Design meets Performance. One is already nearly used to the first-class design of Apple Notebooks. Ever since they are also equipped with Intel CPUs and it is possible to run them under Windows, they are true competitors to comparably equipped notebooks. As expected the MacBook Pro scores also high. This elegant notebook is really powerful, because of a T7700 CPU and a NVidia Geforce 8600M GT video card. So, gaming is possible with a Mac - „Sounds strange, but is true“.Acer Aspire 2930 charger

The MacBook Pro 15'' with Intel chipset was already reviewed by us some time ago. At that time it was the pioneer Apple notebook with Intel CPU. The look of MacBooks did not chance much since then, at least at the first glance. Inside the noble aluminum case, you'll now find the most up-to-date technology, which provides a lot of power. A good reason for reviewing the new MacBook Pro. Acer Aspire 1410 charger

In the meanwhile, the installation routine of Windows on a Mac was improved and, so, also the possibility to reasonably work under it. The procedure is rather easy: 1) Download the Bootcamp software. 2) Install and execute it under MacOS. 3) Insert and install the Vista CD. 4) Install Drivers for Vista. 5) Choose the operating system in the start menu at boot time (Alt). Acer Ferrari 1000 charger

This is all. And as one is accustomed to, this procedure by Apple is simple and user-friendly. Also the support for Apple functions under Vista was optimized in the meanwhile. E.g., scrolling with 2 fingers on the touchpad is no problem and also the integrated web cam (iSight) works troublefree. However, there are slight problems with some hardware differences, like the single touchpad button or the Apple specific keyboard layout. Acer AS09B56 charger

Back to the notebook. The case is nearly completely made of aluminum. The surface's haptics is first-class. Despite of an edgy and linear design, there are no sharp or uncomfortable edges or corners.Acer AS09D31 chargerThe workmanship and stability of the MacBook are as good as the look elegant. All parts are seamlessly connected to one another. Scrutinizing the notebook for weaknesses regarding workmanship is a waste of time.

The aluminum case does neither react to applied forces nor are deflections possible. Handling the notebook is also as expected, you' won't hear any creaking. The total weight of only 2.4kg is one of the MacBook's strengthes. The big, reversely attached hinge seems to be very robust. There might be usability limitations, because the opening angle of the display is, therefore, limited. Acer BATBL50L8H charger

The MacBook Pro's display transport hook is advantageous. Immediately before completely closed, two hooks which lock the display in closed state, are moved out of the display by a magnetic mechanism. However, the release at the front side is difficult to use, because it is rather narrow. Acer Aspire 1810T charger

The whole back edge is used as vent hole for the fan. So, the interfaces are provided at the notebook's flanks. The notebook is not equipped with many interfaces, but, the ones provided are of high-quality. Among others there are a Firewire 400, Firewire 800, DVI out, and also a 34mm ExpressCard slot. However, there are two points of critique: First of all only two USB ports are provided. Secondly, a docking port is missing. Acer BT.00803.015 charger

The already known MagSave power connector is again amongst the interfaces. This is a power connector, which is attached by magnetism. It does not only look good, it also protects the notebook in case somebody falls over the power cable.Acer LC.BTP01.017 charger

Regarding input devices, i.e., keyboard and touch pad, no difference to predecessor models can be noticed. However, the previous statement should not be negatively interpreted. The size of nearly all keys is comfortable. However, there is one significant exception: the enter key. Although it extends over two rows, it is rather narrow, so, requiring some adaption time, to definitely hit it all the times. Acer LC.BTP01.019 charger

Also the keyboard layout needs a little critique. For the sake of a nearly perfect design, all the keys were put in a strictly rectangular frame. So, the layout is not really concise. Furthermore, the keyboard is optimized for MacOS providing some special keys. That means, you'll need getting used to it first. The Ctrl and the Alt keys are left beside the space bar, the AltGr key (for Windows) is missing. Acer AS09D34 charger

Typing feels very comfortable. It is soft and quiet with sufficient travel and a clear point of pressure. Depending on the hands' position the notebook's front edge might disturb if you continue typing over a longer period of time.Uneven gaps between single keys could not be detected at the reviewed notebook - something criticized at predecessor models. Acer AS09D36 charger

The automatic keyboard lighting is a nice feature. If you cover the light sensors, which are left and right beside the keyboard with your hands, or if the brightness of the environment is below a certain level, the MacBook Pro automatically switches on an optically impressing keyboard lighting (LEDs under each key). Acer AS09D56 charger

The touch pad is generally user-friendly, however, it only provides a single, but especially spacious button. While this is no problem under MacOS, this can be, depending on the application, uncomfortable under Windows. Up to now, you can only overcome these difficulties by using an external mouse (or by positioning two fingers on the pad and then click). Conditionally, one can criticize that the touch pad button is somewhat too rickety attached to the case. Acer AS09D70 charger

Super new feature of the touch pad: Scrolling with two fingers. While conventional touch pads need a dedicated scroll-zone, the MacBook's touchpad allows browsing trough a document by placing one finger at the pad and moving a second one up or down. With the new version of the Bootcamp software, this is also supported under Windows.Acer AS09F34 charger

Color DiagramThe MacBook Pro is equipped with a 1440x900 Pixel WXGA+ display. This slightly improves the overview compared to the standard resolution of 1280x800 pixels, while the font size is still comfortable.Acer LC.BTP00.052 chargerThe matt display scored excellently. The maximum brightness amounted to exellent 346.6 cd/m² at the bottom part of the screen. The rather below-average illumination of 70% is put into perspective by a still excellent minimum brightness of 242.5 cd/m². The average brightness of 290.4 cd/m² is also very good. Looking at the color correction diagram we see that mostly the blue color curve has to be lowered to reach a neutral coloring.

The panel's measured black value is 0.6 cd/m². Together with the excellent measured maximum brightness of 346.6 cd/m² this gives a very good contrast ratio of 548:1. We could not detect any anomalies regarding speed of reaction by performing scroll tests. Acer Ferrari 1003 charger

Operation OutdoorsOne can say with a clear conscience that the MacBook Pro is completely fit for outdoor usage. The matt non-reflecting display surface (in our review sample, you can also get a reflecting screen optionally) and the excellent brightness ensure a good picture also in the sunshine. Working in sunshine at the pool? - No problem for the MacBook Pro. Acer Ferrari 1003WTMi charger

Horizontally, the stability to to the vantage point is good and sufficient. At acute angles there is a loss of contrast. Vertically, the stability to the vantage point is good when looking from top down. Looking from bottom up the display soon darkens. However, displayed text stays passable legible.Acer Ferrari 1004WTMi charger

Equipped with a mobile High-End CPU, a Core 2 Duo T7700 processor with 2.4 GHz, and a fast video card, the MacBook sets extremely high standards for comparisons with other multimedia notebooks. This is also proved by benchmark tests. Acer Aspire 3100 charger

The built-in NVIDIA Geforce 8600M GT is responsible for these good results. It provides also sufficient performance for playing up-to-date games in a high resolution. So, performance is one of the MacBook's strengthes, although it is still slightly outperformed by the comparably equipped Asus G1S in the practical test. Acer Aspire 3102 chargerFurthermore, the reviewed notebook was equipped with a total of 2GB main memory (2x 1GB, 667 MHz) and a 160GB 5400 revs/min hard disk. Regarding hard disk there is also a 7200 revs/min hard disk available.

