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Acer relies on a representative of the latest Nvidia generation for the graphics card, the GT540M. Equipped with DirectX11 support and numerous features, it presents a comprehensible choice for an inexpensive all-round device. Acer AS09A61 battery

Beyond that, the Intel HD Graphics 3000 incorporated in the CPU is also used due to Nvidia’s Optimus. Optimus switches to the best adapted GPU for every case fully automatically and without the user noticing it. Acer BT.00603.036 battery

Thus, the integrated graphics solution is called upon in low load and the GT 540M when graphics power is needed. That reduces the laptop’s power consumption, as well as the emissions during office use.Acer BT.00604.015 battery

We were particularly curious about how the present Aspire 5750G would stand out from its predecessor, 5742G, with an Arrandale CPU and the same graphics card in our benchmark tests. Does the graphics card also benefit from the support given by the Sandy Bridge processor? The Nvidia GT 540M GPU was permanently enabled for the following tests.Acer BT.00604.022 battery

Cinebench R10’s benchmark test is still viable for rating the CPU’s performance. It differs between the utilization of one single core and all parallel calculating operations available (8). Acer BT.00605.018 battery,

The Acer Aspire 5750G with the i7-2630QM CPU at hand achieves good 4589 points in the single core test. This rate is within the expected range of similarly equipped notebooks (Fragbook DTX: 4610 points, Aspire 7750G: 4589 points). Acer BT.00607.012 battery

In comparison to the predecessor chips from Intel, it is on par with an i7-640M Arrandale CPU.Acer BT.00607.013 battery

The Sandy Bridge CPU can show its full potential in the multi core test: 16851 points are within the expected range of previously tested, equally designed processors on the one hand. In comparison to the Clarksfield quad core processors, the 2630QM can even excel an i7-940XM CPU that reached a maximum of 14120 points (mySN XMG8.c) on the other. Acer BTP-AS4520G battery

This result is even more remarkable if you consider that this CPU still had a price of about 1000 dollars a few weeks ago and that it was the strongest solution on the market.Acer LC.BTP00.012 battery

Our test system achieves just as an inconspicuous, yet again respectable result in comparison to the “old” core “I” chips, with 4.9 points in the Cinebench R11.5 CPU test. Even the i7-940XM lags behind evidently with up to 4.1 points. Acer Aspire 2930 battery

The i7-640M (dual core) with up to 2.6 points is surpassed by almost two times. Further details and extensive benchmark tests about the new Sandy Bridge quad core processors can be found in our special.Acer Aspire 2930G battery

PCMark Vantage’s benchmark test provides evaluations about the entire system performance. Our test system can reach 7777 points here. This score is also within the expected range considering the installed hardware. Acer Aspire 2930Z battery

The Acer Aspire 5750G thus generally plays in the upper league of office machines, such as the HP Elitebook 8540w (620M, FX880M) or the Dell Latitude E6510 (820 QM, NVS3100M). Merely laptops with a solid state drive (SSD) can surpass this with around 10000 points. Configurations with a conventional hard disk and without a Sandy Bridge CPU can’t keep up here.Acer Aspire 4230 battery

5.7Windows 7 Experience IndexProcessorCalculations per second7.4Memory (RAM)Memory operations per second5.9GraphicsDesktop performance for Windows Aero5.7Gaming graphics3D business and gaming graphics6.6Primary hard diskDisk data transfer rate5.9GPU Performance Acer Aspire 4235 battery

The Geforce GT 540M from Nvidia can be classified as a midrange graphics card that we will primarily find in low-priced all-rounders. The GPU previously showed its performance reserves in the review of the Asus N53SV and leaves the ATI HD5650, for example, behind in most exercises. Detailed gaming benchmarks about this GPU can be found in this test, as well as on our page with details about the GT 540M GPU.Acer Aspire 4310 battery

Our Acer Aspire 5750G test system achieves 8011 points (1280×1024) in the 3DMark 2006 benchmark test. Thus the notebook is in the midfield of previously reviewed laptops with an identical GPU, behind the Asus N53SV with 2720QM (8423 points), but still clearly in front of the Acer 5742G with an i5-450M CPU. Acer Aspire 4315 battery

Previous gaming machines, the like of a Toshiba Qosmio X500 with a GTS 250M GPU or an Acer Aspire 7745G with AMD HD5850 graphics, are located at a similar ranking.Acer Aspire 4330 battery

4388 points can be achieved in the latest 3DMark Vantage (performance test). The Acer 5750G is almost on par with the Asus N53SV (4458 points). The Aspire 5742G with an Intel Core i5-450M CPU lags behind a bit with 3785 points. Acer Aspire 4336 battery

Thus, the GT 540M graphics places itself slightly beneath the GTX 260M GPU that still belonged to the high-end category about a year ago. An ATI/AMD HD5730 clearly lags behind with up to 3829 points. The HD 5850 should still be in the lead.Acer Aspire 4520 battery

We also have the latest version of the well-known 3DMark range available with 3DMark 11. With a performance score of 989 points, the Sandy Bridge test system only slightly surpasses the Arrandale predecessor (958 points). Acer Aspire 4520G battery

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A Breath of Perfection. Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery The Schenker XMG A501 may look plain, but it has great aspirations: taking the best attributes notebooks have to offer, integrating them into a single laptop, and creating the perfect all-round laptop. The matt display and Optimus graphics switching technology promise great mobility, and the integrated Nvidia GeForce GT 555M is sure to excite gamers. Does the competition stand a chance?Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Schenker, the German “Barebone” provider,Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery has started the next round in the fight for the best all-round laptop. The 15 inch XMG A501 (based on Clevos W150HRM case) is available starting from 749 Euro for a variety of configurations which can all be found at mysn.de.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery

The graphics card cannot be chosen by the buyer. Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery So the user will have to be satisfied with the Nvidia GeForce GT 555M an upper middle-class graphics card. Buyers can choose between Blu-Ray and DVD for the optical drive. Film fans should get the Blu-Ray player or the Blu-Ray player/burner, instead of the typical DVD burner. Schenker also offers the keyboard in a few variations, which will be sure to make buyers happy. The OS is not included, but if the buyer wishes, Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate can be installed. Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

We will look at a few other features closely in our review. Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery At the time this article was written (look at the data sheet on the right), the notebook cost exactly 1208 euro. Buyers who choose a hard disk drive (with 750 GB) instead of a solid state drive will land at the attractive price of 1000 Euro. Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery

Simple DesignThe XMG A501 will definitely not win any prizes for its designSony VGP-BPS13B/B battery The 15 inch case is very plain – perfect for the office. The matt black finish and the excellent workmanship speak for themselves. Fingerprints will not be found anywhere on this case, except maybe on the susceptible display border. Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery

The ports offered on the laptop will be sure to satisfy most of the users demands.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery Two ports, a FireWire and an ExpressCard slot, are missing. On the left side, two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, one eSATA, one HDMI, one VGA and one RJ-45 Gigabit LAN port can be found. Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery

The front portion of the right side has three sound jacks (microphone, headphones and S/PDIF) as well as a second USB 2.0 port.Sony VGP-BPS8 battery The front of the notebook is completely free of ports, and the back of the notebook holds the power output and the Kensington Lock. Sony VGP-BPS8A battery

For left-handed users,Sony VGP-BPS10 battery the use of an external mouse with the XMG A501 will not be optimal. The ventilation shafts will lead to an uncomfortable warming of the mouse hand, and the various connected cables will be sure to get in the way of the mouse and restrict the space available for use.Sony VGP-BPS2 battery

Schenker offers three different wireless modules currently for the XMG A501. Sony VGP-BPS2A battery As the Wireless Lan Killer N 1102 Bigfoot is still somewhat expensive and has no Bluetooth, we recommend choosing a cheaper module. Our test model had an Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 module, which has two antennas and offers support for WLAN a/b/g/n as well as Bluetooth 3.0Sony VGP-BPS2B battery

Unlike many big manufacturers, like Acer, Asus or Toshiba, Schenker does not install annoying “Bloatware” on its notebooks.Sony VGP-BPS2C battery The system is clean and well-organized, so that the user can start working right away, instead of having to first deal with a mess of unnecessary software and popups.Sony VGP-BPS22 battery

Buyers should not expect a delivery package filled with luxurious extras when they order the XMG A501. Sony VGP-BPS22A battery The package includes the heavy 120 watts power adapter, the 6 cell battery, a short intro manual, and a driver and tools DVD. A Windows 7 DVD will have to be ordered extra.Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery

The warranty periods are 24 months (Basic), 36 months (Premium) and 48 months (Platinum).Sony VGP-BPS13S battery Inside of Germany, a “Pickup & Return” service is offered, but outside of Germany, the warranty only offers a “Bring-In” service.Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery

The keyboard left a positive impression on usSony VGP-BPS13B/S battery The well-placed keys have a nice typing feel and the stroke distance is also good. The keys are sturdy and thanks to the good design of the keyboard, the user will get used to the keyboard quickly. A numeric block is also included at the side. Sony VGP-BPS10/B battery

Some users might get disturbed by the loud typing noise. Special keys are also included.Sony VGP-BPS10A batteryThe Fn keys allow the user to control the volume and display brightness, and de/activate the touchpad, display, webcam and the wireless module.Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery

The picture quality of the HD+ configuration is first class.Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery The low black value (0.27 cd/m²) allows the display to show dark scenes with a satisfying black. This is not the case in other notebooks, where dark areas often seem grey, and there are very few models which offer a black value lower than 0.5 cd/m². The contrast is especially high (748:1), which will allow a great depiction of any film or picture. Most notebooks have a contrast in the region of 200:1.Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery

The illumination of 86% leaves no room for critique. Sony VGP-BPS21 battery The illumination of the displayed picture was also subjectively very even. Only the brightness of 202.2 cd/m² (modest) could have been better. Professional picture editors should look for an alternative. The sRGB colour space is not covered completely, and the XMG A501 is far from encompassing the AdobeRGB colour space. Still for a matt display, we found the colors to be relatively strong.Sony VGP-BPS21A battery

Schenker XMG A501 vs. AdobeRGB (Grid)The biggest advantage of a matt display surface is the low reflections.Sony VGP-BPS21/S battery Unlike most other notebooks, the XMG A501 spares the user from annoying reflections. Regardless whether the laptop is being used indoors or outdoors, thanks to the matt display, the user will not have to constantly prowl around on the search for an optimal spot with minimal reflections. Sadly, the laptop does not have enough brightness to allow working directly in the sunlight.Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery

The viewing angles beat the cheaper 08/15 competition easily. Horizontally, there is nothing to criticize about. Vertically, a certain distortion in the picture becomes visible. Adjusting the display is almost never necessary. In short, the display of the XMG A501 is amazing, and one look is enough to make anyone fall in love with it

Schenker employs the efficient CPUs from the Intel Sandy-Bridge generation for the XMG A501. Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs are capable of delivering more performance thanks to the “Turbo Boost” feature. The standard Core i3-2310M does not have this feature, and has to make do with the 2.1 GHz if has. All the CPUs of the latest Intel generation have “HyperThreading” technology, which allows each core of the CPU to simulate a virtual core, and this gives certain applications more performance.

