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DELL XPS L321X Battery

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:40:33 +0100

Review Update Acer Aspire V3-771G (FHD) Notebook and battery life

In June 2012, we scrutinized the Acer Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk. HP EliteBook 2560p Notebook PC battery With an Intel i7-3610QM CPU, an entry level quad core Ivy Bridge processor, and Nvidia's GeForce GT 650M GPU, the 17.3-inch laptop was designed for performance-oriented customers. In addition, the model also featured a Blu-ray drive, 16 GB DDR3 RAM and two mass storage devices: a 120 GB Intel SSD SSDSA2CW120G3 as the boot drive and a 1000 GB Toshiba MK1059GSMP. Dell CMP3D

The CPU and GPU of the completely black Acer Aspire V3-771G are still excellent for multimedia purposes. However, there are several points of critique. We did not like the sensitive high-gloss surfaces, that all the interfaces are inconveniently close to the front of the sides and the HD display (1600x900 pixels) with modest contrast that did not support Full HD. Sony VGP-BPS13S

A further model of the Aspire V3 series, the 17.3-inch Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii features a very similar CPU and GPU combination (Intel i7-3630QM instead of i7-3610QM) as the V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk, but comes with a matte Full HD display. In addition, the test model no longer has a piano-black finish.

Sony VAIO VGN-CR battery Further differences: Instead of an SSD and HDD combination the V3-771G-736B161TMaii only uses a single 1 TB Toshiba MQ01ABD100 hard drive and instead of a Blu-ray drive it features a conventional DVD burner. Connectivity, other features, input devices, and speakers correspond to the Acer Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk's. Therefore, we will concentrate on the small, but important differences, in particular the FHD display.

Display

HP TouchSmart tm2-2100 Battery The 17.3-inch anti-glare Acer ComfyView display stems from AUO and features a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD). The IPS panel convinces with wide viewing angles, rather high contrast and a very bright LED backlight. In contrast, the 1600x900 pixels resolution of the V3-771G-53234G50Maii predecessor is especially disappointing, as its Blu-ray drive can deliver 1080p content. Similar competitors, e.g. HP ProBook 6470b Battery Dell's Inspiron 17R-SE-7720, MSI's GE70-i789W7H or Samsung's series 7 Chronos 700Z7C also feature Full HD displays.

The average brightness of 325.1 cd/m² and the distribution of brightness of 84% are decent. We appreciate the low black value of 0.34 cd/m². So, black appears deep black and not gray in movies, images, and games.

The low black value brings about a very good contrast of 953:1 and so colorful pictures. The competitors cannot quite keep up here, although their black values are on a similar level: Dell Inspiron 17R-SE-7720 (black value: 0.35 cd/m², contrast: 726:1), MSI GE70-i789W7H (black value: 0.39 cd/m², contrast: 679:1) and Samsung Series 7 Chronos 700Z7C (black value: 0.3 cd/m², contrast: 870:1). HP ProBook 6540b battery

In terms of color representation the V3-771G-736B161TMaii does not belong to the best, but it is still passable. It can nearly completely cover sRGB, but fails to cover AdobeRGB.

The following figures depict the color analysis of the i1 Pro 2 photo spectrometer and the CalMAN 5 software (target: sRGB). With factory settings, gray levels are not represented accurately: DeltaE(2000) of 10. After calibration it falls to 6. A DeltaE of above 3 means that the human eye can see differences. Acer Aspire 4930 battery Therefore, values below 3 would be ideal.

The strong blue hue in non-calibrated state is striking. Magenta and cyan appear too bluish. In addition, yellow and red have a high DeltaE(2000) of 8 and 7. The last picture, color saturation after calibration, shows how useful a color calibration with appropriate hardware can be. The blue hue nearly completely disappeared and apart from yellow all colors are accurately represented in the sRGB color space (DeltaE < 3). Dell 312-1127 Now the result is similar to the V3-571G's Full HD panel and colors look warm.

Because of the anti-glare display, the viewing angles are excellent in horizontal direction. The image remains also recognizable at extreme viewing angles without color deviations or darkening. In a vertical direction, the image changes significantly sooner. Depending on the viewing angle, the display content either looks darker or brighter.

Performance

Dell XPS 15z battery The Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii and its predecessor have about the same field of application. Instead of an i7-3610QM quad core Ivy Bridge CPU, our test model features an Intel i7-3630QM, which is just marginally faster. The GT 650M graphics card from Nvidia remained unchanged. In addition, the test model comes with 16 GB RAM, 1 TB Toshiba MQ01ABD100 hard drive, and preinstalled Windows 8.

System Performance
Sony VGP-BPS13A/S While the Acer Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk model with SSD + HDD delivers a very high system performance, the Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii only features a conventional hard drive. In the Windows 8 performance index, the negative impact gets apparent: The Toshiba HDD is the slowest component of the notebook and limits the system performance.

Compared to similar notebooks like the Asus N76VZ-V2G-T1011V or the Dell Inspiron 17R-SE-7720 the Aspire V3 nevertheless performs well and Windows runs fast. Toshiba Libretto W100 battery

Storage Devices
Our Acer test model uses a Toshiba MQ01ABD100 with a capacity of 1 TB. The data is stored on two 500 GB platters, which work with a revolution speed of 5,400 rpm. So, the average access time of 18.2 is rather slow and the SATA drive is not designed for high performance. Nevertheless, the performance is decent: The Toshiba HDD achieves an average transfer rate of 84.5 MB/s. Lenovo Thinkpad R400 battery However, the system performance would be better with an SSD.

Graphics Card
The Acer Aspire V3 comes with Nvidia's GeForce GT 650M, which features 2 GB DDR3 memory. Thanks to Nvidia Optimus, the Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated in the CPU can be used alternatively. The laptop automatically switches the graphics card without user intervention and an icon in the task bar shows the active GPU.

Fujitsu Stylistic LT C500 The same as for the Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk is also true for our test model: Acer promise "highest performance and quality" and this is not an exaggeration. With a very good score of 2,410 points in 3DMark 11, the Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii's performance also suffices for current games, although the laptop quickly reaches its limits with highest details.

Gaming Performance
Compaq Presario CQ61 battery While the Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii does not deliver top gaming performance, its performance suffices for playing current games in medium to high resolution and details smoothly. However, the tested games notably stutter when the highest details are selected. Our benchmark list of mobile GPUs shows how Nvidia's GeForce GT 650M performs compared to other graphics cards.

HP 484170-001 battery While idle the Acer Aspire V3 remains very cold. At a usual room temperature of 22 °C, we measure a maximum of 29.1 °C. After a one hour stress test the upper side of the laptop reaches up to 45.6 °C while the underside remains cool with a maximum of 38.5 °C.

In our stress test, 100 °C proves to be the maximum core temperature. Once the limit is reached, the processor clocks down to 1.2 GHz. As soon as the temperatures falls, the clock increases to 3.2 GHz, the maximum turbo clock for 4 cores, again.

Lenovo L10S6Y01 In order to find out whether you'll also experience downclocking in realistic scenarios, we ran a 3DMark 2006 benchmark immediately after the stress test. The difference compared to the cold state is within measurement errors. Therefore, thermal throttling is not to be expected during everyday tasks and games.

Power consumption
While the powerful notebook runs idle, the energy demand between 9.1 Watt and 17.2 Watt remains low. If the CPU and GPU are used to capacity, the power consumption of the Acer Aspire V3 increases up to 122.1 Watt and reaches the limits of the 120 W power adapter. DELL XPS L321X Battery

Battery life
Compared to the Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii predecessor, the battery is overall slightly shorter. This might be caused by the significantly brighter display with higher resolution, as battery capacity, power consumption and other core components like CPU and GPU do not, or only insignificantly, differ.

In the best case (minimum display brightness, disabled Wi-Fi modules, energy saving profile), the 48 Wh battery delivers a maximum runtime of 3 hours 33 minutes. GATEWAY NV55C Battery This is in line with the manufacturer's information, which quotes 3.5 hours. In our WLAN test with reduced brightness of 150 cd/m² and a looping script loading web pages, the laptop achieves a battery life of 2 hours 2 minutes. Under high load (Battery Eater Classic test) the battery is already empty after 52 minutes.

We found the Acer Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk lacking a Full HD display. Dell Latitude E6400 battery The Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii successor fixed this shortcoming: The 1920x1080 pixel LC display of the 17.3-incher is very bright, contrast-rich and convinces with wide viewing angles. While the predecessor featured a glare-type display, the Acer now comes with an anti-glare screen. In addition, the case no longer has a piano black finish. However, the display with higher resolution slightly decreases the battery life. Dell NM631 battery

A completely successful update? Not quite! The Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii unfortunately lacks a Blu-ray drive, which is a clear drawback for a multimedia notebook. In addition, the test model cannot reach the very fast system performance of the Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk, although it is equipped with nearly the same CPU (Intel Core i7-3630QM instead of Core i7-3610QM): Instead of the fast SSD / HDD combination of its predecessor the V3-771G-736B161TMaii only features a conventional hard drive. ASUS Eee PC T91MT battery But, the gaming performance is still decent.

We would like to see a third update based on the Acer Aspire V3-771G-7361161.12TBDCakk predecessor, but with Full HD display. Together with an SSD boot drive, an additional hard drive for storing data and a Blu-ra

Asus 90-OA001B2500Q Battery

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 03:43:57 +0100

Review HP ProBook 6475b Notebook

The Dell Vostro, Fujitsu's S/E series, Lenovo's ThinkPad L series (L530), Asus' Pro B series and Acer's TravelMate P models as well as HP's ProBook have something in common: All of them are aimed at business customers or private users who look for a workhorse device, people who don't want to spend more than $800-1000, but at the same time don't want to miss out on essential business features such as - at least - a typing-friendly keyboard, a matte display, a multitude of ports and a stable, non-glossy case suitable for everyday use. ASUS N56 Battery

With its 14-inch ProBook 6475b (model C5A55EA) equipped with an AMD A6-4400M and a WXGA++ panel, HP complements its series of 13-inch (6360b), 14-inch (6470b), 15-inch (4540s, 4535s) and 17-inch (4740s) notebooks which we have already reviewed. The 6475b is a direct sibling of the Intel-based 6470b with which it shares the same barebone. Like all ProBooks, the 6475b is available in a variety (9) of configurations ranging from $800 to $1000. ASUS N56VJ Battery

We are comparing the 6475b with three of its competitors which are also aimed at business users and demanding consumers, namely the Dell Vostro 3460, Lenovo's ThinkPad L430 and Acer's TravelMate P643. Of course, these are but a small selection of all comparable laptops, as can be seen in the corresponding list below this review - which does not even include cheaper office devices with worse build quality, less ports or unsatisfying input devices. But first let's have a closer look at the 6475b. ASUS N56VM Battery

Case

As already mentioned, the 6475b shares a common barebone with its Intel sibling, the 6470b. Number and type of ports are the same, as are their locations. Even the interior of the device looks alike, which makes maintenance of its components a breeze.

However, the 6475b differs considerably from the larger 15-inch 6570b, which sports a completely different chassis with different port locations and an additional numpad which the 6475b does not have. Only color, material and general shape and design remain similar. ASUS N56VZ Battery

HP has chosen to simply reuse the case of the 14-inch predecessor ProBook 6465b (early 2012) - apparently, its stable, high-quality build didn't require any improvements. For a more detailed analysis of all ports, we refer to our reviews of the ProBook 6465b (AMD) and the 6470b (Intel).

Performance

In the case of its 6475b model, HP employs the AMD Trinity platform (Intel is used in the 6470b). ASUS N56V Battery Only one of the variants, the A3Z20AV, sports an A8-4500M quad-core processor (4 x 1.9 GHz, accompanied by a Radeon HD 7640G, but without a Windows 8 license), while the other variants - one of them being our test version - come equipped with a dual-core AMD A6-4400M processor (2 x 2.7 GHz).

Only one of the two memory banks is occupied by a single 4 GB RAM module. Since Windows 7 Pro (32-bit) came preinstalled, all tests have been performed under Windows 7, despite the 6475b being shipped with a Windows 8 DVD. The graphics board of our test device is an integrated HD 7520G which snaps off 512 MB RAM. ASUS Ultrabook S56 Battery

Cinebench 11.5 does not work in a 32-bit environment, which is why we had to use the 32-bit version of the R10 Multi benchmark. Typical business laptops are equipped with an Intel Core i3 (+ 80-90%) or an i5 (+ 160-190%), rendering them much more potent than AMD's dual-core processor. Even the A8-4500M variant cannot compete with Intel's Core i platform, outperforming the A6-4400M by only 30% (this being an average taken over five test devices). ASUS Ultrabook S56C Battery

According to its fact sheet, the CPU clock speed varies between 2.7 and 3.2 GHz due to its turbo core. However, even under full load we measure only a value swaying between 2.4 and 2.9 GHz - for both cores. The clock speed decreases whenever the GPU is needed, as can also be seen in our high-temperature stress test evaluation.

