Possessing a 13.3 inch high definition 1366×768 pixel resolution screen, 1-inch thickness and customizable options, this slim portable laptop will certainly give users a one of a kind computing experience. I was impressed with its FineTip keyboard, which enables me to type my materials comfortably since it has large keys. Its multi-gesture touchpad ensures easy zooming, scrolling and flipping of documents as well as applications. It offers smooth cursor movement and supports gesture control. At first, I thought of this function quite skittish but after some practice, I was able to zoom in and out my documents with some easy fingertip movements.

However, Acer does an ineffective job of documenting how to make use of the multi-gesture feature. Hence, you must need to learn on the fly. Anyway, there’s a small sticker on the laptop’s touchpad that will get you started. On top of its keyboard is a narrow piece of touch-sensitive buttons, which control the volume of the speaker, disable or enable the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios. You will also find a versatile backup button that launches the Backup Manager Software of Acer, which will enable you to schedule backups (incremental or full) and carry out a full system restore.

At the apex of the keyboard deck, you will find a pair of speakers that deliver crisp midtones and highs. With its SmartPower button, which you can find on its upper-right-hand corner, you can easily adjust the brightness of the screen and put the system into a power-saving mode. While handy, I think this feature would be much more constructive if it can essentially alter the Windows Power Plan.

Incorporating an Intel Core 2 Duo T7350 processor and coming in with 3 gigs of DDR2 memory and Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics solution, this laptop is certainly not a game-friendly portable. So, if you are searching for 3D action, this notebook is not a good choice. Its scores of 894 at 1,366 x 768 and 963 at 1,024 x 768 on the 3DMark06 3D-graphics benchmark of FutureMark confirmed what I have suspected.

I appreciate its spacious hard disc – 250 gigs will already allow me to store lots of video and audio files. I can also incorporate a solid hard disc drive to the notebook. Aside from these features, this laptop also comes with an assortment of utilities and applications including NTI Media Maker, Microsoft Works 9.0, Acer’s Video Conference Manager and Arcade Deluxe. Its system is backed by its manufacturer with a 24/7 toll-free service and one-year warranty.

Another thing that I like with this notebook is its Crystal Eye webcam, which is backed by Acer’s PrimaLite technology. With this feature, you will be able to enjoy video chat services as well as video conferencing seamlessly. This notebook won’t dig you over with astounding graphics performance but if portability, affordable price and style are your primary concerns then I would recommend it to you. Those great points, plus its thin profile, robust metal frame, 8-cell battery, support for 3G wireless technologies and other user-friendly features, make it a remarkable choice.

If you want a long-lasting ultrathin notebook with a starting price under a thousand dollars, I would recommend this notebook to you. This flagship member of Acer’s Timeline series is part of the fast growing trend in ultraportables that are being offered at low cost. With a 13.3-inch screen, this notebook outshines most affordable notebooks with long battery life.

Aside from its slim profile, I was really impressed with this notebook’s roomy storage space. With 500GB hard disk drive, you can certainly store unlimited amount of MP3 and video files. You can even watch several movies since its battery can last up to eight hours. Another thing that I like about this notebook is its HD webcam, which allowed me to communicate well with my colleagues, family and friends. Its performance is satisfactorily good for everyday computing.

One thing I noticed about this notebook is its fingerprint-proof plastic lid. With the lid closed, it looks much like the company’s TravelMate series. And for its weight, I was also impressed because it is significantly lighter and marginally thinner – it weighs only 3.6 pounds and has 0.9 thickness.

Overall, its matte black and gray color scheme is quite conservative but the finish of its keys and layout keeps it current. No multimedia controls can be found on this ultraportable. What you will see is a narrow piece of LED lights on top of the keyboard, which indicates Wi-Fi connectivity, battery power, hard disk drive and back up manager. If you prefer a notebook with an optical drive, then this notebook is not for you because that is what you cannot find in this portable laptop. Its lack of this feature may not be an issue to some of you but it can be a deal breaker for others.

