Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904 WiDi Laptop Review

If you could design your own laptop Toshiba managed to cram a lot of mobile computing goodness into the E205's svelte design, including both VGA and HDMI outputs, a digital media reader, and even an eSATA port. There are a few compromises in the E205's design, however, including no Gigabit Ethernet support, no Bluetooth, and no ExpressCard slot, as well as integrated graphics that will leave mobile gamers wanting."


Seems they either didn't listen to their customers anyway, or those customers don't know a lot about computers. HDMI out is nice, but VGA? Why not DVI? eSATA is pretty much useless unless you already use it a lot (which I doubt, keeping in mind what I see as the intended customer base), because USB 3 will become much more widespread next year given its greater speed and backwards compatibility. Were I them, I would definitely have included Bluetooth. Maybe not Gigabit Ethernet (since it would be a greater-costing technology that not many people fully use anyway). And integrated graphics is just shameful with HDMI out and that nice screen.

in an effort to have the perfect balance of performance, price, size, weight, and features, what would you include and what could you live without? As part of its Blue Label program, Best Buy asked that question of its customers--accepting as much feedback as its customers could give and then channeling that information back to the laptop manufacturers it partners with. The ensuing results of this feedback now manifest themselves in the three current Best Buy Blue Label exclusive laptop offerings: the Dell Studio s15Z-2249CPN, Sony Vaio VPCS11FM/S, and Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904.

All three of these laptops have a fair bit in common: They are all mainstream laptop designs, powered by Intel Core i5 processors, they come with 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM memory, and include generous 500GB hard drives. (They are somewhat diminutive as mainstream laptops go, but they're not quite thin-and-light laptops either.) The Toshiba (14-inch display, 2.53GHz Core i5) is the least expensive of the group, with an $899.99 price tag (which was just reduced from $999.99); the Dell (15.6-inch display, 2.53GHz Core i5) sells for $999.99, and the Sony (13.3-inch display, 2.26GHz Core i5) is the most expensive, at $1,049.99. In our opinion, however, the Toshiba is the sexiest-looking of the bunch, and we were fortunate enough to get it in for testing.
•Intel Core i5-430M @ 2.2GHz (2.5GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency)
•4GB DDR3 SDRAM @ 1066MHz
•14-inch diagonal LCD TruBrite HD (1366x768, 16:9); LED backlight
•Intel HM57 Express Chipset
•Integrated Mobile Intel HD Graphics
•500GB (5,400RPM) SATA hard drive
•802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi
•Integrated Intel WiDi technology
•Slot-loading DVD+/-RW DL optical drive (with LabelFlash)
•Built-in stereo speakers
•TouchPad pointing device with multi-touch control
•Memory card reader
•Integrated 0.3-megapixel webcam and microphone
•5,800mAh, 6-cell Li-Ion battery
•VGA and HDMI outputs
•USB 2.0 ports x 2
•Combination eSATA/USB 2.0 ports x1
•RJ45 (Ethernet 10/100Mbps)
•Headphone and Mic input jacks
•SD / MMC / MSPro / xD Multimedia Card Reader
•5.1 pounds
•2.01 x 5.0 x 1.2-inches (dimensions)
•Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

One other thing that these three laptops have in common is that they all include Intel's new WiDi (Wireless Display) technology and come with a Netgear Push2TV WiDi adapter. WiDi is a new 802.11n-based technology from Intel that allows a laptop to wirelessly transmit its display to a TV's HDMI connection at a 720p resolution. These three laptops are the first such devices on the market to support the WiDi technology--but you should start seeing WiDi built into more Core i5 and Core i3 Since these are all reverse engineered from alien tech, I just wish they would come out with the final version.

You know the unlimited power and info system that is as small as you want it, with virtual keyboard and projection! Maybe the size of that Bluetooth headpiece? :)

It always amuses me how people are against capitalism, yet they always are the first to rush out and get the latest developed tech?

laptops in the coming months. We got our first peek at WiDi back in January at CES; and as promised, with the Toshiba Satellite E205-S1904, we finally had our chance to spend some hands-on time with the technology. More about WiDi shortly, but in the meantime, here's a bit more about the E205...