Intels integrated HD Graphics 3000 has gotten a lot of praise for good reason. Although this graphics chip can not run games with high resolutions and high details, it does allow notebook manufacturers to use the existing Optimus technology to reduce power usage. Thanks to the great performance per MHz ratio, the power usage of 35 W (dual-core) and 45 W (quad-core) is very much feasible. The manufacturing process is the latest with 32 nm.

Our test model came with a Core i5-2410M, which is very attractive due to its price to performance ratio. The CPU is dual-core and has over 624 million transistors, 3 MB L3 cache (Core i7: four to eight MB) and a clock frequency of 2.3 to 2.9 GHz. Strong CPU models will not be necessary for most users.

We compared the performance of the Core i5-2410M with the cheaper quad-core. Intels Core i7-2630QM was installed in our last test model of the XMG A501. Both CPUs scored about the same (4631 points for the i5-2410M and 4569 points for the i7-2630QM) in the single-core rendering test of Cinebench R10 64 Bit. Multi-core rendering is a problem for the dual-core i5-2410M because of its fewer cores: 9781 to 15297 points is the result, meaning the CPU lies behind by around 36%.

The CPU score of the Cinebench R11.5 64 Bit still showed a lead of the Core i7-2630QM by 4.36 to 2.61 points (67% more). However, the performance of the CPUs is usually around the same except in special benchmarks. The Core i5-2410M is a great processor which is sure to suffice the user for everyday tasks.

The graphics card used in this laptop is DirectX 11 ready and from the upper middle-class. Nvidias GeForce GT 555M is produced in the modern 40 nm form and delivers good performance with 144 Unified Shaders (GT 540M: 96 Shaders) as well as 2048 MB DDR3-VRAM. Schenker has not tweaked the clock frequency of the card, and it still operates at the same speeds as provided by Nvidia: 590 MHz (core), 900 MHz (memory) and 1180 MHz (shader).

The small memory interface is a point of critique. Instead of the 192 bit model (see Dell XPS 17), the notebook uses a weaker 128 bit version. Modern games need a bigger interface, and thus, the 128 bit interface causes limitations. Using GDDR5-VRAM would have allowed this problem to be avoided. We tested the loss in performance in our game benchmark.

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Mobility. The smallest device of Dell’s Vostro refresh,Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery the Dell Vostro 3350, has come in for review. Thanks to a big 8 cell battery, an illuminated keyboard and the latest hardware from Intel and AMD hardware, the mite with a 13.3 inch screen doesn’t have any reason to hide.Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Introducing the four new Vostro 3000 series laptops, Dell bids current hardware,Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery a new design and practical features. Beside the devices Vostro 3450, Vostro 3550 and the big Vostro 3750 with a 17.3 inch screen, there is also a compact subnotebook with 13.3 inch display (1366×768, matt) in the range. It is especially aimed at small and medium businesses, abbreviated SMBs. However, even private users could find delight in it. The case’s design is identical in all device sizes and only the dimensions and weight deviates.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery

Besides the comprehensive online configurator in direct sale, the Dell Vostro 3350 is also available at select retailersSony VGP-BPS13A/B battery However, only pre-configured models are offered here. Our test device moves in the upper range in terms of optional equipment with an Intel Core i5-2410M, the dedicated AMD Radeon HD 6470M and a 4 GB DDR3 RAM. There are also less expensive models, as well as more expensive models available depending on taste and application field.Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

The smallest entry model alternative of the new Vostro notebooks starts at 489 euros,Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery not including added value tax. The laptops with a 15.6 and 17.3 inch screen are a bit cheaper in their base price in comparison. Our test device is available for 789 euro including added value tax and with a 24 month onsite service.Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery

Alike the larger devices the stability isn’t perfect. A clear yielding is noticed when stronger pressure is applied.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery The area above the DVD drive on the left is particularly striking. A slight movement of the surface is noticed when typing on the keyboard. Moreover, the display lid is very pliable and can be evidently twisted and dented, despite the aluminum layer. The screen is kept in place by two metal hinges that bid a fairly good hold. Nevertheless, Dell could have basically worked out the grip and teetering better.Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery

All in all, an elegant case with smaller flaws in manufacturing details and stability. Once again,Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery the built-in drive represents the weak point here. Now a look at the case’s bottom: Both the RAM and the 2.5 inch hard disk can be replaced via a large maintenance cover. Additionally, the optical drive can be removed by a screw and replaced with a BluRay drive or another memory medium.Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery

The Dell Vostro 3350 bids an adequate connectivity despite its compact case.Sony VGP-BPS8 batteryStarting on the case’s left, you’ll find the DVD drive, the RJ45 network socket and two fast USB 3.0 ports, which can be identified due to their blue color and the printed “SS” for SuperSpeed. Furthermore, a HDMI out (1.4a) and a practical eSATA/USB 2.0 combination for connecting an external hard disk, for example, are located on the right. The front and rear are void of any other interfaces, with exception of a cardreader. There wouldn’t have been any room on the rear because of the big battery anyway.Sony VGP-BPS8A battery

Dell has done a good job with the interface distribution and they are concentrated more towards the rear. Sony VGP-BPS10 battery The use of an external mouse isn’t impaired and the given supply doesn’t provide reason for complaint in this array. Dell, however, omits a docking port in the Vostro notebooks, thus excluding other interface options and expansions.Sony VGP-BPS2 battery

No needs are left open in terms of communication options. Beside gigabit Ethernet via a controller from Realtek,Sony VGP-BPS2A battery there is also an Intel Centrino Wireless N 1030 adapter installed. In addition to WLAN standard 802.11 b/g/n, it supports transmissions via Bluetooth 3.0 + HS. Our test device doesn’t have a UMTS module, but it is also available for a surcharge. Thus, all communication options would be covered.Sony VGP-BPS2B battery

The present total package is assessed in PCMark Vantage’s comprehensive component test. Sony VGP-BPS2C battery The Dell Vostro 3350 secures itself a place in the upper midfield with the latest hardware and a conventional hard disk. For example, the current Apple MacBook Pro 15 with an AMD Radeon HD 6750M with Boot Camp Windows or the slim Samsung 900X3A are in its immediate vicinity. Swift gaming notebooks and systems with a solid state drive hold the top positions.Sony VGP-BPS22 battery

BenchmarkDell bids various solutions for the main hard disk. However,Sony VGP-BPS22A battery a modern solid state drive doesn’t belong to them. The installed Seagate Momentus Thin supplies a capacity of 320 GB and works with fast 7200 revolutions per minute. A feature is the low construction height of only 7 millimeters. The cage inside the notebook however also bids the possibility of installing conventional hard disks with a height of 9 millimeters.Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery

The maximum read transfer rates fluctuates between 105 and 116 MB per second depending on the benchmark and is thus on a good level. The access rates aren’t particularly good,Sony VGP-BPS13S battery but are on average for this genre. The aforementioned solid state drives would allow a performance increase. SATA III SSDs and Intel’s SSD Serie 510 or OCZ Vertex 3 is also supported due to the HM67 chipset. The HDD noise level, which was also noted in the user review of the Vostro 3350 in our German language forum, would also disappear with that.Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery

The noise development is one of the most important purchase criteria for many buyers.Sony VGP-BPS13B/S battery The Vostro 3350 is equipped with a fan including heatpipes, which are located in the right rear area. The device convinces with a basically inactive fan in idle and office mode. We measured a noise level of only 30.6 dB(A). Even the hard disk stays discreetly in the background. However, we can hear a quiet whirr emitted from the 7200 revolutions per minute.Sony VGP-BPS10/B battery

The level slowly increases when a DVD is inserted and reaches an audible level of 35.3 dB(A) that is still acceptable. The Vostro 3350 attracts attention when AMD’s dedicated graphics is enabled and the system is put under load. We could determine a clearly audible 46.2 dB(A) at the peak. The fan’s deep pitched noise and its really fast deceleration after finished work has to be rated positivelySony VGP-BPS10A battery

The case’s exterior stays fairly cool in idle and office mode. The temperature development of a maximum of 29.1 degrees is however within the usual range for the selected materials.Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery

The installed speaker system presents itself as disappointing, but that was to be expected. Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery There is only one little speaker on the case’s bottom that supplies the usual poor sound. With exception of Dell’s larger Vostro 3750 with a 2.1 system, the devices with a 14 and 15 inch screen aren’t convincing either in a comparison. External solutions that can be connected to the 3.5 mm stereo jack or via the HDMI out bid a better quality.Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery

Classic TestDell equips the Vostro 3350 with a large 8 cell lithium ion battery,Sony VGP-BPS21 battery which is supposed to also make a whole work day possible remote from a power outlet. This power supply is really anything but compact with 80 watt hours. Moreover, the device is lifted by 21 millimeters. A nice side effect. The protruding battery lip can be used well as a handle, provided the battery is locked in properly and you’re not worried about your laptop.Sony VGP-BPS21A battery

The system’s consumption rates correlate to the given runtimes. Sony VGP-BPS21/S battery In idle, the components consume a maximum of 10.7 and thus work very efficiently on a par with many netbooks. The consumption increases during load and reaches a peak of acceptable 53.6 watts. The included power adapter can supply up to 90 watts and appears to be slightly subchallenged and has reserves. The power consumption in standby and turned off state is without finding.Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery

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Communicative. In its press release about the Tecra R850-11P,toshiba pa3535u-1brs battery Toshiba paints its latest creation for the business sector as a paragon of mobility and high-performance. The Japanese manufacturer is setting the bar pretty high for itself; we put the notebook to the test in our review.hp pavilion dv2000 battery

At the end of April Toshiba announced,hp pavilion dv6000 battery all in one go, that it would be bringing out new models for every series of its business notebooks. As well as the model we are testing here, the Tecra R850-11P, Toshiba also introduced the 14-inch Tecra R840-11E notebook and the 15-inch Tecra A11-1HZ,hp pavilion dv9000 battery for example. An integrated high speed 3G HSPA module has been included in the R850 series for the first time. The latest model should be even faster than before, with a second-generation Intel Core i5-2410M processor whose speed is 2.30 GHz or 2.90 GHz with Turbo. The Tecra R850-10W only had the Intel Core i3-2310M processor (2.10 GHz).compaq presario cq60 battery

A fine pattern of lines covers the notebookThis Toshiba Tecra notebook has quite a plain design,IBM thinkpad r60e battery so you are unlikely to stand out from the crowd with it. The case is covered in a pattern of fine lines, and is entirely black, apart from the hinges and the firm logo on the back of the lid which have a reflective silver appearance. Toshiba has mostly used magnesium for the case; this material is flexible and yet very robust. Lenovo thinkpad t60 battery The pattern of lines on the surfaces has its advantages and disadvantages. Amongst the advantages is the fact that the lines give a better purchase i.e. grip on the surface. Fingerprints are also harder to make out and they tend not to stick.Lenovo thinkpad x60 battery

The Toshiba business notebook feels very robust, IBM thinkpad X60S battery apart from its lid. The surface around the keyboard can only be made to flex slightly, but the lid can be bent, flexed and twisted almost any which way you like. However, this could result from the properties of the material used (magnesium), which offers a certain flexibility despite being very tough.Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery

With its dimensions of 379 mm x 252 mm x 25.4 mm and weight of around 2.5 kg,Lenovo thinkpad t61 battery the Tecra is not exactly the most compact notebook on the market; although in the 15-inch category it is one of the lightest and probably also one of the slimmest.Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery

The ports are only positioned on the left and right sides of the notebook.Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery As well as the power socket, the left-hand side houses a VGA port, a Display Port, a USB 3.0 port, a multi-card reader (SD/ SDHC/ SDXC/ miniSD/ mircoSD/ Memory Stick/ xD Picture Card/ MultiMediaCard), and an ExpressCard slot. Next to the DVD burner on the right-hand side you have a LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port and a headphone/ microphone audio port.Lenovo x300 battery The latter does not allow you to use a conventional headset, which could be an annoyance if that is the type of headset you own. On the underside of the notebook there is also a port for an optional docking station.Lenovo x200 battery

When it comes to communication, the Tecra R850 pretty much has it all.Lenovo 3000 v100 battery Standards such as Gigabyte Ethernet are included, as is a WLAN chip (802.11 b/g/n). The notebook comes with the latest 3.0 version of Bluetooth, and also a 3G HSPA module for a high level of portability.Lenovo 3000 v200 battery

A lot of attention has been devoted to data security for the Tecra R850-11P. For example,Lenovo 3000 c200 battery the hard drive is fitted with a 3D motion sensor. This should safely park the hard drive head as soon as it detects any serious jolting, thus preventing a potential loss of data. According to the manufacturer’s specs the product should be able to withstand falls of up to 76 cm and pressure from weights of up to 100 kg. Of course we did not test these two claims ourselves. However, they are similar to the guidelines for other high-end business notebooks.hp compaq 6710b battery

There is a slot for attaching a Kensington security cable on the right side of the notebook.Lenovo thinkpad r60 battery The laptop also has a fingerprint reader positioned between the touchpad buttons, to make it harder for unauthorized individuals to gain access to sensitive data.Lenovo thinkpad t410 battery

Toshiba has been rather miserly when it comes to physical accessories.Fujitsu lifebook t4215 battery In fact the only thing in the box other than the notebook and the mains adaptor themselves is a handbook about ‘working securely’. The guide book for the notebook itself is only available as a pdf file. The system comes with Windows 7 Professional pre-installed, along with numerous unnecessary software demos or advertising software (bloatware). We think this is very disappointing for a business notebook. You will need to clear out the computer as soon as you start using it. This is unlikely to go down well with the typical business customer who will be short of time.Fujitsu lifebook t5010 battery

The notebook can also be used outdoorsThe display has LED backlighting which helps it to a maximum brightness of 245 cd/m².apple a1175 battery But in a different segment of the screen we found a brightness of only 189 cd/m², which is a considerable difference, in fact more than 30 percent. The average brightness is 222 cd/m². Our tests gave a high black level of 2.05 cd/m², which results in a disappointing contrast ratio of 113:1. There is a small webcam integrated into the display, so that video conferencing is possible without any additional equipment. apple a1185 battery

It is relatively easy to use this business laptop outside. The matt screen finish does a good job, as long as the sun is not shining directly on the display. A slightly brighter screen would still be desirable.apple a1189 battery

The viewing angles, on the other hand, really do leave a lot to be desired. acer aspire 5920 battery True, the person next to you won’t be able to read any sensitive information off your screen, but the poor viewing angles even create difficulties for the user himself. With some horizontal displacement, the picture is still acceptable. But when the display is moved vertically, it only takes a small change in angle for the picture to be completely distorted.acer aspire 5050 battery

We were pleased by the hard drive’s performance in the PCMark Vantage benchmark.acer aspire 5100 battery With its 7,200 rpm it achieved a good score of 4,266 points. In the HDTune test the 500 GB hard drive reached an average transfer rate of 75.6 MB/s; and readings given by the CrystalDiskMark 2.2 software were also fine. You could get even better performance by opting for a solid state drive; Toshiba does offer such configurations for the R850, but they are not available in every country.Acer Aspire One battery

The Toshiba Tecra R850-11P is a quiet workmate. Acer Aspire One 10.1 inch battery During office use we measured a noise level of only 32.8 dB(A). Nor will intrusive system noise disturb your enjoyment of a DVD. In this situation the reading increases only slightly to 35.1 dB(A). Under full load (stress test) the fan does become more noticeable and hits 39.2 dB(A). But this is not a very realistic scenario, and during everyday use you are more likely to experience a quiet, but never quite silent, notebook.Acer Aspire One 8.9 inch battery

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Pragmatic. An office machine or a chunk of plastic?Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery The Satellite Pro fuses consumer graphics with Core i5 power and an 8 GB RAM. A matt, manageable WXGA++ screen tops it off. Is it the perfect combination of entertainment and work?Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Two, overstrained looking hinges keep the lid in position. Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery There is no latch. The heavy display teeters when it’s shaken, which is a problem during rough car rides. The maximum opening angle of about 140 degrees is sufficient for use on the lap. The lid’s surface yields over a large area, however only by a few millimeters.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery

The wireless and network connections are up to date.Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery The Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (1000 MBit/s), the Atheros AR9002WB-1NG WLAN card and the Bluetooth module (3.0 +HS) are all capable of the fastest transmission.Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

The Satellite Pro L770 is subject to only a one year warranty. It includes a pickup service after registering via the Toshiba hotline in Germany and Austria.Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery The manufacturer also offers a warranty extension of up to 3 or 4 years (64, respectively 109 euros). Scope of service: spare parts and labor.Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery

The keys in chocolate style are placed very close to each other and have beveled edges.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery Unfortunately, we didn’t notice a concave curve anymore (as in the Satellite Pro L670). Thus, typing is a bit inaccurate despite the clear pressure point and long key drop. In return,Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery the manufacturer has improved the weak point of the predecessor, L670. The keyboard no longer coils and now fits tight all over. Consequently, the keyboard has a firm stroke.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery

An exception for the firm stroke is the number pad that slightly coils. The numeric key field facilitates inputting numbers.Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery The clear spatial separation of both keyboards by a crosspiece seems to be praiseworthy. The manufacturer has again thought about using separated arrow keys. Incorrect inputs hardly stand a chance even in hectic situations due to the small gap to the shift key.Sony VGP-BPS8 battery

The mouse replacement (multi-touchpad, Synaptics V7.2) is a part of the wrist-rest. Sony VGP-BPS8A battery The pad is rather small (9 cm diameter), but at least it’s sensitive up to its edges. The surface has a vertical and horizontal scroll bar – although it’s not visibly marked.Sony VGP-BPS10 battery

The round and upwardly curved keys have a high pressure point and attract attention with a loud,Sony VGP-BPS2 battery muffled click noise. This clattery feedback is soon irritating and lets you look for an external mouse. The cavity in which the two keys were installed didn’t prove to be annoying.Sony VGP-BPS2A battery

Toshiba builds in a 17.3 inch WXGA++ display (LG-Philips: LP173WD1-TLP5) with a native resolution of 1600×900 pixels.Sony VGP-BPS2B battery The 16:9 screen has obviously been AR coated – there are no reflections. The contrast of 152:1 is very low and can be seen in the pale colors. The assessed black value is 1.47 cd/m2.Sony VGP-BPS2C battery The widescreen doesn’t display dark sectors in deep black, but with a clear gray cast.Sony VGP-BPS22 battery

WXGA++ is an office suitable resolution for a 17 incher that has become the standard size here.Sony VGP-BPS22A battery The previously common and popular 4:3 format in the business field couldn’t establish itself because the screens’ manufacturing would have required standardization. Although the CPU and HDD would be fast enough,Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery the L770 isn’t suitable for professional picture editors. The screen’s color spectrum is narrow and clearly fails sRGB (t) and AdobeRGB (t).Sony VGP-BPS13S battery

PCMark Vantage assessed 6323 points.Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery A notable figure because the score is on a par with the MSI GX740 with an i7-720QM quad core CPU and Radeon HD 5870 (6225 points. i5-460M systems from 2010 achieved a maximum of up to 6000 points (Acer Aspire 3820TG-5464G75nks), unless they were equipped with an SSD.Sony VGP-BPS13B/S battery

You won’t have to work with a lame duck right away if you want to spend less for the Satellite Pro L770-105 version Sony VGP-BPS10/B battery (starts at 600 euros) with an i3-2310M (500 GB HDD, 5400 rpm). However, 4600 points as in the equally configured Dell Inspiron 15R indicate a noticeably weaker performance (i3 = no Turbo Boost).Sony VGP-BPS10A battery

The 750 GB Toshiba hard disk contributes to PCMark Vantage’s good HDD score of 3859 points (sub score)Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery. The HDD (MK7575GSX) rotates with an increased speed (7200 rpm) and is superior to standard 5400 rpm HDDs in the access rates.Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery

The disk reads with 71 MB/s in sequential read (HDTune). Crystal Disk Mark, the second test,Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery even records 93 MB/s (write 102 MB/s). Standard 5400 rpm hard disks achieve an average of 65/75 MB/s (HDTune/CDM). Nevertheless, Sony VGP-BPS21 batterythe hard disk solution doesn’t come close to the high data throughputs and the resulting experienced fast speed of SSDs. Our test devices with an SSD achieved 14000 up to 20000 in the HDD score and about 145 MB/s in sequential read, e.g. XMG A501.Sony VGP-BPS21A battery

The Nvidia GeForce GT 525M (1024 MB DDR3)Sony VGP-BPS21/S battery is a dedicated midrange graphics card based on the GF108 core. It is superior to entry level GPUs (e.g. GT 520M, 64bit) due to the graphics memory’s 128 bit bus. The DirectX 11 GPU is slightly inferior to a Radeon HD 6550 or a HD 6650 (+5% for the Radeon). Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery A few games, such as StarCraft 2, run up to 16% slower on the Radeon competition, though.dell vostro 1710 battery

Synthetic benchmarksdell vostro 1720 battery, like Unigine Heaven 2.1, show that the GT 525M has a similar performance as the HD 6550. 3DMark11 however prefers the HD 6550 (+33%). We checked what games make of these assumptions on the Satellite Pro L770 in two random tests. Dell Vostro 1310 battery

You shouldn’t even consider a game of real-time strategy in the native resolutionDell Vostro 1510 battery (1600×900). The game first runs smoothly when we select a resolution of 1360×768 and medium details. The 34 fps don’t leave room for increasing the resolution. The result is surprising because the same CPU/GPU combination achieves 42 fps (medium),Dell Inspiron 1545 battery respectively 31 fps (high) in the Inspiron 17R (N7110). The reason: Toshiba has set the core clock to 475 MHz and Dell to 600 MHz.dell xps m1530 battery

We again discover a performance decrease in Battlefield: Bad Company 2.Dell inspiron 1721 battery The equally configured Inspiron 17R achieves 27 fps in high and 38 in medium. Our L770 follows with 23, respectively 32 fps. Battlefield can thus only be played in medium settings. The Radeon HD 6550M laughs up its sleeve here because it is averagely faster by 33% in high (about 33%).dell vostro 1700 battery

The Geforce GT 525M is a typical midrange entry level GPU which fans of the latest games should disregard.dell latitude e4300 battery The manufacturer’s set core rate of 475 MHz (rather than e.g. 600 MHz) also prevents gaming fun. Current games can usually only be played with disabled DirectX 11 details in medium details and resolutions. Older games,dell latitude e5500 battery such as Left 4 Dead, Trackmania Nations or World in Conflict, can however also be played in high details. Please see the Geforce GT 525M’s spec sheet for more information.dell xps m1730 battery Ambitioned gamers with a tight budget should look around for a Radeon HD 6650M or GeForce GT 540M in the same price range.dell studio 1737 battery