Further information about the video card can be found here or in our comparison of mobile video cards.Acer Aspire 3102NWLMi charger Detailed information about the Core 2 Duo CPU can be found here. Please also look at our benchmark list of mobile processors or at our benchmark list of mobile video cards, in order to compare this notebook to other configurations.Overall, the Geforce 8600M GT is well fit for games, even for up-to-date demanding games. However, for absolute top performance the demanding gamer should rather choose a forthcoming Geforce 8700M GT or a 8800M.Acer Aspire 3102WLMi charger

A special strength of the MacBook Pro is its low emissions in idle mode and under load. Acer Aspire 3103 charger Considering the excellent equipment this aspect is even more interesting. Apple was once again able to combine first-class performance with very low noise emissions by an innovative ventilation technology. In idle mode the notebook is hardly audible. Under load the fan continuously speeds up and finally reaches a noise level of just 42dB. If the load falls, the fan reacts immediately and reduces its revolution speed and therewith also the noise level at once. Under Windows the measured emissions are a little higher. Obviously, this is the result of a better optimized energy/performance management under MacOS.Acer Aspire 3104 charger

The rather decently running fan and a well thermoconducting case cause a clear temperature increase under load especially at the back part of the case, where the vent holes are located. However, at the keyboard and the front part the overall temperature is within reasonable limits. Acer Aspire 3104WLMiB120 charger

At the bottom side there aren't any vent holes. So, the air necessary for cooling is ingested trough the keyboard and blown off through the back edge. This avoids considerably heating of the input devices and makes the notebook fit for use on soft surfaces.Acer Aspire 3104WLMiB80 charger

The sound of the two speakers is clear and present. Weaknesses are the maximum volume and the basses. However, overall the speakers are alright. The notebook also be directly and lossless connected to an existing sound system by means of an optical out. So, it is possible to fully enjoy music.Acer Aspire 3104WLMiB80F charger

The 60 Wh 10.8 V lithium-polymer charger of the MacBook does not only look good, it also provides the notebook with sufficient energy for a useful mobile use. The runtime ranges from more than one hour to more than 4 hours at optimized energy settings under Windows. From experience the runtime is even better under MacOS.Acer Aspire 3690 charger

Apple MacBook Pro 15 Inch "Santa Rosa"The only thing we can say about the MacBook Pro's design and workmanship is: first class. Of course this is to some degree our personal impression, but the first class materials (case completely made of aluminum) and the reliable workmanship contribute to this impression. Acer Aspire 5100 charger

Maybe you'll need some time to adapt to the keyboard layout, especially if you are a Windows user. The enter key could also be a little bigger. However, typing is very user-friendly. The display convinces by concise resolution, excellent brightness, and a non-reflecting surface. All together this allows an outdoor operation without limitations, even in very bright environments. The charger runtime passably ranges from one to four hours and does also not limit the mobile use. Acer Aspire 5101 charger

Also the performance of the MacBook Pro is excellent. It is equipped with the, at the time of writing, most powerful mobile CPU, the C2D T7700 with 2.4 GHz. A Geforce 8600M GT ensures first-class video performance and makes the MacBook Pro fit for playing even demanding games. It's a miracle, how Apple could put this first-class equipment into such a slim case and also keep the noise emissions low at the same time. You can only call it: Art - The art to design top-class and sophisticated mobile notebooks.Acer Aspire 3690 charger

The keys have a distinct stroke, clear pressure point and firm stop. The keyboard's entire surface is sufficiently fitted for normal typing. A harder stroke can cause it to yield slightly. The keys have a large distance to each other and the arrow keys are separated from the others. HP 441131-001 Marks for touch-typists on the F and J keys are difficult to feel. In short: The keyboard is good and particularly the feedback while typing is very pleasant due to the clear key drop. If the keys had a conical inward curve, a "Very Good" would have been due.

The Elan Smart-Pad offers many settings for customization, as usual. For example, users who prefer using a one-finger scroll bar at the edge can simply enable it. Users who can't get enough of multi-finger gestures can also enable three-finger swiping. Thus, the user can quickly go back to the desktop from any Windows application or switch among Windows.HP HSTNN-OB37

The Elan pad's surface is sensitive up to the edges and pleasantly matt, but not smooth. The pad keys work almost noiselessly, but have a too short key drop. The latter lessens the operating feedback in contrast to the clear key drop of the keyboard.HP HSTNN-OB38

The 11.6 inch screen from Samsung (model LTN116AT01) has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. This high resolution has become standard in 11.6 inch devices - much to the user's delight. In opposition to the obsolete 10 inch netbook resolution of 1024x600 pixels, it improves the desktop's manageability. HP HSTNN-UB37

The TN screen's contrast of 143:1 is very low but not surprising in this low-priced device category. However, the really important criterion for the Samsung 305U1A's mobile use is its brightness – which is impressive. The matt screen has an average brightness of 241 cd/m2, which is even brighter than the majority of office laptops. Important for outdoor use: The brightness isn't reduced on Charger power.HP HSTNN-XB37

The color spectrum, which we compare with AdobeRGB, sRGB and the screen in the Latitude E6520 FHD as well as the Vaio Z13 (each transparent), is very narrow. Small-sized professional screens are very scarce. Examples would be the (expensive) Vaios of the Z series (FHD & WXGA++, matt). These usually cover at least sRGB (grid in center ICC picture). However, this quality is only important for professional image editors.HP RQ203AA

ICC Samsung 305U1A vs Vaio Z13B7E HD+(t)Samsung makes the right decision and installs a matt TFT. It allows use in daylight and in the sun. The 11.6 inch screen didn't have any problems with legibility in overcast conditions, in which we took our pictures.HP F2024

Frontal view, cloudyThe Samsung 305U1A's viewing angles are viable horizontally, but very poor vertically. The colors remain true up to about 45 degrees. The viewer's eyes may only deviate 15 degrees from above or below before the picture fades vertically. We experience extremely inverted colors at a vertical deviation of 25 degrees. The viewing angle behavior described here is common for about 80% of our test devices (low and medium price range).HP F2024-80001

