Notebook Reviews

Toshiba Satellite A665 is a 15.6″ notebook which has something that immediately grabs the attention, 3D capability. Toshiba is one of the countable companies that have put its thoughts into action, making 3D vision not only possible but also making it a big hit. So, all the 24 x 7 gamers would love this product as this has been targeted for them indeed. Those days are gone, when there was lot to study, know and wonder about 2D. Now it is all over, and it is long since we moved into the 3D world. This concept of 3D vision is not only inquisitive and interesting, it is also exciting. Toshiba has implemented this 3D in this notebook. This notebook has so many promising features that ought to take it to a higher level than it seems. This notebook is a big leap for Toshiba, not only for having taken a bold move into 3D, but also for including so many features that are not present in all the notebooks currently. Here is what Toshiba Satellite A665 is all about, read and find.

Design:

The A665 3DV is a 15.6 inch notebook that carries a neat external appearance. This notebook is a black one made of gun-metal plastic. It looks stylish with a modern outfit. If the exterior is good, the interior side of the notebook is equally good too. The notebook has a width of 379 mm, height of 24 mm and depth of 35 mm. The notebook weighs nearly 2.9 Kg without the battery. The main and important feature of this notebook is 3D vision. The 3D package includes the shutter glass, IR emitter, USB 2.0 and Rechargeable cable. The 3D kit is easy to install and even more easy to use. The resolution of this notebook is 1366 x 768p and the aspect ratio is 16:9. The screen is HD TruBrite TFT LCD display.

Keyboard:

The keyboard of the Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV Notebook is the chiclet or island style keyboard where the keys are separated or isolated from each other by a small distance. The keys are very smooth and the operation is smooth. The keyboard has backlight which comes in very handy when the keyboard is used when the light in the room is very little or when we watch movies with the lights switched off. The keyboard has an integrated numeric keypad and the size of the keys is comfortable to type on.

Easy Control Buttons:

The easy control buttons are present right above the keyboard. The control keys present are, Power, eco-utility key, Wi-Fi, key to switch on the backlit on the keyboard, play/pause, mute, volume up and down. These keys are immensely useful because when the user is using many applications the necessity to stop a particular application to reduce or increase the volume is absent. The users need not disturb the other running applications. They can comfortably do the required changes with just a touch.

Touch Pad:

The touch pad of the A665 is positioned right below the keyboard and has two buttons, left and right mouse button at its base. Touch pad is not grumpy while using it. Touchpads can be a nuisance while typing, that is, we unknowingly tend to click on the button or the track pad. To avoid this, there is the enable/disable touchpad button above the touchpad which can be used to turn on or off the touchpad as and when needed. This pad also supports multi touch gestures which mean that the users can delightfully watch the photos just with their fingers, swipe through the photos or pinch to zoom in or out of the photos. The touchpad has given its best.

LED:

There are nearly 7 LEDs positioned on the base right corner of the keyboard. These LEDs indicate the status or use of the mouse, power, battery, caps lock, Wi-Fi and the like.

Camera and Speaker:

The Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV 3D Laptop has the web camera integrated on the top bezel of the screen. The special feature of this notebook is that it has the Harman/kardon stereo speakers integrated. These speakers make watching the movies or videos a pleasure. With the integrated camera and speaker, the whole world is in your hands, since you can connect to anyone at anytime.

Ports:

The Satellite A665-3DV 15.6 inch Laptop Notebook has a good number of ports located mostly on the left and right sides. The ports on the left side are VGA for connecting to external monitor, RJ45 Ethernet for wired internet connection, HDMI for connecting to HD TVs, a 34mm Express card slot and beneath it are situated a USB 2.0 port and an eSATA port. The ports on the right side are microphone and headphone jack, two USB 2.0 ports and an optical drive. On the front there is the 5-in-1 card reader. This card can read the contents from cards like SD, SDXC, xD, SDHC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro. A stupendous news is that the optical drive can read blu-ray discs too. Now this is awesome because hardly countable number of notebooks support blu-ray discs (though still there are notebooks that do not even have an optical drive) and moreover, the drive has the ability to rewrite the discs. The eSATA port is a chargeable port, that is it is the sleep and charge port. This means that the electronic devices like mobile or mp3 player can be charged while the notebook is switched off, which is wonderful. So, overall 4 USB ports, Bluray/ DVD drive plus the HDMI and VGA ports make it an excellent piece of machine.

Processor, Memory and OS:

The Toshiba A665 3DV is a notebook aimed for gamers and 3D lovers. In that case, the basic criteria is that the notebook should be very swift in doing the jobs. The notebook has Intel core i7-740QM processor which offers a speed of 1.73 GHz normally and with the Intel Turbo boost technology the speed increases to about 2.93 GHz. The processor being Intel made, the performance is good. The notebook is a real gift while playing normal or 3D games with the glasses on. The 4GB of DDR3 RAM is a good number and is sufficient too. To store all the data, of any kind, be it music or video or any other type, the notebook comes with 640GB of memory. To make things even smoother, the operating system is Windows 7. Thus the notebook has good features combined to make it work.

Connectivity:

You can connect to the internet at any time either through the wired connection by plugging in the RJ45 ethernet port or via the wireless connection. The wired connection is not always possible. So there is the wireless connection to help the users stay connected at all times. The WLAN 802.11 b/g/n makes it possible. Internet connection is not a big deal these days since most of the machines come with them but then, it is indeed vital to mention their presence.

