Review Packard Bell EasyNote LS11 Notebook (Radeon HD 6650M)
Packard Bell is the right place if you're looking for a 17 inch multimedia notebook with a good value for money ratio. The manufacturer is an expert when it comes to offering relatively strong components at a fair price. The EasyNote LS11 is such a case. For less than 1000 euros, the buyer receives sufficiently potent midrange components that are suitable for numerous application fields.
The price search engine "Geizhalz" listed five different EasyNote LS11 models at the time of the test. They only varied in regards to processor, RAM and hard disk. The LS11-HR-090GE is the cheapest alternative at a price of 700 euros and which has a dual core CPU (Core i5-2410M), a six GB DDR3 RAM and a large 640 GB HDD. In return, the LS11-HR-195GE and the LS11-HR-202GE are equipped with a quad core CPU (Core i7-2630QM), a four GB RAM and a 500, respectively 640 GB hard disk. Price: 800 euros each.
We however wouldn't recommend the LS11-HR-125GE at a price of 900 euros at the moment. Although there is no reason for complaint in view of a Core i7-2630QM, a four GB RAM and a 500 GB hard disk, the LS11-HR-233GE is available with an eight GB RAM and a 750 GB hard disk. The LS11-HR-050GE that we tested isn't sold yet. A Core i5-2410M and a HDD with a capacity of 640 GB correspond to the cheapest model. However, the RAM is limited to four GB. The test device will likely be located at about 700 euro in terms of price.
All current models have the installed DVD burner and the graphics card in common. The Radeon HD 6650M is a brand new DirectX 11 accelerator from AMD (LS11-HR-125GE only with Radeon HD 6550M). Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit is used as the operating system in all devices. Since Packard Bell is known for launching an exaggerated amount of models, even more configuration alternatives will likely follow in the future.
Case
Packard Bell doesn't make too many experiments in the case design. All surfaces are made in dark colors and bestow the EasyNote LS11 a rather inconspicuous, almost dull appearance. Merely a nice pattern on the notebook's lid and on the wrist-rest peps up its looks a bit. If you rather like colors, the notebook is allegedly also to be released in a red and white alternative.
Conventional plastic is used as the material. The workmanship can be described as decent. Unfortunately, Packard Bell has given the majority of surfaces an extremely sensitive high-gloss finish. Fingerprints and dust particles soon prevail, and scratches will be no stranger to the EasyNote LS11, either.
In terms of stability, the wobbly display lid has to especially accept reproach. On the other hand, the base unit can only be bent slightly with stronger force. The hinges didn't convince us as much. For one thing, the notebook partly lifts when it's opened. For another, the hinges aren't able to keep the display firmly in place in situations with a shaky ground. Despite the EasyNote LS11's 17 inch size and dimensions of 414x275x38 millimeters, carrying it around is still no problem. It weighs almost 3.3 kilograms.
Connectivity & Communication
Connectivity
The connectivity proves to be rather sparse. The user has to live without an ExpressCard slot just as well as without a Firewire or eSATA port. Packard Bell has installed a Kensington Lock, a VGA respectively HDMI out, a USB 2.0 port and two audio sockets on the left. The right is equipped with a cutting edge USB 3.0 port and another USB 2.0 port besides the power socket and a RJ-45 Gigabit LAN port.
We didn't like Packard Bell's port distribution at all. Most interfaces have been placed so far front that using a mouse is only possible with restrictions. The elbowroom beside the notebook suffers considerably when many cables are connected.
Communication
There's nothing to criticize in terms of wireless technologies. The EasyNote LS11 is capable of WLAN (802.11n) and Bluetooth (version 3.0).
Software
As usual, Packard Bell doesn't hold back when it comes to software installation. In addition to a whole lot of superfluous software, the full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0 and Nero 9 Essentials are included. It doesn't have a big impact on the speed, though. Nevertheless, you should rid the system of unneeded ballast.
Scope of Delivery
The EasyNote LS11's scope of delivery is quite all right. Packard Bell adds a quick guide and warranty instructions in the box. In addition, the user will find four blank DVDs that can be used for burning the system's recovery.
Warranty
Packard Bell offers a two year pick up & return service (within Germany) in terms of warranty. The warranty is even valid internationally for 12 months.
