Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13

In 2008, Lenovo launched its first small business line, the SL series, which offered a less conservative riff on the classic ThinkPad design. Now comes the Edge series, designed to blow the doors off of ThinkPad’s time-honored design aesthetic while providing cost-conscious small-to-medium–sized businesses with plenty of performance and strong battery life at value prices. Though there’s room for improvement, the 13.3-inch Edge 13 ($899 as configured) delivers on these promises in a big way.

Design

While clearly inspired by nearly 20 years of ThinkPad design, this is a brand new look for a new decade. For the first time ever on a ThinkPad, the lid is available in three colors: glossy Midnight Black, matte Midnight Black, and Heatwave red. The sides are adorned with a silver trim, which adds a nice touch of color, but would be even more attractive if it were metal. The deck, bottom, and display bezel are made out of attractive smooth plastic, rather than the rubberized or grainy black material most ThinkPads have.

Best of all, the lid and the deck feature a glitzy ThinkPad logo with a bright red light that serves as the dot over the letter I. The light fades in and out when the notebook is asleep.

At 13.1 x 9.0 x 1.2 inches (with the standard 4-cell battery) and weighing 3.8 pounds, the Edge 13 is easy to carry. It’s also similar in size and weight to the HP ProBook 5310m (12.9 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches, 3.8 pounds) though the ProBook has a flat bottom, while the Edge’s 6-cell battery adds about 0.3 inches of thickness to the back. Like many ultraportables, the Edge saves weight by eschewing an optical drive.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 1.3-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
RAM/Expandable to: 2GB/4GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 320GB/5,400rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 13.3-inches/1366x768

Toshiba mini NB305-N410

The design of mini NB205 netbook was so good, from the overized touchpad and touchpad buttons to the metal keyboard and textured lid, that we wish Toshiba used it for many of its other laptops.The mini NB305 is even better than it's predecessor, sporting a sleeker chassis, louder speakers, and Intel's latest Atom N450 processor. Yes, the NB305's $399 price is a bit steep--and competing systems last longer on a charge--but we'll gladly take 8.5 hours of battery life when its paired with such a superior ergonomic experience.

Design

Toshiba trimmed down its netbook where it could: instead of the frame being uniform in thickness, as on the NB205, it tapers from 1.4 inches in the rear to approximately 0.5 inches in front, resulting in a svelte look. The front edge is also more beveled, so the system looks more rounded than before. The new screen bezel sports tapered edges; while it's the same thickness as on the NB205, it doesn't look as clunky.

The major aesthetic change from the NB205 and the NB305 is the battery. The former battery jutted out from the rear, but now it's tucked in underneath, trimming nearly an inch off the system (although the weight remains constant, at 2.8 pounds). The new position of the battery also adds the effect of slanting the keyboard towards the user; while this is supposedly more ergonomic, the change in angle is so slight that it's practically nonexistent.

Apparently pink wasn't a big seller, as Toshiba is no longer offering its mini in that color. The NB305 comes in blue, brown, or white.

Heat

Despite its smaller chassis, the NB305 didn't get appreciably warmer than the NB205. After playing a Hulu video at full-screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad measured 98 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys reached 94 degrees, and the middle of the underside was 93 degrees. Those temperatures are all slightly lower than the NB205 (99, 98, and 96 degrees, respectively). However, the NB305 has a smaller air vent; this translated into a temperature of 100 degrees in that area, versus just 94 degrees on the NB205.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition
RAM/Expandable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/4,500 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600
Graphics/Video Memory: Intel GMA 3150/Shared

Sony VAIO F Series

When it comes to big-screen notebooks packing Intel’s blazing Core i7 processor, Sony is definitely playing catch-up with the rest of the field. But the VAIO F Series ($1,719) proves that there’s nothing wrong with being late to the party: this 16.4-incher sports a full HD display, Blu-ray player, and discrete graphics. Sony also includes an innovative technology called TransferJet, which allows users to move photos from select cameras by merely placing them on the laptop’s palm rest (albeit with added cost and time). This multimedia machine has some drawbacks, but when it comes to performance, the F Series is one of the best Core i7 notebooks around.

Design

Although the VAIO F has clean lines, the overall look almost feels too safe. The notebook has an understated matte lid embossed with the VAIO logo, and a matching chassis underneath, complete with a subtly textured palm rest. In the lower left corner of the palm rest is an icon indicating where users can transfer data wirelessly using TransferJet (more on this later).

The keyboard, of course, has an island-style layout, something Sony was known for long before other PC makers jumped on board and started ditching those pillowy, closely arranged keys. Below the thick speaker strip (but above the keyboard) you’ll find multimedia keys, as well as buttons to launch Sony’s VAIO Care and Media Gallery software. The glowing green power button is still built into the side of the hinge, which is an attractive touch.

At 6.6 pounds and 15.3 x 10.4 x 1.6 inches, the VAIO F is still light enough to carry around the house with ease.

Heat

For the most part, the VAIO F Series never became uncomfortably hot. After 15 minutes of streaming a Hulu video at full screen, we measured temperatures of 86 degrees Fahrenheit on the underside of the notebook, 97 degrees in the center of the keyboard, and 98 degrees on the touchpad. (While temperatures in the 90s are warm, we don’t become concerned until they break 100 degrees.) On the bottom of the notebook—near the vents on the left side—we measured temps of 110 degrees.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 1.60-GHz Intel Core i7-720QM
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM/Expandable to: 8GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/7,200 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 16.4 inches/1920 x 1080
Optical Drive: BD-ROM

Sony VAIO S Series

Like the idea of kicking back on the sofa with your notebook and watching Hulu, family videos, or photo slideshows on your TV--no cables required? Meet the 13-inch Sony VAIO VPCS111FM/S. Sold exclusively through Best Buy’s Blue Label program for $1,049, the S Series is the lightest of three laptops the retailer offers with Intel’s Wireless Display technology inside. All you really need to do to start streaming is plug the bundled Netgear adapter into your TV and push a button on the VAIO. In addition to WiDi, you get a streamlined design with a comfortable keyboard and a fast Intel Core i5 processor and comfortable keyboard. But how does the VAIO S Series stack up against Best Buy’s other Blue Label notebooks and all other 13-inch systems in its price range?

Design

The VAIO S Series has a matte silver lid and chassis and a contrasting black island style keyboard. The palm rest has a finely textured checked pattern, which extends onto the (smooth) trackpad. Depending on your perspective, the overall look is either minimalist or bland. However, the glowing green power button built into the hinge, backlit keyboard, and the thin, 1.2-inch thick design add some panache. Our only complaint is that the lid picked up some scuff marks during just a few days of testing (which included a few short trips in a bag). At 4.2 pounds, The VAIO S Series is lighter than the 13-inch MacBook (4.7 pounds) and MacBook Pro (4.5 pounds), and is fairly easy to tote.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The S series’ chiclet-style keys have a soft finish, and the entire panel felt sturdy as we typed. At first, the keys felt heavy and stuck, but once we adjusted we were able to pound out e-mails, Facebook messages, and Web searches without errors. As for speed, in the online Ten Thumbs Typing test, we scored 77 words per minute, which is decent, but below our high (88 wpm).