Battery:

The battery of the Satellite A665 has turned out to be the biggest possible mistake of the notebook. The 12 cell 98Whr Lithium ion battery has faltered so much that its value drops down steeply. This battery protrudes at the rear side of the notebook and this itself is a big nuisance. The bigger size would have gone unnoticed if and if only the notebook had served the purpose. But then, alas, the notebook’s survival time is very poor. If the notebook is put to normal use like any notebook, it sustains nearly 4 hours. But then once you are into gaming and stuff like that, the battery time is very less, goes down to nearly 2 hours and few minutes, and sometimes even less than that. This is something intolerable. Toshiba could have taken more care on the battery because; the fact that this is a 12 cell battery also counts in determining its life time.

Performance:

The Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV is a notebook that was designed with a particular field in mind, “Gaming” and to make this gaming all the more interesting Toshiba sought 3D. Yes the machine does a great work in 3D. It has the NVIDIA GeForce GTS350M with 1GB GDDR3. NVIDIA produces good effects. You will not know that you are only playing in a virtual world, but will find yourself immersed so much in the world of 3D; such is the quality and also its performance. But then the notebook lags behind in a very important aspect, battery life. As already said, the battery fails to sustain for 4 hours while playing 3D games or watching 3D movies. But then the quality of 3D is utterly amazing. The audio and video quality is equally good particularly with the kardon/Harman speakers as said earlier and the ability of the notebook to play in the native 720p resolution. The HD videos are also crystal clear. So the Satellite A665-3DV notebook receives an A+ in its performance, battery life excluded.

Warranty:

The international warranty time period for the parts, labour and also battery is 1 complete year.

Verdict:

If you search for 3D notebooks currently available in the market, you will have only a handful of notebooks. A665-3DV is one among the listed few which has all the features that a notebook can currently offer at a price that it is worth for. It has blue ray supported optical drive, HDMI, VGA, eSATA and 3 USB 2.0 ports and many other good features. Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV is a notebook that gives a great 3D performance and good audio and video quality. For what it has not achieved when there are many others out there to have accomplished the same perfectly, thumbs down. But for what it has ventured, when most of the companies have not even attempted, hats off. It is time you make your choice.

Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV 15.6″ Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Toshiba
Model Name	Toshiba Satellite A665
Dimensions: (W x D x H)	15.6x 10 x 1.5 inches
Weight	2.9 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	15.6 inch
Screen Type	HD TruBrite TFT LED Backlit Display
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core i7-740QM(1.73 GHz, 2.93 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8 GB)
Hard drive	640GB
Keypad	Easy to work ergonomic keyboard with good response of the keys
Touchpad	Yes, with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Chipset and Graphics	Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset NVIDIA GeForce GTS350M with 1GB GDDR3
Speakers	Built-in Harman/kardon stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	5-in-1 memory card reader built-in
Connectivity	4 USB ports (3 USB 2.0 ports and 1 eSATA Port), Audio line in, Audio line out, HDMI, Express Card Slot, 1 VGA video output
Warranty	1 Year complete warranty

The laptops, netbooks and other electronic gadgets these days occupy such a position in our lives that man finds it almost impossible to survive without its aid. With such a need, it is obvious that companies try to produce more and more products into the market trying to claim their rule. In that queue of products, the Q330 is a 13.3 inch notebook produced by one of the world’s largest manufacturers, Samsung. Samsung products are well known for their good quality and also for their stylish and dignified external appearance. Recently in 2010, Samsung introduced the Q series notebooks at a very reasonable cost. These notebooks are mainly targeted around home users and can also be used for office purpose. The Q330 is one of the models out in the market that envisages a look of expertise. It has almost all the features that users would search for, offered at a very plausible price. Let us study the product in detail and then decide whether this is really a heart-throb.

Samsung Q330 Design:

If the aluminium brush on a plastic body could add so much for a notebook, no wonder why this Samsung Q330 Notebook looks its best. Yes, the Q330 is made of black plastic with brushed aluminium effect. The outer covering of the notebook is semi gloss in nature and this brings so much of goodness into the notebook. By semi gloss it implies that the notebook sports a super shining look while at the same time, it says a big “No” to the fingerprints. So this 13.3” notebook is devoid of fingerprint attraction and still provides a super-cool look. The outer black colour and the inner brushed aluminium colour look fantastic for the notebook and it gives the machine a perfect look.

While the outer appearance is excellent, the features of this notebook are even more attractive. The weight of the notebook is only 1.96 Kg, which does not make it very heavy and does not make it very thin either. The display screen of this notebook is 13.3 inches and the native resolution is nearly 1366 x 768p and this obviously means that the quality of picture is enticing. Moreover, the viewing angles of this notebook are perfect, though it is essential to state here that the degree of tilting the notebook is comparatively less. The width of the notebook is 329 mm, while the depth is 229.5 mm. The height of this machine varies from a minimum of 26.4 mm to a 32 mm maximum.

Keyboard:

If you take a look at the keyboard of this notebook, you would definitely fall in love with its design. Designed in the chiclet style, the keys are neatly aligned with the perfect sizing and makes typing an interesting job. The keys are smooth to operate on and sufficient space between each key ensures comfort. The power button on the right side above the keyboard looks fantastic and as it is obvious, this button is used to switch on the notebook. The keyboard occupies good amount of space and the palm rest area is sufficient too.

Touch Pad:

The touch pad of this Q330 13.3” notebook computer is a two button pad of optimal size. There are two buttons, left and right, for performing the corresponding options and also this notebook is multi-touch gesture enabled, which means that the users can zoom in and out of the photo or move from one photo to another by pinching or swiping action. The touchpads in general pose some problems while typing, that is, we tend to unknowingly place our wrist on the touchpad while working with the keyboard and to avoid this, external mouse is the best solution. But since this is something that all the touchpads face, this particular touchpad has no negative edges. A good one and gives a neat performance.