Asus UL30VT-laptop2010

laptop2010 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life

Seeing as these laptops offer both a very reasonable price tag as well as vastly improved performance over the Atom platform it has been viewed as the natural successor to netbooks. While the netbook will probably live on for quite some time in one form or another, it’s a fact that some consumers are less than satisfied with the poor performance offered by netbooks and some have started to look towards CULV alternatives.
Overclocking with Turbo33
Asus’ UL series is made up of laptops with screen sizes between 12 and 15 inches, and the UL30 and UL30VT strikes the “golden ratio” with its 13-inch, 1366x768 16:9 screen. The common trait for all of the UL (and UX) laptops is that they are thin and light and offer great battery life, much thanks to the CULV CPUs, which have a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of only 10W instead of the usual 25-45W.
Compared to the competition such as Acer’s Timeline series, Asus’ UL series has a distinct advantage thanks to its proprietary Turbo33 technology. Turbo33 offers a simple and straightforward way of overclocking your system by no less than 33% via the included Power4Gear utility. In other words, the 1.3GHz SU7300 processor is able to work at just over 1.7GHz without impacting stability and with a surprisingly small effect on battery life.
Hybrid Graphics . laptop 2010
What separates the UL30VT from the regular UL30 is the inclusion of a “Hybrid Graphics” solution; in battery-saving mode it runs on the efficient Intel 4500mhd IGP (integrated graphics), but when more performance is needed you simply switch to the dedicated GPU – in this case an Nvidia GeForce G210M. The G210M is one of the newer and more efficient 40nm mobile GPUs. While it’s clearly not targeted at high-end gaming card it is more than capable of some casual gaming in addition to hardware video decoding.
Build Quality, Look and Feel
The UL-series laptops are arguably some of the best looking in Asus’ entire lineup. The UL30VT is available in black (UL30VT-X1) or silvery (UL30VT-A1, this one) brushed aluminum and both look great. Although some flaws in the build quality were reported for the earlier UL30s, it looks like Asus has improved on any problems for the VT models. It is perfectly sturdy and there are no unwanted gaps or inconsistencies to be found between any the components.

The energy-efficient, slim, and stylish ASUS UL30Vt-A1 notebook redefines ultraportable notebooks with new power boosting features. Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life1. Powered by the ultra-low-voltage Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300, and optimized with 4GB of DDR3 DRAM, ASUS GraphiX Boost switchable graphics, and exclusive Turbo33 technology, the UL30Vt-A1 takes you further than most other notebooks with eye-catching style, optimized performance, smart power usage, and a generous 500GB of storage. Its ultra-slim profile makes traveling a breeze and its 13.3-inch HD LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency. Effortlessly navigate your e-mails and favorite websites with the enhanced multi-touch trackpad and complete important assignments with ease using the comfortable chiclet keyboard. The UL30Vt-A1 also features Altec Lansing speakers, plus SRS Premium Sound, for a home theater experience on the go. The UL30Vt-A1 is built from the ground up to give you the best value; it’s an ultraportable notebook that truly delivers mobility and power on demand.
Like many other Asus laptops it has a larger than average bezel around the screen, which is noticeable now that so-called edge-to-edge screens are the height of fashion. However, the brushed aluminum lid and the slim chassis (which lacks an optical drive) make this quite a stunning laptop on the whole.
The keyboard/trackpad combination on the UL30VT borrows some features from Apple; it has both the chiclet keyboard and a trackpad with multi-touch support. The trackpad is not just flush mounted but actually part of the chassis itself, which is unusual but works great and offers just the right amount of friction.
Another factor that is probably also due to the low-voltage parts: it runs cool – and I mean cool as in the wrist rests don’t even get warm! When you’re just browsing the web or doing other simple chores the entire computer stays perfectly cool and quiet, and only when you shift to playing games it gets somewhat hot, but not uncomfortably so.
One of the (few) issues I have with this laptop is the LED-backlit screen. It provides ample brightness, but the colors are rather washed out and the viewing angles are less than impressive. laptop 2010
Performance
Now for the interesting part: normally you wouldn’t expect blistering speeds from CULV-equipped laptops. Sure, they are several times faster than netbooks, but because of the low clock speeds they are still well behind Intel’s mainstream CPUs. Here, Asus CULV laptops including the UL30VT have a distinct advantage in the Turbo33 feature that overclocks the system by 33%, which of course has a major effect on overall performance compared to the competition.
Unfortunately, switching between stock speed (1.3GHz) and Turbo (1.7GHz) requires a reboot, but the effect of Turbo33 on the power draw is not that noticeable when other power-saving measures are in effect, so just leaving it on is fine – even when running on battery power, unless you are desperate to add some extra minutes to its already generous battery life.
The battery life is another aspect in which the CULV CPUs shine, and the UL30VT has been equipped with an 8-cell battery. Asus claims it can manage for 12 hours without recharging, which is an overly optimistic number. However, it lasts almost an entire workday: we managed to keep it running for about 7:30 on Asus’ included “Quiet Office” setting, meaning the 4500mhd is active and the CPU throttled to 70% (but still overclocked).
It would probably be possible to squeeze an extra hour or two out of it with the CPU running at stock speed, but that would likely involve turning off wireless, dimming the display to a minimum and running an even more aggressive power-saving scheme (and ruin the fun). Windows Experience Index
Processor: 4.9
RAM 5.4
Graphics: 5.2
Gaming Graphics: 6.1
Primary Hard Disk: 5.9
The processor gets a better than average score here thanks to the overclocking. That Gaming Graphics were rated at 6.1 was a surprise – sure, it performs a lot better than most other GPUs for thin-and-light laptops, but it won’t run the latest games with all the details and visual effects turned on.
3DMark06 Score (1366x768): 3295
Note: The actual score for the G210M is slightly lower – the default 3DMark resolution is 1280x1024 and the UL30VTs native resolution is 1366x768. 3295 is still a very good score for a laptop this size and is of course light-years ahead of the integrated Intel GPU.
Summary
All in all the Asus UL30VT is an incredibly versatile laptop that combines excellent battery life and a fairly powerful graphics card in a highly portable package. When you also consider the overclocked CPU and the attractive price tag this is one of the best deals right now if you’re looking for a 13-inch laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Review

