Handy Computer Guide

A review of the MSI PR200-064UK Notebook has been posted over at Personal Computer World. 'The speakers, placed just below the screen, created reasonable sound, but the edge of the speaker grille grazed our skin as we ran our hands across it. Again, like too many notebooks, the trackpad has no scroll ­ something manufacturers have previously told us is down to poor Vista driver support. The PR200’s grey chassis and translucent front black lining reminds us of VHS recorders. But, despite the antiquated looks, MSI is the sole manufacturer to include an HDMI port ­ a hassle-free way of outputting audio and video to an HD TV with one cable. This makes it a top choice for big TV owners.'

Read: Review: MSI PR200-064UK notebook computer - Personal Computer World

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Jerelyn Parker writing over at Tablet PC Review has posted a review of the Asus R1E Tablet PC. ‘The dimensions of the R1E are 12.6" (W) x 9.48" (D) x 1.37" (H) and it weighs in at 4.3lbs. It has the same design as the Asus R1F. It is a sturdy, beveled little gray armful. Not light enough to carry around on your arm for hours, but great to prop against a knee or use on your lap with your feet propped up. I did not find any flex or wobble in any part of the chassis. Compared to the 12.1" Dell XPS m1210 the Asus R1E was surprisingly, not that much larger, thanks to more efficient use of screen space and the monstrous battery of the Dell. On our home scale they were the same weight. I'm not sure whether this speaks well of the Asus, or poorly of the Dell.’

Read: Asus R1E Tablet PC User Review – Tablet PC Review

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IT Reviews have published a review of the Sony Vaio VGN-AR41L desktop replacement PC. 'Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor clocked at 1.8GHz, the VGN-AR41L isn't going to win any performance awards but it will do all the usual mundane office jobs without any problems. And with the processor being dual core, at least you can run jobs like virus scans in the background without taking too much of a hit in foreground performance. Supporting the processor is 2GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory which is the about the standard fitment these days in a notebook with Vista installed (the VGN-AR41L comes with Vista Home Premium); in any case this is the maximum amount of memory that the motherboard supports.'

Read: Sony - Vaio VGN-AR41L review - IT Reviews

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Ted Lynch writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the Compaq-Presario-F560US Notebook. 'The F560's case is made of plastic. It does not have HP's new Imprint Finish technique, so it's not shiny and pretty, but does not attract the smudges that the new look glossy notebooks do. The case is black on the outside with a dark gray keyboard area and black keyboard. The case features rounded edges and has a lone Compaq logo adorning the lid of the notebook. All in all quite simple I would say, but on occasion attracting less attention is a good thing. The F560 has a 15.4" screen and weighs about six and half pounds. It's probably not a notebook that should be carried on a daily basis, but taking it out now and again is certainly doable. The size of the notebook is quite similar to that of my R60, it's just wider due to the screen and a bit heavier.'

Read: HP Compaq F500 Series Review - Notebook Review

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A review of the HP Pavilion Slimline s3200t desktop configuration has been posted over at ZDNet. ‘Because there was some confusion the first time we reviewed a customizable HP Slimline desktop, we'll make it known right from the start that this system is not like the budget Slimlines you'll find on store shelves. Instead, the Pavilion Slimline s3200t is HP's online version. You can configure it to be as low as $450, but the build we're reviewing here will run you $1,540. The main reason is that it was configured with HD movie-watching in mind. And compared to traditional HD-capable PCs, this Slimline is not only an absolute steal, it's also technically more advanced, thanks to its hybrid HD DVD/Blu-ray optical drive. If you're looking to integrate a PC into your home theater, HP has the best, most HD-versatile deal going with this system, and earns our Editors' Choice as a result.’

Read: HP Pavilion Slimline s3200t - ZDNet

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Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Rock Xtreme 770 T7800-8800 gaming Notebook. 'This model also comes with a 200GB SATA hard disk, which may sound a bit stingy until you realise that it's a faster 7,200rpm variety rather than the 5,400rpm disks found in most standard desktop notebooks. You can also select a 250GB drive but this is a 5,400rpm drive and with focus squarely on gaming performance, the faster drive is the way to go. As standard there's also plenty else of note, with Intel 802.11 a/b/n WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet, a 7-in-1 memory card reader, 1.3 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth, four USB ports, FireWire and even a Fingerprint reader wedged between the two touch pad buttons. All in all, it's a very well appointed machine that packs in all the features one would expect of high performance notebook.'

