For most budget-minded notebook shoppers, the sweet spot hovers right around $500 with a screen size of about 15 inches. The trick is to find a laptop that will deliver the performance, comfort, and endurance you deserve. Powered by a 1.6-GHz AMD dual-core Fusion processor, the $499 Acer (3ICR17/65-2 )Aspire 5253 (as low as $379 at Staples right now) does its best to please. Find out if this inexpensive portable strikes the right balance.
Design

Clad in all-black plastic, the Aspire 5253 Battery (AS07B31)would never be mistaken for a luxury machine. However, we like the textured crosshatch pattern on the lid, which makes the notebook easy to grip and helps resist fingerprints. A modest speaker grille and a few colored status lights are the Acer's AS07B72 only design flourishes. The overall look is plain but functional.

Measuring 15 x 10 x 1.3 inches and weighing in at 5 pounds, the Aspire 5253 is pretty portable for a 15-inch notebook. Still, it's clear this machine wasn't meant to leave the house much; slipping the laptop into our standard-sized laptop bag proved a tight fit.
Heat

On our heat tests, the Aspire AS09A73 stayed mostly cool. After playing a Hulu video clip for 15 minutes at full screen, we measured 93 degrees both on the touchpad and in the center of the keyboard. Things were even chillier under the laptop, with a recorded temperature of 87 degrees in the middle. That said, the area near the exhaust vent on the Aspire's left side registered a toasty 102 degrees. (We consider anything above 95 uncomfortable.)

Typing on the Aspire 5253 Battery AS09D70 was an enjoyable experience. While it's not quite as comfortable as the setup on Apple or Lenovo laptops, this notebook features Acer's standard FineTip keyboard--flattened keys in an island-style layout--with large keys that provide deep travel. We also appreciated the full numeric keypad on the right-hand side.

The 3.2 x 1.8-inch touchpad on the AS10B41 is decently sized and provides smooth operation. It supports mutitouch gestures and scrolling within documents and web pages. Instead of discrete mouse buttons (which we prefer), there's a single bar, which felt cheap and was somewhat difficult to click.

The 15.6-inch display (1366 x 768 pixels) on the Aspire 5253 was fine for viewing Hulu or YouTube videos and DVD movies, but colors and black levels weren't spectacular. Viewing angles were average, with image quality and brightness dropping off at 40 degrees off-axis.

The laptop's single speaker, located above the keyboard, didn't impress. It pumped out loud but tinny and abrasive sound devoid of any low end.

As you'd expect from a budget notebook BATBL50L8L, the Aspire 5253 has a standard port spread. Included are three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, and headphone and microphone jacks. An SD Card reader sits on the front left side of the machine, while a DVD SuperMulti Drive occupies the right side.

Above the screen is the laptop's 1.3-megapixel webcam, which can record video at resolutions of up to 1280 x 1024 pixels. It was sharper than the usual VGA cameras found in low-cost portables, and we observed good image quality on Skype calls--even if colors were a bit muted.

Remember we brought you news last week of the Samsung Series AA-PB6NC6W 9 super-svelte 13.3in, duralumin-encased ZX310 laptop shipping in the States, well get ready to meet its even smaller brother, the 11.6in 900X1A.
The 11.6in display on the AA-PL2NC9B comes with a resolution of 1366 x 768 and is encased in the same black duralumin as the ZX310. It will come with the Intel Core-i3 processor, 2GB of RAM, a whopping 128GB SSD (the same as its older brother), a backlit keyboard and Windows Home Premium pre-installed. Connectivity-wise the 11in model has all the ports hidden behind sliding panels on either side, containing two USB ports (1 x 2.0, 1 x 3.0), a microSD card slot and a HDMI port.
While we still await European pricing for the larger model, the 11in laptop will go on sale next month at a price of €1,200 (£1,050) which is around £350 less than what we believe the price of the 13in model will be. The 11in Macbook Air AA-PL2VC6B which was released just before Christmas retails for about £850 making it considerably cheaper – though that only gets you 64GB of storage, rising to £999 for the 128GB model.

