Notebook Reviews

Among a line of notebooks, we can generally spot an Acer notebook without much difficulty and this is because of its attractive, nouveau and unique design. But then, this time Acer has disappointed its users because this Acer aspire 5742 is anything but stylish. With a very simple design, you might wonder what the advantage of this notebook is over its own siblings and the other counterparts too. But then there is something really attractive about this particular model and that is the price. This model is one of the least expensive of the notebooks offering similar decent specifications. Read further to find out if this cheap priced model really does make a mark for itself.

Design and Keyboard:

The Acer aspire 5742 notebook is one that carries a very plain design with a matte outer cover. Now the matte outer cover means two things, one, it saves the users from cleaning the notebook every now and then that happens in the case of glossy notebooks, because matte notebooks are always finger print resistant. Secondly, this notebook lacks the shining look or the glow, as we can put it, due to the plain black matte look. Moreover, the design is also nothing special having seen the seashell and other such attractively designed products earlier from the same Acer. However, this time Acer has given more importance to certain main features like the processor and the OS. This Aspire 5742 15.6 inch notebook has a resolution of 1366 x 768p which is excellent for a notebook of this size. Big screens always require higher resolution. LED backlit is present in most of the notebooks these days, including this one too. This backlit becomes very useful when we are in dark room. The viewing angles are good as the notebook can bend pretty decently without reduction in the clarity of the contents displayed on the screen.

Acer is probably not interested in producing ultra-portable notebooks because this one is not really thin or light weighted. The dimensions of the notebook are 381 mm in width, 253 and 34 mm in depth and height respectively. Weighing nearly 2.6Kg, this notebook has all its ports distributed on the left and right sides. The 15.6 inch screen is a WXGA Active matrix TFT color LCD type of screen and this wide screen fares really well while watching movies or videos. This black color notebook does a good job in terms of picture quality as the images are delivered accurately with sharpness. Moving on to the keyboard, acer has adopted the chiclet style or the scramble type keyboard where the keys are isolated by little space from each other. The island type of keyboard looks really pretty and there is the integrated numeric keypad too. Moreover, the keys are well designed to provide a good response.

Touch Pad:

The Touchpad of this notebook is one that has a single button for left and right button operations of the mouse and mainly, supports multi-touch features. The most common multi-touch features are available in this notebook, like the swiping and zooming actions. We would not say this is a good or the best Touchpad ever in the market because it has little flaws which are realizable when working with it, but considering its price, it is tolerable.

Ports:

The Acer Aspire 5742 15.6 inch notebook has ports spaced out on both the left and right sides. The left side has little space for fan vent to eject the heat out, VGA, the RJ45 Ethernet port, HDMI port, USB port and the headphone and microphone jack. The right side includes the two USB 2.0 ports placed next to each other and then there is the DVD multi drive capable of playing any movie or video in the 15.6 inch LED backlit LCD screen. The VGA helps for external monitor connectivity and might be really useful for some. There are three USB ports and this is great for a comparatively cheap priced notebook.

Processor, Memory and OS:

For a price that this notebook is offered at, you would be stunned to know the processor that it comes with, the Intel Core i3. Core processors are not generally a part of the spec for the notebooks of this very cheap price range. However, the fact that this aspire 5742 notebook does come with the 2.4GHz processor that can work with a number of applications at a very good speed thus making multi-tasking an enjoyable experience. The 3GB RAM and 250GB hard drive capacity might not be an exciting inclusion for there are notebooks in the market that offer nearly double the amount of hard drive capacity, but then again, the notebook is less expensive and hence it is good. The 5742 notebook runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit OS and this is one of the recent software systems available in the market that has a good interface. The excellent processor and the laudable OS are what that adds value to the plain and simple looking product.

Connectivity:

Connectivity plays a very important role these days. Even if we forget to pack our clothes in the bag, we never forget to take our laptops or notebooks with us, because these notebooks not only help us to carry on with our works while we are traveling, it also helps us to stay connected with anyone around the world by providing access to the current world’s mantra, the Internet. You can stay connected and chat endlessly or google search for all that you want to know in two ways, the wired or wireless connection. Wired connection can be achieved with the help of the RJ45 ethernet port while the wireless connection is possible with the WLAN 802.11 b/g/n. The world of internet is made even more interesting with the help of the 1.3MP camera on the top bezel of the screen, the microphone and the speakers. The users can watch videos of their choice from you tube, or download their favorite movies from the reliable sites in the internet. However, the speakers of this 15.6 inch notebook are really poor in that they do not produce good quality sound which makes the audio unclear. Still, Acer has tried to give its best that can be afforded at an unimaginably less rate.