A good office laptop should stand out with low waste heat and quiet noise.dell latitude e5400 batteryNo one needs to hold a little heater in their hands nowadays. The Satellite Pro L770 doesn’t have to accept reproach in this regard. The fan is never disabled while surfing or writing emails, but it remains on a very low level with about 34 dB(A).dell inspiron e1505 battery The subtle whirr of the hard disk defines the lowest level with 32.5 dB(A) in idle. The fan is quieter than the HDD’s whirring even when it’s active.dell latitude e6500 battery

The fan turns up to 365. dB(A) in 3D benchmarks or games. Dell inspiron 1300 battery The L770 only reaches its maximum rate of 40 dB(A) in an unrealistic stress test. All four CPU threads are put under load (Prime95) and the Geforce GT 525M is processing (Furmark) in the stress test. Dell vostro 1400 battery The fan calms down extremely fast after the load is finished. It reduces its noise from 40 to 33 dB(A) within 15 seconds.Dell inspiron 1420 battery

Both built-in Onkyo stereo speakers are located above the keyboard’s left and right.Dell inspiron 1521 battery Their treble-heavy sound, without even a hint of basses, is unsuitable for music rendering. We would recommend using external speakers or high quality headphones.dell studio 1535 battery

The lithium ion battery was fully recharged and ready for our battery tests after a charge time of about 99 minutes. Dell inspiron 1525 battery We determined 3:25 hours in WLAN surfing. This runtime can be considered as impressive for a 17.3 incher with dedicated graphics in view of the battery’s low capacity of 48 Wh. Dell latitude e6400 battery The DVD test doesn’t last quite as long. Lord of the Rings comes to an end after 2:10 hours. We watched it with a low brightness of 100 cd/m2. The predecessor, L670 (i3-350M, IGP) achieved 2:39,Dell latitude d620 battery respectively 2:30 hours in the same tests. It looks different when the processor is put under load. The battery is exhausted after 1:19 hours.Dell latitude d630 battery
The Satellite Pro L770’s power consumption is low when the processor and/or the graphics aren’t loaded.Dell inspiron 1526 battery The power consumption is 11.5 watts (idle, min.) when all energy savings options are enabled in idle (minimum brightness, wireless off). A bright display and enabled wireless modules take their toll. We measure 20 watts (idle, max.)Dell inspiron 6400 battery in high performance mode here. The maximum power consumption (without battery charging) is 59 watts (Prime95, solo). The 75 watt power adapter (306 grams) reached a maximum temperature of 50 degrees Celsius.Dell inspiron 1501 battery

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Siggy Moersch (translated by Pam Taylor), 06/11/2011

Elegant powerhouse. Fujitsu lifebook t4215 battery The HP Elitebook 8560p-LQ589AW really stands out with its new and high-end platinum-style aluminium case. And then there’s the hardware: a second generation Core i5 processor, HD graphics from AMD and a large 15.6-inch matt display. Fujitsu lifebook t4210 battery The HP notebook costs around €1200 in this configuration. A real steal, given the current price of precious metal?Fujitsu lifebook t4220 battery

This HP business notebook, the Elitebook 8560p LQ589AW,Fujitsu lifebook t5010 battery has a new and professional-looking design. Instead of using the usual black plastic or aluminium for this series, HP has opted for a compact case which is made of aluminium but looks like platinum. apple a1175 battery Only the underside of this model is made of black plastic. The aluminium case should protect the laptop very well against dust, moisture, high temperatures, jolts and falls. apple a1185 battery

The Elitebook 8560p-LQ589AW is fitted with a matt HD display with a 39.6 cm (15.6 inch) diagonal and a resolution of 1600 x 900,apple a1189 battery a fast Core i5 Sandy Bridge processor (2540M), and a dedicated ATI graphics card (HD 6470M). HP also offers these business machines with other processors and graphics options.acer aspire 5920 battery

The price of the Elitebook 8560p-LQ589AW depends on the hardware configuration;acer aspire 5050 battery our review model with a Core i5-2540M, 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive and an ATI HD 6470M costs around €1200.acer aspire 5100 battery

Classy Business notebookThe case, largely made out of high-quality aluminium,acer aspire 5100 battery is one of the highlights of the laptop along with the internal hardware. It is specially designed for the business customer who travels a lot and is particularly demanding when it comes to outdoor use. The choice of materials makes the notebook very sturdy. The lid that houses the 15.6-inch display does not flex in any direction, and nor does the top of the keyboard. Even under heavy pressure, the material does not give way in the least.

The workmanship is exemplary and makes the Elitebook 8560p LQ589AW extremely robust. As it’s a business notebook, HP has done without any further visual gimmicks; they just aren’t needed for this model. According to the manufacturer, the notebook will survive even heavy jolting, having been developed in line with military standards (MIL-STD 810G). We decided to refrain from a drop test of our own, since the laptop is on loan to us from Comtech.

The compact case and the aluminium surfaces are also very resistant to fingerprints, as well as environmental factors such as dust, heat or moisture. The integrated keyboard is protected against spills.

The notebook’s dimensions of 374 x 34 x 251 mm are normal for a 15.6-inch screen. The weight of 2.7 kg is a little more than usual. Added to that is 500 g for the 90 W mains adaptor.

HP has included every port that you could need in a business notebook. Expansion options are positioned on the notebook’s two sides: the laptop comes with two USB 3.0 ports as well as two USB 2.0. The USB 2.0 ports are placed on the left-hand side, while the ports with USB 3.0 support are on the right. There is also an eSATA/USB combo port on the left-hand side. The spaces between the ports are rather small; if you wanted to use two fairly wide USB sticks side-by-side, they could conflict with each other.

There are two audio ports, one for use with headphones and the other for a microphone. An RJ45 LAN port can be found next to the DVD burner on the right-hand side. If you then look round the corner at the back of the laptop, you will see the modem port, RS232, power socket, and the DisplayPort to the far left.

Also on the left-hand side is the reader for SD and MMC memory cards. Lastly, there is a PC Card Express/54 slot, also on the left. Despite having so many ports, the sides of the notebook do not look overcrowded.

The Elitebook 8560p has several options for connecting to your local network or the internet. One is the Gigabit LAN port, which is included as standard. But for this you always need the appropriate network cable and it limits the user’s freedom of movement. Another option is wireless LAN, conforming to the IEEE 802.11 b/g/n standard. You can also connect via Bluetooth. An antiquated 56k modem has also been included.

Security is always an important issue for business notebooks in particular. Obviously you don’t want other people to be able to view or copy the information on your notebook. For this reason the notebook is equipped with a fingerprint scanner, which only grants access to the system when the correct fingerprint passes over the sensor. Further security features include hard drive encryption, password protection for BIOS and a Kensington security lock mechanism.

The QWERTZ keyboard is another eye-catching feature. It is spill-resistant, and its freestanding keys are comfortable to use. There is a separate number pad next to the main keyboard. Several functions are doubled up on keys, to be accessed using the Fn key. However, the number of keys doubled up in this way is not unreasonable.

The four arrow keys have ended up very small on the Elitebook 8560p LQ589AW. Fortunately the notebook is ‘only’ intended for the business market and not for gaming. In the main keyboard, to be exact between the G, H, and B keys, there is a pointstick which can be used as a substitute for the mouse or touchpad.

The integrated touchpad supports multi-touch inputs and gestures. It also has an area that can be used for two-way scrolling. HP has generously given the touchpad four buttons rather than the usual two; however, two of them actually perform the same function. Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery

The richness of the colours on this matt display is excellent. The black level of 0.36 cd/m² results in a deep black, Sony VGP-BPS9 battery even during dark video scenes. The distribution of brightness is no cause for complaint, at 87%. Throughout our testing, the picture appeared very well balanced to us. For a matt screen, the colours are very vibrant. Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery

Elitebook 8560p vs. AppleRGBThis HP business notebook is also well suited to outdoor use. Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery The matt display produces hardly any reflections. It copes with direct sunlight much better than a glossy screen would.Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery

Websites can be read comfortably outdoors. Sony VGP-BPS13 battery You can even read or compose emails in the garden despite the sunlight. However, we found that watching videos was much harder than in a living room or hotel room. The vibrancy of the colours was completely lost at times, marring our enjoyment of Jack Sparrow. Apologies: that should of course be Captain Jack Sparrow.Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery

The picture is clear from almost every viewing angle on this 15.6-inch matt panel. Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery The brightness changes and the picture starts to invert only when the angle exceeds 45 degrees. In the typical range of viewing angles, i.e. with the display set at 90 degrees to the desk, the screen contents are clearly visible even from the side.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery When the screen is tipped backwards more than 40 degrees, the colours invert. Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery

2.6 GHz CPU with potential for overclockingOur review model is fitted with a Core i5-2540M (codename Sandy Bridge) with a speed of 2.6 GHz.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery The Intel CPU has 3072 kB of level 3 cache, and is dual core with four threads. The processor was made using 32 nm technology. It supports Turbo Boost 2.0, meaning that it can automatically overclock to up to 3.30 GHz. Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery

The maximum clock speed also remains stable during heavy use, Sony VGP-BPS8 battery as this CPU does not suffer from throttling. In our simulated stress test, which ran for 180 minutes, the processor speed remained constant at 3.30 GHz. Sony VGP-BPS8A battery

Catalyst Control Center for the ATI graphics cardThe dual-core CPU also contains a graphics card which is not called upon to work in this notebookSony VGP-BPS10 battery. Instead of the integrated Intel HD Graphics, HP rely on an AMD Radeon HD 6470M. This has a core speed of 750 MHz and 1024 MB of its own DDR3 video memory. Sony VGP-BPS2 battery

The dedicated AMD graphics card can be classed as a basic mid-range card.Sony VGP-BPS2A battery It is based on the Seymore XT chip and contains the UVD 3 video processor and Eyefinity+. The hardworking AMD graphics card also supports DirectX 11, Shader Model 5.0, OpenGL 4.1 / Open CL and DirectCompute 11.Sony VGP-BPS2B battery

5.3Windows 7 Experience IndexProcessorCalculations per second7.1Memory (RAM)Memory operations per second7.2GraphicsDesktop performance for Windows Aero5.3Gaming graphics3D business and gaming graphics6.3Primary hard diskDisk data transfer rate5.9 CB10 Rendering Single 32Bit 4225 pointsSony VGP-BPS2C battery

If you compare the HP notebook’s benchmark results with the scores from our database,Sony VGP-BPS22 battery you will see that its scores are higher in almost every area. And in the direct comparison against other manufacturers’ business notebooks, the Elitebook has nothing to be ashamed of. Sony VGP-BPS22A battery

The PCMark Vantage benchmark tests a number of components at once, evaluating the complete package of the CPU, GPU,Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery RAM and hard drive. In this test the HP notebook scored 7935 points. In the latest benchmarking tool PCMark 7, it scored 1866 points. We currently do not have any scores for this benchmark and this processor/ GPU to use as a comparison.Sony VGP-BPS13S battery

