Handy Computer Guide

A review of the Toshiba Satellite A135-S4427 notebook PC has been posted at Notebook Review. 'The Toshiba A135 series notebook is offered in a wide variety of configurations, and ranges in price, at common big-box and online resellers, from under $700 to nearly $1500. The particular model under review here, an A135-S4427 provided by Toshiba, falls near the lower end of this range, and at first glance appears to be an excellent choice for the value-minded consumer looking to obtain a nicely outfitted notebook. The S4427 comes with Vista Home Premium, an Intel Core Duo T2250 processor, one gigabyte of RAM, 120 gigabytes of hard drive space, and a DVD-SuperMulti drive, all for well under $1000. Although a stripped-down Celeron configuration will generally cost the least of any A135 model notebook, the S4427, for not a whole lot more money, and provides just about everything one might hope for in a non-gaming, consumer-oriented notebook.'

Read: Toshiba Satellite A135 - Notebook Review

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CNET have reviewed the Dell XPS M1210 laptop with Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate installed. 'The XPS M1210 features a bright 12.1-inch display that's fine for surfing the Web and watching media files, although a slightly larger 13.3-inch screen as found on the Asus W7J is the smallest display we'd want to use on an everyday basis. The crisp 1,280x800 native resolution strikes a fine balance between legible text and icons and screen real estate. Sitting above the display is a 1.3-megapixel Webcam; the camera rotates 180 degrees, as if on a rotisserie spit, so you can grab images from both the front and rear of the laptop. The full-size keyboard on the XPS M1210 makes typing comfortable for even extended periods. The touch pad and mouse buttons are small but functional, with both horizontal and vertical scroll zones. A set of illuminated buttons sit along the front edge, including volume and media transport controls. They're handy when watching DVDs or listening to music, but they're far too easy to accidentally hit when typing, especially if the laptop is actually sitting on your lap.'

Read: Dell XPS M1210 (Vista Ultimate) - CNET

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Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Systemax Pursuit 4155 dual-core notebook PC. ‘The Systemax Pursuit 4155 is proof that buying a budget notebook doesn't mean you have to forgo the latest generation of processors or settle for a bare-bones system. Priced at $999, this 6.5-pound system features a 1.66-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, and a dual-layer DVD burner. You also get an 80GB hard drive and a bright 15.4-inch widescreen display with a 1280 x 800-pixel native resolution. Top it off with a 1.3-megapixel camera and you have a mainstream machine that can go toe to toe with the big boys. Sporting a dull silver lid and a black lower case, the Pursuit 4155 is fairly plain-looking inside and out. The black full-sized keyboard is responsive and comfortable, as is the two-button touchpad controller. Four programmable hot keys and the power switch sit above the keyboard, off to the right.’

Read: Systemax Pursuit 4155 – Laptop Mag

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The feature-rich HP dv9000z PC has been reviewed over at ZDNet. 'A true desktop replacement, the HP Pavilion dv9000z measures 15.5 inches wide, 11 inches deep, 1.5 inches thick, and weighs 8.5 pounds. That's too bulky to carry around with you every day, but it is smaller than both the Dell XPS M1710 and the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660. Key features on the entertainment-oriented Pavilion dv9000z are the built-in HD DVD drive and the accompanying 17-inch wide-screen display, features that put it in direct competition with the XPS M1710 (Blu-ray) and Qosmio G35-AV660 (HD DVD). With a native resolution of 1,440 x 900, the Pavilion dv9000z's glossy screen is fairly good for watching high-def content, though we'd prefer a finer 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, as found on the Sony VAIO AR series. It's a small quibble, though: in our (ahem) extensive movie-watching tests, which included HD DVD movies, we found the screen produced rich colors and sharp details, and there's plenty of screen real estate for traditional computer work as well.'

Features:
• HP PhotoSmart Essentials
• QuickPlay 3.0
• Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
• 1 Expansion Port 3 connector
• 1 ExpressCard/54 Slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
• 4 USB 2.0 ports
• IEEE 1394
• 1 Consumer IR (Remote Receiver)
• HP Mobile Remote Control
• TV-Out (S-video)
• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader
• Built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers
• Touch Pad with On/Off button and dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down pad
• Kensington(R) MicroSaver lock slot
• Power-on password
• 101 key compatible
• 90W AC adapter