Battery Efficiency:

For a very less expensive notebook that runs on 6 cell rechargeable Lithium ion battery, expectations should not be really high. So with that in mind, you should be satisfied to hear that this Aspire 5742 model dies out in nearly 3 and half hours when you crush it with too many works particularly when most of them pertained to the straining multimedia stream or when watching movies on that sufficiently big 15.6 inch screen. However the battery might run for a time little longer than this if all that the user does with the notebook is a light and harmless browsing or working with the applications that do not drain the battery away. This notebook therefore does not come with a battery life that makes us recommend it for those who crave for the longevity of it.

Graphics and Performance:

At a very reasonable price, Acer must be one of the few companies that offer the Intel GT420M graphic processor. But alas, it is integrated and hence the memory has to be shared. So obviously, this notebook is not the one for the gamers, but it is not disappointing for those who play games that do not require a lot of space and time from the processor. As said earlier, the notebook’s audio performance is badly affected by the speaker. But the video quality is good indeed.

Warranty:

The warranty period of the Acer Aspire 5742 is standard one year.

Verdict:

Generally some compromise has to be made when the price is made lower. In the case of this Aspire 5742, though few of its features are in the mid-line, two features are prominently on the worse side. If one compromise is its plain design, the other is the poor performance of the speakers. The battery life is not really excellent. But then, if you are still keen that budget and performance are all that matters to you, then this product would definitely be a good choice since the notebook unfolds a Core i3 processor and integrated Intel graphics which can be put to use on a wide 15.6 inch screen. So if you are a person who is searching for a notebook with just two keywords, cheap and good performer, then you might probably find this one. For others however, this notebook would not even be in your search list.

Acer Aspire 5742 Laptop – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Acer
Model Name	Acer Aspire 5742
Dimensions(W x D x H)	381 x 253 x 25-34 mm
Weight	2.6 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	15.6″
Screen Type	WXGA TFT LCD
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core i3 – 2.4 GHz
RAM	3GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8GB)
Hard drive	250GB
OS	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Keypad	Good response keys
Touchpad	Yes, with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Speakers	Built-in speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 b/g/n
Memory card slot	SD card reader
Connectivity	3 USB 2.0 ports, Audio line in, Audio line out, 1 VGA video output, 1 HDMI
Warranty	1 Year International Travelers warranty

The Lenovo Thinkpad series of notebooks are those that are aimed at business users who are in need of a notebook that would be efficient, witty and at the same time modern. Here, by modern, we mean its specifications and not the design. The Thinkpad T410 notebook has an elderly and bygone design. But then the stuff inside is one of the recent and latest versions that any notebook can hold. This particular notebook bears striking resemblance to the T400 notebook externally though the difference is large to be counted considering their specifications. The T series notebooks come with features that are valued high among the consumers. More about the Lenovo Thinkpad T410 notebook follows here.

The overall design:

The Lenovo T410 14.1 inch notebook is nothing but antic in appearance. It has the age old looks that would not be preferred among the younger generation who always take pride in carrying a modern laptop with amazing looks. But then, as the saying goes, it is the inner beauty that matters more, the T410 might not look attractive at first sight, but then its specifications would immediately bring smiles on the faces. The notebook is basically made of ABS plastic. But, this plastic design does not make the machine look cheaper. On the contrary, it is sturdy and well built. The ergonomically designed keyboard houses the keys in a way similar to all the Thinkpad models. The users can make use of the function keys present at the very top position of the keyboard for specific functions. The keys are very closely spaced with a prominently visible blue color enter key. The users can work either with the touchpad or the pointing stick for the mouse operations. The touchpad has raised dots on its surface and offers multi-touch facilities that include the three or four fingers for swiping or zooming action. This energy efficient good performer encompasses more when it is studied deeper.

Display, Audio and Video Features:

The T410 notebook, as said earlier, is a 14.1 inch notebook with a WXGA+ screen. The 1400 x 900p screen resolution obviously implies the clarity of the pictures and videos that appear on the LED Backlit screen. However, there is no noticeable improvement in the video performance of the t410 over the t400. The dimensions of this notebook are about 21.1 x 337 x 241.5 mm for a notebook with 6-cell battery and it weighs about 1.77 Kg on the minimum side. The viewing angles are good. The speakers are present on the keyboard at the two sides and these stereo speakers present themselves in a decent manner though they do not pose a prolific show.

For budget people:

This T410 notebook is quite expensive compared to its HP and other such counterparts who offer similar features at a very nominal rate that appeal to all the users. However for those who love the uniqueness of this thinkpad notebook, it definitely deserves the cost. So those who check their pockets before purchasing the product do not get disappointed because the notebook is worth it.