Read: Rock Xtreme 770 T7800-8800 - Trusted Reviews

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PC Magazine have published a review of the Fujitsu Lifebook S6510 ultraportable. 'The system offers three USB ports and a FireWire port. An S-Video jack can be found on the front bezel, next to the microphone and headphone jacks. You have your usual set of legacy ports that include VGA, Ethernet, and modem ports. The most important part of the equation is the built-in dual-layer DVD burner, yet so you can watch all the latest DVD flicks and install software and offload storage data whenever you have to. An integrated 1.3-megapixel Web cam will help you stay in touch with loved ones on the road, as well as videoconference with work colleagues. Its 120GB hard drive is average for a business laptop. Fujitsu put in adequate security measures by including a fingerprint reader, SmartCard reader, and TPM (Trusted Platform Module). The only thing it doesn't have is cellular broadband, which is important if you're on the road most of the time and require a ubiquitous wireless connection. Otherwise, you can use the built-in WiFi.'

Read: Fujitsu Lifebook S6510 - PC Mag

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Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Toshiba Qosmio G45-AV680 high-definition multimedia Notebook. ‘The spacious, glossy-white keyboard deck is accented by the glow of cool blue lighting around the various multimedia controls, including a large round volume dial on the left side and a similarly sized scrolling cursor control on the right. One major gripe: The chrome-plated volume knob is flush with the deck and is extremely slippery; if it weren't for the notch carved out for a finger, adjusting the volume would be really difficult. The keyboard is roomy and responsive, and the smallish touchpad is conveniently positioned for maximum comfort, with a fingerprint reader nestled between the two mouse buttons. A row of multimedia control keys located above the keyboard provides one-touch access to record, play, rewind, and fast-forward functions; hot keys for entering the Vista Ultimate Media Center menu; and keys for setting audio and brightness levels.’

Read: Toshiba Qosmio G45-AV680 – Laptop Mag

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A review of the Dell XPS One all-in-one system has been posted over at CNET. 'Dell offers four basic configurations for this new XPS One all-in-one system, and our $2,399 review sample represents the highest-end model. Complete with a Blu-ray burner, 802.11n wireless networking, and a TV tuner, it competes well against other higher-end all-in-ones, namely Sony's high-end VAIO LT19U. Overall, though, HP's cheaper, small-scale Pavilion SlimLine s3200t desktop and its HD-DVD/Blu-ray drive outshines any all-in-one in price and versatility. Apple's iMac also maintains its hold as the best overall computer in the all-in-one category. That awards the XPS One the prize for most affordable all-in-one with a Blu-ray drive. If you're looking for a system in that narrow category, you should check it out, especially because it has some unique usability features. Otherwise, you can get better overall computing and home theater experiences from other systems.'

Read: Dell XPS One - CNET

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Pocket Lint have published a review of the budget-priced RM Asus MiniBook laptop. 'Sporting just a 7-inch screen and weighing in at just 890g this will comfortable fit into any bag and allow for portable working to the extreme. For those interested, the actual dimensions are are a tiny 22.5 x 16.5 x 2.1-3.5cm. Get past the size and you get either 256MB or 512MB of memory, 2GB or 4GB of solid-state storage, a 900MHz Intel Celeron M processor, VGA webcam for video conferencing, 802.11g Wi-Fi, Ethernet port, modem, SD card reader and three USB ports, there is even the offer an optional 3G datacard too, although no CD-ROM.'