The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 is an 11-inch notebook featuring the latest Intel CULV processors for extreme battery life combined with HDMI output for mobile entertainment. This attractive netbook alternative packs enough performance for everyday tasks yet is small enough to be your constant companion PC. Should you spend your next $750 on this impressive little laptop? Keep reading to find out.
BUY the IdeaPad U150 Laptop Computer - 690968U - Red - Intel Pentium- Dual-Core SU4100
LENOVO $649.00
see all pricing for the IdeaPad U150 Laptop Computer - 690968U - Red - Intel Pentium- Dual-Core SU4100
Our Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Specifications:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 Processor (1.30GHz, 800MHz FSB, 3MB L2 cache)
4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1066MHz)
320GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
11.6-inch diagonal WXGA (glossy, 1366x768)
Intel X4500M integrated graphics
Intel 5100AGN, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Dimensions: (LxWxH) 11.4 x 7.5 x 0.5-1.35 inches
Weight: 2.97 lbs. (not including weight of AC adapter)
6-cell 57Wh battery
One-year standard warranty
MSRP: $749 (configurations starting at $649 at Lenovo.com)
Build and DesignLenovo is best known for the ThinkPad line of business notebooks that the company inherited from IBM, but the new IdeaPad line of consumer-oriented laptops has managed to generate some buzz thanks to unique designs and a modest price. The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 continues that trend by offering an attractive 11-inch notebook that rivals the Dell Inspiron 11z and the HP Mini 311. Like most 11-inch notebooks currently on the market, the U150 walks the fine line between a full-featured notebook PC and an Intel Atom-based netbook. The U150 is larger and more powerful than the typical $400 netbook, but lacks the impressive features and size of a standard laptop with a high-end Core 2 Duo processor in the $650-$900 price range. That said, the U150 certainly offers an attractive design with a combination of matte black, glossy black, and glossy silver plastics.
The lid of the U150 features the same cross-weave texture imprint seen on the larger IdeaPad U350 and it's a nice alternative to the glossy lids seen on most 11-inch notebooks. Build quality is acceptable thanks to a solid bottom half of the chassis, but the plastic screen lid with thin metal texture panel and plastic palmrests suffer from a bit more flex than we like to see in notebooks that cost more than $600. Granted, most consumers probably won't notice the flex in the plastic exterior unless they apply significant pressure to the palmrests or the screen, but 11-inch notebooks are usually carried inside backpacks with heavy school books ... so we'd like the U150 to be a bit more solid. On the other hand, the textured matte lid (again, a combination of plastic and thin metal) not only looks nice, but hides day-to-day abuse by making scratches blend in with the imprinted pattern. It also does a very good job at hiding smudges and fingerprints compared to laptops with glossy plastic exteriors. The IdeaPad U150 will probably hold up quite well to typical user abuse ... but you certainly don't want to try standing on this laptop.
People who like to upgrade their laptops with aftermarket parts (extra RAM, a new hard drive or SSD, or a new wireless card) will find the U150 is extremely easy to upgrade. One panel provides access to the hard drive and RAM while a second panel gives you access to the wireless card and mini PCI-E card slot. We couldn't find any explicit "warranty void if removed" stickers inside the notebook, but there were some Lenovo-branded stickers covering the edges of the RAM, Wi-Fi card, and heatsink screws which may be used to indicate tampering.
Screen and SpeakersThe 11.6" screen on the U150 is average, providing decent color and contrast but suffering from noticeably shallow viewing angles. Most thin-and-light notebooks come with low-quality TN display panels, but this display produces somewhat "pastel" colors using our test image. For standard activities like browsing the web or typing documents you don't really notice the color shift, but when viewing pictures or watching a dark movie the softer colors are a bit distracting. Vertical viewing angles are good until about 10 degrees forward or back when colors start to show visible shift. Horizontal viewing angles are a little better as colors remain essentially unchanged except at very steep angles. The screen backlight works very well under bright office lights, but the screen isn't quite powerful enough to overcome reflections off the glossy screen outdoors under direct sunlight.