ASUS Ultrabook S56CA Battery Redeployment of resources is a fundamental principle of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), distributing and allotting energy input variably between the CPU and GPU. While the Intel Core platform is capable of exhausting the maximum performance levels of both units at the same time, this cannot be done with the A6 or the A8. Only while operating on battery can the AMD APU use both CPU and GPU to the fullest (When 'Maximize Power' is chosen in the PowerPlay Battery settings), yielding similar Cinebench and 3DMark 11 scores as before. ASUS Ultrabook S56CB Battery

PC Mark 7 yields a score of 1615 points. That's considerably less than the Core i5 competitors, the Vostro 3460, the ThinkPad L430 and the TravelMate P643. The Vostro 3460 fares best, both due to its fast GT 630M graphics board and its HDD cache, resulting in a high storage score. The P643's GT 640M GPU is even better, but it gets slowed down by its weak HDD performance. The HP ProBook 6475b's HDD scores in PCMark 7 and Vantage are actually quite okay for a 7200 rpm-HDD, but that is not enough to make up for its weaker CPU when compared to the Intel systems. ASUS Ultrabook S56CM Battery

Core i3 systems like the Fujitsu S752 (HD 3000) are approximately on par with and possibly slightly superior to the 6475b. An SSD would be capable of boosting both synthetic and real-life performance considerably, as had been shown with our ProBook 6465b test device in 2012 (PCMark 7: 2420 points, Samsung SSD 470). Without an SSD, system boot times are mediocre (70 seconds until everything has been loaded) and programs may take a few extra seconds to start. This suffices for simple office applications, but Intel might be a more future-proof alternative: The ProBook 6470b sibling (our test device had a Core i5) managed to achieve 7256 points in the PCMark Vantage benchmark (instead of 4194 for the 6475b). ASUS Ultrabook S56V Battery

Storage Devices
Data transfer rates are just average in both HD Tune and Crystal Disk Mark, with 87 MB/s and 100 MB/s read speed respectively. Nowadays, little difference is left between 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm HDDs. 4K-test results are far worse with 0.4 to 0.8 MB/s compared with up to 20 MB/s for SSDs, but HDDs are at a natural disadvantage when it comes to reading small scattered files as they have to move their reading heads into position first. Accordingly, the Vostro 3460 manages to achieve a 19 MB/s 4K read score due to its SSD cache, although this is a partially artificial result since it only takes into account accessing the small cache storage. Asus ZenBook UX32 Battery

Graphics Card
The HD 7520G branches off up to 512 MB of main memory and boasts higher clock speeds than the HD 7640G of the A8-4500M (the AMD quad-core alternative to the 6475b) while settling with only 192 shader core units (the HD 7640G comes with 256), thus having to content itself with slightly worse benchmark results. The HD 7520G profits from dual channel memory, however, only one memory bank is in use in the 6475b. Still, it was never meant to power PC games or to conduct demanding encoding tasks. Asus ZenBook UX32A Battery Its strengths lie with its low power consumption in idle mode (especially when the laptop is running on battery) and as an aide in decoding (Video Encoder) to the under-performing Piledriver core. More information can be found on the GPU data sheet.

The Radeon graphics card of the 6475b barely manages to squeeze ahead of the Intel HD 4000 in terms of processing power as our 3D Mark 11 figure shows. It doesn't stand a chance in both the brand-new 3DMark Cloud Gate (HD 4000: +59%; Vaio SV-E14 i3 3120M) and the Fire Strike benchmark (HD 4000: +36%) though. Asus ZenBook UX32VD Battery

Performance of the Radeon HD 7520G might increase by around 15% (empirical value) if a second RAM module was installed, making use of its dual channel mode. Even then, dedicated cards would still be uncatchable, as the 3DMark 11 performance of the GT 620M (S430), the NVS 5200M (B43V) and the GT 630M (Vostro 3460) can be up to twice as good. Of these three, only the Asus laptop sports an actual "business GPU". Still, the CAD/CAM-optimized drivers of the NVS 5200M will be probably be irrelevant for most users, making it a no better choice than its GeForce counterparts. ASUS A45 Battery

Gaming Performance
The integrated GPU has not been designed with modern games in mind, which may even become apparent for office users during occasional gaming sessions. The only exceptions are undemanding games such as FIFA 13, which actually runs smoothly in HD. The data sheet of the HD 7520G provides an elaborate list of games and their performance. Obviously, modern PC games are a no-go. This holds true not only in the case of 3D shooter games like Crysis 3 and MoH: Warfighter, but also for Sim City (2013 version). Performance of an HD 4000 in combination with a Core i3 (ProBook 4340s) is marginally better, sometimes even worse (FIFA 13). Similar considerations apply in case of the HD 3000. ASUS A45A Battery

Temperature
When idle, the underbelly of the 6475b remains fairly cool with an average of 34 °C, although some parts of the bottom panel can get as warm as 38 °C (most likely because of the deactivated fan, since these parts actually get cooler under full load when the fan spins up). Palm rest temperatures are more pleasant still, reaching approximately 30 °C. ASUS A45D Battery

We appreciate that both the palm rest and the keys themselves remain rather cool, with the latter becoming lukewarm at best, while the former remain cool (up to 32 °C) even under full load. Temperatures underneath the laptop don't exceed 41 °C (this maximum value is reached above the fan during our stress test) while their average only increases by 1 °C when compared to the idle state. When no demanding tasks are active, all the waste heat gets distributed rather evenly across the case, but during the stress test, the 6475b's heatpipe (recuperator) concentrates all of it at one point, which is exactly where we measure this maximum of 41 °C. ASUS A45DE Battery

As we have mentioned in the Performance section, the stress test - where both Furmark and Prime95 are active at the same time - leads to a redistribution of computational power between the CPU and the GPU, with the graphics card running at full power (685 MHz, maximum turbo), while the CPU is throttled down to 910 MHz on a single core.

Speakers
Both speakers are located beneath the laptop, in a box made out of plastic which has been integrated close to the user in the front. Basses are unconvincing and the chassis vibrates considerably, but at least distortions at full volume turn out to be minimal. Plus, the 6475b is as loud as office laptops go. It shouldn't be hard to fill an entire conference room with its sound. ASUS A45DR Battery

Mids and highs were unbalanced. As with most laptops without a dedicated subwoofer or more powerful speakers in general, emphasis is put on the mids. Still, external speakers and microphones can always be plugged in via not one but two separate 3.5 mm ports, one for Line In, the other for Line Out. This could lead to a better audio quality than with the combined Line In/Out ports which are much more common in consumer notebooks. Unfortunately, the connections have not been reinforced with metal, making them more susceptible to breaking when used intensively. ASUS A45N Battery

Power Consumption
The HP ProBook 6475b is a rather power-hungry machine, as evidenced by a minimum power consumption of 10.5 watts (while idle, with an active energy saver profile and minimal luminance) which foreshadows no more than average battery life. Power consumption during idle mode tops out at 16.5 watts (high performance profile). The 6475b's Intel competitors prove to be more economical: 9 to 15 watts (Vostro 3460), 7 to 12.5 watts (ThinkPad L430) and 8 to 11 watts (TravelMate P643) respectively. Asus A31-1015 Battery

This situation reverses under full load. Power consumption increases when both CPU and GPU are working together (39 to 40 watts, 3DMark 06 & stress test), but still ends up being exceeded by its competitors, which require 64 to 66 watts (Vostro 3460), 36 to 48 watts (ThinkPad L430) and 58 to 60 watts (TravelMate P643) respectively. The difference stems from their dedicated GPUs.

The power adapter supplies 65 watts, which is adequate for the 6475b. Recharging the battery takes 1:50 h, an acceptable charging time. Asus A32-1015 Battery

Battery Life
The 14-inch laptop sports a comparatively small 48 Wh battery. Its Intel competitors, the Vostro 3460 (48 Wh, 3:52 h during our Wi-Fi test), the ThinkPad L430 (57 Wh, 3:30 h) and the TravelMate P643 (66 Wh, 6:05 h) tend to boast higher capacities, which in combination with their low power consumption leads to better battery life when idle. During our Wi-Fi benchmark, our test device (which comes equipped with a 55 Wh battery) achieves 4:15 hours at 150 cd/m² brightness (actually, 136 cd/m²). Asus AL31-1015 Battery

The Battery Eater Reader's Test (CPU and GPU are idle, all radio modems are deactivated and brightness is set as low as it gets) yields 9:01 hours. DVD playback lasts 3:54 hours, which is almost as good as during the Wi-Fi test because the DVD video test demands full display brightness, while the 6475b is incapable of going beyond 136 cd/m² as long as it is on battery. Our test device manages to squeeze 2:01 hours out of its battery under full load. Only one of its competitors surpasses the two-hour mark as well, the P643 (2:03 h due to its 66 Wh battery). A comparable 48 Wh battery in an Intel laptop only manages to reach 1:15 h (Vostro 3460). Asus PL32-1015 Battery

Verdict

HP (mostly) made the right choices with the ProBook 6475b, delivering a more or less balanced package of time-proven office features. We appreciate the excellent feedback its input devices (keys, touchpad) provide. Its conically curved keys come particularly close to the level of much more expensive laptops including the Dell Latitude, Lenovo ThinkPad (T and L) and HP EliteBook series. Asus 90-OA001B2300Q Battery

Its understated look works very well with the matte aluminum touch to its surfaces. But the 6475b is not just all show and no substance. Connectivity is important to the ProBook, with options ranging from external docking stations, DisplayPort and VGA ports (for high-resolution as well as legacy displays) to an ExpressCard54 slot for old extension cards which are still being used for measuring devices by craftspeople and engineers. Traditionalists can rejoice: HP has chosen to install Windows 7 Pro (32 bit), although the 6475b ships with a Windows 8 DVD as well. Asus 90-OA001B2500Q Battery

The HP ProBook is also very maintenance-friendly. Plus, there are many variants to choose from, including some with UMTS and/or an HD panel (if a lower resolution than HD+ is desired). There is no SSD option though - this has to be installed by the user.

Ergonomics in idle mode or under half load could have been better and although the fan can be deactivated through an option in the BIOS (turn "Fan always on when AC" off), the background noise the HDD produces can be heard at all times. Then again, excess heat is no issue - neither while idle nor under full load. asus A42-G55 Battery

Despite of our praise for its well-balanced color rendition, the TN panel only manages to secure a score of 76%, since a typical user of the ProBook 6475b will most likely not be a professional digital artist or graphics designer so that an exact reproduction of real-life colors is not as crucial as it could be. The weaknesses of the display lie with its low contrast and terrible brightness, especially so when it is running on battery power: Maximum brightness gets throttled down to 137 cd/m². Outdoor usage becomes a pain. Hardly any screen contents at all can be read under direct sunlight. Asus A32-K93 Battery

Other laptops offer more in terms of processor, graphics card and memory for the same price point as our test device ($900), namely Core i5 CPUs with dedicated GPUs for an improved gaming performance. Great input devices, an optional docking station, a matte WXGA++ display and a superbly stable, well-built chassis are harder to find for less than $1000. Only variants of the Vostro 3460 or the ThinkPad L430 offer such amenities. The TravelMate P643, equipped with a gaming-friendly GT 640M, tempts with its great value-for-money ratio, while the best input devices and highest build quality can be found in one of the cheaper (HD panel) Latitude E5430 configurations. Asus A41-K93 Battery

We have written reviews of all of the following competitors to the 6475b and we recommend having a look at them before a purchase decision is made. If this takes too much time, it is also possible to just focus on the four models which are highlighted in bold.

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Wed, 16 Jan 2013 02:23:00 +0100

Acer TravelMate P243-M Notebook

The Acer TravelMate P243-M is equipped with an Intel Core i3-2370 processor (Sandy Bridge), which comes with the integrated Intel Graphics HD 3000 GPU. 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, a DVD RW optical drive, and a 500 GB hard drive round out the hardware. The components are housed in a 14-inch chassis made from carbon fiber and magnesium/aluminum, which is very rigid and robust. With the 6-cell lithium ion battery, our review model comes in at around 2.2 kilogram (4.85 pounds). Even though the TravelMate P243-M and the larger P253-M share the same pedigree, the two models look quite different. Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 adapter

To protect the internal components, Acer chose a chassis composed of premium materials, which appears to be very robust and resilient. Even when localized pressure is applied, the chassis flexes hardly at all. Normally weak areas, like the back of the display or the area around the keyboard are stiff and exhibit hardly any give. Only the area around the Enter-key flexes minimally, since the optical drive is right underneath it. Acer Aspire M5 adapter

Visually, the model is black-on-black; the surfaces are matte, but still slightly reflective and smooth. As far as the appearance is concerned, the TravelMate P243-M looks nothing like the larger P253-M. The 14-inch display is secured to the base unit via two small hinges. Changes in the opening angle result in wobbles back and forth. The notebook weights about 2.2 kilogram (4.85 pounds) - quite acceptable for a sturdy 14-inch notebook.

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Performance

The TravelMate P243-M is a reliable performer and should satisfy both private and business users. Text editing or multimedia tasks are no challenge for the notebook. The dual-core Intel Core i3-2370M (2.4 GHz) is part of the Sandy Bridge lineup and provides enough power, even though it's not a current generation processor. The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is less powerful though - especially when the tasks are graphics intensive (3D). Aside from that, the integrated GPU is sufficient for daily use.

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The Core i3-2370M CPU has two cores and has a standard clock speed of 2.4 GHz. The CPU supports Hyper Threading and can tackle four threads at the same time. Unfortunately the Core i3-2370 does not support Turbo Boost technology. ACER Aspire V3 adapter

During our tests, the processor was able to maintain its clock speed of 2.4 GHz a long as the applications are CPU intensive. If the GPU is heavily utilized (stress test Prime95 and FurMark lasting several hours), the CPU frequency is decreased to 1.7 GHz. It appears that the cooling system is not able to provide enough cooling during extreme conditions. This is not a real-world scenario though - during normal use, we don't expect any throttling.

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As far as the results of the Cinebench R10 benchmark tests are concerned, the TravelMate P243-M outperforms the larger 15-inch version slightly: we measured 3903 and 8505 points for the P243-M, and 3582 and 7981 points for the P253-M. This means that the smaller model is about 9 and 6 percent faster than the larger model with its Intel Core i3-2328M CPU (2.2 GHz).

