Review of Lenovo ThinkPad X240 laptop

Advantages:

• Ridiculously long Lenovo ThinkPad X240 battery life with hot-swappable battery
• Excellent keyboard and touch screen
• Solid all-around performance
• Laundry list of extra feature

Disadvantages:

• No HDMI and only two USB ports
• Touch pad can miss clicks
• Low-res Webcam
• Only one memory slot (8GB max)

Messing with a winning formula is always a dicey proposition (just ask the New England Patriots), so in updating its popular ThinkPad X series ultraportable, Lenovo took a measured approach. The X240 ultrabook retains the essential goodness of its predecessors—solid build, business-friendly mobility and communications features, excellent X240 battery life—while layering in the latest component upgrades. Those enhancements include Intel's fourth-generation Core CPU, a fine touch screen to better navigate Windows 8, and an embedded battery that augments the removable battery and adds hot-swap capability in the process.
 

The ThinkPad  faithful might not embrace all of the changes, however. The familiar red TrackPoint stick is still there, but the mouse buttons have been replaced by a one-piece touch pad with buttons below each corner, which takes some getting used to. The addition of an internal battery meant the sacrifice of a memory slot.
  

 While the matte-black exterior won't win any design awards, on the inside the X240 is perhaps over-designed. It features an internal skeleton to protect components and has passed MIL-SPEC durability tests for hostile environments such as humidity, high and low temperature, sand and dust, and vibration.
The 12.5-inch screen means the machine can maintain a compact footprint of 12 inches by 8.2 inches. Its 0.8-inch thickness is reasonable, although noticeably less svelte than some razor-thin ultrabooks. The Lenovo ThinkPad X240 laptpop weighs a touch under 3 pounds in base trim, 3.2 pounds with the touch screen, and 3.6 pounds with the extended 6-cell battery. We actually prefer the ThinkPad with the larger battery (just a $5 option) installed, since it gives the system an ergonomic tilt on the desk and a comfortable handhold when carrying it around.

And speaking of batteries, one neat design trick is Lenovo's Power Bridge technology that employs an internal 3-cell battery to increase runtime and make the removable 3- and 6-cell units hot-swappable. Yes, you can detach one battery and attach a spare without shutting the machine down. This is a welcome departure from most other ultrabooks, which have sealed-in batteries and no way to extend runtime when a plug isn't handy.

Review of Dell Inspiron 13 7347

Dell has gathered quite a lot of experience with versatile consumer laptops ever since its exotic Dell XPS 1210. But Dell has also previously experimented with the design tested here in its XPS 11 with a smaller screen size.
This Inspiron 13 7347 can be used in four modes owing to its hinge that enables tilting the screen by 360 degrees. These modes allow use as a conventional laptop or a tablet due to the touchscreen, and two somewhat unusual intermediate steps that Dell dubs "Tent" and "Stand."

 Especially Lenovo's Yoga 2 Pro can be seen as the direct contender because it features the same design and an identical configuration. Users who can warm to a different tablet-laptop mix should look closer at Asus' Transformer Book T300LA. Its keyboard dock can be completely disconnected from the tablet. The just recently introduced Lenovo Yoga 3 based on Intel's Broadwell is also exciting in this context. It will, however, very likely play in another price league.

The Dell Inspiron 13 7347 does not look like a member of the less expensive consumer range, and that it does not come from the XPS line. It is allover silver and the brand logo or the keyboard's keys set black contrasts.

The surfaces are rubberized and feature a good grip. Dell does not specify the material, but we assume that plastic is used as supporters due to the dividers inside the base unit. The build is overall very good, and the gaps are narrow.

We naturally paid special attention to the hinges of the Inspiron. They are pulled tightly enough to prevent the display from wobbling too much. Dell does not show any weaknesses here, and the mentioned positions can thus be used well.

The weight of 1.65 kilograms makes the Inspiron unsuitable for holding in the hands for a longer time even in tablet mode. An odd feeling also develops on the lap because the keyboard's keys rest directly on the knees. The convertible is best used on a table or another level surface.

