Laptop Reviews

An all round performance is one thing that most manufactures would not mind wasting considerable time on.  Desktops and laptops earlier conglomerated among scientists and business class, mainly due to the absence of large scale integration technologies, which accounted for its high initial costs led it remain as a wall picture for most of the common people. But, with technology being abundant now, seldom are those who do not have a computer at home. This trend has eventually led makers to focus more on the common lot. The focus has now shifted to making all round laptops which covers all diverse ideas one could imagine at a user friendly price. So, why do you think we are unfurling the past histories? Well, just to let you know that Acer has come up with the Timeline 3810T series which exactly follows the past. The 3810T is a flag ship member of the Timeline series which offers an inch thin long lasting notebooks basically cheaper than mainstream ones. Eight hours battery life with a speedy 500GB hard drive and an extremely slim and sleek profile, smells all-round does it not?

This making faces fierce competition from other peers in the field, especially when it comes to the fact an optical drive has not been included. The glossy screen ends up with glare when your surroundings are bright, giving you a tough time when you want to write. But Acer has scored way high through the long lasting 6 cell battery which gives an 8 hours life. Well, with loads of features into the mix like eSobi news reader, the aforementioned backup utility, My win Locker for safely storing files, and Orion; and, each of these features complement each other to position 3810T way ahead of predecessors among the commoners market.

Design:

Style:

The first thing that comes to your notice is the slim and wedge design. Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T is ultra thin with a thickness of 24mm rising just 5mm at its highest. The brushed aluminium cover gives it the killer looks plus accounts for the feather weight. The 13″ weighs roughly to 1.6kg. The company has included the matte gray fingerprint proof plastic lid similar to the Travel mate series. The light weight makes it refreshingly easier to carry. Though the colour scheme appears little conservative and old, the key finishing and style layout updates it to the current. A strip of LED lights above the keyboard indicates WiFi connectivity battery power and hard drive. This gives a natural and comfortable typing feel.

Display and Audio:

With a High Definition backlit Led display this would make the experience of the eye straining job of staring the monitor as never before. The 13″ inch screen allows a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels giving us a comfortable experience to watch movies. The screen is given a glossy finish, so, at times your surroundings appears bright you might experience minor problems with glaring. A big let-down in this machine pops up when it comes to audio which are quite weak. The audio appears slack and never loud when we hear it from a distance. Even Dell’s Inspiron has better clarity of sound.  So, watching movies or hearing your favourite beats better get yourself an external subwoofer.

Aspect Ratio:

An aspect ratio of 16:9 is definitely an advantage over 16:10. One advantage is that black borders are eliminated while watching wide screen movies. This really appears as if our prayers have been answered but do not over expect. This applies only for movies that are presented in 16:9 aspect ratio which means normal movies which comes with a 2.20:1 aspect ratio would still experience black borders.

Exploring naturally:

As with the trackpad, they have introduced multi gesture functionality that gives navigation the naturality of finger movements. A simple swirl motion  allows you to scroll web pages up and down, the sensitive track pad lets you zoom in and out photos, flick through albums. Here, there is a mouse button bar which lets your finger to slip in and lets the thumb to rest while you navigate.   You also have a button that disables the track pad, and this is something common to business class laptops. There is one thing that disappoints us, even though the thumb rests, too much pressure needs to be applied at the track pad to move the mouse pointer.

Keyboard:

The keyboard layout in Acer Timeline 3810T 13″ Laptop is quite distinct. They are spaced with gaps in between them, but they are still close enough to resemble a more or less traditional keyboard. The keys are soft and comfortable, positioned such a way that possibility of errors made while typing are made minimum. The cushion type keys make long hours of typing a very comfortable issue. While designing, the makers would have really given a thought about time. They are also low pitched and therefore, make minimum noise while typing. But the space between seems to be a hub for dusts and crumbs of food particles. Those with long nails could find their nails being pinched in between the gaps. But rest apart, no issues.

Ports and Webcam:

Acer Timeline 3810T Notebook Computer has all ports you would need including three USB ports, VGA out Ethernet Jack and HDMI ports. The usual location of the Mic and headphone ports has been changed from the front to the left end. In addition to the USB ports, you also have a 5 in 1 memory card reader. All these ports are dawned in the left and right; all this means, no ports in the front end.  There is a 720p webcam which gives you a clear portfolio of your own in just a smack.  Hence, when compared to the other cams this could give you images with decent levels of details and of course, with very little lag.

Features:

Processor:

This Acer machine has two things going in its way. The Timeline 3810T is supposedly, one of the first laptops in the series to use Intel CULV processor U9400. The speed rather disappointingly stands to be 1.4GHZ way lower than AMD 64 bit processors. But still, Timeline has managed to trounce the other competitors like the Pavilion HV2 and MSI X340 which definitely saves your bill, if you are to buy some expensive ultra portables with the same configuration.  It features a 4GB RAM and a 320 GB hard disk drive about which, we will discuss about in detail later.  But, the issue that let us down is the graphics card which delivers an offbeat performance.

Time is something very precious and usually we never have enough with our precious possessions. So what could be done is to add additional features in this limited time span. Combined with a low energy consuming processor and with a high capacity battery the makers have made sure that this is shipped with features that would keep us busy in this limited time.

Operating System:

The Acer Timeline 3810T Laptop computer system comes with rather an interesting package with Windows Vista Home Premium (64 bit). This operating system has the peer to peer technology that makes sharing of files and media between computers and devices. It comes up with many new changes after it had been criticised for its licensing terms. One such feature is the Aero which gives a refreshingly new look and graphic user interface. Along with a redesigned search function, multimedia tools including Windows DVD maker and advanced video audio subsystems appeals high. The system also offers additional software like eSobi news reader, the aforementioned backup utility, My win Locker for safely storing files, and Orion.

Memory and Hard Disk:

The Timeline 3810T comes with a Dual channel 4GB DDR3 RAM 1066 MHZ, which allows speedy operations to be done. Along with Dual core processors, multitasking never appears to be a problem. Additionally, the memory can be expanded to 8GB RAM using 2 SO DIMM memory modules. As mentioned earlier, the Hard disk is a massive 320 GB that allows you to store tons of movies and videos. All these features coupled are coupled with low price.

Wireless Connectivity:

It has a wireless 802.11 a/b/g Draft N wireless, 3G WWAN and a mobile Wimax connectivity. It provides a very descent speed that enough to reach timelines on time every time.

Missing Optical Drive:

Well, this really would send a shock to more than a few guys out there who would want to play their DVD movies; seriously this device misses an optical drive. However, it has more than enough USB ports and so, if you want to watch a movie, get yourself a new USB or Portable Hard Disk. You would also find the Mat Lid missing. But on the other hand, excluding these have led to this wafer thin laptop with nearly all features.

On one side it gives a remarkable performance of its class with the focus mainly on power reduction and battery life. The software package included is intelligently done. It allows various shortcuts that definitely would be catchy. The missing optical drive and the lack of proper sound clarity would affect movie experience. The space between the keys magnifies the accumulation of dirt and could pinch your nails.