AMD E-450 APU with Radeon HD 6320 (IGP)Samsung equips the 11.6 inch laptop with the Bobcat APU, AMD E-450 (2x 1.65 GHz). The so-called Accelerated Processing Unit with a TDP of 18 watts has an integrated graphics unit with DirectX 11 functions and a UVD3 video decoder for HD videos (MPEG-2, H.264, VC-1). The Radeon HD 6320 beats the latest Intel HD 3000 (notebooks) with 80 shaders and a UVD3 processor. We won't even mention the GMA 3150 (Atom netbooks).HP F2024-80001A

The APU only has an L2 cache of 1024 KB. The core sits on the AMD A50M chipset and is accompanied by 4096 MB of DDR2 RAM. Samsung installs the 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium and the 64 bit APU is exploited perfectly.HP F2024A

Cinebench R11.5: CPU @1.65 GHzWe compare the AMD E-450 (2x 1.65 GHz) with the previous E-350 (2x 1.60 GHz) and with the Intel Atom dual core N550, still on the market. The Atom dual core has the Hyper Threading advantage of four computing cores. The difference to the E-350 should be low, if at all visible, in the CPU performance. Level 1 and 2 caches are identical (128, respectively 1024 KB).HP Mini 5103 Charger

The multi core benchmark, Cinebench R11.5 64bit is to show us if the lack of Hyper Threading is a disadvantage for multitasking operations. The test system achieves 0.64 points. That is equal to all previous E-350 devices: 0.6 points. We don't have a 64 bit score for the N550, so we use Cinebench R10 Multi 32bit: 2027 points for the E-450 and 1400 points for the Atom N550 (average). The E-350 again has an identical score of ~2000 points. The N550 is slower by 30% according to that.HP ProBook 4405 Charger

The processor can reduce its clock to 800 MHz in idle. The Bobcat cores don't have Turbo (only in Llano APUs), and thus 1.65 GHz is always run in medium and high load. The user can intervene by limiting the clock in the Vision Control Center.HP ProBook 4405s Charger

The synthetic computing examples don't let the AMD E-450 look better than its predecessor, E-350. But what about the combined application performance of this specific test device? The CPU weak Samsung might also convince with a fast hard disk, respectively SSD, RAM and graphics card (HD 6320). HP ProBook 4406 Charger

We use PCMark Vantage and PCMark 7, which check all the components as a whole. 2640 points, respectively 1005 points are the tight results. At least the Samsung 305U1A can stand out from the E-350 test range that only achieves 85% of the performance (2250 points). Since the MSI Wind U270 with an E-450 also only manages 2268 points, we ascribe the increased performance to the fast hard disk. The PCMark Vantage gaming score of 2202 points is only marginally higher than with an E-350 (~2000 points).HP ProBook 4406s Charger

Outside the netbook or Fusion comparisons, it remains to be said that our Samsung 305U1A is significantly weaker than, for example, a simple office device with a Core i3 2330M and integrated Intel graphics. The Asus Pro P53E manages 4810 points, respectively 1768 points (PCM Vantage, PCM 7). However, there is a contrasting picture in 3D performance; see gaming performance.HP ProBook 4410s Charger

Everyone is talking about hardware support via the graphics, which unloads the processor in general calculations via OpenCL, OpenGL or CUDA (Nvidia). The HD 6320 supports OpenCL - can we exploit this? We let our Samsung 305U1A render a video (H.264 FHD 50i) with CyberLink's Power Director 10, which takes 15:40 minutes. GPU support unfortunately isn't achieved even after installing the AMD Media Codec Pack in the latest Catalyst driver. HP ProBook 4411 Charger

It's also frustrating here that the Asus Pro P53E with an Intel HD and Core i3 standing beside it, renders the same clip in 3:27 minutes, including Intel's QuickSync Video hardware support. Apart from the poor rendering performance, working with Power Director 10 on the Fusion system is amazingly smooth.HP ProBook 4411s Charger

OpenCL is active in Power Director 103.9Windows 7 Experience IndexProcessorCalculations per second3.9Memory (RAM)Memory operations per second5.9GraphicsDesktop performance for Windows Aero4.5Gaming graphics3D business and gaming graphics5.9Primary hard diskDisk data transfer rate5.9 PCMark Vantage 2640 pointsHP ProBook 4412 Charger

HDTune reads on average with 72 MB/s. Although this isn't an unusually high rate, it is in the midfield of simple 5400 rpm hard disks. CrystalDiskMark achieves 90 MB/s. This throughput is at the upper end of 5400 rpm HDDs and in the midfield of 7200 HDDs. Samsung could have used a 7200 rpm HDD, but the noise would likely have been overpoweringly loud under certain circumstances. HP ProBook 4412s Charger

The HDD scores in PCMark Vantage and PCMark 7 add a few points to the high throughputs. 3010 points (PCMV) are however still remote from the 4500 point that a speedy single 5400 rpm HDD could manage. The PCMark 7 Storage score finishes with 1456 points. This can also be seen as midfield; 7200 rpm HDDs are only 10 to 20% faster (e. g. Dell XPS 15z +15 %).HP ProBook 4413 Charger

The AMD Radeon HD 6320 (IGP) is practically the performance behemoth among the integrated graphics units of the AMD C and E series. In comparison to the HD 6310 of the E-350, the clock can now increase from formerly 500 to now 600 MHz via Turbo Core. Since the 80 shaders and the 40 nm manufacturing process hasn't changed, the measurable advantages stay within narrow limits.HP ProBook 4413s Charger

The old 3DMark 06 gathers 2411 points, which is still 15% more than the E-350 range, e. g. the ThinkPad Edge E325 (2048). However, that can't hold a candle to a HD Graphics 3000. These devices range between 2500 and 4600 points (105 to 190%). 3DMark Vantage finishes with 951 points. The E-350 devices are 15% below that in the best case. The Intel HD is again 119 to 217% faster. 3DMark 11 is newer and finishes with 338 points. The E-350 devices are only slightly below that with 82% of the score. There are no rates available for the Intel HD.HP ProBook 4415 Charger

The frequently mentioned advantage of an AMD Fusion APU is the high GPU computing performance compared to Intel's processor graphics. The comparison however only works when netbooks equipped with the Intel Atom N550/N450, available on the market, are compared. This is synonymous with the gaming performance: Our test device can at most beat these weak systems. The 3D performance is extremely low compared to "normal" notebooks - even ones with an Intel processor graphics or low voltage processor. HP ProBook 4415s Charger

We tried a range of current games and only the oldest one from 2008 (Left 4 Dead) could be played fairly smoothly (low details). A HD 3000 system, such as the Acer Aspire 3830TG-6431 (2410M) doesn't manage much more either in Civilization 5. The car racing game, F1, manages 30 fps with the Intel graphics (ultra low,HP ProBook 4416s Charger Toshiba Portégé Z830-10N, 2367M) and not only 16 fps like our test device. The same is evident in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which achieves 17 fps on the Toshiba Ultrabook. A 2410M processor graphics is required for 18 fps (Aspire 3830TG-6431). We notice the lowest difference in Anno 2070 in low details: 28 fps versus 30 with an Intel HD 3000 (@ Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Toshiba Portégé Z830-10N). An overview of the Radeon HD 6320's (IGP) gaming performance can be found on the GPU's data sheet.HP ProBook 4418 Charger

