This low level of performance allows some multitasking. Word processing and similar applications work at an acceptable speed, as well as online games like “FarmVille”. At this level, gaming or HD videos are impossible, office work is suitable though.

• 3DMark 06 1024 x 768

  1587.19 #

• 3DMark Vantage

  4293 #

• PCMark 05

  4137 #

• PCMark Vantage

  4687.29 #

• Cinebench xCPU 64Bit

  7743.67 #

The reviewers’ opinions tended predominantly towards moderate satisfaction concerning the laptop design. The notebook’s appearance was decently received and should prove to be at the taste of many users.

The build quality is below average. The chassis protects the internal parts, however, daily usage will leave its mark on the laptop. This laptop is best suited for stable and safe environments such as office work. Cracks and squeaking sounds will result from any significant stress.

• Base Unit Flex

   : 

  3.0/5

  The laptop chassis is quite resistant, however few imperfections with gaps and cracking sounds might annoy the user. The surface will suffer from some scratches if the computer is not protected during transportation.

Generally the reviewers evaluated this laptop to be below average. At this level, office work could be manageable. For more demanding tasks like multimedia use, high definition gaming and professional editing you will need a higher quality display. To get a more comprehensive review of this display, users should check the ratings of the different attributes of this screen.

• Display Resolution

  1366 x 768

  This resolution is also called HD-ready. Viewing more than one website on the monitor is almost impossible, as one window takes up almost the whole space. Graphic designers might not be completely satisfied with this resolution, as this latter might be too small. High resolution picture and video editing is plainly impossible. This resolution is a good option for gamers as many graphic cards will be powerful enough to support the native resolution of this display. Watching most movies will be possible without any black bars at the top and bottom of the display.

• Color Reproduction

   : 

  2.7/5

  Though it would be manageable to watch movies with this color reproduction, the experience might not be enjoyable for visually acute users. The coverage of color spectrum is below average, making colors look far from authentic and incomparable to real life experience. High resolution gaming and HD movies viewing will not be pleasant.

• Contrast

   : 

  2.7/5

  The contrast between the darkest color -black- and the brightest color -white- is below average in this computer. This results in having the darkest areas being washed out resembling a dark shade of gray, while the brightest areas appear to be of a light grayish color. Movies can be enjoyed provided that the room is completely darkened. Most office workers will find the readability to be sufficient, while some might be annoyed by the close shades of gray characterizing both the dark text and the bright background. The needs of professional designers will surely not be met with this notebook.

• Contrast Value

  235 :1

• Brightness

   : 

  4.0/5

  Setting the computer to its maximum brightness will allow you to see the screen even when a strong light is shining on it. Outdoor usability is enhanced with this level of display brightness. Under most indoor light settings however, the screen would be too bright and should be dimmed for comfortable use. Making the display darker has the additional benefit of greatly increasing the battery life. The laptop brightness is evenly distributed over the whole screen, meaning the brightness is not concentrated on one spot of the monitor.

• Reflections

   : 

  1.0/5

  The reflections on this screen cause its usability to be close to minimal. Users will only be able to comfortably view the display in either dark environment or with the least possible amount of lighting. Outdoor use will prove to be absurd; patience and continuous focus will be required for any actual and efficient use of this laptop under medium lighting conditions.

• Viewing Angle

   : 

  1.5/5

  When you position yourself directly in front of the screen, everything is clearly visible. However, moving your head a little to the side will cause the colors to distort. It is almost impossible for two people to watch a movie unless they seek absolute intimacy. This laptop is recommended for people who demand privacy in public spaces.

The internal speakers of this laptop provided for a below average sound quality. Low sounds are still recognizable. Music can still listened to although the users should account for the necessity of external speakers when planning to watch a movie with a group. Musicians should not even stop to consider this laptop for their work, and gamers will be disappointed as the sound will be convincing. Even maximum volume will not make the sound experience enjoyable.

• Maximum Volume

   : 

  4.0/5

  The maximum volume of this laptop is pretty loud, allowing you to pretty much hear every sound played from the other end of the room. Watching movies with a group of people will work, but for an optimal experience, it is recommended to use external speakers, or headphones.

• Sound Clarity

   : 

  1.0/5

  Most of the sounds produced by this computer will sound muffled or noisy. This makes the clarity quite low when watching movies, or playing games.

This keyboard will be just enough for causal use, as it will be quite hard to make it fulfil the comfort and endurance required for long typing hours. It will for example be perfect for your 15-minute morning news session, or for checking and answering short emails. It will be very challenging to use this keyboard for extensive gaming or for any tasks requiring considerable typing speed.

• Layout

   : 

  3.0/5

  The layout of this keyboard might not feel comfortable for everyone. Inconveniences such as unintuitive positioning of different keys and different key sizes compared to the standard layout will be encountered. This most likely will lead to typing errors until the user readjusts to the keyboard.

