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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful.
Solid performer
By Cober
Some of the factors why I choose this laptop: it has a matte screen (although the resolution is not great, 14" with 1366x768 is acceptable, viewing angles aren't bad but it is a TN panel), it is relatively thin, and it had an internal optical drive. The 13.3" version of this system doesn't have the internal DVD drive and the processor is quite a bit slower.Ok - if you buy this spend $22 for an extra 4GB (get a SO-DIMM DDR3, I bought a Corsair 4 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory CMSO4GX3M1A1333C9). Note that the pre-installed 4GB is soldered on the mainboard. Some extra memory helps since the Trinity APUs can support dual channel memory access. The graphics on this laptop are much better than any embedded Intel graphics (it is significantly better than intel's HD4000). Overall the processor is plenty fast for almost everything you would want to do - to get better you would need an intel i7. The Trinity is also power-efficient, although the 4cell (non-removable!) battery that comes with this laptop isn't the biggest.I installed a Samsung 830 SSD into the laptop and it is very fast -like 18secs to Windows trumpet sound from cold boot(the old HD was rated 5.9 on the windows experience, with the SSD it moved up to 7.6). If you install a SSD or simply want to get rid of all the bloatware with a fresh install, go to Arstechnica for an excellent guide (copy the windows/system32 folder beforehand so that you have all the drivers; Samsung's website has the drivers for the Intel version of this system mixed in). EDIT: If you do decide to replace the HDD with an SSD, make sure you do not get one that is too thick - I believe 2.5" SSDs come in two thicknesses - 10mm and 7mm. This laptop needs a 7mm thick SSD.The look and feel are pretty nice - the case material is nice and doesn't pick up fingerprints. The laptop doesn't run too hot and the noise from the fan is pretty low. In terms of ports it has a nice set - 1 USB2.0, 2 USB3.0, HDMI, SD, VGA, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The LAN connector is quite sneaky - it folds up for a lower profile (it is better than the slide-out side connector style). The keyboard has no backlight, and the buttons are a bit shallow, but the keys are spaced well. The touchpad works well - normally I can't stand them but I am ok with this one. There's no latch for the screen, just a small tab to help your finger hold on to. The screen doesn't go all the way over - it only goes back around 135degrees. There are 4 LEDs - power, drive, wifi, and a charge indicator.Overall, a solid laptop - I'd give it 4 1/2 stars, but it hasn't done anything poorly or wrong.Update(9-5-12): Actually, I am liking the trackpad more and more. It is quite good. Also, sleep and wakeup are very fast. If you keep the laptop plugged in a lot, then there is a battery saver option which only charges up to 80%; in this way the battery will not wear out as quickly. I've also used this to watch several movies on my TV - the HDMI out works fine.Update 2 (10-09-12): Wow, the price has dropped on this system. I think it is a fantastic deal at $650.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Amazingly well built, priced and performing ultra thin and light
By EyeOnComputers
Hi all, EyeOnComputers here.Short Review here until I release my well-known ultra detailed review.Specifications (modified):- replaced mechanical 750GB HDD with a Samsung 830 SSD 128GB (for $70)- added Crucial (w/ Micron memory chips) 4GB DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM stick (for $18)- installed clean version of Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit with SP1... no bloatware is the way to goIntroduction:- Got this notebook for my girlfriend because she has always wanted a gaming rig, but with portability and on a budget. It normally goes for $800+, but when Amazon was selling it for $650.... I had to jump on it. I was looking for a notebook with good performance (gaming oriented), thermal design, not too bulky for her, and on a budget.- The build quality is quite good considering what you are paying, the screen is more than enough for the typical user (only a few would care for a 1600x900 or 1920x1080 option). Yes, you can upgrade the screen to at least a 1600x900 LED LCD panel, the model of the screen is Samsung LP140WH1, which has the same connector as the LCD LED (Samsung LP140WD1) panel that comes with the notebook. It will just take a bit of effort to replace the panels, but its very straightforward.Why go for an AMD APU notebook?- its got great CPU performance for all the typical uses, most people will not even utilize the full quad-core CPU- its got an amazing GPU (Radeon 7620G) for mid-range gaming performance that will outperform its competition in the same budget range.Why did I choose this notebook for the thermal design?- the APU (CPU+GPU) is a single low voltage chip that has a 25-watt TDP, which is quite low for the performance given.- there is a single fan in the middle back of the notebook which would be ideal for those that like to use the notebook on their laps and won't block the fan vent. (even though I usually would advise not to place notebooks on your lap, bed, couch, pillow, etc. because they would be blocking the fan vents on the bottom from getting air to properly cool the notebook.- there is a Fan Mode (Fn+F11) on this notebook that will set the notebook to low performance mode in order to prevent the fan from needing to turn itself on because the heat generated would be so low.- from my tests and benchmarking, the AMD A10-4655M APU does not exceed 65 C degrees for long durations of benchmarking and gaming. I used CoreTemp for the CPU temp monitoring and MSI Afterburner for GPU temp monitoring.... since its a single APU (CPU+GPU on a single chip), the temps are usually near the same.FYI, if you are wondering about danger temps, the CPU nor the GPU should ever exceed 90C degrees. Their threshold temps are usually around 100C... which would usually force the system to power itself off instantly to prevent any further overheating damage (like a car does when it overheats to a high temperature). You will know to clean out the dust (with compressed air @ 40 PSI or less) in the vents when the temps go beyond 70-80 C degrees when you are gaming or doing other heavy computational stuff.Why have a clean Windows 7 install?