Compared with the faster Core i5 processors, the difference between the generations becomes apparent: the Core i5-2520M outperforms our review model clearly by 29 and 24 percent (5051 and 10554 points, respectively). Most of this difference can be attributed to Intel's Turbo Boost technology. ACER Aspire One E100 adapter

System Performance
The TravelMate P243-M seems quite reliable: during our review, we never encountered any issues or crashes. The one limiting factor (at least for our review unit) is the Intel Graphics HD 3000, which gets pushed to its limits fairly quickly when tasked with graphic intensive work. The P243-M scored 1818 points when we ran our test with PCMark 7 - a little bit less than what we saw with the 15-inch P253-M. This difference should not be noticeable during everyday use.

The performance of our review model is quite comparable to the HP ProBook 4530s (Intel Core i3-2350M 2.3 GHz); the P243-M outscores the AMD equipped Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E535 (AMD A8-4500M 1.9 GHz - four cores and Turbo to 2.3 GHz) slightly.

Acer only includes a single module of 4 GB RAM - the system therefore loses a bit of power since it doesn't operate in dual-channel mode. One advantage: those wanting to upgrade to 8 GB of RAM, only need to buy a single 4 GB module.

Gaming Performance
Those interested in using the Acer TravelMate P243-M even for occasional gaming shouldn't expect too much: the combination of Core i3 2370M CPU and Intel HD Graphics 3000 is no powerhouse. The power of the integrated GPU (and no 3D accelerator) is just not sufficient for satisfying gaming performance. If you would like to know which games are playable, please take a look here. The successor to the HD 3000, the HD Graphics 4000 (integrated into all Ivy Bridge processors), is decidedly better and allows the user to play less demanding games at lower settings.

Temperature
The temperatures are well controlled: even under heavy load, they remain under 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The underside also stays cool - the warmest area was around the fan exhaust (39.1 degrees Celsius / 102.38 degrees Fahrenheit). We were also pretty happy with the results during idle. While the chassis stays cool, the Core-i3 CPU has some heat related issues: we recorded 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit) during our stress test with Prime95 and FurMark. The result is CPU throttling do 1.7 GHz. This only happens when both the CPU and GPU are at their limits - not a scenario normally encountered during every-day use.

Speakers
The speaker system provides clear sound, regardless if the user is playing movies or listening to mp3s. The speakers are certainly sufficient for mobile entertainment - for better quality it pays to use headphones instead. If the notebook is used as a stationary entertainment center, it's better to connect it to an external speaker system, since the integrated speakers don't provide high-impact bass or the high volume needed for a riveting action film.

Power Consumption
During idle, the TravelMate P243-M uses about 10.8 watts with some peaks up to 11.7 watts. This means that the system actually consumes more power than the 15-inch P253-M, which uses an average of 9.6 watts. Under load, the differences become more apparent: the P253-M consumes 24.3 to 43.8 watts - our review model consumes 42.8 to 50.9 watts. We attribute the increase in power consumption to the processor Core i3 2370M - the P253-M uses the Intel Core i3-2328M instead. The ThinkPad Edge E330 (also Core i3-2370M) needs 37.4 to 49.8 watts under load, which is a very comparable result. The power adapter delivers 65 watts and is adequately sized. Samsung P210-Pro P8400 Padou adapter

Battery Life
Notebook manufactures frequently exaggerate battery life. In this case, although Acer claims a battery life of 3.5 hours (according to their homepage), we were actually able to achieve better results. We recorded a maximum battery life of 410 minutes (6 hours 50 minutes) during our BatteryEater test - a respectable result. The P243-M lasted a very good 252 minutes (4 hours 12 minutes) during the more relevant WLAN test. Under full load, with the display brightness turned up all the way and all wireless modules active, the system needed to be recharged after 94 minutes. During our DVD playback test, the system lasted a very good 226 minutes (3 hours 46 minutes).

Non-glare display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, Core i3 2370M with 2.4 GHz, Intel HD Graphics 3000, 4 GB RAM, and a 500 GB hard drive - these are the basic specs of the Acer TravelMate P243-M-32374G50Makk. The chassis of the 14-inch notebook is made from carbon fiber and Mg/AI and is quite rigid and sturdy. The weight of 2.2 kilograms (4.85 pounds) including the 6 cell battery is also quite acceptable. The display is the really low point, as the brightness is not sufficient - especially during mobile use: we recorded a mediocre 130 cd/m² while the notebook was running on battery power. It's next to impossible to use the P243-M in direct sunlight. We do like the overall performance, which should be sufficient for normal users. We can recommend the system for text editing, web surfing, and entertainment (music and movies). For gaming we would recommend a system with a dedicated graphics card instead - like the more expensive HP ProBook 4740s (699 Euro / ~$930), which features the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. Our review sample of the TravelMate P243-M retails for around 550 Euro (~$730) and comes with a warranty of 24 months.

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Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:57:53 +0100

Review HP Pavilion g6-2200sg Notebook

A new 15.6-inch model form HP's Pavilion product line-up entered our tests. HP equipped it with an Intel Pentium B980 dual core CPU, an AMD Radeon HD 7670M GPU and six GB RAM. On paper, this should result in a cheap, gaming-capable laptop. Our test reveals if this is actually the case. TOSHIBA Satellite L770 charger

We use the following competitors in order to classify our test sample: Acer's Aspire V5-571G (Intel Core i5-3317U, Nvidia GeForce GT 620M) and Samsung's NP355V5C-S05DE (AMD A6-4400M, AMD Radeon HD 7520G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics).

Case

Just like the Acer Aspire V5-571G's and the Samsung NP355V5C's the case of the 15.6-incher is entirely made from plastics. However the two competitors use matte surfaces while the Pavilion uses glossy ones. The color of the notebook is called Sparkling Black as the surfaces sparkle in various colors when light falls on them. Generally, the stability of the case is satisfying. Merely the keyboard and the palm rest areas (above the DVD burner) are slightly unstable and give under pressure. While the base unit can hardly be twisted, not much little effort is needed for the lid. TOSHIBA Satellite L755 charger

Performance

With the Pavilion g6-220sg, Hewlett Packard deliver a multimedia notebook for frugal customers, which is currently available for about 480 Euro. Its performance suffices usual tasks and can also run 3D games smoothly. While our test model is only available in this particular configuration, HP also offer a lot of other Pavilion g6 models, some of them with AMD others with Intel CPUs. TOSHIBA Satellite P700 charger

Processor
The Pavilion g6-2200sg is equipped with an Intel Pentium B980 processor, a dual core Sandy Bridge CPU with a clock rate of 2.4 GHz. Unfortunately the CPU does not use Intel's Turbo technology.

As the CPU constantly runs at full speed in the Cinebench tests, it performs as expected. Furthermore, the HP notebook bests Samsung's NP355V5C-S05DE (AMD A6-4400M, AMD Dual Graphics) in CPU-intensive tests, because of its faster CPU. But both of them are outperformed by Acer's Aspire V5-571G (Intel Core i5-3317U, Nvidia GeForce GT 620M), which uses the fastest CPU of the three contenders. But the Pavilion performs better than its competitors in the GL tests as the combination of Pentium B980 and HD 7670M GPU is more powerful than the CPU/GPU combinations of the others.

Graphics Card
Two GPUs work inside the Pavilion g6-2200sg: Intel's HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) and AMD's Radeon HD 7670M. The Intel GPU supports DirectX 10.1 and runs at a clock rate of 350 to 1150 MHz while the graphics card from AMD is mid range, runs at 300 to 600 MHz and supports DirectX 11. The two GPUs do not work together, but the one which is more appropriate for a particular task is selected.

At the end of 2012 Nvidia's graphics switch (Optimus) still works better than AMD's. We had to manually configure that the Radeon GPU should be used before running benchmarks and games. Otherwise, the system nearly always used the CPU from Intel. Especially inexperienced users could get annoyed at games stuttering.

The results of the 3D Mark benchmarks are as expected. If all 3D Mark versions are taken into account, none of the notebooks achieves a clear victory. On contrary, their 3D-performance does not differ much. Thanks to its Radeon GPUs working together, Samsung's 15.6-incher wins the first price in 3D Mark 11. As the the impact of the CPU on the result is lowest here, the computer with the weakest CPU can score points.

Gaming Performance
The Pavilion g6-220sg is definitively gaming capable. It can even run modern computer games in medium to high graphics quality at its native resolution. The laptop merely cannot achieve decent frame rates in brand new and very performance demanding games like Hitman: Absolution. Although we explicitly selected the Radeon GPU, we cannot exclude that the GPU switch did not work in the Hitman benchmark. We faced a similar problem with F1 2012, which refused to start with active Radeon GPU.

System Noise
Fortunately the Pavilion runs quietly while idle. The noise level amounts to 31.3 to 32.6 dB here. When using the DVD drive the noise increases to 35.6 dB. Unfortunately the clacking of the hard drive is quite audible time and again.

Under full load (stress test: Prime95 and Furmark), the fan accelerates and the noise reaches 48.7 dB while the g6-2200sg works at a tolerable noise level of 38.1 dB under medium load (3DMark 06). The noise of the Aspire V5-571G and the Samsung NP355V5C-S05DE, which are only significantly quieter under full load, is on a similar level.

Regardless of the load the surface temperatures are fine. While idle the temperature only increases to 30.1 degrees Celsius on a single area (underside below the touchpad). Under full load (Prime 95 and Furmark run in parallel) the temperatures only rise moderately to 21.7 and 40.8 degrees Celsius. So, the laptop can be used on the lap in any case. Acer's Aspire V5-571G and Samsung's NP355V5C cannot compete with the HP here and develop more heat.

During our stress test (Prime 95 and Furmark run for at least an hour) CPU and GPU run at full speed on mains power. While CPU speed is not reduced on battery, the GPU's clock falls to 400 MHz and the CPU temperature levels off at 80 Grad Celsius.

Speakers
The stereo speakers of the notebook sit above the keyboard beneath a perforated grille. "Altec Lansing" and "Dolby Advanced Audio" suggest decent sound and this is not completely wrong. The speakers' sound is loud, but lacks bass. Speech is clearly audible and watching films is indeed possible without external solutions.

Battery Life

Power Consumption
Similar to Samsung's computer our test device needs about 9.2 and 13.9 Watt while idle. Unsurprisingly, the Aspire V5-571G is significantly more frugal than its competitors, as it is equipped with a frugal ULV processor. Under medium (3D Mark 06) and full load (Prime95 and Furmark) the power consumption increases to 50 Watt and respectively 69 Watt. The Samsung (64.6 Watt and 67.1 Watt) is close to the Pavilion under full load. But, thanks to its frugal components, the Aspire (42.1 Watt and 49.5 Watt) performs better again.

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Battery Life
In idle mode our test sample achieves a battery runtime of 6:03 h minutes, while the Acer already shuts down after 5:43 h and Samsung's NP355V5C-S05DE runs for 7:05 h. The maximum battery life is recorded by means of the Battery Eater Reader's test with energy saving profile, lowest display brightness and disabled WiFi-modules. Under load the notebook achieves a minimal battery life of 1:21 h, which is similar to the competitor's (Acer: 1:32 h, Samsung: 1:23 h). The Battery Eater Classic Test is used for this test with highest display brightness and enabled WiFi modules. Acer TravelMate 4740-352G32Mn charger

In our WLAN test the HP achieves a runtime of 3:48 h (Acer, Samsung: 3:15 h). Here our looping script simulates internet surfing by automatically loading new web page with different content every 40 seconds. During this test the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m² and the energy saving profile is active. The DVD test, run at maximum display brightness and with energy saving profile (or higher if the DVD does not play smoothly) already ends after three hours. But the competitors have even shorter runtimes in this scenario (Acer: 2:42 h, Samsung: 2:22 h).

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The battery runtimes of the Pavilion and the Samsung notebooks can be easily compared to each others as their battery capacities are nearly on par (HP: 47 Wh, Samsung: 48 Wh). On contrary, the Acer is equipped with a smaller battery (37 Wh).

The Pavilion g6-2200sg is a good deal and a decent notebook for all looking for a cheap general purpose notebook. It delivers a fair system performance, which suffices most users, works quietly under low load and comes with a very contrast-rich display. Furthermore, the Pavilion is also interesting for gamers who do not like to spend 800 to 1000 Euro for a fancy gaming computer. The cons of the 15.6-incher are a short warranty period of only 12 month, the lack of GigaBit Ethernet and the inconvenient graphics switch.

Acer's Aspire V5-571G is basically interesting for user looking for an especially thin an frugal device. We also recommend the Aspire if maximum CPU performance is required while we suggest the Samsung NP355V5C-S05DE if a long battery life and/or a matte display are buying criteria.

