Overview: MSI VR440

The new MSI VR440 laptop brings the Smart ECO Engine power management functionality that extends battery life for each of your 5 main operating modes: Gaming, Movie, Presentation, Office and Turbo Battery. Using the dedicated touch sensor you can provide the right amount of power for your current task, enabling more for intensive operations, or return to the initial state by pressing ECO OFF.

The new MSI laptop computers are recognizable by the Aerodynamic and Elementary design and full-size keyboards, while sporting a 14.1-inch LCD displays of 1280 x 800 pixels with high clarity and rich colors.
They are powered by an Intel Penryn Dual-Core processor, using UMA graphics, and integrates up to 4GB memory, up to 320HDD S-ATA storage, a DVD super multi burner, a 4-in-1 card reader, 4 USB ports, modem, wireless draft N support, built-in 1.3MP web camera for video conferences, 2 built-in stereo speakers for High Definition audio, one Express Card slot, and a 6-cell battery.



VR440 MSI laptop computers are included in the value category, coming at affordable prices. They measure 311 x 231 x 25-37mm at 2.2Kg and are a good mobile processing solution for small businesses and customer’s needs, providing popular applications with the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system that comes pre-installed.

Overview: Sony VAIO BZ

In mid-July Sony launches a new business notebook series named VAIO BZ, characterized by durability and portability, without scarifying the high performance required for work on the go.

VAIO BZ are 15.4-inch notebooks with full-size keyboard, encased in magnesium alloy featuring shock-proof, bumps resistance, integrating G-Sensor Shock Protection technology to prevent data loss in case of accidental knocks.
The display comes with the optional XBRITE-ECO LCD technology for clear images and the keyboard has a spill-resistant panel.

VAIO BZ Sony laptop computers are powered by the Intel Centrino 2 technology with vPro technology for remote problem fixing, while there are also wireless draft N technology support, a fingerprint reader, the Trusted Platform Module, card slot, 3 USB ports, i.LINK port, mic, headphone jack and PC Card slot for connectivity to external devices.

The new business notebooks run on Windows Vista Business operating system with the possibility to downgrade to Windows XP Pro.
You can buy a new model at a starting price of $1,000 or trade-in your old portable computer for VAIO BZ Sony laptop computers, paying a lower cost.

"Whether running heavy applications back at the office or closing a deal on the road today's professionals need their PCs to perform - wherever, whenever," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. "This notebook delivers the robust performance they require."

Review: Lenovo ThinkPad R500

The Lenovo Thinkpad R500, desktop replacement laptop, under review has the following configuration:

• Processor: 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (1066MHz FSB, 3MB Cache)
• Graphics: Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Screen: 15.4" WXGA, Anti-Glare (1280 x 800)
• Memory: 2GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
• Storage: 160GB SATA HDD (5400rpm)
• Optical Drive: DVD Recordable 8x Max Ultrabay Enhanced
• Wireless and Communications: ThinkPad 11b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter III
• Battery: 6-cell Li-Ion
• Dimensions: 14.1" x 10.2" x 1.4"
• Weight: 6.6lbs with battery
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
• Warranty: 1-year

onclusion

Despite its problems, the Lenovo Thinkpad R500 is an easy recommendation for anyone desiring a laptop for basic tasks. It delivers more than enough performance for these programs and runs Vista without any problems. The overall build quality would make the R500 safe for travel, yet its weight and size hinders its portability. Still, its cooling system is best I have ever seen. As long as gaming is not high on your priorities, the Thinkpad R500 should be on your short-list for laptops under $1,000.

Pros:

• Great cooling system
• Nice screen
• Overall build quality
• Good value

Cons:

• Too heavy and big
• Keyboard flex is disappointing coming from a Thinkpad
• 
  

Review: Sager NP8660

Our Sager NP8660 has the following specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 (2.53GHz/6MB L2/1066MHz FSB/25W TDP)
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
• 15.4-inch WSXGA+ glossy display
• Intel PM45 + ICH9M chipset
• 4GB DDR3-1066 RAM
• 4GB Intel Turbo Memory 2.0
• Nvidia GeForce 9800M-GT w/ 512MB GDDR3 video memory
• 320GB 7200RPM Seagate SATA II hard drive
• Dual-layer 8X DVD burner
• 7-in-1 memory card reader
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300 + Bluetooth wireless
• 8-cell Li-ion battery

This configuration goes for a shade over $2,350 on PowerNotebooks.com. The NP8660 starts at $1,742 as of writing.