Input Devices
Keyboard
The keyboard basically made a good impression. Packard Bell has finally departed from the spongy keys of its prior models (e.g. see EasyNote LX86) and now relies on the popular chiclet design with detached keys. Both pressure point and stroke are good and the layout is also pleasant. The keys aren't exactly generously sized with a dimension of 15x15 mm, but working is well possible due to the large gap anyway. In any case, we quickly got used to it.
We merely have to clearly reproach the small “°/^” key and the extremely tiny arrow keys. They could be noticed adversely especially in race games. Many will likely be annoyed by the fairly loud and clattery key noise. They will definitely attract the attention of fellow men particularly in quiet surroundings. Incidentally, unlike most notebooks, the special functions (e.g. display brightness, etc.) aren't opened via the FN key, but via the normal F keys. This property can easily be altered in the BIOS.
Touchpad
The 85x45 mm sized and slightly submerged touchpad lags a bit in comparison. Especially the dedicated vertical scroll bar can be mentioned on the pro side. It's been noticeably marked and always worked reliably in our test. The touchpad can collect additional plus points with its support for multi-finger inputting and various gestures (for example, scrolling & zooming).
On the other hand, the mediocre gliding traits are on the con side. Packard Bell uses the same material and same surface that the wrist-rest is made of. Beyond that, both mouse keys prove to be fairly unclear. We would have liked to see a clearer trigger behavior. The touchpad shows itself as adequate in terms of accuracy. In order to not accidentally activate the touchpad, you should definitely make use of the optional deactivation during gaming.
Display
The EasyNote LS11 is equipped with a 17.3 inch glare display. It's not much of a surprise that Packard Bell has opted for a cinematic friendly 16:9 aspect ratio. Albeit many 17 inchers can serve with a FullHD resolution (1920x1080) in the meantime, we believe the HD+ resolution (1600x900) has been chosen cleverly. For one thing, there is still enough room available for effectively working with two simultaneously opened windows. For another, the graphics card (Radeon HD 6650M) can still cope with the requirements demanded by games fairly well.
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Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 240 cd/m²
Contrast: 200:1 (Black: 1.2 cd/m²)57% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
55.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
If you expect a high picture quality, you'll be extremely disappointed by the EasyNote LS11. Dark contents massively drift off into gray due to the high black value (1.2 cd/m2). The user doesn't come in delight of a saturated black. The contrast of 200:1 is equally below average, whereas the glossy display surface knows how to hide this weakness. The color intensity is quite acceptable.
Nevertheless, the EasyNote LS11 is hardly suitable for professional users. The sRGB color spectrum isn't completely covered, not to speak of the Adobe sRGB color space. A positive aspect of the display is its good brightness. 237 cd/m2 excels most competitors of this price range. The illumination is also impressive: 92% stand for an even picture.
The EasyNote LS11 hasn't really been made for outdoor use. Despite its fairly high brightness, the notebook doesn't provide much fun outdoors. The reason for this is the high-gloss display surface that leads to disagreeable reflections in direct light and sunlight. They can even turn up indoors in certain conditions.
Ultimately, the viewing angle stability complies with the standard. The picture first starts to falsify in larger angles horizontally. In return, color and illumination deviations turn up sooner vertically. In summary, the display quality is on an average level. In view of the moderate price and the given performance, the manufacturer naturally has to make cutbacks in the one or other area. However, saving just on the display is suboptimal in a multimedia notebook.
Performance
Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M
After Intel had fixed the reason for its faulty Sandy Bridge chipsets (we reported), there's nothing standing in the way of a mass launch of the new processor generation. Packard Bell uses the Core i5-2410M in its LS11-HR-050GE. It is a dual core CPU with a clock rate of 2.30 GHz. The clock rate is automatically increased up to 2.90 GHz by the Turbo Boost function, provided that the temperature conditions allow it and only one core is loaded.
Beyond that, certain application benefit from the Hyper Threading technology. It simulates two virtual cores. With the two physical cores, the Core i5-2410M can thus process up to four threads at the same time. The dual core CPU is located in the upper midrange in terms of performance. 624 million transistors and a three MB L3 cache underline this claim.