The built-in stereo speakers are fine for listening to streaming radio or the occasional TV show, but lack much bass. Since the speakers are located at the bottom front edge of the notebook the audio output tends to sound muffled when you use the notebook as a "laptop." However, if the U150 is resting on a desk then the sound bounces up off the surface of the desk and toward the user. Still, headphones are a much better option to really enjoy music and movies from this notebook thanks to the weak bass and midrange from the built-in speakers. Another alternative is using the HDMI-out to pass digital audio to a home theater system.
Keyboard and TouchpadThe nearly full-size keyboard is great for typing and is about as good as you can expect on a notebook with an 11-inch chassis. The space bar is a little small and the tilde key has been shrunk to fit, but overall the keys feel like they are the size they should be. The editors in our office are evenly split between those of us who prefer the "Chiclet-style" keyboards that provide additional space between the keys and traditional keyboards like this one that offer larger keys. Honestly, keyboard preference is largely a matter of personal taste, so keep in mind that there are 11-inch notebooks with traditional keyboards and notebooks with Chiclet/island keys. The keyboard itself is quite firm and free of any flex even under heavy typing pressure. Each key emits a soft "click-clack" when pressed and isn't too disruptive for classroom typing. Key wiggle or travel is minimal and each key top is solidly attached to the scissor mechanism below. In short, the keyboard on the U150 is one of the nicer ones we've seen on an 11-inch notebook.
The IdeaPad U150 offers a reasonably large Synaptics touchpad and it's one of the nicer touchpads we've seen on an 11-inch notebook. The plastic surface texture is mildly rough and provides good traction without making it difficult to slide your finger across the surface. Speed and accuracy are great with the default settings and we didn't notice any cursor lag in our tests. Refresh rate of the touchpad surface is very good and prevents any "stutter" like what we've recently seen on a few Synaptics touchpads. The acceleration on each axis is adequately matched and helps guarantee that cursor movement on the screen matches your finger movement on the touchpad (unlike the touchpad on the Dell Inspiron 11z). The touchpad buttons are fantastic thanks to a perfectly deep, springy action with quiet "clicks" when pressed.
Ports and FeaturesPort selection is surprisingly good on the IdeaPad U150. You get VGA and HDMI-out, gigabit LAN, audio in/out, and an SDHC card slot, and three USB ports (two standard ports and one combo USB/eSATA). The eSATA port allows you to use much faster external hard drives with this notebook, and we're glad that Lenovo used a combo USB/eSATA port for those customers who need USB and don't use eSATA.
The front-mounted SDHC-slot is spring loaded, and unlike the card slot on the larger U350, this one allows the card to sit flush in the slot. When you fully insert a standard SDHC card into the slot it doesn't stick out. Don't expect to see a built-in optical drive in this notebook, so if you plan on reinstalling the OS or playing DVDs you will need to pick up an external USB optical drive. Multimedia keys are limited to a mute button and a direct access button to the Lenovo "OneKey" recovery software suite used for creating a system backup or recovering from a system crash.

