Reviews

Practical and affordable? A couple of months ago, we evaluated Lenovo’s entry-level ThinkPad 13, which we found to be a good value overall. Today, we turn our sights to the Chromebook counterpart. Is it a viable alternative to the world of Windows?

Happy without a fan. Despite its passively cooled Core-m processor, the EliteBook 1030 G1 can convince with excellent application performance, great input devices and a bright IPS display. Did HP create the new reference in the subnotebook segment?

Price cutter. At a mere 80 Euros (~$85), the 50e Neon is a cheap Archos smartphone. In the following review, we will check what the low budget device is capable of.

Top dog. Following Nvidia’s launch of its Pascal architecture for desktop systems a few weeks ago, the power-efficient 16 nm technology is now available for notebooks as well. Asus has been one of the first manufacturers to sample the top model GeForce GTX 1080. Stage free for the 18-inch G800VI.

Zen for the masses. Asus takes the opposite approach of the first version that could be categorized in the upper price and performance sector: The manufacturer apparently ordered a brand-name, quality tablet for a budget price. We will find out just how obvious the extreme cutbacks are in the following report.

Pushing its luck? With the ProBook 650 G2, HP debuts a 15.6-inch laptop that aims to achieve decent runtimes thanks to its frugal ULV processor. Our report reveals what customers should consider when buying this device and where the ProBook is situated in terms of performance.

More Middle-Class, Less Elite. HP shows their loyalty to AMD by using an AMD APU in their new subnotebook, the EliteBook 725 G3. Sadly, the price tag of roughly 1,000 Euros (~$1133) does not match the performance of this device. Our test model offered short battery life, a noisy fan and a dark screen with low contrast and poor viewing angles.

Born for 4K. Fans of high-resolution gaming are often faced with performance problems. Even the flagship model from Nvidia’s Maxwell generation, the GTX 980, struggles in 3840 x 2160. The situation is much better with the Pascal successor GTX 1080. This is confirmed by the Asus GX800, which is even powered by an SLI configuration.

Pascal power. The GT72S has been renewed as the GT72VR in time for Nvidia's all-powerful mobile Pascal series. While some new features have been added, a few have also been removed to make room for the higher-end GT73VR.

Clear statement. In line with the notebook launch of Nvidia's Pascal architecture, MSI announces a new high-end system based on the GeForce GTX 1070. The performance of the GT62VR is not only supposed to beat devices with the GTX 970M, but also notebooks equipped with the GTX 980M by quite a margin. Our review will find out if that is the case.

Loud gamer. It's got the looks of a multimedia notebook and the GPU of a gaming machine. While versatile, the system runs much louder than your standard Ultrabook even during low loads.

Polaris 11. The XFX Radeon RX 460 Desktop graphics card utilizes AMD's new Polaris 11 chip, which is produced using a 14 nm FinFet process. Our review with numerous benchmarks and hardware tests shows what performance the new chip and the partner-GPU are capable of.

Golden times? With its Xperia XA, Sony sends a new designer piece into the smartphone mid-range ring. Esthetes in particular should notice the slim lateral display bezel and the plain build right away. But are the inner values enough to keep the rivals at a distance?

Successful reiteration. High-quality input devices, a Full HD panel, long battery life - it seems as if HP has bundled a convincing office package with its ProBook 640 G2. Unfortunately, some weaknesses in details ruin the otherwise good overall impression.

Bad Connection. With the Pavilion 14, HP offers a compact notebook designed for multimedia. Thanks to its Nvidia GPU, it is also gaming capable to some extent. In addition, the price is quite affordable. However, HP did not correct some unfortunate flaws.

360 Degree View. Virtual Reality and 360 degree photography are the hype and Samsung is delivering what the customer wants with a new camera. In this review, we will check to see whether the camera is worth the investment.

Couch potato. HP's 11.6-inch convertible offers a high-contrast IPS screen as well as a lot of storage, but the battery runtimes are too short.

Home office. Acer combines a Braswell processor and a GeForce graphics core from the entry-level range. This will not create a gaming notebook. However, the laptop is indeed able to run some classic games. In addition, the Aspire brings other pros: It works quietly, comes with a decent keyboard and it has a big storage space.

Time for Yoga? Lenovo ups the ante and releases an elegant convertible with ULV processor and dedicated GPU. In our in-depth review, we will take a look to see how well this combination works.

DirectX 12 warfare. Ashes of the Singularity is a resource-intensive DirectX 12 strategy game with large-scale battle sequences, which jumps on the same bandwagon as Supreme Commander. What type of notebook and desktop hardware is necessary to allow stutter-free gameplay?