The big 3.3 x 1.8-inch trackpad has a smooth, low-friction surface and an effective scroll strip (we used one finger to scroll in our browser). The twin touch buttons are also plenty large and easy to press.

Heat

The S series remained cooler than many other notebooks after we played a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes. We measured 90 degrees on the touchpad, 95 in the center of the keyboard, and 98 on the underside of the laptop. Many other systems reach well over 100 degrees.

Ports and Webcam

The Vaio S series’ selection of ports include three USB, HDMI and VGA out, Firewire, an Ethernet jack, and headphone and mic ports. The only thing missing, some nitpickers might argue, is a dual USB/eSATA port for faster backups. By comparison, the $899 Toshiba Satellite E205, also a Blue Label notebook, has eSATA, a slot-loading (as opposed to a tray-loading) DVD burner, and a USB port that charges gadgets even while the notebook is sleeping. The S series has dual memory card slots (for SD Cards and Memory Sticks), as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot on the right.

The webcam’s 1.3-megapixel photos and VGA video both showed bland, muted colors and not very sharp image quality. The sound was loud and accurate, though, and the audio and video were in sync with one another.

Display and Sound

The bright 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) glossy display on the VAIO S delivered good image quality when we watched a Saturday Night Live clip from Hulu. And despite having a glossy finish, we enjoyed decent viewing angles from the sides and reflections were bearable. However, we needed to tilt the display back a bit to get the best picture.

The speaker strip located above the keyboard produced loud enough sound, but the quality, on everything from Queen’s “Under Pressure” to the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” sounded tinny. Music lovers might want to plug in external speakers.

Quick Specs :

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
CPU: 2.26-GHz Intel Core i5 i5-430M
RAM/Expandable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 13.3 inches/1366 x 768
Optical Drive: 8X DVD±RW

Toshiba Satellite A505 (S6004)

A step up from the L505 series, the Toshiba Satellite A505-S6004 offers similar performance, but more style than its less expensive siblings. While it packs the same Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 500GB hard drive, it packages them in a glossy black chassis highlighted by chrome accents and LED backlights. While we’re fans of the A505’s audio and video prowess, though, we can’t help but feel that its $769 price tag is a bit high compared to the competition given this notebook’s performance.

Design

The A505’s design is a departure from the blander (and cheaper) Satellite L505, but it lacks the ostentatiousness of a Qosmio system. Its styling is similar to that of the larger P505; the black lid is accented by Toshiba’s Fusion Finish (a wave of thin lines) as well as the company’s name splashed in chrome in the center. The deck, too, has the same finish, and while both are glossy, they do a fairly good job of hiding your fingerprints. The deck and lid are bordered with a silvery plastic trim, and the speakers above the keyboard are accented by chrome borders.

Above the keyboard are several touch-sensitive buttons: Eco Utility, Windows Media Player, Play/Pause, Back, Forward, Mute, and Volume. All are backlit, and responded quickly to our finger when we pressed them. On the less expensive L505, these are physical buttons, and the volume control is an old school wheel on the front edge.

Weighing 6.4 pounds and measuring 15.1 x 10.2 x 1.6 inches, the A505 isn’t a notebook you’ll be carrying around much. While its size and weight classify it as a mainstream system, it probably won’t leave your desk often.

Heat

Like other notebooks in this line, the A505 stayed fairly cool during our testing. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad measured 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys was 91 degrees, and the middle of the underside registered 100 degrees. We consider anything over 100 degrees to be too hot.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The A505’s black, glossy keys provided very good feedback, and Toshiba was able to fit in a number pad without compromising the size of the layout.

Like the L505, the A505’s touchpad is nicely sized, and its slightly gritty surface—a contrast to the glossy palm rests—enabled our fingers to move about with little friction. However, it blends almost too well into the deck; we often had to look down to locate it. The silver mouse buttons are positively huge; unlike the L505, they’re not oval-shaped, and have a flat bottom edge that blends into the silvery accent around the edge.

Display and Audio

While the glossy finish on the 15.6-inch display returned a fair number of reflections, we were impressed with the contrast and colors on the 1366 x 768-pixel screen. When watching a Saturday Night Live sketch on Hulu, there was little noise in darker areas. However, Tina Fey’s red sweater really popped when she stood in front of a green chalkboard, and we could pick out individual strands of Justin Beiber’s hair. (Not that we were necessarily looking.)

Audio, too, was well above average. While playing videos and listening to music, the Harman Kardon-powered speakers were able to fill a room easily at full volume without becoming distorted. When playing Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” we could clearly hear the guitar through the right speaker while the bass line thrummed along in the left; neither drowned the other out.

Ports and Webcam

On the right are two USB ports, modem, power, and a tray-loading DVD drive. On the left is a third USB port, VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, eSATA, headphone and mic, and an ExpressCard/54 slot. Underneath the front lip is a 5-in-1 memory card reader.

The A505’s webcam recorded crisp video that displayed colors accurately in bright light, but struggled a bit when it had to rely just on fluorescent lighting; while colors were still decent, video became much grainier. Regardless, there was virtually no motion blur when we waved our hand in front of the camera, and the microphone (to the right of the webcam) picked up our voice clearly during a Skype call.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 2.13-GHz Intel Core i3-330M
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM/Expandable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 16 inches/1366 x 768
Weight: 6.4 pounds

Toshiba Satellite L505-ES5018

Consumers on a budget have to be careful where they spend their cash when buying a new notebook. The Toshiba Satellite L505-ES5018 isn’t going to dazzle you by any means, but for those whose needs are basic, this $587 mainstream system ($529 through Best Buy) gets the job done with a modicum of style. However, a last-generation processor and poor battery life means that your money can be better spent elsewhere, even if you want to stick with Toshiba.

Editors’ Note:Portions of this review were taken from our earlier review of the Toshiba Satellite L505-S5966.

Design

For a sub-$600 system, the Satellite L505 is attractive but not exactly striking. Its lid and keyboard deck sport Toshiba’s Fusion Finish with a grey Breeze pattern—essentially, lines running diagonally across the system. Both the lid and deck are glossy, but the neutral color hides fingerprints. The design is carried across the touchpad, making it all but invisible when viewed from certain angles. While this is a clever touch, the fact that it is also flush with the deck had us looking for it a little harder than we should have. The keyboard and bezel are a matte black that contrasts nicely with the rest of the chassis.