In the synthetic gaming benchmarks, from 3DMark 2001SE to 3DMark11,Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery it is the AMD Radeon HD 6470M’s turn to show what it is capable of. In these tests the HD 6470M ranks on the same level as a GeForce GT 130 or 9600M GT. Sony VGP-BPS13B/S battery

The Elitebook 8560p LQ589AW’s mass storage device is a 2.5-inch Hitachi hard drive from the Travelstar 7K500 series. Sony VGP-BPS10/B battery The memory capacity is 320 GB. This is not especially large, but should be enough for storing business data. The drive is connected to the system via Serial ATA and rotates at 7200 rpm. Sony VGP-BPS10A battery The hard drive performance falls within the expected range. The transfer rate was measured to be a maximum of 109.4 MB/s by HD Tune.Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery

If you want to use this classy HP notebook for gaming, Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery you will have to accept some sacrifices when it comes to graphics and detail settings. All that glitters is not gold. The dedicated AMD graphics, as already mentioned, is a basic mid-range card. This means that you can play even the latest games out there, Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery as long as you scale back your demands on the graphics card by choosing a lower resolution and also lowering the details level. Otherwise you will find it very frustrating to play these games.Sony VGP-BPS21 battery

The games we are referring to, such as GTA VI, Risen or Crysis 2, all show that they are only playable at a low resolution.Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery At times the frame rates fell below 40 fps. The higher the resolution, the worse the stuttering, and this had a big effect on our gaming enjoyment.dell vostro 1710 battery

The Elitebook has a good system for quickly moving the waste heat away from the CPU and graphics card: it consists of a heat pipe, dell vostro 1720 battery which transfers the heat towards a fan which runs constantly. The fan is clearly audible, especially in a quiet environment. However, it always remains an unobtrusive background noise; we did not find it distracting at any point during our testing.Dell Vostro 1310 battery

Our noise measuring device gave a reading of 33 dB(A) in idle mode.Dell Vostro 1510 battery The volume increased only slightly during DVD playback, reaching 35.6 dB(A). It was a different story when the notebook was under stress. The noise from the fan got noticeably louder during our stress test (100% CPU and GPU usage with Prime95 and Furmark amongst others), hitting 41.5 dB(A). Dell Inspiron 1545 battery

The Elitebook 8560p LQ589AW does an exemplary job of preventing temperature build-up on its case.dell xps m1530 battery You will always want to use a laptop on your lap from time to time. The underside of the notebook only gets warmer in the area where the CPU and GPU heat pipe is located; Dell inspiron 1721 battery and we only measured 33 degrees Celsius here under stress. The air coming from the ‘exhaust’ was not quite so cool, however. Here, where the waste heat is expelled, the temperature rises noticeably.dell vostro 1700 battery During the stress test we measured up to 44 degrees Celsius there, while the CPU temperature rose to more than 80 degrees.dell latitude e4300 battery

It is important for the cooling system of this Elitebook that the fan is able to suck in enough air from underneath.dell latitude e5500 battery If you put the laptop on a duvet then it can quickly get overheated. A flat surface is recommended.dell xps m1730 battery

The Elitebook’s loudspeaker system consists of two speakers positioned on the underside of the case.dell studio 1737 battery The sound during DVD playback was very stereophonic. At times we had the feeling that there were more than two speakers, but we couldn’t find any others.dell latitude e5400 battery

The sound quality from the speakers is acceptable for their size. However, the mini-speakers do sound very tinny at times. dell inspiron e1505 battery There are two 3.5 mm stereo ports on the side of the notebook for a headset, or headphone and microphone. You will not find an optical output port or HDMI port on the HP notebook, however.dell latitude e6500 battery

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“Top” designer. Lenovo supplies a 13 inch subnotebook with the latest second generation Intel Core processors with the IdeaPad Z370.Dell latitude e6400 battery In addition to the hardware, a lot of effort has especially been invested in looks. For example, the notebook has a display lid with 3D effect. Is it after all only straining after effect?Dell latitude d620 battery

Lenovo launches a compact 13.3 inch subnotebook onto the market with the IdeaPad Z370.Dell latitude d630 battery Lenovo has designed the IdeaPad Z370 according to the idea: “superior elegance can be affordable”. But the IdeaPad Z370 not only is to score with its looks,Dell inspiron 1526 battery but the latest Intel processors with Sandy Bridge architecture are to ensure sufficient computing power. The list ranges up to a new Core i7 and a 1 TB hard disk. We are looking at the model with an Intel Core i5-2410M and 750 GB hard disk in our review.Dell inspiron 6400 battery In addition, there are a lot of special functions installed. For example, Lenovo treats the IdeaPad Z370 to OneKey Recovery,Dell inspiron 1501 battery OneKey Theater and Rapid Boost Technology, among others. If these programs can provide a real added value for the user will have to be seen.Dell vostro 1000 battery

Lenovo’s advertising text already implies that a lot of value has been placed on the IdeaPad Z370’s looks.Dell vostro 1520 battery A lot of effort has been invested in only the display lid. Here, a transparent, metallic and 3D effect has been incorporated. A pattern of small squares is underneath the surface.Dell inspiron 1720 battery It becomes more or less visible depending on the angle of view. It is basically a nice effect, but the lid again receives a smooth, glossy surface. In return, it is very sensitive for fingerprints and scratches.Dell vostro 1500 battery Thus, a cleaning cloth is recommended. The display lid yields slightly under pressure and the display is not resistant against twisting, either. However, it didn’t cause any color deviations.Dell latitude d820 battery The hinges aren’t pulled particularly tight. It allows you to open the laptop with only one hand without lifting the base unit at the same time. The display teeters evidently during movements, though.Dell latitude d830 battery

When the display is opened, dell studio 17 battery you see an aluminum surface that covers the entire interior. You can debate about the surface’s color – our test device had a slightly pinkish color – but it is resistant against fingerprints and even feels good. The wrist-rest is very pressure resistant and doesn’t yield at all even under higher,Dell studio 15 battery selective pressure. The keyboard’s left also proved to be very stable. However, the stability clearly decreases the more we move toward the optical drive.dell studio 1535 battery The keyboard can be depressed by a few millimeters directly over the drive. The surface can also be dented by a few millimeters at the back edge, so over the battery compartment.Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS

The notebook’s workmanship generally makes a very solid impression.toshiba pa3535u-1brs battery We were pleasantly surprised about the wrist-rest made of aluminum. The gaps are very even for the most part. We could only find slight differences on the keyboard’s left and right. The IdeaPad Z370 can be upgraded via a big cover on the bottom.hp pavilion dv2000 battery Lenovo gives the user a lot of leniency. If you like, you could even theoretically replace the processor.hp pavilion dv6000 battery

Unfortunately,hp pavilion dv9000 battery Lenovo doesn’t install any fast USB 3.0 ports. The notebook has a total of three USB 2.0 ports available instead. One of them is a combined USB 2.0/eSATA port. The interfaces are basically placed so that they won’t get in the user’s way too much. hp compaq 6710b battery There are hardly any ports on the laptop’s right and the interfaces that are needed more frequently have been moved to the back (USB and power socket). Regrettably, the majority of ports on the left have been placed far front.compaq presario cq60 battery But they don’t get very annoying because most users will sooner have the mouse placed on the notebook’s right. There are no interfaces on the rear due to the display’s and battery’s design.IBM thinkpad r60e battery
The 5in1 card reader is located on the front.Lenovo thinkpad r60 battery It supports MMC, SD, Memory Stick (Pro) and xD card formats. A dummy card has been inserted for protection. A small switch for turning the wireless technologies on and off is beside the slot. Lenovo thinkpad t60 battery

The IdeaPad Z370 practically meets all needs with its wireless technologies.Lenovo thinkpad x60 battery An Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter card takes care of WLAN connections. It supports 802.11 b/g/n standards. If you prefer to be on the Web via cable, IBM thinkpad X60S battery you can fall back on the PCIe Family Controller from Realtek. However, it only delivers speeds of 10 MB/s and 100 MB/s. Gigabit Ethernet is not supported. Bluetooth is also installed, but still in the 2.1 version with EDR and not in its 3.0 version.Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery

The scope of delivery isn’t very lavish. In addition to the laptop, Lenovo thinkpad t61 battery the battery and the power adapter, you’ll find some printed documentation and a warranty card in the box. There are no drivers or recovery DVDs. The system recovery is solved via the OneKey Recovery program. We have already been acquainted with it in previous Lenovo devices and it worked well in them. Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery

Lenovo uses an AccuType keyboard for the keyboard.Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery It’s basically a keyboard with separated keys, also known as a chiclet keyboard. The single keys have a size of 15×15 millimeters and are slightly conic. That means they have a slight inward curve that is supposed to improve orientation and accuracy.Lenovo thinkpad t410 battery But, only the key distance of 4 millimeters should ensure a sufficient accuracy even without the concavity.Lenovo x300 battery

We really like the crisp keystroke and the keys convey a very pleasant typing feel.Lenovo x200 battery The typing noise is also convincing – it is very unobtrusive and quiet. We have already criticized the keyboard’s stability on the right in the section about design, but it is hardly noticed when typing normally. We only notice a bit of yielding when the enter key is hit.Lenovo 3000 v100 battery

There is a row of hot keys above the keyboard.Lenovo 3000 v200 battery For example, there is a button for volume control on the right above the keyboard. They have been designed as capacitive buttons so that a touch is sufficient to trigger the desired effect. A big power button is located above the keyboard’s left, as well as the, rightly small sized, OneKey Recovery button.Lenovo 3000 c200 battery

Lenovo gives the IdeaPad Z370 a multi-touchpad with a diagonal of 95 millimeters (42 millimeters x 85 millimeters).Lenovo ideapad s10 battery The touchpad is in a cavity on the wrist-rest. Consequently, the pad’s limits are clearly defined. The touchpad’s surface has been roughened slightly and has been given a dotted texture. Fujitsu lifebook t4215 battery This is to contribute to the touchpad’s accuracy. There is a vertical scroll bar on the right, as wellFujitsu lifebook t4210 battery The horizontal scroll bar is standardly disabled. Multi-touch also works perfectly and allowed us to scroll through documents and websites or zoom in on pictures with ease. Overall, you can work well with the touchpad.Fujitsu lifebook t4220 battery

Both mouse keys have been designed as a rocker and are made of one big key.Fujitsu lifebook t5010 battery The keys’ drop has turned out rather short, but isn’t disturbing, either. You can also work properly with both touchpad keys.apple a1175 battery

Lenovo installs a 13.3 inch screen with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels into the IdeaPad Z370.apple a1185 battery It is a display with a glare type surface and LED backlight. The latter has likely become a matter of good form, just like the aspect ratio of 16:9 in laptop displays in the meantime.apple a1189 battery
The brightness of the display built into the IdeaPad Z370 isn’t outstanding. acer aspire 5920 battery The IdeaPad Z370’s display sooner places itself in the broad midfield of tested notebook displays with a maximum measured brightness of 197 cd/m2 and an average brightness of 186 cd/m2. The screen’s even illumination has to be pointed out positively, though. It is very good with 92%.acer aspire 5050 battery