I find the arrangement of its keyboard a bit unusual – they are closer together compare to a usual island layout, however, there is still enough room between them that, at first glance, they look more like a standard keyboard. It actually gives me a good typing experience. Its touchpad is responsive and the movement of its cursor, I must say that it is fluid. On the other hand, I find its mouse buttons quite hard to use. I don’t think this notebook can win any speed battles.

In a nutshell, this portable laptop is a great buy. It may not be a killer performer but its eye-candy aspect is difficult to beat. I appreciate its inclusion of VGA and HDMI ports as but a bit surprise by its lack of an optical/DVD drive, which I think is a worthwhile tradeoff. Another thing on the plus side is it comes with the 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium preinstalled and Acer’s GameZone console that offers tons of arcade-style games.

In spite of the fan noise that is a bit loud for an ultrathin notebook, I consider this machine an ideal selection for budget-conscious travelers.

With powerful graphics and faster processor, I have to agree with Apple that this laptop is the ultimate ultraportable. The latest model is one of the sexiest ultraportables with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display that not only sips power but also looks amazing – bright, crisp and vibrant.

Coming in with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor to fit within its compact dimensions, this ultraportable delivers speeds that cannot simply be found in ultraportable notebooks. The battery impressed me because it allowed me to wirelessly access the Web for up to 5 hours. I was also impressed with its roomy 120 GB hard disc drive, giving users more room for play, work and whatever occurs in between.

This notebook is incredibly thin, measuring only 0.7 inches at its underlying point. It is actually the thinnest, or say, the sexiest laptop today. It is difficult to take lightly the purposeful design that has been applied into this laptop and it is indisputably the most beautiful ultraportable that I have seen in a while. However, this device also lacks several features that are considered necessity by most business travelers. I’ll be discussing that in a few seconds, though.

There are so many things that I like about this thin ultraportable and once of them is its decent amount of horsepower. Another is its exterior. The 2009 model keeps the same minimalist appearance by housing the headphone, Ione USB port and Mini-DisplayPort connections at the back of a small door that was built into the chassis’ right, rear corner. The MagSafe powerjack that represents the only port on the whole system can be found on the opposite side.

Another feature that impressed me is its full-sized keyboard that adds a few width to its body. You will feel right at home if you are fond of ridgeless keyboards. I am not so into this design but in comparison to other ultraportables, MacBook Air’s keyboard feels sturdy and solid. Typing on it is a pleasure and not an errand.

I am certainly pleased with its wireless performance as it worked well with my D-Link 802.11n router. On the other hand, this laptop lacks an ExpressCard slot. It also doesn’t have protrusions and ports along its edges and has only two plug spots. Another downside is it does not have a user-replaceable battery. This could be an issue for some users but for others, particularly those who are always on the road for long hours without power outlet access, this could be a deal breaker.

Despite having a 2.12GHz processor speed, this ultraportable is still a poor choice if you do lots of high-performance video activities. Even so, it is good to know that it can still cope if it needs to. It is also the only Mac in the current range that doesn’t support FireWire.

Trading connectivity for convenience and power for portability may mean that this laptop is not a device for everyone but enhanced specifications at an affordable price can be appreciated.

Today I’ll talk about the arrival of cheap portable laptops running Windows 7 at U.S. retailers like Frys and Best Buys. It occurred when the latest version of Windows becomes available on October 22, 2009. All of the new breeds sport new model numbers. One of the most affordable Windows 7 arrivals is Toshiba’s Satellite T-135, which falls into the “ultrathin” category. This portable laptop (model: T135-S1309) features a 13.3-inch display, 3 gigs of memory, 320GB hard disk drive and built-in webcam. It weighs less than 4 lbs. and incorporates a dual-core processor.

Another ultrathin that hit many stores in the U.S. is the dm3-1035x model from HP. This portable laptop is priced at $549. It comes with the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics and an AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual processor.