At 15.1 x 10.2 x 1.6 inches and an even 6 pounds, the Satellite L505 isn’t exactly travel-friendly, but it’s a reasonable size and weight for a 15.6-inch system. Still, the HP G62t is a svelter 5.4 pounds.

Unlike the L505-S5966, there are no media playback buttons above the keyboard; a power button is all you get. Toshiba continues to use an old-school volume wheel, which in this case is on the front edge of the chassis.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The gritty matte silver keyboard on the L505 matches the deck, and provided very good feedback, although we did notice it had a bit of flex. Thanks to the wide 15.6-inch screen, Toshiba was also able to cram a full number pad to the right without sacrificing the size of the keyboard.

The touchpad is generously sized, and its slightly rough surface resulted in almost no friction when moving our finger across it. As we mentioned previously, however, its nearly seamless blending with the surrounding deck sometimes made it difficult to locate. The silver mouse buttons below were huge and crisp.

Display and Audio

The 15.6-inch screen on the L505 was suitably bright, and its resolution of 1366 x 768 is more than adequate for its size. However, the viewing angles could have been better; we had to tilt the display back further than we normally do in order for it not to appear washed out. When set at the ideal angle, though, watching movies on the 16:9 aspect ratio display was enjoyable. When watching clips from Saturday Night Live, colors were bright and crisp, and blacks were deep.

The stereo speakers on the top of the deck were moderately loud and had decent separation while watching movies. As we expected in this price range, bass was virtually nonexistent on Notorious B.I.G’s “Big Poppa.”

Ports and Webcam

Arrayed along the right side of the Satellite L505 are two USB ports, modem, and a Kensington lock slot; on the left is VGA out, Ethernet, headphone and mic, and an eSATA port that doubles as USB; unfortunately, this port doesn’t include Toshiba’s Sleep-and-Charge technology. Also lacking is an HDMI port, which is far from a deal-breaker, but can be found on such competitors as the HP G62t.

A 1.3-megapixel webcam and microphone above the display provided passable images in a video chat over Skype; while a little drab, a caller could make out the color of our eyes. However, there was a bit of motion blur when we waved our hand about two feet away from the webcam.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.0-GHz Intel Pentium T4400
Operating System: Windows 7 Home premium (64-bit)
Ram/Expandable to: 3GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 320GB/5,400 rpm
Optical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW
Display/Resolution: 15.6 inches/1366 x 768
Weight: 6 pounds

Gateway LT2118U

These days the market is loaded with low-cost 10-inch netbooks with Intel Atom N450 CPUs that offer long battery life at well under $400. The $349 Gateway LT2118U brings no unique or best-in-class features to this game, but it does provide a solid choice for those seeking 9-plus hours of battery life in a functional, yet stylish chassis. We wish the speakers delivered better sound, but overall this mini laptop is a good value.

Design

While not quite as snazzy as the more expensive Toshiba mini NB305 or as sleek as the MSI Wind U160, the Gateway LT2118U includes some nice touches. Its bright red lid has a small metal stripe with the Gateway logo emblazoned on it. The combination of this silver accent on a bright background reminded us of classic cigarette package art from the ‘40s or ‘50s. The interior of the notebook also has a brushed metal accent on the edge of the deck, and a unique power button that has a blue light and sits right next to the left hinge. An orange Wi-Fi status light sits next to the right hinge.

One area where Gateway seems to have made a poor choice is the oddly shaped A/C adapter. Rather than having a power box with a long, thin cord and standard plug like most notebooks, the LT2118U’s A/C adapter is a giant wall wart with a rotating and removable plug . The thicker profile means you may have difficulty plugging into tight spaces on power strips.

At 10.2 x 7.3 x 1 inches and 2.6 pounds, the LT2118U is a bit lighter and thinner than the ASUS Eee PC 1001P (10.3 x 7 x 1.4 inches, 2.8 pounds) and Toshiba mini NB305 (10.5 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches, 2.8 pounds). The MSI Wind U160 (10.2 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches, 2.6 pounds) is slightly thinner.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The LT2118U features the same Fine Tip island keyboard we’ve seen on all recent Gateway and Acer notebooks. Though the keys offered good tactile feedback, our hands felt a little cramped and we managed only 69 words per minute on the ten thumbs typing test, well below our typical score of 80 wpm.

The 3 x 1.5-inch touchpad sits flush with the deck and is covered in decorative white dots that have no texture. Navigating around the desktop was easy, and multitouch gestures like pinch-to-zoom worked well. Unfortunately, the single mouse button (we prefer dual buttons) was a bit stiff.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition
RAM/Upgradable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600

Panasonic Toughbook CF-31

It’s the notebook equivalent of a tank—with a force field around it. The Panasonic Toughbook CF-31 is able to withstand 70-mph winds and nearly 6 inches of blowing rain per hour. Or you can drop it from 6 feet 26 times. And while this fully rugged notebook looks the same as its predecessor on the outside, inside this Intel Core i5 machine boasts almost double the performance and increased protection without sacrificing battery life. Better yet, at $3,799, this 13-inch notebook costs about a grand less than the CF-30. That’s something budget-conscious government agencies and police forces will appreciate.

Design

The CF-31 looks very similar to its older brother, sporting the same silver-metal and black rubber design. The lid, bezel, and handle are made of a magnesium alloy bordered by a hard black plastic. The lid is supported by a pair of heavy-duty hinges and, when closed, is firmly secured to the base using a spring-loaded latch.

Measuring 11.9 x 11.5 x 2.9 inches, this isn’t a notebook designed to be slipped inside a satchel, and at 8.8 pounds, you probably wouldn’t want to. Still, its handle makes lugging around the CF-31 fairly easy. The top of the handle has a small slot to stow the included stylus.

Durability and Security

While the CF-30 met the MIL-STD-810F durability standard, the CF-31 is made of tougher stuff, and is designed to meet specifications for ingress protection (IP-65) and durability (MIL-STD-810G). That means, among other things, it can withstand operating temperatures from -20 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 to 160 degrees when turned off), and altitudes of up to 15,000 feet. It can survive 31 minutes of 70-mph wind and 5.8 inches per hour of rain blown at it, and 26 drops from 72 inches while turned off (36 inches while turned on and open). It can also withstand up to 310 pounds of pressure on its lid.

To test some of these claims, we dropped the CF-31 several times from 6 feet (turned off and closed) and 3 feet (turned on and open). We also poured 12 ounces of water on the keyboard, and stood on the lid. The machine withstood every challenge, and continued to operate normally. However, we noticed that the latches for the smaller ports would pop open after we dropped the machine.