LED:

There are 5 LEDs present in this notebook right below the touchpad. The LEDs are used to indicate the current condition of the caps lock, battery, wireless connectivity, charge and power. These LEDs are of much use when it comes to checking the status of connectivity or power while we are in a hurry.

Camera, Microphone and Speaker:

The camera is present on the top bezel of the screen as seen in any other notebook. The microphone can be plugged into the jack provided on the right side of the Q330. The speakers are present above the keyboard on the base and there are two integrated 1.5 W speakers. The speakers are of good quality and would be of great comfort for all music lovers, but for the rock stars that always prefer to listen to the sound at the highest volume possible, you can not expect that much of clarity at higher volumes. But indeed at this price, it has done a great justice. With good camera, microphone and speakers, you can connect to anyone at anytime and anywhere, distance separation does not matter anymore.

Ports:

Positively the Samsung Q330 Laptop Notebook has quite a good number of ports implemented in it. The right hand side has more number of ports than the left. The fan vent, 15 pin VGA, HDMI, ethernet port, chargeable USB, microphone and headphone jacks are the ports that take refuge on the right side. On the left are present only the optical drive and 2 USB 2.0 ports. There is this memory card reader placed right in front of the notebook. The presence of a chargeable USB is great news because the users can easily and instantly charge their devices even when the notebook is switched off. These kinds of many small but nice features boost the users and entice them into buying this notebook.

The Q330 sports VGA as well as HDMI and now this is splendid because the users can not only watch their favorites on an external monitor by plugging in the VGA, but they can also watch it in a bigger screen TV or Home Theatre, seated in their couch with the HDMI port to support it. All the big screen lovers will definitely be delighted at this piece of news because there are many notebooks available in the market that do not offer a HDMI port for such a reasonable price. This is added up by another feature, the optical drive. The users can happily play the CDs or DVDs in the drive of the notebook and then sit back and enjoy the movie or video in a bigger screen. Also there are two USB 2.0 ports for the users to plug in any hard drive at any instant they wish to. But then both the USB ports are present on the same side and this might cause some trouble because if the USB drives are quite bulky and bigger, it is difficult to plug in two USBs at the same time. The 3-in-1 memory card reader on the front allows the users to transfer or view the contents from their SD, SDHC or MMC cards to the notebook or TV. Thus as far as the ports are concerned, Samsung has done a great job indeed.

Processor, Memory and OS:

No processor can overtake the position that Intel has of late acquired. It has carved a place for itself by providing the users, great quality and power packed performance that most of the manufacturers prefer to use only an Intel product as their processor. The same goes here, the Samsung Q330 employs the Intel Core i3-350M processor with a speed of 2.26GHz. This processor is said to work at high speed and manage efficiently all the jobs. But then, it does lack in speed at times, when the stress is higher. The notebook comes with 3GB of RAM memory. The hard drive memory extends to an excellent 320GB and this is great news if you are someone who always gets worried about more space to store your data. It runs on the Windows 7 operating system, which needless to say, is an OS that has acquired the hearts of millions. So, it is a good combo indeed.

Connectivity:

Connectivity is one of the most important features in a notebook. The Samsung Q330 provides not only wired and wireless connection, but also Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, something to be happy for. The RJ-45 ethernet port is useful to access the net via wired connection and the speed is good. For wireless connectivity there is the Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. The presence of bluetooth is awesome because in just a second the users can easily transfer the contents among the electronic devices.

Battery:

With a 6 cell battery, the Samsung Q330 offers nearly 5 hours of survival time, though in practice, the longevity of battery life might reduce down to 4 and half hours or even lesser. As we know, the battery life depends mainly on the works done on the notebook. For instance, if all that the user does is light browsing and effortless works like working on documents, the notebook lives long. But then if you are planning to play games while you are on travel, then you are to get disappointed as the notebook fails to stay alive long. But otherwise, for normal users this notebook offers a good battery life.

Performance:

The Samsung Q330 does not fit into the gamer’s basket as this notebook lacks to perform well. The Q330 does not have a separate graphics card like the ATI, but instead it has the Intel GMA HD graphics that is integrated, has shared memory and results in the poor graphical performance. The notebook even plays HD audio. The allshare technology has been included in this notebook and with this feature the users can share their photos or videos online and also if the devices are DLNA connected, then contents can be easily transferred from one device to another. The performance level of the Samsung Q330 is overall laudable, without considering few minor errors.

Warranty:

As any notebook in the market, the international FastGuard warranty time period for this Q330 is 1 year and this includes the services for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Samsung Q330 is a notebook that has the greatest asset “Affordable price”. This reduces the expectation level in terms of features as well as performance. So therefore looking at the product with less expectation reveals the fact that this product is a great success. But then if you look at the product first without knowing the price, you might be disappointed in few places. Still, overall the notebook does a good job and is worthy for the pounds spent on it. But if you are much into gaming and stuff, then there are other products out in the market that would best suit you. For all the others, this would be a good choice.