The cooling system does credit to Samsung's name. It is usually silent and isn't disturbing during load. Silent Mode (FN key) that limits the processor clock to 800 MHz is available. Of course, this reduces the performance. However, this mode is not actually necessary, since the fan is always switched off in idle during normal mode. Only the HDD's noise (barely audible, 30.6 dB (A)) or its clicking (32.6 dB (A)) is measurable here.HP ProBook 4418s Charger

 

In spite of the somewhat cramped space (due to the 12" form factor), the case does not get too hot, but the bottom reaches a maximum of 43.8° C, and an average value of 37.5° C. This can quickly become a nuisance when having placed the device in one's lap, since these values surpass body temperature. HP 484171-001

On the top side, the temperatures are lower, with a maximum of 38.5° C and an average of 33.8°C. Interestingly, the maximum value was reached around the back area of the right palm rest, the vent opening is located on the far side of the right edge as well. Higher values could be measured radiating from there, while the temperature is lower on the left side.HP 485041-001

The two built-in loudspeakers are located left and right above the keyboard, below the brick-like, perforated cover. Their sound is pretty thin and tinny, HP 485041-003while the maximum volume is alright. Muting works easily and without problems via the LED-lit, touch sensitive area above the keyboard. One needs quite some sure instinct for controlling the volume with the also touch sensitive scroll area. But once you have got the hang of it, i.e. sliding the finger across that area from "+" to "-" or vice versa at the right speed (not too fast), controlling the volume is also not a problem anymore. HP 487296-001

Surely, first-class loudspeakers are less important for a notebook designed for business use only than for one designed for multimedia usage. Additionally, one will likely want to use earphones for watching a favorite movie or simply listening to music, so fellow travellers are not disturbed unnecessarily. The analog headphone outlet sounds fairly good with some decent headphones. HP 487354-001

 

BatteryEater Classic TestThe notebook's run duration without having access to a power outlet is of course not excellent,HP 497694-001 featuring a 3-cell lithium-ion battery with 37 Wh. Quite a pity considering the fact that the small and compact notebook was designed for mobile use and would really be enhanced by a viable battery life. The maximal runtime of 241 minutes (about 4 hours) is good anyway in view of the low battery capacity, it was measured using BatteryEater's Reader's Tool with activated energy-saving settings and dimmed display.HP 498482-001

The battery lasted only 58 minutes in BatteryEater's Classic Test,HP HSTNN-CB72 which simulates full workload using a high-performance profile (WLAN switched on, maximal brightness). With a battery life of 115 minutes (about 2 hours) while playing a DVD with maximum brightness and using the HP-optimized profile, an average Hollywood-movie can be watched without problems. During the realistic WLAN test (energy-saving profile, medium brightness), one can surf the internet for 135 minutes (2 hours and 15 minutes).HP EV06055

Should you want to work mobile a whole work day long, having several charged batteries at hand as a backup is recommendable. At large, more options for batteries with higher capacities would be desirable.The HP Compaq 2230s pleases through its simple design and the additional, touch sensitive's bar well visible, bright control-LEDs. The notebook is also easily serviceable. HP HSTNN-CB73

The matt display is very well suited for its main usage, which is mobile, but it could be brighter for outdoor use. A modem port perfects the usual communication ports, such as GigaBit-LAN and Wireless-LAN. There is no integrated UMTS-modem for fast, wireless data transfer, and the maximal opening angle of 135 degrees can be insufficient fast during mobile use. HP HSTNN-DB72

For protecting sensitive data on the hard disk from loss by shocks, the HP 2230s includes the HP Drive Guard. Data security is improved by a fingerprint reader and a Kensington Lock. All in all, one can state that the lightweight, 1.8 kg 12.1"-format notebook is a solid companion for businessmen and private customers alike, but one should not stray too far from the next power outlet.HP HSTNN-DB73

... is numerous and constantly growing. We recently tested the Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo Mobile U9210, whose predecessor, the Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo Mobile U9200, is available at a very competitive price at the moment, and the Portege A600 or the Portege R500. HP HSTNN-IB72

Beginner's Tablet Guide. The sudden inundation of tablets this year has certainly got at least some readers scratching their heads. In this handy guide, we provide a concise overview of tablet history, its current market trends and even some suggestions for the hottest items this Holiday season.Apple PowerBook G4 17inch Series

To be honest, we first came up with the idea of writing a primer about the market’s top device segments earlier this year, but by the time we actually got around to working on it, we realized that so much had changed. Some devices were discontinued, others were unveiled and more than one new segment was created. Heck, we even had to give thought to rebranding our website as “ultranetbooktabletcheck.net”, but the domain was a bit too long for our tastes.Apple PowerBook G4 15inch Titanium Series

Now if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the influx of new devices, then we’re hoping this article will help simplify things a bit. In the upcoming series we take a brief look at the three most dominant categories currently present on the mobile computing market: Tablets, Netbooks, and Ultraportables. Obviously, regular sized notebooks and even smartphones can now enter the discussion, but for the most part we’re sticking to these three due to their portability and current popularity as non-phone devices.Apple iBook G4 12inch Series

We start things off by taking a look at what characterizes each of these categories along with a brief history, then move on to their intended markets before rounding things off with some of our own personal recommendations. Of course, we can’t promise that you’ll have your mind made up about your next purchase by the time you’re done reading,Apple 13 inch MacBook AirApple Macbook Air 13 inchApple MacBook Air 13.3-inch but hopefully it’ll make your choice a tad bit easier. And who knows, by the time you reach the bottom of this page, someone out there may have already introduced a new device and we’ll have to start all over again!

In the English language, a tablet is a flat slab of something that’s intended for inscription, and that definitely applies to modern day tablet computers. Available in a variety of sizes, almost all tablets follow the “slate” design consisting of a front 5”-10” capacitive touchscreen with little to no physical buttons and a thin lightweight body in most cases. In addition,Apple iBook G3 12inch Seriestablets mainly rely on touchscreen input, though some manufacturers may opt to include built-in or detachable keyboards. Overall, the tablet design emphasizes simplicity and portability, and companies compete in offering the thinnest and lightest devices.

Current tablets are powered by a wide range of processors, with the most popular being NVIDIA’s Tegra series, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and ARM’s Cortex A-series of chips. In addition, some tablets may come with high quality IPS (In-Plane-Switching) displays, and even HD resolutions.Apple PowerBook G4 15inch Camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, gyroscopes, mini-HDMI ports and at least 8-16GB of Flash storage are found stock on most tablets nowadays, with many manufacturers also releasing 3G equipped versions of their devices.