But Mother Nature isn’t the only thing this notebook is protected against. Security options for the CF-31 include a Smart Card reader, fingerprint reader, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2. Additionally, a concealed mode turns off or dims the screen, all LED lights, and sound at the press of a button, which is a good feature when you’re on a stakeout.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.53-GHz Intel Core i5-540M
Operating System: Windows XP Professional
RAM/Upgradable to: 2GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 13.3 inches/1024 x 768
Optical Drive: 8X DVD-RW

ASUS Eee PC 1005PR

Just as there are many paths up the mountain, there’s more than one way to build a multimedia-friendly netbook. Nvidia’s Ion changed how consumers looked at netbooks last year. But now chip maker Broadcom promises a superior HD experience over the typical Pine Trail/integrated graphics solution inside most netbooks for a more wallet-friendly price. Given ASUS’ notorious penchant for bringing out a new Eee PC model more often than NBC changes late-night hosts, it’s no surprise that they’ve given the Crystal HD Decoder a spin in its newest netbook, the $399 1005PR Seashell. Unfortunately, a medicore keyboard nearly spoils the fun.

Editors’ Note:Portions of this review were taken from our earlier review of the Eee PC 1005PE-P.

Design

As the newest member of ASUS’ Seashell line, the 1005PR shares the same tapered lines, rounded edges, and slim chassis as the 1005HA and 1001P, among other recent Eee PC models. Available in four colors—black, white, pink and dark blue—this 10.3 x 7 x 1.4 inch netbook benefits from a matte outer shell and a fingerprint-resistant checkered pattern on the lid. This adds a touch of style to an already elegant design, making the 1005PR fashionable without being loud. To go along with its sleek look, the 1005PR is also lighter than the average netbook, weighing just 2.4 pounds. The inside of the system is glossy black, and the deck picked up its share of fingerprints.

Heat

ASUS continues to deliver netbooks that keep their cool. While using the 1005PR we never noticed any uncomfortable heat, even after hours of usage. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the temperature on the touchpad at just 84 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G & H keys at 85, and the middle of the underside at 91—all well under acceptable levels. Even the area where we expect to find a hotspot—the netbook’s vent on the left side—notched only 95 degrees.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The 1005PR’s keyboard has the same island-style layout found on earlier Seashell models. Though the keys offer decent tactile feedback and allowed us to reach our normal typing speed right away, there was noticeable flex when we typed. Typing was also noisy, which was a distraction.

Most of the keys are well-sized and in the right place with the exception of the right Shift key, which is shrunken and not directly below the Enter key. Other than that, we found the other keys easy to use, even when executing keyboard shortcuts.

The 2.5 x 1.5-inch pad touchpad, similar to that on the 1005PE-P, blends in with the system’s deck and is covered with small braille-like dots. Unlike some netbooks, the pad exhibited very little friction, and navigating the desktop didn’t require much backtracking. As with other Eee PCs, the touchpad also supports multitouch gestures; using two fingers to pinch and zoom in on a web page in Google Chrome was easy, and images quickly rendered in their new size.

ASUS equipped the 1005PR with a single mouse button. Unlike some netbooks we’ve used, this implementation was comfortable for making selections. However, we still prefer the Toshiba mini NB205’s larger touchpad and dedicated right and left buttons.

Display and Audio

The glossy 10.1-inch, LED-backlit display has an HD-friendly resolution of 1366 x 768. Unfortunately, this resolution on a 10-inch screen meant we ended up squinting quite a bit and had to use the pinch-and-zoom gesture on the touchpad for most websites we visited. The display has other virtues, though. Colors were bright and blacks deep. Plus, horizontal viewing angles were good. To get the best picture we had to tilt the screen back about 30 degrees. When the display is at a right angle the image washes out.

HD video stored on the hard drive played smoothly but betrayed some pixelation, especially in transitions between dark and light scenes in the 720p trailer for The Discoverers. While streaming an episode of House on Hulu we noticed even more pixelated colors and playback issues.

The speakers, located at the bottom front edge of the 1005PR, allowed us to hear songs loud and clear from across the room. Slash and Fergie’s “Beautiful Dangerous” came through powerfully with little to no distortion. Kanye West’s “Stronger” was on the tinny side, but the speakers sounded better than most netbooks’.

Ports and Webcam

On the left side of the 1005PR is a USB and VGA port. On the right are a memory card reader, an Ethernet port, two USB ports, and headphone and microphone jacks.

Above the display, a 1.3-megapixel webcam provided decent images in a Skype video chat. Once we adjusted brightness, contrast, and a few other advanced settings, the camera picked up accurate skin tones and clothing colors. A friend saw little motion blur when we waved quickly and made out details on our face.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition
RAM/Upgradable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1366 x 768
Graphics Card: Intel GMA 3150/Shared

HP Pavilion dm4

Delivering a striking metal design and fast Core i5 performance, the HP dm4 packs practically everything you could want in a thin-and-light notebook. This 4.4-pound machine (starting at $729; $904 as configured) also sports an excellent webcam, and instant-on mode for getting online in a hurry, and software that makes it easy to Hulu and other media. However, the dm4’s somewhat frustrating touchpad prevents it from getting an even higher rating.

Design

The dm4 is about as thin (1.3 inches), light (4.4 pounds), and metallic as the 4.2-pound dm3, but with a few changes. While it still has a pale bronze aluminum lid and chassis and magnesium bottom, the surface is now mostly smooth, with the exception of some artful etchings that stretch across the lid and are mirrored on the palm rest (the dm3, in contrast, has a smooth lid and brushed palm rest). HP also saw to it that the touchpad and the indented area surrounding the keyboard all have gently rounded edges, a subtle, but nice, touch.

Aside from the champagne color and its etched design, the dm4 bears some resemblance to Apple’s MacBook Pro line, thanks to its black, island-style keyboard with integrated multimedia buttons, as well as its trackpad that integrates touch buttons. Not that the similarity is a bad thing: the dm4 is a beautiful machine.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The dm4 features a chiclet-style keyboard that’s fairly comfortable to type on. Even though the system’s right Shift key is undersized compared to the left one, we had no problem typing question and quotation marks without looking. We managed a respectable 86 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test.

The touchpad is fairly large (3.5 x 1.5 inches), and we like that the left and right integrated buttons make a satisfying clicking sound when pressed. We also like that the soft touch surface is easier to navigate than the mirrored mess that was the dm3. The problem is that the touchpad still exhibited slight drag, which made the dm4 feel slower than it actually is when trying to do things like jump between browser tabs. In addition, on a few occassions the touchpad didn’t register clicks. Perhaps a driver update would help.

Quick Specs :

CPU: 2.4-GHz Intel Core i5-520M
Operating System: MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM / upgradeable: 4GB / 4GB
Hard Drive: 320GB, 7,200rpm
Display: 14-inches, 1366x768

Samsung NB30

Consumers on the hunt for a netbook that will survive the rigors of constant use and a bit of knocking about usually turn to business or education models like the HP Mini 5102 or Dell Latitude 2110. However, these systems tend to be more expensive. Enter Samsung’s NB30, the semi-rugged cousin of the popular N series. With a hard drive that can survive a few drops and a keyboard that brushes off spills, this $379 netbook is built for demanding road warriors and high schoolers alike. However, its performance lags behind even other Samsung netbooks, and it’s battery life falls behind the Pine Trail competition.