Read: HP dv9000z (Vista Ultimate) - ZDNet

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A review of the Gateway NX570 mid-sized laptop has been posted on Digital Trends. 'The new design of the NX570X serves in both a functional capacity (the materials are designed to be resistant to scratching and to fingerprint smudges) as well as to stylistically differentiate the laptop from the competition. The cover for the laptop is made of a textured, hard casing that is a departure from the traditional smooth casing found in previous Gateway models. Along each side of the laptop is a silver stripping around each of the connection ports that further distinguishes this laptop as more than just a box of chipsets and components. Most notable to the new design is the interior portion of the laptop. Surrounding the touchpad and the bottom half of the laptop is a brushed, aluminum palm rest. While the palm rest is not the most comfortable surface in the world, it does give the laptop a sleek, modern look that begs to be shown off to family and friends. This aluminum is completely smooth to the touch and is accompanied by a silver finish surrounding the keyboard. The 15.4-inch display is surrounded by a smooth, thin, black-colored lining that doesn’t distract from the screen display.'

Read: Gateway NX570 - Digital Trends

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Personal Computer World have published a review of the ACI Matrix 1500 notebook which features a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor; Windows XP Professional; 2GB DDR RAM; 100GB hard drive; 15.4in 1,280x800 TFT display and a 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics card. 'Although robust, the chassis encasing ACI's Matrix 1500 doesn't look anything special with a rather mundane grey and silver livery. The keyboard has decent-sized and well-spaced keys, but they feel a little spongy during typing. Stereo speakers sit either side of the keyboard provide adequate audio - headphone and line-in sockets are located at the front of the chassis. A 1.3-megpixel camera is embedded into the top of the monitor's bezel and is accompanied by a built-in microphone - perfect for impromptu video calls (should you ever make any).'

Read: Review: ACI Matrix 1500 notebook - Personal Computer World

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CNET have posted a review of the Gateway FX530XT gaming desktop which "has added an option for Microsoft Windows Vista". 'Only the operating system and the amount of system memory set this Gateway FX530XT apart from the FX530XT that we reviewed in November 2006. That $3,650 model had Windows XP and 2GB of memory; this newer one goes for $3,660 and comes with Windows Vista Home Premium, and 4GB of RAM. Sounds like a good deal. But wait until you see the 3D test scores for this purported high-end gaming desktop. We liked the FX530XT in its first incarnation, but now we're not so jazzed. In fairness, the whole gaming desktop market is out of whack right now, but Gateway missed an opportunity to differentiate itself with this system. We'll refer you to the original review of this model to go over Gateway's new case and the overall design. Suffice it to say that we still like it on the outside, but the inside continues to look sloppy. Most of the core hardware features also remain the same. Both models come with an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 quad-core CPU, overclocked to 3.2GHz. We've already mentioned that the Vista model has twice the memory, going from 2GB to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM. They both also use the same Intel 975X chipset, complete with support for dual 3D graphics cards via ATI's CrossFire technology. They both also come with the highest-end ATI 3D graphics cards on market. Therein, our major beef. '

Read: Gateway FX530XT (Windows Vista) - CNET

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14U News have published a review of the Alienware Area-51 7500 Desktop PC. 'The system that I am reviewing has just about everything that you can get on an Alienware Area-51 7500 desktop save a second 8800 GTX for SLI and the PhysX card that is of questionable value anyway. The CPU in this rig is the beastly Intel GX6700 Core 2 Quad Extreme edition that I run in one of my test machines which is the fastest quad core CPU around right now. Alienware cooled the CPU in my review sample with tier AlienIce liquid cooling system and integrated their AlienFX lighting system as well. The AlienIce 3.0 video cooling system sounds like it puts liquid cooling on the graphics card, which it does not. The card cooling comes from vents in the side panels while the CPU gets liquid cooling with an internal radiator that uses ¼” tubing to route water from the radiator through a small CPU cooling block. Those into overclocking know that small-bore tubing on liquid cooling systems limit the performance, but to be honest hard core overclockers are not likely to be shopping for pre-built systems. The AlienFX system is a series of LED lights that illuminate the Alienware case badges, side vents, and the drive area on the front of the case.'