The original tablet architecture probably traces its roots way back to the days of Apple’s Newton platform, which was introduced in 1993 and then discontinued in 1998. Though it didn’t gain much traction, it paved the way for the next stage in tablet development courtesy of Microsoft and their tablet version of Windows XP. Sadly, Apple PowerBook G4 12inch Seriesthe tablet Windows notebooks weren’t very successful, due in part to their high prices and bulkiness in contrast to other notebooks.

While some might argue that the Portable Media Players (PMPs) of the early 2000’s were the predecessor for the modern day tablet, we tend to entail most of that credit with the late-Steve Jobs instead. Jobs, who was ironically behind the discontinuation of the original Apple Newton,Apple iBook G4 14inch Series is widely credited with starting the tablet boom after the introduction of the iPad in January 2010. The iPad benefited from hardware advancements that allowed it to be thin and fast, and though it was originally ridiculed due to its similarity to the iPhone, it still managed to post record profits.

After witnessing the success of the iPad, more manufacturers needed in on the market and none other than Google decided to grab a share of the pie. Using their mobile Android OS, the first Google-powered tablets were announced in late 2010 by Archos, Samsung and ViewSonic. The devices were definitely not as popular as the iPad, but due to more recent tablet-oriented software, Android tablets have gained much traction over the past year.Apple iBook G3 14" inch Series

There have been some other notable entries into the tablet market, mainly by Research in Motion and HP, but neither has been very successful and the tablet market continues to be dominated by Apple and Android.Apple MacBook Pro 17inch Many folks are unable to come to grips with what tablets are actually useful for and some expect them to fall out of flavor in the long run. However, with estimates now indicating that 100 Million tablets will ship by 2012, you can probably bank on them staying for a while.

One of the biggest pluses that tablets have to offer is that almost anybody can find at least some use for it due to the almost endless amount of applications. Almost any app you can think of probably exists out there in some shape or form, and neat touchscreen and gyroscopic controls make these apps a pleasure to use. Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch SeriesAs such, kids can get their gaming fix from tablets, adults can surf the web and watch movies on the go, employees can have more diverse ways of getting their work done, and students can benefit from reading electronic textbooks or studying using interactive apps.

In a recent survey conducted by Google’s AdMob, it was revealed that most tablet owners mainly use their tablets for gaming, followed by searching for info and emailing. Furthermore, 43% of respondents stated that they spend more time on their tablet than on a desktop or TV, and 68% reported spending more than 1 hour on their tablet per day.Apple MacBook 13 inch

Results of a recent survey by AdMob, in which 1,430 tablet owners were asked about their tablet usageWhile all the preceding activities can also be done from a normal PC, tablets are comparatively a lot lighter and thinner than most notebooks and almost all desktops. Apple MacBook Pro 13 inchTheir extended battery life and 3G capabilities allow for far more portability than usual laptops as well. In any case, most tablet manufacturers market them as secondary rather than primary computing devices, leading to a higher chance of co-existence with personal PCs. And of course, the touchscreens allow for easier use in certain applications, and further advances will only increase the sensitivity and give way for more intuitive ways of user interfacing.

As we mentioned earlier, Apple’s iPad was arguably the first official tablet released and it enjoyed a near monopoly on the market for a little less than a year. However, with the introduction of Google’s more tablet-oriented Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) operating systems, more and more users are making the jump over to the Android atmosphere. Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch SeriesWhile Apple and the iPad will always have a gargantuan following, the iPad remains slightly limited due to its single shape and size (as of Q4 2011), along with a lack of customizability. On the other hand, Android tablets come in many different forms, so much so that some customers may have difficulty choosing; especially since popular manufacturers such as Sony, ASUS, Samsung, Lenovo, Amazon and even Barnes & Noble all produce Android tablets.

Ultimately, the success of a tablet may not rest upon its hardware specifications or design, but rather on software ease of use and application availability. With regards to usability, Apple probably has the slight edge, as Apple’s OS is generally more friendly and fluid and many users are already accustomed to iOS from experiencing the iPhone or iPod Touch. In contrast, 15" apple powerbook g4 aluminum batteryGoogle’s latest Honeycomb and ICS OS’s emphasize easier user access, but the custom UIs that are sometimes added by manufacturers (e.g., HTC Sense, Motorola Motoblur, and Samsung TouchWiz) may not be to everyone’s liking.

Unfortunately for Google, Android doesn’t fare much better when it comes to apps as Apple’s App Store reigns supreme in terms of both application numbers and general quality. As of 2011, Android has a bit over 350,000 apps in their market (with 33% of them being classified as low quality according to AppBrain), 15" apple powerbook g4 titanium batterywhile Apple’s App Store crossed the 500k mark back in May of this year. On the other hand, Android does have approximately 10,000 more free applications than iOS, but keep in mind that most analysts tend to view them as lower quality compared to iOS apps.

The differences between the two rivals become clearer when you take a look at the amount of tablets moved, as Apple managed to sell 9.25 Million iPads during Q3 of 2011 while only 1.2 Million Android tablets were sold in all of 2011. This clearly shows that Apple still holds the lion’s share of the market, but that could very well change as Microsoft’s upcoming tablet-optimized Windows 8 platform could tilt the landscape.17" apple powerbook g4 battery

At normal load, whether in office use of surfing the internet, the case temperatures remained in an ever uncritical range and facilitate a problem-free operation of the netbook on the thighs.Sony VGP-BPS9/S

The Acer Aspire One 531 provides an adequate acoustic environment for the user with two loudspeakers in the front edge in the lower area. For a netbook the sound on offer as well as the maximum possible volume are thoroughly acceptable. Indeed, you can't ignore the usual weaknesses at low frequencies, which are standard of netbooks without subwoofers.Sony VGP-BPS9A/S
The provided headphone jack is without criticism which offers clear tones and is thoroughly suited to audio playback through external speakers or a Hi-Fi system. Certainly you'll enjoy full and clear sound with high quality headphones.

Acer has arranged two battery solutions for the Aspire One 531. There is a 3-cell battery with a capacity of 24.4 Wh as well as a 6-cell battery pack with a capacity of 57.7 Wh, at least according to the statements on Acer's home page. Our test sample was equipped with the 6-cell battery, which admittedly didn't quite match up to Acer's claim with a slightly smaller capacity of 54 Wh. Sony VGP-BPS9/B

Interestingly the battery life of our test sample remained, in parts, clearly behind the results of the Aspire One D150 which has a similar hardware configuration. The minimally smaller battery in the netbook at hand can only partly explain this phenomenon.Sony VGP-BPS9A/B

The maximum possible battery life at minimum brightness, deactivated WLAN and Bluetooth as well as using Windows' energy saving profile, achieved by the system is 450 minutes in the BatteryEater readers test, so round about 7.5 hours. Sony VGP-BPS9
Under load this is cut short to 237 minutes (BatteryEater classic test, max. brightness, WLAN and Bluetooth on, desktop profile).