The black value and contrast ratio aren’t as impressive. acer aspire 5100 battery While the black value of 1.18 cd/m2 is too high, the contrast turns out very low with 157:1 as a direct consequence. This especially has an adverse effect on games, movies and outdoor use.acer aspire 5100 battery
While dark areas look more gray than black in games and movies,Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery the poor contrast reduces legibility in sunlight. In regard to color reproduction, Lenovo uses a typical representative of budget office and multimedia notebooks that lacks an extended color spectrum.Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 vs.Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery Dell Vostro 3350(t)The display contents’ legibility suffers greatly under the low contrast and, in particular, reflective surface during outdoor use. It is partly impossible to recognize anything on the screen, depending on the viewing angle. Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery And even if you can see something, it quickly gets tiresome, for example reading tests. You should rather look around for a shady place in the summer or – even better – a room indoors.Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery

The Lenovo IdeaPad Z370’s viewing angle stability is about in accordance to that of the majority of the latest laptops has to offer. Sony VGP-BPS13 battery The viewing angle stability is still adequate horizontally, even in more narrow angles, and the picture first changes fairly late. The vertical plane isn’t quite as good. The picture fades fast and is consequently almost illegible.Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery

A Core i5-2410M from Intel does its job inside the Lenovo IdeaPad Z370.Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery It is a midrange dual core processor from the second generation of Core processors. The processor isn’t exactly weak ex-factory with a clock rate of 2.3 GHz.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery Even more performance reserves can be mobilized in case of situations with a higher power requirement thanks to Turbo Boost 2.0 – providing that the processor is sufficiently cooled. The clock rate can be increased to 2.6 GHz (2 cores loaded), Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery or 2.9 GHz (1 core). The 2410M processor can even compete with the much faster clocked predecessor, Core i5-560M with 2.7-3.2 GHz, due to the optimized architecture.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery The 2410M is partly even faster than the 560M. Moreover, the 2410M processor incorporates the entry level graphics and memory controller. The graphics card is an Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card,Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery which has primarily been designed for office applications and light multimedia tasks (media rendering). Basically, the Intel Core i5-2410M processor is a good all-rounder that can cover a wide field of daily applications.Sony VGP-BPS8 battery

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The New Standard.Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery Currently, Nvidia is the king of performance thanks to its amazing GeForce GTX 485M graphics card. Now the new Nvidia GeForce GTX 580M promises to deliver even more performance. We tested this new star of the mobile graphic card world with various games to see its full potential.Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Gamers who want to enjoy the latest games in high resolutions and maximum details need to dig deep in their wallets to pay for the expensive high-end graphic cards. In the past few months,Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery the Radeon HD 6970M and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 485M have fiercely fought for the first place.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery Nvidia offers a slightly better picture quality and a higher performance, and AMD offers a very good price-to-performance ratio. Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery

Of course, Nvidia does not intend to sit on its laurels just because it is in the lead.Sony VGP-BPS13 battery The release of the new GeForce GTX 580M is proof of this. The latest graphic card is not all that different from the older GeForce GTX 485M – the clock frequencies have been raised slightly and a few other upgrades have been made. Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery So to see what it was capable of, we pushed the GeForce GTX 580M through our benchmark parcours. In this review,Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery we will reveal what new features the graphic card has to offer and how well it performs against its predecessor, and, of course, against its AMD competition.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery

A closer look at the specifications reveals that the GeForce GTX 580M is the further development of the GeForce GTX 485M. Both graphic cards use the latest 40 nm technology Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery (graphic cards with 28 nm structural width are expected in 2012). They both have a large 2048 MB GDDR5 memory with a clock frequency of 1500 MHz and a big 256 bit interface.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery

The main differences between the two graphic cards are the clock frequencies of the core and the shader (both cards have 384 shader units). Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery The GeForce GTX 580M has 8% higher clock speeds than the GeForce GTX 485M: 620/1240 MHz and 575/1150 MHz respectively. Thanks to the power optimized GF114 chip (GTX 485M: GF104-Chip) Sony VGP-BPS8 battery the power usage of the 580M should remain in the same region as that of the 485M despite the higher performance.Sony VGP-BPS8A battery

Both graphic cards have the same clock frequencies when the GeForce GTX 580M is idle.Sony VGP-BPS10 battery So when the system has no load the GeForce GTX 580M runs at a conservative 50/101/135 MHz (see screenshot). As soon, as the computer starts processing a task, the clock speeds rise to 73/147/324 MHz.Sony VGP-BPS2 battery Under heavy load, the afore-mentioned clock speeds were reached and during our stress test we did not note any GPU throttling. We will take a look at the clock frequencies of the graphic card while playing HD material later on in this review.Sony VGP-BPS2A battery

• DirectX 11: Gamers absolutely need support for the latest DirectX version Sony VGP-BPS2B battery (Nvidia offers DX 11 support which includes Shader Model 5.0). DirectX 11 is necessary as more and more games nowadays are being visually upgraded with modern effects (such as, tessellation) either natively or via a patch.Sony VGP-BPS2C battery

• PhysX: Nvidia has delivered a unique feature for buyers with its PhysX technology.Sony VGP-BPS22 battery PhysX alleviates the CPU load by processing and storing physical calculations on the graphic card. Sadly, few games use this feature to the full extent possible, but it is a nice extra.Sony VGP-BPS22A battery

• 3D Vision:Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery A 120 Hz monitor and a 3D Vision Kit combined with a compatible Nvidia graphic card transform the mundane 2D images on the PC into a realistic 3D experience. 3D Vision requires the proper configuration before the user can really enjoy the effect and even then,Sony VGP-BPS13S battery as revealed in our test, there are a few problems. The technology drops the performance in most games by 50% and the shutter glasses, which can be annoying to wear for a long time, block a lot of the brightness of the display. Nevertheless, Nvidia is still in the lead compared to its AMD competition.Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery

• Optimus: This revolutionary technology allowed notebook manufacturers to equip their laptops with automatic graphics switching. Sony VGP-BPS13B/S battery This means that when a program is launched the system will decide whether it should use the dedicated graphic cardSony VGP-BPS10/B battery (higher performance, higher power consumption) or the integrated graphic chip (lower performance, lower power consumption). Thus, Optimus allows notebooks to strike a fine balance between energy usage and performance, and it is unfortunate that few high-end devices employ this technology.Sony VGP-BPS10A battery

• SLI: Two compatible graphic cards or more can be connected via a small interface to boost performance using the SLI technology. Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery SLI is usually found in desktop computers, and rarely seen in notebooks. Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery This is due to the various problematic issues raised by an SLI system, such as: high power consumption, price, cooling requirement and dependence on driver, not to mention the so-called micro-stutters. Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery

• CUDA: CUDA, DirectCompute 2.1 and OpenCL are all technologies important for professionals, Sony VGP-BPS21 battery and as such of little interest to gamers. One practical use of this technology for consumers would be the faster encoding of HD videos.Sony VGP-BPS21A battery

We decided to concentrate on benchmarks which stressed the DirectX 11 feature, Sony VGP-BPS21/S battery as gamers will be primarily interested in this. The results below were recorded using the Clevo P150HM barebone (Schenker XMG P501 or Eurocom Racer) Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery and were all processed using the same or a similarly fast quad-core CPU. To view more details please see our graphic card benchmark comparison here.dell vostro 1710 battery

The GeForce GTX 580M took the first place in the latest 3DMark benchmarkdell vostro 1720 battery (1280 x 720, Performance Preset) with a score of 3110. The Radeon HD 6970M scored 10% less (2834 points) and the GeForce GTX 485M scored 17% less (2668 points). The cheaper GeForce GTX 560M was the lowest with a score of 1812 points (-42%).Dell Vostro 1310 battery

The extensive Unigine Heaven 2.1 benchmark Dell Vostro 1510 battery (1280 x 1024, normal tessellation) was received well by the Nvidia graphic cards due to their stronger tessellation performance. While the Radeon HD 6970M scored 33.2 fps,Dell Inspiron 1545 battery the GeForce GTX 485M delivered 40.9 fps (+23%) and the GeForce GTX 580M gave an even better 44.3 fps (+33%). The GeForce GTX 560M is left in the dust with a score of 27.7 fps (-37%).dell xps m1530 battery

Most of the graphic and game benchmarks were run on the P150HM barebone.Dell inspiron 1721 battery Unless otherwise noted, the GeForce GTX 485M was run on the Schenker XMG P501 (Core i7-2630QM or Core i7-2920XM) and the Radeon HD 6970M on the Eurocom Racer (Core i7-2720QM). High graphic settings were necessary to minimize the influence of the CPU.dell vostro 1700 battery

The beautiful racing game from the Codemasters studio ran fluidly on the GeForce GTX 580M. dell latitude e4300 battery The integrated benchmark ran well at 44.2 fps (around one minute of snow racing) even with “Ultra” details and a 1920 x 1080 resolution. 44.2 fps is also the highest result we have measured so far using a single graphic card.dell latitude e5500 battery

These settings cause the game to stutter on the GeForce GTX 560M (23.0 fps – which is half the score of the 580M).dell xps m1730 battery The Radeon HD 6970M was also at its limits. In our test with the Alienware M18x (Core i7-2920XM), the graphic card delivered 33.2 fps. We still lack a result for the GeForce GTX 485M.dell studio 1737 battery

The punctual DirectX 11 update for the ego shooter Crysis 2dell latitude e5400 battery (we use DirectX 9 version 1.2) really strains the GeForce GTX 580M. The opening scene (U-boat) of the game was not displayed fluidly at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a details setting of “Extreme”. The result of 34.1 fps is too little for a First Person Shooter game.dell inspiron e1505 battery

GeForce GTX 485M and Radeon HD 6970M were hit even harder: both graphic cards delivered around 30 fps in the test of the Schenker XMG U700 ULTRA (Core i7-990X).dell latitude e6500 battery In comparison: the GeForce GTX 560M only managed 20 fps. Dell inspiron 1300 battery The setting “Very High” allowed the GeForce GTX 580M to deliver a decent experience even in the Full-HD resolution.