Gateway’s EC1410U is another affordable Windows 7 arrival. This Netbook-like laptop utilizes a more compelling Celeron M ULV 743 processor than the Intel Atom chip tickets found in most Netbooks. In addition to its operating system, this tiny laptop also features 2 gigs of memory and a roomy 250 gigabytes hard disk drive.

Aside from the EC1410U model, Gateway is also offering a genuine Netbook. Priced at $349, Gateway’s LT2030U model houses an Intel Atom N270 processor, 250 gigabytes hard disk drive, 1 gigabyte of memory and a 10.1-inch display. This Netbook weighs 3 lbs. Coming in with this Netbook is Microsoft’s Windows 7 Starter Edition, which does not support multi-monitors, native DVD playback and even Aero user interface.

Not to be bested, Dell also offered a new affordable Windows 7 portable laptop model.  Its Inspiron 1545-420JB model is priced at $499 and boasts several features that most of you will certainly like. Dell Inspiron features a 15.6-inch screen, a 2.16GHz T4300 processor, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive and 3 gigs of memory. Like the other new arrivals, this laptop comes with the 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium Edition OS. Its spacious 250 gigs hard disk drive will enable you to store unlimited amount of music and video files.

Another inexpensive portable laptop running Windows 7 that was debuted by Toshiba is the L505D-S5983 model. At $449 with an ATI Radeon 4100 graphics and a dual-core AMD processor, this laptop can surely handle life’s rudiments at home, work or school. It offers broadband connectivity along with ports and stunning high-definition display. What I like the most with this model is its roomy disk space – 320 gigs is such a big storage space.

Many of the same affordable models are also being sold at Frys as Best Buys also included a few new high-powered portable laptops running Windows 7 too like the HP dv7-3080. Coming in with a 17-inch screen, an NVIDIA GT 230 graphics chip and a quad-core Core i7 720QM processor, this portable laptop will surely satisfied those who are fond of watching movies as its screen produces rich colors. At Frys, this portable laptop is priced at $1449.

Asus began its netbook in-thing with its 7-inch Eee PC. Several manufacturers then followed Asus as they developed at least one portable and affordable laptop. Nowadays, netbooks aren’t that small anymore – they have already increased in size ranging from 7 inches to 9 inches and currently, most netbooks have a 10-inch display. If you are looking for a portable laptop with long battery life, I would recommend the 1000HE model. You can keep this netbook alive for almost 10 hours. Can you imagine that?

Well, the battery life is perhaps the main selling point of this notebook. However, in order for you to have this awesome battery life, you need to make use of rigid power saving schemes – this could mean no Wi-Fi and you need to lessen the brightness. In the general usage test that I have made, this portable laptop delivered almost 8 hours, which is really good and more than acceptable.

As with its design, this notebook stays with the concept that I have seen in the earlier Eee PC models. Its keyboard is nearly full size and its trackpad buttons are quite off-center in the front. Generally, the design of this portable laptop is centered on usability. It is not thin like a few of its siblings like the Asus S101 but it positively gets the task done with flying colors. It is its simple design that keeps its price minimum anyway. However, the design is sometimes the deciding factor for a portable laptop buyer.

You can find no ports at the back of this netbook because all are placed on its right and left sides. On its right side, you will find a memory card reader and 2 USB ports. The other USB port can be found on the left side. Among other things that you can find on its left are audio line in/out and Ethernet ports.

The display is great, with 10-inch 1024 x 600 pixels. It comes with Windows XP Home preinstalled and a roomy 160GB hard disk drive. I find its keyboard so easy to use. Thankfully, it has a large keyboard. It enabled me to type faster and to surf the Web comfortably.

As for its weight goes, it is very light – 3 pounds is good for a laptop of this size. It is also glossy enough to be vivid – good quality, but quite not good for outdoor use. Another thing that I noticed about this portable laptop is it’s not as fast as the previous Eee PC models. Other features that I find interesting are its Bluetooth, which is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled devices that I have tested, fast connectivity and fast boot up as well as shutdown times. It includes a free online storage – 10 gigs is good enough to store data online; flawless LCD screen warranty and 1-year product warranty.