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Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:49:12 +0100

Review Samsung Series 5 530U4C-S02 Ultrabook

Ultrabooks are growing up: one year after introducing the new laptop category, the slim and fast ultrabooks have become a real alternative to conventional office laptops. The prices are now below 1000 Euros (~$1270) and the equipment is no longer as minimalistic. Many first-generation ultrabooks did not feature an optical drive, LAN socket or dedicated graphics. But now Samsung launches a device that includes all these features so it increasingly resembles its "bigger brothers", the laptops. Samsung introduces its Series 5 530U4C-S02 from the niche category for a price below 900 Euros (~$1143) so that it becomes a direct contender of the broad lineup of office laptops. Until now, the exceptionally long battery life specified by Intel was achieved using an undemanding graphics unit that is integrated on the same chip as the processor. Owing to Nvidia's Optimus technology, i.e. the automatic switching between an integrated and a dedicated graphics card, Samsung's laptop lasts for a long time because its GeForce GT 620M is only enabled in load. Dell Inspiron M5010 battery Asus A42-G75

Like the 530U3B-A01DE and 520U3C-A01DE precursors that we reviewed, the new Series 5 ultrabook features a slim aluminum case that only differs in a few details. The most striking detail is the optical drive that has now been integrated into the slim casing. The screen has also grown from 13.3- to 14-inches although the resolution is the same 1366x768 pixels. The connectivity has also been modified. An additional USB 3.0 port and a VGA port are now installed. Lenovo Thinkpad L412 battery

The modifications inside, such as the aforementioned dedicated GeForce GT 620M, are even more exciting. However, Samsung's decision to use a CPU from the previous Sandy Bridge generation is surprising. It is Intel's Core i5-2537M. We will show to what extent this minor downgrade effects the performance based on benchmark comparisons in the corresponding section. ASUS G75 battery

Samsung also releases the same device with AMD hardware. We recently reviewed Samsung's Series 5 535U4C that features AMD's A6-4455M processor and AMD's Radeon HD 7550M graphics card. The other equipment corresponds with the Intel counterpart we are reviewing here. The AMD version of the ultrabook is approx. 100 Euros to 200 Euros (~$127 to $254) cheaper depending on the retailer. Whether the value for money ratio is better can be seen in the benchmark comparisons.

Samsung's ultrabook with dedicated graphics has to compete against contenders of other brands, which are similar in price, size, weight and performance. For example, Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge S430 features the same graphics card but a better Ivy Bridge processor. Dell's Inspiron 14z-5423 sports an Intel i5, but provides a dedicated Radeon graphics card. Dell Latitude E6410 battery

As mentioned above, Samsung's new ultrabook has grown a bit and presents better equipment than the two other series models. This is first noticed in the dimensions. The bigger screen adds approx. 2 cm to the chassis' length and width, and the optical drive increases the height by just 3 millimeters. The new hardware also adds weight: at 1.8 kg the 530U4C is roughly 400 grams heavier than the 530U3C. ASUS G75V battery

The looks and materials are unchanged - the overall silver design and the still slim build is befitting for the looks of an elegant ultrabook. The display lid is comprised of an appealing aluminum. However, the list of complaints from the 530U3B has also been adopted. The long hinge might look stable at first, but it lets the lid rock intensely on vibrating surfaces. The keyboard also still yields a bit under selective pressure. As mentioned at the time, Samsung's casing cannot compete with ultrabook contenders that are found in a four-digit range. Nevertheless, the 530U4C is still very remote from a critical insufficient. Dell Inspiron N5010 battery SAMSUNG RV511 Battery Sony VGP-BPS13A/S HP Pavilion dv6 battery ASUS W90VP battery ASUS Eee PC T91MT battery Dell Inspiron 910 battery Toshiba PA3817U-1BRS

Performance

The fact that Samsung increases the power, compared with the prior 530U3B, is pleasing at first. A dedicated GeForce GT 620M completes the ultrabook and the working memory has increased from 6 to 8 GB. In return, the 24 GB ExpressCache and the 500 GB hard drive are still the same. However, Samsung went back to the Sandy Bridge processors, built in a 32 nanometer process, and instaled Intel's Core i5-2537M in this model. The precursor already used the latest and more efficient Intel Core i5-3317U from Ivy Bridge. The fairly low price increase of approx. 100 Euros (~$127) is probably accomplished by this step backward in view of the additional equipment. Besides the processing technology, both ULV processors only differ in a few details. The i5-3317's default clock rate is only 100 MHz higher and Turbo Boost 2.0 increases it to 2600 MHz in load, while the i5-2467M's maximum clock is 2300 MHz. Lenovo Thinkpad T400 battery Asus K50AF battery HP HSTNN-F01C

Processor

The CPU benchmarks using Cinebench R10 and R11.5 provide a direct comparison of both mentioned processors. Intel's Core i5-2537M installed in this ultrabook only achieves approx. 80% of the single-core score compared with the newer Core i5-3317U installed in the precursor. The Sandy Bridge CPU even achieves 90% in the multi-core benchmark. A slightly higher clocked i5-2467M is found in Samsung's Series 5 530U3B. Considering a few measuring tolerances, the past difference of 16% to the i5-3317U corresponds to the ascertained result of 10 to 20%. HP EliteBook 8740w battery Asus X42F battery Dell Latitude D820 battery Samsung R540 battery ASUS N50V battery Sony VGP-BPS9/B battery DELL XPS 17 battery Lenovo 3000 C200 battery Fujitsu L51-3S4000-G1L1 battery

A comparison with the direct 535U4C contender, based on AMD's CPU, would also be interesting. Since Samsung's ultrabook containing AMD's hardware is around 100 Euros (~$127) cheaper, we assume it to have a somewhat weaker performance. The Cinebench comparison between the installed Intel CPU and AMD A6-4455M confirms our assumption: Intel's i5 CPU beats AMD's CPU in every benchmark by at least 30%; the i5 CPU is twice as fast in multi-core rendering. HP Pavilion dv6000 battery Dell CF623 battery

System Performance

PCMark Vantage and PCMark 7 determine an indicator for a laptop's overall performance. At first, we were surprised that the previous 530U3C, featuring one of the latest CPUs, achieved a considerably higher score in both versions. Except for the outdated CPU, the 530U4C comes with superior performance components: more RAM and a dedicated graphics card. Nevertheless, the score was roughly a quarter lower. The bottleneck is quickly found when looking at Windows Experience Index. With an index of 3.4, the i5 processor is significantly below the other indexes. The 8 GB of working memory's index is 7, which is a good rate here. Dell Latitude E6510 battery HP Compaq Business Notebook 6510b battery HP EV06 battery Dell Latitude E6400 battery Dell Latitude E6510 battery Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 battery

However, it would be wrong to conclude that the overall performance generally is a quarter lower than the precursor's. It can be said that PCMark attaches great importance to the CPU's performance, among other things, when determining the score. The user should hardly notice any differences between both ultrabook models. In any case, the model in review here will be stronger in games and 3D applications owing to the dedicated GeForce GT 620M graphics card.

The 530U4C-S02 beats the 535U4C with AMD hardware by a good quarter in the PCMark Vantage benchmark.

Storage Solution

A 500 GB Hitachi hard drive, dubbed 5K750-500, which spins with 5400 revolutions per minute, is installed. With an average read rate of around 50 MB per second, the drive is not the fastest. It does not have to be fast because it is supported by a 24 GB ExpressCache that speeds up booting and waking up from sleep drastically. However, a pure SSD solution would still be a bit better in terms of performance. Dell Latitude D420 battery Acer Aspire 5742Z battery HP COMPAQ Notebook nw8440 Mobile Workstation battery ASUS G75V battery DELL Vostro V13 battery

Graphics Card

The dedicated GeForce GT 620M supports DirectX 11 and has a dedicated memory of 1 GB. So that the plus on performance is not at the expense of battery life, Nvidia's Optimus technology automatically switches between the dedicated and integrated graphics. Intel's i5 chip sports an energy-efficient HD Graphics 3000, which is absolutely sufficient for Office applications or browsing on the internet. Dell Precision M90 battery HP EliteBook 2740p Tablet PC battery

Compared with the 530U3C, the point clearly goes to the current model with the dedicated GeForce graphics. According to the manufacturer, the Intel HD Graphics 4000 is supposed to be roughly 60% stronger than the 3000 version. However, it cannot compete with the performance of dedicated graphics cards, as the 3DMark benchmark also shows. The GeForce GT 620M's score surpasses Intel's integrated graphics by more than 60% every time in the 06, Vantage and 11 versions. Dell's Inspiron 14z with AMD's Radeon HD 7570M achieves benchmark rates that are approx. 10% lower than the GeForce contender tested here. HP Compaq Business Notebook 6730b battery Dell Inspiron 5000 battery Asus Eee PC 701 battery Dell Latitude E5410 battery DELL XPS 17 battery ASUS N53JF-XE1 battery Dell Latitude D530 battery

The 535U4C model also features a dedicated graphics card, but AMD's Radeon HD 7550M cannot hold a candle to our GeForce, as the 3DMark benchmarks show. The scores presented by AMD's graphics are about a third lower than the GeForce's results.

Gaming Performance

It would also be interesting to see how the ultrabook fares alongside the GeForce when playing games. We selected games that do not have high requirements on the GPU, but which are nevertheless currently played. Although Starcraft 2 is a bit older, it is still a popular game. It at least ran well on Samsung's ultrabook featuring Intel's Core i5-2467M and Nvidia's GeForce GT 620M. It was well-playable with 50 fps in the native resolution and medium details. Even fiercer battles should run smoothly on the ultrabook. A more sparing yet up-to-date game is the soccer simulation FIFA 13. Rates of continuous 100 fps were achieved using maximum graphics quality. Slightly more demanding games can also be played to an extent: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a role-playing game from last year, can be fun with appealing graphics on the ultrabook. Acer AS07A75 battery IBM ThinkPad T43 battery Samsung AA-PB9NC6W battery ASUS U30J battery SAMSUNG N150 battery Dell Vostro 1520 battery DELL Latitude E5520 battery

World of Tanks is a current mass-multi-player game that is also known as "Counterstrike with tanks" and is quite popular at the moment because it can be played for free. With 39 fps, the GeForce GT 620M surprisingly exhibits a lower rate than Intel's integrated HD Graphics 3000. Our benchmark of the game also shows that it does quite well. Slightly higher graphics details halved the frames per second, even on the GeForce, which restricted driving the tank.

Emissions

System Noise

Although ultrabooks are wafer-thin, they always accommodate a small, narrow case fan that is necessary as a result of their high-performance. Like its 530U3C precursor, Samsung's ultrabook is noticed quite positively here, i.e. almost not at all. The ascertained decibel rates of both models are almost on a par. It is virtually silent when the device is only used for browsing or Office applications. 31 dB can only be heard when placing an ear near the ultrabook. A quiet blowing noise is audible in more demanding applications, such as games. The fan first starts to hum quietly when it runs at full speed where both the processor and graphics card are under permanent load. The hard drive is virtually inaudible and when it produces noise, it is not as loud as the fan. Dell Inspiron 1370 battery Dell Latitude E5410 battery DELL XPS 17 battery ASUS N53JF-XE1 battery Dell Latitude D530 battery HP 484170-001 battery

Temperature

Despite the stronger graphics card, the measured temperatures were not higher than in the predecessor without a dedicated graphics. The 530U3C with an Ivy Bridge processor partly reached up to 40 °C in idle - the 530U4C featuring Intel's Core i5-2537M from the previous CPU generation in review here, reached a maximum of 38 °C. The precursor's rates were also slightly higher in the stress test that simulates full load. Both ultrabooks got palpably warm with approx. 50 °C, but not over-averagely hot. Again, the comparison with the 535U4C is interesting here. The ultrabook's AMD version exhibited virtually the same temperatures although the Intel hardware installed here is stronger, as can be seen in the benchmark comparison. HP EliteBook 8440p battery HP EliteBook 6930p battery Toshiba PABAS223 battery Acer AS07B41 battery Dell Latitude D430 battery

The processor's clock did not exhibit unusual behavior in the stress test either. Although Turbo Boost's automatic overclocking is not available during full load, the cores run stably with the default clock of 1.4 GHz. There is no need to fear CPU throttling even during performance peaks. The temperature sensors on the CPU and GPU cores did not record rates that exceeded 84 °C, which are also within a moderate range. Subsequently performed benchmarks using Cinebench and 3DMark provided scores that did not show significant differences to the device's previous cold state.

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The power consumption hardly differs from that of the precursor. All three Samsung ultrabooks have a minimum of approx. 7 watts in common and the maximum of 42 watts is insignificantly higher than that of the precursors. Owing to Nvidia's automatic graphics switching, Optimus, the more energy-efficient graphics is used in low load scenarios. It makes this low rate possible although a dedicated GeForce graphics card is installed. Dell Studio 1745 battery Lenovo Thinkpad T61 battery Sony VGP-BPS2C/S battery ASUS F50S battery Lenovo L10L6Y01 battery

The lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 45 watt hours is also still the same. As mentioned earlier, it can only be accessed when the entire bottom is opened and is consequently not as easy to replace as in a conventional 15-inch laptop. However, Samsung states a service life of up to 1500 recharging cycles.

The PSU supplies up to 65 watts and is thus perfect for the ultrabook's moderate power consumption. The precursors were equipped with 40 watt PSUs, which was close to the limit in these models. Toshiba PABAS227 battery ASUS Eee PC 1201T battery Acer AS10B3E battery Lenovo 57Y6455 battery

Battery Runtime

The BatteryEater tool again provides us with reference rates for battery runtime. Comparing it with the initial situation of the precursors, the battery capacity is the same and the power consumption is not very different either. Consequently, our battery tests exhibited a very similar result. The battery life is not much different from that of the precursors. The only exception is the maximum possible runtime that is ascertained with disabled Wi-Fi module and minimum screen brightness. With 7 hours and 4 minutes, the ultrabook we are testing here lasted for two hours less than its precursor and approx. one hour less than the even older 530U3B and the 535U4C AMD counterpart. Samsung R780 battery ASUS UX31E Ultrabook battery HP ProBook 5310m battery Compaq Presario F700 battery Dell Alienware M11x battery DELL Vostro 3450 battery

However, the question about the ultrabook's internet browsing runtime on battery power is more interesting. Our script that continuously visits different websites ran for 5 hours and 22 minutes on the 530U4C. It surpasses its 530U3C precursor by only 20 minutes and the 530U3B lasted an hour longer with the same Intel processor, but without the GeForce graphics. The user has approx. one hour less with the 535U4C AMD ultrabook.