We await official UK pricing for both models and official release dates, but we are currently awaiting delivery of the 13in model in the office to carry out a full review (the first in the UK) about AA-PL0UC6B and will let you know our thoughts as soon as possible.

Sony Vaio CW Notebook

Sony’s Vaio brand( Sony vgp-bpl9), now synonymous with stylish and high-performing laptops and netbooks, certainly excites technology enthusiasts. Back in November last year, Sony had slid the covers off its CW series of Vaio notebooks. Keeping to the Vaio family, the mainstream laptops in this series were fashioned to suit the computing needs of stylish users. Though sleek, the notebooks in this range aren’t as super-slim as the X series launched around the same time. The performance of the CW models however seems to speak volumes about thier VGP-AC19V28 Adapter. Well, we managed to get one of these robust models namely the Vaio CW VPCCW16FG under our wings for a review.

Before we present an in-depth analysis of this CW notebook, here’s a low-down of the basic features it encompasses. Powered by an Intel core 2 Duo P8700 2.53GHz CPU, the device includes a 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 64 bit OS. It boasts of a 14-inch LED backlit 16:9 wide-screen display panel that has a resolution of around 1366 x 768. Sure to hold more than just the attention of notebook lovers are the graphics of the notebook courtesy Nvidia GT230M with 512MB of GDDR3 RAM. With these features, the notebook we reviewed seemed capable of handling practically any task assigned to it.

The first thing you would probably notice about this CW model is its glossy exterior. You can take your pick from four colors namely pink, red, black and white. We for one got to lay our hands on the red version of the notebook. The hue used to dress the notebook seemed to be just right, not flashy enough to distract business meetings yet exuding elegance and stylish computing when set to impress. Besides the exterior casing even the touchpad area revealed a red color which seemed to add it’s to chic look.

The Vaio logo on the top exterior looks good while the notebook’s vgp-bpl2 Battery build too is pretty appealing and seemed strong yet graceful. The plastic used also appeared to be of good quality and the glossy surface ensured fingerprints and smudges were kept to a minimum. In fact if there were any, they were barely visible. The notebook’s smooth surface certainly impressed us.

Opening the notebook PCGA-AC16V3 Adapter and displays a neat island-style keyboard with protruding keys and enough spacing for comfortable typing. The large yet smooth and intelligent touchpad on the other hand allowed easy navigation of the device. Above the keyboard there are four shortcut buttons mainly Web, Display Off/On, Vaio and Power Off/On and they perform the exact actions suggested by their name. On either side of these buttons are RealTek HD audio speakers. Five rubber pads at the bottom kept the notebook elevated off the desk by a few inches.

Four LED lights just below the touchpad area offer indications on the power, battery, CPU status and Wireless connectivity. On the left of the lights are two slots that accommodate Pro and SD memory cards. On the right edge of the panel’s base is a DVD writer, headphone and mic jack and a USB port. Starting from the extreme edge close to the display on the left base is the exhaust vent followed by a VGA port, an HDMI port, IEEE 1394 jack and two USB slots. The charging port is at the back of the notebook. The notebook tips the scale at 2.4kg while its dimensions are 341.3 x 27.5-38.5 x 233.1mm.

The desktop can be personalized with gadgets like calendar, clock, Windows Media Center and more. When navigating through the device, windows that have been minimized sit neatly on the bottom toolbar of the desktop and appear like buttons. It also includes a distinct Nvidia Control Panel that allows enhanced image reproduction courtesy a multitude of settings. This includes PhysX configuration, ability to change color resolution, flat panel scaling and accommodation of multiple displays. You can also play around with the video color and video image settings for advanced video playback.

With these advanced settings, gaming on the notebook was a sheer pleasure. We played BioShock and might we seem overly enthusiastic, the details in imaging literally threw us off our seat. For a notebook, the graphics seemed too good to be real. We had a little trouble with the trackpad functioning as a mouse when picking weapons and slaying enemies. Also, we wish the device had better speakers to complement the astounding graphics offered.

