Introduction

I’m not gunna lie, my 15 inch Macbook Pro is a staple in my life. No matter how many other computers I use, bigger, smaller, faster, lighter, nothing feels more at home than the 15inch Macbook Pro. The size is just natural for my hands, the speakers sound great, the keyboard feels great with all the keys in all the right places. The screen has no glare, and so it looks great in all locations. Oh wait, I’m supposed to be talking about the NEW Macbook Pro, not my two year old one, whooops. Well…let’s see if Apple imroved on a near perfect product or did too much.

Specs:

5.6 Pounds
.95 X 14.35 X 9.82 inch
i5 Intel Processor
4 GB RAM
500 GB Hard Drive
Outside

The Brushed aluminum alloy is very strong considering how thin and relatively light (compared to other metals). The unibody design is very sleek, much sleaker than the non-unibody design. Ports are all on the left, pretty standard stuff: DC port,ethernet, fireweire 800, mini display port, two USB ports, SDHC slot, audio in and out ports, and the battery meter. It is a beautiful machine, you will not see a single screw on the outside casing. This keeps things light and durable. Thinking about it, I prefer having ports on both sides like my two year old Mac book Pro, but having all the ports on one side will make unplugging multiple things a shorter process and make it much easier for third party companies to make a docking station. I haven’t seen anyone use an actual docking system in years, but the principle is that instead of having to unplug each and every device you have at your desk for just use at ur desk(wired keyboard/mouse, display, speakers, external hard drive), you can unplug on piece of hardware.

Apple’s optical drive is something most PC makes have not caught on to. The slot loading drive is so much more elegant than the janky push-a-button and the drive pops out; well not every single one, Toshiba offers it as an upgrade for some of its machines. The 8x superdrive is standard on all the models.

Now remember when I said that there is not a single screw or formation on the bottom of the Mac, well you may be asking about the battery. You may also be asking: how do I eject the battery if I want to bring a second one; well you don’t, you can’t. Apple has gotten some flack for this, but if you think about it, this was a great move. Besides the positives of having a unibody, having the battery fully integrated into the machine means that apple can cram a bigger battery in because they don’t have to worry about space needed to eject it and such. Well this paid off: the 13 inch MBOOK pro can get up to 10 hours and the 15 and 17 inch models can get up to 8-9 hours. Now battery statistics are pretty useless for most users unless you are not using wifi and just working on something like a word document. I get more like 5-6 hours of actual use, but considering how powerful these laptops are, that is pretty unreal. Similar laptops such as the Sony EB class get more like 2 hours. So no, you won’t be able to carry around extra batteries, and when the battery gives out after a few years, you’ll have to ask a trained apple technician to replace it. If you need extra juice there, a few companies out theremake external batteries for laptops that are very useful.

Inside

Apple got rid of the clasps to hold it shut. Personally I like that my Macbook Pro is being held shut, but with less moving parts, less is likely to break on this new model. The screen is gorgeous. Apple’s new thing that started with the iMac and the iPhone is the use of glass for screens. The Pros: glass is extremely durable, looks spectacular, and is extremely easy to clean. No longer do you have to drive to Office Depot to pick up a can of LCD cleaner, a few squirts of Windex and a paper towel will do just fine. Almost getting off point there, the reason the screen looks so good is because of its high resolution. The standard screen is 1440 by 900 which is well above HD. Cons: the standard screen is very glossy. You can also upgrade to the higher resolution screen with the 15 and 17 inch models that is 1680 by 1050, and that can come in glossy or Matte.

Apple along with Sony, Toshiba, and a few other companies have all switched to Chiclet keyboards in the last few years. Apple started it with its Macbook Line, are worked it up to the Macbook Pro. I’m not sure how I feel about the switch to these keyboards. I prefer them to standard keyboards in less than full size keyboards, but either works for me for a full sized keyboard. Even the cheapest 13 inch Macbook Pro comes standard with a backlit keyboard. This is such an underated feature in laptops today. In anything other than ideal lighting, a backlit keyboard is a God-send. Having a backlit keyboard could mean the difference between getting a few more hours of work done in your room when your roomate wants to go to sleep, versus someone without a backlit keyboard who is SOL.

The keyboard shortcuts on the F keys is also something is identical across all Mac laptops which insludes screen brightness, show all windows, dashboard(a program that you install widgets on such as the weather, dicitonary, calculator, flight tracker, etc. ), and multimedia controls(play/pause, back and forware, volume, and eject).
I love me some Apple Trakpad. Nothing works better on any computer works like the Apple trackpad. It is big, beautiful, and is so consistent. Using two fingers to scroll is always flawless. On other computers that try to mimick this feature typically fail miserably.
You really have to try the Mac trackpad to believe it.