Processor, OS and Memory:

The 4GB of RAM and 320GB of hard drive capacity imply that these specs are good enough for any business user or for home use. The 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium is the operating system that goes with this model. The major attraction towards this Lenovo thinkpad is its processor. This notebook comes with an Intel Core-i5 processor with a speed of 2.53GHz. The core processors are known for their fast operation of the jobs in queue and also the ability to handle multi-tasking efficiently. Therefore the users can effectively work on many applications at a time and still do not have to wait.

Internal and External Connectivity:

The internal connectivity includes the list of the ports that are present on the notebook while the external connectivity implies the network connectivity for global connection. To enhance the audio and video features, there are few ports on the right, left, front and rear side of the notebook. The most important AC power port and the modem port for connectivity fill up the rear portion of the notebook. These two ports play a vital role. It is the ports that are present in this notebook that distinguish it from the T400 or other T series of Lenovo. The differences are brought about by the 5-in-1 SDHC card reader in the front, the display and VGA-out ports, three USB ports and a smart card reader in the left. The 34mm Express card slot, eSATA, audio in/out combo, DVD RW drive, another USB, firewire and kensington lock port on the right also influence the value of the notebook to a great extent. This distribution of the ports on all the sides of the notebook provides good space for each port and this machine has all the ports that can be expected from a notebook. With the eSATA port the users can easily transfer data at a very fast rate. With the optical drive the users can endlessly watch movies or videos of their choice.

While these form the list of internal connectivity features, the Wireless WLAN 802.11 b/g/n and bluetooth facilitates connection for the users worldwide and helps them stay connected to the Internet thereby providing full access to the world outside the four walls that surround us.

Graphics:

The Intel HD integrated type uses the NVIDIA Optimus technology for providing better performance. But the integrated system always has its disadvantage; it has to work with the CPU’s memory. Therefore it is not really as efficient as the dedicated graphics. So game freaks might not prefer this notebook since it does not satisfy their criteria.

Heat, Noise and Energy Efficiency:

The notebook is not really hot. However, it is not advisable to keep it on the lap because some amount of hotness can definitely be felt because of the heat emanated from the bottom side of the notebook. The quantity of heat radiated from the keyboard and touc-hpad areas are not really high. This 14 inch notebook is not really noisy and is tolerable. The Lenovo Thinkpad T410 notebook is energy star qualified which means that it is energy efficient. It can be safely used without any fear of affecting the nature and the environment around us.

Battery:

The Lenovo Thinkpad T410 Laptop comes with a 6 cell battery. The battery lasts for nearly 6 hours after charging and is thus a good performer in this category. The battery life may however vary within this range depending on the type of application and software the OS works on. For instance, gamers must be aware that the battery life will not be the same time but would reduce accordingly. If you are in need of a longer life, then you can opt for the 9 cell battery too, though it is important to note here that with the 6 cell pack itself, it slightly protrudes at the back.

Support:

Lenovo provides the usual 1 year warranty for services of parts and labor. This time period can however be extended to 3years warranty by buying it from the depot or on-site.

Verdict:

To sum up, the T410 notebook may not have a modern outlook, but it has all the features that can be expected from any notebook. The price tag is quite high though. It has all the ports and gives a good audio and video performance. The battery life is also satisfactory. So given its odds and evens, it can be written in the list of recommended notebooks.

Check other Lenovo Notebook Reviews in this website.

Lenovo Thinkpad T410 Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Lenovo
Model Name	Lenovo Thinkpad T410
Dimensions: (L x D x H)	21.1 x 337 x 241.5 mm (for 6-cell battery)
Weight	1.77 kgs
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	14.1 inch
Screen Type	WXGA+ screen
Screen Resolution	1400 x 900p
Aspect Ratio	16:10
Internal Components
Processor	Intel® Core™ i5-540M (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB, 35W)
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Expandable up to 8GB)
Hard drive	320GB
Keypad	Ergonomic keyboard with improved design
Touchpad	Yes, with multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics and NVIDIA® NVS3100M Graphics
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	34mm Express Card and 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader
Connectivity	3 USB 2.0 ports, combo microphone in/ Audio line out jack, 1 VGA video output, display port, RJ45 port
Warranty	1 Year complete warranty

It is long since small devices called laptops replaced the big space occupying Desktop PCs and even longer since people were musing about being able to place these electronic devices on our lap and work on them. Now, these notebooks have seen tremendous improvement and they have been categorized separately with special and different features for home users and for business people. The Dell Vostro notebooks are those aimed at small business users and this notebook draws a very small line of difference between the personal laptops and those specially designed for business officials. These vostro notebooks differ slightly in certain features and aspects, from the Inspiron series. While the latter is best suited for home environment, the former prefers office surroundings. This notebook, the Vostro 3300 has a neat look with pretty nice features. Read our review on the Dell Vostro 3300 notebook to know if this would suit you.

