several hours of viewing. The Edge E420s has an infinity screen that is a somewhat glossy finish, so if you really hate screen reflection the cheaper Edge E420 might actually be preferable for you.

Pros:
- Simple & beautiful appearance
- Excellent keyboard feedback
- Powerful enough for most tasks
- More durable than most consumer laptops (however, not as durable as traditional ThinkPad)
- Solid build quality
- Up to 5 hours on 'balanced

Cons:
- Weight above 2 kg (E220s or E420s recommended for mobile users)
- Missing roll cage (feature of traditional ThinkPad)

The given Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E420s battery runtimes can be understood with a look at the consumption rates. The system consumes between 6.4 and 10.9 watts without load and is thus on a very efficient level. The consumption during load is also acceptable with a maximum of 50.3 watts and is within limits. There aren't any problems seen in the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s AC adapter facility because it can provide a capacity of 90 watts and therefore still has reserves.

The 14-inch display is covered with edge-to-edge glass, and the 1,366-by-768 resolution gives you the ability to watch videos in crisp 720p HD. Set in the bezel just above the screen is a high-definition webcam (also 720p), which features low-light sensitivity so you can Skype without turning on all the lights.

The E420s has an ample array of ports including HDMI v1.4, a USB/eSATA combo port, and a slot-load DVD burner. The inclusion of a DVD burner is notable given the thinness of the chassis; many notebooks are coming without them these days. The E420s lacks USB 3.0, a docking station port, and an ExpressCard slot. Something strange about this notebook is the lack of status lights; at the very least, a hard drive status light should have been included. All picture descriptions are left to right.

For lack of a better term, we'll resort to calling the E420s a 'sleek and sexy' laptop, an oft-used phrase to describe just about any black notebook that catches the eye. Lenovo modernized the design by avoiding plastic on everything but the buttons and speaker grill. One thing we're not as keen on as Lenovo is the 14-inch infinity glass display. We don't have any problem with the 1366x768 (16:9) native resolution for a laptop this size, but the thick bezel, while certainly replicating the TV-screen aesthetic that Lenovo touts, looks a bit odd on a laptop and results in wasted real-estate.

Once you get past the glossy display and lack of a backlit keyboard it’s hard to find things not to like about the Edge E420s. The keyboard offers an amazing typing experience, the Dell WHXY3 battery lasts long enough to get most users through the day and the processor isn’t a slouch. Combine this with the ThinkPad build quality and matte black finish, and you have a business notebook that can take on higher priced competitors.

All in all, the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 shapes up as an attractive general-use laptop if gaming and processor-intensive tasks--or superlong battery life--aren't of major concern. It's good looking, easy to type on, and equipped with a useful array of features and software. None of its minor flaws should be deal-breakers for its intended audience of budget-minded users.