Read: RM Asus MiniBook laptop Review - Pocket Lint

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CNET have published a review of the Asus G2S gaming laptop. 'The G2S has a decidedly industrial flair, with a brushed-metal lid and wrist rest and black interior. The black keyboard tray, upon closer inspection, reveals a subtle crosshatch pattern, which adds some pleasing depth to the flat surfaces of the laptop. Metal accents in the lid on the hinges add an industrial flavor, but the red lights on the sides of the lid are a little too bold for our tastes. Many of these design touches are the same as those found on Asus' 15-inch G1 gaming laptop. The crosshatch pattern extends to the touchpad, while a plastic red-backlit eyeball logo sits between the mouse buttons and stares at you in a slightly menacing way. In case you forgot this was gaming laptop, the W, A, S, and D keys--the main control keys for many PC games--are thoughtfully highlighted in red. The interior surfaces are uncluttered, but there's a Webcam above the display and a row of basic media control buttons along the front edge.'

Read: Asus G2S - CNET

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A review of the MSI GX600 gaming notebook has been posted over at Notebook Review. 'The MSI GX600 is a "compact" 15.4" gaming notebook with a 512MB NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics card, and an overclockable Intel T7300 Core 2 Duo processor. This notebook offers a wide range of ports including HDMI, e-SATA, MCX for TV-Antenna, VGA, S-Video, four USB ports, one Firewire port, and LAN/Modem jacks to cover almost any device you have laying around. Probably the coolest feature which I have not seen since my 20Mhz 486 desktop is a Turbo button to overclock the machine on the fly to bump the processor speed from 2.0GHz to 2.4GHz without a restart.'

Read: MSI GX600 Review - Notebook Review

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PC Authority have published a review of the stylish Asus VX2S Lamborghini Notebook. 'Available in lacquered Lambo yellow or carbon-fibre black, the VX2S has a solid feel, and the leather keyboard surround with yellow stitching, stylish design and silver base contribute to its high-end appeal. If it’s wow-factor you’re after; the VX2S has it in spades. The keyboard is comfortable and well-sized. The glossy 1680 x 1050 screen is clear and sharp and the speakers are respectable. Under the hood is a Santa Rosabased spec, featuring a 2.2GHz T7500, 2GB RAM, 1GB of Intel Turbo Memory (codename: Robson) and a 4200rpm 200GB hard drive. Given the components, our benchmarks delivered a disappointing 0.86 – nowhere near the top of the charts. This is likely to be due to the unit’s pre-production status. Certainly, we’d expect more power from the final version.'

Read: Asus VX2S Lamborghini - PC Authority

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A review of the Fujitsu LifeBook U810 Mini-Notebook PC has been posted over at MobileTechReview. 'The Fujitsu U810, the US cousin to the Japanese U1010, attempts to bridge the gap between couch-top casual and real workhorse. It sells for $999 with Windows Vista Home Premium (Vista Business with XP Pro Tablet Edition 2005 in the box) will set you back $100 more) and uses the Intel A110 800MHz processor like other recent UMPCs, but it has a significantly higher resolution display and a mini-notebook design for more serious productivity. In fact Fujitsu avoids the UMPC moniker and calls it the "U810 Mini-Notebook". This 1.56 lb. mini-notebook has a 5.6" 1024 x 600 touch screen display, webcam, the Intel 800 MHz CPU with 512k level 2 cache, 1 gig of DDR2 400MHz memory, a 40 gig 1.8" internal hard drive, 1 SD and 1 CF slot, 1 USB 2.0 port, 3.5mm headphone and mic ports and both VGA and Ethernet ports on a dongle adapter that plugs into a dock connector. The notebook has a biometric fingerprint scanner and Trusted Platform Module (TPM).'

Read: Fujitsu U810 Mini-Notebook - MobileTechReview

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Digital Trends have published a review of the Gateway C-140 Tablet PC. 'The Gateway C-140/E-295C is one of only a few options for those looking at high-speed Tablet PCs. As a general rule, tablets with a 12” screen house slower, power-saving processors, as do any slate form-factor options (PCS with no keyboard section, only a large tablet screen). The C-140/E-295C recognizes that there are people out there that want a powerful Tablet PC, capable of launching PowerPoint presentations in seconds, or crunching a large Excel spreadsheet before the next ice age, however. Bearing this in mind, with a 14” screen and plenty of processor options to choose from, Gateway’s latest nicely fills a niche within what is in itself already something of a niche market.'