Design:

The Dell Vostro 3300 is a 13.3 inch notebook that has a professional look with neat design. It is available in three different colours, Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red and Brisbane Bronze. All the three colors are really cool and a pleasing sight to the eyes. The outer cover of the notebook is made of aluminium and that casing gives a dignified look. The special feature of the notebook is the “anti-glare” screen. The screen is not at all glossy and this means that the viewing angles are wider than those of the glaring screens and the notebook can be used even in a room where sunlight floods in. The notebook is quite flexible.

The notebook weighs nearly 1.94Kg with the 4 cell battery. The width and depth of the notebook are 325 mm and 229 mm. The height of the notebook varies from 20.1 ~ 28.6 mm. This notebook is quite light and easy to carry. Hence the notebook is portable and can be used for any purpose whenever required. The native resolution of the screen is nearly 1366 x 768p and that is really nice for a 13 inch notebook. The screen is of the Widescreen High Definition type which means that the users can watch HD videos or with good clarity in this notebook. So this vostro product when carried in hand would receive positive comments and would definitely make you feel proud.

Keyboard:

The keyboard of the Vostro 3300 13.3″ Laptop is a normal full sized keyboard. The keys are really big and that means typing would be really easy. The keyboard has an integrated numeric keypad too. Some of the important controls like volume, forward and rewind buttons are present above the keyboard. There is an option to choose backlit keyboard because some might be fond of the backlit type while there would be few who really detest the light. The full size keyboard not only ensures good size for the keys but also makes typing a simple task.

Touch Pad:

The touchpad is a smooth area which allows us to use the standard multi-touch gestures. These gestures include the flipping, pinching and swiping of the photos. These multi touch gestures are applicable for the web pages too. The touchpad has two buttons for the left and right mouse controls and they work well at a touch without causing much trouble.

Camera, Microphone and Speaker:

The 2.0 MP camera is present on the top bezel of the screen that is matte along with the integrated digital array microphones. The speaker is integrated and the sound quality is pretty decent. The 2 MP camera is really good in delivering clear images and videos, so video conferencing would be quite easy now.

Ports:

The ports in this notebook are present with good spacing from each other and these ports take up the place on the front and both the sides of the notebook. On the right are present, the lock port, fan vent, VGA, USB 2.0/eSATA combo port and an USB 2.0 port. On the front, the ports are neatly present, an Express Card Slot – 34mm, microphone and headphone jack, a switch kind of thing for using the wireless connectivity, 5-in-1 card reader and the power button. The DVD drive, HDMI, USB 2.0 port and the power button are present on the left. This distribution of the ports means that the users would have no trouble while using more than one port at a time.

This notebook does not have a HDMI Port, so, sad news for those who use the notebooks not only for their official matter, but also use it for watching movies and stuff in the TV, because you can no longer connect your notebook to the TV. However, the users can connect to the external monitor using the VGA port. This vostro notebook has nearly 2 USB 2.0 ports plus 1 eSATA/USB combo port. The presence of eSATA port means that the users can easily transfer the data at a very fast rate. Photos taken at the office meetings or conferences in your digital camera can be easily transferred to your notebook with the help of the 5-in-1 card reader that can read the data from SD, SDHC and the like. The optical drive could be very useful when we have the soft copy of our projects in CDs or DVDs and all we have to do is to spin the disc into the drive and you can either read or write the contents from/to the disc. If you have got very confidential files in your notebook, then Dell offers the finger print reader for good security. However, this is optional and is applicable to those who are interested in safeguarding their valuable data.

Processor, Memory and OS:

The Dell 3300 notebook computer comes with the common Intel core processor. The users can choose the processor of their choice, either the i3 or i5. Both the processors are really good in speed and efficiently manage multi-tasks. The notebook comes pre-installed with the Windows Home Premium 32 bit, but the 64 bit can also be chosen. The RAM memory is basically 3GB but can be extended upto a maximum of 6GB. Similarly the hard drive capacity can be extended from 250GB to nearly 500GB. Thus based upon the budget and requirement of the user, the choice can be made.

Connectivity:

This 13 inch notebook comes with both the wired and wireless connectivity. The wired connection is achieved by connecting the LAN port to the plug and for the wireless connection, there is the WLAN 802.11 b/g/n. With both the connections, the whole globe is in their hands now. So you can not only browse the Internet for important details, but now with this 13.3 inch notebook, you can skype chat with your officials who are far away too.