Among the host of regular settings and functions, the notebook VGP-BPS9 Battery we received for a review also included a very interesting Snip tool. It allowed us to capture anything in the computer by simply hovering our finger over the touchpad. From word files to images, we could snip everything and save it as PNG, GIF, JPEG or Single HTML files. With the Windows Anytime Upgrade feature, you can additionally upgrade to any edition of Windows 7 at any given time. There’s also a Parental Control feature that let us control two logins by restricting access to only certain functions and content. This could be a great option for family notebooks.

Sony Vaio CW NotebookAllowing simple and quick WLAN connection, browsing the internet was hassle-free. We could further multitask between a number of options without experiencing any lag in performance. The notebook showed a good ability to handle simple and routine tasks with access being super-fast thanks to the advanced processor. On the multimedia front too, videos kept us engaged for long with virtually no drag in performance. The CW notebook will certainly catch the fantasy of gamers with its high-graphics. The speakers though we must repeat were a real disappointment, so accompanying the notebook with headphones will be a better option. We enjoyed approximately 2 hours 43 minutes of battery juice.

If Dell's Vostro V13 was Batman's laptop, it looks like the new Vostro 3000 series might just be Bruce Wayne's.

The Vostro 3300, 3400, 0M4RNN, Dell 0GD787 and 3700 range from 13-inches to 17-inches, and all offer Core i3 and Core i5 processor options. For true juiceheads, the 17-inch Vostro 3700 even includes a Core i7 Quad Core option. Even better: a discrete graphics option. You can add an Nvidia Geforce 310M 512MB graphics card to the 3300-3500, while the 3700 has an optional Nvidia Geforce GT 330M 1GB card.

Vostro 3000 Series Offers World-Class Security, Services and Reliability to Help Small Businesses Succeed

ROUND ROCK – MARCH 09, 2010 – Following the successful launch of the ultrathin and light Vostro V13, Dell 9t119is offering business customers even more choice with the stylish Vostro 3000 series – a range of new thin, lightweight and durable laptop computers. Featuring powerful processors, high-end graphics and built-in security, the Vostro 3000 series is designed for small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions.

Today's SMBs and entrepreneurs want notebooks that are powerful and attractive, and the new Vostro 3000 series （Dell batel80l9 Battery）was designed to meet and exceed both those needs. For the most demanding tasks, the Vostro 3000 series sports the latest powerful Intel® Core™ processor technology, including, the optional, Core i7 Quad Core processor available on the Vostro 3700. For those that demand portability and productivity, the Vostro 3300 is one of the industry's thinnest commercial 13" laptop with an integrated optical drive. For those that can't afford to be chained to their desks, the 14" Vostro 3400 offers a full day of mobile productivity with up to 8 hours[i] of battery life with an optional 9-cell battery.

Pricing is up, and it actually looks like a pretty good deal: the base 3400 model ships with a Core i3 processor, a 250GB hard drive, and 2GB DDR3 RAM for $650. Stepping up to a Core i5, 320GB HD, and 4GB DDR3 puts you at $908, which still seems decent for what you're getting. And if you're looking for a tricked out 17-inch 3700 with Core i7 guts, a 500GB hard drive, and 4GB DDR3 RAM, it'll set you back $1500. Not too shabby.

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Samsung aa-pb6nc6b will soon ship the Series 9 ultra think laptop 43r9256, one which was launched at the beginning of the year at CES 2011 in Las Vegas.

The laptop is both thinner, faster and lighter than Apple's product although it will probably fail to match it when it comes to battery life and price.

The Series 9 has a 13-inch screen, weighs just under 3 pounds, is only around 16mm thick, costs $1699 with Windows 7 Professional and has a 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM.

It comes with a Core i5-2537M processor clocked at 1.4GHz which should be faster than the 1.86Ghz Core 2 Duo on the MacBook Air and a 6-cell lithium-ion battery Apple a1175.