The ultrabook achieved a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes in full load, which is roughly the same as its precursors. Overall, the device accomplishes quite good runtimes for an ultrabook. One criterion that has to be fulfilled before a subnotebook can adorn itself with Intel's "Ultrabook" label is a runtime of at least five hours. Dell Inspiron M5010 battery SAMSUNG P580 battery HP G62 battery HP HSTNN-LB33 battery Asus N73SV battery Asus A42-G74 battery Toshiba PA3780U-1BRS battery Dell Inspiron 1525 battery

The 530U4C is a worthy successor in Samsung's ultrabook series. Although Intel's Core i5-2537M from the previous Sandy Bridge generation is installed, it provides enough computing power for undemanding users alongside the dedicated GeForce GT 620M. Also, ultrabooks usually do not sport an optical drive. In this case, Samsung has managed to install one without enlarging the chassis excessively. In total, the ultrabook's weight of 1.8 kg is only approx. 350 grams heavier than the former models.

So, is the ultrabook a competitor for the laptops from the explicit multimedia category? The answer is yes and no. The 530U4C is still an inadequate compromise for the larger and much heavier multimedia laptops. Although it sports more features than the first-generation ultrabooks, it still lacks a subwoofer for a fuller sound and maybe the additional power that stronger graphics cards offer to label this device with good multimedia performance. The GeForce graphics used here principally enables gaming, but never without compromises. Users who put more value on this trait should preferably take a multimedia or gaming laptop and accept drawbacks in weight and size. HP Pavilion dv6 battery ACER Aspire One HAPPY battery Dell Inspiron 1300 battery HP Pavilion dv9000 battery HP ProBook 4710s battery Asus Eee PC T91 Tablet battery HP COMPAQ Notebook nx7400 battery

Samsung offers entry-level ultrabooks with AMD Radeon components for approx. 600 Euros (~$762), such as the 535U3C. The 13.3-inch laptop's configuration is like that of the precursors and not only has a lower price but also performance. However, the model in review here finds its direct contender in the 535U4C that features the same configuration with exception of AMD hardware. It is approximately 100 Euros to 200 Euros (~$127 to $254) cheaper, but also accordingly has a bit less power. The value for money ratio should roughly be equal. HP 484171-001 battery Acer Aspire 7736ZG battery Asus A42-A3 battery ASUS N75SF battery Compaq Presario CQ71 battery Asus N61Jv battery Apple MacBook Pro 17inch battery

With a street price of around 850 Euros (~$1079), Samsung's 530U4C is in a good midfield in terms of price and performance for ultrabooks and, like its AMD counterpart, generally a good all-rounder among the ultrabooks.

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Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:09:40 +0100

Review Toshiba Satellite Pro C870 Notebook

The Toshiba Satellite Pro C870 series is comprised of 17.3-inch notebooks for the business environment in the low-to-mid price range. About two years ago, we reviewed a precursor to the series, the Toshiba Satellite Pro L670-170. The Satellite Pro C870-11R notebook we have been provided to review, at about 500 Euros (~$637), is currently the cheapest model in this series. The device is powered by an Intel Core i3-2350M dual-core processor, and has four gigabytes of memory to work with. The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is responsible for the graphic display; a 500 GB hard drive serves as the data storage unit; and a DVD-burner is also at your disposal. Lenovo Thinkpad T400 Battery ThinkPad X230i Battery

To judge the comparative quality of the notebook, we will put the competing Acer Aspire 7739Z-P624650MNKK (Intel Pentium P6200, Intel GMA HD) and Samsung Series 3 305E7A-S03DE (AMD A6-3420M, AMD Radeon HD 6540G2) onto the field.

Case

The Toshiba Satellite Pro C870 can't deny its familial ties to the Toshiba Satellite Pro L670-170. The case is completely made of matte-black plastic. A shiny plastic ring surrounding the touchpad is the only exception. The backside of the lid, the palm rest and the touchpad all have ribbed surfaces. Thanks to this surface design, the case hardly shows any fingerprints and is also very easy to grip. Visually the case is clearly tending towards the austere, which again underlines its claim to be a work computer. The Samsung Series 3 and the Acer Aspire are similarly outfitted with purely plastic cases. Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Battery Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Battery Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 Battery Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Battery

The base unit gives an impression of general stability and hardly yields when pressure is applied. It does have one weakness, however: the edge over the disk drive is quite unstable and gives fairly easily. The lid of the notebook can be bent using little force, and the backside of the lid also gives easily. The hinges hold the lid tightly in place and rock back-and-forth a little. It is not possible to open the notebook using just one hand; the hinges are too tightly adjusted for that.

Performance

With the Satellite Pro C870 series, Toshiba offers a line of simple and inexpensive 17.3-inch notebooks for the business arena. It is also suitable, however, for private users who are looking for a cheap DTR notebook. The device offers sufficient performance for daily computer activities. The Toshiba website currently lists four models for the C870 line. The models differentiate themselves in processors and hard drives. Our test device represents the most inexpensive model in the series and is currently available for around 500 Euros (~$637). Lenovo S200 Battery ThinkPad Edge 14 inch Battery Lenovo V370 Battery

Performance

Gaming Performance
The Satellite Pro C870 presents itself first and foremost as a work device. Anyone who wants to play elaborate 3D games is looking in the wrong place. The C870 produces fluid frame rates only at low resolutions and even then at low quality. However, things don't look so bad if you want to play games that demand less of the hardware, for example the FIFA series. LENOVO ThinkPad X220 Battery Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Battery LENOVO IdeaPad U300s Battery

Toshiba has a handle on the heat generation of the Satellite Pro C780. In idle mode the 17-incher reaches between 23.3 and 34.7 degrees Celsius (~74 and 94.5 °F) both on the top and bottom of the device. Running at full capacity (Prime 95 and FurMark working simultaneously) the temperatures rise to between 24 and 37.6 degrees Celsius (~75 and ~100 °F). In both instances you could lay the notebook on your lap without a problem. The palm rest is also a comfortable work surface, since its temperature never exceeds the 30 degrees Celsius (86 °F) mark.

Both the CPU and the GPU constantly work at full speed both in the battery and AC modes during the stress tests (Prime95 and FurMark working simultaneously for at least an hour). We did not detect any throttling. The CPU temperature levels off at around 67 degrees Celsius (152.6 °F) during the tests. Lenovo Thinkpad T420S Battery LENOVO IdeaPad Y570 Battery

Power Consumption
In idle mode we read a power draw of between 8.2 and 14.8 Watts. With that result the C870 lies on average at the same level as the Samsung Series 3 305E7A-S03DE. The Acer Aspire 7739Z reveals itself to be a good bit hungrier and indulges itself in a power consumption rate of 11.3 to 20.4 Watts. At full capacity (Prime95 and FurMark running simultaneously) the power consumption rates of both the C870 and the Acer device rise to 53.3 Watts. The Samsung model reaches a value here of 56.1 Watts. At half capacity (3D Mark 06 running), the C870 needs 41.4 Watts: exactly 2.1 Watts more than the Samsung notebook and 6.5 Watts more than the Acer notebook.

Battery Life
With the notebook in idle mode, the C870's battery holds out 6:15 hrs (Samsung 5:26 hrs, Acer 4:30 hrs). The idle mode is checked with the help of the Battery Eater Reader's test - with the screen running at minimum brightness, the energy-saving profile activated, and the wireless module turned off. In load mode the Satellite Pro reaches a runtime of 1:16 hrs. The Samsung battery dies out five minutes earlier. For the load analysis the Battery Eater Classic test runs on the notebook - here the screen glows at full brightness, and both the high performance profile and the wireless module are activated. Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Battery LENOVO IdeaPad U310 Battery Toshiba PA5023U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA5024U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA5025U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA5027U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA3591U-1BAS Battery Toshiba PA3382U-1BRS Battery

On the C870 the WLAN test reaches a runtime of 3:53 hrs (Samsung: 3:27, Acer: 1:32 hrs). During this test websites are automatically loaded at 40-second intervals. The energy-saving profile is active and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². In the DVD test, the Satellite Pro C870 makes it to a runtime of 2:58 hrs (Samsung: 2:24 hrs). In this test the wireless module is turned off, the display works at full brightness and either the energy-saving profile or a higher profile (if the DVD doesn't play fluidly) is used.

The runtimes of the three competitors are relatively easy to compare, since they all have one battery with a storage capacity of 48 Wh at their disposal. Without a doubt, the Toshiba device reaches the best battery run times. Toshiba PA3783U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA3757U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PA3634U-1BRS Battery Toshiba PABAS259 PABAS260 Battery

The Toshiba Satellite Pro can be recommended solely for the office. It offers more than enough performance capability for all common usage scenarios and provides a large, satisfying display. This recommendation is restricted to office use due to dissatisfaction with the keyboard. Prolific writers would be rather unhappy with the C870's keyboard and should look to the Samsung Series 3 305E7A-S03DE instead. Anyone who seldom or never writes long texts would be able to live with the keyboard. The Acer Aspire 7739Z-P624650MNKK is recommendable only if price is the main criterion in choosing a notebook. The Acer notebook is currently available in the Acer Aspire 7739 (without a "Z" at the end) variant for about 400 Euros (~$509).

ELM327 Interface USB V1.4 OBD 3 Auto Diagnostic Scanner Tool

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 03:35:17 +0100

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Lenovo L08S6CO2 battery

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:25:17 +0100

Review Lenovo ThinkPad X121e NWS5QGE Subnotebook

The ThinkPad X121e is the successor of the ThinkPad X100e and should be able to do everything a little bit better. Longer battery life, less heat generation, rounded off with more performance are the basic goals. Lenovo L08O4C02 battery With the current model, you can choose from several CPU models. While the X100e was only available with AMD processors, you can now also pick an Intel Core i3-2357M CPU. This Intel version has already been tested by our U.S. editors.

We have here the AMD version with a Fusion E-350 CPU with its integrated Radeon HD 6310. A further alternative is available with the AMD C-50 CPU and a HD 6250 GPU, which can be configured in Lenovo's Web-Shop. Further appointments of our test model are comprised of a matte 11.6" display, a 320GB hard drive and 4GByte RAM. Lenovo L08O4CO2 battery The unit comes without operating system, reducing the cost to a particularly low 370.- euros.

The look of the small X-series entry level notebooks fits perfectly into the line's concept. Design gimmicks are absent, the case is as sober as ThinkPad aficionados prefer. The black textured plastic gains a little highlight with the familiar red elements of the track point assembly. If the red display variant will be liked by the existing patrons will depend on individual taste. Pictures of this version can be seen in the test of the ThinkPad X121e with Intel CPU. Lenovo L08O6C02 battery

While the look of our test unit is alright, one has to accept a number of drawbacks in regards to case quality. The wrist rest is generally firm, but can be noticeably depressed when clicking the touch pad buttons. A further weakness is the large cutout for the battery at the rear. Here, it is possible to flex the housing by pushing and pulling, causing creaking sounds here and there. At least, the battery fits almost perfectly and has minimal play. Lenovo L08O6CO2 battery The hinges hold the display properly in position, and the display lid makes a solid impression overall. The bottom is also sturdy, in spite of a large access cover, and only gives with stronger pressure in narrowly localized spots. All relevant components are easy to reach, thanks to the large access cover. Removal of keyboard and wrist rest to add a UMTS module, for example is unnecessary. Hard drive, RAM and wireless modules are easy to exchange after removal of 3 small screws.

Lenovo L08S6C02 battery The unit is smaller than the X220, but it fails to gain an advantage in weight. With 1.54 kg (3.4 lbs) it matches the weight of the X220 with IPS panel we tested before. The 11.6" subnotebook is mobile none the less, and using the available 3 cell battery, you can shave about 100 gram (0.22 lbs) off the weight. There was no cost cutting in regards to the significantly over-sized 65 Watt standard Lenovo power supply, which can be left at home most of the time, with its weight of 360 gram (0.79 lbs)

Performance

Lenovo L08S6CO2 battery Like all currently available pre-configured AMD models, 0ur test model sports the AMD Fusion E-350 APU, containing a dual core CPU, GPU and memory controller. The processor is clocked at 1.6 GHz and sports a 1 MB L2 cache (2x 512kB). This CPU does not offer hyper threading or turbo boost. At least the integrated Radeon HD 6310 with UVD3 video processor and 80 Shader units is pretty potent for an integrated GPU and can accomplish many of the usual tasks. The GPU core is clocked at 493 MHz and uses shared RAM as usual. Lenovo L08S6D02 battery According to the spec sheet, the memory controller disposes only a single channel. Since there is no dual channel operation, different RAM configurations should have no effect on performance. We performed several tests in that regard and will come back to this subject later on.

The alternative configuration with the AMD Fusion C-50, available in Lenovo's online shop, sports a nearly identical setup, but was optimized for a lower thermal design power (TDP) of 9 Watt instead of 18 Watt. Thus, the CPU is clocked at a mere 1 GHz, and the GPU (HD 6250) tops out at 280 MHz. Performance should be comparable to an Intel Atom Z550 CPU, we tested this combination in the Iconia Tab W500.The Fusion C-50 APU could be an alternative for those who seek a cool, (probably) silent computer with long battery life, in trade for lower performance. Lenovo LO8L6C02 battery

Battery Life

The ThinkPad X121e can be configured at Lenovo's online shop with either a 3 cell battery (which seems to only be available during the system's configuration and not as a separate accessory), or a 6 cell battery (63 Wh, 0A36292). Separately, the 6 cell battery sets you back 120.- euros, the price increase from the 3 cell battery is just under 16.- euros, during system configuration in the online shop. Our test model sports the bigger 63 Wh battery, which makes an important contribution to the good battery life. Lenovo LO8N6Y02 battery

An equal contribution is made by the power consumption we measured. With a minimum of 6 Watts (minimal brightness, energy saver profile, WIFI deactivated) up to a maximum of 24.2 Watts (maximum brightness, maximum performance profile, WIFI on), the X121e remains frugal in all modes.