Read: Gateway C-140 - Digital Trends

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Pocket Lint have published a review of the Samsung Q45 ultraportable Notebook. 'Weighing in at 2kg, this is a great machine if you want to use out on the road. The battery protrudes from the back of the machine, making it a little awkward to get in and out of your carry case but you’ll be glad of it when travelling. We managed to get just over 6 hours from a single charge, which is more than surprising. To help keep weight down, Samsung has fitted as 12.1-inch panel. This is a Super-TFT screen that is great for watching DVDs on but we found the panel had a grainy look to it that made editing photos less appealing. For daily tasks, such as writing this review or surfing the Internet, it proved more than adequate but there are notebooks at this price point with a better screen.'

Read: Samsung Q45 laptop Review - Pocket Lint

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A review of the Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 Tablet/PC has been posted over at TabletPCReview. 'The Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 Tablet PC is for business people and students who are always on the go and don’t want to bring a charger everywhere. It’s lightweight and good enough to use everyday for typing essays, using VOIP, watching movies, or even basic gaming. This tablet and included accessories has in total set me back a good $2,377 CDN. This is my first Tablet PC and I'm a first year university student that is very knowledgeable about desktop computers with an average amount of knowledge about portable computers. In this review, I will be very critical of the minor flaws of the tablet, so please do not think that I hate it, but instead I just want to make sure to cover all minor flaws (some of which I don't mind) that buyers might want to know before making the purchase.'

Read: Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 User Review - TabletPCReview

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A review of the Toshiba Tecra M8-S8011 Notebook has been posted over at PC Magazine. ‘The Tecra M8-S8011's gunmetal-gray exterior is neutral. It's more interesting-looking than the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 Widescreen, yet it isn't as colorful as the consumer-oriented Dell Inspiron 1420 The Tecra M8-S8011's 4.5-pound frame is made for the road, as well as for those who don't want to sacrifice too much screen real estate. Its 13.3-inch TruBrite screen is large enough to handle big workloads and is a sight to behold when displaying videos and photos. Although the screen doesn't have a matte finish to fend off glare, like the screen on the HP Compaq 6910p, it's fine for office-related tasks. The full-size keyboard could stand a little tuning for better resistance, but frequent users will adjust to it without any difficulty. If the keyboard experience is critical, the Lenovo T61 Widescreen is the wiser choice because its keyboard is the best in the industry. Interestingly enough, the Tecra M8-S8011's touchpad is slightly recessed from the palm rests, which makes the touchpad feel smaller than it actually is.’

Read: Toshiba Tecra M8-S8011 – PC Mag

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CNET have published a review of the Velocity Micro ProMagix E2240 gaming desktop PC. 'The specs of the ProMagix E2240 show its gaming roots clearly enough. By overclocking the Core 2 Quad Q6600 from 2.4GHz to 2.7GHz, Velocity addresses the common complaint about quad-core chips (that they lose raw speed to faster dual-core CPUs), while preserving the benefit of the added processing threads. And because an ever-growing library of games is coming out that can take advantage of multiple CPU cores, any speed trade-off that's left in favor of dual-core chips is becoming less of an advantage. Our performance charts bear this out. The only test on which the A50 outpaced the E2240 was on our iTunes test, which remains fairly sensitive to CPU speed. But on memory-intensive Photoshop and multicore-friendly Quake 4, you can see why the quad-core E2240 ends up being the better choice. And it's no surprise that the E2240 beat the A50 on the Cinebench test, which is designed to highlight the benefits of quad-core CPUs. But it's also interesting to see on that test and on the Photoshop test how Velocity Micro's overclocking gives the E2240 a leg up against other quad-core systems, including the HP and the Gateway, which both come with a stock version of the same chip, but with 3GB of RAM. '

Read: Velocity Micro ProMagix E2240 - CNET

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CNET Asia have posted a preview of the new LG R200-Q Notebook.‘Integrated into the glossy black top cover is a secondary LCD panel. As mentioned, this takes advantage of Vista's SideShow technology that allows access to files and Outlook information without having to boot into the operating system. We like the touch-sensitive buttons, which are reminiscent of LG's Chocolate phone series. We could play music and view images on the secondary display. However, it must be noted that emails and calendar appointments have to be synchronized to the SideShow partition when the machine is turned on as the external LCD does not pull data real-time.’