Performance:

Acer has never ever come up with something humbug. So does Intel. So when you combine both what you get is a much more overall usable experience. The performance easily succeeds MSI X 340 or Adamo, and gives you a perfect feel while performing standard tasks like web surfing, media playback or going through files while at office. With a multi-threaded processor at hand multitasking appears to be a honey smooth drive.

Power:

Power conservation is something which Acer boasts about. The 6 cell battery though said to retain a charge of 8 hours retains charge for nearly 5 hours under tough testing conditions. Since we do not have a workstation to run, and typically we end up browsing the web hearing tunes and watching movies this battery is set to last long, really long. So definitely it is useful while you are a constant traveller or if you do not find suitable time to charge your laptop.

Warranty:

Acer Timeline 3810T comes with a one year carry in International Travelers Warranty.

Verdict:

To sum up Acer Aspire 3810 T is a handsome good looking ultra portable ultra thin and gives you a more powerful feel than it truly is. It appears slightly over sized net book. It would easily seep in through a bag and therefore carrying it will never pose to be a problem. Two things that are lacking in this are the optical drive and blue tooth connectivity which could have been used for connecting a travel mouse or a smart phone.
The trademark quality is its battery life which could give 5hours out of the claimed 8 hours. The thin frame beats Dells Adamo. We would say that they have tried to include the world in this new laptop but seriously whether your taste suits with the available feature is something mysterious. Rest apart, this would surely serve the common usage with an above average performance and with an exceptionally low price. But if you are looking for a high class performance this is something not for you.

Check other Acer Laptop Reviews, Samsung Laptop Reviews in this website.

Acer Timeline 3810T Laptop – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Acer
Model Name	Acer Timeline
Model Number	3810T
Series	Timeline
Display & Screen Size	13.3″ HD 1366 x 768 pixel resolution
Dimensions ( H x W x D)	28.9 x 322 x 228 mm
Hard drive Capacity	320GB
Optical drive	Not available with 3810T
Graphics hardware	Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset with integrated 3D graphics
Memory	4 GB DDR3
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo U3500
Processor speed	1.4 GHZ
Sound	Optimised second generation Dolby sound Room audio enhancement
Operating system	Windows Vista Home Premium (64 bit)
Track pad	Multi gesture touch pad supporting circular motion scrolling
Keyboard	103 104 107 keyboard with inverted T layout.
I/O ports	5 in 1 card reader, three USB 2.0 ports HDMI ports with HDCP support External support, External VGA port Head phone or lineout jack, microphone in jack
Software	Acer Crystal eye, Acer Game zone, Acer Game console, Acer Back up Manager, Acer Power Smart manager, Acer Recovery Manager, Google Desktop, Google Toolbar, Adobe Flash Player, McAFee Internet Security suite, Cyberlink Power Dvd, Acer 3G connection manager, Power Director trial version, NTI Media maker, Microsoft work 9.0 with Office home and Student trial
Warranty	12 Months

Overview:

Pros:
•    Excellent gaming performance
•    AlienFX LED lighting system
•    Strong 3D Graphics thanks to the Dual Graphics Cards
•    Solid build quality
•    Fantastic screen
•    Good keyboard & touchpad
•    Good selection of ports and connectivity
•    Hot swappable SmartBay Modular bay

Cons:
•    Sky rocketing price
•    Large and Heavy
•    Loud fans
•    Dismal battery life
•    Just one year warranty

Review:

The gaming machines of Alienware have graced the pages of most PC Gaming magazines for more than a decade. These machines just tempt the gamers with its tantalizing technical specifications, since fiction aesthetic and promise of jaw dropping ultimate gaming experience. When the gaming stakes are high, you need a laptop with components that can deliver a high level performance. The Alienware Area-51 M17x is one of those laptops, but you will have to empty your mattress your life savings in order to buy it. The M17x is Alienware’s highest end gaming notebook and the notable features of this all black monster includes an Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, dual Nvidia GeForce 9800M-GT graphics cards, and a 500GB RAID 0 array. It is one of the most powerful laptops we have ever tested, read on and find it yourself.

Design:

Traditional design:
The Alienware Area-51 M17x is one of the largest laptops that we have tested. It is about 2.1 inches thick and tips the scales at 11 pounds. The physical design of the m17x is quite traditional as there are no fancy curves or any other notable design elements for that matter. The Area 51 M17x has a box like design with rounded edges and the rubberised matte black finish of the laptop provides it the high end look and feel. The only gloss that could be found on the m17x is on the borders of its LCD screen.

Solid build:
Alienware M17x is not only one of the largest laptops around; it is also one of the most solidly built ones around. The complete base of the laptop is inflexible; the palm rests do not bulge under pressure, and neither do the other surfaces surrounding the keyboard. The lid resists twisting much better than majority of 17” laptops as it is thicker than most. One of the common action that we can see in almost all laptops is the ripples formed by pushing in on the back of the lid, well, that does not happen with the Area 51 M17x unless extreme pressure is used. The display is held well in its place by the hinge. Though there is some wobble in the display, it does so only on some serious effort to induce like shaking the table where the laptop sits. Given the dimensions and weight of the device, we think the wobble has been reasonably kept under control. The display does not have any latches and instead, it is held closed by a pair of small magnets.

AlienFX Backlighting:
The lighting system, called AlienFX, is the feature that makes the M17x stand out from the crowd. There are five areas of notebook that feature LED backlighting and they include keyboard, Touchpad, Touch buttons, Alienware logo below display and Alien head power button and also the emblem on back of the display. The exciting part here is that, you will be able to change each zone independently to one of 12 colours. In addition to this, it is extremely easy to completely disable the AlienFX backlighting feature by pressing [Fn] + [F11]. These features may sound like short-lived novelties, but the gamers will disagree. The backlit keyboard, in particular, makes all the difference when gaming in a dim coffee shop or a dark office after hours.

The customising features are not limited to aesthetics, either. The AlienFusion power controls let you create custom energy profiles or choose one of the three basics: balanced, high performance, or power saver.

Display:
As you might be aware by now, the Alienware M17x comes standard with only one display option available, which is a 17 inch glossy widescreen with WUXGA resolution of 1920 x 2000 pixels. The pictures on this display are nothing less than stunning; their colours are vibrant with high brightness level. The screen is ideal for the purpose of gaming, high definition video and general usage. Its crisp contrast makes text reading easy and the viewing angles are simply excellent from top and on the sides; however, like a typical LCD screen, the picture darkens when viewed from below. The backlighting is generally even, with just a hint from the bottom of the screen. Our verdict is, the M17x’s display is one of the best in the market.

Keyboard:
The M17x has a full sized keyboard with a separate number pad. The keys feature durable rubberized finish; they possess a soft feel and the key presses are well cushioned. Key travel is normal and the keys are quiet which is mainly because of the fact they are rubber like. Unfortunately, the keyboard suffers from flex that is noticeable even under some average typing pressure; pressing one key affects all of the surrounding keys. Strangely, the number pad does not suffer from any flex. We liked the feel of the keyboard and just wished it has lesser flex.