Theoretically, the Core i5-2410M also has an incorporated DirectX 10 capable graphics chip, called HD Graphics 3000. Since Packard Bell has forgone on manual graphic units switching, merely the dedicated graphics card is enabled practically. The Core i5-2410M is manufactured in a cutting edge 32nm process. It only has a power consumption of up to 35 watts.
CPU Performance
Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processors not only excel AMD competition, but its previous models as well. The Core Core i5-450M (Packard Bell EasyNote LX86), a dual core from the first Core i-generation, doesn't stand a chance, for example. The Core i5-2410M can surpass the Core i5-450M by a remarkable 27% in Cinebench R10 (64bit) with 4640 to 3662 points. This advantage lessens a bit in the Multi Core rendering (64bit): 9625 to 8081 points is still a plus of 19%.
The good results are continued in Cinebench R11.5 (64bit), where the Core i5-2410M again takes the lead by 19% (2.58 to 2.16 points). All in all, the CPU performance is more than sufficient for a multimedia notebook. The Core i5-2410M is a perfect match for the Radeon HD 6650M.
| PCMark Vantage Result | 6193 points | |
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Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 6650M
Following the Mobility Radeon HD 5650's big success, which was one of the first DirectX 11 capable graphics accelerators for notebooks, AMD now provides for fresh air in the midrange. The successor, Radeon HD 6650M, is to challenge the GeForce GT 540M, which is currently very popular among manufacturers, and help bring AMD back to its previous market dominance.
In comparison to the previous model, not much has been altered, though. Thus, users shouldn't expect a groundbreaking performance increase. Alike the HD 5650, the HD6650M is manufactured in a 40nm process and has a 128 bit bus. However, the narrow interface literally turns out to be a bottleneck in combination with the utilized DDR3 VRAM. The Radeon HD 6650M meets its limits especially in higher resolutions or graphic settings and when quality enhancements are used (antialiasing). The 2048 MB sized memory can't help here anymore, either. 1024 MB, as in the Radeon HD 5650, would have been just as effective.
The larger shader count is however the biggest difference. There are now 480 units rather than the prior 400. The core rate has also been increased slightly. While the majority of Radeon HD 5650 GPUs run with a clock rate of 450 – 500 MHz, the Radeon HD 6650M now works with 600 MHz. On the other hand, the memory rate of 800 MHz hasn't changed. The video decoder, named UVD3 and the incorporated HD audio controller would still have to be mentioned on the technical side. The latter allow transmitting sound via HDMI.
GPU Performance
We have checked the Radeon HD6650M's video performance with various variations of the 3DMark benchmark program. The AMD graphics card delivered a good performance in 3D Mark Vantage based on DirectX 10 (GPU score). The smaller Radeon HD 6550M lags behind by about 10% with 3405 to 3088 (Acer Aspire 4820TG), the GeForce GT 540M computes faster by 4% with 3551 points, though (Schenker XMG A501).
It looks different in the latest 3DMark11 (again GPU score). Albeit the HD 6650M only surpasses the HD 6550M slightly (1013 to 990 points), the GeForce GT 540M has to admit defeat by 11% (897 points). At first glance, this may indicate a higher DirectX 11 performance of the Radeon HD6650M, but the GeForce GT 540M can turn its shortfall into a victory in the Unigine Heaven 2.1 benchmark, which makes massive use of tessellation. 13.3 to 11.9 fps corresponds to a plus of 12%. The Radeon HD 6550M lags a bit behind with 11.1 fps here.
| 3DMark 03 Standard | 21862 points | |
| 3DMark 05 Standard | 14359 points | |
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 7250 points | |
| 3DMark Vantage P Result | 4031 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 1134 points | |
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HDD Performance
Packard Bell has given the LS11-HR-050GE a single HDD from Toshiba (MK6465GSX). It has a capacity of 640 GB but only rotates with 5400 rpm. Accordingly, the performance rates don't go beyond a satisfactory level. HDTune confirms that the hard disk has an average transfer rate of 68.6 MB/s (fast HDDs achieve over 80 MB/s).