Read: Alienware Area-51 7500 Desktop PC Review - 14U News

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Mladen Djordjevic writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the HP Compaq nx7300 notebook PC. 'The HP Compaq nx7300 represents the latest available notebook in the HP nx series. The nx7300 is a Core 2 Duo budget laptop with a 15.4” widescreen display. Although it doesn't offer anything out of the ordinary, design simplicity and solid build quality make it a formidable contender in the sub $1,100 price range. Obviously, HP with this models targets students and small businesses with a tight budget. Configurations vary greatly, you can get anything from a Celeron M up to a Core 2 Duo T7200 processor. The design is very similar to other laptops in the nx series. It will not win any beauty pageants, or turn the heads of your classmates. It is very simple and modest (personally, I like this kind of design). The entire laptop is black, except the lid cover, which is a dark gray. There are speakers situated on both sides of the keyboard, so they don't ruin your typing experience. The main exhaust is on the left side so the hot air won't bother you when you use an external USB mouse (if you are right handed that is).'

Read: HP Compaq nx7300 - Notebook Review

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A review of the ThinkPad T60p business notebook with Windows Vista Business installed, has been posted at CNET. 'The Lenovo T60P eschews the soft, rounded edges and brushed-metal accents of consumer laptops for a no-nonsense squared-off look, giving it a slim, sleek profile. The familiar matte-black case measures 12.5 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 1.1 inches thick. That's a little smaller than the wide-screen version of the T60, which measures 14 inches wide, and it may be too big for some fitted laptop cases. This version of the T60P is a half-pound lighter, weighing in at 5.3 pounds, or 6.2 pounds if you include the AC adapter. The time-tested design includes traveler-friendly touches, such as sturdy steel hinges and a shock-mounted hard drive. The keyboard is one of the best laptop keyboards available, offering an extremely comfortable typing experience. The T60P also has both an eraser-head pointing stick and a touch pad, each of which has a set of mouse buttons (the top set includes a scroll button in the middle). Above the keyboard are three handy volume buttons--the extent of the ThinkPad T60P's dedicated multimedia controls--and a blue ThinkVantage button, which summons Lenovo's helpful preinstalled support-and-configuration utility.'

Read: Lenovo ThinkPad T60P (Windows Vista) - CNET

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Laptop Magazine have reviewed the Sony VAIO UX Premium VGN-UX390N ultra-portable with Windows Vista Business Edition installed. 'Like its predecessor, the UX390N weighs a mere 1.2 pounds and is only 5.9 inches wide and 1.3 to 1.5 inches thick (depending on battery size); a little too big for pocket travel but still highly portable. This model sports an all-black casing and features a brightly lit 4.5-inch widescreen touch display with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution. The screen slides up to reveal a 64-button keyboard that is certainly spacious enough for thumb typing but lacks tactile response. That, coupled with the fact that the keys are virtually flat against the surface, makes entering keystrokes with any kind of speed difficult. On the upside, the keyboard is backlit, making it easy to read in the dark.'

Read: Sony VAIO UX Premium VGN-UX390N - Laptop Mag

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A review of the Toshiba Satellite U200-161 ultra-portable notebook has been posted over at Trusted Reviews. 'The U200-161 comes with an Intel Core Duo T2300E CPU running at 1.66GHz, along with 512MB of DDR2 RAM, an 80GB SATA hard disk and a DVD Rewriter. It has integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless, 10/100 Ethernet, a 56k modem and a 12.1 inch display with a 1,280 x 800 native resolution. At this price it's difficult to have too many quibbles with such a specification, though the U200-161 does lack a couple of potentially useful features such as Bluetooth and an ExpressCard slot. It does however have a PC Card slot, which is great if you have, say, a 3G data card, but the lack of an ExpressCard slot could leave you somewhat restricted in the future.'

Read: Toshiba Satellite U200-161- Trusted Reviews

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PC Magazine have reviewed the Lenovo ThinkPad X60 business ultraportable notebook with Microsoft Windows Vista Business. 'The ThinkPad X60 still has all the features business users have come to love. Embedded in the screen is an antenna for Verizon's EV-DO access. Lenovo couldn't activate this feature for this review (you would have to set up an account yourself with Verizon in order to activate the EV-DO antennae. It's $60 per month if you have an existing Verizon account and $80 if you don't. You can also activate it by the day for $15), so I can't really comment on its functionality with Vista. You can also find a fingerprint reader below the mouse button The only knock against the X60 is that it doesn't have a built-in optical drive, which is how Lenovo kept the weight below 4 pounds. If you really want a built-in optical drive, you can opt for a Dell XPS M1210 or a Sony VAIO SZ Series. In the meantime, the ThinkPad X6 Ultrabase docking station, with a dual-layer DVD burner built in, is available for a hefty price ($299 direct).'