Samsung Q330 13.3-inch Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	Samsung Q330
Dimensions: (W x D x H)	329 x 229.5 x 26.4 ~ 32mm
Weight	1.96 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	13.3 inch
Screen Type	LED HD Gloss
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core i3-350M 2.26GHz
Chipset and Graphics	Intel HM55; Intel GMA HD
RAM	3GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 4GB)
Hard drive	320GB
OS	Comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
Keypad	Good response keys
Touchpad	Yes, with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Speakers	Two 1.5W stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11n
Memory card slot	Multi-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 warranty

Multimedia and multitasking have begun to take up a hyperactive role in the present scenario. So much of importance is given to the entertainment and media field and also the speed, because nobody in this world has time to “wait” as everybody is preoccupied. In fact, the notebooks these days act as a helping hand for our busy users. Considering the speed of performing the tasks, the Aspire 5740 offers good processor speed since it has the next generation Intel iCore Processor. Acer has very well caught the minds of the people and so has come out with this product, the Aspire 5740 series which is mainly aimed at home users whose target is to watch movies or videos in the big and comfy 15.6” screen, good memory size and a sufficient number of ports. The Taiwan Company indeed earns lots of credits for its job in areas like the overall design, processor speed, HD screen and a handful of useful ports. The common query of the users is, “Will this notebook be my proud asset”?! Guess you have that doubt too. Read a little further and check the answer by yourself.

Design:

The 5740 series is a 15.6″ notebook with a neat design and appealing looks. The notebook comes in different colours and the display size 15.6” is something that is nice and comfortable to watch movies. The lid is glossy and this means attraction towards the finger prints. But then glossy lids are preferred by many these days and are not a big issue at all. The same glossiness extends to the screen too and there arises the problem, the viewing angle. It is highly difficult to manage in seeing what is displayed on the screen if there is excess light.

The Acer Aspire 5740 Notebook has a width of 383 mm, depth of 250 mm while the height of the machine ranges from 26 to 37 mm. These measurements suggest that the machine is not too thick or too heavy with a weight of 2.8 Kg.  Obviously, this machine is not ultra-portable. But it definitely can be used without much difficulty. The resolution of the screen is about 1366 x 768p and this is adequate for a 15.6” screen. The aspect ratio of 16:9 adds up to the astounding video quality.

Keyboard:

The Aspire 5740 15.6 inch notebook has a wide keyboard with keys that are of good size and the alignment of the keys is in the chiclet style. The keyboard goes with an integrated numeric keypad. The keys are neatly laid out and are comfortable to type on. The arrow keys are so closely placed and this can be irritating at times. Also, the keyboard occupies most of the space thereby resulting in slipping of the hands at times while typing. The volume control buttons are present on the right top corner just above the keyboard.

Touch Pad:

The touch pad of the Acer 5740 Laptop Computer is a comparably good sized one with the see-saw click button and a vertical scroll bar. Also, there is the button beside the touchpad to enable or disable the use of the same. Since the touch pad has only one button in the base, both the left and right mouse button jobs are done using this single button. This button has complaints since it does not suit the majority. The separate two buttons, one for left and another for right, would have been the best choice. The pad supports multi touch gestures which mean that the users can perform the pinching, rotating and swiping actions to view their photos. The touch pad is not very good in response and Acer could have made it better.

LED:

The Light Emitting Diodes (LED) shines every time to indicate that the particular feature is under usage and they are quite useful since they make our job easier. This notebook has 2 LEDs located in the front side of the notebook. The 2 LEDs are used for indicating the Power and the wireless connectivity. So this means that the users can easily find out whether the power is switched on or off and also check out the wireless connection with the LEDs.

Camera, Microphone and Speaker:

The camera is present right on top part of the bezel and with this Crystal Eye web cam, the users can have loads of fun and utilize the internet to the full extent. Video chat and conferences will be immensely easy and pleasurable with this 2 MP camera. Moreover, the built in microphone adds up the flavor. Two stereo speakers are integrated in the notebook but if the users expect very high range and excellent sound quality, it would be best to use external speakers.

Ports:

The 15.6” 5740 Acer notebook is one which has great number of ports. On the left hand side are present, a power adaptor, RJ-45 Ethernet port, a 15-pin VGA, HDMI, 2 USB 2.0 ports, audio in and audio ports. The Multi card reader is housed in the front part of the notebook and this port reads the contents of all types of cards like, SD, MS, MMC, MS Pro and xD. The left side occupies 2 USB 2.0 ports, an 8X DVD Super Multi-double layer/ 4X Blue ray drive for loading the optical disks, a modem port and the Kensington lock for security. The presence of the VGA obviously implies that the users can get their contents hooked up to an external monitor while the HDMI port places another big interesting feature for its users, watching the movies loaded into the drive in a bigger home theatre. The presence of 4 USB 2.0 ports is something astounding because this means that you can connect 4 peripheral devices or drives, all at the same time. A point to consider here is the closeness of the ports. Since they are very close by, it might not be convenient to use many ports at the same time. The optical drive takes the users to the world of movies and media and entertainment, to sum up, to the world of fun. Another wonderful surprise is that the drive supports blue ray disks too. You can watch the blue ray movies in High Definition scale either in the 15.6” screen or in the bigger 40” TV.

Processor, Memory and OS:

Intel has seen its evolution by being used in most of the laptops and many other electronic gadgets, in many forms. In this Aspire 5740 the Corei3 processor has been used. This processor has a speed of 2.13 GHz, which is pretty high. So with this processor, multitasking will no longer be troublesome. The users can easily manage all their tasks at the same time very efficiently. The Aspire 5740 notebook goes with a 4GB of DDR3 1066MHz RAM and it is extendable upto a good 8GB. This memory is sufficient to hold all the main applications. The hard drive capacity has been extended to a 320GB from an initial 250GB. This memory quantity would well suffice anyone who wants to store a large amount of data. The notebook comes with the 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium pre installed and this Operating System software is the common and appealing one. The OS works well and since this is the widely used software, there are possibly no doubts on its user-friendliness.