Other features include Bluetooth 3.0, a miniHDMI port, Wi-Fi, Wi-Di and 3G plus a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a Duralumin chassis that's twice as strong as aluminium.

We're slightly disappointed by the fact that its screen resolution is limited to 1366x768 pixels especially at this price and the fact that there's only one USB port.

A smaller version of this impossibly thin laptop Dell pc764 will also ship next month, one with a 11.1-inch screen, an Intel Core i3-380UM processor, 2GB RAM and a 64GB SSD. Expect it to cost around $1150. Launch date and pricing in the UK ave yet to be confirmed.

It seems like only yesterday that a Dell 75UYF laptop last passed through the Test Centre, yet here in the Dell XPS 17 3D we have another one. That always seems to happen when a new CPU generation launches. Toss a capable GPU and 3D stereoscopic capability into the new model, and you have a feature-rich desktop replacement laptop.

The Dell WU946 XPS 17 3D reviewed here ships with an Intel Core i7 2820QM clocking in at 2.30GHz but capable of pushing to a full 3.4GHz in Turbo Boost mode. This is one of Intel's latest quad-core processors built on the new Sandy Bridge architecture's 32nm manufacturing process. It's a major improvement over past Intel quad-core mobile CPUs, offering faster clocks, more robust power management, and overall better performance.

The display provides the 120Hz refresh rate and IR emitter necessary for stereoscopic 3D. We used it with an aftermarket set of Nvidia's 3DVision glasses, and everything works quite well. Driving the display is an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M mobile GPU. Dell has beefed up the resolution of the Dell TC030 XPS 17 3D's display to true 1080p.

Most of the other features are comparable to those of the earlier XPS 17, including dual hard drives, four USB ports (the two on the rear are USB 3.0 capable), 802.11n, a Blu-ray drive, and both HDMI and mini-DisplayPort digital video output connectors.

Our test system's performance in standard desktop apps was stellar, producing one of the highest scores we've seen from a laptop on WorldBench 6, an impressive mark of 151. The new Intel CPU, coupled with a staggering 16GB of main memory, were no doubt major factors. You'll pay for this power, however: The Dell 451-10534 XPS 17 3D starts at £648, and the configuration we reviewed will run you to £898 inc VAT.

The Nvidia GT 555M is newer than the 445M that Dell used in the last-generation XPS 17 L701X. Since the screen is now true 1080p, however, the 555M needs to drive 44 percent more pixels than the older laptop's 1600 by 900 display had. That means lower frame rates in games, so you may want to dial down the resolution a bit if you're playing current-generation titles. The performance of the GT 555M seems only slightly better, as in 3D Mark 2011 this laptop garnered a score of 1307 versus the mark of 1286 from the older XPS 17.

At 1080p, the Dell XPS 17 3D ran Far Cry 2 at 49.93 frames per second, while in the racing title F1 2010 it managed just 18 fps in DirectX11 mode. In Just Cause 2, a graphics-intensive DX10 title, it eked out 18 fps as well. On the other hand, in Metro 2033 it reached 25 fps, only a little slower than the older XPS 17, which was running at a lower resolution. We disabled antialiasing in all game tests.

The change in screen resolution also means that stereoscopic 3D gaming, while theoretically capable, will be performance limited. If you want to take advantage of 3DVision for games, you'll need to reduce the resolution considerably, possibly as low as 1280 by 720.

Playing 3D Blu-ray movies, though, works very well aside from the substantial reduction in brightness and contrast. The effect is particularly startling in the IMAX 3D Blu-ray title Deep Sea 3D. We also viewed standard Blu-ray high-def movies, and those looked great. In all cases, you really want to sit in the sweet spot, as the color shift and brightness drop-off are both very noticeable as viewing angles change.

Audio quality seems quite good, with acceptable speaker distortion and with the overall tonal quality tending toward neutral. Bass is limited, as you'd expect. The volume level during music playback didn't seem particularly loud, but audio during games could get quite ear-piercing.