The aging Modern Warfare engine was no problem for the GeForce GTX 580M. The user can comfortably raise all the graphic settings to maximum. Dell vostro 1400 battery The game ran at an excellent 87.3 fps with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, “Extra” details, 4x anti-aliasing and 8x anisotropic filtering. The GeForce GTX 560M lay behind with a result of 64.5 fps (around -25%).Dell inspiron 1420 battery

The results of the GeForce GTX 485M (74.2 fps) and the Radeon HD 6970M (74.5 fps) are not directly comparable due to the activated fps limitDell inspiron 1521 battery (max. 85 frames per second). In the benchmark we ran through the starting scene where the player is caught in a gunfight with the Cuban police.dell studio 1535 battery

Thanks to the integrated benchmark this action-packed game proved very useful in our GPU comparison.Dell latitude e6400 battery The GeForce GTX 580M had to push its limits at high details (including 16x anisotropic filtering) and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.Dell latitude d620 battery

A proper graphic card test absolutely needs this real-time strategy hit from Blizzard.Dell latitude d630 battery Starcraft 2 requires quite a lot of processing power, especially is later missions. So a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and “Ultra” details will need a high-end graphic card.Dell inspiron 1526 battery

The demanding challenge mission, Dell inspiron 6400 battery “For the Swarm”, did not manage to bring the GeForce GTX 580M to its knees. The graphic card delivered a good 58.8 fps, and the Radeon HD 6970M and GeForce GTX 485M performed at a similar level with a score of 58.6 and 56.5 fps respectively. As usual,Dell inspiron 1501 battery the GeForce GTX 560M is far behind with our test model delivering a mere 34.7 fps.Dell vostro 1000 battery

This Call of Duty competitor is overall popular in Europe and is a step ahead of the CoD games with its destroyable environment.Dell vostro 1520 battery The Frostbite engine is pleasing with good graphics and the next upgrade (version 2.0) is already visible on the horizon with Battlefield 3.Dell inspiron 1720 battery

1920 x 1080 resolution, high details, 4x anti-aliasing,Dell vostro 1500 battery and 8x anisotropic filtering are all no problem for the GeForce GTX 580M which delivers a good 50.9 fps. Something the GeForce GTX 560M can only dream of with its result of 34.4 fps.Dell latitude d820 battery The GeForce GTX 485M and the Radeon HD 6970M are hot on the heels of the GeForce GTX 580M: both graphic cards delivered 50 fps for the boat trip at the start of the single player campaign.Dell latitude d830 battery

A game from the role-playing genre is an absolute must for our graphic card test. Although Risen is easier on graphic cards,dell studio 17 battery the user will still need a high-end card to be able to play the game maximum details at a high resolution. The GeForce GTX 580M delivered on average a good 53.4 fps (Fraps) despite the high details, 4x anisotropic filtering, and a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution.Dell studio 15 battery

While the GeForce GTX 485M pulls ahead (52.7 fps),dell studio 1535 battery the Radeon HD 6970M lags behind (46.8 fps). The GeForce GTX 560M is once again last and our beach sequence which lasted a few minutes took its toll on the card: 34.4 fps.

The GeForce GTX 580M (81.0 fps) shoots past the Radeon HD 6970M (64.6 fps) and the GeForce GTX 485M (70.7 fps) while the game is running the London circuit at high details, 4x anti-aliasing and 1920 x 1080 pixels. The performance of the GeForce GTX 560M (49.0 fps) does not even come close to the other three candidates.

As expected, the GeForce GTX 580M fought tooth and nail to grab the highly coveted title of “highest performing mobile graphic card”. Nvidia’s new top model has more than enough power to fluidly run most of the latest games with high details and a Full-HD resolution on the monitor – including visual extras (anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, etc). Only extremely demanding games such as Metro 2033 or Crysis 2 can force the user to lower the settings so as to enjoy a fluid gaming experience.

Passionate gamers who absolutely want to play on their notebooks should definitely take a look at the GeForce GTX 580M. Overall, the top model trumps the GeForce GTX 485M by around 9% and the Radeon HD 6970M by about 13% (1920 x 1080, Ultra settings). The GeForce GTX 560M loses by a stretch as the GeForce GTX 580M delivers on average up to 59% more performance. To see the other game benchmarks which we ran but have not mentioned in this review, please look at this detailed game comparison list.

The GeForce GTX 580M performs flawlessly while decoding HD videos. Regardless of the format (H.264-, VC-1- or Flash), the clock frequency stays at the 2D standard of 73 (core), 147 (shader) and 324 MHz (memory). The processor had barely any work to do during this process and the CPU load ranged between 0 to 1% – exemplary. Only Flash videos could increase the CPU load to 5%.

The high temperature emissions, which will require an extensive cooling system, and the high power consumption are the biggest weaknesses of the GeForce GTX 580M. The high energy usage is especially noticeable when the graphic card is under load. For example, during our test with XMG P501, the GeForce GTX 485M consumed between 125.1 and 180.2 W. On the other hand, our recordings from the GeForce GTX 580M ranged between 132.4 to 214.3 watts.

The calculation of the maximum value was very hard as the notebook crashed abruptly after a short period of time during our stress test (Furmark & Prime). We notified Schenker about this problem. According to the manufacturer, it is still unclear why the power consumption is so much higher than that of the GTX 485M. For example, on the X7200 barebone the difference between the power consumption of the two cards was negligible.

We do not yet know why the notebook crashed during our stress test. It could be due to a bug in the P150HM barebone, a higher-than-expected temperature (the graphic card went above 90°C) or an insufficient power supply. The 180 W power adapter delivered with the notebook was pushed to its limits during this test and in the future, Schenker might employ the 220 W power adapter of the P170HM barebone (XMG P701). Back to the topic: while idle, the GeForce GTX 580M had relatively low consumption – between 27.3 and 34.4 W. This range is perfectly acceptable for a high-end notebook.

Finally, we want to shine some light on the battery life. Of course, the battery life will vary from notebook to notebook, depending on each individual configuration, and as such our measurement from the Schenker XMG P501 is only meant as a point of reference. Long trips away from a power outlet are taboo as our 15 inch device does not have graphics switching technology and the 8-cell battery (76.96 Wh) is potent but not strong enough.

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30 pieces. That many reviews we published in May.dell latitude e6500 battery You can look at our favorites while our editors are already writing the next test reports. The best devices of each category are summarized here.Dell inspiron 1300 battery

What a month! We actually reviewed 30 devices during the 31 days of May.Dell vostro 1400 battery While not a single Netbook was amongst them, we indeed scrutinized ten Office and nine Multimedia laptops.

In the following,Dell inspiron 1420 battery we compare the reviewed laptops of the same category to each other and elect the best laptop of May 2011 of each of the five categories. Because we did not have any Netbook under review in May, the best Netbook is missing. But, in June they’ll be present again.Dell inspiron 1521 battery

The category with the smallest devices included the 4-inch big Samsung Google Nexus S I9020/I9023 in May. dell studio 1535 battery Chief editor Simon Leitner reviewed the Android 2.3 Smartphone during his short travel to Rome and praised the very good display (Amoled and SuperClear). Dell inspiron 1525 battery But, he’d liked to see a dual-core CPU and a better case. The tablet category started with the Dell Streak 7″, which convinced us with a good workmanship, high Tegra II performance, very low weight and navigation option (GPS). Dell latitude e6400 battery

The 10-inch Iconia Tab A500 runs under Android 3.0 and features a good battery life of 5:30 to 10 hours and a contrast-rich and bright display. Dell latitude d620 battery Because of its good workmanship, a docking port and, the good quality of the case it belongs to the best test devices in May.Dell latitude d630 battery The sister model, the Acer Iconia Tab W500 Keydock is a Windows Tablet based on AMD Fusion. We liked the contrast-rich, rather viewing angle-independent and bright display. The enhanced functionality of the pre-installed Windows OS could be a decisive factor for some customers.Dell inspiron 1526 battery

The Eee Pad Transformer TF101 under Android 3.0 turns into a Netbook with its Dell inspiron 6400 battery„keyboard docking station“, which allows comfortable typing. We like the attractive aluminium design and the big number of interfaces. The reflective display is a disadvantage.Dell inspiron 1501 battery

Both, the Asus Transformer and Iconia Tab W500 Keydock use the Keyboard-Docking concept and achieve rather good 86 % in our rating.Dell vostro 1000 battery The tester particularly liked the keyboard option under Android, which enhances the usability of the free OS. The cheaper price of 499 euro and the IPS display finally let the TF101 win.Dell vostro 1520 battery

In terms of performance the TimelineX 3830TG with Core i5 and gaming-capable graphics dominates the scuffle of the four 13.3-inchers. Dell inspiron 1720 battery The Vostro 3350 and the U30SD-XA1 have to live with small dedicated graphics cards (Radeon HD 6470 or GT 520M).Dell vostro 1500 battery Featuring the Intel HD, the Aspire 3750 is a pure Office-Subnotebook. The TimelineX has the best input devices and convinces with a battery life of 7:30 hours.Dell latitude d820 battery The other laptops cannot keep up with the TimelineX in terms of battery life, too. However, none of them has a shorter battery life than 5:30 hours in the WLAN-test. We did not like that the TimelineX 3830TG quickly throttles the CPU even in typical use (gaming). The three competitors don’t have to struggle with this problem.Dell latitude d830 battery

The Dell Vostro 3350 got the highest total score and convinced us in terms of battery life,dell studio 17 battery performance, and low temperature. Designed for mobile use, it comes with an AR-coated, but not very bright display. The mouse replacement is comfortable and the rather balanced connectivity includes USB 3.0 and eSATA.Dell studio 15 battery

Current subnotebooks with a 13.3 inch screen and the latest hardware.dell studio 1535 batteryAmong others, for example, the Acer Aspire 3750 as an affordable consumer-book, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 Early 2011 with a tried and tested unibody case or the Samsung 900X3A including an illumination-eager LED screen.Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS

Among the ten contenders you’ll find every type of Office laptop from the cheap low-cost Sony Vaio VPC-EE4J1E/WI (from 528 euro) up to the expensive Full HD Dell Latitude E6520 i7/FHD (1705 euro).toshiba pa3535u-1brs battery The business bolides HP EliteBook 8560p and Latitude E6520 i7/FHD were running shoulder to shoulder. The Latitude won the race with an advance of just a single point (88 versus 89 points). The WUXGA resolution and the very bright display were the decisive factors.hp pavilion dv2000 battery

The rest of the field consisted of cheap, but good office computers.hp pavilion dv6000 battery The Dell Vostros 3750, 3550, and 3450 (17/15/14-Zoll) convinces with a stable and good workmanship. Our tester rated the keyboard suitable, but ordinary. But, the very big mouse pad was praised,hp pavilion dv9000 battery while the ar-coated displays turned out to be only satisfactory because of its weak contrasts and colors. In this aspect the Latitude E6520 i5/HD did not perform better, but, it features a better keyboard and is quieter than its Vostro colleagues.hp compaq 6710b battery

The 15-incher Toshiba Tecra R850-11P proved to be a quiet and well-tempered business colleague with first-class battery life and integrated UMTS-module.compaq presario cq60 battery The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s lost exactly this kind of mobility.IBM thinkpad r60e battery While the battery life of the Edge of 4:30 might still keep up with the 6:30 hours of the Tecra, using a reflective and rather dark display was definitely the wrong choice.Lenovo thinkpad r60 battery

The Lenovo ThinkPad L520 NWB53GE is alright for serious office workers with a small wallet (from 570 euro).Lenovo thinkpad t60 battery Despite its weak display (narrow viewing angles, low contrast) it got a good overall score, because the input devices, the docking port and the ergonomics are top. Lenovo thinkpad x60 battery The Sony Vaio VPC-EE4J1E/WI (from 528 euro) starts in the low-cost range. This consumer laptop is barely fit for office use: The keys are spongy, and the TFT is glossy. Low temperature and system noise are the only pros.IBM thinkpad X60S battery

The Latitude E6520 i7/FHD earns points where many other laptops fail: the display.Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery Wide viewing angles, sRGB color space, sufficiently bright for use in the sun. The input devices are perfect and, despite high performance, the system noise stays low. The battery life of 4:30 hours is still ok.Lenovo thinkpad t61 battery The only disadvantage: is the always audible, but steady noise of the 7200 rpm hard drive.Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery

HP ProBook 6550b (15.6″), Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery Asus P42JC (14″), Latitude E5420 Essential (14″), E6420 (14″), E6520 i5/HD; HP Elitebook 8460p (14″), Lenovo ThinkPad T420 (14″), ThinkPad T520 (15.6″); Acer Travelmate 8472T (14″) Lenovo thinkpad t410 battery