Conclusion

The Sager NP8660 is an excellent high-performance notebook. It is as powerful as most 17-inch gaming notebooks, yet sits in a 15.4-inch chassis. The build quality is outstanding. The input devices and screen of are good quality, and the battery life is reasonable for a notebook with this kind of power. The hallmark of this system is its stellar cooling system, which does its job quietly and efficiently. Users of this notebook will not have to worry about it overheating, because it will not.

It is my pleasure to give the Sager NP8660 my full recommendation for a portable powerhouse and gaming machine.

Pros:

• Top-of-the-line performance
• Excellent build quality
• Solid input devices
• Good screen
• Outstanding cooling system
• Decent battery life
• Input/output port variety

Cons:

• Keyboard could have more tactile feedback
• WSXGA+ screen not quite as clear as those on other 15.4-inch notebooks
• Thicker/heavier than a typical 15.4-inch notebook

Review: Lenovo ThinkPad SL500

Our SL500 had the following specifications:

• Screen: 15.4" 1680x1050 (WSXGA+) matte finish display
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz, 533MHz FSB, 2MB cache)
• Memory: 2GB PC2-5300 RAM (one DIMM)
• Storage: 320GB SATA hard drive (5400RPM)
• Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW
• Wireless: Intel 5100 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS 256MB
• Built-in webcam
• Battery: 10.8V, 7.8AH
• Dimensions: 14" x 11.2" x 1.5" (including feet and 9-cell battery)
• Weight: 6lbs, 11.8oz
• Price as configured: $1,393.

Conclusion

Lenovo has managed to put together a business notebook computer for the budget conscious market. They've cut costs while remaining true to the ThinkPad's image as a solid computer built to take the abuse today's executives dish out. While there are notable difference in construction between the SL500 and the T500, there are also notable differences in price, as the SL500 has a base price of around $500 less than its T-series counterpart. This can add up to a monumentous cost savings when you consider that a company might deploy several hundred laptops for employees.

At the end of the day, the SL500 is a worthy addition to the ThinkPad line, as it allows consumers to sacrifice a certain degree of build quality while saving enough money to almost buy a second computer. Small businesses looking to expand their productivity while keeping costs down would do well to look at the ThinkPad SL500 as a mobile solution.

Pros:

• Lots of ports, including FireWire and HDMI
• Physical wireless connectivity switch for easy compliance with flight regulations
• Fantastic heat dissipation
• Modern business design
• ThinkPad quality without ThinkPad prices!

Cons:

• Wedge design makes accessing some ports difficult
• Glossy lid is a fingerprint magnet
• Wasted space that could have been used for full-sized arrow keys
• Excellent TouchPad but buggy TouchPad drivers

Overview: Sony Vaio typeA

Sony has unveiled the VAIO type A laptop for photographers and video editors.

The VAIO type A features a 18.4-inch display with LED backlit and a resolution of 1,920×1,080 pixels (full HD), the Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor at 2.53GHz, a Blu-ray burner, up to 4GB of RAM, and dual 250GB hard drives.

In addition, it has eSATA and Firewire ports, three USB 2.0 ports, and a “high-speed UDMA-enabled CF slot for quick image transfers off your DSLR’s CompactFlash card”.

“As Sony’s newest media flagship, we’re also looking at HDMI-out, 802.11n WiFi, GeForce 9600M GT graphics, and a full suite of included image and video editing software from Adobe. All this in a relatively hefty 3.9-kg (8.6-pounds) rig. Although, with just 2-hours of battery you’ll want to spring for the optional 3-hour add-on,” Engadget reports.

The new VAIO is priced at around ¥320,000 (around $3,000) and will be available in Japan at the end of September. There is no information on US availability.