Also in practical WLAN surfing with maximum brightness and the energy saving profile on the recorded battery life of 292 minutes (just short of 5 hours), which is essentially lower than the battery life of the Aspire One D150 in the same conditions. Overall the time away from the mains achieved by the device's battery can be considered satisfactory for a netbook. The battery life of the smaller 3-cell battery should be around 50% of the measurements for the 6-cell battery tested here.Sony VGP-BPS10

Acer Aspire One 531 Visually, the new case of the Acer Aspire One 531 is good. Not only the flattening of the base unit, but also the now predominant matte surfaces and the solid lines please straight away. The protruding 6-cell battery indeed seems an inconvenient and unsightly attachment but it is almost indispensable for a reasonable battery life. Also the overall weight of now only 1220 grams is a further plus point compared to the Aspire One D150 in the same display format.Sony VGP-BPS13

Neither the offered connection options nor the inbuilt keyboard leave anything worthy to say that's different from those in the One D150. Indeed the touchpad is considered as a strong additional feature, which in comparison with the D150 is essentially more pleasant to use and furthermore with its multi-touch capabilities it facilitates simplified operation in many kinds of situations. Unfortunately the pad is comparatively small in our eyes, so that the multi-touch advantages are limited.Sony VGP-BPS13S

The display offers the typical netbook workspace of 1024x600 pixels in the 10.1-inch WSVGA format. Thanks to LED technology the panel achieves good brightness and illumination. Admittedly, as usual the reflective display surfaces are cause for criticism. Granted, at the electrical superstore around the corner this will look tempting, but as a rule this is indeed not where a netbook is going to be used. In unfavourable lighting or even outdoors in the sunshine you quickly learn the flipside of the coin.Sony VGP-BPS13/Q

Acer dares not experiment with the inbuilt hardware with an Intel N280CPU and Intel GMA 950 graphics chip. Probably more than 90% of all current netbooks utilize components from the dominant chip-giant, Intel.
The Aspire One 531 above all profits from low heat emissions of the Intel components, at least in office use, which facilities a very silent operation of the mini-notebook. Sony VGP-BPS13/S

It's a shame that the 6-cell battery cramps the style of the Aspire One 531, but with the completely integrated 3-cell version the battery life would be simply too low in comparison to the competition. With the larger battery the battery life of around 5 hours in practical use the needs of most netbook users should indeed be met. Sony VGP-BPS13A/B

As for price, the One 531 sells for around 70.- Euro more than the Aspire One D150. Whoever is ready to invest in the successful design will surely be happy with the 531. Essentially, technical improvements are not to be found.Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q

With the launch of the GX and GT series, MSI continues to increase its control of the gaming sector. The company has a wide product range so that every enthusiastic gamer, who enjoys playing on the laptop, can find a laptop which fulfills his/her needs. Whether the buyer chooses to get a big, high performance gaming laptop, or a smaller, far more handy, but still good performance notebook, like the MSI GX 400, he/she will almost always find the perfect laptop in MSI's diverse product range.Sony VGP-BPS13A/S

MSI's gaming division can be basically divided into the GT and GX series. The main distinction between the two series is the available graphics performance. The GT series uses graphics cards from class 1 of our mobile graphics cards' comparison, while the GX series uses the weaker graphics cards from class 2 of our comparison. Sony VGP-BPS13AS
After having tested the other, somewhat bigger models from MSI, such as the GX600, the GX620 and the GT627 (all of which are 15 inch gaming laptops), we now turn towards the GX400, which is currently MSI's smallest gaming specialist. With a 14 inch display, the laptop strikes a fine balance between mobility and performance.Sony VGP-BPS13B/S

Although the GX400 is optically very different from, for example, the GX 620, some features of its case hint towards the origin of the laptop. For example, the cover panel (above the keyboard), under which one can find the speakers, also accomodates the well-known Turbo button. This button can be found in most MSI gaming machines, and it allows the user to overclock the installed CPU with the press of a button (further details can be found in the "performance" section of this review).Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q

While the other models of the GX series attempt to attract the buyer's attention with a myriad of colours, our test model, the GX 400, has a very conservative appearance. The case and keyboard of our model are both black, and there are no colourful imprints which attract the eye. The only colourful surface of the laptop is the dark blue display cover. MSI has dubbed this rather simple design the "Metal-Blue Edition", and, unfortunately for buyers in Europe, this is also the only colour scheme available.Sony VGP-BPS13B/B

As we do not think that a gaming laptop requires colourful, flashing LEDs, and a really stylish case, to be a proper gaming laptop, we must conclude that the MSI GX 400's design is good enough.Sony-vgp-bps13S

However, the manufacturer could not completely conceal the fact that the notebook belongs to a cheaper price segment. After all, the entire case consists of parts made of synthetic material. This is bad because the feel and the sturdiness of this material are not very convincing.Sony-vgp-bps2a
For example, even with the slightest pressure, the base of the laptop can be clearly bent inwards. The case does not react so well either when the front edge of the laptop is lifted up. This action makes the torsion in the base unit and the possible sources of creaking in the laptop evident.Sony-vgp-bps2b

The display is not really that much better. The dislay cover neither protects the display from high pressure nor does it protect it from possible torsions. The display hinges are another big mistake. These look hopelessly under-dimensioned, and they also can not hold the screen in place properly. In fact, the two hinges exert such little force that sooner or later the display will start opening and closing by itself, due to a lack of proper clamping force.Sony-vgp-bps2c

The HDMI port and the combined eSATA/USB interface are definitely two highlights of the MSI GX 400. The rest of the ports are standard, as they include two more USB ports, an analogue VGA output, and audio ports on the front of the notebook.Sony VGP-BPS8A

Depending the user's personal preferences, he/she will either be pleased or very unhappy with the positioning of the ports offered on the laptop. In the case of the GX 400, MSI has positioned the ports in such a way that their use could be considered okay as long as one does not use too many of them at the same time.Sony VGP-BPS8B

The ports based on the left side of the laptop (the VGA output, the HDMI port and eSATA interface) can be criticized as they are all grouped near the front half of the notebook. Left-handed users will definitely not be pleased when they see that even the cooler fan is positioned on the left side near the back, making life for them even harder.Sony VGP-BPS8

Right-handed users, on the other hand, benefit from the optical drive placed on the right edge, next to the only USB port near the back of the notebook. The optimal usage of the ports with the GX 400 would be the use of the power supply, the LAN, and the USB port, which can be used for the mouse, as they all lie on the back of the laptop, and to use them would mean that the right and left sides of the workplace are free of distracting cables.Sony VGP-BPL8

