Notebookcheck's Best of July 2011

Contenders:

Sony Vaio VPC-SB2L1E/W 

Sony Vaio VPC-SA2Z9E/B 

Toshiba Satellite R830-11C 

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 (K345) 

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13 (K685) 

Acer Aspire 3750-2314G50MNkk 

Lenovo ThinkPad X120e 

The month of subnotebooks? We pushed seven small and light devices of all price ranges over our test course. The Vaio VPC-SB2L1E/W is an update of the first SB1Z9EB test device from April 2010. We reproached the high system noise and lacking stability back then. But they unfortunately haven't been discarded yet. Besides the same display size of 13.3 inches, the Vaio SA2Z9E/B has the contrast and viewing angle weak screen in common with the SB2 test device. Much to the disappointment of potential buyers because performance (SSD), gaming power (AMD Radeon HD 6630M) and weight (1652 grams) are extraordinarily strong, respectively low. The Toshiba Satelite R830-11C wants to pass on a light SSD subnotebook for low 999 euros. That is even successful with a runtime of 6:30 hours and high performance, but the screen would have to be brighter for outdoor use.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 (K345) wants to entice price-sensitive buyers with ThinkPad workmanship starting at 369 euros. Hopes are only fulfilled to an extent. A low TFT brightness (175 cd/m2) and tight battery life with the 32 Wh battery let us speak of a key downgrade. The 13.3 inch brother, Edge 13, serves with a somewhat brighter screen and a runtime of 5:30 hours with an equally good workmanship. If you're looking for an Intel ThinkPad, you'll find a low-voltage Core i3 with a battery life of five hours in the Lenovo ThinkPad X120e. The typing-eager input devices and the low weight make the 11.6 incher to a not-really-that-expensive-after-all AMD alternative, starting at 449 euros.

The Aspire 3750 addresses price conscious subnotebook buyers that don't want to do without a standard Core i3 CPU, like found in bigger laptops. The performance is correspondingly good. Unfortunately, mobility suffers under the reflective screen and low brightness.

Subnotebook of July 2011: Sony Vaio VPC-SA2Z9E/B

Despite its weak screen and the high price, the Sony Vaio SA2Z9E/B wins the tight match among the July subnotebooks. The reason: The RAID0 SSD's (256 GBs) high speed is yet unreached. It makes the 1652 gram light 13.3 incher as fast as some workstations (Core i7 dual core). The battery life of almost five hours is acceptable despite the midrange GPU, Radeon HD 6630M (can be disabled manually). The steep price of 2300 euros would be all right for an superior product, if it weren't for this weak, run of the mill screen.

MSI A6400 Ci507 S TestIT!

HP Pavilion g6-1141sg TestIT!

HP EliteBook 8460p 

HP ProBook 6560b

Toshiba Satellite L755-14P TestIT!

Asus X53E-SX082V TestIT!

Packard Bell EasyNote TS11 HR-040UK TestIT!

There were many simple office devices without dedicated graphics among the July reviews. Notebookcheck readers participated in one of five correspondingly marked tests in Intel's TestIT! campaign. Their ratings are considered in the outcome. The MSI A6400 and the Packard Bell EasyNote TS11 reaped the best results with 82% each. It was ensured by the solid and cool case, the good Core i5 performance and the good battery life. The contrast poor screen with poor viewing angles was the common weakness of all test devices. HP's Pavilion g6-1141sg and Toshiba's Satellite L755-14P (17 inch) had a clattery case and a feedback weak keyboard in common. Typing in Word just wasn't any fun on it. It looked different for the Asus X53E-SX082V. This 15.6 inch device had a quality case (surface texture) and its waste heat as well as system noise was very low thanks to the IceCool technology.

The three HP office laptops are all on a higher workmanship standard. The ProBook 6460b (14") and its 15.6 inch brother, 6560b, had a high-end aluminum feel and a very solid workmanship. The 14 incher had the brighter screen, but the 15.6 incher definitely had the better contrasts.

Office Notebook of July 2011: HP ProBook 6560b

The low temperatures and the hardly ever annoying noise are a trademark of the 15.6 incher. It's easy for the business device to reach the top in July (87%) with its responsive input devices and high quality feel. However, it wasn't enough for a very good in the final rating due to its high weight and the "only" good battery life of 4:49 hours. If you are looking for a very solid laptop with WXGA++ resolution, you should take a closer look at the ProBook 6560b (880 euros).

HP Pavilion g7-1002sg 

Samsung RF511-S05DE

HP Pavilion dv6-6110eg (Llano) 

Gigabyte is still rather unknown as a notebook manufacturer. However, the 15.6 incher proves to have a remarkable overall design. Quad CPU and GeForce GT 550M appeal to gamers, the Full HD screen with brilliant colors and good brightness is suitable for pros and the case adorned with aluminum applications is presentable. The Samsung RF511 is also equipped with a quad CPU and has a matt screen, very good ergonomic rates, but only a midrange GT 540M GPU.

The HP Pavilion g7-1002sg lurks among the entry-level league in terms of performance. However, the price starting at 500 euros can compensate this drawback. The 17 incher disappointed with a rating of only 74% due to an average case, high system noise during load, a short battery life and low-end inputs (satisfactory). The dv6-6110eg also came along based on AMD's new Llano platform. Succeeding the netbooks (C-50, E-350), there is now also an APU concept for big notebooks and even for desktops. Unfortunately, the dual GPU, HD 6750M + HD 6520G, disappointed with crashes and below average performance (crossfire option). We see the dv6's advantage in the hard aluminum finish, the long battery runtimes and the cool case.

Multimedia Notebook of July 2011: Samsung RF511-S05DE

Samsung's RF511 didn't have the strongest graphics card or the best display among the test devices in July. But the low waste heat, quiet system noise and long battery runtimes increased the total score opposed to the hottest opponent, the Gigabyte P2532N. Gamers should seriously consider if they wouldn't be able to accept the Gigabyte device's minor ergonomics and runtime shortcomings, for a Fast-sRGB Full HD screen and better gaming performance due to the GT 550M. The extra charge of 200 euros is still acceptable for that.

HP Pavilion dv7-6101eg

The 17.3 inch HP Pavilion dv7-6101eg and the 18.4 inch Aspire Ethos 8951G competed in the category of heavyweight desktop replacements. At a price under 800 euros, equipped with a strong AMD Radeon HD 6770M, the Pavilion dv7 let gamers' hearts beat faster. Moreover, it had an elegant and solid case, graphics switching and a good battery life of nearly four hours. The gaming performance is good as expected, but the contrast weak and reflective display, as well as the clattery keyboard dented the rating.

The Aspire Ethos 8951G scored marginally better in regard to points (81 instead of 80%). This isn't surprising since the 18.4 incher, with a fast Intel SSD, quad core processor and GeForce GT 555M, is a lot stronger in total than the less expensive dv7. The contrast weak display with narrow viewing angles proved to be a major drawback.

DTR Notebook of July 2011: Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G

The HP Pavilion dv7-6101eg is entitled to the award in terms of price-performance. The 17.3 incher is a good total bundle for gamer and multimedia users for less than 800 euros. However, we have to let the premium version of the Ethos win in view of points (1300 to 1600 euros). The inferior Full HD screen is a slap in the face for a so-called premium model, but the application and gaming performance (SSD, GT 555M) is considerably better than the Pavilion dv7's. The 18.4 incher is surprisingly good in terms of battery life and power consumption: 3:42 hours, respectively 16-22 watts in idle are remarkable for a DTR.