Bright entry. The Chinese manufacturer TP Link, which is known for network products, debuts on the smartphone market with three new smartphones from the Neffos series. The entry-level Neffos C5 offers a comparatively bright display and flexible usability.

Slimmed-down RX 480. AMD's new Polaris architecture made its debut with the top model Radeon RX 480 about two months ago. We can now review the smaller sibling. Our article is supposed to give an idea of the GPU’s performance classification.

No frills gaming. The Pavilion 15 is a great blend of multimedia and performance gaming in a modest and portable multimedia chassis. Its connectivity options and serviceability, however, leave a lot to be desired.

Colorful entry. Easy & Fun – the French manufacturer Wiko touts its new entry-level devices with this slogan. But just how much smartphone can you get for not even 100 Euros (~$111)? Our test of Wiko's new Jerry provides the answer.

White giant. Thanks to its 18.4-inch screen, the Samsung Galaxy View stands out from the majority of tablets. This does, however, also affect the weight and the size. Where can you use such a tablet and can it convince in terms of technology?

Ambitious. The Sony Xperia X aims to be a top smartphone and a photo artist in one device. Although the 5-inch Android system brings many features and high performance, is cannot fully meet its high, self-imposed claims.

Business device with stamina. Toshiba primarily did a facelift with the Portégé Z20t-C: The C models come with Skylake processors now and bring a Type-C USB port (USB 3.1 Gen 1). Despite a price north of about 2000 Euros (~$2234), the device is not flawless.

The beautiful beast. The Chinese smartphone label UHANS advertises its S1 smartphone model with this teaser. And this teaser is dead-on: Besides attractive looks, the entry-level handset proves to be powerful and exceptionally well equipped for this price range.

Quiet beast. - The MSI GTX 1070 is a unique graphics card thanks to its quiet, yet large cooling system and slight overclocking. In our review, we will test the 8 GB GDDR5 Gaming X graphics card.

A lot of smartphone for little money. With the second generation of the Z series, ZUK continues where the Z1 model left off: Very good technical specifications at a low purchase price. Only a handful of manufacturers manage a Snapdragon 820, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM for 270 Euros (~$302). Find out in our report where Lenovo's subsidiary brand ZUK had to make cutbacks.

Light, but not that mobile. The smartphone-behemoth Huawei releases a Windows convertible - and aims high by targeting business customers in the premium segment. Is the small 2-in-1 a threat to the likes of a Surface Pro 4 or the HP Spectre x2 12?

A more down-to-Earth GX700. Take away the water cooling capabilities of the GX700 and you're left with a lighter and wholly capable system in the form of a G701. While performance is where we expect it to be for a high-end gaming machine, the system still suffers from many of the same drawbacks as its ROG series siblings.

Office acrobat. Dell's Inspiron 13 7000 consumer series has a new member. The most recent convertible in a compact 13-inch size continues the tried casing design and is furnished with the latest Skylake hardware and an SSD. The silver-colored device convinces technically, but its input devices and screen are not completely free of some annoying weaknesses.

Light smartphone heavyweight. The newest flagship model by the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi proves that it has arrived in the premium smartphone sector. High-end specifications, a generous configuration, weight of just 129 grams, and high-quality glass casing: These clearly challenge established companies at a local street price of just below 300 Euros (~$332).

Smaller is better. The m3 version of the Spectre x2 12 offers an LTE modem for 899 Euros (~$990). Does the device offer good performance for the investment or does it throttle the SoC as in the m7 version?

Miixed bag. Lenovo's 10.1-inch IdeaPad Miix 310 is a detachable primarily designed to augment - and not replace - a user's existing Windows system. The performance is perfectly adequate for word processing and web browsing on-the-go - but the screen could be much brighter.

Fusion. With a 15-inch convertible, Dell tries to merge the most important qualities of a laptop and tablet in its new Inspiron. However, some compromises have to be made to achieve this high goal.

Economy project. The mobile workstation Dell Precision 3510 is an inexpensive entry-level model with many positive characteristics, but the review configuration can still not convince us.

Better take the entry-level model with i5. This update will reveal why the expensive i7 model does not pay off for typical buyers. In addition, we will compare the test model to the popular Surface Pro 4, MateBook, Miix 700 and Spectre x2 12 convertibles.

VOYOga. When looking for a bargain in the Windows convertible or 2-in-1 sector, buyers more frequently run into offers from the Far East markets whose dumping prices quickly obliterate any justified concerns regarding service life and possible warranty claims. With VOYO's V3, we are looking at a device that expertly plays around with the name.