The keyboard seems to be a slight step backward. The keys offer a gentle sculpting, making it easy to settle fingertips into them, but the surface seems slippery - it's too easy for fingers to slide to another key and mistype while touch typing. The arrow keys and PageDn/Ins cluster keys are way too small, as well.

Overall, the Dell XPS 17 3D offers superb performance in standard desktop apps. Gaming performance is pretty good, too, though you'll want to scale back the resolution a bit and dial down the graphics features for best results, particularly in newer games. The new display looks very good, and stereoscopic Blu-ray movies are spectacular, if you're into them. Performance on stereoscopic 3D games is still too limited, however.

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the Samsung AA-PL0UC6B Galaxy S 4G is a beautiful woman in a pink dress. Reviewers found many beautiful features of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and were impressed by the gorgeous Super AMOLED touchscreen, fast 4G data speeds, entertaining media, long battery life and excellent call quality.

Reviewers compared the Samsung Galaxy S 4G to its predecessor, the Samsung Vibrant, and called it a minor upgrade with the new features of front-facing camera, 4G data access, mobile hotspot and silver tone finish. Since the Vibrant was released in July, and most Vibrant users will not be eligible for an upgrade, reviewers noted that the features don't warrant a new purchase yet. However, new smartphone buyers should consider this Laptop Editor's Choice.AA-PB8NC6M first announced a price of $149.99 that was raised to $199.99.

Bonnie Cha at CNET rated the Samsung LSE9901B1260 Galaxy S 4G 4 out of 5 for its impressive 4G speeds, front-facing camera, large capacity battery, Android 2.2, 5MP camera and gorgeous/responsive Super AMOLED touchscreen. She didn't like that the camera doesn't have lash, lower internal memory than the Samsung Vibrant but not worth an updgrade from Samsung Vibrant but a top pick for new smartphone buyers. It has silver reflex finish on the back. You can make calls over Wi-Fi but it costs wireless minutes. Entertainment apps include the movie "Inception' Slacker Radio, Kindle for Android, and DoubleTwist software with AirSync for Wi-Fi media synching. 720p HD video recording was quite good. Call quality was excellent.Call quality was clear while Wi-Fi calling had landline-like quality. Battery life was excellent at 7 hours and 5 minutes.

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Sometimes we have to hand it to the bods over at HTC when it comes to naming phones - they must just bounce around on space hoppers, high-fiving each other and shouting encouraging words at random.That's how we assume the naming ceremony for this latest device came about, complete with a friendly snake or similar to allow for 'S' suffix when it comes to looking at the HTC Incredible S.

The HTC Incredible S does look rather dapper IBM 40Y7003 Battery, we have to give it to the Taiwanese firm. Complete with a rear side that looks like it's shrink wrapped around the phone's innards, the weight and feel of the phone is certainly up there with the best thanks to the aluminium unibody effect AGAIN.

The bottom of the phone has the now standard touch sensitive Home, Menu, Back and Search buttons, which are easy enough to hit below the 4-inch Super LCD screen.

HTC is making a big deal about the Super LCD technology since it decided to drop AMOLED options (apparently because there was a shortage of the tech) and while it looks pin sharp and clear, it's not a patch on the Super AMOLED+ option on the Samsung Galaxy S2.

The camera is lovely and high-end though, with a dual-LED and 8MP sensor, which is also capable of recording in 720p. The shutter speed was fast when we tried it, and the pictures looked pin-sharp first time on the screen - we'll have to chuck it up to a larger TV to properly assess.

Compare it to the HTC HD7 and you'll see there's a big difference in the design aesthetic that's representative of the two operating systems - functional and sharp for Windows Phone 7, rounded and playful with Android.

We're treated to the newer version of the HTC Sense UI Apple a1175 Battery on the Incredible S, although it doesn't appear to be the same version as on the HTC Desire S, with only a single pull-down notifications bar - not Quick Settings option here.

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