Touchpad:
The expansive touchpad of M17x is flush with the palm rest. The touchpad too has the same matte rubberised finish like the rest of the laptop. It is easy to track it with moist or dry fingers. Since the buttons of the touchpad are made out of one piece of plastic, the clicks are almost inaudible.
Overall, the Alienware Area-51 M17x 17″ gaming laptop is traditional and yet extremely attractive. The machine has a quality finish and feel and it is solid and well made. You either love it or you hate it: the appearance of the Area-51 m17x has hordes of fans and haters, but does make a strong statement.

Features:

Ports and Connectivity:
Coming to the ports and connectivity, let us see them one by one. On the left side of the laptop, there is the power jack, optical audio, S-video, HD TV tuner, headphones, microphone, audio out, 3 X USB and SmartBay modular bay. In the right side, there is the seven in one media card reader, ExpressCard/54 slot, USB, HDMI, FireWire B, FireWire A, Gigabit Ethernet and security lock slot. There is not much happening in the front, except the IR receiver. The M17x has perhaps the most expansive range of ports that we have seen on a notebook, including a rare 6-pin FireWire port. The SmartBay especially deserves some additional attention. It is basically a modular bay that can take a hard drive in place of the optical drive. The SmartBay is hot-swappable, meaning the system does not have to be powered off to switch devices. It also features a SATA connection, ensuring the hard drive has an ultra-fast connection. This is a kind of feature we would like to see on more laptops as it adds both convenience and functionality.

You will also find a 2-megapixel camera and two microphones for videoconferencing. With the option to equip a dual layer Blu-ray Disc Burner and a TV tuner, you can do more than challenge your friends to a late night fragfest with the Area-51 m17x. Add a terabyte hard drive, record your favorite TV shows, and the Area-51 m17x will serve beautifully as a home media center.

Wireless feature:
On the wireless account, Alienware has included the Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN wireless card supporting 802.11a, g, and draft-n connections as standard along with internal Bluetooth. The range that we were able to obtain with the wireless Intel Card, which was quite good as we were able to pickup networks and connect at the fringe of their transmitting range without any issues. The Bluetooth also works as expected with the included Bluetooth ExpressCard media remote.

The insides:
Under the hood, the Alienware M17x Gaming Notebook has components that are similar to those in the m15x, and that includes the 2.8-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X9000 processor and 4GB of RAM. Instead of an Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX discrete graphics card, though, the m17x has the latest-generation 9800M GT series cards in SLI (Scalable Link Interface), which lets a laptop use two discrete graphics cards together to double the graphics performance. At the moment, the m17x is available with a pair of GeForce 8800M GTX cards in SLI, which should result in performance comparable to the m15x. The system also has an HDTV tuner for watching broadcast HD television, but you will have to supply your own antenna.

Software:
Vista Home Premium and Ultimate 32 bit are the two operating system options available. The OSs were just fine and all of the supplied software including the Alienware Command Center worked without issues.

Orion messenger bag:
You also get to opt for an Alienware’s new Orion messenger bag with the M17x Laptop. Given the above average size and weight of the device, having a bag that fits it well and is comfortable to use is important.  The Orion has a main and a secondary inside compartment, and five external pouches. This bag is a great companion for the M17x and, the padding on the shoulder strap, as well as on the bag itself is welcome while carrying 15 pounds worth of equipment. The nylon material is thick, durable, and well-made, and the notebook compartment is well cushioned. The zippers are of good quality. We highly recommend opting for this bag to those of you purchasing the m17x.

Performance:

The m17x Gaming Laptop from Alienware took a poky 1 minute and 23 seconds to boot. We attribute that sluggishness to the 5,400-rpm hard drive; it was able to copy 4.97GB worth of files in 2 minutes and 34 seconds (a rate of 33 MBps), which is quite good, but a 7,200-rpm drive would have provided quicker speeds. When it comes to gaming, you can expect upwards of 150 frames per second on Call of Duty 4 at a 1024 x 768 resolution. If you are still chipping away at that level 70 character on World of Warcraft, frame rates of over 200 fps are standard on the Area-51 m17x. The notorious resource hog, Crysis, is even playable at above 30fps on high graphics settings. Gaming performance of this magnitude is almost overkill. The Area-51 m17x easily outperforms the cheaper Gateway P-173XL FX and Asus G50V A1.

Speakers:
The Alienware M17x has two stereo speakers and two inch sub woofer. The audio quality is slightly above average for a laptop and they get reasonably loud. The most wanted low end is added by the sub-woofer. The acoustics on the whole is not the best around, but is not disappointing too.

Heat:
Heat and Noise are two very important issues that are most often neglected. The cooling system is important for any gadget, but on a laptop packed with high powered components like the m17x, it is mission critical. And fortunately, the m17x’s system has taken care of the job. The device has several rather fans that draws air in from numerous perforations on the bottom with two additional air intakes under the palmrests. The entire back of the laptop has been lined with exhaust vents that throw out extraordinary amounts of hot air. Overall, the cooling system of Alienware Area-51does a remarkable job in keeping the two video cards, a high powered processor and two hard drives under control. When the M17x runs under continuous full load in excess of five hours, it experiences no issues. The top of the laptop does not get warm and the rear of it where the vents are, got a bit toasty because of all the hot air that is running above it. The cooling system of m17x is well designed and each video card has a dedicated heat sink and fan.

Noise:
However, the downside to the Alienware Area-51 M17x’s effective cooling system is the noise that it creates. Even when the laptop is at idle state, the fans run fast and produce a distinct whine. And unsaid, under full load, the noise increases as more air moves out of the back, however, the good news is that, the whine does not intensify. So, this is not the kind of laptop you would want to be using where silence is important. So, the cooling system of the device just boils down to necessity or niceness. It is essential that a high tech gaming laptop like the m17x has an effective cooling system; hence, quietness takes the second place when it comes to functionality.

Battery:

The Alienware Area-51 M17x comes with a 12 cell, 6600mAh battery pack. Having the screen dimmed down in power-save mode and wireless set off, the laptop provides just more than an hour of battery life. The power draw of this system is immense, and needless to say, this is not the laptop for you if you value battery time.

Warranty and Service:

Alienware offers its Area-51 M17x Laptop one year warranty for parts and labour. You can also get two or even three years extended warranty for some extra cost. It is disappointing to see Alienware only offering a one-year warranty as standard equipment on the m17x; for a machine that is so costly, we think a three-year warranty should be standard at the very least. The company also offers 24/7 technical support and on-site service.

Verdict:

The Alienware Area-51 M17x is certainly a remarkable gaming notebook and is certainly a clear step forward for the company in terms of design and performance. It is overloaded with top shelf equipment, especially the pair of Nvidia 9800M-GT video cards. It has the typical downsides associated with a portable desktop like loud cooling system, dismal battery life, and less warranty, but it does everything else well. It has a very steep starting price, and hence, is out of reach for most even though the baseline configuration has the components that make the system worth buying. For those who do have the kind cash for a system like this, you are getting an awesome machine that will get envious looks anywhere you go, but be prepared to sign a mortgage for it.