Overall, I’d recommend this netbook to those of you who are always taking long trips. This netbook is such a good travel companion.

Do you know how to clean your portable laptop? Or let’s say do you regularly clean your portable laptop? If you have just purchased one, it is sensible to keep it free from dust and always clean because if you don’t, it may cause you to encounter lots of problems. Once dust builds up in your portable laptop’s cooling vents, it can cause it to overheat. Trapped dirt on keyboard and screen can also cause problems.

Before cleaning your portable laptop, I would suggest you to check your user manual since most of it have guides or special precautions when cleaning your machine. Through that way, you will be able to figure out what could be the best cleaning solution for your laptop. After knowing the dos and don’ts as to cleaning your laptop, prepare the things that you will be needing like cotton swabs, compressed air, soft cleaning cloth and cleaning solution. There are now available cleaning kits in the market that you may purchase like the Memorex Cleaning Kit for notebook computers.

Your first step in cleaning your laptop should be to clean its exterior. You can make use of a soft damp cloth to clean its casing. Never make use of harsh cleaning products or an abrasive cleaning cloth because this may damage the glossy finish of your laptop. As for me, one of the most irksome portions where grime and dust collect is the screen. Since the screen is where you always view your output, watch films and more, any dust or dirt is noticeable.

When cleaning the screen display, make sure to turn off your laptop. And again, do not ever use paper towels or abrasive cloth when cleaning your display to avoid scratching it and leaving more grime and dust on it. You can use a microfiber dust cloth or soft cloth in wiping your display screen. There are also now monitor cleaning solutions that you can use – most come in spray form. First spray on a cloth and then wipe it on the screen carefully from right to left and then top to bottom.

I really hate it when dirt starts to build up on my keyboard or if there’s dirt already on it. So to avoid having dirt on your keyboard, keep your food and drinks away. So, to eliminate dirt, try to get a few cotton swabs and clean it in and around keys. As with the cooling vents, if dust and grime were trapped on it, all you have to do is to make use of compressed air but you must avoid spraying much that you obtain liquid on the blades of the fan.

So, in order for you to have a hygienic computing milieu, make sure to regularly clean your portable laptop. It is not attractive to have a dirty laptop and it is more prone to problems. Make sure to take good care of your laptop in order for it to last for so many years.

Looking for a 15.6-inch budget portable laptop that offers more user customization? If so, I’d recommend this to you. This laptop is an affordable option that offers great connectivity and mobility especially to those of you who are in need of more adaptability from a work machine. It is priced at $399 as part of the company’s late 2008 push.

Although it doesn’t look dull in any way, I consider it a low-end notebook. The materials used in this notebook are in accordance with its price and this is especially true for its palm rest areas that I find uncomfortable to touch. Moreover, I felt quite uncomfortable with its keyboard – it sags that much. I cannot also open the lid by more than 160 degrees but this is not really a bad thing as it doesn’t limit the machine’s usability.

When I closed this notebook, I noticed that there’s a considerable gap between the lid and the top case, which is a common problem among portable laptops below $500. Although some of you may praise the keyboard layout and the large keys, these unluckily only look nice. Once you begin using the keyboard, you will notice that it severely flexes and a bit unpleasant when the keys are tapped.

I find it hard to move the mouse’s cursor and I consider its default setting inappropriate because the pointer moves with very little precision and moves slowly. On the contrary, I find its mouse buttons a bit good for notebooks of this price range. Now, to tell you something about the great points of this laptop, I consider its WXGA screen as its biggest advantage. With a 1366 x 768 screen resolution, one could possibly value this as Dell’s clear commitment to quality panels if even the most affordable models are packed with such.

At first, you may find the 16:9 aspect ratio a bit strange if you’re used to a 16:10 ratio because the vertical axes is comprised of less pixels than normal. On the other hand, I like how movies and webpages look on this screen. It really trounces any competitions in its price category. When it comes to color representation, I must say, this laptop could also convince. Its colors are bright, saturated and rich in contrast. Therefore, this low cost Dell model is far better than more professional branded portables in this aspect.