Review: Dell Latitude E6400

The basic specifications of Latitude E6400 are:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.40GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 3MB cache)
• Screen: 14-inch 1440 x 900 WXGA+ LED Backlit (matte finish)
• Memory: 1GB DDR2-800 PC-6400 RAM (Nanya, 5-6-6-18)
• Storage: 160GB 5400rpm HDD (Samsung HM160HI)
• Optical Drive: 9.5mm thick SATA PLDS (Philips Liteon) 8A2SDVD+/-RW
• Wireless: Intel 5100 802.11a/b/g/n
• Graphics: Intel X4500HD
• UK Backlit keyboard
• ExpressCard slot
• Creative 0.3MP web camera and microphone
• Battery: 56Wh 6-cell
• Standard E series 90W PSU and optional slim 65W Auto/Air/AC adapter
• Dimensions: 335 x 244 x 33mm (including feet about 2mm long) or 13.2" x 9.6" x 1.3"
• Advertised weight: The Quick Reference Guide states "2.15 kg (4.75 lb) with UMA graphics, 6-cell battery, solid-state drive"
• Actual weight: 2.31kg / 5.1 lbs (with UMA graphics, 6-cell battery, HDD)
• Travel weight: 2.87kg / 6.33lbs (with standard 90W PSU); 2.68kg / 5.91lbs (with slim 65W PSU)
• Windows Vista Business with XP Pro downgrade

Conclusion

The pleasure of looking at the bright and clear LED backlit WXGA+ display offsets the displeasure of having a computer that is not as light as expected. All Dell's information indicates that this computer should be lighter than it actually is. So far, this computer has been a pleasure to use.

The build quality is excellent but Dell really should have found space for some better loudspeakers. The very smooth bottom will make it easier for the computer to launch itself towards the floor. Perhaps that is why Dell is keen on providing the drop-proof storage options.

Pros

• Excellent display (LED backlit WXGA+ option)
• Very rugged build
• Good performance
• Up to about 6 hours light usage with a 6 cell battery
• Cool and quiet, except under heavy load when the fan runs fast
• Easy access to most components

Cons

• Overweight
• Big standard power brick (what happened to the new E series slim 90W PSU?)
• BIOS does not make proper use of the optional slim 65W PSU
• Poor quality audio from the surprisingly small speakers hiding behind those big grilles
• Overweight (yes, I said it twice)
  

Overview: Medion Akoya Mini

These mini laptop computers are the latest addition to the Medion Akoya line, and are characterized by 10-inch large displays, elegant design with rounded edges and high-speed wireless connectivity with support for the upcoming IEEE-802.11 draft N technology, which enables 300Mbit/s data rates.
Available at around $500 in Europe, Medion Akoya Mini, also called E1210 Netbook, comes with built-in web camera for video conferences on the go, microphone, stereo loudspeakers for sound enhancements, and a high Thin Film Transistor screen resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

It is powered by the Intel Atom N270 processor providing operating speeds of up to 1.60GHz, with 512KB L2 cache and 533 MHz FSB, while running on the Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition operating system, which comes pre-installed on the laptop with SP3/OEM version.
It supports Windows Vista but it won’t run it as it should because of the 1GB DDR2 RAM memory, which is not enough, and here is 80GB HDD storage capacity for your files. In addition, Medion provides also advanced software like Corel, WordPerfect, Office X3 and BullGuard Internet Security.

Other features include USB 2.0 ports, multi-card reader, the Graphics Media Accelerator 950, and 3 years warranty.

Review: Clevo TN121R

Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 2.5GHz processor

Intel GMA X3100 Graphics

12.1" 1280x800 WXGA Glossy LCD with touchscreen

Corsair, 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 667MHz SDRAM SODIMM

Seagate, 200GB Momentus 7200 RPM, hard drive

Optical drive, Super-Multi DVD±RW (Built-in)

56K V90/92 Fax/Modem (Integrated)

Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit

Built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet, LAN Card

802.11a/b/g Wireless card

Bluetooth V2.0 + EDR

7-in-1 Card Reader

3x USB port

Headphone and microphone ports

VGA-15 pin

Weight: 4.7lbs. with battery

Price as configured: $1,458 (Starting price: $976.80)

Conclusion

The Clevo TN121R is a solid tablet with a nice touchscreen display and a fast processor. AVA Direct lets you customize this tablet to your liking and needs, which is a bonus. It is easy to take notes on and quick at surfing the Web. No complaints with the processor or hard drive. Battery life could be better and you definitely need a spare pen because the included stylus is basically just a small stick of plastic. The design is sleek, but the glossy plastic exterior gets covered in fingerprints, so have your cleaning cloth handy. Starting price is good for what you get and remember you can add whatever features you need to this Barebone tablet.

Pros

• Peppy processor
• Nice touchscreen display
• Customizable features
• Solid design and keyboard

Cons

• Hinge not sturdy enough
• Cheap pen
• Fingerprint magnet
• When in tablet mode screen doesn't automatically change