Battery:

The Dell Vostro 3300’s disaster is in its battery. To make the notebook thin and light weighted, Dell has compromised the number of cells in the battery. This 13 inch notebook comes only with a 4 cell Lithium ion battery. However, it can be extended to an 8 cell battery, at an additional cost though. The battery life lasts for two hours and few minutes which is terrible. However it might extend for few extra minutes if the usage is minimal while it even goes less than that at times. This less number of hours of survival results in people thinking twice to buy the product because the notebook would not be of much use while traveling. However, the addition of four more cells is the right solution. The extra cells would protrude at the back, making it uncomfortable to work on, for some. The Vostro 3300 notebook can be given only a “Needs Improvement” grade in terms of its battery!

Performance:

The performance level of the Dell Vostro 3300 notebook is really good. With a good processor that can do the task managing efficiently, there can be no possible problems. The notebook has the HM57 chipset with integrated NVidia graphics set. It does not have dedicated graphics and this means that it is not really a “gaming notebook”. However the performance of this notebook is good for the money spent by the small business users.

Warranty:

Dell laptops or any laptop in general, offer one year of International Warranty during which time, the company bears the services for the parts and labor of the purchased notebook.

Verdict:

“Vostro” is an Italian word that means “Your” or “Belonging to You”. So, if you are a developing business magnet that needs a neat professional notebook that would duly perform the assigned tasks, then this Dell Vostro 3300 is a good choice. For others, there might be other good offers for you to consider, but for you to note, this notebook is actually a budgeted one, that definitely would suit all the business buddies.

Check all Latest Notebook Reviews and other Dell Notebook Reviews in this website.

Dell Vostro 3300 Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Dell
Model Name	Dell Vostro 3300
Dimensions (W x D x H)	325 x 229x 20.1 to 28.6 mm
Weight	1.94 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	13.3 inch
Screen Type	Widescreen High Definition WLED Anti-glare
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core i5-560M (2.53GHz/3MB cache)
RAM	4GB DDR3
Hard drive	500GB
OS	Comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
Keypad	Good response keys
Touchpad	Standard gesture Multi-touchpad
Chipset	Mobile Intel HM57 Express Chipset
Multimedia
Speakers	Built-in (1x2W) stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 b/g/n
Memory card slot	5-in-1 Multi-in-1 card reader, 34mm Express card
Connectivity	2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA combo/USB 2.0 port, Audio line in, Audio line out, 1 VGA video output
Warranty	1 Year International Travelers warranty

Acer notebooks are those notable for their stylish appearance and decent performance. They may not be powerful stunners like the Apple or Dell, but these Acer notebooks have a uniqueness engraved on them. The aspire series particularly are decent and they are seriously worth the money spent on them. This Acer 5552 is a 15.6 inch notebook that has the price as its highlight. The notebook is offered at a very less price considering the current market trend and comparing its features to that of the others in the same range. The notebook has many points to add to its inventory. The detailed description of the Acer aspire 5552 notebook follows.

Design:

The notebook is neatly packed in a rectangular box that itself is contained within a box along with the other accessories like the manual and charger. The 5552 notebook might not be an exquisite beauty but this piece definitely has its standard Acer looks. By acer looks, we mean that the product has good attractive design that is both simple as well as pleasing to the eyes. The Acer 5552 is a 15.6 inch screen with a native resolution of 1366 x 768p. This must be an excellent piece of news for the users because they can watch their favorite HD movies and videos at the best resolution possible right in their notebook. All gamers would also be happy to hear the resolution of this notebook because they can play with all the effects. The viewing angles are not very bad and can be managed pretty decently due to the aid of the LED backlighting of the screen.

The weight of this 15 inch acer notebook is about 2.6 Kg which means it is slightly heavy but not for a 15.6 inch notebook. With a width of 381 mm, depth of 253 mm and height of nearly 34 mm, the notebook proves to be a portable notebook indeed, though not ultra-portable. For those who travel often, this notebook would definitely be useful. The screen is of LCD type and it is quite glossy. The machine is made of plastic and carries with it an appearance that neither makes it posh nor cheap. Since the notebook is of matte type, finger prints bear no effect on the notebook and you can be free of frequent dusting. However, matte always lacks the richness of the glossiness. The Acer aspire 5552 notebook is a 15.6 notebook with perfect looks that qualify really well for the money.