Design
The 2.8-pound NB30 has the same basic design, features, and size (10.4 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches) as the N210, the main difference being the semi-rugged aspects of the outer chassis. The lid and underside of the netbook feature raised ridges that flow in wavy curves, giving the NB30 a bit of class while providing users with an easy-to-grip surface. Under the lid a matte bezel and deck greeted us, just as on the N210. We were pleased to see the same keyboard layout and matte screen, but not so happy to note that SD Cards still stick out about half an inch when plugged in.



Semi-Ruggedness
Aside from being easy to grip, the textured surface of the NB30 is also scratch-resistant, so users can drop it in a bag or briefcase without worry. Other protective features include hard drive protection from minor falls. When the NB30 detects a drop, it automatically parks the disk head to prevent damage. To round it off, the spill-resistant keyboard will keep liquid-induced disasters at bay, at least within reason: Samsung says the NB30 can withstand up to 50 ccs (about 1.7 ounces) of liquid if it’s removed within 10 seconds.

Heat
Thankfully, the NB30 runs much cooler than the N210. After playing a Hulu video clip at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured temperatures between the G and H keys and the touchpad at just 87 degrees Fahrenheit, and the middle of the underside was only 86 degrees. Though the left front area on the underside got up to 97 degrees, it’s still within the acceptable range; we never noticed undue heat or experienced discomfort while using the NB30 on our lap.



Keyboard and Touchpad
The NB30 has the same island-style keyboard as the N210. It stretches from edge to edge on the deck with ample space between the keys, delivering a good typing experience with springy tactile feedback. We were able to reach our normal typing rate right away.



The 2.5 x 1.6-inch touchpad is fairly large and allowed for smooth navigation of the desktop. It’s almost too smooth; the cursor moved fast. However, our biggest issue with this netbook is the small and narrow mouse bar. There’s a line to delineate the left and right sides, but it feels cramped compared to other netbooks we’ve tested. It also sits too close to the touchpad, and our finger often accidentally strayed onto it. We opted to use an external mouse after a few hours of testing.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition
RAM/Upgradable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 160GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600
Weight: 2.8 pounds

Lenovo IdeaPad Y460

Who said multimedia notebooks have to be bulky and heavy? With its switchable ATI graphics, powerful Core i5 CPU, and excellent speakers, Lenovo’s 5-pound IdeaPad Y460 is good enough not just for watching HD movies, but to play demanding games as well. Priced at a somewhat steep $1,049 (but starting at $899), this notebook offers more than just sweet specs. The Y460 comes with a unique slider above the keyboard that lets you do everything from changing desktops (work and play mode) to skimming through shortcuts for your favorite apps. Although we wish it had a better keyboard and lasted longer on a charge, this thin-and-light laptop stands out.


Design
At 13.4 x 9.2 x 1.2 inches and 5 pounds, the Y460 sits in between competitors like the lighter Dell Inspiron 14 (4.8 pounds) and the heavier Toshiba Satellite E205 (5.2 pounds). Like the Y450 before it, the Y460 has a black lid with a hexagonal pattern that reminds us of the Q*bert video game, and a copper-colored accent that surrounds the lid. However, the newer model has an attractive dark gray keyboard and deck, while its predecessor had a cheaper-looking white interior.



The top of the deck is lined with five white LED buttons. There’s volume up, volume down, and mute, as well as buttons to launch the power manager and OneKey Theater, a feature which improves the picture quality for video playback.

SlideNav Control
The coolest feature of the Y460 is a touch-sensitive bar above the keyboard. If you touch it, you’ll see white lights that correspond to shortcuts for things like Documents and Sound Recorder, and you can launch these items just by sliding your finger in the direction of the icon and then lifting your finger. You can also customize these shortcuts. Sliding your fingers left to right locks the screen, placing a giant zipper across the desktop; sliding them right to left again unlocks the screen. Sliding right to left with the screen unzipped/unlocked changes the wallpaper.



Keyboard and Touchpad
Although it looks ThinkPad-like, the keyboard on the IdeaPad Y460 didn’t feel like it. When typing we had to be careful to hit the keys with maximum force because of their stiffness. However, we were still able to achieve our typical rate of 80 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, albeit with a slightly higher than usual 2-percent error rate.

The textured touchpad, on the other hand, has a perfect balance of friction and comfort. We were able to navigate around the desktop seamlessly and perform multitouch gestures like pinch-to-zoom. The two mouse buttons offered just the right amount of feedback.

Heat
Throughout our testing, the Y460 remained relatively cool. After playing web video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the keyboard at only 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the touchpad at merely 88 degrees. We consider temperatures below 95 to be quite comfortable. However, the bottom of the system reached 102 degrees, which is a little toasty.

Ports and Webcam
The IdeaPad Y460 has all the ports you’d expect from a multimedia notebook, including HDMI and VGA for outputting video, audio/in out, three USB ports, and a USB/eSATA combo port. The front lip of the system sports a memory card reader for getting photos and video off of your camera. The only important connection the Y460 lacks is an ExpressCard slot for attaching expansion cards like a USB 3.0 adapter.



The 1.3-megapixel webcam provided remarkably sharp, smooth, and colorful images even under adverse lighting conditions. We conducted a Skype call from our dim living room at night and were amazed with the quality of the images our caller received.

Quick Specs
CPU: 2.4-GHz Intel Core i5-520M
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/4GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size Resolution: 14.1/1366 x 768
Optical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW DL

HP EliteBook 2740p

Remember when tablets were called Tablet PCs, and they were geared toward productivity instead of apps and entertainment? Here’s something to jog your memory. The HP EliteBook 2740p ($1,699 as configured) is a powerful convertible targeted at mobile professionals looking for pen and touch input. This 3.8-pound machine features a durable design, a fast Core i5 processor, and lets you get online and check your e-mail and calendar without booting into Windows. The touch functionality feels a little thin out of the box, and we wish the standard battery lasted longer on a charge, but overall the 2740p is a solid business tablet for the money.

Design and Durability
Tough but light enough to qualify as an ultraportable, the 2740p has an all-aluminum matte silver surface and a full magnesium enclosure. This modern-looking but slightly chunky convertible feels like it can stand up to a fair amount of abuse, whether you’re toting it from your office to the conference room or traveling cross-country. The hinge also feels sturdy, even if it’s not bi-directional like the Lenovo ThinkPad X201.



With a 1.3-inch profile, the 2740p has the same thickness as the ThinkPad X201 Tablet but is bulkier than the 1.1-inch thin Dell Latitude XT2. The 2740p weighs the same as the XT2 at 3.8 pounds, but is lighter than the 4.2-pound X201 Tablet (when equipped with a larger eight-cell battery).