Performance

Now this is tough. I’m not exactly sure how to explain the performance of this MacBook Pro without going into how Macs. I’ll try to make this short. Comparing Macs to PC’s with similar specs is just not effective because the Mac operating system works more efficiently. Microsoft software uses more RAM just to run, and typically has more small programs running that take up more RAM and processing speed. Actual programs like Microsoft Office and Photoshop will work fairly identically among comparable Macs and PCs.

This Macbook Pro is fantastic, as Macs top of the line PCs. Mac has the newest i5 and i7 processors available for the 15inch and 17inch models. The 13 inch is only available with Intel Core 2 Duo processors. I see the 13 inch model as an aluminum clad Macbook with a firewire 800 port and audio in. It has the same processor, screen, and performance as the Macbook.

The standard graphics card in the 15 inch is the Gefore GT 330M with 256MB of RAM which is substantial for any normal workload, but if you are doing anything graphics related such as gaming or video work, step it up the higher end model. Pretty much every spec is upgradeable: RAM, hard drive, processor, display. Performance is going to vary depending on how much you want to spend.

Recommendation

This is the Mac to have. If you all you want is the Mac operating system, buy a Macbook. If you want the Mac operating system in a beautiful aluminum clad machine that has fast performance and are willing to pay for it, the Macbook Pro is for you. Yeah you can compare the Macbook Pro to ther high end machines like the Sony Z class in standrd performance tests, but the fact is the first thing you need to decide when buying a computer is which operating system you want to use. You can get a 13 inch Macbook pro with just an Intel Core Duo or a 15 inch (or 17 inch) with an i7. The actual speed will just depend on which features you purchase. The actual use is like I said before, fantastic, and if you are willing to spend the money, this is the computer to buy.
For size decisions, keep in mind that different sizes have some different unoptional features. The 13inch has very few upgradeable options, pretty much only the RAM is upgradeable. The 15 inch adds upgradeable screen, processor, and graphics card. If you need express card expandibility though, you’ll have to step up to the 17 inch.

Unbelievable

So Apple came out with a huge bag of goodies today with the introduction of a whole line of upgrades:

Apple TV

iPod Touch

iPod Shuffle

iPod Nano

What is so special about this release? The smallest most effective personal computer in the world just got better: the iPod touch. I bought the first iPod touch (16 GB version) when it first came out, it instantly replaced 80% of what I ever do on my computer. Now even the original iPod touch does 90-90% of what the average user does on a computer. When applications came out for the iPhone and iPod touch, it got to the point where I could write papers and print them out from my phone.

Now writing papers is not the most efficient process on an ipod, other things are. The web browser (safari) works great, unreal considering its size, and the mail program is flawless. I can easily access all five of my mail accounts and do anything on my iPod about as easily as I can on my computer. That is with the original iTouch. Clearly I haven’t tried out the new one, but it uses the same chip as the iPhone 4 which I have spent some time using, and every application has staid the same or improved dramatically, speed is noticeably better.

Pretty much all laptops these days have the power to process and edit HD video, as does the new itouch, but I have yet to see one that takes HD video; the itouch has changed that. Just like the iPhone 4, the itouch has Facetime. For those of you living under a rock, facetime is videochatting, and used to be only available to iPhone 4 users. Now I was skeptical of it at first because you have to be on a wifi network to use it, so it seemed just as practical as video chat on every mac computer. The difference is going through a phone call instead of having to log into iChat. Back to the main point though; you can video chat on the itouch, just like skyping on a netbook.

On top of the non music related stuff, the itouch is an unreal music device. Every single new ipod device has improved its sound card and delivered improved audio each generation. You can buy music wherever you, and it even has a built in speaker just like a laptop (a laptop with pretty weak speakers, but a laptop nonetheless). The new display is called a retina display because it has more pixels than your eye can actually see, basically you can’t even scientifically see every detail it has to offer. This means it looks simply fantastic just like the iPhone 4.

It’s $220, pretty small amount considering what it is (I paid $400 for the original model and I was happy with it). If you are considering a netbook as a second computer to a larger notebook or a desktop, I would honestly consider looking at this depending on your needs. If I didn’t have my iPhone 3GS I would probably be first in line for it honestly, thinking about it, I might even be second in line.

1989 Convention

Looking at clips from the fabulous 80′s of laptops is just as much as looking at 80′s clothing. It really is truly amazing how closely the change in laptop size reflects that of the size of people’s glasses who use them..chuckle, chuckle. As archaic as these machines look-and work-if you listen to the specs or goals of each machine, they are pretty similar to the goals of machines today. One of them, I believe it was the compaq, was bragging about 3 hours of battery life. 3 hours is pretty impressive, especially when just two weeks ago I was using a $800 Sony that got a little more than 2 hours on one charge.

The most interesting part is that usability and extra functions were as enticing then as they are today. One laptop (about the size of small desktop today) had a built in cell phone. Others were showing off their massive external fax modems, which is the equivalent to today’s built in cellular modems. Then screen readability was a bit more of a problem, but even today small laptops are still trying to be more readable because of their small size.