Keyboard:

The chiclet style adopted for the keyboard of the Acer aspire 5552 notebook is a big hit. The numeric keypad is integrated and the sizes of the keys are really good. The users would not have any trouble while typing. Above and below and the keyboard are few LEDs. For instance, there are two LEDs on top, one for power and other for Wi-Fi indication next to the big power button. There are two other LEDs below the keyboard too.

Touch Pad:

A small area below the keyboard separated from the rest of the palm rest area is called the touch pad or the track pad. This notebook has a single mouse button for doing the right and left mouse buttons. There is a scroll bar at the right corner for vertical scrolling. This touchpad is multi-touch enabled which means that the users can try all the pinching, flipping and zooming options with their photos.

Camera, Microphone and Speaker:

The 1.3 MP camera is on the top bezel of the screen with a microphone present next to it. The stereo speakers are right above the keyboard and the sound quality is truly good. With the microphone, camera and speaker the users can communicate with anyone they wish to, with just the notebook and internet connectivity.

Ports:

On the front, right and left sides, the ports of the Acer 5552 15.6″ notebook get distributed. On the left, the power, fan vent, 15 pin VGA, RJ45 ethernet, HDMI, USB 2.0 port, microphone jack and the headphone jack are present. The 2-in-1 multi card reader is on the front and this reader can read the data from the cards of the type Secure Digital(SD) and MultiMedia Cards. The right side includes two USB 2.0 ports, a dual layer DVD drive and the kensington lock port. The native resolution of the notebook itself is 1366 x 768p that delivers HD movies well on the screen and the movie watching time can be further enhanced by using the HDMI port. The VGA port helps for connecting the notebook to an external monitor thereby sharing the files and data to and from one another. Now the dual layer dvd drive is present and though this is adequate for this model, it should be noted that the drive does not read or write blue ray or 3D discs. There are a total of 3 USB 2.0 ports, two of which are present side by side on the right and this makes it easy for the users to plug in three USB drives at the same time. The notebook does not include an Express card slot. But that is not a big deal considering its price. Of the three USB ports, acer could have chosen atleast one eSATA port for easy and quick transfer. However, the users would definitely be content with what it offers.

Processor, Memory and OS:

Acer had decided to cancel out the Intel processor for this 5552 model and decided to go in for the AMD processor and so the Athlon II P320 dual core came to drive this notebook. The fact that this is a dual core processor makes it evident that managing multi-tasks will be no longer an arduous one. But then the buyers should be aware that this one would not be as efficient as the Intel core processors. But the Athlon P320 is indeed good enough for a budget model. This notebook comes with a 3GB RAM which can be further extended to an 8GB. The hard drive capacity is basically 320GB. However, the 5552 also has models that go with a 640GB hard drive. Windows is a common word not only in a house but also in the technical world. The Windows is the most commonly used operating system that the notebooks take up and this acer 5552 notebook uses the Windows 7 Home Premium version. These specs suffice a budget notebook really well.

Connectivity:

The Acer 5552 Laptop contains both wired and wireless connectivity. The RJ45 port would just be the right one for providing the wired access to the internet. The wireless connection can be achieved with the Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. The speed is pretty good and needless to say, the users can use this internet endlessly for any purpose they require, right from simple browsing to chatting and even more. The notebook does not include a bluetooth, sad for those who like this connectivity, but basically bluetooth is not very vital since we do not use it very often. So good high speed connectivity for a notebook that is offered at a reasonable price.

Battery:

The 6 cell Lithium battery packed with the Acer 5552 notebook is a rechargeable one that has a life for nearly 3 hours only if you are lucky enough. Most of the times, the notebook does not survive for more than two hours and few minutes, particularly when you are gaming or handling so many tasks at the same time. The battery does not protrude much at the back which makes it comfortable for the users. The battery life could have been better and Acer should have worked on this.

Performance:

The Acer Aspire 5552 notebook would have caused much expectation from the users when the product’s price was unknown. But then, naturally, it would have subsided when the price came to view. This notebook is not a stunning performer that leaves people awestruck, but then this one manages almost all the tasks efficiently without giving the users trouble. This notebook might not be the right choice for the gamers because it supports only integrated graphics ATI Mobility Radeon and not dedicated one. But most of the notebooks support integrated type only. This notebook is definitely a good companion for those who use the notebook for all day to day activities right from browsing to watching movies.

Warranty:

The warranty for this Acer aspire 5552 notebook is the same 1 year International Traveler’s Warranty that includes both the services and labor.

Verdict:

The Acer Aspire 5552 notebook is a budget model notebook that excels the performance of the notebooks of the same price range. It has a 15.6 inch screen, good number of ports and neat design. For those who are on the search for a notebook that constraints their pockets and also gives them a standard device, then this Acer Aspire 5552 notebook is a great choice indeed.