 

Connectivity

Dell does not install any surprises but does not omit anything essential either. However, buyers should be aware that neither a VGA nor Ethernet socket can be expected in this kind of device. There are two USB 3.0 ports on the left, one of which is powered even when the convertible is off. USB 2.0 is also installed in this laptop and finds a place on the right. HDMI and an SD-card reader are also available.

All interfaces are positioned quite far back on both sides. This will please users who want to connect a mouse.

Accessories

 

The only included accessory is the passive stylus that can be inserted into the laptop's right side. Dell also offers an active stylus that allegedly makes even more accurate inputs possible and that features two special buttons. However, it costs just below 50 Euros. 

Warranty

 

At the time of testing, we found contradictory statements about warranty on Dell's website. A one-year on-site warranty was mentioned in the product test, but it had to be added to the order for 70 Euros (~$89). This service can be extended for up to four years, but also for a steep surcharge of 250 Euros (~$319). Excluding this surcharge, the laptop would otherwise only be picked up and repaired in a workshop for twelve months.

Review of Asus N55SL-S1016V Notebook

The SL comes with a 500 GB hard drive and 8 GB of memory. Another major difference compared with the SF is the price. Whereas Asus price-tagged the Asus N55SF-S1124V at EUR 1100 ($1400), the SL is only EUR 900 ($1145). That is reason enough to take a closer look.

 

Connectivity

The SL sports two USB 3.0 ports, but omits FireWire, eSATA and ExpressCard. The subwoofer of Asus N55SL-S1016V Notebook is a small highlight. The ports are distributed on the notebook's left and right sides. Only the 4in1 card reader (MMC/ SD/ MS/ MS Pro) is on the front.

Communication

 

The SL packs an Atheros AR8151 PCIe Gb ethernet controller (10/100/1000MBit) and an Atheros AR9285 (bgn) wifi module. Bluetooth is included, but UMTS is not.

Scope of Delivery

 

The scope of delivery is bigger than usual. In addition to the laptop, the battery and the power adapter, you will also find the aforementioned subwoofer. Asus also includes a matching subwoofer bag and cable ties.

Keyboard

 

Asus still uses the wave keyboard. The keyboard's layout takes some getting used to and may need a lot of patience especially in the beginning. Instead of placing the escape key in the upper left corner, Asus integrates a key for switching between performance profiles here. This leads to frustrating keyboard errors where trying to bring up an in-game menu (usually with the Esc key) instead switches to a low performance profile and causes intense stuttering.

Touchpad

 

The adequately sized touchpad has a pleasant, rubber-coated surface and merges seamlessly into the SL's design. It is integrated so seamlessly that you can quickly slide off the touch-sensitive surface since there is no clear edge. Of course, multi-touch support is included.

Review of Lenovo's N20p Chromebook

The Lenovo N20p laptop is a consumer-friendly alternative, and Lenovo's first Chrome OS not aimed at either business or education buyers. It's a slim, lightweight ultraportable laptop that takes the central idea of a Chromebook -- a low-cost, simple clamshell for online use -- and adds better keyboard and touchpad than Chromebook users may be used to.

The system will be coming to the UK as well, and is listed on Lenovo's UK site, but without price or availability information, but converted pricing would be about £200. As for Australia, no price or release information was available, but converted pricing would be about AU$370.

Much like the Windows laptop line calls Lenovo IdeaPad, the hinge on the N20p folds back past 180 degrees. Unlike fold-back hybrids, it doesn't go all the way back a full 360 degrees, allowing you to use it as a tablet. Instead, like the Flex, it stops, somewhat abruptly, at 300 degrees. That allows you to fold the screen back for use in what we call a kiosk mode, with the screen facing out and the base, keyboard facing down, as a kind of kickstand. It's marginally useful, more so if you're playing videos or presenting PowerPoint presentations, but unlike the Yoga hinge, it's probably not a system-selling feature.

Despite the trick hinge that might not get much use, the N20p is one of the better Chromebooks we've tested. The body is well-made and slim, the keyboard and touchpad are excellent for a budget-priced ultraportable, and the touchscreen, while not as useful in Chrome OS as in Windows 8, is still an occasionally handy extra. Yes, you could pay less for a Chromebook, but you'll be getting less, too.