The CrystalDiskMark rates are a bit better. We determined a sequential read rate of 77.73 MB/s and a sequential read rate of 77.16 MB/s. The installed HDD can't compete against a hybrid hard disk, let alone a speedy SSD to any degree. However, the given performance will be fully sufficient for normal users.
Note: Theoretically, two hard disks can be accommodated in a 17 inch case, but the empty hard disk slot isn't really usable since it lacks an installation frame and the case cover no longer closes flush with the bottom.
Performance Verdict
Packard Bell has set up an attractive multimedia notebook with the EasyNote LS11. It performance definitely matches the fair price. The combination of Sandy Bridge processor and midrange graphics card tackles most of the demanded tasks smoothly and flawlessly.
As long as Intel's Core i5-2410M and AMD's Radeon HD 6650M aren't excessively driven to their maximum (video editing, 3D programming, etc.), the EasyNote LS11 can present perfect multimedia performance. In other words: If you're looking for a versatile multimedia platform, yet don't want to spend too much, you'll find the right fare in the EasyNote LS11.
Gaming Performance
Naturally, focus was placed on the rivalry of the Radeon HD 6650M and GeForce GT 540M (Schenker XMG A501) in the practical gaming benchmarks. We used the Full HD resolution, 1920x1080 (tested on an external monitor) so that the processor didn't have a noteworthy impact.
Note: Since the installed display doesn't support a resolution of 1366x768, and 1280x720 pixels is quite unfocused, you should play in the native resolution of 1600x900. You will find our graphic setting recommendations at the end of every game. They are to represent the best compromise of looks and frame rates.
Mafia 2
The story-loaded gangster epic, Mafia 2, proves that the FullHD resolution is frequently too much for the Radeon HD 6650M. High details and 16x AF (anisotropic filtering) end up in a scanty 20.6 fps, the built-in benchmark stutters visibly. The GeForce GT 540M isn't better. The midrange graphics card is on par with 20.9 fps. You will hardly get around setting the medium detail level in Mafia 2.
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium details, 8x AF (28.4 fps)
| Mafia 2 | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | high, 0xAA, 16xAF | 20.6 fps | |
| 1360x768 | high, 0xAA, 16xAF | 34.2 fps | |
| 1024x768 | medium, 0xAA, 8xAF | 44 fps | |
| 800x600 | low, 0xAA, 0xAF | 63.4 fps | |
Call of Duty: Black Ops
The Radeon HD6650M manages better with the outstandingly staged first person shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops. High details, 2x AA (antialiasing) and 4x AF are well playable in the native resolution with 37.2 fps. However, you shouldn't demand any more from the Radeon HD 6650M. Very high details, 4x AA, 8x AF and 1920x1080 pixels weren't rendered smoothly anymore. Albeit these setting also stutter on a GeForce GT 540M, the Nvidia GPU has a lead of 14% (28.0 fps).
Recommendation: 1600x900, high details, 2x AA, 4x AF (37.2 fps)
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | extra, 4xAA, 8xAF | 24.5 fps | |
| 1360x768 | high, 2xAA, 4xAF | 46.9 fps | |
| 1024x768 | medium, 0xAA, 0xAF | 67 fps | |
| 800x600 | low (all off), 0xAA, 0xAF | 81.9 fps | |
Starcraft 2
At the moment, there's hardly a game that is more popular than the real time strategy hit from Blizzard. Starcraft 2 demands strong hardware, in particular when many units gather on the display. You can absolutely forget using ultra details and a resolution of 1920x1080. The intro of the challenge "For the Swarm" ran anything but smooth with 16.7 fps. The same applies to the GeForce GT 540M: 17.3 fps (-4%) aren't in anyway enough for playing. We would recommend a mix of medium and high details.
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium – high details, (24 fps @ high; 39.8 fps @ medium)
| StarCraft 2 | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | ultra | 16.7 fps | |
| 1360x768 | high | 27.5 fps | |
| 1360x768 | medium | 43.4 fps | |
| 1024x768 | low | 201.1 fps | |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The technically demanding multi-player shooter gives the Radeon HD 6650M a hard time. As expected, the performance nosedives when high details, 4x AA and 8x AF are used. The boat trip at the solo player's start is finished with a poor 15.8 fps in the FullHD resolution. Nvidia's GeForce GT 540M also reaches an equal frame rate of 15.5 fps. If you'd like to play in the native 1600x900 pixels, you should opt for medium details and 4x AF (HBAO off).
