These are portable single-piece computer system that are capable of being operated on an integrated battery pack or on external power. Th
ey are typically designed as a “clamshell” that can be folded away and stored in a bag when not in use.
I also do review tablets that can work as a notebook when used with a supplied keyboard accessory and are designed to be mainstream regular computers.
| Premium / Multimedia | These are either computers marked to the top-end of the market or to people who value multimedia functionality. Typically they will have high-grade graphics and sound or have design where no expense is spared. |
| Business | Typically sold through value-added resellers or independent computer specialists, these are pitched at corporations who want computer equipment for the business life. They provide business-grade operating systems and manageability systems but place less emphasis on multimedia abilities. They also are conservatively finished in a dark colour to suit the downtown office. |
| Consumer | Typically sold through a department store, or consumer-electronics chain, these are pitched at home users although small businesses do buy them. They have a consumer-grade operating system and consumer-grade desktop security software and place significant emphasis on entertainment abilities. Typically these computers would he finished with beauty in mind. |
Large-screen laptop computers
Large laptop computers that are fit for use as the main or sole computer in your home or business – as part of the “new computing environment”.
| Desktop Replacement | Larger laptops equipped with features that would be expected from a desktop computer. These typically have hard-disk capacity, RAM and graphics that match desktop standards as well as a 17” screen |
| Standard | A thick laptop with integrated optical drive and battery |
| Thin and Light | A laptop which is designed to be easy to travel with. Typically has a very thin chassis and may not have functions like an integrated optical drive |
Premium and Multimedia Laptops
Desktop Replacement.
- Dell XPS L702x – A 17″ multimedia laptop computer that can become an ideal desktop replacement computer.
(1Tb hard disk, 8 Gb RAM, integrated Blu-Ray ROM / DVD burner) - HP Pavillion DV7-6000 Series (DV7-6013TX) – Another 17″ desktop replacement multimedia computer that can suit most people’s needs.
(2Tb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, integrated Blu-Ray burner) - Toshiba Satellite P870 Series (Part No: PSPA-01C001): A Blu-Ray-equipped 17″ multimedia desktop-replacement laptop that runs Windows 8 and can serve as a household or college-dorm laptop.
Standard Size
- Dell Studio 15 – A multimedia notebook that can work effectively as a work-home computer.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated Blu-Ray ROM / DVD burner) - HP Envy 15-3000 Series Beats Edition – The latest regular-size HP Envy laptop that stands up in coolness and functionality to the uber-chic Apple MacBook Pro.
(750Gb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Sony VAIO E-Series - One of Sony’s multimedia-enhanced work-home laptops with a numeric keypad
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Toshiba Satellite P750 – A 15″ laptop that has the current multimedia expectations including 3D, Blu-Ray and TV-viewing capabilities.
(750Gb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, integrated Blu-Ray burner)
“Thin and light”
- Hewlett-Packard Envy 15 – If you have seen the Adsense ads appearing on my blog about this computer or read my mention of this computer in some articles in my blog around the time Windows 7 launched, here is my review for this specific machine. Do you really ENVY it?
(640Gb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, external DVD burner)
Business Laptops
Standard Size
- Dell Vostro 3550 Business Laptop - a durable business-class “work-home” laptop that is driven by the Intel Sandy Bridge chipset and properly supports the dual-mode graphics.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Hewlett-Packard ProBook 4520s laptop – A business-class laptop computer that can work well as a “work-home” computer or a desktop replacement computer.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Toshiba Tecra R850 - Another “work-home” business laptop from Toshiba. This time it is the first standard-size business laptop that I have reviewed which is driven by the Intel Sandy Bridge chipset, has dual pointing interfaces and an anti-shock hard disk.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Toshiba Tecra R950 - A “work-home” business laptop from Toshiba that is based on the latest Intel “Ivy Bridge” specifications and design. It has the dual pointing devices and anti-shock hard disk of the previous model and is competent with the graphics.
(640Gb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner)
Consumer Laptops
Desktop-Replacement
- Sony VAIO EJ Series laptop (EJ15FG/B) – A 17″ large screen consumer laptop that has desktop-replacement credentials but could benefit from extra RAM and hard-disk capacity.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner)
Standard Size
- Compaq Presario CQ42 entry-level notebook - An entry-level Celeron-powered large-screen notebook that can be useful as a secondary computer.
(250Gb hard disk, 2Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Dell Inspiron 15R laptop computer – A value-priced laptop computer that can be a stylish “only computer” option for most users.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner) - Sony VAIO E-Series (SVE1512CG) - An entertainment-optimised mainstream laptop computer that is the latest iteration in the Sony VAIO E-Series lineup. Another that is best used as a work-home or household laptop.
- Toshiba Satellite L750 laptop computer – Toshiba’s latest answer to a value-priced “only computer” for a household that has headed to the laptop-based “new-computing environment”. Also works well as a “kids’ computer” for most secondary-school students.