If the price of the Area-51 m17x intimidates you, take a look at the reasonably priced Gateway P-173X FX series or the Toshiba Qosmio X305 gaming laptop. They are both pretty powerful machines that retail for half the price of the m17x. You will not get the celebrated performance of Alienware, but you just might sleep a bit easier.

Alienware Area-51 M17x Laptop – Technical Specifications

Manufacturer	Alienware
Model Name	Alienware Area-51 M17x Gaming Laptop
PC type	Gaming Laptop
Dimensions (W x H x D)	16.1″ x 11.5″ x 2.1″
Weight	4.76 kg
Available colours	Red, Black and Silver
PROCESSOR, MEMORY, STORAGE
Processor type	Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Duo Extreme
Clock speed	2.1 GHz
Data Bus Speed	800.0 MHz
Processor manufacturer	Intel
Cache	3.0 MB, L2 cache
FSB	800MHz
RAM installed	Up to 8 GB
RAM type	DDR2 @ 667MHz
Hard drive capacity	200 GB – 320 GB (5400 – 7200 rpm ), 128 GB SSD Serial ATA, Up to 640 GB (5400 rpm), Up to 400 GB (7200 rpm), Up to 256 GB SSD
Graphics, Display and Sound
Graphics Processor	GF 9800M GT, Quadro FX 3600M
Video chipset	GeForce 8600M GT 256MB, GeForce 8700M GT 512MB, GeForce 8800M GTX 512MB SLI
Display	WUXGA with Clearview Technology
Display size	17″
Display resolution	1920 x 1200
System Lighting	Alienware® AlienFX® System Lighting
Audio Processing	External Creative X-Fi Xtreme Audio Card
Audio output type	Sound card
Audio Input	Microphone
Input
Mouse	Gaming Mouse – Razer Lachesis™ Mouse
Notebook Tuners and Remotes	Internal Digital/Analog (ATSC) MiniCard TV Tuner with Express Card Media Center Remote Control
Communication
Optical Drive	DVD DL SuperMulti, BD-ROM, BD-R
Ethernet	802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Webcam	2MP Webcam
Wireless LAN	Yes
Data Link Protocol	Ethernet , Gigabit Ethernet , Fast Ethernet
Connectivity
Video Connections	1.0 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) – RJ-45 , 1.0 x TOSlink optical audio – VGA , 1.0 x USB 2.0 – USB 2.0 , 4.0 x Headphones , 1.0 x HDMI , 1.0 x S-Video , 1.0 x CIR , 1.0 x Microphone , 1.0 x Ethernet , 1.0 x Line-out , 1.0 x Display / video
Data ports	2x FireWire 400, 3x USB 2.0 ports, 1x (Gigabit) LAN, ExpressCard/54
Audio Ports	Integrated Audio and Creative X-Fi Option
Integrated A/V Devices	Speakers, Mic, Line-Out, 2MP Webcam
Expansion Slots Total (Free)	7-in-1 Media Reader
SOFTWARE
Operating System	Windows Vista Home Premium (32- and 64-bit), Windows Vista Ultimate (32- and 64-bit)
Highlight features	Custom illuminated keyboard and lighting, 3nd HHD Option in MediaBay, TV-Tuner Option
BATTERY
Battery technology	12 cell lithium ion
Estimated battery life (mfr)	66 minutes
Power	Vehicle AC Adapter – Belkin® AC Anywhere 300W Vehicle Outlet Adapter
MISCELLANEOUS
Accessories	Alienware® Mesh Cap Mousepad Mobile Binder Personalized Nameplate Owner Identification Card m17x Protective Cloth Sleeve Area-51® m17x Keyboard Diagram Overlay Area-51® m17x Smooth Mylar Touchpad
WARRANTY AND SERVICE	One year and can be upgraded to three at an extra cost AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service

Overview:

Pros:
1. Great Colour and Contrast on Screen
2. Great Build Quality
3. Amazing Design
4. Amazing Battery Life on Mac OS
5. An SD slot finally
6. Silent and Light

Cons:
1. Poor connectivity
2.  Looks given a priority over ergonomics
3. Poor Windows driver support
4. Gets really hot sometimes

Review:

Apple has always been associated with producing sleek, cool and gorgeous range of laptops. Their latest range the MacBook pro is no different. In fact, their new product the Apple MacBook Pro MC118B/A takes things to a step further. The slim and compact laptop is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo Processor of 2.53GHz. The 15.4 inch TFT screen has a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels, ensuring crystal clear images. The device provides a memory of 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 250GB SATA Hard Disk drive with a spindle of 5400. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Shared Video Memory graphics processor makes it great for casual gaming. Do these statistics mean that the device is not only good looking but also good in terms of performance? Read on to find out.

Design:

Benchmark for Build Quality:

The MacBook Pro MC118B/A  Laptop uses the familiar uni-body design carved from aluminium. This high quality workmanship is still a standard by which other laptops are measured for their looks. Once you hold a MacBook Pro in your hands you would realise how ultra rigid the body of the device is. The notebook does not have any crunching or portioning parts present in the chassis. Try clamping the MacBook Pro in a vise and bend it, you would find no sort of flex anywhere on the notebook. The screen does flex a little bit but consider its thinness it was expected; that perhaps is the only negative detail here. Otherwise, it features one of the strongest unibody chassis in the market.

Clutter Free Design:

It has a sharp design and has no panel lines or breaks except on the bottom. Apple switched to an internal battery for the model instead of a cover and release bar simplifying the design even further. The lid of the notebook features a white apple logo that lights up when in use. The case can be shut and has a magnetic latch making opening and closing the lid pretty easy.  There are a few ports on the sides of the Pro. However, simple upgrades such as changing the hard drive or battery means a few additional steps on the Pro. One needs to unscrew all the screws on the perimeter of the notebook to have access to the user serviceable components. While it is not difficult to do so, most users would find it hard when compared to the rather easier expansion on other notebooks.

Pretty Flat:

Visually, one would not find much difference between a 13 inch laptop and the 15.4 model being reviewed. However, this one feels larger when on a lap and; there are many 15” laptops in the market such as the Asus UL50 that are bigger than the Pro.  We still find it remarkable that a 5.56 pounds laptop can be this flat. Its weight is pretty common for laptops of its size with the heaviest the Dell Studio 15 weighing around 6.34 pounds.

Great Display:

Another important aspect when it comes to overall user experience is the display size. The larger it is, the more we can “See” things on the desktop.  The MacBook Pro MC118B/A features an outstanding 15.2 inch display. The 16:10 display offers a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels and has a brightness of 230 cd/m².  The brightness is excellent for viewing in brightly lit rooms. The pictures look great because of the glossier screen and a 60 percent jump in colour gamut. The anti reflection surface allows one to use the notebook even in direct sunlight.  There is a brightness sensor that automatically regulates brightness. It can also be adjusted manually. The viewing angles are average with colours starting to show inversion when tilted to 20-25 degrees. The horizontal angles are far better than the vertical ones up till the reflections over power the screen. One can order a laptop with a higher resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels with a glossy or anti glare finish. The extra resolution is lovely. The antiglare works great but the colours are not as good as they are in the other version.