 

 

Design and features 

 

For a laptop intended to grab the eye of the consumer (compared to Lenovo's better-known conservative business systems), the N20p isn't exactly flashy. A matte black interior is connected via a chunky central hinge to a lid covered with dull grey and a small Google Chrome logo on one side, and edge-to-edge glass over an 11-inch display and wide bezel on the other.

Like many ultraportable laptops, the chassis tapers towards the front, helping it feel thinner than it actually is. The N20p is 0.7 inches (1.8cm) thick and weighs 2.8 pounds (1.3kg), versus 0.87 inches (2.2cm) thick and 3.1 pounds (1.4kg) for the Yoga 11e. That may not seem like much, but in the hand, there's a real difference between the two, and it's obvious which one would be a better daily travel companion in your shoulder bag (unless you're especially accident-prone, in which case consider the tank-like Yoga 11e).

 And Lenovo used that strategy to great effect, crafting one of the sharpest Chromebooks seen yet. However, talk about combining two of the most divisive technologies into a single machine, neither of which seem like much of a fit for Chrome OS. And to think that Lenovo brought even more primo hardware to Google's laptop spec.
 

Review of MSI GT725 laptops

There are currently three editions of the 17-inch gaming device MSI GT725  laptops  in the German-speaking area. While the GT72-2PE16H11BW (SKU5) has a pretty conventional equipment, MSI really goes all in with the GT72-2PE16SR21B (SKU6) and our review configuration GT72-2PE16SR231BW (SKU7). The box not only contains a large (32 x 27 centimeters) mouse pad, but also a keyboard cover, two dog tags and a bulky backpack. The real highlight is the stylish SteelSeries periphery: Besides a headset (Siberia v2), MSI also equips the more expensive configurations with an optical mouse (Kinzu v2).

The new chassis leaves a much better impression than the GT70 in terms of design. Instead of a chaotic mix of materials and shapes, the customer now gets a pretty grown-up design, even though the 17-inch device still has some gaming elements. While the display cover is made of aluminum, the display frame, the keyboard and the bottom cover are made of plastic. The package is completed by a palm rest that appears to be rubberized.

Even though MSI decided to use a matte finish (only the surrounding of the display frame is glossy), the MSI GT725 attracts dirt quite easily at some spots. Both the metal surfaces as well as the palm rest are very sensitive to greasy fingers. Another point of criticism are the hinges, which sometimes create creaking sounds and cannot keep the display perfectly in position during vibrations. 

The GT725 is also competitive in terms of weight. 3.79 kilograms are on one level with the Clevo P170SM-A, whereas the Alienware 17 and the Asus G750JZ are 400-500 grams heavier. Still, we would classify the GT72 as a typical desktop replacement. Other gaming notebooks like MSI's own GS70 are much easier to carry around.

 The communications section reveals two highlights for gamers. Both the network card as well as the wireless adaptor are based on the Killer technology from Qualcomm Atheros (formerly Bigfoot Networking). Killer products benefit from a comprehensive software and are supposed to be optimized for gamers. Besides the transfer rates, the manufacturer claims to improve the latency as well.

Review of Acer Chromebook 13 laptops

Advantages of Acer Chromebook 13 :

 

The Acer Chromebook has a slim design, a high-res 13-inch screen, and a fast Nvidia K1 processor for a graphics and battery boost over other Chromebooks.

One of the nicer-looking and better-performing Chrome OS systems, the 13-inch Acer Chromebook adds some zip by ditching Intel for an Nvidia processor.

Chromebooks are largely cut from the same cloth. Small, lower-resolution screens, minimal onboard storage, low-end Intel CPUs, and modest plastic bodies.
  

Disadvantages of  Acer Chromebook 13:

 

 Like other Acer Chromebooks, offline functionality is extremely limited. The large screen lacks touch input, and the ARM processor presents some compatibility issues, even with online Chrome apps.