Connectivity:

We have come to an era where, Internet has become the “4th basic necessity”, in addition to the normal three necessities food, clothing and shelter. All the notebooks at least sport the wired connection through the RJ-45 Ethernet port, though not the wireless connection. The Aspire 5740 Core i3 Notebook supports the wireless internet connection too. The wired connection can be availed by connecting the plug to the port and the required tasks can be achieved in optimal time with the Fast and Gigabit ethernet. This notebook supports not just wireless connection; but then, it provides the fastest speed wireless connection, the 802.11 n. So for the internet freaks, who constantly update their status in facebook, or those who do a lot of works like surfing, chatting etc., then the notebook is in your positive side.

Heat and Noise:

The heat and noise produced from this machine go unnoticed when the notebook is put to normal use. But then ofcourse, the fan noise reaches the audible level and the hotness reaches the detectable level when tasks are really high in number, demanding more strain and speed from the processor.

Battery:

The 4400mAh 6 cell Li-ion rechargeable battery has been employed in this notebook. The Li-ion battery is the widely used battery and it lasts long for a decent 4 hours. This 4 hour time period is only for normal usage while it drastically reduces to even lesser time period of 3.5 hours and 2.5 hours without the power supply and with a lot of jobs like gaming or many applications running at the same time.

Performance:

The Aspire 5740 Laptop Notebook comes with the Intel GMA HD graphics and so naturally, there is no doubt for the video quality. It looks amazing. The performance of this notebook is not really bad when it is used lightly or when movies are watched. But then one area where the performance and the speed lag behind a little is the gaming area. The notebook is not precisely advisable for the game freaks because you would land up getting frustrated if you try to play the most challenging games. However, this notebook is pretty cool for others since the Corei3 processor does a good job. The video quality is exceptionally good in this notebook and there are no complaints as regards the audio too. The notebook is enhanced by the addition of the Dolby Home theatre audio enhancement which practically elates the quality of the audio and with the Dolby bass and optimized surround system, the audio becomes just perfect.

Warranty:

The warranty time period for the services and labour is about 2 years for this Aspire 5470 while it has the International Travelers warranty for 1 year.

Verdict:

The Acer Aspire 5740 definitely can not be compared to the ultimate success products, for instance, it has not reached the height that the perfection personified Apple (Macbook) notebooks could, and it can not be compared to the not so beneficial but the modern outfit Sony VAIO, not as good as the power packed performer Dell, and in fact, it is not as good as the HP notebooks in its design or use. But what this Aspire 5740 has achieved is a place high enough to attract the users who can afford a “not-too-high-not-too-low” price and at the same time enjoy all the fun that the others have, needless to mention the eminence of the HD display. Deep contemplation is indeed necessary for choosing any technical product, the notebooks in particular. If you feel Acer Aspire 5740 would be your best outfit; then fit it in your purchase basket.

Acer Aspire 5740 Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Acer
Model Name	Acer Aspire 5740
Dimensions: (W x D x H)	383 x 250x 26/37 mm
Weight	2.8 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	15.6 inch
Screen Type	HD CineCrystal Display
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768p
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core i3-330M/Intel Core i5 – 430M
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8 GB)
Hard drive	320GB
OS	Comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Keypad	Good response keys
Touchpad	Yes, with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	Multi-in-1 card reader
Connectivity	4 USB 2.0 ports, Audio line in, Audio line out, 1 VGA video output, 1 HDMI
Other Detail
Warranty	1 Year International Travelers warranty 2 Years warranty for parts and labour

Apple, a name which nobody in this present world fails to recognise, not only the fruit, but also the company, because Apple Inc Ltd has given birth to a lot of revolutionary products, right from its iPhones and iPods to the laptops. Though there are many so called competitors for Apple, it is quite obvious that the Apple notebooks are at some unreachable height in terms of quality. In the array of proudly owned laptops and notebooks, the Macbook Pro is one which was developed few years back and now has got its latest upgrade. The Macbook Pro is known for its ultimate Unibody design, amazing subtlety and the good comfort that it renders to the users.

The Macbook Pro found its latest upgrade in the Spring of 2010 and the recent upgrades of this product are the inclusion of the excellent graphics, Nvidia’s new GeForce 320M processor, the capability of the Mini-Display port to output both audio and video and the inertial scrolling feature in the trackpad. Other than this, the other “industry-first” features, as Apple puts it, remain the same as the last upgrade. To study in detail about the complete assets of this notebook, travel on.

Design:

The 13″ Macbook Pro Notebook has a uniqueness which most of the notebooks these days do not wear, it is the “Unibody Design”. The Macbook Pro has been made from a single piece of Aluminium and this single piece brings the title Unibody and the main benefit of this is that it is more durable. Apple requires a good applause since it has taken good efforts to accomplish this arduous task of designing a notebook from an aluminium piece while most other counterparts prefer to assemble the separately made parts. The Unibody design gives the notebook a seamless texture and look which can be felt while handling the notebook. The notebook has a polished look, the credit of which goes to the aluminium chassis. The users can definitely “Feel the difference”. To facilitate easy opening of the notebook, Apple has provided the thumbscoop. Upon opening the notebook, the glaring display screen comes in view. The screen has a glass cover which enhances its professionalism. The glass cover has one disadvantage, the glare, and this notebook does not have an antiglare. The highly reflective glass screen makes it difficult for the users to view the contents of the screen when viewed at particular angles.

The resolution of the screen is 1280 x 800p which is good for a 13” notebook. The pictures and videos look great and precise because of the colour gamut. This notebook has a thin top part and a sturdy base part. The width of the notebook is about 12.8 inches while the depth is about 8.9 inches. The height of this device is a mere 1 inch. With these dimensions and a weight of about 4.5 pounds, it would be clear that the device is easily portable.