A class of its own. Lenovo goes all-in with the ThinkPad X1 Yoga 20FRS1VS00. The icing on the cake is the OLED screen. Our review update will find out how the flagship convertible from Lenovo performs.

On-the-go workstation. Versatility is the name of the game as the P40 Yoga targets light workstation users with touchscreen features and a dedicated Quadrio GPU. For a starting price of $1500 USD, however, we were expecting a bit more in terms of performance and features.

Expensive entry. Samsung launches a 2016 update of its entry-level device Galaxy J1, but the price was increased. Samsung is once again not very generous in terms of features. Can the smartphone justify the additional price, or should you have a look at the rivals?

The 3rd Generation. The Wiko Lenny 3 applies a fresh coat of paint to the budget smartphone series. Wiko hopes the improved screen and cameras will receive good customer reviews. We reviewed the smartphone and here are our findings.

Pascal vs. Polaris. After Nvidia covered the high-end segment with the GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070, we now get the much more affordable mainstream model. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the direct rival to AMD's price-performance champion Radeon RX 480. Which card will win the duel?

Netbook revival? For around 200 Euros (~$220) the customer receives a mini Windows device with a bit of local storage and a poor TN panel. Still, the price is great for a Windows 10 Home device (64-bit).

Interface initiative. A superb diversity of interfaces and ease of upgrading were apparently at the very top of Acer's development list for its latest 15-inch business laptop. The screen and security features are also compelling. But can the important input devices, ergonomics and engine also keep up?

Office worker. Lenovo's E51-80 is situated below the ThinkPad E series. Accordingly, the prices are low - but the E51-80 cannot really be called cheap. The fast SSD and Core i7 processor boost the price. However, this does not compensate for the at most mediocre keyboard and not very convincing battery life.

Prestige object. We are one of the first editorial offices with the chance to have a close look at the upcoming GX800. Compared to the predecessor, Asus not only increases the performance and the dimensions but also equips the device with a 4K display and G-Sync support. Can the cooling system handle the components? Our preview answers initial questions.

Strong and heavy. This 13.3-inch convertible is built tough, but its size and average display brightness make it more of an indoor tablet.

Folding Box? Is it more of a subnotebook than a 360-degree convertible? This small 11.6-inch device offers great performance, workmanship and storage space. However, it lacks a good display and keyboard.

Business notebook with long runtimes. Skylake, DDR4, M.2-SSD – Dell updates its Latitude 15 E5570. You still get a very good keyboard, simple maintenance as well as a docking port, and Dell also managed to improve the battery runtimes.

Power player. All good things come in threes. Probably this is just what the Chinese smartphone manufacturer was thinking when it launched the third generation of the flagship killer: The OnePlus 3. But it is not all roses.

Long-lasting. This 10.1-inch HP convertible is available for around 400 Euros (~$445). The manufacturer provides an Intel Cherry Trail processor and long battery life. A Type-C USB interface is also included.

Play Store apps on Chrome OS... almost. The latest Acer Chromebook convertible will be compatible with Play Store apps upon launch. Our pre-release developer unit, however, has been having some issues. Nonetheless, we can provide our take on the hardware and chassis while Acer continues to patch out bugs.

It's an honor. A superb screen and decent camera wrapped in a metal casing – with a price of under 200 Euros (~$223), the Honor 5C makes a big impression. This review reveals whether the 5.2-inch smartphone is really that great.

Low-cost tracker. A fitness wristband for roughly 20 Euros (~$22) with OLED panel, heart-rate monitor, IP67 certification and a battery life of over 20 days? The Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi makes it possible. We tested Xiaomi's Mi Band 2 and report how it fares in everyday use.

Better with 4K? Once again, we review the mobile workstation from Lenovo. This time, however, the ThinkPad P50 is equipped with a Xeon processor and a 4K screen, but the latter does not make sense for every user.

Is everything better with the Plus? The new P9 Plus from Huawei is not just a bigger version of the standard P9, the display differs completely from the smaller sibling as well. The Press Touch feature is also reserved for the Plus model.

200 Euros (~$221). How much Windows do you get for this price? This 11-inch device proudly runs Windows 10 Home 64-bit. However, there are certain drawbacks, such as, a bad keyboard and a weak chassis.

Marked down office bargain. Dell introduces a new 15-inch office lineup in the medium price range, and surprised us with a total discount of 30% during the test. Buyers who do not mind a low screen resolution and do not have high expectations from input devices should read this report and quickly grab one if interested.