Other durability features include a spill-resistant keyboard, a DuraKeys treatment that prevents the print from rubbing off over time, and HP 3D DriveGuard for protecting the hard drive. Plus, the 2740p was designed to meet the MIL-STD 810G military standards for vibration, dust, humidity, extreme altitudes, and high temperatures.



The front of the notebook houses a latch for opening the lid, as well as the power switch, and above the keyboard you’ll find small backlit mute and volume buttons that worked well. On the top of the screen bezel, HP positioned the webcam to the left of the display latch and a keyboard light to the right that pops out when pressed. A switch on the top edge of the bezel reveals a wireless antenna, Swiss-Army knife style. In tablet mode the right side of the system houses a jog dial (good for scrolling) and Esc key, along with a button for changing the display’s orientation.

Heat
The 2740p runs warmer than its biggest competitor, but it wasn’t uncomfortable to use. After playing a Hulu video clip for 15 minutes, the area between the G and H keys measured 87 degrees Fahrenheit, the touchpad registered 97 degrees, and the bottom of the system hit 101. By comparison, the ThinkPad X201 Tablet reached only 86, 81, and 88 degrees, respectively.



Quick Specs :
PU: 2.53-GHz Core i5 520M
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 12.1 inches/1280 x 800
Graphics/Video Memory: Intel GMA HD/Shared

HP ProBook 4720s

Made for business users on a budget looking for a big screen and enough performance to last the next few years, HP’s 4720s is the newest 17-inch member of the company’s popular ProBook line. With a snappy Core i5 CPU, discrete graphics, a high-res 1600 x 900 screen, and good battery life, this desktop replacement (starting at $925; $1,059 as configured) has what it takes to sit on a lot of desks. We also like the built-in software and security options. Unfortunately, an awkward touchpad prevents the 4720s from getting a higher rating.

Design
At 6.8 pounds and 16.2 x 10.5 x 1.1 inches, the 4720s is considerably more portable than other 17 and 18-inch systems like the Toshiba Satellite P505 (8.6 pounds), Dell Studio 17 (7.8 pounds), and Acer Aspire 8940G (9.2 pounds). Like other ProBooks, the 4720s has a brushed aluminum lid and deck with a glossy black plastic bezel and keyboard mount. Unlike the ProBook 5310m, which had a slick black aluminum lid and deck, the 4720s’s lid and deck are a bland coffee color. The bottom of the machine is constructed from hard plastic.



Keyboard and Touchpad
At first glance, the ProBook 4720s’s keyboard seems like everything we’d want in a workstation keyboard; it has a numeric keypad, all the keys are properly positioned, and there’s plenty of room to stretch out. As soon as we hpprobook4720s_sf_touchpad.jpgstarted typing, our opinion changed. The keys were a little small for our fingers, and not as responsive as we’d like. On the Ten Thumbs typing test, we scored a weak 74 words per minute with a subpar 4-percent error rate, while our typical score is 80 wpm with a 1-percent error rate.

The touchpad is much more difficult to work with than the keyboard, and the cursor jumped around as we navigated the desktop. Because the mouse buttons are built into the touchpad, users who use both hands will have a serious problem with the pointer jumping as they try to click. The pad supports multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, but we found them to be rather jerky and hard to control.



Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.26-GHz Intel Core i5 M450
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/4GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/7,200 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 17.3 inches/1600 x 900
Optical Drive: 8X DVD-RW
Graphics Card/Video Memory: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500/512MB

HP G62t

How much do we love the HP G62t, a $599 Intel Core i3-powered laptop? Let us count the ways: it offers better performance and battery life than the competition, a cool yet understated design, and a blazing fast hard drive. We’re not fans of the single touch button, but overall, the G62t is far and away the best laptop you can get for less than $600.

Design
Taking a cue from HP’s higher-end Envy notebooks, the G62t has a sophisticated taupe color both inside and out, as well as a matte finish. Its textured pattern reminds us of the Envy 13, although it has a smooth metal lid; the G62t is made of a cheaper plastic and bears that pattern throughout. However, the brushed metal hinges make the laptop look more expensive than it is.

Other than a small power button, there are no controls in the area above the keyboard—just a discreet strip concealing the Altec Lansing speakers. HP emulates Apple’s MacBooks by adding multimedia and volume controls to the top row of the keys on the keyboard.

One of the things we like best about the G62t’s design is its light weight. At 5.4 pounds and 14.7 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches, it was easy to carry this notebook from room to room. The similarly priced Gateway NV5934u weighs 5.6 pounds, while the Toshiba Satellite L505-ES5018 weighs an even heftier 6 pounds.



Keyboard and Trackpad
The G62t’s keys adjoin each other at the base, but are terraced at the top with a soft matte finish that felt nice against the fingers. While we scored 83 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs typing test with a 0 percent error rate (not bad considering our high score is 88 wpm), we felt HP could have arranged the keys more efficiently. For instance, there’s no number pad, as there is on many other 15-inch notebooks. Worse, the right Shift key is undersized, something we noticed as we typed. Considering there’s an inch of unused space on either size of the keyboard, we see this as a missed opportunity.



We’ve given HP flack in the past for selling notebooks with high-friction touchpads, but the G62t’s was a delight to use, even if it’s largely indistinguishable from the surrounding deck. We love its spacious (2.3 x 3.5 inches), smooth, low-friction surface. Unfortunately, HP made a mistake in pairing it with a single, stiff mouse button instead of softer twin ones. We had to apply a good deal of pressure every time we wanted to press the button, though we expect it would break in over time.



Quick Specs :
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
CPU: 2.13GHz Intel Core i3-330M
RAM/Expandable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard drive size/speed: 500GB/7,200 rpm
Optical Drive: 8X DVD-Super Multi DL
Graphics/video memory: Intel GMA HD/shared
Display size/resolution: 15.6 inches/1366 x 768

Dell Studio 15 (1558)

It’s easy to find a notebook that’s good at the basics. But what if you want to edit photos and video? Or multitask without your laptop wheezing? Enter the Dell Studio 15 (1558), an excellent multimedia machine under $900 for people who want to do more. We love its comfortable keyboard, high-resolution webcam, strong performance, rich sound, and long battery life. Gamers might want to look elsewhere, but everyone else should be well satisfied.

Design
While the Studio 15 eschews many current design trends—matte or metallic surfaces, island keyboards—it’s nonetheless attractive and comfortable. Both the lid and keyboard deck have a glossy surface, but neither picks up fingerprints. That’s partly because although they’re glossy, they still have a flatter finish than other reflective lids. Also, a subtle circular pattern, echoed on both the lid and palm rest, helps mask smudges.



While the palm rest is gray and the keyboard, black, the lid comes in a variety of colors, including pink, green, purple, red, and blue (as is Dell’s wont, you’ll pay $40 extra for colors other than black; when you purchase it in pink, Dell donates $5 to the breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure).