Lenovo LO8O4C02 battery Both factors had a very positive effect on battery life. With the Battery Eater Readers Test (minimal brightness, energy saver profile, WIFI deactivated), we achieved a runtime of 677 minutes. With these settings, the CPU is clocked at 800 MHz and the GPU runs at 280 MHz. Because the notebook wasn't useable with the minimum brightness setting, we repeated the test with maximum brightness and activated Wireless modules, which reduced the runtime to 498 minutes.

Lenovo LO8O6C02 battery When conveniently surfing over WIFI, we were left with 432 minutes. Stutter free playback of a DVD video from the hard drive, using the MPC Home Cinema Player (28% CPU load) ran for 316 minutes. The Battery Eater Classic test (maximum brightness, maximum performance profile, AMD HD6320 max. performance in battery mode, WIFI and Bluethooth on) could still reach 211 minutes, and rounded out our battery tests positively.

Verdict

Lenovo LO8S6C02 battery The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e could not match the case qualities of the X-series, but reached a competitive level, that compares with many subnotebooks. The installed interfaces cover a wide spectrum, though connector positioning is partly unfavorable, which may cause issues. Also unpleasant is the relatively high noise level under minor load, but in return, the surfaces remain very cool.

Performance ranges between netbooks and entry level Core i3 systems. HD videos play smoothly, office tasks can be conducted fluidly and without problem and the speedy hard drive offers sufficent space for data with its 320 GB. Playing games is possible, but only at low resolution and low quality settings. IBM 02K6821 battery

The matte display offers good brightness and is evenly lit. Contrast and viewing angles are on the same level as common notebook displays.

Very positive is the easy access of components, through the access cover in the notebook bottom, which makes upgrades fast, without requiring much effort

The greatest advantage has to be the high level of mobility for an 11.6" notebook. With realistic runtimes of more than 7 hours and a weight of 1.54 kg (3.5 lbs), you will find it to be a solid companion that keeps on ticking, without increasing the size of your bag too much. IBM 02K6822 battery

Overall, the entry level ThinkPad offers a lot of performance, features, battery life and upgrade options; at current prices below 400.- euros, it is unique in this combination and price range.

Review Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E520 Notebook

Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge series is aimed at buyers who find standard ThinkPads too expensive or too dull. The top tier of the Edge series comprises of the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520, the smaller E420 and the previously tested E420s (the two should not be confused with each other). The E520 is quite different from the usual B2B notebooks. The laptop has a matt 15.6 inch display and a subtle design. IBM 02K6823V battery The front of the laptop is angled like a wedge and the laptop manages to leave a good impression even without the use of shiny lacquer. The notebook runs on the latest hardware, and the user can customize the laptop extensively before purchasing. We picked the mainstream configuration which offers an Intel Core i5-2410M, an AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics chip and 4 GB of RAM.

IBM 02K6824 battery Lenovo will soon release the ThinkPad Edge E425 and E525, both of which use the new AMD Llano-APUs instead of the popular Intel mobile CPUs. In the USA, these notebooks will be available starting at 549 US dollars. Currently, our test model is priced (the mainstream configuration without UMTS module) costs around 650 Euros. In the following review, we will push the laptop through a variety of benchmarks and tests. The ThinkPad Edge E420s may not have made the cut, but the question remains: has Lenovo found the perfect middle-ground between cheap mainstream notebooks and expensive high-end business devices in the ThinkPad Edge E520? IBM 02K6825 battery

Case

"New Design. New Form. And Better Than Ever." - Lenovo gives the E520 wholehearted support, as is apparent from the above motto. It seems that they might be promising too much as the test model before us seems rather chunky with a weight of 2.46 kilograms and a (maximum) height of 33 millimeters. The matt black surface has a nice "Soft touch" surface coating and the front of the case flattens abruptly like a wedge. IBM 02K6829V battery The colors available for this model may not be extravagant, but the robust case makes up for it. The case is hard to scratch, but fingerprints accumulate quickly. The workmanship of the notebook is disappointing: the synthetic material used for the case looks cheap in parts, the battery sits loosely, and the display cover is weak.

The sturdiness of the base left us divided. On the one hand, the hand-rest regions proved to be quite resistant, whereas the keyboard gives way near the middle and above the DVD drive. Lenovo has picked high-quality metal hinges for the E520. The black hinges manage to hold the display with minimal movement most of the time. IBM 02K6830V battery However, when the display is pushed backwards, the hinges have a hard time holding it securely. This is especially evident when the display is opened at angles between 160 degrees and 180 degrees.

A T-shaped flap on the bottom of the laptop hides the RAM and the hard disk. Once removed, the RAM and the hard disk can be easily swapped out or upgraded. Unfortunately, the case fans can not be reached, which means that there is no way to clean out the dust which gather over time. The ThinkPad Edge E520 is set apart from typical business notebooks due to the missing docking interface at the bottom of the laptop. IBM 02K6831 battery

Performance

Who says that office notebooks have to be slow and can only be used as mobile typewriters? Lenovo offers a variety of configurations for our test model. We picked the Intel Core i5-2410M (dual-core) as our CPU, as it is currently the fastest processor available for the E520. The CPU has a 3 MB L3 cache and runs at 2.3 to 2.9 GHz (thanks to Intel Turbo Boost). Overall, this processor is a popular choice for laptops under 1000 Euros. IBM 02K6832 battery

The E520 has two graphic chips: the Intel GMA HD 3000 (integrated in the CPU) and the dedicated AMD Radeon HD 6630M GPU, which has a core speed of 485 MHz and 1 GB VRAM. Thanks to AMD's PowerXpress 4.0 alias "BACON" the laptop can automatically switch between graphic chips. The software still has a few kinks: some programs are not recognized which means that the user has to manually pick the desired graphic card. The hardware of the notebook is rounded off with 4 GB RAM (max. 8 GB on two slots) and a 500 GB hard disk. Lenovo 42T4889 battery

Battery Life

The built-in hardware offers good performance and decent energy saving. The system saves a lot of power thanks to the "Energy Saver" of the Intel Core i5-2410M, which drops the CPU clock frequency to 800 MHz when it is idle, and the automatic graphics switching technology, which switches between the integrated CPU graphics and the dedicated AMD GPU. The maximum power consumption of 61 W is in the green region for this configuration and laptop class. The laptop consumes between 6.7 to 11.2 watts while idle. These values are similar to those of the latest netbooks. Lenovo 42T4891 battery

The resulting power consumption should be sated by a 6 cell battery with a capacity of 48 W. Lenovo places its model in the middle field with this solution, and for longer life a battery with more capacity or a second battery will have to be bought separately.

Lenovo 42T4893 battery Thanks to the 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery the laptop has acceptable run times for an office notebook. With minimal brightness (10 cd/m²), the use of the integrated Intel GMA HD 3000 graphics and deactivated WLAN module, the laptop can last up to 6 hours and 34 minutes (Reader's Test). In contrast, in the Classic Test, which runs an OpenGL calculation with maximum brightness, activated AMD Radeon HD 6630M and the WLAN module turned on, the run times drastically drop to 67 minutes (the minimum).

Lenovo 42T4894 battery These two measurements show the extremes of the laptop run times. The measurement of the run time while "surfing with the WLAN" or "watching a DVD" represents a more realistic average run time. The run time of 4 hours and 46 minutes (watching a DVD) and 5 hours and 32 minutes (while surfing on the internet using the WLAN) shows that the laptop has pretty good run times, but is not exceptional.

Lenovo 42T4895 battery The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 is quite good as a middle-ground between expensive business laptops and cheap consumer notebooks. However, the laptop has a few flaws. As our test model revealed, the surfaces have a nice "Soft Touch" coating, but the case itself is not very slim, and the workmanship and sturdiness are less than optimal. The connectivity is good (except for the missing USB 3.0 port) and is complemented well by the latest communication modules. The input devices include a separate numeric pad, and are quite good as they are well-known by customers. The matt 15.6 inch screen is obligatory for laptops with the "ThinkPad" title. Sadly, the panel from AUO lacks good values. Lenovo 42T4897 battery

In respect to performance the laptop leaves no stone unturned. Office and multimedia tasks can be dealt with without any problems. Additional plus points are earned thanks to the energy saving hardware which results in low power consumption while the laptop is idle, and thus good battery run times. There are a few major flaws, such as the loud DVD drive, the high case temperatures (while the laptop is under heavy load) and the short guarantee period of 12 months. Lenovo 57Y4558 battery Overall, the laptop is a good deal for 650 Euros and can be a decent alternative to some glossy plastic 15.6 inch mainstream models. However, a few aspects could have been better.

Dell KD186

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 02:51:09 +0100

Review Dell Precision M4600 Notebook

Workstations are viewed by many users as the elite class of mobile notebooks, since they possess high performance reserves and good features, as well as satisfying other aspects such as upgradability, reliability and compatibility, to a certain extent. Dell UD535 A long availability of replacement parts, guaranteed software compatibility, generous warranty periods, and support services are also provided by the manufacturers, even if at a nice premium though. It should therefore come as no surprise that the basic version already costs in excess of 1000 Euros after tax.

Alone the configuration possibilities in the Dell online shop are already surprisingly elaborate, and cover a large number of individual requirements. Six different dual-core and quad-core CPUs, four displays, and three graphics cards are available for selection. With a slightly adjusted configuration the 2000 Euro mark can quickly be reached, especially since even smaller features such as a webcam and a backlit keyboard require an additional expense. Dell TD612 More affordable and better equipped models are partially preconfigured, and are available from various online retailers. Our reviewed model represents one of the higher performance configurations, and provides an Intel Core i7-2920XM CPU, Nvidia Quadro 2000M graphics, 256 GB Solid State Drive, Blu-ray, Full HD display, and much more which we will elaborate on in this review. The price however already lies at over 3000 Euros after tax, and underscores the premium demands associated with it. Dell TD611

The case, as has already been mentioned, has been completely renewed and doesn't have anything in common with the predecessor model Precision M4500, with the exception of many good features. What stands out is the metallic exterior with an unusual umber brown color scheme. The adopted materials altogether make a robust and high quality impression, although the work area surfaces are made of plastic. There aren't any shortcomings in this area though. Dell TD429 The palm resting area is firm, the gaps are even, and the surface feels pleasant. The same is true to a similar extent for the display lid, which can be warped a little with some force, but also makes a very robust impression. The back of the lid can be dented a little, but changes on the display are not generated as a result. The display hinges are more rigid than usual, and can be operated in both directions with one hand. The battery integrated into the front also assists in this case, since it provides for the necessary counterweight under the palm resting area. Dell KD186

However, the battery is also responsible for the first real point of criticism, since this sits relatively loosely in the case, and in addition contains one of the four feet. If the battery is removed the case is no longer stable and dips down towards the front right. Otherwise the base unit is very firm due to the omission of any maintenance panels. This has the disadvantage though that the whole base plate or the keyboard have to be removed in order to exchange or upgrade components. Dell HD438 To reach the mass storage for example seven screws have to be removed. There is no exchange shaft for quick swapping of drives. We also found the rigid power cable which stands out towards the back unpractical, since this always necessitates a certain gap at the back of the notebook.

The measured weight of our reviewed device is approximately 3.2 kg, which is relatively heavy for a 15" notebook. Other than this the dimensions of 376 (W) x 256 (D) x 36.5 (H) mm also exceed the usual by several millimeters. The bulky overall impression is however created by the omission of curved surfaces on the case, which at least provide for an optically slim impression on many competitor models. Dell CGR-B-6E1XX

Performance

Our configuration of the Dell Precision M4600 definitely has high performance components. Intel's Core i7-2920XM quad-core CPU is currently the third fastest mobile CPU (see our comprehensive CPU benchmark list), and the Nvidia Quadro 2000M belongs among the most powerful professional graphics chips, which is optimized for use with CAD software. There is therefore no need for concern when it comes to worrying about a lack of performance from this workstation. Dell 312-0416 What is also outstanding are the RAM possibilities: In altogether four sockets the quad-core variants can address up to 32 GB of DDR3 RAM. Models with the dual-core CPU in contrast have to make due with 16 GB. In our reviewed model the two sockets under the base plate are fitted with two 4 GB modules, and both of the slots under the keyboard were empty. There is hence still more than enough room for upgrade potential. Dell 312-0366

Since the full graphics performance is not always required, the system can use the Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics core integrated into the processor during times of low graphics load instead of the Quadro-GPU, thanks to Nvidia's Optimus technology. The best graphics processor for the particular task can be chosen either automatically or manually. Optimus can be deactivated in the BIOS, following which only the Nvidia graphics are available. We only tried this briefly, and didn't carry out any performance tests. Dell 0XD184

The CPU benchmark results provide the expected outstandingly good scores. Cinebench R10 Multi-CPU Rendering for example results in 20651 points, and the wPrime-1024m calculation is completed after 274 seconds. This shows that above all else multi-core applications profit from the high performance of the i7-2920XM CPU. Since the difference compared to the significantly more affordable Intel Core i7-2820QM CPU (Thinkpad W520) is however relatively small, only performance enthusiasts are likely to opt for the variant in our reviewed model. Dell PU556

For the processing of displayed images Dell provides a choice of three dedicated graphics chips: ATI FirePro M5950, Nvidia Quadro 1000M and Nvidia Quadro 2000M. The latter is included in the reviewed model, and represents the most expensive and thus also the most powerful variant. The ATI solution is not compatible with the IPS RGB Full HD display though. Dell WR053

The GPU benchmark results are convincing, and rank more or less between those from an AMD Radeon HD 5850 and Nvidia GTX 460M. 6659 points with 3D Mark Vantage, 1421 points with 3D Mark 11, and 38.44 points with Cinebench R11 OpenGL shading speak for good performance capabilities.