Road warrior. Dell's Latitude 7000 lineup is synonymous with high quality in the business sector. Our in-depth review uncovers whether the latest 12.5-inch model fulfills this claim and whether Dell can outpace the competition.

Problems with the competition. The MSI GL62 is supposed to be an attractively priced entry-level gaming device. Customers get a quad-core processor and a decent Nvidia GPU for 1100 Euros (~$1218). The 15-inch notebook still has a hard time against the rivals due to some money-saving measures. We will find out if you should buy the device.

Enduring worker. Our present model of the ThinkPad E560 is aimed at price-sensitive users. A bit over 500 Euros (~$553) has to be ponied up for the device. The buyer gets a Core i3 processor, long battery life, outstanding keyboard and two Windows operating systems in return.

Careful Development. AMDs 7th APU generation is named Bristol Ridge. Thanks to several optimizations, it promises greater efficiency and speed. We put the new A10-9600P APU through our rigorous test.

Small and affordable. The lowest-end SKU for the Ideapad 710S is actually very fairly priced at $700 USD for anyone in need of a lightweight and portable 13.3-inch notebook with respectable performance and battery life.

Darkness favors secret dealings! ZTE's Blade V7 Lite is an affordable mid-range smartphone with very appealing looks. Compared with its Blade V7 sister model, it is cheaper and aims to attract price-conscious buyers. However, the Lite version is equipped with a somewhat weaker SoC. Furthermore, it presented its dark side in our test.

Meaningless. 299 Euros (~$333) have to be put on the counter for the B50-10. This delivers a Bay Trail laptop with Windows 10. However, it is not a portable typewriter. Lenovo cut back on the battery (24 Wh), and the laptop can consequently only serve with limited stamina.

Flexible. Acer's Switch 12S is a 12.5-inch detachable equipped with a bright, contrasty display and optional pen input. The Switch costs 1200 Euro (~$1330) - way too much in our opinion.

All-rounder. Asus delivers a 15.6-inch all-rounder that is the successor of the models from the F555/X555 lineup with the VivoBook X556UQ. The company implements some innovations/improvements here - such as a better keyboard, longer battery life, Type-C USB. Unfortunately, the screen has again been neglected this time.

Big and colorful. Wiko's Robby is a phablet that is available in many colors. It features front-sided speakers, but not LTE. How does the affordable smartphone fare in the test?

Low-cost Office. Lenovo charges just under 350 Euro for a Core i3 notebook with Windows 8.1. Those looking for an inexpensive computer for home use, can hardly go wrong with this computer - despite several weaknesses (dark display, poor battery life, only one year warranty).

French Power for everyone. Archos' 50 Power features a superb configuration in the form of a strong battery, 5-inch IPS HD screen, quad-core processor and 16 GB of internal storage plus 2 GB of working memory - all this at an entry price of 150 Euros (~$167). However, it has to pass through our test course before we give it a purchase recommendation.

Little brother. We liked the Moto G4 Plus, and now we can review the slightly slimmed-down Moto G4. What are the differences?

Businessman's toy. We have already reviewed many different configurations of the Dell XPS 13 (9350). This time we want to describe a variant with Intel i7-6560U CPU, integrated Intel Iris Graphics 540, and matte 1080p display. In addition, we will cover the intensively discussed CABC problem of the XPS 13 with FHD display.

Everyone's Desire?HTC offers a new smartphone in the 200-Euro (~$222) category. The Desire 530 aims to impress buyers with a unique design, decent cameras and unusually good sound among other things. Our test reveals whether the smartphone can fulfill this high claim despite entry-level hardware.

GTX 980M update. The higher-end SKU adds G-Sync, a GTX 980M, and one more SODIMM slot over the lower-end GL502VT. Its lack of both an 8 GB GDDR5 option and external G-Sync support can be a bit of a bummer. Is this the 15-inch gaming notebook to get for $1700 USD?

Is the stylus the star? LG's Stylus 2 already points to the pen in the name. However, the phablet offers a feature that steals the show from the stylus. Find out what this is in our report.

Social media with hurdles. With the K7, LG promises outstanding selfie-capability at an affordable price point. The 5-inch Android smartphone does many things right, but unfortunately doesn't quite deliver on LG's main promise.

Absolute silence. A liquid cooling system in a convertible does not work? Of course it does! For the first time ever, Acer has installed a silent cooling technology in a high-performance convertible based on Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors. This innovation is not the only reason that it is going to get rough on the competition.