Keyboard:

Most of the notebooks these days come with the chiclet or the island-style keyboard and so does this Macbook Pro. The keys are quite comfortable to type and do not trouble the novice users much. The power button is present of the right extreme of the keyboard. The keyboard also has some of the control keys like the brightness keys, keyboard illumination keys, mute and volume keys. Designed with the ergonomics in mind, the keys are good sized. The main advantage of this keyboard is that it is backlit which means that typing in dark rooms will not be tough at all but will be a total bliss.

Functionality of the Glass etched “Multi Touch” Touchpad:

The trackpad is one of the greatest positive assets of the Macbook Pro. This notebook has the largest touchpad one would ever find in a notebook of 13 inches. Moreover, it is a single large surface with no separate mouse or scrolling buttons and it is etched with glass. It is a click pad where the entire surface area can be used to perform any options like clicking, selecting, dragging and so on. An interesting piece of news is that there is the “Inertial scrolling” included in the functionality of the touchpad. This will be a “Déjà vu” for regular apple users because, yes, it is a feature that is common in other Apple Products like the iPad or iPhones, and you will be at ease while using this feature. For novice Apple product users, you will love this inertial scrolling. With this feature, the users can easily view the long web pages because Physics finds its application here. When the user swipes using the two fingers, the momentum continues till it gradually becomes zero. It is a great feature that has been implemented in this Macbook Pro.

The multi-touch gestures are excellently working in this model without any flaw. The users can set a zone on the left and right corners at the bottom of the pad so that they can use their single finger to do the left and right mouse operations. Another choice is the use of two fingers over the entire surface to do the above operations. The choice can be made by selecting the required from the Track Pad Preferences. Overall, the touchpad is the biggest success of this notebook. With bigger size and wide area, it has achieved its medal.

Indicator Lights:

Apple has focussed on few indicator lights which comes in handy for the users. There is the battery indicator light on the left side of the notebook which indicates the current status of the battery. Clicking on the button would indicate the amount of charge available in the battery. If all the tiny lights glow, it means that the battery is completely charged while the less number of tiny lights obviously depict lesser amount of charge. This can be very useful for the users. Also, on the front side there is a “Sleep Indicator Light”. The users can easily identify that the notebook is put to sleep, from the white pulses.

Microphone, Camera and Speaker:

The microphone takes its position right above the Esc Key on the keyboard. The Apple Macbook Pro 13″ Notebook has a built-in iSight Camera which has an indicator light beside it and this indicator glows when the camera is in use. With the iSight camera combined with iChat, the users can have a lot of entertainment since video chatting is truly possible. The 13” Pro has built-in stereo speakers on both sides of the notebook with good output and now the users can listen to any song they like or watch any video with crystal clear audio output.

Available Ports:

The Macbook Pro 13″ Laptop Notebook has a good number of ports and most of these are on the left side of the device. The ports that are present are, MagSafe Power Adaptor, Ethernet, FireWire 800 port, MiniDisplay Port, 2 USB 2.0, an SD Card Slot, an audio out port and finally battery indicator lights. On the right side there is the security slot and the 8x super-fast Optical drive. In the front side, there is the sleep indicator light and also an IR receiver.

The MagSafe Power Adaptor consumes 60W of power and the main plus point in this is that the connector gets connected or rather stuck to the port by magnetism. The magnetic bonding between the connector and the port is really comfortable and since the adaptor is quite sleek in design it reduces the space occupied. The power adaptor has an indicator light which glows in two colours. The amber light indicates that the battery is charging while the green light indicates that the battery is completely charged. The Ethernet port is used for the wired connection to the Internet while the FireWire 800 port is used to connect the devices like the digital camera to the notebook. It is quite disappointing that Apple failed to provide the HDMI port. The replacement has been provided though, it is the Mini Display port. This port is used to connect to the TV and luckily it gives both audio and video output and so this actually lessens the drawback. There are only 2 USB ports and still some wish that the number could have been higher. In 2009, when the Macbook was upgraded there was this great news, the inclusion of an SD slot. It is indeed a great news since the data, for instance, the photos from the camera and the like can be easily transferred within seconds to the notebook. To protect the data from being stolen, Apple has provided the security slot. The optical drive is ultra fast and so data can be easily written or read within few seconds. The Apple Macbook Pro thus has a good number of ports. It would have been better if the ports were spaced out a little because the presence of two USB 2.0 ports together actually hinders the simultaneous usage of the two ports. Otherwise the design and the ports are awesome.

Apple Remote:

The apple remote is an Infrared receiver which can be bought separately if the user wishes to have one. This remote reduces the work of the touchpad when he is not close to the notebook. If you are anywhere within 30 feet from the notebook, the remote would be quite comfortable to you to control the front row and the keynote. For instance, the user can easily control the music, videos and the like easily using this remote. But then, since extra cost has to be invested on the already costly notebook, some would not prefer to use it.

Connectivity:

The Apple Macbook Pro Notebook supports both wired and wireless connectivity. The wired ethernet connection might not come in handy all times. So, it has become vital for notebooks to support the wireless network. When the people are out in the world, it can not be expected to have a plugged in internet connection. In Airports and café, the wireless network comes as an aid and the protocol is 802.11bgn. The AirPort is the wireless network connection and it searches for all the available networks. It actually consumes high amount of power and it is advisable to turn it off while not at use. To turn the AirPort menu on or off, the AirPort status in the menu bar.