Acer Aspire 5552 Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Acer
Model Name	Acer Aspire 5552
Dimensions(W x D x H)	381 x 253 x 34 mm
Weight	2.6 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	15.6″
Screen Type	WXGA TFT LCD
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Internal Components
Processor	AMD Athlon II P320 Dual Core (2.1GHz, 1MB L2 Cache)
RAM	3 GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8GB)
Hard drive	320GB
OS	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Keypad	Good response keys
Touchpad	Yes with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Speakers	Built-in speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	2-in-1 card reader
Connectivity	3 USB 2.0 ports, Audio line in, Audio line out, 1 VGA video output, 1 HDMI
Warranty	1 Year International Travelers warranty

The Toshiba Satellite L670 is a notebook that has not only a super large screen but also comes packed with super good features. The satellite notebooks from Toshiba have a wide range of products and they are particularly known for their standard quality. This Satellite L670 is a wide-screen notebook that serves as a desktop replacement. Its biggest asset is the huge 17.3 inch screen. Such a big screen size is a great advantage for all the movie crazies and the gamers as they can comfortably watch or play their favorite videos and games on such a big screen. The Japan manufacturer Toshiba has been coming out with newer technologies and interesting products every time with good improvement and it claims this product to be suitable for “every day computing”. The L670 is only a 2D notebook with some very interesting unique features implemented by Toshiba, to name a few, the Bulletin Board and the Reel Time. The product comes in a very affordable price range. For all those who think twice before spending their money, read our review on the Toshiba Satellite L670 to check whether this is worth your entire penny.

Design:

Open up the package of L670 and you would find yourself staring at the big glossy notebook that has a stylish and decent looks. The Satellite L670 Laptop Notebook looks very neat and carries a dignified appearance and has shows no indication that it is a cheap priced notebook. The entire notebook is glossy and since the degree of glossiness is directly proportional to the attraction towards the finger prints that even a light touch on the notebook would be clearly visible. Also, the glossiness shows its effects when there is sunlight in the room making it difficult for you to catch what is on the screen. The viewing angles are quite good, good as long as there is less sunlight in the room. The notebook is 17.3 inch one weighing nearly 2.8 Kg. This weight is adequate for a notebook of this size but this weight implies that the notebook is not really ultra-portable and not light enough to be carried everywhere.

Basically this notebook comes in precious black color and measures 413.6 mm in width, depth of 270 mm and a height of 28 mm. The screen is HD Trubrite TFT LED display and this display is quite common among most of the Toshiba Satellite notebooks. The basic resolution of the screen is about 1600 x 900p. This resolution is sufficient for a 17.3 inch screen but then, a 1080p resolution would have been very much appreciated. The aspect ratio is 16:9 as in any notebook and the screen has LED backlighting which comes in very handy when you are in dark rooms with no light to support your vision.

Keyboard:

The keyboard of the Satellite L670 is a normal one with an integrated numeric keypad. The keys are neatly laid out. These days the isolated keys are mostly preferred since it gives a good look and also feels more comfortable. The keys are really smooth and this over smoothness could be troublesome at times. The full size keyboard on a 17.3 inch notebook attributes to the big size keys which makes typing an easier task.

Touch Pad:

The touc hpad of the L670 is present right below the keyboard like any other notebook. The screen size being very big, it would have been better if the touch pad was quite bigger in size. As far as working with this track pad, the users will have a great time since the sensitivity and accuracy of the pad is excellent. This one supports multi-touch features and this means that the users can perform the usual multi-touch gestures like swiping, rotating and pinching. This technique would be very interesting for viewing the photos particularly. There are two mouse buttons, right and left at the bottom of the touchpad and they respond pretty well.

LED:

There are nearly 6 LEDs at the base of the notebook and they are used for indicating various statuses. Some of the indicator lights are used for battery, power, caps lock, charge indication and Wi-Fi. The charge indicator light glows orange while the notebook is under charge.

Camera, Microphone and Speaker:

The camera is present on the top bezel of the screen and can be used for seeing the person on the other end that is for making video chats and also for conferences. The speakers are present above the keyboard on both sides and they are manufactured by Toshiba itself. Toshiba Bass Enhanced Sound System with Dolby® Advanced Audio enhances the quality of the audio and the speakers play almost all the audio formats well. But the sound quality is average only. The microphone is also present on the top area and this in combination with the camera could be used to make long time chats with friends or family any time they want from any place.