Introduction

I’ve always been a 15 inch laptop kind of guy. I’ve always liked having a discreet graphics card for editing and the occasional game., 15 inch laptops have bigger keyboards, screens, and I’ve just always had the opinion that they were for me. I’ve seen friends and strangers in the past use the smaller and more portable 12 inch computers such Powerbooks from a few years ago. The screens just never looked as good, and the keyboards were always a little smaller, my fingers would hit the wrong keys. With only a three inch difference in screen size, I doubted the difference in screen size would really bring the weight down. About a week ago, I started using the Lenovo ThinkPad X201, it completely changed my view of what 12 inch laptops can do.

I received the X201 in the mail and opened the box, and routinely slid it into my bag to use later, taking no notice of any of its features, size or anything. Halfway to the library, I stopped and did a double-take, did I put it in my bag? My bag felt empty. Unzipping my bag, it’s right there in front of me. The Lenovo X201 felt so light to me, I forgot it was there. Now when I reviewed the Sony X series which is extremely thin, I knew what I was getting into carrying a laptop around that I forgot I even had. The difference is that X201 is a full featured laptop that I would and have no problem carrying around all day.

Specs:

Intel i5-540m Processor
12.1 WXGA LED Panel
Intel HD Graphics
4 GB RAM
320 GB hard disk drive, 7200rpm
6 Cell Lithium-Ion
bluetooth 2.1
Intel centrino advanced-N 6200

Outside

Besides the fact that there is no ugly battery sticking out the back, the outside of the Lenovo ThinkPad X201 is identical to the T410, except of course that it is much smaller. It has the same hard rubber exterior of every ThinkPad that is not as sexy as comparable Macs and Sony’s, but will hold up to much more abuse. This material will not dent as easily, and comes in any color you want as long as the only color you want is black. The front has the usual clasp to hold this machine shut and the SDHC reader. The right side just has the audio in and out ports, one USB port, and the oh so useful 56k port (sarcasm intended). I’m happy Lenovo decided to opt out of having ports on the back, and just focused on keeping the battery flush against the X201.

The left side hosts the majority of the ports, DC in, VGA, Ethernet port, two USB ports including the always on USB port, which can charge devices like blackberries and iPhones while it is off. The large vent is on the left, I have not noticed any large heat change, just constant warm air when playing a video on hulu.com with full brightness. There is no optical drive built in, which is not important for most software is available online for download anyway, but the docking station can have a built in optical drive for when you need it at home or at the office.

Inside

Opening up the trademark heavy clasp, I was met with exactly what I have to come to expect from Lenovo: consistently. The keyboard layout and feel is identical to the T410 except for a couple of minor differences, and I’m being extremely picky here: the volume, delete, and esc buttons are little bigger on the T410, I doubt Steve Jobs would even be able to tell the difference between the two. This machine is virtually the T410 identical twin brother who is just a little smaller, I would read my review on the T410 to get a more in depth description on the keyboard layout, but I will go over my favorite parts. Next to the directional pad is what I call web keys that can quickly go back and forth between sites without having to press the back and forward buttons in whichever web browser you are using. The “ThinkVantage” button on the top left opens the Lenovo Toolbox which has diagnostic tools and status updates that make sure everything on your computer is working correctly, such as battery performance, antivirus software, and backup drives.

The actual keyboard is the traditional style (where the keys are essentially touching with little space between) which is against what companies such as Apple and Sony have been doing. Having worked with this keyboard for the last week, I have found that I am making less mistakes and that it is a better typing experience than that of the popular and cheaper keyboard to produce, the chiclet keyboard found on most laptops these days. Not only that, but after using the thumbstick for a few days, I have also found that I prefer it to Lenovo’s touchpad. While I really liked the T410’s touchpad, the X201’s is just too small. I can’t get across the screen in one motion which is just not ok. Having the thumbstick is a very nice alternative for those who do not prefer touchpads, but nothing really comes close to the touchpad of the Macbook line.

Performance

ThinkPad’s just work well, they always have. Lenovo has continued the ThinkPad legacy. My X201 came with an i5 and 4GB of RAM which I believe is now the business laptop standard. Every program or internet site has worked great on here, including all Microsoft office programs and video streaming sites such as Hulu. As far as programs that just depend on processor and RAM, this computer performs great. Graphics don’t look as good as the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, but that machine has a very impressive graphics card. The ThinkVantage button works great. My favorite application that Lenovo included was the power saver application. It is extremely useful in showing how long the battery will last depending on how high the brightness setting is alon with othero options.

Recommendation

If you need a highly portable high-powered business notebook, the X201 is the answer. As far as travel, it has a built in high capacity battery that will last a very long time, especially if you are not using wifi. I have never used a laptop under 13 inches that I enjoyed in actual use until I the X201; the keyboard is exceptional. It was very easy to use for hours without straining my hands or my eyes. Not only that, I am a lot more comfortable tossing this little beast into my bag than my Mac because the exterior just seems so much more secure and safer than the aluminum on my Mac.