Heat:

Metals are good conductors of heat and this is the basic chemistry that students learn in chemistry. True to this law, aluminium, being a metal, conducts heat. While under normal usage the quantity of heat liberated might not be high or noticeable. But when the notebook does a lot of strenuous jobs, the heat liberated might be felt because the aluminium notebook might become warm or hot, depending on the usage. Heat is a small issue with the 13” Macbook Pro.

Memory and Processor:

The Macbook Pro 13-inch Notebook Computer comes with 4GB RAM basically but it can be extended to a generous 8GB. The RAM is DDR3 type and as usual it is placed at the bottom part of the notebook. The hard disk drive capacity is about 250GB and this memory capacity is sufficient enough for all the users. The processor used here is the Intel Core 2 Duo with a processor speed of 2.4 GHz. There is also another choice, the Core 2 Duo with a processor speed of 2.66 GHz. Though the processor does not have any complaints, it would have been a cheerful news if it had been upgraded to core i5 and i7 processors. When the 15” and 17” have been upgraded, it is quite upsetting that the 13” notebook has been left behind. Most of the notebooks these days, like the HP Envy 14 or the Lenovo, have taken their leaps while the Macbook Pro still has not. It is not a necessity, yet recommended.

Battery:

The Li-ion battery of the Macbook Pro scores the highest of all the other features. The longevity or the sustenance time of the battery is utterly amazing and great delight. The book works well with the Mac OS X software while does not maintain its standard when switched over to the Windows OS. When the MAC OS Leopard is under use, the notebook lasts for nearly 10 hours under idle. Of course, the idle mode is not practical and so moving on to the life time that it manages to surpass without the help of charging, it is nearly 7 or 8 hours when it is under light usage. But then, it seems like the Macbook Pro is not a favourite of the Windows operating system. The battery life drastically reduces when it is operated with the Microsoft windows. Since majority of the users would prefer the Mac OS, given the comfort and also use-friendly nature, there would not be much trouble with the battery. The users need not worry at all when they have to go on travel for hours.

Performance:

The performance of the Macbook Pro is exceptional in few ways like the degree of comfort obtained while using the touchpad and the keyboard as well. The new higher grade graphics also is a great boon and the colour of the pictures or videos on the screen are pretty good. The real problem actually arises between the Mac OS and the Windows. While the Mac operating system does an exceptionally good job in being user friendly as well as performing well, the windows lags behind in performance. This is the only noticeable mistake. Overall, the performance is good.

Warranty:

1 year is the time period of warranty for the 13” Macbook Pro and this time includes the services for the parts and labour.

Verdict:

Apple announced its upgrade in the Macbook Pro and has made few changes for the good. The Unibody chassis, the design of the keyboard and the touchpad are the biggest assets of this notebook. Most of the hardware and software functioning are good. The device is good for gaming too. There might be few errors and complaints here and there but that does not affect the product to a large extent. The engineering that has been involved in the development of this Macbook Pro is astounding. The notebook is a sign of good internal and external architecture. When Apple has every reason to boast of its production, then you too have every right to be the proud owners of the 13” Macbook Pro, (provided your) conditions apply!!

Apple Macbook Pro 13-inch Notebook – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	Apple Macbook Pro
Dimensions: (W x D x H)	12.8 x 8.9 x 1 inches
Weight	4.5 pounds
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	13 inch
Screen Type	LED backlit widescreen
Screen Resolution	1280 x 800
Internal Components
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo (2.4GHz,2.66 GHz)
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8 GB)
Hard drive	250GB
Keypad	Easy to work ergonomic backlit keyboard
Touchpad	Yes with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Graphics	Intel Nvidia’s new GeForce 320M processor
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 BGN
Memory card slot	SD slot built-in
Connectivity	2 USB 2.0 ports, Audio line out,1 MiniDisplay Port, 1 Ethernet port 1 FireWire 800 port
Warranty	1 Year complete warranty

The HP Envy 14 which made its debut just few months back with charming looks and professional attributes is the target for the users who do not mind spending few extra pounds to buy a notebook of good quality and decent performance. Hewlett Packard has always been giving products which have satisfied the buyers to a great extent with a unique place carved for it. The number of laptops and notebooks entering the market these days is innumerable that the competition is pretty high. Every company tries to give its best shot at one attempt and here, HP has given three shots resulting in the evolution of the three entirely amazing notebooks of the Envy series, 13, 14 and 17.

The Envy series of HP laptops are actually quite interesting and innovative too. With similar neat imprint designs, required number of ports and other such features, the major difference among the HP Envy 13, 14 and 17 series is the size. The product under study here is the HP Envy 14, a heartthrob for few while just another one in the queue for others. Read more to get a detailed and complete view of this professional yet modern notebook.

Design:

HP Envy 14 is one that could be called the “solid build notebook” because it is absolutely true. The magnesium aluminium body looks entirely stunning and amazing. The Carbon Relic – Brushed Aluminum colour looks awesome and the entire look is in such a way that it casts a spell on the user the moment their eyes find it displayed. Of course, few people might not be favourites of this design. The notebook has the patterned design on its outer cover making it shine brighter than the rest. This design also extends to the palm rest too. Moreover, there is the curved design on the edges of the notebook which gives it the most perfect and soft look.

The name Envy 14 obviously implies that the screen measures 14.5 inches which is quite big. The big screen implies that the touchpad and the palm rest area are really vast and are hence comfortable to use. This machine weighs about 2.36 kgs which is not very heavy for a notebook of this size. Also, its thickness is also reasonable and not disagreeable at all. The length of the notebook is about 23.7 cm, while the height and width are 35.6 x 2.77 / 2.82 cm respectively. The maximum height is about 2.82 cm while the minimum height is 2.77 cm. The screen has a resolution of 1600 x 900p which is good enough and vital for a 14 inch screen. This resolution is actually better than the common 1366 x 768p and this naturally implies that the clarity is pretty high.