• Keyboard Size

   : 

  3.0/5

  Although the size of this keyboard is still decent, typos might be a bit more frequent as the keys might not be large enough, depending on the size of your hands. The palm resting area could be too small for some users, although it is generally suitable and comfortable. All in all, the keyboard is proportionate enough and should still fulfill the needs of most users, especially after some getting used to.

• Key Responsiveness

   : 

  3.0/5

  The responsiveness of this keyboard allows for most users to be satisfied with individual key feedback. The keys do require some pressure for efficient typing, without being either too soft or too stiff for manipulation. Most users will find this keyboard supportive for long typing hours as the keys can be pressed down without any difficulty and they respond back quite fast. Although this keyboard might not be responsive enough for some, the general feel of the keyboard should be within the ranges of satisfaction for most of us.

• Keyboard Flex

   : 

  2.0/5

  This keyboard may be for some users manageable, although for most it will be rated below average. The plastic below the keyboard sometimes flexes and the uncontrollable movement of the individual keys will throw you off your typing flow. Smooth typing is far from being an attainable reality, and will make users take some deep breaths to lower their levels of frustration and anger.

Most reviewers agreed that this touchpad should be to the liking of many users. The levels of accuracy, the size and the smoothness vs. resistance rates make this trackpad fairly above average. It is well suited for office work, browsing online and most other usage, although demanding users, designers and alike, might require a higher level of accuracy and would thus prefer an external mouse. The trackpad button quality was generally described as good and fitting the needs of most users.

• Touchpad Surface

   : 

  3.0/5

  The reviewers deemed the feeling of the touchpad to be acceptable. It was neither too rough, which would make your fingers hurt after extensive use, neither too smooth, which would cause your finger to slip. It is not a perfect tactical experience, but nevertheless good enough for most people.

• Sensitivity

   : 

  3.0/5

  Your expectations of an accurate touchpad should be generally satisfied. The levels of precision and speed provided by this touchpad are quite decent, and for most users, this touchpad will be just enough for daily use. Although the accuracy can be fine tuned in the Windows or Mac settings, the basic accuracy hardware wise is enough.

• Touchpad Size

   : 

  3.0/5

  The size of this touchpad is above average. You can browse through large displayed pages, although it might require frequent finger movement. Putting the sensitivity settings up on your computer should make your mouse move faster, and thus cover “more ground”, without much sacrifice of the accuracy of your pointer.

• Buttons

   : 

  3.0/5

  The reviewers considered the button quality of this touchpad to be satisfactory. Most users can rely on the accuracy and the smoothness of this button to carry out regular tasks. Very demanding users might find that the buttons fail to strike the right balance between being easy to click and giving clear feedback, making them a little too soft or too stiff. The button’s clicking sound will be acceptable for most, although sensitive users might prefer an even less noticeable auditive feedback.

• Buttons Noise

   : 

  4.0/5

  The buttons of the touchpad offer a nice clicking feedback while pressing.

This battery life should be enough for users planning to spend just a bit over a couple of hours away from a power source. If you want, for example, to check your emails in the garden, or during a short train ride, you should make sure that your display is set on low brightness. You should as well turn on your energy saving mode, and avoid running any other parallel programs other than the one you are using. With all these precautions, this battery might still not be enough for you, in this case you should have a second battery to secure longer working hours away from a power socket.

• Battery DVD/Video

  2:05 h

  This battery will only provide for 2 to 3 hours of work with energy demanding applications. You will probably be able to watch one movie or stream a couple of videos. Gaming will consume much more energy compared to watching videos, thus the battery will not last as long. For mobile use, an external battery is a good idea as it will double the time you are independent from power sockets.

This computer is for most users still comfortable to carry around, although for those used to lighter computers, it might seem a bit heavy at the beginning. Mobile users will most probably need a somehow large bag to carry this laptop around, a backpack in this case would be ideal. Even when factoring the extra weight of the charger, walking with this computer will still be fine for most users.

The noise emitted by the fan, the hard drive or the CD drive will be enough to make you and your surroundings shut the laptop down. Be it in noisy or quiet environment, the noise of this computer will be noticeable and quite unpleasant for most users.

• Noise Idle

   : 

  2.0/5

  The laptop is audible while idle.

• Noise Normal Use

   : 

  3.0/5

  Noise emitted from this laptop will not cause any major inconveniences when doing office work or browsing the Internet. Although it might be be noticeable in a quite room, it should not be obstructing your concentration.

• Noise Full Load

   : 

  1.0/5

  Running high performance applications such watching movies, editing videos or gaming will make your laptop roar. Not very pleasant when in a quiet environment, or when trying to be discrete.

The laptop may occasionally get too warm. Most reviewers found, at normal room temperature, you can comfortably use the laptop without burning your fingers or legs. The notebook may only become too warm when you stress it, watching a movie or alike.