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium details, 4x AF (39.2 fps)
| Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | high, HBAO on, 4xAA, 8xAF | 15.8 fps | |
| 1366x768 | high, HBAO on, 1xAA, 4xAF | 32.7 fps | |
| 1366x768 | medium, HBAO off, 1xAA, 1xAF | 49.4 fps | |
| 1024x768 | low, HBAO off, 1xAA, 1xAF | 63.7 fps | |
Need for Speed: Shift
While the newest Need for Speed offshoot is waiting to be launched, we content ourselves with the first Shift release. The race game with an air of realism forces many midrange systems to their knees. Even the Radeon HD 6650M is too weak for high details and 4x AA in a resolution of 1920x1080. Drifting around corners just isn't fun with 21.0 fps. Because Shift is one track favored by the Nvidia, the GeForce GT 540M feels a bit more comfortable with it. However, 23.9 fps (+14%) is only suitable for hardcore gamers. We would sooner let the Radeon HD 6650M process Shift with medium details and 2x AA in the native resolution.
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium details, 2x AA (34.2 fps)
| Need for Speed Shift | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | all on/high, 4xAA, triliniarAF | 21 fps | |
| 1366x768 | all on/high, 4xAA, triliniarAF | 33.9 fps | |
| 1024x768 | all on/med, 2xAA, triliniarAF | 50.5 fps | |
Metro 2033
The atmospheric first person shooter from the Ukrainian developer, 4A Games, is currently the hardest trial for graphic cards. AMD's Radeon HD 6650M fails completely due to the extreme requirements put on the hardware. Even when you don't set a FullHD resolution, very high details and DirectX 11 mode, the frame rate ends up in the lower two digit field. For example, 1600x900 pixels, high details and DirectX 10 mode stutter along considerably with 15.9 fps. The GeForce GT 540M also doesn't have anything to laugh about and lines up behind the Radeon HD 6650M with 14.4 fps. Metro 2033 can only be persuaded into an acceptable frame rate set up with medium detail settings, DirectX9 mode and a low resolution in the range of 1280x720.
Recommendation: 1280x720, medium details, DirectX9, AAA, 4x AF (35.1 fps)
| Metro 2033 | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | Very High DX11, AAA, 4xAF | 5.2 fps | |
| 1600x900 | High DX10, AAA, 4xAF | 15.9 fps | |
| 1360x768 | Normal DX10, AAA, 4xAF | 28.9 fps | |
| 800x600 | Low DX9, AAA, 4xAF | 57.7 fps | |
Risen
Despite the graphics that can at most be called good, many midrange notebooks have a tough time with the German open world role game. The EasyNote LS11 also has its difficulties with Risen. The Radeon HD 6650M isn't fast enough for high details and 4x AF in the FullHD resolution. 18.7 fps are too little even for a chapter out of the third person view. Nvidia's GeForce GT 540M is slower by 8%. Schenker's XMG A501 achieved 17.2 fps. You inevitably have to be content with medium details and 4x AF in the native resolution. 26.6 fps supply an adequate game play.
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium details, 4x AF (26.6 fps)
| Risen | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | high/all on, 0xAA, 4xAF | 18.7 fps | |
| 1366x768 | all on/high, 4xAF | 27.2 fps | |
| 1024x768 | all on/med, 2xAF | 39.2 fps | |
| 800x600 | all off/low, 0xAF | 65.4 fps | |
Colin McRae: Dirt 2
Last of all, we would like to look at the rally simulation, Colin McRae: Dirt 2. Its beautiful looks first develop fully with a DirectX 11 capable graphics card. Alike the previous games, the Radeon HD 6650M can't run Dirt 2 smoothly in maximum details settings. Very high details, 4x AA and a resolution of 1920x1080 only result in 16.2 fps, which is only slightly higher than that of the GeForce GT 540M (15.7 fps). In accordance to our measurements, we would warmly recommend medium details and 4x AA in the native resolution.