Inexpensive multimedia talent. In the Aspire F15, Acer combines a ULV processor with enough RAM and a dedicated GPU. These specifications appear good on paper and the price is significantly under 1000 Euros ($1104). We will reveal the weaknesses of the Acer Aspire F15 in our in-depth review.

007 Spectre. HP designed a conventional notebook with a "thickness" of just 10 millimeters, so it is thinner than some first-gen tablets (original iPad: 13 mm). Our full review shows how HP accomplished to fit a fully featured Windows 10 PC into one of the thinnest designs currently available.

Dynamic Duos? Samsung offers an affordable 5-inch smartphone with its Galaxy J3. It still relies on traditional virtues, such as an integrated micro-SD slot and removable battery. But is that enough to survive in the highly competitive low-cost sector?

Mid-range. The suffix "Pro" in the name of Huawei's new tablet suggests that it has some additional features that distinguish the tablet from the conventional devices. However, this is deceptive since we find a normal mid-range device for private customers. Nevertheless, our report reveals why that is not a disadvantage.

A lot of room for improvements. Lenovo charges around 1,000 Euros ($1112) for the Yoga 3 Pro. You will get a thin and attractive 13.3-inch convertible with a folding display. The device does, however, reveal some drawbacks.

Long, longer, ZenFone Max. Asus launches a smartphone on the market that follows one goal: The ZenFone Max is to achieve ultimate battery life. This begins with the hardware in the form of a strong 5000 mAh battery and ends with energy-saving software solutions. Read in our report whether the mid-range handset by Asus manages to oust the present reference in our battery test.

All of everything! Equipped with a Core i7 processor, 3K display, and dedicated graphics, the T560 aims to take the lead in our business charts. But, is the generous number of features justify a price of almost 2000 Euros (~$2267).

Thoughtful evolution. The long-awaited Precision revision from Dell seeks to modernize the design without compromising the functionality of the professional device. However, this is not an exercise without compromise... can it succeed?

Pick me up. The Asus ZenWatch 2 looks good, is affordable and it can even be used for making calls. We reveal why it is unsuitable for athletes in our report.

Tightrope walking. It took 7.5 years for EA and DICE to announce the successor to the Parkour-title Mirror's Edge. While the technology has improved drastically, content-wise, Catalyst hasn't made any progress. We vaulted around roof tops with the main character Faith to get an idea how the title performs on notebooks. Update: we've now tested more than 24 GPUs.

Remake. For the 2016 version of their Omen, HP does not stop at a simple hardware refresh, but also updates the notebook with a stylish new chassis. We take a closer look at the 15-inch version with GeForce GTX 965M. What follows are our impressions.

Silent convertible. The 12.5-inch Yoga 900S is one of the most comfortable Yoga convertibles we've used. There are, however, a couple of key drawbacks to keep in mind.

Power-Player. All good things come in threes. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer might have thought just this and launches the third generation of the flagship killer: the OnePlus 3.

Plus = better? The Moto G4 Plus is basically the regular Moto G4, but with a better camera, quick charging and fingerprint scanner. Should you get the slightly more expensive model?

Windows to go. 360-degree convertibles are still the best alternative for adding Core i power to a tablet. Asus, however, opts for a low-performance Core m3. Should buyers just as well take the Surface Pro 4 with a Core m instead?

Two for a better view? LG's X screen is equipped with two screens for little money. But just how useful is this feature in everyday use? We found out in our test.

Simple elegance. Asus wants to meet the growing expectations of business customers with new features and more performance for the AsusPro Advanced B8430UA. The basics are covered with a ULV processor, sufficient memory and a fast SSD. Read our review to find out how the AsusPro Advanced B8430UA works in practice.

Balanced bundle. With the TravelMate, Acer offers a well-made 14-inch alternative to the business models from the established brands HP, Dell and Lenovo. The TravelMate looks the same as its predecessor. However, the manufacturer has refreshed the hardware: Skylake, DDR4, and Thunderbolt 3 are on board. An already good computer has been made even better. Positive: The battery runtimes are excellent.

Gaming on integrated graphics. Can the powerful Intel Iris Graphics 580 replace a mainstream Nvidia GPU for gaming? We pit the NUC against systems with integrated and dedicated graphics solutions to find out.

More than just a gadget?! HP now also offers passively cooled business notebooks and the EliteBook Folio G1 is a particularly light and thin 12.5-inch device. It is no surprise that the performance is not very high, but can you still use the small subnotebook in a productive environment?