Comfortable to use:

Though there is not much of a size difference in between the 13 inch and the 15 inch models, the latter is far more comfortable to work on. The fore arm rests easily on the laptops so the sharp edges do not pinch us (Yes, the Mac’s sides are actually sharp enough to pinch). While the 13 inch model is easier to manage in crowded places, the 15 inch scores more when it comes to comfort.

Amazing Backlit Keyboard:

The MacBook Pro MC118B/A Notebook Computer features a full size backlit chiclet keyboard design that is a normal size for a 15 inch laptop. It is very pleasant to use and is silent. The travel depth is decent and the spacing lets one type comfortably without having to move hands more than they need to.  For most people keyboards are overlooked. However, for people who type a lot, they would find the Apple laptop keyboards easier to use followed by the HP Envy and models in the Sony Vaio family.  The keys are customised for a MacOS X and hence Windows users would have to get accustomed to it.  But here is the best part about the keyboard: Backlit keyboards that can be activated manually or with a light sensor.  It is also fully adjustable and can be brighter or dimmer depending on how you want it.  It is a pretty handy feature and we would prefer upgrading our PC to have one with a backlit keyboard than a better soundcard or Bluetooth.

One key Glass Touchpad:

The MacBook Pro line features some of the biggest touchpads out there.  It is a large glass surface with no separate touchpad buttons. It is very smooth and fingers slide easier than they do on a plastic surface that most laptops have. The reason it is big is perhaps it is because of the multi touch gestures present.  The whole surface can be clicked on and one can even set zones such as the lower right for a right click and so on. The touch sensitivity is amazing and has no lag whatsoever even at default settings.  However, the touchpad’s movement in the Windows OS was rather choppy. The touchpad often mistook a slight pressure increase in the touch as a double click opening up applications as we moved over a list in the start menu.

Average Audio:

There are speakers present on either side of the keyboard making it a better device than the 13” model that has its speakers in a not so convenient position. While the audio is sufficient it is not loud. Their enclosed position makes it sound like a mono speaker. So the best option is to use headphones. Hooking it up to a stereo for surround sound is another option available if you are not content with the soft audio of the notebook.

Ports:

While we are all praise for the workmanship, the connection options are not so great. The notebook features 2 USB ports, one mini Display port, LAN and Firewire 800.  While eSATA is the best when fast external storage is the criteria, more Mac targeted storage devices offer Firewire. However, the Firewire 800 port is not backward compatible with the Firewire 400 devices.  The Pro also features a headphone jack and an SD card bringing it to the level that most PCs have been present for a number of years.  The inclusion of SD card has been welcomed by users as it had been something they had been expecting for quite a long time. Unfortunately, the slot is not multipurpose and supports only full size SD cards.  The absence of Express card slot has infuriated many a user for most people depend on them for expansion. The MacBook Pro has a slot loading optical drive which means one cannot read mini discs on the drive.

ISight Webcam:

The Pro features the iSight camera at the top of the screen bezel and has a camera indicator light included as well. This indicator lights up when the camera is on thus saving one from doing embarrassing things when on cam. The cam performed wonderfully well even in low light conditions. However we noticed little refresh lag most of the time.

Connectivity Options:

This model of the MacBook Pro features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth making it highly portable and handy for users who would want a wireless affair.
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
Wi-Fi:  IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n (draft)

Handy Battery Indicator:

The most notable feature of the MacBook Pro is the miniscule but highly handy battery gauge meter present on the side of the notebook.  Pressing up the button would light up a number of LEDs present showing the current level of charge. If all the 8 indicators are lit, the laptop is fully charged. This is handy considering you would not have to switch on the notebook to know how much charge it has.

Memory Specifications:

The MacBook Pro MC118B/A provides 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM with 1066MHz and a 250GB SATA hard drive disk with 5400rpm. The default memory of 4 GB is sufficient for most users out there. One can even upgrade to 8 GB but that is totally unnecessary for most of you guys out there.

Performance:

Impressive:

The 15 inch MacBook Pro performed as expected in our benchmark tests with the 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor leading the 2.4 GHz processor found in the 2008 version.  The MacBook is perfect for Web browsing, working and multimedia playback. There is present the NVIDIA GeForce 9400 graphics, which was also present in the earlier version. The NVIDIA 9400M scored above 2100 marks in the 3DMark 06 test.  Thanks to this graphic card, one can play newer games such as Quake IV at lower resolutions. With some tweaking of resolution and detail settings, the game Portal delivered 40 frames per second at 1280 x 800 pixels resolution.  This is a major pro for users who are into light occasional gaming.

Great for Movies:

Other than gaming, the system was able to handle both 720p and 1080p HD movie decoding with ease making it perfect as a home theatre hub. Even though the 15 inch screen is not really wide, it is still a great platform for watching Blu-ray movies at full resolution.

A step forward in Audio:

The stereo loudspeakers present in the MacBook Pro are louder than the speakers in the G4 PowerBook. In spite of a clear step forward in terms of audio quality when compared to the PowerBook, the maximum volume is not really convincing. The audio is clear only with less bass. The analog and digital audio ports offer great quality and attaching an external sound system would be great.

Heat:

Most Apple laptops have always lost points when it comes to heat output.  When under stress, the entire system acts as a huge heat sink making it unfriendly for one to place it on the lap.  For normal daily activity, the MacBook Pro stays relatively cool by shedding heat into the air. But when under intensive load for long periods of time, the Pro becomes unbearably hot with the keyboard and back recording a temperature of 105 Fahrenheit.  Because the device is made of aluminium, it easily transmit’s the heat outside making the device very warm.

Noise:

When the computer is cold, there is no active cooling mechanism in place and hence there is no noise audible. But during intense usage, the 2 internal fans start running at full speed to cool the CPU and GPU. At that point the noise is still low enough at 33.7 decibels. Interestingly, the minimum noise the notebook produces is 33.5 decibels, 0.2 lesser than the maximum.  However, we did notice the laptop whining, producing a silent constant and unpleasant noise.

Battery Life in Mac OS X:

Excellent is one word that describes battery life of the MacBook Pro. Perhaps that is an understatement as well. The laptop lasted a solid 9 hours when in ‘Idle’ mode (with minimum brightness, Wi-fi and Bluetooth switched off). The Idle mode is a fictitious case and in reality, the battery never runs that long. It lasted an equally impressive 7 hours while doing tasks such as Web browsing, editing text documents etc. When we put the display at maximum brightness, enabled the 9400M and turned on both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, we got around 6 to 7 hours of battery life. This is perhaps the longest lasting battery in a notebook of this size.

Battery Charge Time:

It takes just 2 and half hours to re-charge the battery and that is pretty fast. Even the lesser powered Sony Vaio Z takes 3 whole hours to reach full charge. The Vaio takes about one hour 50 minutes to reach 80 percent charge whereas the MacBook Pro does it in one hour 20 minutes.