One of the other things that makes the Studio 15 a pleasure to use is that rather than cluttering up the chassis with touch-sensitive controls, it built the multimedia controls into the row of function keys, just as Apple does with its Macs. Our only gripe: the hinge, which contains the speakers, is wide, and pushes the display farther back than we’d like.

The 9-cell battery on our configuration creates a bulge on the bottom of the laptop, making the notebook (a reasonable six pounds) slightly awkward to carry and a relatively heavy 6 pounds. Those who care more about looks and portability than endurance should stick with the 6-cell battery.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The Studio 15’s keyboard is one of our favorite things about the Studio 15. Sure, its closely spaced, terraced keys aren’t as stylish as a chiclet keyboard, but with a soft finish they’re very comfortable to type on. In fact, we smashed our long-time record of 88 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing test, pounding out 94 words per minute with a one percent error rate. And while we usually have to pause to find the Shift key or the question mark, touch typing felt seamless with the Studio 15.

The touchpad, whose surface has very little friction, also doesn’t draw much attention to itself (that’s a good thing). The touchpad is a little small for pinching and zooming, one of the enabled gestures, but scrolling along either the right or bottom edge of the trackpad felt pretty natural. We like that if you go to Control Panel > Mouse > Dell Touchpad, you can use Dell’s own intuitive interface to enable or disable gestures, and customize how responsive the trackpad is.



Ambient Heat
Even after extended use, the Studio 15 ran at pretty normal temperatures. For instance, after playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, we observed temperatures of 91 degrees on the touchpad, 90 degrees at the center of the keyboard, and 97 degrees on the underside (that temperature rose to 102 degrees when we moved to the front center of the bottom surface). When you think that the average laptop in this weight class measures 90, 93, and 98 degrees in the same spots, you realize the Studio 15’s temperatures are reasonable, if not slightly cooler than other notebooks.

ASUS N61Jv-X2

When looking for an entertainment notebook that costs less than $1,000, you have to decide what bells and whistles you can live without, and what’s most critical to an optimal experience. The ASUS N61Jv-X2 gets it mostly right. For $899, users get an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT325M graphics, and a handsome design. Plus, the N61Jv is the third notebook we’ve tested with Nvidia’s Optimus technology, which means it can seamlessly switch between its powerful Nvidia GPU and the more energy-efficient integrated graphics for more battery life. However, we’re not sure how much of a benefit this feature is in a 6-pound laptop, which raises the question as to whether ASUS made all the right decisions in building this value-priced multimedia machine.


Design
Unlike the U30Jc or the UL50, the lid of the N61Jv is glossy with a subtle wavy pinstripe pattern, much like the K42F. This looks cool, but it doesn’t do a great job of hiding fingerprint smudges. Inside, however, ASUS has made several interesting design changes. The palm rest is rubberized, making it very comfortable to the touch.



Above the chiclet-style keyboard is the most striking feature: a silver speaker bar perforated by tiny holes. At the right side is a circular chrome power button encircled by a backlit ring; on the other side are buttons to control multimedia playback and to launch the ExpressGate Instant-On environment. At either end of the silver bar are two translucent strips that light up blue when the notebook is on. All in all, it has a very retro-chic look, like something Braun might have designed in the 80s.



Weighing 6 pounds even, the N61J is a bit heavier than most notebooks in its class, most of which have smaller 15.6-inch screens. The Samsung R580, for example, weighs 5.6 pounds. However, the N61Jv, at 15.4 x 10.6 x 1.1—1.5 inches, cuts a thinner profile to the R580’s 16.2 x 10.7 x 1.3—1.6 inches.

Heat
After we played a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, we were pleased to see that the N61Jv kept its cool; the touchpad measured 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys was just 91, and the middle of the underside was 89 degrees. The hottest place we measured was by the vent, which topped off at a reasonable 95 degrees.




Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.26-GHz Intel Core i5 430M
Operating System: MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM: 4GB
RAM Upgradable to: 8GB
Hard Drive Size: 500GB
Hard Drive Speed: 7,200rpm
Hard Drive Type: SATA Hard Drive
Display Size: 16

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2010)

The outside looks the same, but the guts of the 2010 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro have been revamped. This thin-and-light laptop now features a faster processor and double the graphics performance. Better yet, it lasts nearly 8 hours on a charge, about an hour and a half longer than its predecessor. While $1,199 is on the pricey side these days for a notebook, the MacBook Pro delivers great performance and endurance in a attractive and comfortable design that’s easy to take with you.

Design
The 13-inch MacBook Pro looks identical to last season’s MacBook Pro: the aluminum chassis, black island-style keyboard, large multitouch touchpad, and thin, rounded lid all look familiar. Even its weight (4.4 pounds) and dimensions (12.8 x 8.9 x 1 inches) remain the same, making this notebook a cinch to carry. The ASUS U30Jc-1A, another 13-inch thin-and-light with powerful graphics, weighs almost half a pound more.



Like its predecessor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is made from a single, seamless piece of aluminum, which means it’s more durable than most other notebooks in this price range. The only difference is that the battery is now non-removable (more on that later). Our only gripe is that the system’s body scuffs fairly easily, so you may want to invest in a custom-fit cover.

Keyboard and Touchpad
As always, the keyboard on the 13-inch MacBook Pro has a soft finish, and makes little sound when you type. While the keyboard on, say, the 17-inch MacBook Pro might be too large (and too recessed) for some hands, the 13-inch version’s keyboard is comfortably placed. It’s also backlit with an ambient light sensor, which comes in handy for low-light environments.



The touchpad remains one giant button that doubles as the touchpad and the mouse button, and is the best in the business. The friction is slight, and we were able to effortlessly press down on the button without thinking about the fact that there’s no dedicated touch button (nevermind two).


Also, multitouch gestures work smoothly. By pushing four fingers toward the top of the touchpad, we were able to fling windows up toward the top of the screen, exposing a clean desktop. When we used two fingers to zoom in and out of pages in Safari 4, the on-screen response was very quick and smooth. A new feature keeps scrolling pages for a bit even after you’ve completed the finger swipe; this makes it easier to move though large documents.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 13.3 inches/1280 x 800
Optical Drive: 8X DVD-RW

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Core i7)

Nearly a year has passed since Apple released its updated 15-inch MacBook Pro, featuring a unibody aluminum construction, SD Card slot, and a longer-lasting lithium ion battery. Now, the Cupertino-based company has incorporated a few important upgrades under the hood to supercharge this elegant machine (starting at $1,799; $2,199 as configured). These enhancements include the long-awaited Intel Core i7 processor, capable of overclocking on the fly, and automatic graphics-switching technology that makes moving from integrated to discrete graphics mode all but invisible to the user. Best of all, even with the jump from Core 2 Duo to Core i7, Apple has managed to deliver all-day battery life. These are collectively welcome improvements, but are they enough to justify the premium? Yup.