Ports:

The Toshiba Satellite L670 Notebook has a good number of ports. Toshiba has not made any sacrifices on the features of the notebook at all. On the left side, there is the fan vent, followed by the VGA, RJ45 ethernet port, HDMI, USB/eSATA port and the memory card reader. On the left side the following take positions, headphone and microphone jack, 2 USB 2.0 ports, DVD Multidrive for loading optical discs and the kensington lock port. The memory card reader can read the data from the cards like the SD, MMC, MS and MS Pro. In the front below the indicator lights there is the Express Card slot. The VGA port can be used to hook up the device to any other external monitor. With the HDMI port you can easily connect to a bigger TV. So all those who have DVDs can just pop it onto the drive and watch the movie on a bigger screen with the whole family at 1080p resolution since the HDMI port supports 1080p signal. The USB/eSATA port can be used for enabling quick transfer of the files, photos and videos among the connected devices. With the eSATA data can be transferred at a very fast rate and this port can also be used as a normal USB port to connect hardware devices.

Processor, Memory and OS:

The Toshiba Satellite L670 comes with a wide choice of Intel processors. The users can chose the particular processor as per their needs. This notebook even runs on the latest Intel Core i5 processor. This particular notebook runs on the Intel Pentium P6100 dual core processor. This processor might not be as good as the core processor but then, it has a processor speed of 2 GHz which is really good. There is the Turbo boost and Intel Hyper threading technology implemented in the L670. The turbo boost technology increases the speed of the processor and the hyper threading technology is a special feature which manages multi-tasking efficiently. It has been so designed that each core can manage two tasks at a time which means that it is a 4 way multitasking, considering that it has two cores. The memory capacity of this notebook is basically 4GB of DDR3 RAM and it can be extended up to a maximum of 8GB. The L670 comes pre-installed with the Windows 7 Premium OS and this is an OS which is very user-friendly.

Connectivity:

Both wired and wireless connections have become essential for a notebook since we can not access the wired internet connection all the time. So the Toshiba L670 provides wired internet connection by plugging in the wire to the RJ45 LAN port. The Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n supports the wireless connection. So these connections mean that the internet is at your service 24 x 7. One feature that has absented itself is the blue-tooth technology. But its absence is not realized much since there are various other means of sharing the data.

Battery:

The Toshiba Satellite L670 comes with a Li-ion rechargeable battery. The maximum battery life that the notebook can sport is nearly 4 hours and 30 min as stated by Toshiba. But then, this life time is only for very light usage and you can hardly reach this time period. Generally for normal usage the battery can survive only for 2 hours and 30 min or for a maximum of 3 hours for very mild usage. The battery life could have been even longer since this is a wide-screen notebook and watching movies or videos or working on a system for longtime travel would have been comfortable.

Performance:

This notebook scores a good grade in terms of performance. The video quality is pretty good and the audio is acceptable. The Bulletin board and the Reel Time technology implementation are one of the most interesting and helpful features. With the Bulletin Board you can stop fearing of forgetting your works since you can make a note of the works for the day or plan your schedule or stick the photos that you want. The Reel Time eases the work of searching for a file that you were working on and unable to find currently. This Reel Time keeps a record of all the files within the period of 3 months so that all that the user has to do to find the required file is to browse through it. Thus the notebook is cost-effective without any effective reduction in the features or performance.

Warranty:

The Satellite L670 has a warranty period of 1 year and all the services within this time period are, needless to say, taken care of by Toshiba.

Verdict:

The Toshiba Satellite L670 is a notebook that has good features, good looks and it is also a good performer. It is offered at a price range which is approachable for whom cost is one of the biggest factors to be considered before purchasing a laptop. This notebook will definitely satisfy the users’ expectations in all means. But the average sound quality might be a problem for all the music lovers. Other than that there is no big fault with the machine’s design and working. Now it is time to make your choice.

Toshiba Satellite L670 Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Toshiba
Model Name	Toshiba Satellite L670
Dimensions: (W x H x D)	413.6×270.0×28 mm
Weight(Notebook)	2.8 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	17.3 inch
Screen Type	HD TruBrite TFT LED Backlit Display
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Internal Components
Processor	Intel® Pentium® processor (P6100 1066MHz, 2 GHz, 3MB)
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8GB)
Hard drive	500GB (Maximum storage capacity extends up to 640GB)
Keypad	Easy to work keyboard with good response of the keys
Touchpad	Yes with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Graphics	Intel GMA HD
Speakers	Toshiba Bass Enhanced Sound System with Dolby® Advanced Audio
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	Memory card reader built-in
Connectivity	3 USB ports (2 USB 2.0 ports and 1 USB/eSATA combo Port), Audio line in, Audio line out, HDMI, Express Card Slot, 1 VGA video output
Warranty	1 Year complete warranty