For $200, you can buy the docking station which provides all the ports that are on the machine, including a few others such as a display port, and an optical drive(can also be replaced with a hard drive). I like it cause a CD drive is useful for when you need to install programs at work/home -wherever you decide to put the docking station-but CD drives just take up space when on the go. I would buy that, a display to hdmi adapter, and like a 23 inch Samsung display for use at home.

Is There a Right Choice?
If someone came up to you on the street and asked you if you would prefer to have a 12 inch or 15 inch laptop, I would not be able to give him or her a one word answer. Clearly, I would start rambling on about how it would depend on what situation I was in, money, and so many other things. Well, “you don’t have that luxury” the stranger would say, and naturally I would self destruct. But seriously, when I’m lugging around my 15 inch Macbook Pro, there are times when I wish it was a few inches shorter, and a few pounds lighter. Of course, humans are programmed to improve anything we can, so naturally we whine about stuff to the point that other people get so fed up, they solve the problem themselves.

Well back to the original idea; 12 inch vs. 15 inch laptops. Thank you to all the laptop companies out there introducing 14 inch models, and Apple with its need to introduce a 13 inch Macbook Pro, which just makes my argument more difficult with these happy medium choices. For the sake of argument though, let’s just stick to around the 12 inch and 15 inch models. It used to be you need more power; 12 inch laptops just did not stand a chance against 15 inch laptops. Well today, there are machines such as the ThinkPad X201 that comes with an i5 that have pretty identical specs to their bigger 15inch brothers, such as the T410. For me, here are the main compromises with going with these smaller machines: processor, heat, durability, screen usability, and keyboard. These days with lower voltage processors that perform fairly well, the heat and processor problem is taken care of. Durability comes into question because often companies opt to have less protection on these computers to save on size. Well, netbooks tend to be made of economical plastic, and tend to not be very durable at all. The Sony X series is extremely skinny and while it looks like it could be broken in two, is actually made out of an aluminum alloy that can hold its own against a large amount of force. The X201 takes the cake though in terms of durability versus weight, it is made of out of solid hard rubber that you could almost use as a weapon. There will always be something stronger and better made (HP toughbooks and customized latops that are built for desert and war use), but the X201 does so while staying small light, and not overly expensive.

Screen size may be the only obvious answer on this page, 12 inch latops have smaller screens than 15 inch laptops, and will not look as good. Ok, yes, some high end 12 inch computers, I’m looking towards Sony and Apple, have screens that may have higher resolution than some 15inch screens from other companies, but have more room to work with is just better. This is probably the biggest or second biggest thing on should think about when deciding on a laptop.

The most overlooked problem with smaller laptops is the smaller area available for the keyboard and trackpad. Typically smaller laptops have a smaller than normal sized keyboard, this can be a big compromise depending on how many hours a day you plan on using the keyboard. For me, working on a super-thin computer like the Sony X series tired my hands quickly. While it would not be a computer I would want to work on all day, it would be one I would always have with me because it is so light and thin.

There is no right answer for everyone, I’m not even sure if there is a right answer for me. When I’m at my desk I don’t even touch my laptop, it stays plugged into my display and connected wireless to my keyboard and mouse. So while I like to have my large screen sometimes, thinking about it, I would probably be better suited with a more portable machine. My general rule of thumb for picking between the two sizes depends proportionally to the amount of time spent carrying it versus actual use. If I need to carry a computer 12 hours a day and use it for about an hour, or even less, I’m going to look towards the Sony P series or X series if I need more power. If I’m carrying it about as often as I use it, I would definitely go for a light 12 inch machine such as the Lenovo X201, and have a desktop setup for it at home. If I’m using it twice as often as I am carrying it, a 15 inch model makes sense. Now for those that have the lap or desk space and use their laptop more than 4 times the amount of time they spend carrying it, I would step up to something like the 17 inch Macbook Pro and never look back.

Now laptop size also has to do with what space you’re working with, which varies person to person. My biggest problem with laptops smaller than 14 inches is my pinkies hang over the side of the computer, not a huge deal, but definitely something I would take into consideration if you are in front of your computer as often as I am.

Hard Drive Test

Ever had a hard drive fail on you? I’ve had about three. For a few years now companies have been making external drives that are supposed to put up with extreme physical abuse. This clip shows which ones will, and which ones wont.

Introduction

So far this is what I like to see in a college notebook, two different kinds of black color options and an affordable blue ray drive. On more serious note, Sony may have stepped up to produce a notebook that is geared towards the college student with a very customizable inside (I would say stylish outside, but I’m tired of saying it, every Sony laptop ever made looks awesome) and very easy access to internet. That statement may have sounded very dated, one may have said it about the first 56k modem for you would not have to have a modem hardwired to your workplace to use it; you’ll just have to read on to see what I mean.