Battery Life in Windows:

The Battery Life in Windows is not as impressive as it was in the Mac OS X.  In Idle mode it lasted a little under 4 hours.  Browsing the web drained the battery life in roughly about 3 hours 37 minutes.  So in reality, the battery can last anywhere between 3 to 4 hours even with the usage of 9400M. As you can notice, the battery life in Windows is very short when compared to the values in Mac OS X.  We suspect the problem lies in the poor Apple driver support in Windows.  We were unable to manually turn off the backlight of the keyboard which could be turned off only using the sensors. Even the GPU was always ON and the Bluetooth seemed to be on in spite of being turned off. So if you would want to use Windows on the MacBook Pro, you will not be able to fully benefit from the battery.

Power Consumption:

The Current consumption when not under load shows a great value when compared to most notebooks in the market. However under load the notebook’s consumption is still below average. The minimum and maximum consumptions are 19 and 53 watts respectively with the laptop consuming around 25 watts at normal brightness.

Warranty:

The MacBook Pro 15.4″ Laptop has a standard one year warranty on parts and labour. There is also a 90 days toll free telephone support on the notebook.  One can extended the warranty to three years by shelling out extra cash.

Conclusion:

The MacBook Pro is a great notebook with an amazing design. It has a great display and the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor performs wonderfully well. Most people would not care a damn about the driver support inside Windows or its sharp edges.  If you are a Mac OS X user, the choice is easy. You only have to choose between the size, speed and price amongst the various models available. For people who want to use Mac OS, they should decide if they are ready to switch. If they think the OS is as good as it looks, this is a great choice too. If you are a Windows user, the choice is tough.  While there are laptops that can be called as competitors to the Pro, they sure are inferior to the design of the Pro. Then again, we have not really found a PC as a substitute for the Pro as of yet.

Apple MacBook Pro MC118B/A – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Apple
Model	Apple MacBook Pro MC 118B/A
Weight	2.5 kg
Dimensions	36.4 x 24.9 x 2.4 cm
Display type	WXGA+ TFT Active Matrix
Screen Size	15.4 inches
Screen Resolution	1440 x 900 pixels
Input method	Keyboard, Trackpad
Processor Type	Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53 GHz
Hard Disk Capacity	250GB
RAM Capacity and Type	4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
Speed	2.53Ghz
Bus speed	1066 MHz
Hard Drive Capacity	250GB
Hard Drive  spindle speed	5,400 RPM
Storage Controller Type	Serial ATA-150
Graphics Card	NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Shared Video Memory
Audio	Audio Input Type: Microphone Audio Output Type: Sound card, Speaker(s)
Video memory	256 MB
USB Ports	2
Optical Drives	CD / DVD Type: Dual Layer DVD±RW Optical Drive Read Speed: 24x (CD), 8x (DVD) Optical Drive Write Speed: 24x (CD), 4x (DVD+R Dual Layer), 4x (DVD-R Dual Layer), 8x (DVD+R), 8x (DVD-R)
Optical Drive ReWrite Speed	10x (CD-RW), 4x (DVD+RW), 4x (DVD-RW)
Removable Media Slots	Card Reader
Wireless Technology	Yes
Operating System	Apple Mac OS X 10. 6 or Windows 7, Vista
Networking	Networking Type: Bluetooth, Integrated Wireless LAN, Network Adapter Data Link Protocol: Bluetooth, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n
Security features	Slot For Cable Lock
Integrated Video Camera	Yes
Expansion Ports	1 x IEEE 1394a (FireWire), 2 x USB 2.0, RJ-45 (NIC)Expandability1 x SD Card Slot
Battery	Lithium polymer
Battery Life	7 hours on Mac OS 4 hours on Windows
Warranty	1 year

Toshiba has got very good reputation that it is an expert at experimentation and improvisation. It is clearly evident in the way its products and especially its laptops look and perform. The Satellite series laptops are just the example that justifies the above statement. The Satellite is a series of high end laptops, which were released by Toshiba earlier this year. They have become a revelation in the laptop market since they look very alien. They are not like laptops that you will normally see. Out of those, the laptops that belong to the L550 series are the most superior in almost all the aspects. The main reason behind the production of this set of laptop computers by Toshiba is that, the company offers a laptop that is as good as its desktop counterpart and hence the latter can be replaced by the former, so that a lot of space is saved. Now, let us save some of the aspects of the Satellite L550 from revealing here itself as we unfold each and every feature of it in the detailed review below.

Design:

Bedazzling Looks:
The Satellite L550 is one of those laptops that will catch your eye the moment you look at them. The dimensions of this laptop are slightly on the higher end since this is a big computer and it is made to be a replacement for your desktop computer. It has come with a great colour combination. The steel grey display cover and the snow silver top cover make the design look better in association with the black coloured keyboard. The dimensions of the Satellite L550 is (W x D x H) 416.2 x 272.3 x 36.3 mm. These dimensions are significantly higher than normal. The satellite laptops also weigh more. If you see the Satellite L550, it weighs about 3 kg. The weight and dimensions also depend on the screen size that is selected. The more the screen size, the higher the dimensions. Although this particular laptop may not be that comfortable on your lap nor is it an easily portable thing, but it still has commanding looks that will make sure that its portability issue is nullified.

Display:
The display part of the laptops from Toshiba has always been very good and also attractive. Now, the Satellite L550-1CC Laptop Computer is a little unique as it has got a bigger display. A screen as big as 17.3 inches measured diagonally, gives you a lot of space to view movies and play games. The TruBrite HD + technology give you a high brightness display with a screen resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. This aspect ratio means that the display will be in a landscape format and it will be great to watch movies on it. The screen is also LCD type which is backlit by an array of LEDs. This makes sure that the display is always lucid and crystal clear and in addition to this, the viewing angles are great on the Satellite L550. Hence, you can say that the display mechanism of the Satellite L550 is better than that of many others in the market.

Features: A Flurry of them
Toshiba has included many features in the Satellite L550 17.3″ Laptop so that the laptop can easily replace a desktop computer. Along with those which you will see on a conventional laptop computer, there are also additional features that make up a complete Satellite L550.

Toshiba Bulletin Board:
This is a unique feature that is developed by Toshiba and it will feature on your laptop irrespective of the operating system that is used by the computer. This Bulletin Board is like a small homepage that will be seen on your main screen. It contains many features like calendar, clock, to-do list, sticky notes, important reminders and schedules etc., which are also designed in an awesome manner so that, they are not only easy to use, but also are very stylish. All you need to do is just drag and drop the different files or even folders to this menu and they will be stored right on the desktop, rather than inside some folder which you need to search for every time. You can also customise it and change the way the panel looks by changing designs and applying backgrounds. You can also access the online back up support team by a click and also get regular updates and news. This is like an easy access panel and will be of great use for people from all walks of life.