Read: Lenovo ThinkPad X60 (Vista) - PC Mag

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Charles P. Jefferies writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the Asus Z84Jp desktop replacement notebook. 'Asus priced our notebook at $1,900USD, which is a justifiable and competitive price in my opinion for these specifications compared to other notebooks in its price range. The Z84Jp is designed to be sold as a barebone notebook, which means the chassis only – the end user adds components. However, it is being sold as a partially complete or complete system by many online dealers. The Asus Z84Jp is comprised of entirely one color – black. It is black on the bottom, sides, top, inside, around the keyboard – you get the idea. There are no variations. The surface texture does change, however. The top 5/6 of the lid is glossy, as are the palmrests. The bottom 1/6 of the lid and the area surrounding the keyboard are horizontally-lined plastic, which is an interesting design choice; I haven't seen anything like it on other notebooks. It adds a touch of uniqueness.'

Read: Asus ASMobile Z84Jp Review

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A review of the Sony VAIO UX390 ultra-portable PC has been posted on CNET. 'It would be easy to describe the Sony VAIO UX390, with its two-hand design and slide-out keyboard, as a $2,500 Sidekick. The UX390 is actually slightly larger, thicker, and heavier than the T-Mobile phone--measuring 5.9 inches wide by 3.7 inches deep by 1.5 inches thick. Slide the 4.5-inch screen up, exposing the keyboard, and the system is 5.25 inches deep. The VAIO UX390 is only 1.1 pounds (1.6 with the AC adapter), which is lighter than the smallest ultraportable laptop, but for such a tiny device, it feels somewhat heavy. The 4.5-inch display's 1,024x600 native resolution is clear and bright, but Web sites and onscreen icons can be hard to read at arm's length. Two zoom keys are located on the right side of the device, but they're slow and the zoomed-in image is blocky and hard to see. You'd be better off just changing to a lower resolution if visibility is a problem.'

Read: Sony VAIO UX390 - CNET

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Personal Computer World have published their review of the Rock Pegasus T12 T7400 Vista notebook PC. 'Rock has sensibly opted for Vista Home Premium over the slightly cheaper, but far inferior Home Basic edition. It has also done a good job of supplying Vista with decent hardware to run off. Sitting at the heart of the system is a fast Core 2 Duo T7400 running at 2.16GHz - this is second only to Intel's T7600 model. Combined with the 1GB of Ram required by Vista Home Premium, it powered the notebook to a score of 229 in Sysmark 2004 SE. To keep costs down, Rock supplies it with Intel 945GM integrated graphics instead of a dedicated graphics card, so don't expect to use this notebook as a portable gaming machine. It's poor 3D performance is highlighted further by it returning a score of just 581 in 3Dmark05.'

Read: Rock Pegasus T12 T7400 - Personal Computer World

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The eMachines T5224 desktop PC with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium installed, has been reviewed over at ZDNet. 'The eMachines T5224 is the first true budget-class PC we've seen with Windows Vista on it. We mostly like what we've seen so far, but we can't help but wonder what would happen if Gateway/eMachines took better advantage of AMD's aggressive chip pricing. This $580 PC (before $50 rebate) comes with Vista Home Premium, an older dual-core Intel processor, and a DVD burner, a combination that makes this a capable desktop at a fair price. On top of all of that, a new chassis design gives this eMachines desktop an attractive updated look. Still, a more recent AMD processor would deliver better performance, likely without driving up costs. If you're looking for an affordable Windows Vista PC, the eMachines T5224 will do the job, but you can find a better-looking configuration for the dollar from other vendors.'

Read: eMachines T5224 - ZDNet

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Trusted Reviews have published their review of the Sony VAIO VGN-C2SL notebook PC. 'Our test sample came in an attractive sky blue - or “Rediscovery” blue as Sony likes it to be known - with the four other finishes being “Karma” white, “Natura” green, “Free Spirit” pink and “Timeless” black. Sony is certainly pushing the individuality angle here, with each colour intended to appeal to those who want to make a statement with their notebook. Many suggest colour preference is an indicator of personality, and even if you don’t believe this it’s still nice to have a choice. For what it's worth the C-series certainly achieves its basic goal: being distinctive. We've got quite a number of notebooks in the office at the moment, and when sat next to others the C2SL certainly cuts a striking figure. The combination of the colored outer casing and the shiny silver VAIO logo are immediately inviting; making it a great notebook for wowing friends. Dare I say the wow starts now?'