Front side: Audio ports Left side: Kensington Lock, VGA-Out, eSATA/USB, HDMI, ExpressCard 34mm, Cardreader Back side: Power supply, LAN, USB Right side: opt. optical drive, USBMSI has decided to equip the GX 400 with a Gigabit LAN connection, so that the user can enjoy the full bandwidth offered by the LAN cables in a multiplayer game. Sony VGP-BPL9

Together with the Intel Wireless 5100 WLAN module (standard 802.11 b/g/n) the hardware in the laptop ensures that all of the user's wireless needs are fulfilled. As an additional feature, the MSI GX 400 also has, depending on the model version, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. If the user wishes to equip the GX 400 with UMTS then he/she can do so over an external USB modem or the 34mm Expresscard port.Sony VGP-BPS10

The operating system, installed on the laptop, is the Windows Vista Home Premium (32-Bit). Despite the installed OS, MSI equipped the GX 400 with 4 GB RAM, which Vista definitely can not completely use. To use 100% of the RAM, it would be necessary to buy and install the 64-bit version of Vista. MSI did not offer alternatives to the operating system, Sony PCGA-BP7

but thankfully they did put up drivers for Windows XP on their homepage. The guarantee on the notebook lasts for 24 months. Sadly we were not able to get any details about the possible extensions available. to top Input Devices The colourful W-A-S-D keys were the trademarks of all the previously tested MSI gaming notebooks,Sony PCGA-BP71

as these keys are usually the ones which direct the player's character in games, especially in FPS(First-person shooter). Unfortunately, these keys are not to be found in the GX 400, but, on the other hand, the keyboard does have a business-like appeal with the black keys and the white, and sometimes dark blue, letters printed on the keys. Now to the more important factor: the layout. What was MSI thinking when they conceived this keyboard?Sony PCGA-BP71A

When working in practice, everything went pretty gentle, as typical of netbooks, but without longer periods of waiting during the usage of several applications at the same time. Converting with iTunes simply takes longer, World of Warcraft can only be played at a resolution of 800x600 with minimal details at an average of 14 fps, IBM 40Y6999 and image processing is feasible only for absolutely basic tasks, because of the low screen resolution alone. The system is sufficiently fast and smooth enough for tasks in accordance with the status, such as browser, text processing, and communication via email and skype.

Compared directly to other netbooks, such as the Lenovo Ideapad S10e, or the Samsung NC10, the Asus 1000HE is audibly louder, but is altogether still on a silent level and reaches 32-36 dB(A) without load. One only notices the definitely audible vent with 40.4 dB(A) at maximal load. When it comes to noise behavior,IBM 40Y7001 the extremely quiet characteristics of the vent are pleasant for most users. It does neither produce high frequency noises, nor does it change the speed of rotation often, but does its work very constantly.

Only the Seagate hard disk presented itself unusual in our test model in a "cold" state with a cracking which was 37 db(A) loud. This fainted after some operating time and reduced to a working noise of low profile 33.7 dB(A).IBM 40Y7003

The vents can also be influenced with the already mentioned eeectl tool, the sound level can be reduced somewhat with it. One should be aware of the risk, as with the display's brightness, and accept possible damages under a loss of warranty. With eeectl, we could reduce the sound level to 31.7 dB(A) without load, at a vent activity of 30%.IBM ASM 92P1168

On average, the temperatures measured are in the range of human body temperature and are not indicative of conspicuities or possible limitations. Even the top value of 40.3 °C, which can occur in the middle area of the underbody, is absolutely within reason and does not let surmise any limitations. IBM ASM 92P1170

The loudspeakers are located on the front area and radiate forwards. They are quite sufficient for listening to music without great expectations, and convince through an undistorted sound. However, they very much lack bass and have few medium notes, and are also treble-heavy (as typical of this class). Furthermore, they also suffer from a low maximum volume. As usual, one can produce relief quickly and cheaply through earphones or USB-loudspeakers to get more for the mobile usage as well. IBM ASM 92P1172

This is the Eee PC 1000HE's key skill. One readily accepts the device's somewhat higher weight of 1.46kg, due to the maximum battery life of - believe it or not - 512 minutes in the BatteryEater Reader's Test (maximal possible battery life). The mini notebook also features the necessary basic characteristics with a capacity of 62 Wh and a minimal consumption of 8.5 W.IBM ASM 92P1174

The Asus energy saver profile "Power Saving" plays a great role in the low minimal power consumption, it intervenes far deeper in the energy-management than one is used to from Windows XP's profiles. The most obvious action is the Atom CPU, stepped down to a clock rate of 750 Mhz, which nevertheless makes surprisingly fast browser activity and document processing possible. The display brightness, stepped down to the minimum (which we as usually used in this test as well), is rather less suited for working.IBM FRU 42T4505

In the WLAN-test, with browser activity and pleasing display brightness, the Eee PC still reaches surprising 433 minutes. This is more like the user's behavior in practice and is also an excellent value. Those who think the performance of the processor, stepped down to 750 Mhz, is too low, can still expect 386 minutes in the WLAN-test. IBM FRU 42T4506 Under maximal work load, which means a clock rate of 1.69 Ghz for the Eee PC 1000HE in the Asus "Super Performance" profile, the netbook still reaches tolerable 272 minutes battery life in the BatteryEater Classic Test. It measures minimally reachable battery life under load, with switched on Bluetooth, W-LAN and maximum brightness of the display (Asus).

All in all, the Asus cannot reach the 9.5 hours of independence from the mains in our test, as promised by Asus, but it is on a very high level with a battery life between 4.5 and 8.5 hours, and very good characteristics for the quality of running for a long time in practice. IBM FRU 92P1163

Whoever is looking for an especially enduring netbook should definitely shortlist the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. Even if the design might not be everybody's taste: battery life and build quality can be very convincing. Moreover, the matt display with strong contrast has very good characteristics for indoors and only loses points through its too meager maximum brightness during outdoor usage.IBM FRU 92P1165

As the flipside of the quality of running for a long time, one has to accept the lower-than-usual performance when making full use of it, and the somewhat higher weight. The uptight touch pad was bothersome on the test model, and the noise development does not quite reach the standard of many competitors. Those who can put up with these limitations find a solid piece of mobile technique in this variant of the Eee PC.IBM FRU 92P1167

The extremely long battery life and the Asus energy saver profiles. The included neoprene sleeve is also nice and useful.A high ex factory display brightness, which makes outdoor usage possible without potential loss of warranty.That Asus used a matt display with excellent contrast values and even leaves behind the glossy competitors.IBM FRU 92P1169

As far as the battery life is concerned, the Asus Eee PC 1000HE is unrivaled at the moment. Possible alternatives with not quite as long battery life are the Samsung NC10 or the Acer Aspire One 531, these are also somewhat lighter, but not as powerful.Lenovo 57Y6450