Toshiba ReelTime:
The ReelTime is a panel for media files and it is more like a collection of recently created and used files or folders. Instead of the conventional search and find option, you can scroll through various files that were accessed in the recent past. You can also select specific files and store them in this panel so that they can be accessed quickly. Photos, Videos, Movies and other documents are stored here in the form of thumbnails, so that it will be easy for you to identify them with just a glance. The ReelTime, just like the Bulletin Board is like a dock and it can be hid or even removed whenever needed. But, using is really fun as well as time saving and you can access all you r favourites at a single place.

Processor:
The processor decides how a computer works and you need to select a computer that has a robust processing system so that you will not face many problems in the future. The Toshiba Satellite L550 comes with a wonderful Intel® Pentium® Processor T4400. It is one of the best that you will ever find in the market. Its features are also very good; a clock speed of 2.20 GHz that is equivalent to two central processing units which means that there is wonderful response to the signals and hence the computer operates really fast. A couple of other features include a front side bus off 800 MHz and a second level cache of 1MB. What all these numbers mean to you is that, your laptop will be very quick in its functioning and there will also be little or no problems regarding its operation.

Operating System:
The Satellite L550 comes with a pre installed operating system of Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit. It also comes with the special feature, Toshiba HDD recovery, which means that there will always be a back up for all your data in the computer and they can be recovered again even after the system is formatted due to any reason. Now, in many cases, the 64 bit system faces some problems regarding compatibility. Some applications or features require a 32 bit system and they cannot work with the 64 bit one. Even if they are compatible, they require an upgrade for that. Hence, Toshiba offers you the 32 bit Windows 7 as well and you can select it at the time of purchasing. For normal home usage, the 32 bit version works well and it is more than enough.

Memory:
Memory is also one of the features that are instrumental in deciding the capacity of a computer. The standard RAM of the system is 4 GB and is very good considering other similar computers in the market. 4 GB means you will have a large ready memory and this ensures that the system runs at a very fast rate. This RAM of 4 GB is common to all the Satellite laptops. But, even then, it can be upgraded to a higher memory depending on individual interest. An additional 4 GB of memory is supported by the Satellite L550. The RAM is also DDR3 type, which is superior to the commonly seed DDR2 and it boosts the overall performance of the system. Coming to the hard disk space, a standard hard disk is provided to all the Satellite laptops, whose capacity is 500 GB with drive rotation speed of 5400 rpm. 500 GB will be more than sufficient for home usage and you can store plenty of movies, videos, games and stuff. There is no option for expansion here. If at all more memory is required, you have to purchase an external hard drive.

Graphics Card:
After featuring such a good processor, it will certainly be great if there is a graphics accelerator. And yes, the Satellite L550 comes with a formidable graphics card. Intel’s latest and one of the best in the market, Mobile Intel GMA 4500 M, is used as the graphics accelerator for all your needs and especially for gaming. This is great news for all the gamers because, such a robust graphics card allows high end gaming on your laptop. Detailing more about this card, the total graphics memory that is available is up to 1340 MB, for a 32bit system which has 3 GB of RAM and about 1759 MB for a 64 bit system which has 4 GB of RAM. The memory type of this graphics card is shared. Hence, looking at these jaw dropping numbers, all the gaming fanatics should definitely buy the Satellite L550.

Face Recognition:
Of late, a few of the manufacturers are providing the face recognition feature for their laptops in particular. This strengthens your security since there is nothing like the password setting system and then the leakage of that password so that your files are open for access to all those who open the computer. From now onwards, your face is the key to open your computer. This is a very useful facility. First of all, you need to register your face with the software that is pre installed in the computer. Only one face can be registered and stored at a time. Overall, your computer is now safer than ever before, that is unless you have a twin sibling.

Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi is now a compulsory feature for all laptops as it has become very popular as well as useful. Even though this is a pretty common feature that you will see on every laptop, the Satellite L550 features an integrated WLAN card that is capable of detecting even the slightest of signals so that you can easily access any wireless hotspot. The connectivity is also very strong with excellent signal strength which means that even video chatting and calling can be done with pretty good speed. Chatting with your pals and sharing files like pictures and videos has never been easier and the Satellite L550 provides special options when it comes to sharing files. Hence, leave the mess of wires and cables and plunge into the wireless world.

Software Bundle:
The Satellite L550-1CC Notebook Computer comes with a huge software package; so huge for a package that you will not be able to carry it if it consisted of hardware instead. Such is the software abundance. Here is a list of all the special software provided by Toshiba: Toshiba Disc Creator, Face Recognition software, Toshiba Photo Service, The manual, Toshiba Assist, Supervisor Password Utility software, Microsoft Student, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works, Wild Tangent Games Console, Connectivity Doctor, Toshiba Drivers and Utilities, Google Pack comprising Google Toolbar, iGoogle, Google Picasa, ConfigFree, Toshiba Recovery Media Creator, McAfee Total Internet Security which includes free updates for 30 days, Toshiba Accessibility, Flash Cards, Toshiba DVD player, Toshiba Button Support, PC Diagnosing Tool, Toshiba Power Saver, Components Common Drover, Toshiba Zooming Utility, Toshiba Value added package, and Chicony Camera Assistant software. Some of these are pre installed in the computer while the others come inside a software CD package and they have to be installed separately by the users.

Ease in Usability:
Easy Usability is a special package of the wonderful features provided by Toshiba in the Satellite L550. It comprises Control Buttons, LED backlighting, Eco utility, Smart display support, Toshiba LifeSpace, McAfee Total Internet Security, Touch pad with multi touch control, Toshiba TEMPRO Performance tuning service, and PC health monitor. All these aforementioned special features make the Satellite L550 a very unique and one of the best user friendly and user accessible laptops ever.

Security:
In order to provide you and your computer ultimate security, Toshiba has taken a few steps by introducing a few security features. They are the supervisor password, which can be set by the computer administrator, Face recognition software, about which we have already discussed, HDD password on request which means you can set passwords for specific files and folders, user password, which is a very common feature and you will find this on every computer in the world, and last but not the least, a slot for Kensington Cable slot. All these features protect your computer from data losses.

Special Features:
Toshiba is always reckoned to be a provider of extra special features especially when it comes to its laptops. Here, in this case, the special features that can be found on the satellite L550 are: SM BIOS compliant, integrated VGA Web Camera for Video over IP, integrated microphone for Voice over IP, 4 mechanical Control Buttons (Mute, Play/Pause, Forward, Rewind), HD Audio support, Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep® Technology, and ENERGY STAR qualified computer. Another important thing to be noticed here is that the Toshiba Satellite L550 is in compliance with the demands of the pertinent European Directives towards CE marking.

Hence, it has been such a long list of features that everybody will feel tired of reading but at the same time, feel happy to have it.

Performance:

The Toshiba Satellite L550 is already a wonderful computer to have at your home, with all the wondrous design and fantastic features. Now, imagine what if the performance of the Satellite L550 is on par with the best in the business. Doesn’t that sound great to you?