Toshiba Satellite E205

The Satellite E205 is the latest "Blue Label" Toshiba notebook exclusively made for Best Buy. Packing a 14-inch WXGA screen, an Intel Core i5 processor, and the latest Intel GMA HD graphics, this notebook has one feature no other model currently offers, Intel Wireless Display. Intel Wi-Di lets notebooks stream HD-quality video to a compatible receiver plugged into your HDTV, letting you share videos without any need for cables. In this review we take an in-depth look at the Toshiba Satellite E205 and see if its Intel Wireless Display is going to change the way we use notebooks in our home theaters.
Toshiba Satellite E205 Specifications:
14-inch WXGA (1366x678) LED Backlit (Glossy finish)
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-430M (2.26GHz, 3MB Cache)
4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
500GB Hitachi HDD (5400rpm)
Slot loading DVD+/-RW
Intel 6200 802.11AGN, Intel Wireless Display
Mobile Intel HD Graphics
Netgear Push 2 TV Adapter
5800mAh 6-cell, 75W 19V AC adapter
Dimensions: 13.7" x 9.57" x 1.22" without feet
Weight: 5lbs 2.4oz
Retail Price: $899
Warranty: 2 Year
Build and DesignThe Toshiba Satellite E205 is probably the first 14" consumer notebook that manages to keep a curvy, modern design while still maintaining a thin look and feel. Every edge on the E205 is rounded, including the CPU-exhaust vent which I think is pretty cool. The only part that seems to rub me in the wrong way is the battery hump which is exaggerated in size since it also includes the screen hinges and rear ports. The color scheme looks great with a blue diamond- pattern on the screen cover which changes to a black diamond-pattern on the inside with metallic-blue trim. Even the touchpad gets special treatment with its flush-mount design that shares the same pattern as the palmrest and is outlined with a matte finish.
Build quality is above average for consumer notebooks although the thin design does have some weaknesses with the strength of the screen frame and cover. The screen cover flexed under moderate pressure but still protected the screen from distortion unless you gripped it very hard. The bezel around the screen on the inside of the notebook seemed to be warped but was only noticed since the mirror-like finish made reflections look distorted. The keyboard and palmrest showed only mild flex under strong pressure. Compared to the last Best Buy-exclusive notebook we reviewed-the Satellite E105-the E205 is a huge improvement in quality and design.
Screen and SpeakersThe Toshiba Satellite E205 is built around a 14-inch screen - instead of a 13.3"-since Best Buy's research has shown that most of their customers still prefer this size. It offers a 1366x768 WXGA resolution which is capable of displaying 720P HD video. The screen rates average compared to similar screens, with some mild backlight bleed visible on all-black screens and limited viewing angles. For watching movies, viewing pictures, or browsing the web we found color saturation and contrast to be more than adequate thanks to the glossy surface. At peak brightness we had no trouble viewing the screen in a brightly-lit office. Vertical viewing angles were average with colors starting to distort at 15 to 20 degrees tilted back.




Horizontal viewing angles were good to about 60-degrees before reflections overpowered the glossy display.One of the most interesting features of the Toshiba Satellite E205 is the Intel Wireless Display or Wi-Di. This technology allows users to stream HD content to a receiver connected to your HDTV. The receiver-made by Netgear-connects to the TV with an HDMI connection and streams video as well as audio from your notebook. What sets this technology apart from any other we have used to date is the fact that it doesn't have any decrease in performance depending on the source being viewed. USB 2.0 and Wireless USB docking stations that support DVI-out are all limited to 2D from limited bandwidth. The Intel Wireless Display on the other hand streamed full 3D-accelerated video, including games and video without any degradation of quality. Another huge benefit of the Wi-Di interface compared to Wireless USB is its reception range. We walked around our office without once breaking the connection. It was only after we walked outside and closed the metal door that the signal strength dropped enough to kill the connection. For an average sized home you should have no problem using the Intel Wireless Display technology unless you try to use it from inside the trunk of your car inside your garage.
The Intel Wi-Di technology does have a few limitations at this time. Wi-Di currently only supports streaming 1280x720 video and has restrictions on how the wireless display is setup. You are basically limited to a cloned display only, which is probably a good thing with the amount of lag the interface has. In testing we found that video and audio displayed through the Wi-Di connection were running about one or two seconds behind what was being displayed locally on the notebook. This doesn't mean the video or audio was out of sync, just that the Wi-Di receiver uses a large buffer. For watching HD video from the computer or streaming PowerPoint presentations this won't be a problem ... but forget about using it for gaming. Even trying to accomplish basic tasks such as surfing the web over the Wi-Di connection was intolerable unless you were viewing the notebook screen.