Specs:

Intel i3 350M Processor
500 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
4 GB RAM
Integrated graphics standard
CD/DVD player

Outside

I like the slight tint in my what I believe is gunmetal black. This is a more conservative looking Sony on the outside, at least in comparison to the Y class with its slick curves and power switch on the side. The inside is a different story but I’ll get into that later. This is not a small machine with its 15.5 inch screen and 5.95 pound weight. It has the usual VAIO logo and comes in 6 different colors, including two different shades of black. The front has the usual memory card slots, SDHC and Memory Stick, and the auio in/out ports. Personally I prefer my headphone port to be on the side, but that is just personal preference and what I am used to. The right side has 3 USB ports lined up and an optical drive. Having USB ports next to each other is very useful for certain devices such as certain portable hard drives that has two usb cords for increased performance; because the USB ports are on opposite sides of my Mac, I cant use these drives to their full potential. For just $80 extra, a blue ray drive is available, buy it, if not the blue ray burner for $180.

The back just has the battery, which is thankfully flush against the machine. An extra capacity battery is an upgradeable option for $100 more. The left side hosts the majority of the ports: AC in, DVI, HDMI, eSata, and express card slot. There is a fairly large vent heat for air circulation on the left side, so try and keep the left side of the computer facing an open area. This will not noticeably improve performance, but leaving room to make sure the inside is aired out will help keep this Sony cool on the inside. I wish the screen was more flush against the main body when closed. Very few computers are flush (All Mac laptops are); keeping things flush helps keeping dust and other particles from getting on the screen and keyboard when you’re carrying it around.

Inside

Another claspless case by Sony, I’m not exactly sure when clasps went out of style, maybe two years ago? Somehow these cases stay closed nonetheless. Anyway, this is a fairly large computer, and the screen looks huge. It says it is only a tenth of an inch longer than my Macbook Pro, but somehow it just looks a lot bigger. HD content looks great, as long as there is no lighting behind you (glossy screen), I’m sure blue ray would look spectacular too. Upgrading to a Blue-Ray drive is sooo cheap, only $80, I would not hesitate to upgrade to that. What I think it is the biggest deal about the EB compared to other machines in its class, is Sony’s integration of the full keyboard including the number pad. These days, it seems as though everything is getting smaller with less buttons, but in the end, that usually mean less efficiency for maybe something that is a little more fashionable. Having not used a full desktop keyboard in years, even my wireless Mac keyboard has no number pad, it definitely took some getting used to, have the full keyboard. But within a day, I realized how much more comfortable and faster it was to input numbers using the number pad. This is actually a feature that could for many people be a much more worthwhile purchase than any other laptop in this price range.

I’m serious. Certain features such as i5 processors and discrete graphics cards are great and important to have for many applications, but they are available and easily upgradable to in any normal sized laptop. I have yet to see another laptop offer something as unique and great as this. Other than the normal keyboard, full number pad, power butto there are three extra buttons. One of them is labeled “Web”, and is my favorite button on the entire laptop. As ridiculous as that sounds, considering the “ESC” key is so useful, the web button is awesome. While this machine is off, pushing the “web” key opens up what Sony calls “Instant Web Access”. Windows does not open up, just a web browser. It is very quick to open, maybe five seconds. Sony was able to accomplish this by what I think is a separate flash memory drive, which is why it is so fast. I think it is a different drive because none of your favorites or known networks are saved from when using the internet on Windows 7. This is another cool and very unique feature, and perfect for quickly checking email, or directions somewhere while your computer is off.

The trackpad gets the job done, nothing too special. It is on the left side of the computer which seems weird at first, but it is centered on the spacebar, so it would be centered if there was no trackpad. This makes it a little easier to go back and forth between another computer that does not have the number pad to throw off your feel.

Performance

This is a great computer that works very well. The standard features are nothing special: i3 processor, cd/dvd drive, integrated graphics, standard hard drive, 4 GB RAM. This is why the starting price is so low, and online it is very easy to upgrade pretty much every feature. Processor, optical drive, RAM, graphics, and the hard drive all have options to upgrade to make this a very powerful multimedia powerhouse. Even the standard battery life is well below average, but that is also upgradable to a respectable 5 hour battery life.

Recommendation

Sony built a winner. It works great, have unique features that makes this laptop a great machine. The keyboard is wonderful, and the web button is pretty awesome. The interal specs are like I said nothing special, but who cares about standard specs when everything is upgradeable. For my personal use, I would upgrade every internal feature Sony offers on their site. Always upgrade the RAM first, that will make the biggest difference. The Sony Vaio EB is a great multimedia computer that I definitely recommend for any college student or anyone for that matter looking for a highly customizable laptop built for Blue Rays.

If you want the most powerful computer out there, the new Mac Prothat Apple came out with this week is what you want. OK ok, that may not be a fact so don’t quote me. But seriously, Apple took their most powerful computer and put it on steroids. With the ability to have up to 12 cores-it was not too long ago that I was excited to buy Intel’s 3 GHz single core processor-this machine will be able to handle any number of programs running at once. With 12 cores, I doubt anyone would be able to freeze it up with running too many programs.