Dell 312-0567 The performance only varies marginally depending on whether the notebook is used with the power connected and the battery attached, or with the power connected without the battery attached. A few points more or less here or there are also scored following successive iterations of benchmarks under identical conditions. A clearly noticeable performance reduction when battery powered becomes apparent when it comes to the graphics performance though. Dell 0WR053 Under these conditions the GPU clock speed reduces to a mere 202 MHz, and provides up to 70% less performance with graphics intensive applications. The setting 'prefer maximum performance' in the Nvidia graphics driver doesn't improve this either. When it comes to the CPU performance we weren't able to detect a similar behavior. In addition there was no CPU throttling during the test. The AC adapter is sufficiently rated, and the good ventilation prevents any potential thermal problems. Dell PU563

Battery Life

Dell generally provides three different batteries for the Precision M4600. The online shop currently only allows the workstation to be equipped with the small 60 Wh battery though. Our reviewed device used the 97 Wh battery (143 Euros, 451-11742), and a further 87 Wh battery (132 Euros, 451-11744) is currently only available as an accessory or from other online retailers in preconfigured models. Dell 312-0543

The measured power consumption with the power connected spans from a minimum of 12.3 Watts to 104 Watts with a medium load, up to a maximum of 156.7 Watts with a full load. This power can be provided by the 180 Watt AC adapter at all times. Throttling due to a too low rated AC adapter, such as for example with the Lenovo ThinkPad X220 or the Apple MacBook Pro, wasn't detected by us. Bttery for Dell 2G218

The battery life is fortunately very good during use with moderate power consumption when carrying out tasks with a low load thanks to the very high capacity battery. During the Battery Eater Readers Test (minimum display brightness, Dell Maximum Battery Life, all wireless modules disabled) we reached a maximum battery life of 646 minutes. With an adjusted brightness (level 7, 200 cd/m²), enabled wireless modules, and using the power saving plan, we were able to surf the web for about 418 minutes and movies lasted for just over 5 hours with the full brightness. Bttery for Dell 2G248 During the Battery Eater Classic Test (maximum performance, everything enabled, maximum display brightness) the battery lasted for 73 minutes, whereby the clock speed reduction of the GPU when battery powered also played a part in achieving the relatively good battery life.

Verdict

Dell Precision M4600

The system noise is not only very low for a professional device of this type, but also ensures that the Precision M4600 is generally one of the especially quiet notebooks despite high performance components. This is made possible thanks to Nvidia Optimus, a successful cooling system, and the almost completely quiet SSD. Bttery for Dell 2N135

The fact that this success doesn't come at the expense of the heat generated or the performance capabilities is a further aspect that speaks in favor of quality of the Dell Precision. The test results are on a very elevated level, and also remain stable during consistent load. While the CPU performance makes an impact in all areas, the professional Nvidia Quadro graphics chip can show its strengths with CAD applications. Bttery for Dell 312-0022 Small disadvantage: When battery powered, the graphics performance is reduced.

The display provides many positive characteristics, and belongs among the above average variants that are currently available for notebooks. Very bright, with good contrast, and a matte display surface - all features that are tarnished by the uneven illumination of the display, which can become noticeable depending on the application area.

Smaller limitations such as the difficult to reach internal components, or the missing module shaft, can be overlooked in light of the exemplary selection of interfaces and the configuration possibilities. Bttery for Dell 461-7299

The only really detrimental disadvantage of our reviewed configuration is the enormously high price of currently about 3800 Euros. With some omissions and a well selected configuration it is however also possible to take advantage of many of the advantages with a more affordable assembly, and to make a high performance entry into the world of workstations. Bttery for Dell 6P848

A good alternative to Dell's online shop is meanwhile also provided by the usual notebook retailers, who have attractive affordable models that have been thoroughly tested.

Review Sony S1 SGP-T111DE/S Tablet

When Sony makes an attempt at a new product, it tries to capture the aura of both uniqueness and surprise in hardware, plastic and commercials. So it has happened with the Sony tablet, which is not sold under the sub-branding "Vaio", but under the trademark "Sony". Bttery for Dell 7F948

If "Vaio" stands for notebooks, "Bravia" for televisions and "PlayStation" for gaming consoles, why is there no "Tabea" or "Bronko" for the new category of tablet PCs? The marketing as "Sony Tablet" could be seen as the high rank that the Japanese ascribe to the tablets. But it's more likely that the brand awareness "Sony" is to be directly radiated on the tablet. Later, when the tablet sales figures bear fruit and the products vary (screen sizes, application fields, etc.), an own brand might be created. Bttery for Dell 8F871

Sony is well-advised with carefully entering the tablet market. The early adopters among the customers, excluding those who are already iPad fans, have equipped themselves with an Optimus Pad, a Motorola Xoom or a Samsung Galaxy Tab. These iPad alternatives have been available since the fall of 2010.

The Sony S range now encounters a matured tablet market split up between Android and Apple iOS. WebOS has disappeared from the market in the meantime. A deterrent example, that subsequently reinforced Sony's decision for Android (here 3.1). Had Sony developed its own tablet OS so late in the day, it would have quickly placed the S series on the sidelines. Bttery for Dell A5534524

We would like to present the Sony Tablet S and its hardware and software, and answer the question: Is it just another Android tablet or a fresh alternative to the "established" tablets.

We have to admit: Sony's search for a unique tablet form was worthwhile. It doubtlessly wasn't easy to plant the unexciting tablet size, 9.4 inches here, into an unprecedented shape. The chassis has been inspired by a folded over magazine. The unsymmetrical form jams like a wedge between the fingers and offers plenty of room for different and thus varied holding positions. The picture is tilted according to the position. Bttery for Dell BAT3151L6

The Sony S is entirely made of plastic, but is very stable and firm. The battery is built-in as usual, but not soldered. We couldn't resist and removed the many screws and covers to take out the battery. The first and most important step is to remove the two screws beneath the glued feet. On the way to the battery, we noticed the stable plastic cage that provides a good torsional stiffness as a screen substructure in association with the mounting plate (comparatively heavy). We wouldn't recommend taking the device apart. The battery is the only part that can be exchanged. Bttery for Dell BATACY13C8

The 591 gram Sony S isn't extraordinarily light in comparison to other tablets. An iPad 2 (9.7 inch, 601 grams) is almost just as heavy, but has a lighter power adapter (95 grams rather than 139 grams). The LG Optimus Pad V900 (8.9 inch, 623 grams) weighs a bit more. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v (10.1 inch, 574/65 grams) weighs slightly less and has an extremely light power adapter. Bttery for Dell BATACY13L8

Overall, we find the tablet comfortable to hold. The 9.4 inch device is very pleasant to hold because of the recesses on the sides. It gives the fingers a non-slip grip everywhere. The glossy, dotted flipside resists fingerprints quiet well, unlike the glossy screen surface that - like unfortunately common for tablets - accumulates a sea of greasy fingerprints. The power button is easy to find and only the adjacent volume controls need a bit of practice. Bttery for Dell BATCY13L8

Battery Life

We measure the Sony S1's power consumption with a voltmeter that is plugged into the tablet's 30 watt power adapter. The battery was fully charged for all measurements. The S1 needs 3.1 to 6 watts in idle. This is quite a vast range that is very close to the load power consumption of 6.3 watts. That is a typical rate for Tegra 2 systems: LG V900 (7.0w), Galaxy Tab 10.1 (8.2w), Motorola Xoom (6.3w). Bttery for Dell MCY13

Striking and relevant for practical use is the comparatively high standby consumption of 1.6 watts. On the other hand, the Motorola Xoom (0.1w) is very economic. The consumption of a Galaxy Tab 10.1 (0.6w) and an LG V900 (0.15w) is also still reasonable. The result of this "leakage" current was that the battery capacity dropped from 75 to 69% within seven hours of standby. Bttery for Dell 1G222

An 18.5 Wh lithium ion battery is responsible for the battery life of up to just under seven hours. This capacity is very low compared with other tablets: iPad2 (25 Wh), Acer Iconia Tab (35 Wh), Motorola Xoom (24.5 Wh). The thus determined battery life turns out poor in comparison. The S1 manages 5:30 hours in the mixed test (WLAN test) at medium brightness. This test is a mix of website browsing and watching video clips. The Galaxy Tab 10.1v (9:35) leaves all others far behind in this test. The LG V900 (7:15), iPad2 (7:30) and Motorola Xoom (7:26) also last longer. Bttery for Dell BAT3151L8

The S1 proves to be a bit more frugal when playing a video clip (DVD test). 6:28 hours are possible when the wireless modules are disabled. The stress test was comprised of a video loop (720 p), a large number of opened games, as well as the maximum brightness in the case of S1. The Sony tablet is drained after 3:52 hours.

Verdict

Bttery for Dell W0391 With the S1, Sony has a tablet in its range that can keep up with the best Android tablets on the market. Multitasking with Tegra 2 is fast and even stays stable with dozens of opened apps. Honeycomb's multi-touch functionality is fun to use and the Android market, respectively Tegra Zone, offers (increasing) loads of applications and games.

Thus, the S1 meets the expectations that we place on tablet PC based on Android - and is capable of more. The color and viewing angle strong IPS screen is very bright. The display is only marred by reflections in sunlight. Bttery for Dell 312-0148 The small, yet light case's mobility has a shortcoming in terms of battery life. 5:30 hours are a long time for notebooks, but a good tablet should last for 7:30 up to nearly 10 hours (WLAN test). The competition makes this possible.

The full size SD card reader seems to be praiseworthy (not MicroSD!). Unfortunately, the benefit of an additional memory of up to 32 GB is minor because videos and music can't be played from the SD directly. These files first have to be copied onto the small internal memory (16 GB). Bttery for Dell 312-0106

Finally, there is the price of 479€ for Sony's S tablet WiFi (16 GB). It is even competitive because the adversaries demand just about as much. Motorola's Xoom is available for starting at 450€, just like Apple's iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab 10.1, currently not available in German retail because of the Apple lawsuit, was available for 450€. Even the Eee Pad Slider with a built-in keyboard is available for starting at 499€. Bttery for Dell X0968

If the best possible battery life is not an issue, the buyer is well advised with the Sony S tablet. The customer can get the Android feeling from other manufacturers, but none of the cases have such a unique form.

Dell GRNX5 battery

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:10:16 +0100

Dell Latitude E6220 Laptop Review

The revamped Latitude E-family is a series of laptops and subnotebooks aimed in two directions, like Janus of Roman religion and mythology: towards the upscale market, dominated by Apple's MacBook and the lightweight MacBook Air, and simultaneously towards the rugged business computing market, currently shared with Lenovo's ThinkPad and HP's Elitebook line. Dell 0C852J battery

This particular model, the Latitude E6220, lends itself naturally to comparison with Lenovo's ThinkPad X220 and HP's EliteBook 2560p, both ruggedized business laptops; therefore, much of this review will reference those two (sub)notebooks.

Case

Dell 0F310J battery For a 12-inch subnotebook, the E6220 is a little on the chunky side (over 3 pounds), but for good reason – the thing is built like a tank, thanks to its "Tri-Metal construction", which we took to mean its liberal use of anodized aluminum, ABS plastic, and powder-coated magnesium alloy. There is absolutely no flex in the keyboard, palm rests, touchpad, or screen hinges. Unfortunately, although the LCD screen is protected by a half-inch thick, matte-black padded bumper, the screen can still be flexed by a millimeter or two when grasped on both sides and flexed back and forth, causing distortions in the LCD's image. Dell 312-0944 C852J battery For a laptop intended to be rugged enough for everyday use on the move, one would have thought that Dell would have better protected perhaps its most important component. Additionally, the brushed-metal screen lid looks great, but tends to scratch easily and trap fingerprints, and requires a good scrubbing every now and then to keep clean. That being said, the overall aesthetic is restrained and functional, with gray and black punctuated with keyboard accents of white and burnt orange. Dell F310J battery

As far as weight is concerned, the Latitude E6220 represents a happy medium between its closest competitors, the ThinkPad x220 (<3 pounds) and HP EliteBook 2560p (4.3 pounds); mind you, part of the reason the HP weighs so much more is the presence of an optical drive.

