At this level, the performance is very low. This limits the user to usual activities e.g surfing the web, writing emails. Using applications like Word or Excel is possible, though at a very low speed. Gaming and other high performance tasks are impossible. People looking for a secondary laptop or using non-complex applications only will be satisfied.

• 3DMark 06 1024 x 768

  149 #

• PCMark 05

  1355 #

• PCMark Vantage

  1332 #

• Cinebench xCPU 64Bit

  874 #

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 above average providing for the necessary protection of the computer’s internal parts. The build quality should be acceptable for users moving the laptop around on a frequent basis, even after a couple of years. The external parts might however wear out after medium-term usage , resulting in cracks or squeaking sounds.

• Base Unit Flex

   : 

  3.6/5

  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.

• Hinge Stability

   : 

  3.3/5

  The hinge, connecting the monitor and the laptop body, is tight and flexible, though it leaves room for improvement. The screen might move a little after opening the laptop or when moving around, which can be annoying but not disruptive.

• Display Panel

   : 

  3.0/5

  Some minor colour distortions might occur under significant pressure on the back of the display, or when moving the screen back and fourth. Hardly any gaps between the different parts of the frame can be found.

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

  1024 x 600

  This resolution is not high enough for fitting one window fully on the display. This makes multitasking and office work quite a hassle. Viewing highly detailed pictures requires a lot of zooming in order to see all the details on the picture. Low resolution picture and video editing is manageable yet quite unpleasant. This resolution is okay for online gaming, it is however an absurdity for high resolution games. Watching most movies will be accompanied by black bars at the bottom and the top of the display.

• Color Reproduction

   : 

  2.0/5

  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

   : 

  1.0/5

  This contrast can be simply described as bad. Black areas resemble a shade of dark gray, and whites look dirty. Office workers will not enjoy this notebook as reading text will tire the eyes after some time. Shadows are either too dark or too bright, which really can destroy a good movie, or a beautiful picture.

• Contrast Value

  179 :1

• Brightness

   : 

  2.8/5

  The maximum brightness of this computer can be described as sufficient in most indoor settings. Under medium lighting conditions, this computer will provide for reading, watching movies and gaming with no annoyances. Bright ambient light will however not be favorable for any of the activities mentioned above. A positive point with this mediocre range of brightness is that it allows for energy saving. The battery lasts for longer hours compared to when used with a brighter screen.

• Average Brightness

  186 cd/m²

• Reflections

   : 

  3.3/5

  Viewing the display without major difficulties is achievable in almost all indoor lighting conditions. Office workers should be satisfied with this laptop. Reflections on the display will however cause discomfort when outdoors, unless the laptop is positioned in shaded spaces.

• Viewing Angle

   : 

  2.5/5

  Looking at the screen from the side causes color distortions. Two people watching a movie have to sit close together for both of them to get a good picture. Even when you move in your chair color deviations will be noticeable. On the plus side, this display provides for some privacy in public spaces.

The sound quality is close to a disaster. The bass is almost non-existing and even at maximum volume, you need to stick your ears to the laptop to hear conversations in movies. It is not worth mentioning the lousy sound experience when gaming, unless you prefer silent war games. In short: External speakers or headphones are a must for any sound to be decently experienced.

• Maximum Volume

   : 

  3.0/5

  The peak volume of this laptop is acceptably loud. If relying only on the maximum sound output of the internal speakers of this laptop, watching movies with a group of friends should be manageable. It will be as well quite challenging to clearly distinguish sounds at peak volume if you are at the other end of the room.

• Sound Clarity

   : 

  3.0/5

  The clarity of the sound is still ok at this level. While demanding audiophiles will think of it as a disaster, the rest of us will find the sound experience provided by this laptop satisfactory 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

   : 

  2.2/5

  Many users will have a hard time readjusting to the layout of this keyboard. Some of the keys might be placed, shaped or sized differently compared to a conventional keyboard layout, leading to frequent typing mistakes and a decrease in typing speed. Overall users will not be satisfied with this layout, although with persistence it can still be manageable.