Design
The 15-inch MacBook Pro sports the same carved-from-a-single-chunk-of-metal unibody design as its brethren, with a sturdy aluminum chassis and rounded edges. The overall look is classy and modern, though it makes upgrading individual components (like the RAM and hard drive) more difficult, as the entire bottom must be unscrewed.

The MacBook Pro has the same dimensions as before (14.4 x 9.8 x 1 inches), but it weighs a slightly heavier 5.6 pounds. While we definitely felt the extra heft while carrying the machine home, it did fit in our messenger bag, which is more than we can say about most 15-inch notebooks. The only system that comes close is the HP Envy 15, which has an equally slim and stylish profile (15.0 x 9.6 x 1 inches) and weighs a lighter 5.2 pounds. Regardless, this notebook will take up your entire tray table if you take it on a flight.



Heat
The 15-inch MacBook Pro held up well during our heat test, where we play a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes; the space between the G and H keys remained a balmy 84 degrees Fahrenheit, and the touchpad measured just 71 degrees. However, the back rear bottom of the notebook reached an uncomfortable 104 degrees. Also, after using the system on our lap for an hour and typing this review while watching another Hulu video, the middle of the underside increased to a hot 105 degrees. Moreover, while running the World of Warcraft test, we could hear the fan from 10 feet away. Still, the HP Envy 15 was even hotter, reaching 110 degrees near the vent.

Keyboard and Touchpad
Similar to other MacBook Pros, our unit featured a shallow keyboard with black, isolated keys that provided solid feedback when typing URLs and writing documents. The keys are backlit, a feature that can be activated manually or by the ambient light sensor, which will illuminate the keys when typing in low-light situations (such as a darkened plane cabin). While typing in a dark room, the soft glow enabled us to see the keys clearly.



Apple was the first company to introduce mouse buttons integrated into the touchpad itself, and while others have imitated it, Apple’s touchpad still remains the best. Not only is it huge--4.1 x 3 inches--but we never saw the cursor jump around, as with some Dell and HP touchpads, even when using two hands.

Of course, multitouch functionality is built in, and Apple has added an extra feature called inertial scrolling. When you use two fingers to scroll down a document, it keeps scrolling for a bit even after you’ve completed the finger swipe; this makes it easier to scroll though large documents.

Display and Audio
As usual, we loved the bright and crisp 15.6-inch display on the MacBook Pro. Its resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels is adequate, though we suspect many photographers and other creative pros will opt for the 1680 x 1050-pixel option. While reflections from the glossy display weren’t overwhelming, it’s also nice to know there’s an antiglare option--though only for the higher resolution display. Still, colors were bright, blacks were deep and dark, and viewing angles were excellent both vertically and horizontally.

Speakers on either side of the keyboard provided very good audio. At full volume, the Black Eyed Peas' “I Gotta Feelin'” filled a small room; higher tones were crisp without sounding distorted, and lower notes, such as the bass line in the song, had enough presence without being overwhelming.

Ports and Webcam
On the right side of the 15-inch MacBook Pro you’ll find the 8X SuperDrive and Kensington lock slot. Built into the left side are two closely placed USB 2.0 ports, Mini DisplayPort, a FireWire 800 port, the MagSafe power port, and headphone and mic jacks. Conspicuous in its absence: an ExpressCard slot, found on the original 15-inch MacBook Pro (and on the current 17-inch MacBook Pro), which is replaced by an SD Card slot. For the money, we would’ve liked to seen at least one more USB port and HDMI.



The webcam above the display was excellent in a Skype video chat. The other caller said that he could make out objects in the background, as well as the stitching on our all-black sweater. The embedded microphone also picked up our voice well.

Quick Specs :
CPU: 2.66-GHz Intel Core i7-620M
Operating System: OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 500GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 15.4 inches/1440 x 900

Acer Aspire One 532h

Like other netbook makers, Acer is refreshing its line with the new Intel Atom N450 processor (Pine Trail), which promises similar performance but greater endurance. Also like its competitors, Acer has tweaked the design, adding a keyboard with the same style as its larger notebooks and trimming down the chassis. But most significantly, it’s also trimmed the price: though our review model came in at $349, the Aspire One 532h starts at $299, a hundred bucks less than competing brands. But does price trump all, even in the commodified netbook market?

Design
The 532h is a bit of a departure from Acer’s previous 10.1-inch netbooks, the Aspire One D150 and D250. In fact, it looks more like Acer’s 11.6-inch netbook, the Aspire One 751h. Instead of a solid color, the lid of the Onyx Blue 532h fades from a dark metallic blue to black. Other color options included Garnet Red and Silver Matrix. This treatment makes the netbook look much more refined. However, the glossy finish, which is also found beneath the keyboard, picks up fingerprints quickly. There’s now a lot less room at the top of the deck; the keyboard is shoved right up to the top, and the power button is crammed in by the left hinge.



Like the Toshiba mini NB305-N410, Acer saw fit to change the design of the six-cell battery on the 532h. No longer does it jut out the back; it’s now tucked in underneath, shaving three quarters of an inch off the footprint. The area beneath the display and between the hinges has a sharp edge as opposed to the smoother curves of the D250. At 10.2 x 7.3 x 1.0 inches and 2.8 pounds, the 532h is about the same size, shape, and weight as most 10-inch netbooks.

Heat
After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad on the 532h registered 92 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys was 91 degrees, and the middle of the underside reached 97 degrees. While we don’t consider any this heat to be troublesome, the temperature of 110 degrees in the left front corner was a cause for concern.



Keyboard and Touchpad
Instead of a traditional keyboard as on its older netbooks, the 532h has Acer’s FineTip keyboard, which is completely flat on top, and has a slight space between each key. Also, it’s larger than when compared to older netbooks: whereas on the D250 there was approximately half an inch of space on either side of the keyboard, on the 532h there’s less than a quarter of an inch unused. While it looks identical to the layout on the 11.6-inch 751h, the 532’s keyboard is smaller and the keys have a shallow pitch to them, which made typing somewhat more difficult. We much prefer the keyboards on the ASUS Eee PC 1005PE-P (Seashell) and the Toshiba mini NB305, which have island-style layouts and more space between the keys.



We’re also pleased to see that the touchpad on the 532h is much larger than on previous Acer netbooks. At 2.6 x 1.4 inches, it’s positively spacious compared to the previous generation—though still not as large as that on the Toshiba mini NB305. The multitouch-enabled touchpad is covered with a number of tiny dots that distinguish it from the glossy deck, making it practically friction-free. While we wish the metallic blue mouse button beneath was split into two, it’s sufficiently large and has a nice response.

Quick Specs
CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition
RAM/Expandable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600