Picture and Sound Performance:
As we have already seen, the Satellite L550 17.3 inch Laptop Notebook comes with a solid display technology. Now, this technology in association with a great processor and a very good graphics card provides you very splendid performance. The pictures are great on the Satellite L550’ screen and it is ideal for watching movies and playing high end games. Both these are never better on any other laptop in the history because, imagine watching movies on such a big and qualitative screen like that of the Satellite L550. It is really entertaining and it is a commendable effort put in by Toshiba. Talking about the audio system and its performance, the Satellite L550 comes with built in stereo audio speakers that support a 24 bit audio format. The sound system has been greatly improved by Toshiba and the Satellite L550 features the Toshiba Bass Enhanced sound system, which provides excellent acoustics and the sound system complements the videos and games very well. Hence, you will not be harried by frequent audio and video troubles.

Interfaces:
Interfaces decide the connectivity range of a computer and perhaps none other than Toshiba knew it better. This is because you will find a lot of ports or interfaces on all sides of the Satellite L550, which is very good sign since the more the interfaces, the better the connectivity. Here is a list of all the connectivity ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x external monitor,1 x external microphone, 1 x headphone stereo, 1 x eSATA / USB 2.0, 1 x integrated VGA Web Camera with built-in microphone, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x DC-in, Multi Media Card up to 2 GB, 1 x 4-in-1 Bridge Media slot, SD Cards up to 16 GB supported , Memory Stick up to 256 MB compatible , Memory Stick Pro up to 2 GB compatible. Hence, these connectivity options enhance the range of usability of the Satellite L550. You may not find so many features on any other laptop. Again, the main reason behind providing so many ports is because the Satellite L550 is kind of a replacement to desktop computer.

Battery:

Toshiba satellite L550 uses a lithium ion battery as usual. According to the tests conducted by Mobile Mark, the battery life of the laptop is considered to be very good. On an average, the Satellite L550 has a maximum battery life for a period of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The exact life depends upon individual usage of the laptop and also the functioning of the different features that are mentioned already. Using the power saver option also enhances the battery life significantly. An autosensing AC power adapter is also provided for worldwide usage, which can be used at both 100 V and 240 V. The adapter features are: an output voltage of 19 V and an output current of about 3.95 A.

Warranty:

Toshiba offers parts and labour warranty to the Satellite L550 for a period of about of one year from the original date of purchase. This particular warranty is called the EMEA carry in. Toshiba announced that it also is offering an array of sundry services in order in extend the warranty service in an indirect manner. Even after the official warranty period is over, you can still avail different offers put up by Toshiba. For further details, visit the official website of Toshiba.

Verdict:

For many years, there was not a single laptop that could replace a desktop computer. At last, Toshiba has done it by introducing the Satellite L550. Beautifully engineered, this latest laptop from Toshiba has beaten its rivals regarding the design. Along with that, it has got one of the best features and they are also more in number than on most other laptops. They all are pretty useful to even the hoi polloi. Special attractions like the Toshiba Bulletin Board and Toshiba ReelTime only make the scene better.

The Satellite L550 is also one of the best performing computers in the world today, powered by the latest technology such as the processor and graphics accelerator. Toshiba is also regarded as one of the manufacturers who receive the least number of complaints. You may feel that the price of the Satellite L550 is a bit high for a laptop, but if you compare it with the price of the average desktop computer, you will find that it is really very affordable. Hence, if you need a desktop now and you have less space for it, you need not hesitate to place your order for the Satellite L550.

Check other Toshiba Laptops Reviews in this website.

Toshiba Satellite L550-1CC Laptop – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Toshiba
Model Name	Toshiba Satellite
Series	L550 1CC
DIMENSIONS AND DISPLAY
Dimensions ( W x D x H)	416.2 x 272.3 x 36.3 mm
Weight	3 kg
Available colours	Silver Grey
Display type	TFT LCD display with LED backlit
Display size	17.3 inch
Display resolution	1600 x 900 pixel resolution
PROCESSOR, MEMORY, STORAGE
Processor type	Intel Pentium T4400
Clock speed	2.20 GHz
Second level Cache	1MB
Front Bus Speed	800 MHz
RAM installed	4GB
RAM type	DDR3 RAM
Max RAM Supported	Yes
WLAN Standard	802.11b/g/n
Installed Memory	4 GB
Maximum Memory Supported	8 GB
Hard drive size	500 GB
Spindle speed	5400rpm
DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer)	Compatibility : CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R(DL), DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+R(DL), DVD+RW, DVD-RAM Maximum speed : Read: 24x CD-ROM, 8x DVD-ROM/ Write: 24x CD-R, 4x CD-RW, 10x HS CD-RW, 24x US CD-RW, 8x DVD-R, 6x DVD-R (Double Layer), 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R, 6x DVD+R (Double Layer), 8x DVD+RW, 5x DVD-RAM type : DVD Super Multi (Double Layer) drive
INPUT
Keyboard	105 keys
Track pad	Normal Touch Pad with multi touch control
GRAPHICS, VIDEO AND SOUND
Graphics adaptor	Intel® GMA 4500M
Speaker Details	Built-in stereo speakers 24 bit audio
COMMUNICATION FEATURES
Wireless	Compliancy : Wi-Fi® Network Support : 802.11b/g Wireless Technology : Wireless LAN
Memory card reader	4-in-1 card reader
CONNECTIVITY	1 x DC-in 1 x external monitor 1 x RJ-45 1 x external microphone 1 x headphone (stereo) 1 x integrated VGA Web Camera with built-in microphone 1 x 4-in-1 Bridge Media slot (supports SD™ Cards up to 16 GB, Memory Stick® up to 256 MB, Memory Stick Pro™ up to 2 GB and Multi Media Card™ up to 2 GB) 1 (Left) x eSATA/USB 2.0 2 (Right 2) x USB 2.0
SOFTWARE	Toshiba Disc Creator, Toshiba User’s Manual, Supervisor Password Utility, Toshiba Assist, Chicony Camera Assistant software, Toshiba DVD Player, Toshiba Face Recognition Microsoft® Works, Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 (free 60-day trial), Toshiba Value Added Package (Toshiba Power Saver, Toshiba Zooming Utility, Toshiba PC Diagnostic Tool, Toshiba Flash Cards, Toshiba Components Common Driver, Toshiba Accessibility, Toshiba Button Support) McAfee® Internet Security (includes free Internet updates for 30 days), Wild Tangent Games Console, Toshiba Photo Service, Toshiba Recovery Media Creator, Google Pack (Google Toolbar, iGoogle, Google Picasa), Connectivity Doctor, ConfigFree™ Toshiba utilities and drivers
Operating System	Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32 / 64 bit
Office package	Microsoft Works with Office Home
PC type	Laptop Computer
Security features	supervisor password HDD password on request user password slot for Kensington Cable Lock
Special features	SM BIOS compliant integrated microphone for Voice over IP HD Audio support 4 mechanical Control Buttons (Mute, Play/Pause, Forward, Rewind) ENERGY STAR qualified computer integrated VGA Web Camera for Video over IP Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep® Technology
BATTERY
Battery technology	Lithium Ion battery
Battery life	3.25 hours
WARRANTY	One-year limited Warranty