The speakers on the E205 are of the lap-firing variety that are generally ok if you only plan on listening to streaming audio or video but leave a lot to be desired if you want to enjoy a movie. Since they are downward firing another problem is they sound muffled if the notebook is sitting directly on your lap or a very soft surface. For enjoying music and video while on the road, headphones are really the preferred alternative. If you plan on watching a movie in your home the Intel Wi-Di interface or connecting directly through HDMI would be the best bet.
Keyboard and TouchpadThe keyboard on the Satellite E205 is spacious and very comfortable to type on. The typing throw is shorter than the average notebook keyboard... instead feeling like a Chiclet keyboard without the island-key layout. The shorter throw made typing seem easier and seemed to speed up my normal typing speed. While the layout of the keyboard itself was fine, I found the proximity of the touch-sensitive buttons to be a problem. My pinky would continuously hit one of the buttons and trigger one of the related functions. Depending on the size of your hands you may not have this problem. One handy feature of the keyboard on the E205 is that it is fully backlit allowing you to type without any additional room lighting.



The E205 includes a spacious multitouch-enabled Synaptics touchpad. We found the touchpad to be a breeze to use in our testing with a responsive surface with no discernible lag. The lightly-texture matte surface was easy to slide your finger across when damp and had no hard boundaries around the touchpad zone. The only complaint I could come up with was regarding the stiff touchpad buttons which were hard to press with the edge of your thumb. Even though the buttons are wrapped around the leading edge of the palmrest, to activate a button from the front requires a ludicrous amount of force.
Ports and FeaturesPort selection was average with two USB ports, one USB/eSATA combo port, VGA-out, HDMI-out, audio jacks, and LAN. The E205 also offered a slot-loading optical drive and flush-mount SDHC-card reader. The biggest feature by far though is the Intel Wireless Display

The new ASUS UL50Vf is an update to the popular 15-inch UL50Vt and offers the all-new Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics. Why are we reviewing this modest update? Because Optimus is honestly the first switchable graphics solution that works like it should.
Our ASUS UL50Vf has the following specifications:
15-inch 720p (1366x768) display with LED backlighting
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 Ultra Low Voltage processor (1.3GHz/3MB L2/800MHz FSB) overclocked to 1.73GHz/1066MHz FSB
Switchable graphics: Nvidia GeForce G210M w/ 512MB GDDR3 dedicated and Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated with Nvidia Optimus
4GB DDR3-1066 RAM
320GB 5400RPM hard drive
802.11n wireless
DVD Super Multi drive
Two-year warranty w/ one year accidental damage coverage
8-cell Li-ion battery 84Wh (5800mAh)
Weight: 5.3 lbs
Dimensions: 15.4” x 10.4” x 1.1”
MSRP: $849.99
Build and DesignThe ASUS UL50Vf features a design that is identical UL50Vt and similar to the 14-inch UL80Vt. This is a classic clamshell design with smooth lines and rounded edges. The drop point hinges give the notebook an almost aerodynamic look and the plastic construction keeps this 15-inch notebook reasonably light weight. A height of only 1.1 inches it is certainly a thin machine, and the inward chiseled sides make it look even thinner. The UL50Vf, like the rest of the UL series, has an all-plastic construction with the exception of the aluminum-backed lid. All visible plastic surfaces are glossy which means dust and fingerprints show up easily. If you like to keep your notebook looking new you'll need to keep a microfiber cloth handy for constant cleaning.
The brushed aluminum lid is the most classy design element on this notebook and gives this otherwise all-plastic notebook a touch of durability. Once open, the island-style (Chiclet-style) keyboard helps to make this visually boring notebook a little more appealing. The palmrests are large enough to give you a comfortable resting place while typing and the flush-mount touchpad is likewise nice and large.
Unfortunately, those glossy plastics that give the UL50Vf a modern look and keep weight low also make the notebook chassis too weak and flexible. We were able to visibly twist the notebook (both open and closed) with modest pressure, meaning this notebook might be vulnerable to damage inside a backpack with heavy books. This high amount of flex indicates that the notebook's internal frame is not strong enough to overcome the weakness in the external plastics.
In addition, the plastic screen bezel below the screen is flimsy enough that we can pull it away from the screen with little effort. In short, while the plastics themselves offer reasonable build quality, the lack of a strong internal frame and poor fit of some plastics make the UL50Vf feel less durable than most 15-inch notebooks.
The bottom of the UL50Vf offers users the ability to quickly access the RAM and hard drive bay for easy upgrades at home. We like the fact that ASUS uses a single access panel so owners don't have to remove multiple covers from the bottom of the notebook if they want to upgrade the RAM and hard drive at the same time. However, the use of four screws seems like overkill and makes upgrades a little more time consuming than needed.
Screen and SpeakersThe UL50Vf has a 15-inch display with LED backlighting, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a 1366x768 resolution. Its glossy coating makes images look clearer at the expense of glare/reflections under bright sunlight or indoor lights. The display has plenty of brightness but the contrast is low, making pictures look slightly washed out if you set the brightness to maximum. Horizontal viewing angles are adequate enough for sharing movies with a friend on a plane, but vertical viewing angles are limited and you'll need to be tilt the screen just right to get an accurate picture. The biggest problem we have with this display is the unacceptably low resolution of 1366x768. A 15-inch notebook with a 16:9 screen ratio should have a minimum screen resolution of 1600x900 pixels. Most 11-inch notebooks now offer 1366x768 resolution so it's just plain sad to see such a low resolution on a 15-inch screen.