(750Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, integrated DVD burner)
Travel-Friendly Secondary Notebook Computers
Small notebook and netbook computers for people who own desktop or large notebook computers to use while travelling. These typically will have lesser capabilities than typical large-screen laptop computers.
| Laptop Bridge | A small notebook computer that serves a highly-mobile person who wants the big-laptop functionality. Typically these will have a 14” screen and have features equivalent to larger standard laptop like a large hard disk or discrete graphics. |
| Standard | A small thick notebook which isn’t designed to he very thin and light. This will typically have an integrated optical drive and a mechanical hard drive. |
| Thin and Light (including Ultrabooks) | A very thin small notebook that is very light. These typically may prefer a solid-state drive and there is a strong chance they may not have an integrated optical drive. |
Highly-Portable Notebooks (up to 14” screen)
Large-but-portable notebooks
- Fujitsu LifeBook LH772 notebook – A large-but-portable notebook that is equipped with the latest hardware specifications – Intel Ivy Bridge chipset, all USB ports being USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0 Smart Ready infrastructure. It is an example of what a “bridge” notebook computer can be about by offering large laptop functionality in a small notebook form factor.
- HP Pavilion dm4 BeatsAudio Edition Series notebooks (Model: dm4-3015tx) – “Full” sound, dual graphics and a large hard disk makes for a compact notebook suitable for college or similar activities.
(500Gb hard disk, 8Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner) - HP Envy 4 Sleekbook: A 14″ lifestyle ultraportable notebook with similar expectations of an Ultrabook but is also equipped with the full sound of the Beats Audio treatment.
(320Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM) - HP Pavilion dm4 Beats Audio Edition notebooks (Model: dm4-3114tx) – The latest “Ivy Bridge” iteration of the all-rounder HP Pavilion dm4 Series of 14″ notebooks. Still is a compact notebook suitable for the college student or similar user.
(640Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner) - HP Envy 4 Touchsmart Ultrabook: The latest touch-enabled iteration of the Envy 4 lifestyle ultraportable notebooks, this time meeting the Ultrabook specifications and taking advantage of what Windows 8 has to offer.
(320Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM)
Standard Size
- Dell Inspiron 13z notebook – a 13″ highly-portable notebook for use as an alternative to a netbook when travelling.
(320Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner) - Fujitsu Lifebook SH771 - A highly-durable business ultraportable computer which ticks the boxes as far as a lightweight full-function business computer goes.
- HP Elitebook 2560p - A military-standard highly-durable notebook computer which ticks the boxes for an ideal enterprise-grade or high-stakes data-handling notebook computer.
- Sony VAIO S Series - A 13″ consumer-focused highly-portable notebook that has the full functionality; including an “overdrive switch” for when you want to do intense graphics work or gaming.
(500Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner) - Toshiba Satellite L730 – A 13″ consumer-focuesed ultraportable notebook with the full functionality for the traveller.
(640Gb hard disk, 4Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner)
Thin And Light including Ultrabooks
- Acer Aspire S3 Series Ultrabook – The first of the new “Ultrabook” slimline notebook concept to be reviewed on this site and an example of a secondary notebook computer suitable for creating content while travelling
(320Gb hard disk + 20Gb solid-state cache drive, 4Gb RAM) - Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook – Dell’s current foray in to the Ultrabook slimline notebook market. This one is another example that is pitched definitely as a secondary computer for use while travelling.
(256Gb solid-state drive, 4Gb RAM) - Sony VAIO Z Series (VPC-Z217GG/W) – Sony’s latest “Cartier-grade” ultraportable with Blu-Ray docking station module
(256Gb solid-state drive, 8Gb RAM, External Blu-Ray ROM / DVD burner) - Toshiba Portege R830 - A 13″ business-inteded ultraportable that is powered by Intel Sandy-Bridge infrastructure and is equipped with a DVD burner.
(128Gb solid-state drive, 4Gb RAM, Integrated DVD burner) - Toshiba Satellite Z830 Ultrabook - Also available through business channels and independent computer retailers as the Portege Z830, this is an Ultrabook that excels on connectivity.
(128Gb solid-state drive, 4Gb RAM)
Netbooks and Small Notebooks (up to 11″ screen)
- HP Envy X2 Hybrid Tablet - A Windows-8-driven detachable-keyboard tablet computer that can work as a bridge between the likes of the detachable-keyboard Android tablets such as the ASUS EeePad Transformer Prime and a regular small notebook that runs Windows.
- Dell Inspiron Mini netbook – one of the netbook computers that can be used as an auxiliary or traveller computer.
(160Gb hard disk, 1Gb RAM) - HP Mini 210 netbook – another of the netbooks but this time equipped with a 250Gb hard disk and a pre-boot shell for quick-start computing.
(250Gb hard disk, 1Gb RAM) - Sony VAIO P-Series netbook - an 8″ netbook pitched at the busy-lifestyle girl
(64Gb solid state drive, 2Gb RAM) - Fujitsu Lifebook TH550M - A netbook-sized convertible notebook that can work as a tablet computer.
(500Gb hard disk, 2Gb RAM)
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