As with its viewing angle, I think it is fairly good for its price. Really good for a low cost notebook. Coming in with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core CPU, I can say that its performance is good enough for usual office works and plain
Web browsing. It is visibly outperformed by most modern notebooks that come with powerful graphics processors made by ATI or Nvidia but considering its price tag, it is also worth buying.

So, to sum it up, this notebook is ideal for those who do not consider the unusual resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels an issue. Those of you who want an affordable laptop with a non-reflecting screen could also like this one.

Today I’ll talk about gaming portable laptops. Perhaps some of you are fond of playing the latest games on your laptop. The best gaming portables are typically superior machines with specifications that are much improved than most compelling business laptops. Per se, expect to add additional cost for such systems.

So, what really is a gaming laptop? Some of you perhaps know about the use of desktops for gaming but what about these portable machines? Aside from fast CPUs, gaming laptops are also built with impressive graphics cards and they typically give users the best three-dimensional gaming performance they could see anywhere. Now, who should use this kind of laptop? I think laptops of this type are appealing to those who like modern gaming on the go.

If you are the type who prefers to sit at your desk each time you play three-dimensional games, then you better stick to your desktop PC. On the other hand, if you travel a lot and still wish to play your favorite 3D games, then better have a gaming laptop. So, what are the things that you should expect from a gaming laptop? I must say, avant-garde graphics, fast CPUs, designs that stand out and huge screens.

Gaming laptops usually have high performing video cards that can beat even desktops. At times they have 256MB to 512MB of memory. They are packed with the fastest processors you can acquire and they carry large heat sinks as well as cooling fans to cope with the heat. Because of today’s technology and developers’ inventiveness, many gaming laptops have good and attractive designs to catch the attention of everyone. I am talking about those paint jobs and LED lights that you can personalize. Most of these laptops necessitate a minimum display size of 15 inches. I suggest you try to opt for one with WUXGA resolution.

I consider Voodoo Envy u:734, Alienware Aurora mALX and DellXPS M1710 as some of the finest gaming laptops that are worth checking for. You wouldn’t believe the specifications of these gaming laptops. Voodoo Envy u:734’s dual-core gaming specifications make it the desire of several gaming enthusiast. I like the great performance of this laptop as well as its superb build quality, which goes around at a three thousand dollars base price.

Coming in with a dual NVIDIA Go 7900 GTX graphics, dual HDD support and 19-inch display, the Alienware Aurora mALX can really give you a great gaming experience. However, you can get this for $4,499. But it is worth buying for all of its heavy duty performance.

If you want to have something affordable, I would recommend the XPS M1710 model from Dell. It is another with great gaming features. With a powerful processor, light weight and an 802.11n wireless network adapter, $3783 isn’t a bad price. Now that I’ve described what gaming laptops are, what makes it and what model types are well-worth the purchase, you can now perhaps consider having one or better have a desktop since it cost too much. Actually, these laptops are the most costly form of computer that you will ever find. 

This ultraportable netbook balances unparalleled mobility, ease and handiness. Like most 12.1-inch ultraportables, its WXGA widescreen display supports 1280 x 800 resolutions, allowing users to enjoy larger viewing angles, enhanced text legibility and photo-like image quality. One thing I like is its 1.3GHz VIA Nano processor that caters improved energy efficiency, first rate system performance and advanced connectivity.  In most tests, the performance of this innovative CPU fell squarely between Intel’s Atom N270 and N280 models.

I also like its class leading design that not only looks great but will also allow you to do more in progress. Its slim-line chassis is finely tuned with unique colors, haptic styling and unrivaled components. Internally, this ultraportable includes 1 gig of memory and a memory slot that supports up to 2 gigs. Its standard internal hard disc drive is a 160GB SATA.

Another thing that I really like about this netbook is its silver ion powder coated keyboard that makes it free from bacteria. This is a nice feature because it can give you a more sanitized personal computing milieu. Another good thing about its keyboard is it its size that enables me to type my materials comfortably and quickly. Personally, I find its keyboard’s ergonomic design useful as it assures fewer errors, faster typing and less strain on my wrists.