The Dell XPS 15z, Dell Inspiron 15R (N5110), Lenovo x300 battery and the Acer Aspire 5830TG can be carried around more easily. The Dell laptop offer the best workmanship of the reviewed 15-inchers, the Acer Aspire 5830TG with 8 hours the best battery life. Acer ’s (surprisingly) and Dell’s laptops feature the best input devices. Lenovo x200 battery The Aspire 5830TG has the best gaming performance, the XPS 15z is just slightly slower. The Inspiron 15R is not designed for gaming, but costs only 500 euro. All three of them have run-of-the-mill displays, whereas the XPS 15z has the best viewing angles. Lenovo 3000 v100 battery

The 14-inch big gaming laptop, the Alienware M14x, Lenovo 3000 v200 battery does not meet our high expectations, because it’s loud. Considering the size, the gaming performance of GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 Dual Core, and SSD is notable and the workmanship is first-class. If you consider the price of the Alien of 1.800 euro too expensive,Lenovo 3000 c200 battery you’ll find an interesting alternative in the Acer Aspire 4830TG, whose GT 540M still offers a feasible gaming performance for half the price. Disadvantages are the low-contrast TFT and the weak connectivity. Lenovo ideapad s10 battery

The winner is not an A-Brand, but comes from the BTO-manufacturer Schenker Notebooks.Fujitsu lifebook t4215 battery The XMG A501 (Clevo W150HRM) costs 1.200 euro and achieved a “good” or “very good” in all aspects. The best is the contrast-rich, ar-coated HD+-display. Fujitsu lifebook t4210 battery A good gaming performance (GeForce GT 555M) and an SSD, which boost the performance even without Core i7, join in. A disadvantage is the moderate sound and the very simple plastic case without aluminium and bells and whistles.Fujitsu lifebook t4220 battery

Other 15 inch all-round laptops, based on the Sandy Bridge processors,Fujitsu lifebook t5010 battery include: Acer Aspire 5830TG, Acer Aspire 5750G, Asus N53SV, Dell XPS 15, Dell Vostro 3550 and Packard Bell EasyNote TS11.apple a1175 battery

The two Workstation- or DTR-bolides ran with 88 or 87 points (ThinkPad vs. MacBook Pro) shoulder to shoulder.apple a1185 battery As they use the same Core i7 processor and the same HDD, the 15.6 and the 17-incher are on par in terms of performance. Even the gaming-performances (under Windows) are on a similar level, apple a1189 battery whereas the ThinkPad W520 features a Quadro-GPU, i.e., a genuine business graphics card. Both laptops have matte, contrast-rich and sRGB-capable displays. So, nothing is missing for a professional use (both FHD).acer aspire 5920 battery

The MacBook Pro 17 Early 2011 was already elected the Desktop Replacement of March 2011.acer aspire 5050 battery Points win: We choose the ThinkPad W520 best DTR of May. Despite professional Quadro graphics its gaming performance is huge. Nearly all test games ran smoothly in FHD. Although the surface temperatures suffer from the high-performance, the system noise stays acceptable.acer aspire 5100 battery

The strong points of older ThinkPads remain: the laptop performs considerably faster compared to older models and boasts a broad set of features.acer aspire 5100 battery Thanks to Optimus, the battery life is long and system noise is low for this form factor.

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2011!, Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery the sixth An elegant beauty with broad appeal – that’s how MSI sees the A6400. So the notebook should be an all-rounder, a typewriter, number cruncher, and DVD player in one, and able to handle some older games. We find out whether the notebook’s hardware and software are as impressive as its appearance. Sony VGP-BPS9 battery

Update: Now a reader could also form his own opinion about the tested MSI laptop as a part of the Intel TestIT!2011 campaign.Sony VGP-BPS9A/B battery An equally built device was in the test so that the previously made assessments could be used as a comparison basis. Our reader and reporter’s impression can be found at the end of this review’s verdict.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S battery

These days there’s a very wide choice of well-equipped, Sony VGP-BPS13A/B battery reasonably priced notebooks for the ordinary buyer. On paper, the A6400 Ci507 S from MSI looks like another attractive offering.Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

The laptop is part of the Taiwanese manufacturer’s mainstream C series,Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q battery and is intended to be an all-rounder with a broad appeal. At first glance, it doesn’t look like MSI has economized on this notebook at all; for only 519 Euros you get a mid-range,Sony VGP-BPS13/B battery second-generation Sandy Bridge processor, all wrapped up in an aluminium-look case. It even comes with two USB 3.0 ports and HDMI. Sony VGP-BPS13B/B battery

Why pay more for a new laptop? A 64-bit version of Windows is also included. Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q battery But do the input devices, screen and keyboard stand up to scrutiny, for this low price? Find the answers to this question and more in our review.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S battery

There is not much to complain about when it comes to the workmanship of the case. Sony VGP-BPS13/Q battery The moderately heavy chassis (2.5 kg) tapers towards the front, in a wedge-shape, which makes it appear slimmer than other machines with a more consistent height. Compared to the previous model the A6200, Sony VGP-BPS8 battery the case has been made to look slimmer, and some ports which were previously on the back edge, like HDMI and VGA, have been moved to the sides.Sony VGP-BPS8A battery

The base unit seems very rigid overall. It is not possible to twist it when holding it with both hands. Sony VGP-BPS10 battery Concentrated pressure in the centre of the palm rest does cause the case to flex slightly. There is also some give in the touchpad and the palm rest themselves when you apply heavy pressure. The area above the DVD drive is very solid. But below the drive, the laptop bottom can be pushed in quite significantly, producing a creaking sound. While you are using the laptop on a solid surface, however, you will not notice these problems. Sony VGP-BPS2 battery

The lid hinges, inset into the body of the case, hold the screen firmly in its open position. Sony VGP-BPS2A battery The hinges are so tightly connected to the base unit that it is not possible to open the laptop with one hand. Despite this, the lid does tend to wobble during a bumpy car or train ride. In the case of very large bumps, the lid can slide backwards from its original position.Sony VGP-BPS2B battery

The lid itself is more convincingly sturdy. It is possible to twist it, holding a corner in each hand,Sony VGP-BPS2C battery but not excessively. The panel is well protected by the top two thirds of the lid; but in the lower third, concentrated pressure on the back of the lid quickly produces inverted colours on the screen. Sony VGP-BPS22 battery The plastic lid has a brushed aluminium-look finish. The glossy plastic surface attracts greasy fingerprints is susceptible to scratches. The palm rest and the keyboard surround are also made of this plastic. Sony VGP-BPS22A battery

The range of ports on the MSI A6400 Ci507 S is appropriate for the price. Sony VGP-BPS13AS battery There are four USBs for connecting peripherals, and two of them are even USB 3.0., which is by no means a given for a laptop in this price range. It also has a 7-in-1 card reader, the usual VGA port and an HDMI port. Sony VGP-BPS13S battery

The USB ports are evenly split between the two sides.Sony VGP-BPS13/S battery On the left side, the two USB 3.0 ports are positioned next to the two monitor ports. The two remaining USBs are located on the right-hand side next to the microphone and headphone sockets. The card reader is on the front edge, to the right. There is no ExpressCard slot. Sony VGP-BPS13B/S battery

The layout of the USB ports is not optimal.Sony VGP-BPS10/B battery On both sides they are positioned very near the front edge. This makes it hard for the user to direct the cables towards the back out of their way. And on the right-hand side, the USB cables could get in the way of the DVD drive when it opens. The USBs are also positioned very close to each other, so a thick USB stick could easily block the second port.Sony VGP-BPS10A battery

This model has a good basic set-up when it comes to communications equipment.Sony VGP-BPS10A/B battery As well as a Gigabit Ethernet port, an integrated Atheros AR9285 wireless adaptor has been included. This supports the WLAN 802.11 b/g/n standard. The notebook doesn’t have Bluetooth. A webcam with a 1.3 MP resolution is built into the lid, along with a microphone, to enable video calls over Skype. Overall the communications hardware is convincing. It would have been practically perfect if Bluetooth had made it into the machine.Sony VGP-BPS10/S battery

The integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics is a low-performance GPU,Sony VGP-BPS21A/B battery designed to cope with basic tasks. Its great advantage is its low energy consumption because it is located on the main processor. This removes the need for additional cooling, as the processor’s cooling will handle it.Sony VGP-BPS21 battery The main activities that the integrated graphics card will be handling are office tasks or surfing the net. The card can at least partially cope with some newer games, but only when played on their lowest detail setting.Sony VGP-BPS21A battery In the 3DMark 06 graphics benchmark, our notebook’s results put it in the same ballpark as many other machines with HD 3000 graphics that we’ve already tested. For example it is on a similar level to the Dell Inspiron 15R (N5110).Sony VGP-BPS21/S battery

Anyone put off by this weak gaming performance should look for a notebook with a dedicated graphics card.Sony VGP-BPS21/B battery The MSI A6400-Ci507 currently has just one other variant, the MSI A6400-i303 S, available in German online stores; but this also has the HD 3000, with a weaker Core i3 2310 processor. dell vostro 1710 battery

5.7Windows 7 Experience IndexProcessorCalculations per second6.9Memory (RAM)Memory operations per second5.9GraphicsDesktop performance for Windows Aero5.7Gaming graphics3D business and gaming graphics6.2Primary hard diskDisk data transfer rate5.9 CB10 Rendering Single 32Bit 3652 pointsdell vostro 1720 battery

In the PCMark Vantage test, the MSI A6400-Ci507 S scored a total of 6,056 points.Dell Vostro 1310 battery This puts it somewhat above the Toshiba Tecra R850-11P, which has the same processor and graphics card but costs twice as much. Overall the MSI laptop fared very well in the comparisons.Dell Vostro 1510 battery Notebooks achieving a similar total score like the Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110) or the MSI CX640-i547W7P have dedicated entry-level graphic cards. Dell Inspiron 1545 battery

On the other hand the MSI notebook’s HDD score in the PCMark Vantage test places it in the middle portion of machines we’ve tested with Core i5 2410M. This probably means that the hard drive is the limiting factor in our review model’s system. dell xps m1530 battery

BenchmarkThe integrated mass storage device is a conventional Hitachi HTS545050B9A300 hard drive with a total capacity of 500 GB.Dell inspiron 1721 battery It is a 2.5-inch drive with 5,400 rpm. It’s not one of the fastest models on the market,dell vostro 1700 battery with an average transfer rate of 65.9 MB/s. The rather sluggish access time of 18.9 milliseconds confirms this impression. Overall the hard drive is average for a modern 2.5-inch hard drive.dell latitude e4300 battery

The integrated HD 3000 in our test model has been thoroughly tested many times already.dell latitude e5500 battery Compared to the first generation Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) HD Graphics from 2010 the 3D performance has improved noticeably once again. Nevertheless,dell xps m1730 battery the Intel graphics card is still an entry-level card which allows you to play newer games on their lowest detail settings at best. You can see which games run on this graphics card in our comprehensive database, ‘Compuer Games on Laptop Graphics Cards’. dell studio 1737 battery

A fan on the left side of the case is responsible for removing waste heat from the MSI A6400-Ci507. dell latitude e5400 battery The fan sometimes stops moving when the computer isn’t doing anything. With light exertion such as surfing the net, the fan starts up at a low speed and is barely audible. dell inspiron e1505 battery

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