Recommendation: 1600x900, medium details, 4x AA (36.1 fps)
| Colin McRae: DIRT 2 | |||
| Resolution | Settings | Value | |
| 1920x1080 | Ultra Preset, 4xAA | 16.2 fps | |
| 1920x1080 | Ultra Preset, 4xAA | 16.2 fps | |
| 1920x1080 | Ultra Preset, 4xAA | 16.2 fps | |
| 1360x768 | High Preset, 2xAA | 30.8 fps | |
| 1360x768 | High Preset, 2xAA | 30.8 fps | |
| 1360x768 | High Preset, 2xAA | 30.8 fps | |
| 1024x768 | Medium Preset, 0xAA | 67.5 fps | |
| 1024x768 | Medium Preset, 0xAA | 67.5 fps | |
| 1024x768 | Medium Preset, 0xAA | 67.5 fps | |
| 800x600 | Low Preset, 0xAA | 98.1 fps | |
| 800x600 | Low Preset, 0xAA | 98.1 fps | |
| 800x600 | Low Preset, 0xAA | 98.1 fps | |
Verdict: Gaming Performance
The brand new Radeon HD 6650M's gaming performance couldn't really sweep us from our feet. It's usually enough for medium or high details (more often than not with quality enhancements) when average resolutions, in the range of 1366x768, are used. However, the Radeon HD 6650M's performance drops rapidly with 1600x900 pixels or more. More than medium details are hardly possible. It even stops in low detail levels in extreme cases like Metro 2033. Ultimately, the Radeon HD 6650M is absolutely unsuitable for FullHD resolutions.
Regardless of that, the Radeon HD 6650M does just fine in comparison to the GeForce opponent. It reaches about GeForce GT 540M's performance level. Besides that, the weaker Radeon HD 6550M has a 10% disadvantage. Looking back at the predecessor, Radeon HD 5650, we would have nevertheless hoped for a larger performance gain. In the last few months the midrange has come to a bit of a standstill (except for a few new features).
Demanding gamers will therefore be satisfied with high-end graphic cards, beginning with the GeForce GTX 460M or Radeon HD 5870 for the time being. Nevertheless, Packard Bell can't be reproached for choosing the Radeon HD 6650M. There is hardly a notebook in the price range of 700 euros that can bid such a high gaming performance.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark (2005) | 212.2 | |||
| Call of Juarez Benchmark (2006) | 29.7 | |||
| Crysis - GPU Benchmark (2007) | 116.9 | 67.8 | 33.2 | 8.8 |
| Crysis - CPU Benchmark (2007) | 117.9 | 58.2 | 27.6 | 8.2 |
| Far Cry 2 (2008) | 111.1 | 51.9 | 18 | |
| Left 4 Dead (2008) | 183.5 | 114.2 | ||
| F.E.A.R. 2 (2009) | 169.1 | 81.7 | 54.2 | 28.5 |
| Anno 1404 (2009) | 146 | 33.1 | ||
| Colin McRae: DIRT 2 (2009) | 98.1 | 67.5 | 30.8 | 16.2 |
| Need for Speed Shift (2009) | 50.5 | 33.9 | 21 | |
| Resident Evil 5 (2009) | 109 | 50.8 | 28.8 | |
| Risen (2009) | 65.4 | 39.2 | 27.2 | 18.7 |
| CoD Modern Warfare 2 (2009) | 151.2 | 55.7 | 43.9 | 26.7 |
| Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010) | 63.7 | 49.4 | 32.7 | 15.8 |
| Metro 2033 (2010) | 57.7 | 28.9 | 15.9 | 5.2 |
| StarCraft 2 (2010) | 201.1 | 43.4 | 27.5 | 16.7 |
| Mafia 2 (2010) | 63.4 | 44 | 34.2 | 20.6 |
| Fifa 11 (2010) | 315 | 180.7 | 97.8 | 52.4 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) | 81.9 | 67 | 46.9 | 24.5 |
Emissions
System Noise
One of the biggest points of criticism of many notebooks is the EasyNote's biggest strength: the noise development. The 17 inch case has one single fan which does its work pleasantly quiet in idle mode. Simple tasks, such as internet surfing or movie rendering, are accompanied by only a minor noise. Working with the device is very pleasant. The hard disk is just as inaudible.