The stereo speakers on the UL50Vf offer little in terms of range or bass. Volume levels are not loud enough at the maximum setting and the sound is very tinny. The downward-firing speakers also mean that audio will sound muffled when using this notebook as a "laptop" since the sound is directed at your lap or crotch. The headphone jack is fortunately static-free and the best way to get audio out of the notebook.
Keyboard and TouchpadThe UL50Vf has a Chiclet/island style keyboard with a dedicated number pad for those who still use number pads for quick data entry. While the island-style keys have more space between them than a traditional keyboard layout this particular keyboard suffers from flex. The keyboard flexs under firm typing pressure on the right side above the optical drive. This is unfortunate because the area of flex is right where the dedicated number pad is located and you're likely to notice the flex while typing numbers. The keys are also noisier than we prefer ... producing a "click clack" sound while typing.
The ELAN touchpad is also below average with limited driver functionality and few setting options to improve cursor movement. Its glossy surface is difficult to track on and the single-piece button is somewhat noisy and difficult to press with shallow feedback. You will have to apply pressure at the far left and right edges of the touchpad button to get clicks to register.
Ports and FeaturesThe UL50Vf has a reasonable number of ports just like the UL50Vt. You get three USB ports and HDMI out for connecting your laptop to your HDTV and a VGA port for connecting to a projector or external monitor. The notebook also has a Kensington Lock slot and built-in Bluetooth. All picture descriptions are left to right.
Left Side: Power jack, exhaust vent, media card reader, HDMI, 2x USB, microphone and headphone jacks
Right Side: USB, DVD Super Multi drive, 1000Mbps Ethernet, VGA out, and Kensington Lock slot
Front: Speakers under the front edge

Lenovo ThinkPad T410 Review

The ThinkPad T410 is the latest revision of the popular T-series ThinkPad from Lenovo. This model brings a new line of dedicated and integrated graphics cards, the Intel Core-series processor line, and a completely redesigned chassis. We took an in-depth look at the highly anticipated T410 to see how well it stacks up against all the prior T-series ThinkPads. Does it live up to our expectations? Read on to find out.

Our Lenovo ThinkPad T410 with NVIDIA Graphics Specifications:
Screen: 14.1-inch WXGA+ (1440 x 900) LED Backlit (Matte finish)
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-540M (2.53GHz, 3MB Cache)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
Storage: 320GB Seagate 7400.4 HDD (7200rpm)
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW
Wireless: Intel 6200 802.11AGN, Bluetooth, Gobi 2000 WWAN
Graphics: NVIDIA NVS 3100M with 256MB DDR3
Power: 94Wh 9-cell, 90W 20V AC adapter
Dimensions: 13.13 x 9.41 x 1.09-1.26”
Weight: 5lbs 9.3oz
Retail Price: $1,940
Our Lenovo ThinkPad T410 with Intel Graphics Specifications:
Screen: 14.1-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) LED Backlit (Matte finish)
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-540M (2.53GHz, 3MB Cache)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
Storage: 320GB Seagate 7400.4 HDD (7200rpm)
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW
Wireless: Intel 6250 802.11AGN, Bluetooth
Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics
Power: 57Wh 6-cell, 65W 20V AC adapter
Dimensions: 13.13 x 9.41 x 1.09-1.26”
Weight: 5lbs 5.1oz
Retail Price: $1,580

Build and DesignTo the naked eye very little has changed with the overall design of the ThinkPad T410 compared to past models. It still carries the black rubberized screen lid with ThinkPad logo, still offers the shiny matte-black chassis and palmrest, and still uses the strong and highly visible stainless steel screen hinges. Those are the areas where the similarities stop. The port layout has significantly changed to allow an increase in available ports and even a few new types of connections. Once opened, ThinkPad fans will notice that Lenovo finally centered the screen, so no more thick bezel on one side and a thin bezel on the other. Another change is the shift from a two-piece palmrest and keyboard bezel on older models to one-piece design that is stronger and has fewer gaps to squeak. The bottom has also changed--with a user-access panel being the biggest addition--to let users install more RAM or a wireless card without tearing apart the notebook.