Tipping 3.4 pounds scale, I consider this netbook a bit high for an ultraportable laptop. And as far as portability is concerned, I was impressed with its battery life, which can last up to 6 hours. I was also impressed with its Protect-o-Edge chassis, which ensures reliability and durability. This feature can give you peace of mind.

With a swarm of ultra-modern connectivity tools that include an Ethernet port, three built-in USB 2.0 ports, VGA port, 3 in 1 memory card reader (SD, SDHC and MMC), mic and headphone jacks, and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, you can faultlessly move data from your camcorders, personal digital assistants, digital cameras and MP3 players directly to the netbook.

And there’s more. This ultraportable netbook boasts a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, which makes it easier to communicate with friends, families and colleagues using video conferencing or live messaging. Additionally, it is equipped with tons of multimedia features. Coming in with Windows XP Home Edition, you can certainly unlock the full potential of this laptop.

Ranging from digital photos, videos and music to developing a home network, this ultraportable netbook and its operating system will surely increase your lifestyle and bring you into the digital age with ease. Although this netbook is not as thin and as compelling as premium ultraportables, it can still give you satisfactory performance. It is a good deal for those of you who are willing to take extra cost for a bigger screen and keyboard.

To sum up, this netbook is a perfect choice for design-oriented individuals and tech savvy users who distinguish the value of style, mobility and cutting edge performance. I highly recommend this netbook especially to those who are always doing long periods of heavy typing.

In search for a portable laptop that is Energy Star 5.0 certified? If so, I will recommend this one to you. Specifically tailored for users who are searching for a laptop that can grip the basics without cracking the bank, this all-purpose portable laptop will certainly let you enjoy error free typing and videoconferencing. Thanks to its integrated webcam and face recognition software – you can now enjoy a more convenient means to communicate and share information with your family and friends.

Coming in with a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, a fast 800MHz frontside bus speed and a 2MB L2 Cache, this laptop will definitely prolong your battery life and boost speed. With its built-in Draft-N Wi-Fi feature, this model offers up to six times the performance and two times the wireless range utilizing 802.11n-compatible routers. Another good point is it also offers Fast Ethernet networking (10/100).

I was impressed with this laptop’s performance when running multi-threaded programs concurrently because it gives greater system response without considerable increase in power usage. And since Toshiba optimized it for multitasking, you can simultaneously execute multiple demanding applications like business productivity application or graphics-demanding games while downloading files or running security applications in the background.

Another thing that I like the most with this laptop is its Labelflash functionality that will let you burn high-contrast and high-resolution photos on the DVD disc’s label side utilizing the same laser employed for data recording. What’s more is it comes with Windows Vista Home Premium OS installed and has all of Windows Media Center’s capabilities, enabling you to turn your machine into an all-in-one entertainment center for accessing digital audio library and watching DVD films.

The keyboard is unquestionably large enough that no users could ever have problems with it. Its keyboard also had a handy numeric 10-keypad that will let you swiftly key in numbers for spreadsheets and budgets. I find its ground-breaking PC Health Monitor interesting as it continually keeps tabs on stuffs like your computer’s power consumption, hard drive and temperature. This can give you peace of mind. I also like its spacious hard disc drive – 320GB is too big for storage space.

Other features of this portable laptop that I consider helpful include its analog video output, headphone and microphone jack, ports for 56K modem and Fast Ethernet, 3 USB 2.0 ports that will let you connect a variety of peripherals ranging from MP3 players to digital camcorders and 5 in 1 memory card reader that is compatible with xD Picture Card, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick PRO and Multimedia Card.

In conclusion, this laptop is a good choice for handling and managing computing fundamentals at home, work and school. It makes browsing the Web, downloading files, organizing household finances and checking e-mails a lot simpler. So, if you are geared up to sit back and want to have an enjoyable computing experience, this versatile laptop is an ideal choice for you.