What is also awesome is the expanded memory bay. It can run store up to 8 TB of hard drive space, or opt for the highest performing solid state drives that almost twice as fast as traditional hard drives. The specs of this machine absolutely blow my mind though. I’ll be adding more to this soon.

Introduction

In 2009, the top five personal computer vendors included Lenovo, Dell, Acer, HP, and lastly Toshiba. Dell and HP are both based in the US, Acer is from Taiwan, Lenovo is Chinese, and Toshiba is Japanese. The Japanese have always been known as the leaders in electronics and gaming. This is obvious in the gaming world where two of the top three gaming companies, Nintendo and Sony, are from Tokyo. Toshiba introduced its brand new line of 3-D laptops, and upgraded the Satellite M640 to the M645.

After using the M645 for a few days, I can tell you right now that this a very capable multimedia machine. If you are using a Toshiba and looking for an upgrade, I would not hesitate to upgrade to the M645. It packs a speedy processor and solid graphics options with some pretty sweet speakers that appear to be in direct competition with the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460. The question is: does Toshiba have something to offer that is more viable than Lenovo’s machine?

Specs

Intel i3m
NVIDIA 310M
4 GB RAM
14 inch HD screen
Harmon/Kardon speakers

Outside

While some companies, such as Lenovo, do not display their company on the outside, or display a subsect such as Sony’s VAIO, Toshiba decided to brand “TOSHIBA” in large plain letters with a plain textured pattern on the front cover. I’m going to be blunt here, this is my least favorite aspect about this computer. This should not determine whether or not you should buy it, if you don’t like the cover you can always buy an external cover. The middle of the cover has some flex, nothing to worry about, just don’t expect it to survive with a pile of books on top of it. The casing over the entire body is polycarbonate, very similar if not identical to the Lenovo Y460. There is space between the top and bottom cover, this will easily let in dust, but Toshiba is not alone with this problem.

The front just has and SDHC card slot, and 7 LED notification lights representing AC power, whether or not it’s on, low battery, SD card use, wireless, and Wifi. Personally, I never pay attention to these lights, if the second one to the right is on; I know the computer is on. If you’re someone who likes to know without touching a button if the Wifi is activated, or need confirmation that the SD card is in correctly, these little lights will be very useful for you.

The right side sports the express card slot, headphone port, audio in, HDMI, esata/usb, DVI, and a large vent. For this class of laptop, these are pretty normal except for a few notable differences. The M645 has what Toshiba calls “Sleep and Play”. Even when it is off , the speakers can still be used if you plug in an ipod or something. It does use battery life to do this, so be careful about using it when it is not plugged in.

The speakers are not the only thing that work when this machine is off, the power supply continues to supply power to the esata/usb port. While I do not know of any eSata devices that have a rechargeable battery, many phones such as the legendary iPhone do charge through USB. I don’t like to the leave my computer on all night, but sometimes I have to if I want to charge my phone through it. If I had this Toshiba, I could turn it off at night. The DC in is also on the right side. I don’t like it there, but that is probably just because I am used to the left side power port on my Mac.

The left side just has the DVD burner or the optional Blue-ray drive, 10/100 ethernet, two USB ports, and the Kensington security port. Looking at my desk and at my Mac, I have realized that my entire desk is setup around the placement of the ports on my Mac. My external hard drive, speakers, memory card reader, and router would all be in opposite sides of my desk if I had this Toshiba instead of my Mac.

The bottom has two panels for easy access to the RAM and graphics card. This Toshiba also comes with a large 6-cell battery. While the computer with out the battery is not the thinnest laptop in the world, the battery adds about half an inch the back of the computer. My initial reaction was why would I buy a laptop with a battery that sticks out. It doesn’t fit great in my North Face backpack’s laptop slot, my horizontal marware bag seems to fit it perfectly. After using it on the couch, or at a desk though, the large battery is amazing. It sits in a very comfortable position on my lap, and the tilted keyboard is much more comfortable to type on than laptops with flat bottoms. If you don’t mind having an external battery, it has a lot of positives.
Inside

My first reaction to opening up the clasp-less lid was the fat speakers and large trackpad. Finally, a trackpad that is as big as Toshiba could fit under the keyboard. Well anyway, the overall keyboard area is pretty standard except with the speakers on the top right and left, and then a shortcut button bar sits right above the keyboard.

The keyboard feels a tiny bit smaller than full size, but because of the chiclet keyboard, I never hit the wrong key. Critics of the chiclet keyboard claim it’s just computer companies saving money, with anything than smaller than full size keyboards, it allows me to not hit the wrong keys by mistake. Above the keyboard is line of buttons including the power, eco mode, wireless on and off, play, mute, and volume control. The one button eco mode is nice for those times that extra battery life is needed.