Full Featured Keyboard:

The Chiclet keyboard is slowly taking its growth these days as many laptops and notebooks are designed in the island style. The popularity of this chiclet keyboard is mainly because of the pretty look that the isolated or single keys take and also the comfort that it gives while typing. This 14.5″ HP Envy 14 notebook too has a big keyboard for its users with chiclet keys. The keyboard as such facilitates easy typing and since the size of the base part is quite big, the users will have no trouble while typing. The keys are good-sized and no trouble at all while typing with the wrist placed on the palm rest area. The response of the keys is good too. Since backlighting is possible, the users will have no trouble even if the room is dimly lit. If there could be a minor flaw, it is in the design of the arrow keys, they have been made tiny. Otherwise, it is perfect.

The Amazing Multi Touch:

Moving on to the touch pad of the HP Envy 14, it has a good and wide pad with the two buttons. The touchpad fortunately supports the multi touch gestures and this means that actions like scrolling or zooming can be easily done using the fingers, two finger scrolling and pinching action. The touch pad has few issues regarding the improper response of the multi touch gestures. There is the touchpad on/off button which saves us from the nuisance of tampering with the touchpad unknowingly.

Camera and Microphone:

HP has embedded the HP True HD Webcam which enables the users to chat. The webcam is of High Definition Low-light camera which delivers clear vision of the objects on the other side. Moreover, the microphone present on the top bezel functions well. The combination of this camera and microphone makes video chatting and conferencing a possible act.

Speaker & Beats Audio:

On the front side of the base panel, are present the speakers which give a blasting performance while delivering the audio. The speakers are clear and good to hear with high audibility range. Hewlett Packard had collaborated with Beats and thus resulting in the elevation of the audio that comes to the ears taking its users to a whole new world of music and audio. The users can definitely feel a whole lot of difference while listening to their favorite songs with the Beats. The songs will be crystal clear with every note reaching the listener as how it was intended.

Ports Available:

One of the most important features for any laptop or notebook is the number of ports included. The Hewlett Packard Envy 14 Notebook PC houses a good number of useful ports. Beginning from the left side of the machine, there is the loading slot for Super Multi 8x DVD RW followed by two USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks. On the right side is present the plug for power input, ethernet port, display, HDMI as well as an eSATA port. The speakers are rooted on the right hand side of the notebook. The 2-in-1 digital card reader, for reading the contents of the SD and MMC cards, is present. The presence of USB ports means that data can be stored or read from hard drives. The eSATA is a great boon these days since their speed of operation is pretty high. Moreover, the HDMI port connects to the larger screens and assists in watching the data present in the 14.5 inch laptop. The presence of an optical drive means that the users can watch the movies of their interest in the 14.5 inch screen or also in a bigger screen using the HDMI port.

Connectivity:

Most of the laptops these days come with both wired and wireless connection and so does this Envy 14. The ethernet port helps in getting the wired connection to the internet. In situations where wires can not be used to connect to the internet, the draft Wireless N connection comes to its assistance, there by facilitating quick access to the internet. Both wired and wireless connections are very useful, especially at times when time plays an essential rule.

Memory and Processor:

In terms of memory, a quantity that is quite equivalent for its size has been provided. The device comes with nearly 4GB of RAM but is extendable up to an amazing 8 GB. If this would not suffice, 500GB of hard drive memory is available. So the users can comfortably store all the data that they require. The Intel Processor has been employed here and though it comes with the core i3, the users have the choice of upgrading to i5 and i7 processors. The Intel Core i5 M450 is the most used and it has a good processor speed.

Battery:

The Li-ion battery is used here like any other laptop and it is an 8 cell rechargeable battery. The battery life lasts for nearly 6 hours for normal usage while under very light situations it lasts for nearly 14 hours. The battery gives a reasonable and good performance. In fact the performance under normal conditions is remarkable while it gets difficult when playing games or other stressful conditions. Over all it is fine.

Performance:

There is a problem while trying to use the volume control. On changing the volume, the indicator actually pops up on the screen, disturbing the users while playing games. So this is a big irritation. The audio performance is excellent especially with the Beats Audio. The HD Webcam has done great justice. Topped by all this, there is the ATI Radeon graphics card. The HP Envy 14 has performed well for its price tag.

Warranty:

The Hewlett Packard has given its users a generous 2 years warranty time for the hardware.

Verdict:

HP has never disappointed its users, here and there some flaws. But apart from that, the notebooks have reached good heights. This envy series has also come out with good features and reasonably decent performance. The design too is excellent. To sum up, the HP Envy 14 laptop has become envious for many products. So if you are some one who wants to get a little costly piece of kit which makes some people envy of your product, then here lays the answer.

HP Envy 14 Notebook PC – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	HP
Model Name	HP Envy 14
Dimensions: (L x D x H)	23.7 x 35.6 x 2.77 / 2.82 (cm)
Weight	2.36 Kg
Type	Notebook
Display
Screen Size	14.5 inch
Screen Type	LED backlit widescreen
Screen Resolution	1600 x 900
Internal Components
Processor	Intel i-core5
RAM	4GB DDR3 (Extendable up to 8 GB)
Hard drive	500GB
Keypad	Large and offers comfortable typing
Touchpad	Yes with Multi touch facilities
Multimedia
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers
Communication Setup
Wireless support	WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth
Memory card slot	2-in-1 Multi-in-1 card reader
Connectivity	2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA, Audio line in, Audio line out, 1 VGA video output
Warranty	2 Years warranty for hardware