- I have never liked bloatware, crapware, etc.. when I deal with people's OEM-branded systems, they install junk that a user would mostly likely never use, and the good programs are usually trial versions... so what's the point. Either use "PC Decrapifier" to get rid of needless crap that it comes with or.... Just do a clean install from the beginning. Get yourself amazing and free software like avast! Free Antivirus and OpenOffice if you want a full and free office suite.- All of the latest drivers for this notebook are on Samsung's website, and you will also need to install the Samsung software called "Easy Settings" in order to get the Function keys and the On-Screen Display to work.- Also, if you want a performance boost in 3D gaming, go grab the latest 12.11 AMD Catalyst drivers (not the mobile ones).Why add another 4GB of memory?- Its true that if you are not doing much for media editing/converting/rendering, 4GB is plenty for a majority of computer users; they will never really need more.- For gaming, I added the 4GB of DDR3-1333 (FYI, the platform memory speed is capped at 1333 MHz, so it won't really matter if you installed faster memory such as 1600 MHz... I know, I tested it) to get the dual channel memory performance boost, which is quite significant for the gaming aspect of things.... literally a 15-35% increase across the board for all the games I tested (such as Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V Skyrim , Dungeon Defenders, Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City). The single channel (64-bit) memory works fine for everything, but for gaming... having a 128-bit (dual-channel) memory interface is a must for a cheap and effective way to boost gaming performance.Why have an SSD or traditional spinning HDD?I just installed an SSD (solid state drive) for the purpose of great load times, and mainly for longevity as compared to a mechanical spinning hard disk drive. If you would rather have lots of storage space and lower longevity (3-5 years typically), than stick with the 750GB spinning drive that it comes with.Conclusion:I have built $3000 custom high-end gaming notebooks before (usually from Clevo, Compal and MSI), but this notebook does not seem as bulky and still retains good gaming performance and battery life. Makes me wanna reconsider having a mid-range gaming notebook rather than a high-end one that costs way more and has less portability (size and battery life). If you are in the market for a nice fully loaded notebook that is thin and light, has great gaming performance per dollar, and has nice aesthetics (this factor I do not care much for), then you must consider this notebook. The AMD Trinity APU is no slouch.Pros:- "Bang for the Buck" performance for playing latest 3D gaming titles on medium settings and snappy for all typical uses- Thin and light with good battery life (6-8 hours with typical use)- Good thermal design (keeps well under 70C degrees at full load), including a Fan Mode (Fn+F11) to keep things so cool that the fan does not need to spin up- has HDMI and USB 3.0 ports- an optical drive (some might care or not)- aesthetically pleasing (a personal preference for some)Cons:- has bloatware/crapware included (use "PC Decrapifier" or a clean install of Windows will fix that)- has only one resolution option (fine for most people, some might want better options)..... (optional) you can upgrade the LCD LED panel yourself to a 1600x900 version (look for Samsung LP140WH1 panels).- no removable battery (like most ultrabooks and thin & lights)- (optional) replace the HDD with a SSD if you want to get some amazing load times and have storage longevity.- (optional) need to add another stick of 4GB DDR3-1333 to get dual-channel memory performance boost, great for 3D gaming
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Great Personal Laptop--Upgrade if Possible
By Lewis_SA
Let me preface my review with two facts(1) My husband is a computer junkie, and(2) I know absolutely nothing about computer hardware/software. When I buy a computer, I go for ease of use and looks.That being said, both of us are pleased with this laptop. I am about to start traveling for my job, and I needed to replace my 8 year old laptop from my college days. I wanted something light, portable, but of a decent size and with an internal CD/DVD drive. This laptop has all of that. The sleek, silver design gives this laptop a clean look. They keys are comfortably-spaced, and the touch-pad is more centrally-located that other larger laptops. It's more centralized, however, because this laptop does not have a dedicated number pad. This was not a deal-breaker for me, but definitely something to keep in mind. The laptop is surprisingly light, and the speakers and webcam are great for a computer this size.As for the technical aspects of this machine, my husband was determined to get a product with an AMD processor. He liked the combined processor and graphics unit, both of which were powerful. His only suggestion to improve this computer's speed would be to add 4GB of RAM and a SSD, which was easy for him to do over one evening.I have yet to use this laptop on a planeride yet, so I cannot comment about its full battery life. I do know that when I use it unplugged around the house, it has the option of a battery-saver mode that you can use to prolong the life of the computer over a long period of time.As for our ranking, we decided on giving it a 4/5 because we felt it necessary to add more RAM and the SSD to meet our laptop needs. Even so, this is a wonderful product, and we plan to keep in for many years to come!
See all 24 customer reviews...
Poor display leaves much to be desired
Really??!