Read: LG R200-Q (Core 2 Duo T7300 Processor 2.0GHz, 1GB RAM) – CNET Asia

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Laptop Magazine have published a review of the feature-rich HP Pavilion dv2500t Notebook. 'Weighing in at 5.6 pounds and measuring just an inch thick, the Pavilion dv2500t features HP's trademark high-gloss Imprint finish with Radiance design, which adds a subtle, eye-catching pattern to the notebook. Although the aesthetic isn't as awe-inspiring as it once was--mainly because other vendors have started copying it--it's an attractive system. We liked the nicely sized touchpad with a built-in scroll strip, fingerprint reader, and quiet-click mouse buttons. The full-sized keyboard flexed a bit too much for our liking, but we're fans of the illuminated multimedia controls that sit above them. We enjoyed our Chinatown DVD on the 14.1-inch (1280 x 800-pixel resolution) widescreen display; colors were solid, and the viewing angles were excellent from all but the most extreme angles. An HDMI port is included for outputting video and audio to a HDTV or high-def monitor. Unfortunately, HP doesn't offer an HD-DVD drive upgrade for this model. On the plus side, the optional ExpressCard TV tuner ($130) delivers both high-definition and analog signals.'

Read: HP Pavilion dv2500t - Laptop Mag

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A review of the Sony VAIO VGN-N31M/W entry level Notebook has been posted over at Pocket Lint. 'The look of the notebook is impressive. The white plastic case with silver keyboard is certainly striking and the feel of it when closed is solid and robust. Most of this rigidity is in the lid, which neatly protects the screen. Open the lid up though and you’ll find the body of the machine isn’t quite so solid. The screen is well protected and being a 15.4-inch Super-TFT panel, which Sony refers to as X-black, it’s great for movies as well as viewing multiple documents. While such panels have a truer range of colours than standard TFT screens, making them ideal for watching DVDs and viewing digital photos, we found this machine had a very narrow brightness range. While this isn’t a problem when sat at your desk, you won’t get the best view from it when out and about.'

Read: Sony VAIO VGN-N31M/W laptop Review - Pocket Lint

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Greg Ross writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the HP Compaq 8710p Notebook. 'The notebook shell is built mostly from hard plastic, but within that shell resides a magnesium alloy support structure that is common to almost all the HP Compaq business notebooks. As a result, the laptop feels very strong in most areas and there is no doubt as to the durability of such a notebook if one chooses to take it around. There is little to no flex in the base of the unit and I cannot twist it at all, and the screen does not flex nearly as much as I would have expected from such a large display. One of my complaints about my previous notebook (the nc8430) was that the screen was damaged several times as the LCD protection just was not as good as my initial impressions back then.'

Read: HP Compaq 8710p User Review - Notebook Review

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PC Authority have published a review of the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ18GNX Notebook. 'If the TZ18 looks familiar, that’s because it’s the spitting image of the TZ17, which graced these pages just two months ago. We can’t complain, as this version is as desirable as the original, but Sony has made a major change under the covers. Gone is the 100GB hard disk of the TZ17, replaced by a 32GB Samsung solid-state disk (SSD) – one of the very first laptops to contain what some consider the death knell for mechanical hard disks. We’re yet to be convinced by that, but SSD does have a number of advantages over mechanical disks, which, for all their tried-and-tested years, still rely on precision moving parts. As they’re prone to physical stress, extra layers such as head-parking software become necessary, and a single, heavy blow can render the whole disk extinct. Also, seek times are higher because of the need to get a physical head to a specific place on a disk. And, in a product where battery life is the name of the game, SSDs take up significantly less power than their spinning equivalents.'

Read: Sony VAIO VGN-TZ18GNX - PC Authority

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