Surprisingly, the fan only turns up marginally during load. The atmosphere of games isn't impaired. We would describe the noise level as completely acceptable even under full load. We couldn't tickle more than 37.3 dB(A) out of the notebook. Merely the optical drive could be a bit quieter. Our meter recorded 38.4 dB(A). In short: The EasyNote LS11 is perfectly suitable for noise sensitive users. Only few gaming suitable devices work accordingly inconspicuous.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 31.9 / 31.9 / 31.9 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 31.9 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 38.4 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 33.4 / 37.3 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft SL-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
In addition to the noise emissions, the temperatures also can't be reproached. The components don't get very hot during full load (Furmark & Prime). 72°C for the graphics card and 85°C for the processor is absolutely acceptable. We couldn't determine a throttling (downclocking) of the components. The system ran very stably during the entire test period. The Core i5-2410M and Radeon HD 6650M settle to a reasonable 50°C in idle mode.
The surface temperatures especially appealed to us in idle mode. An average of 26.3°C on the top and 26.6°C on the bottom are good rates. Hands get a bit warm during load. The wrist-rest reached up to 32.9°C and even almost 40°C in the WASD key vicinity. The bottom remained a bit cooler with a maximum of 39°C.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.4 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.3 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.9 °C / 91.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-4.1 °C / -7.4 F).
Speakers
The installed stereo speakers' (above the keyboard) sound quality will definitely not win any rewards. Typical notebook, they lack precision and volume and the low pitches are extremely neglected. Since there is no subwoofer, the bass is only faint. The maximum volume is also rather moderate. You should sit fairly close to the device.
Moreover, high pitches tend to fray. We perceived a certain amount of distortion when the speakers were turned up too high. Movies, games and music lose a lot of their atmosphere without an external sound system or good headphones. A few devices do a lot better in this regard. The EasyNote LS11 is remote from the sound quality of Dell's XPS 17 or MSI's GT663R.
Battery Life
Since Packard Bell has opted against a manual graphics switching and the EasyNote LS11 has a rather weak 6 cell battery (48 Wh, 4400 mAh), the mobility is inclined towards the center field. The battery is drained very fast in load with maximum brightness and disabled energy savings options (BatteryEater Classic Test). The display turned black after only a bit more than an hour. The runtime increases dramatically in DVD rendering. About 2.5 hours is enough for most movies (maximum brightness & medium energy saving options).
Wireless internet surfing via WLAN results in a similar runtime. We determined two hours and 42 minutes with Internet Explorer. Even up to 4.5 hours are possible when brightness is set to minimum and the maximum energy savings options are selected (BatteryEater Reader's Test). If you have to rely on a higher mobility, you should look around for a device with a stronger battery and/or integrated graphics switching (e.g. Acer Aspire 5820TG).
There's nothing unusual about the power consumption. 13.7 – 22.3 watts in idle mode and 43.1 – 76.2 watts in load (90 watt adapter) are acceptable in view of the given performance. Other 17 inch multimedia notebooks, such as the Sony Vaio VPC-EC3M1E, treat themselves to just as much power.
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.5 Watt |
| Idle | 13.7 / 18.9 / 21.3 Watt |
| Load |
43.1 / 76.2 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC-940 | |
Verdict
Packard Bell has put focus on a balanced proportion of price and performance in the EasyNote LS11. In our opinion, this plan has been successful for the most part. The strong CPU/GPU duo, made up of Core i5-2410M and Radeon HD 6650M, supply a good amount of multimedia performance which isn't found everywhere for a price of around 700 euros. The system power isn't paid for by an exaggerated temperature and noise development. The 17 incher stays fairly quiet even during load. The good input devices are another plus point.
The list of drawbacks is kept within an acceptable range. Connectivity-eager users shouldn't be deterred by the meager configuration, for example. There is no ExpressCard slot to be found, just like no Firewire or eSATA port. The EasyNote LS11's biggest drawback is its mediocre display, though. While brightness and colors are quite impressive, the high black value, extreme viewing angle dependency and the excessive reflections cause a few deductions.
In short: Performance orientated users who want to save money and can live with a second rate display and an incomplete connectivity, should definitely take a look at the Packard Bell EasyNote LS 11.