• Keyboard Size

   : 

  1.6/5

  This keyboard is not proportional enough for comfortable use. The cramped keys and the limited gaps between them are likely to result in too many typos. You might as well find that your palms screaming for more space, and typing for long hours will be frustrating and painful.

• Key Responsiveness

   : 

  3.5/5

  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

   : 

  3.0/5

  Although the plastic below the keyboard does flex at noticeable levels, it is still not bothersome enough to interrupt your typing. it is true that your typing speed might decrease and your comfort will not be ideal, but the flex of this keyboard is still not too annoying for most users.

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

   : 

  3.3/5

  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

   : 

  3.3/5

  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

   : 

  2.0/5

  This touchpad is relatively small for effective and efficient usage. You can increase your touchpad sensitivity settings so that the mouse pointer will move faster. This comes with a downside: High sensitivity settings will cause your cursor to fly through your display sacrificing accuracy. To keep the mouse at an acceptable precision level, you would be required to make multiple strokes to reach the other site of the screen, which can be tiring especially on bigger displays.

• Buttons

   : 

  2.5/5

  The reviewers considered the quality of this trackpad button to be less than average. Although this button quality might be sufficient for some, it will be less than desired for most. Problems with the unclear feedback, excessive softness or stiffness of the button will be obstacles for efficient use. The clicking sound produced by this button might as well be a little too obtrusive for pleasant use.

The battery life is quite good. If are going to work outside, you can easily plan to spend up to six hours without your charger. Be it for a client meeting, preparing a paper, or simply answering your emails, lowering the brightness of your screen will greatly contribute to extending the battery life. As long as you do not launch programs which suck a lot of energy out of your battery like watching movies or playing games, you should be able to enjoy your half a day out. Also, make sure to check that the energy saving mode is on to maximise the time away from the power socket.

• Battery DVD/Video

  5:25 h

  The battery is among the best available. You can carry out energy demanding applications such as streaming online videos, preparing for long presentations, or even watching several movies in a row comfortably for extended hours (5 hours and more). Playing games requires much more energy and thus the battery will last for a shorter period of time.

This laptop ranks amongst the lightest in the market. This weight makes the computer ideal for travelling or to use while commuting. Carrying this laptop feels just like carrying a bottle of water while hiking. It is easy to pack with your books when heading to the library, or to put back in your handbag after checking your morning emails at your favourite cafe. You might even forget you are carrying this laptop, even with the extra weight of the charger.

The laptop is almost completely silent under all circumstances. There is almost no noise emitted from the fan, the hard drive, CD drive, or any other parts. Even a noise sensitive person will find this laptop at the utmost of discretion, fitting the quietest environments.

• Noise Idle

   : 

  4.5/5

  You will not notice any noise when the laptop is idle.

• Noise Normal Use

   : 

  4.5/5

  This laptop is silent while doing low performance tasks such as surfing the web, or editing a text. Even in a very quiet environment like a library, any noise from your laptop is unnoticeable, perfect for helping you focus on the task at hand.

• Noise Full Load

   : 

  4.3/5

  Noise emitted by the laptop is no problem, even when running high-performance tasks such as watching or editing movies and gaming. In a quiet room, the noise will be noticeable, yet not annoying for most users.

The laptop stays cool most of the time. Most reviewers found, the heat from the notebook usually will not be uncomfortable for your fingers or legs. You can watch movies even on hot summer days without burning your legs.

• Heat Top: Full Use

   : 

  4.0/5

  The notebook warms up just a little at normal use.

• Heat Top: Normal Use

   : 

  4.0/5

  The laptop only gets a little warm on top.

• Heat Bottom: Normal Use

   : 

  3.0/5

  The bottom of the notebook warms up a little but is not getting too hot to place it on your lap.

• Heat Bottom: Full Load

   : 

  3.0/5

  There can be some spot where the laptop gets warm.