Small, lightweight, and a lot of storage space. This is how one could describe the new external 2.5" hard disk from Toshiba. 465GB of usable space and a USB 2.0 port are supposed to convince for less than 120 Euros. You can read how the HDD comes off in the following review.Lenovo L09S8L09

The Toshiba HDDR500E03X is an external 2.5" hard disk in the modern high-gloss design. Five bicolored stripes (in white and grey on out model) optically loosen up the surface somewhat and make the HDD look modern. A disadvantage of the surface, which is coated with piano lacquer, is its susceptibility to fingerprints. This finish is not optimal, especially for a mobile device, since it is covered with finger prints and cords immediately.Lenovo 51J0399

But susceptible to finger printsToshiba integrated a blue LED in the lower left corner of the case for indicating the operating status, it glows while switched on and flashes during read/write-access in its rhythm.Two large rubber stripes adorn the bottom side and make it possible to keep it without gliding on practically every surface.Lenovo 45K2177

The plastic case's stability kann be described as satisfactory. The case creaks a little when pressure is applied to the sides, but it does leave the impression of being stable and should not make any problems during mobile usage.Lenovo L08S3B21

Thanks to the used plastic case, the external USB hard disk remains pleasantly lightweight and portable (weighs 151g).
The case itself can not be opened without damaging it, according to Toshiba (and our own attempts). Therefore, we have to stick with Toshiba as far as the specifications of the used components are concerned.Lenovo L08S6C21

Toshiba's small box offers only a USB 2.0 port. Other ports, such as FireWire or eSata, are nowhere to be found, neither is a connection for power supply. The HDDR500E03X includes a Toshiba MK5055GSX 2.5" hard disk, which offers 500GB of storage space. It is formatted with a factory setting of FAT32 and has 465.8GB of usable storage space. Lenovo ASM 42T4683 Thanks to FAT32, the disk can be used immediately with all current operating systems. The maximum size for single files is 4GB (actually a byte less than 4GB), modern file systems can use the space somewhat more efficiently, and they can read or write files.Toshiba ships the storage box in a handsome plastic packaging, a USB 2.0 cable and a short installation manual in several languages are included.

Specifications of the used Toshiba HDDThe used Toshiba HDDR500E03X is a 2.5" notebook hard disk with 5400rpm and 8MB Cache. The transfer rate reached a constant 33.3 MB/s when tested, thus the USB 2.0 Bus is definitely putting a limit to it. Theoretically about 480 MBit/s (60 MB/s) are possible over USB 2.0, Lenovo FRU 42T4682 but similarly high values seldomly remain in practice. The Toshiba hard disk respectively the controller from Initio make the most of the USB 2.0 interface, which is also visible through the measured burst rate of 27.8 MB/s.The access time of 18.7ms and 7.9% CPU load are also alright for an external hard disk over USB 2.0.

Like most external 2.5" hard disks, the Toshiba HDDR500E03X is also supplied with power via the USB port, a dedicated port for a power supply unit is not provided. However, the hard disk drained up to 740mA (maximum) from the USB port, and USB 2.0 is only specified for up to 500mA. This means that not all notebooks might be able to supply the necessary 740mA, Lenovo ASM 42T4691there might be problems during usage. The available y-cables cannot help either, according to the specifications, since the hard disk cannot register at the second port.The power consumption (important for the reduction of battery life) was at a median of 1.3 watt (while idle) and 2.3 watt (when used).

The Toshiba HDD's surface remained chilly during the test.Due to the vent-free way of construction of the plastic case, only the running noises of the used Toshiba hard disk occur during operation. This is expressed through the quiet whirr of the hard disk during operation, and a barely perceivable rattling during read or write access. Lenovo FRU 42T4688These noises are accompanied by minimally perceptible vibrations.The HDD's surface temperatures remain absolutely uncritical even after longer usage and do not exceed the skin temperature of 32 °C, meaning that it always felt chilly during the test.

For currently 90-125 Euros (source: Geizhals.at), the buyer gets a nifty external hard disk with sufficient storage space. The compability to Windows XP, Vista, 7, MacOS X, and Linux is assured thanks to the FAT32 format. The performance is, as expected, limited by the USB port. Unfortunately, a dedicated power connection is missing, Lenovo FRU 42T4690 which could absorb the current peaks above the USB specifications. Temperatures and running noise do not give any cause for complaints, so the small box can absolutely be recommended.

Acer already landed a direct hit with the first Aspire One A110, which became the best-selling netbook of 2008. As these tiny devices have provided a proper boost to the balances of many manufacturers in such a short time it is no surprise that Acer also wants to see other models meet the same success of the A110 with future models. Following the Aspire One D150, the Taiwanese manufacturer brings another compact 10-incher onto the market with the Aspire One 531.Lenovo 42T4235

Acer has already dedicated a section of its website to the strong selling mini-laptops, which despite some current arguments are shamelessly called netbooks. Overall 6 netbook variants are currently sold by Acer. The Aspire One A110 L/X (Linux or Windows) is still available, whilst its successor comes along in 10-inch form, Lenovo 42T4731the already reviewed D150. However the Aspire One 531 at hand, as well as its bigger brother, the Aspire One 751 with a 11.6-inch display and HD resolution (1366x768), are new to Acer's portfolio.
There is also a revised version of the D150: Acer Aspire One D250.

As for Acer's Aspire One D150, the first 10-inch netbook from the Taiwanese manufacturer wasn't likely to be to every netbook fan's taste when it comes to the case, but Acer was quick to rectify this with the new Aspire One 531, which is a much more stylish and elegant mini-laptop. This can also be considered as a reaction to the latest iterations of competitors' models, for example the Asus Eee PC 1002HA, but also the Dell Mini 10 and many others. Lenovo 42T4733

How does the Aspire One 531 differentiate itself from the D150 with the same form factor and CPU/GPU? Well, apart from a clearly flatter case, not much. This brings with it a further advantage - weight. The Aspire One D150 weighed in at 1350 grams (with a larger 59 Wh battery), whilst the Aspire One 531 weighs 1220 grams, even equipped with the larger 6-cell battery, roughly 10% under the total weight of the D150.Lenovo 42T4737

Changes to the case almost always go hand in hand with design changes, which is the case with the Aspire One 531. Compared to the One D150 the case of the 531 basically fits in better, and shows certain similarities with the business design in the Travelmates.Lenovo 42T4753
In detail, the device does without colourful case materials and to our particular taste so too is there no high gloss finish of the display lid. This is spared due to the fact that it would easily show dirt but also accumulate small scratches and marks over time.

We can't completely renounce the glittery look of the device for the consumer. The shiny frame of the display surrounds the equally reflective display, and also on the base unit the sides have a high gloss finish, which, in our opinion, is aesthetically very well received and whose disadvantages are also kept within limits.Lenovo 42T4757