Build quality is a touchy subject for anyone familiar with the ThinkPad brand and how it has changed over the years. Any change to the sacred ThinkPad is seen as negative, even if it results in a stronger notebook. The good news is that overall the redesigned chassis in the T410 still feels as strong as ever ... but the bad news is a few specific areas did lose some strength compared to past ThinkPads. The screen lid seems weaker on the left side which allows pressure applied to the lid to show through as distortion on the LCD. Only the left side of the screen cover shows this distortion but it is still more than past models. Another item is the access panel on the bottom of the notebook that is designed to let users access one of the system memory slots and an open mini-PCIe slot. This is easily the weakest part on the entire notebook ... bowing slightly when installed and flexing more than any surrounding panel. I really wish Lenovo went with a metal panel even if it slightly increased the overall weight of the notebook.
Access to internal components has improved over past models with the T410 no longer needing to have the palmrest removed to upgrade the memory. With the latest redesign Lenovo moved the RAM to the center of the notebook. One slot is accessible through the bottom of the chassis with the access panel removed and the other is underneath the keyboard. The keyboard easily comes out after you remove two screws and slide it out of position. For the average person this makes user upgrades much less complex. As always the hard drive has its own access panel which is removed with a single screw.


Screen and SpeakersThe screens offered on the ThinkPad T410 have changed very little compared to ones offered on the T400. The biggest difference is all T410 models come standard with LED-backlighting. With that said we didn’t notice any decrease or increase for that matter in the quality of the displays. The WXGA+ screen on the T410 with dedicated graphics offers good color reproduction with better than average contrast. The WXGA screen on the T410 with integrated graphics also has good color reproduction and contrast but it has a slight blue tint compared to a neutral white on the WXGA+ panel. Backlight levels are stronger on the WXGA panel when both panels are set to the same brightness level. Viewing angles were similar for each notebook with most colors starting to distort and invert when tilted 15-20 degrees back. Horizontal viewing angles were better with colors staying accurate even from steep angles.




The onboard speakers sounded better than average for a business notebook. They were able to get loud enough to fill a small room but bass and midrange was still lacking. For the daily video conference or watching YouTube during a break they should be more than adequate for the intended market. Headphones for travel are also high on the list of must-have accessories.
Keyboard and TouchpadThe T410 has the same redesigned keyboard that we saw debut on the T400s. It has a new function key layout with keys such as the Escape and Delete buttons increased in size while also added a backlit power button and microphone mute button. Another new feature which is located in the BIOS is Lenovo allows you to swap the function and control keys through software if you happen to be one of those people that enjoy the control key being the last key in the row.
The ThinkPad keyboard is still comfortable to type on for hours without creating too much hand strain. The redesigned keyboard has a few tweaks compared to previous models; narrower spacing between keys to lessen the chance of crumbs getting in and a softer typing feel. The softer and quieter typing feedback actually caused some typing troubles since I would type lighter on the keyboard and not fully activate keys. Once you got used to the difference it wasn’t a problem but for those first mistyped passwords it was really annoying.
The touchpad is a textured Synaptics model that is very spacious to handle multi-finger gestures. The T410 supports two-finger scrolling, rotating, and zooming, as well as three-finger press and flick. In general use the touchpad is easy to use with no discernible lag and a very fast refresh rate. The acceleration speeds on both axes were equal… so drawing a fast circle didn’t result in an oval shape. The textured surface was easy to slide across in daily use even if your fingers were slightly damp. The touchpad buttons were easy to use and very comfortable to click. They offered a long throw with a soft clicking action that didn’t emit any noise when fully pressed.
Ports and FeaturesPort selection on the new T410 is excellent and a huge improvement over previous models. Lenovo added an additional USB port, added FireWire, added eSATA (for compatible models), and even tossed in a DisplayPort connection for digital video out without needing to use a docking station. In total this makes the ThinkPad T410 one of the most feature-rich 14” notebooks on the market, with four USB ports, VGA-out, DisplayPort-out, combo audio jack, modem, LAN, FireWire-400, optional eSATA, as well as an optional SmartCard slot. The T410 also has a SDHC-card slot and ExpressCard/34 slot for expansion.