An excellent design choice on the part of Dell's engineers was to place the exhaust slot on the left side of the laptop; this prevents the notebook from roasting one's legs when it sits in the lap, and gives it a handy advantage over the ThinkPad x220, which features a rear-facing exhaust ventilation slot. Dell H134J battery However, there are three other choices Dell should have made:

Incorporating a brushed-metal palm rest below the keyboard; the default plastic palm rest is good, and tends to remain cool in most use scenarios, but tends to warm up one's hands uncomfortably during long typing sessions.
Adding some way of keeping the display locked while closed; this adds security during transportation, and is used on most of the higher-spec Latitude E-family.
Allowing the laptop screen to be folded fully back when the 6-cell battery (installed on our review model) is used. Currently, the screen can be opened up to an angle of about 140° with respect to the base; although adequate for most working conditions, it becomes a liability in cramped spaces (such as the inside of a train car, for example), where elevating and angling the laptop towards oneself means that the poor vertical viewing angles of the LCD washes out content onscreen. Dell BTYAVG1 battery

Performance

The Dell Latitude E6220 comes with several CPU choices: The Intel Core i5 2520M, at 2.5 GHz with 3M cache, Core i5 2540M, at 2.6 GHz with 3M cache and Core i7 2620M, at 2.7 GHz with 4M cache

While it may not be new information to some readers, it's important to make a distinction here. Intel's Core i5 series of processors, along with Core i7, is intended for the mainstream desktop and notebook markets, and therefore has Turbo Boost enabled -- a formal explanation of this Intel feature follows a few paragraphs below, but a short description is that it is a power-saving feature that dynamically clocks the CPU. Dell 90NITLILD4SU1 battery

Technical jargon aside, the review model given to us was equipped with the middle child of the above choices, the i5-2540M. My professional opinion? There's not enough of a difference between the i5 2520M and 2540M to justify a $50 price bump and a separate tier among the E6220's CPU selection, for what is essentially a slightly faster processor with the same cache size; the better move on Dell's part would be to jump straight from the i5 2520M to the selection of Intel Core i7 processors, preferably the i7 2620M and the i7 2640M. Dell 906C5040F battery On the other hand, if Dell wants to capture the lower end of the CPU power spectrum, it would behoove them to start offering the newly-launched Core i3 2330M (2.3 GHz), which has no Turbo Boost.

That being said, the one constant among all of the Intel offerings provided for the Dell Latitude E6220 -- is the onboard graphics unit, the Intel HD Graphics 3000. Packaged on the same silicon as the rest of the Sandy Bridge CPU, the integrated graphics, powered by technologies like Intel Quick Sync Video, enable fast, hardware-accelerated video encoding and transcoding. Dell 90NITLILG2SU1 battery Unfortunately, while the HD Graphics 3000 is clocked at between 350 and 1300 MHz (thanks to Intel's Turbo Boost technology, which dynamically under- or overclocks the CPU depending on temperature and workload), RAM becomes a bottleneck under highly intensive graphics applications like computer games; since the graphics unit has no memory of its own, it instead dynamically allocates up to 1720MB of system memory as video memory, which slows productivity on a computer with 4GB of RAM and multiple programs open. Dell 906C5050F battery

There are plenty of choices for hard drives for the Dell Latitude E6220: 250GB to 320GB 7200rpm Hard Drives (FIPS Encrypted available) and 128GB to 256GB Solid State Drives.
Our review model was equipped with the last option on that list, a 256GB Samsung SSD (Samsung PM810). Having used many a laptop with traditional disk-based hard drive, I can safely say that the SSD option needs to be standard on a laptop of this size and intended mobility. Dell 908C3500F battery The speed given by the quick read/write time on an SSD (e.g., 15 second boots into Windows 7) more than pays for itself in productivity, and enables the computer to be quickly moved from place to place without too much danger of overheating or hard drive damage (from sudden drops, falls, etc.).

As can be seen from the Windows 7 Experience Index values for this subnotebook, the two strongest points of the Latitude E6220 are its powerful processor and its solid-state hard drive. The remaining three entries are interconnected; as stated earlier, Intel's integrated graphics unit allocates virtual graphics memory from the existing pool of physical RAM, causing a bottleneck in both RAM and graphics performance -- not to mention that the HD Graphics 3000, while certainly powerful, is no real match for a discrete graphics card with dedicated memory. Dell 90-NFY6B1000 battery

That being said, the Windows 7 Experience Index doesn't necessarily correspond to the day-to-day experiences of running the Latitude E6220. Our review device, equipped with a Core i5 2540M at 2.6 GHz, the integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics unit, and a 256 GB solid-state drive, is a charm for everyday use, thanks to the ample RAM and the presence of the SSD. Boot times are fast, applications load even faster, and copying/moving/saving files and folders throughout the filesystem is orders of magnitude more pleasant to sit through. Dell 90NFV6B1000Z battery

The first, most important benchmark to run on this notebook is a test of CPU capabilities. Does the use of the Core i5 2540M bottleneck the ability of the Latitude E6220 at all to crunch numbers? Cinebench R10 will determine that:

Battery Life

Dell 90-NFY6B1000Z battery The Latitude E6220 comes with two possible battery options, a 3-cell lithium-ion battery weighing 177g and a 6-cell lithium-ion battery weighing 349g. Although the 6-cell battery, which came equipped in our review model, virtually guarantees 5 to 5.5 hours of battery life under typical mixed usage, the downside to this is that the battery protrudes from the back of the laptop. During normal everyday usage (surfing on a wireless connection) on the battery, Intel's Turbo Boost feature automatically downclocks the processor and GPU in order to reduce power consumption. Dell BATFT10L61 battery

Thankfully, charging the battery takes much less time than discharging it; for example, charging from 5% to a full 100% can be accomplished in as short as 30 minutes on outlet power.

The freeware Battery Eater Pro was used to run down the battery under controlled scenarios. Under heavy, continuous load (classic test), the Dell Latitude E6220 depleted from full charge to 0% in 1 hour 18 minutes. Obviously, average usage is nothing like the simulated conditions that BatteryEater provides, but it's useful as a baseline minimum of battery life with the 6-cell battery. Dell BATEL80L9 battery

Under the Reader's Test, which simulates going through a text document continuously until battery depletion, the Latitude E6220 achieved a time of 2:25, with the display brightness set to maximum.

PS: to the makers of Battery Eater Pro, you make great software, but please make a fully compatible 64-bit version, please! I shouldn't have to load up 32-bit Windows in a VM just to find out my computer's discharge rate. Dell 90-NFV6B1000Z battery

Verdict

In short, this subnotebook is a pricey but feature-packed powerhouse.

It has all the benefits a field worker would ever desire: fast processor, plenty of RAM, ergonomic design, blazing-fast solid-state drive, and a good selection of ports and connectivity.

The one downside? It costs just a wee bit too much to beat out its competitors, the ThinkPad x220 and the HP 2560p, given some of the compromises in its featureset (screen, for one) and some expensive components (the 256GB SSD, versus the HP or Lenovo's 320GB HDDs). Dell BATE80L6 battery

This pricing selection -- given the Latitude E6220's features -- is what makes the laptop slightly out of reach for the single office-minded customer. That being said, the E6220 is still very much a desirable option for volume purchases at the enterprise level.

Review HP ProBook 5330m-LG724EA Notebook

HP just delivered an update to the smallest notebook of the ProBook series. The new HP ProBook 5330m sub-notebook's design matches its larger brothers from the 47xx series. Aside from the new aluminum skin, there's also new components, of course. The current generation Intel Core processors has been introduced to these little notebooks. In regards to the rest of the fittings, this 13 inch unit has no need to hide from its larger siblings. Dell 1ZS070C battery

Our test unit is equipped with Intel's Core i5 processor and 4 GB RAM. While the 128GB hard drive may seem a little small, its of the fast SSD drive variety. There is an integrated finger print reader as well as a UMTS (3G) radio aboard. As before, HP delivers this model without optical drive.

Dell 312-1242 battery Even though there are certain similarities between the HP ProBook 5330m and the HP ProBook 4730s, the end result differs too much to claim HP had simply copied the design. The new model doesn't have much in common with its predecessor, the HP ProBook 5320m. The previously used glossy surfaces have been completely replaced by aluminum. The display lid consists of a brushed aluminum back with a surrounding aluminum frame. The wrist rests are also made from brushed aluminum, and a second aluminum frame surrounds the entire base of the sub-notebook. In spite of the simple rectangular design, it has style. Dell M5Y0X battery

Workmanship matches the looks, the display is resistant against torsion, you have to use a lot of force to twist it noticably. The same goes for the base unit. The notebook also scored in our pressure tests; wrist rest and edges are resistant against selective pressure. The keyboard only gives a little bit in the center, you have to press significantly harder than you would while typing. Dell NHXVW battery The hinges are very tight, if you try to open the sub-notebook with one hand, the base of the unit follows up. The positive effect of this is, that the display hardly bobs.

The entire bottom consists of two large hatches. One of them can be removed by opening a latch, exposing the battery and the SIM card slot. The other hatch requires removal of a few screws to offer access to the rest of the components.

Performance

The installed Intel Core i5-2520M is a current generation high end dual core processor. Dell PRRRF battery With a base clock speed of 2.5 GHz, it provides pretty good performance, further amplified by Turbo Boost technology, which boosts clock speed up to 3.0 GHz or 3.2 GHz as needed. The automatic performance increase depends on sufficient cooling and your application's usage of just one core or both cores. With a TDP of 35 Watt, the processor's power draw is reasonable, but in spite of that, Intel only recommends it for notebooks with 14 inch displays and up, because the cooling system needs to have sufficient size to handle the heat this CPU emits. Dell T54F3 battery Performance of this processor suffices for the usual office applications, but also for video editing and current games, so long as the GPU can handle it.

The HP ProBook 5330m has no dedicated GPU, just the integrated Intel HD 3000 GPU. Using an integrated GPU helps reduce power consumption and also eliminates the need for additional components in the cooling system, since you only need to cool one processor, not two. Performance is about equal to the Nvidia GeForce 310M entry level GPU from the year 2009. With this, you can only play newer games fluidly at low detail settings. Dell T54FJ battery For more demanding applications or games, the GPU falters pretty soon as the HD 3000 was not designed for games but for basic office applications or browsing the internet. For these tasks the GPU is amply sufficient.

To better judge the notebook's processor performance, we use the CineBench software. The CineBench R10 Rend. Single (64 Bit) benchmark only uses one of the processor's cores. The HP ProBook 5330 reached a score of 5073.0 points, placing it rather high in our benchmark list. HP's ProBook 5330 came very close to the Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch 2011-02 MC723LL/A (2720QM, HD 6750) with 5150.0 Points. Dell X57F1 battery In the CineBench R10 Rend. Multi (64 Bit) benchmark using all processor cores, the HP ProBook 5330m scored 10584.0 Points. This result isn't quite as high in the list, but still a good ranking. Compared to other notebooks using the i5-2520M processor, the ProBook 5330m is in the upper middle field. The fastest 2520m notebook is the Dell Vostro 3550 (Vostro0112) (2520M, HD 6630M) with 10797.0 points. Slowest is the ultralight Sony Vaio VPC-SB1Z9EB (2520M, HD6470M) with 10128.0 points. A satisfying overall performance for the HP ProBook 5330m. TurboBoost could be used without problems and raised clock speed to 3.2 GHz and 3.0 GHz. Dell 312-0762 battery

Gaming Performance

Given that the HP ProBook 5330m is in no way a gaming notebook, we will only consider games as a side note. In our big comparison test "Computer Games on Laptop Graphics Cards", we have a sufficient number of entries for the Intel HD-3000 GPU to give a good idea about its performance.

We still tested out Blizzard's StarCraft II real time strategy game "Wings of Liberty", to see how the HP ProBook 5330m does and we got what we expected from the Intel HD-3000. At lowest details and resolution, everything ran fluidly, but the next higher settings brought it to its knees. Dell 312-1007 battery

Battery Life

Even though HP chose to rely on Intel's integrated HD-3000 GPU for graphics, power consumption is comparably high: 9.4 Watt – 13 Watt were the results of our measurements. Under load, consumption rises to 39.6 Watt – 53.4 Watt. When loading only the CPU (with Prime95 test software, for example) the notebook consumes 54.6 Watt. Putting the GPU under load (with FurMark) resulted in consumption of 41.9 Watt. The provided 65W power supply shouldn't have any trouble supplying the notebook with adequate power, even during extreme use. Dell 50TKN 7W5X09C battery

The power draw already pointed to the fact that the HP ProBook 5330m won't be a battery life champion. We used Battery Eater Pro to test battery runtimes of this subnotebook. In the Reader's test, the laptop remains at idle, with WIFI turned off and the display at low brightness. In this mode, the unit's battery lasted 5 hours and 43 minutes. This value is more like a theoretical maximum; a more realistic test consists of surfing the internet over WIFI with medium display brightness, resulting in a battery runtime of 3 hours and 50 minutes. This value should be easily reachable in real world use. Under full load, run-time drops to 53 minutes. Dell GRNX5 battery

Verdict

The HP ProBook 5330m convinced us in many areas and proved itself as an excellent business companion. Regrettably, there are also a number of things that spoiled the positive impression.

Design and workmanship were not one of the problems though - on the contrary: the HP ProBook 5330m really scored here. Workmanship was consistent on a very high level and the design succeeded with quality materials and style. The keyboard continued the winning streak and offered much for the money. Very pleasant typing feel, splash-water resistance and back-light helped it score very positively. Further, the subnotebook offers very good performance and numerous security features. Dell NF52T battery

Touchpad and mouse buttons received the first negative marks; the touchpad is pretty small and the cheaply done mouse buttons look out of place and fail to match the quality of the rest of the notebook. As for interfaces, HP could have offered something more: USB 3.0 is completely missing, even though there is ample room left on the sides. The 3G radio doesn't quite make up for that. Dell 0F965N battery

The worst part of this notebook is the poor display. Brightness is meager in comparison to competing notebooks. Making matters worse is the uneven illumination and low contrast. Maybe not that many people use a business notebook to edit images, but a brighter display would certainly not hurt and have a positive effect during outdoor use.

Dell J399N battery Overall, the HP ProBook 5330m is still a decent and above all good looking subnotebook. Regrettably, HP gives up points thoughtlessly. The HP ProBook 5330m could have done considerably better if HP had just used a better display. The elementary prerequisites for a very good result were in place.