The trackpad is slightly off center, something I did not even notice until now. Like I was saying before, Toshiba included a large trackpad, which makes me very happy. Trackpad’s are the most underrated part of laptops today. The only company that has understood how important this is Apple, now they even sell a wireless track pads any computer with Bluetooth. I do like the trackpad for the most part. The right and left click buttons are a little louder than I’d like, but the trackpad is responsive and the two-finger scroll is pretty useful.

The screen is exactly what you would expect from this class of computer, it looks great. My model did not come with a Blue-ray player, but it is only $100 upgrade. Watching HD content from youtube looks great, but I’m sure Blue Ray would look and sound even better. That leads me to my next point. The speakers on this machine or pretty fantastic considering its size . Now don’t get me wrong, whenever I’m in my room I would have it plugged it into my THX certified Logitech 400 watt system, but for casual music listening on the go, they sound great. They produce a very crisp sound that much better than my Macbook Pro’s speakers, and that is saying something. Now there is no separate subwoofer, so unlike the high end gaming laptops such as the Alienware M17x, this doesn’t pump out the bass in Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop”. Listening to John Mayor sounds great though.

Performance

$900 gets you a pretty powerful 14 inch laptop. This thing is fast and thorough. The standard i3 processor is quick enough for pretty much any task, but if you feel like you need a little more speed, step up to the i5. This is a desktop processor in a compact machine. The standard graphics card is nothing to write home about; if you like to watch any HD content or play any recent games, pay the extra $76 for the NVIDIA 310M. The audio input is something extra that I was not expecting at this price. Even the Macbook at $1000 has no audio input; this is very important for anyone doing anything with music recordings, and it is very nice that Toshiba has included it.

The NVIDIA OPTIMUS technology software is included if you upgrade to the NVIDIA 310M graphics card. The integrated graphics card is still in the motherboard, and the M645 will switch off automatically between the two graphics depending on whether you are watching an HD video or working on a word document. This saves battery life while providing top of the line performance when needed.

The software Toshiba includes is very well designed stuff. The facial recognition takes many different angles of your face, and from what I saw, works very well in different types of lighting. This is important if you use your laptop in more than one place. In comparison, the Lenovo Y460 did not detect my face correctly when I was on the couch in front of the TV, but did just fine at my desk.

Recommendation

Compared to pretty much every review on the Internet, I have written by far the smallest performance section; these days performance is very similar across each price line. Doing performance tests with this versus lets say, the Lenovo Y460, will vary depending on which specifications you purchase. The i5 will outperform the i3, and the discreet NVIDIA 310m graphics card will kick the crap graphically out of any graphics chip integrated in the motherboard. I don’t talk much about performance because to me, what makes a laptop is how usable it is, or in other words, how ergonomically designed it is.

This Toshiba is a very well designed plastic multimedia machine. I will keep my thoughts to myself about what I think takes the cake year after year for multimedia (I’ll give you a clue, there is a reason I worship Apple year after year), but this PC will not let you down. Does it necessarily perform better than the Lenovo Y460 its direct competitor? Like I said before, it has very similar performance. The Lenovo comes standard with a step up in graphics performance, but this Toshiba is much more comfortable for me to use on a daily basis.

Outfitting

The base model will do just fine for normal computing. Toshiba’s site makes it very easy to order a customized model, and here is what I recommend:

If you have ever thought about processor performance, upgrade to the i5-450, if not the i5-520. The Intel i5 will perform a little better than the i3, but you will notice a much bigger improve when using multiple programs with the i5.

RAM is very underrated, it will make a bigger difference than upgrading the processor, at the least, upgrade to 4 gigs. Hard drives are so cheap these days, upgrade to the 500 GB hard drive for $40, you will use more memory than you think, and it will perform faster because it spins at 7200 RPM (the base drive is 5400 RPM)

If you plan on watching Blue Rays (that’s the next option), upgrade to the NVIDIA 310M, or if you plan on playing any decent games. It does not come with Bluetooth installed, is somewhat disappointing, but at the same time, it is only a $20 upgrade. Bluetooth goes unused in most computers; I use it daily with my Bluetooth keyboard, and once in a while if I need to transfer and file with no WiFi present. Bluetooth is a short range network that is useful in situations where you need to send a file to friend next to you, when there is no WIFI around, and no one brought a jump drive; it also is useful with certain cell phones I believe.

Introduction

ThinkPad was THE business laptop when IBM owned it, and not much has changed since Lenovo bought the ThinkPad in 2005. Lenovo continued producing IBM’s laptop line, sort of how Ford bought Volvo; Ford kept its name and roots. If you are looking for a powerful full size business laptop that can take a beating, you may need to look no further.

If the ThinkPad T410 had its labels covered and painted Metallic pink, just picking it up I would instantly know it was a ThinkPad with a crazy owner. Looking at this machine with its oversized rugged rubber casing, it symbolizes the phrase “strictly business”. The ThinkPad lineup sort of reminds me of Nikon’s SLRs; even with the change from film to digital sensors, very little of the outside has changed. I can’t really complain though, both companies have found what works and stuck with it.