Read: Sony VAIO VGN-C2SL - Trusted Reviews

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A review of the Itronix GoBook XR-1 wireless rugged mobile computer has been posted over at Laptop Magazine. 'When General Dynamics acquired the rugged-laptop manufacturer Itronix more than a year ago, the giant defense contractor must have somehow equipped its new possession with an afterburner from an F-16 jet fighter. Within a space of six months, the company introduced no fewer than three new rugged and semi-rugged notebooks, including the eye-catching semi-rugged Hummer. Now, with its first product under the General Dynamics brand, the company has issued the GoBook XR-1, which may well be the smallest fully rugged notebook on the market.'

Read: Itronix GoBook XR-1 - Laptop Mag

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Lenard Gunda writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the Asus V1JP notebook PC. 'I am very satisfied with the build quality of this notebook. My previous notebook was an ASUS V6V. I think they are very similar in build quality though the materials are a bit different. The lid is made of magnesium alloy while the base is carbon fibre. From the outside the notebook has a dark gray and black design with silvery edges. When opening the lid, the palm rests are revealed in gray, in the middle sits the touchpad. The touchpad is also a wide model, 16:10, just like the screen. I was more comfortable with the locking mechanism on the V6V which has magnets and no latch. The latch system on the V1JP does not feel that solid. The latch that holds the lid in place does not hold the lid tightly closed. The palm rests have a little flex on them, the left side maybe a little bit more than the right. Overal however, the notebook feels very solid.'

Read: Asus V1JP with Windows Vista Ultimate Review - Notebook Review

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Laptop Magazine have published their review of the Acer Ferrari 5005WLMi ultraportable notebook. 'With its glossy carbon-fiber-patterned lid, red accents, and yellow prancing-horse logo, the 5005WLMi stands out from the field of gray and silver notebooks, without being as outlandish as the Alienware Aurora or Asus Lamborghini models. At 6.6 pounds and an inch thick at its leading edge, the unit is manageable to carry. Pop the lid and you'll find a sharp black-on-black color scheme. The full-sized keyboard is laid out in Acer's unique "smile" configuration, which makes for a more natural wrist position for touch typists (the shape is subtle enough not to be offensive to traditionalists). The expansive keyboard deck is covered in a rubberized material that feels good under your palms, and the touchpad features a four-way scroll rocker switch between the two mouse buttons, though in this price range we would have preferred to see a fingerprint reader there. Given the room around the keyboard, dedicated multimedia control buttons would also have been nice. '

Read: Acer Ferrari 5005WLMi - Laptop Mag

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CNET have published their review of the ultraportable Sony VAIO TXN17P/B notebook with Windows Vista Business Edition installed. 'Measuring 10.8 inches wide, 8 inches deep, and 1.2 inches high, the TXN17 is among the smallest ultraportables we've seen. It's tiny enough to carry around without much hassle, but the small screen and the cramped keyboard will be uncomfortable for extended use. The Sony VAIO TXN17 weighs 2.9 pounds (3.6 pounds with the AC adapter), which is extremely light when you consider the system has a built-in optical drive, something many smaller laptops omit to save on weight and bulk. The Asus S6F features a similar footprint and an optical drive but is noticeably thicker. The tradeoff with using an ultraportable laptop is the miniaturized keyboard, and the VAIO TXN17 is no exception. The flat-topped keys are an acquired taste, similar to those on a MacBook, and those without nimble fingers will find themselves hitting the backspace key often. The touch pad, by comparison, is plenty ample for every day use, and the media control buttons built into the hinge are accessible, even when the lid is closed.'

Read: Sony VAIO TXN17P/B - CNET

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PC Magazine have published their review of the HP Pavilion dv9000t Media Center laptop with Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate installed. 'A Media Center laptop is a PC with multiple personalities. It's a desktop replacement, a portable, and, ultimately, it's a living-room entertainment system. Three months ago, I reviewed the HP Pavilion dv9000t ($2,569 direct), but hesitated to give it an Editors' Choice, thinking that a better Media Center laptop was in the works. It never happened. One alternative I had my eye on, the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660, had a long list of A/V features that could make anyone salivate, but it turned out to lack many of HP's finishing touches, especially when it came to high definition. Now, with the latest iteration of the HP Pavilion dv9000t (now with Vista) clearly having the best HD playback software developed for the included HD DVD-ROM drive, not to mention a neat little remote that fits in the ExpressCard slot, I'm ready to hand it the Editors' Choice. If that doesn't convince you, maybe the fact that all the cool features in the newest dv9000t are neatly tied together by Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate will.'

Read: HP Pavilion dv9000t (Vista) - PC Mag

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