The simply named Acer Chromebook 13 drops the common x86 CPU for the ARM-based K1, similar to what one might find in an Android device. The Chromebook 13 gets a few other upscale-feeling tweaks as well, including a decently slim, angular body, a 13.3-inch full-HD 1,920x1,080 display, and excellent battery life. I'd be concerned if these new features were an excuse to drive up prices, but this model, with a very Chromebook-like 2GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD, costs $300 (£220 in the UK, with no Australian availability announced yet) putting it firmly in the middle of the mainstream Chromebook market. 

Design and features of Acer Chromebook 13:

 

The Acer Chromebook 13 laptops  is a plastic laptop, to be sure, but it feels very solidly built, and its matte white design comes off as more minimalist and sophisticated than budget. You won't mistake this for a $1,000 laptop, but it won't get you laughed out of the coffee shop, either.

Google's online "app store" offers a wide variety of apps, such as Pixlr for editing photos, but they're generally web-based tools that simply take you to cloud-based services. For the most part this process works well, but we did run into a few compatibility issues with this Nvidia-powered Chromebook that we did not with Intel versions.

About laptop batteries and laptop chargers

Did you know that one of the most important and complicated decisions you can make in http://www.laptop-battery.org.uk is choosing the correct battery charging system for your boat? Charging your laptop batteries is a simple process of driving electrical currents into your battery in the reverse direction as the discharge occurred. Although rechargable battery packs can be a simple process, many things do factor into your decision and play a roll in choosing the proper charger.
The goal of our experts is to help you make an informed decision when you replace or add an on-board charging system to your vessel. You are adding value to your boat by having an on-board battery charger. In addition, these chargers also offer you the convenience and the ability to charge multiple batteries at the same time. You no longer will need to drag out a portable battery charger every time your Lithium-ion battery need to be charging. Maintaining your MSI laptop battery will be as easy as plugging in your boat to any 110 volt outlet.
The first step in the process is to identify what type of batteries you have on board your watercraft. You will need to look for some specifics about the batteries you are wishing to incorporate into the charging system. You will need to determine the following:
- Voltage
- Battery type
- Amp-hour capacity
Typically, in the marine world, you will be dealing with 12-volt systems. The battery's capacity is usually listed on the battery as "ah" or amp hour. Marine batteries will be one of the following types:
- Flooded/wet cell lead acid
- Starved electrolyte AMG
- Maintenance free  

MSI BTY-M66 Laptop Battery

10.8V, 488mAh

MSI gx720Laptop Battery
10.8V,7200mAh

MSI  laptop Chargers typically come in single, double, triple and quadruple bank systems and should have independent outputs to charge each battery separately. The battery industry recommends charging your battery at approximately 15-20 percent of its capacity. For example, a 100-amp hour battery would be best charged at 15-20 amps. For your safety, be sure the battery charger you buy is UL listed to Marine 1236 standards and FCC compliant. If you choose a charger that is too large or small for your batteries it could damage them and decrease the life by overheating, gassing and causing excessive water loss.
Depending on what type of boating you enjoy, you will need to make sure your on-board charger's waterproof housing is designed for fresh and/or salt water. It is also important that you make sure it is vibration resistant and incorporates built-in reverse polarity protection. To prevent boil over or your battery over-heating, be sure the charger you purchase has an automatic temperature compensation, this feature adjust output depending on the temperature to assure a fast full charge in any weather conditions. We suggest getting a charger that will charge in three stages typically these stages are:
- Bulk or quick charge mode - gets your batteries charged quickly
- Absorption stage - brings your batteries to a full charge
- Maintenance or trickle charge - keeps your batteries charged and protects batteries
 

MSI BTY-M66 Laptop AC Adapter

• Input: AC 100~240V 50~60Hz
• Output Voltage: 19 V
• Output Current: DC 4.74 A
• Power: 90 W
• Connector: 5.5mm*2.5mm

MSI GX720 Laptop AC Adapter

• Input: AC 100~240V 50~60Hz
• Output Voltage: 19 V
• Output Current: DC 3.42 A
• Power: 65 W
• Connector: 5.5mm*2.5mm