Specs:

Intel i5 M540 2.53GHz processor
4 GB RAM
NVIDIA 3100M with 512 MB RAM graphics card
14.1 WXGA TFT display 1440 x 900
320 GB 7200 RPM hard drive
5.5 lbs
13.13 x 9.41 x 1.09 inches

Outside

Brick from Anchorman once said: “I love lamp”. Well I love matte. But seriously, I’m very excited about the matt encasement in the ThinkPad line. Yeah ThinkPad has been doing this for years, but I have not appreciated how useful it is to have a matte laptop. Besides the fact that it is made from extremely durable hard rubber, it will not show fingerprints or any other cosmetic marks.
This ThinkPad is stacked when it comes to ports. It has everything from a 56k modem, a flashback to the nineties for me, to the modern display port that can be adapted to anything from a VGA port to HDMI. It really does have every port you would ever need; it’s the first laptop I have ever seen that has port/slots on all four sides. The front has an SDHC card slot that will be faster than any card reader because it is directly connected to the motherboard. The left side has three USB ports, display port, Ethernet port, and VGA output. The back sports the power in and the snazzy 56k port; I don’t know why some companies still include these, I have no idea the kind of person that still has dial-up would buy a $1000+ laptop.

The right side has an express card slot, esata port, wireless kill-switch, headphone port, DVD burner, another USB port, mini firewire port, and a Kensington lock slot. I can’t think of anything that Lenovo did not include. While I would have preferred an HDMI port instead of a display port, the adapter for it is cheap. The bottom has an easily accessible ( well with a screwdriver) access panel for upgrading RAM and possibly the graphics card if need be. Any peripheral you buy will be able to easily plug into this hunk of rubber.

Inside

Opening up the industrial strength clasp reveals an inside that matches the outside with a matte finish, including a gorgeous screen (it’s a matte screen) and a full size keyboard with additional useful keys. My favorite additional keys are next to the directional keys and go back and forth between websites. It makes my life much easier; that way if I type something (meaning I no longer can use the backspace to go back a site) and not have to drag the touchpad up to the back button. While this only saves per use, I do this a lot and save minutes off my day. If you work all day on your computer, little things like that can really pay off in the long run.

This keyboard is a pleasure to use. While it is unfair to compare this machine to something like the Sony X class which is about half an inch thin, the T410 takes the cake. While it is nice to have a thin computer for carrying around, the ThinkPad is just designed to work with all day. The way I see it, if your computer is more often on your back in a bag than in use during the day, then go for a thin and light computer. A great keyboard in combination with a fairly sized 14 inch HD screen with no glare equates to easily being able to work on this all day.

After using the T410 for a few hours, the biggest difference I noticed was that the bottom of it was not hot at all. This may be a thing of the past, but with pretty much any sort of use, my Macbook Pro gets scalding hot. It gets so hot I prefer to use it at a desk or table whenever I can; so if I had this Lenovo instead, I would be much more comfortable at any location.

Performance

An i5 processor in combination with NVIDIA 3100M and 4GB RAM should pretty much says it all. The Lenovo ThinkPad T410 will be able to handle any application at very quick speeds, even fairly graphics heavy ones. Lenovo placed the “ThinkVantage” right below the screen; pressing it opens a very useful toolbox of utilities that keep status checks of software, hardware, and viruses. This keeps everything working properly, and lets you know if something breaks down.

The speakers are fine for listening to music, but not good enough to warrant buying this machine for heavy music use. The touchpad is a pretty nice size; if you have read any of my previous reviews, you would know how much I love large touchpads. The right and left click buttons are duplicated above the touchpad, I’m assuming for easy use with the thumb-stick, with a programmable third button in the middle.

Recommendations

It’s simple, heavy, and it has an ugly battery sticking out the back; oh yeah, and it is extremely fast and works extremely well. Lenovo has kept the ThinkTank line standards to where they were with IBM; the best business computer PC available. It is very well made with the strong rubber incasing that will stand up to any traveling abuse you can throw at it. The matte screen, for me a blessing, will look good in the dark or outside in the sun. Lenovo really packed in an impressive processor and graphics card that will hold up to anything except for maybe the highest end games at high graphics settings.
ThinkPad was synonymous with business machine in the 90’s, and Lenovo has proved that today. If you want the best business laptop with reliability to match, I’d buy this machine in a heartbeat. For someone who doesn’t need the heft or solid rubber outside; I’d buy the Lenovo Y460 for the nicer speakers and duel graphics cards for battery savings and performance. The Lenovo ThinkPad T410 will not disappoint in any setting demanding performance.

Matte screen means no reflections

Industrial metal clasps

Typical ThinkPad trackpad and thumbstick with the fingerprint reader.

Very professional looking machine

Dial up port next to the battery

Industrial clasp and SDHC card reader

6 cell battery

Two-part AC adapter