Reviews

(Quad)Core values. High-end is great, but not always required: even when equipped with a Core i5 CPU and a GeForc 945M GPU, the Acer Aspire VN7-792G offers solid performance for a price that's more than fair. The display isn't too shabby, either.

Just your style. The Moto X Style is the flagship of Lenovo's American subsidiary, and can be customized even more than its sister models. It also sports stronger hardware and a better camera. Its 5.7-inch screen makes it quite bulky. Despite all that, there is still room for improvement.

New revision. We already checked the Alienware 15 twice. In this review update, the gaming notebook gets a fresh Skylake processor and the fast Nvidia GTX 980M. Can Alienware keep the components of the 15-inch device cool?

Fourth Time's a Charm. The highly-anticipated fourth rendition of Microsoft’s Surface Pro is finally here, and it brings some valuable refinements. Thanks to a low-power Core m3 CPU, our review unit is completely devoid of moving parts—making this more tablet than ever before. But is it finally the tablet than can replace your laptop, or is it just another product of compromise?

Ready for games with Skylake. Fallout 4, Black Ops 3, Battlefront – autumn brings a lot of challenge for gamers. MSI has refreshed its line-up for the gaming festival and improved the GE72 a lot: Apart of an up-to-date Intel quad-core CPU, the 17-inch fireball got an IPS panel and a USB 3.1 port. However, the price went up quite a bit, too. Is this justified?

Small giant. Despite the appended word Compact, the Xperia Z5 Compact is a very good choice and very close to the larger sibling Z5. Our review will show whether users of the predecessor Xperia Z3 Compact should think about an upgrade as well.

Incomplete. While the console version received international acclaim, the PC version is causing all sorts of trouble. Performance drops here, crashes and graphics errors there: The fact is Black Ops 3 doesn't currently appear to be very well developed. Does the game degenerate into incessant stuttering on notebooks too?

Tough. Rugged devices sometimes have to operate under the most adverse conditions. Dell's Latitude 12 Rugged tablet presents itself as a robust workhorse with stamina.

Attractive and inexpensive. The 5-inch Paris brings about a sense of luxury on an otherwise inexpensive device. Is there a catch to this $150 smartphone?

Moon landing. There is currently much heated debate as to whether Anno 2205 can live up to its predecessor in the realm of game mechanics. Here at Notebookcheck, we're primarily concerned with the city-builder game's graphics. Do the visuals do justice to the future world scenario? We tested a number of notebook GPUs at various settings.

First impressions. Short measurements before our full review on the Google smartphone.

Up to date. Intel's quad-core Skylake processor only has a slight lead over its Haswell predecessor. However, its small boost in performance is accompanied by lower energy consumption. After the release of the GS70 Haswell model, MSI also fiddled with its successor's connectivity options: Two USB 3.1 ports and an NVMe M.2 slot are now on board.

Eye of the dragon. How far can you overclock the GT72S with its Core i7-6820HK and GTX 980 GPU? We revisit the GT72S special edition to find out how much a performance gain users can expect.

Expensive performance boost. For their top-of-the-line model in the E550-series, Lenovo not only integrated a speedy Core i7 CPU, but also a dedicated Radeon GPU. The resulting notebook costs almost 1000 Euro (~$1100). Is that too much money for an entry-level ThinkPad?

First Impressions. Short measurements before our full review on the Google smartphone.

Skylake successor… Dell’s adoption of an evolutionary approach to revising their flagship XPS 13 Ultrabook seems appropriate given the splendor of the machine’s futuristic design and the universal praise heaped upon its predecessor. But can its chipset refresh and tweaks under the hood keep it perched at the top of the pile? We leave no stone unturned and no key unpressed.

Quiet and cool. The Aspire does not have a whole lot of CPU performance, but it is completely sufficient for office tasks and web browsing. Advantages of the system are the low temperature development, the quiet operating noise and the good keyboard. It does not consume a lot of power, either.

Metal head. Unlike its precursor, Huawei's MediaPad M2 8.0 is now covered in a metal casing. Once again, the tablet scores with a potent HiSilicon Kirin Octa-core processor, decent HD IPS touchscreen, and great battery life. The latest Android 5.1 operating system and fast Wi-Fi round off the couch surfer - a good deal for around 280 Euros (~$306).

Nitro reloaded. Introduced at the IFA 2015, Acer’s Nitro refresh is released in time for Christmas and the race for buyer's favor. Can the non-black edition recapture the success of the late 2014 Nitro?

Tablet meets notebook. Finally, we have Microsoft's latest model, the Surface Pro 4, under review. In response to many readers' requests, we will share our first impressions and compare it to its Surface Pro 3 predecessor as well as the brand new Surface Book, which we also have under review now.

Flagship with some issues. The ZTE Axon Elite is the current flagship device from the Chinese manufacturer in the European market. At a first glance, it ticks all the right boxes with 4K video recording, fingerprint scanner and a very powerful processor. However, a closer inspection reveals some drawbacks.

A book with some missing pages. If you want a one-of-a-kind notebook, then the Surface Book is the first to offer a dedicated Nvidia GPU in the keyboard dock to power an equally unique 3:2 tablet with one of the best displays for the size. It's surprising, then, that the Surface Book can feel so barebones at the end of the day.

Traditional & affordable. HP's 14-inch Pavilion 14t is a low-cost conventional notebook. The decent performance is overshadowed by an underwhelming display and just average battery life.

February 2018 update. Say cheese! We have a look at eight current flagship smartphones and compare the camera performance. The devices were tested in all disciplines starting with daylight shots, panoramas and low-light situations.

Extreme athlete. Desktop performance in a laptop? The brand new GeForce GTX 980 makes this possible. Schenker Technologies belongs to the first manufacturers launching a suitable gaming notebook. We checked whether the steep price is justified.

Perfect thermals. No matter what we did with Acer's newcomer, the core clock rates never swayed from the specified maximum - even in battery mode. Befittingly, the TravelMate was almost perfect in terms of temperature and noise development. Can the screen and input devices keep up?

Everything is new. Dell's new entry-level business device comes with a matte IPS display, long battery runtimes and a large maintenance hatch. Priced at almost 900 Euros (~$987), it is not a cheap system though.

Skylake on the march. Nexoc joins together the tried-and-true Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M and brand new Skylake Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU. The combo promises both high performance and reduced energy consumption. Nexoc's new device meets these expectations -- but what is a mediocre display doing in a computer in this price range?

Desktop-name, desktop-power. Although we do not appreciate the name of the mobile GTX 980 because it can be easily confused, Nvidia's new gaming flagship performs impressively. Our test covers the performance in Full HD and 4K resolution.

Revival. Nexoc breathes new life into their M512 Barebone with a brand new Skylake Core i3 and a fast M.2 SSD. Can a chassis released in 2013 still compete at the end of 2015?

Ghost in a shell. The portable 15.6-inch GS60 gets Skylake, DDR4, NVMe SSD, and USB 3.1 Super Port for its latest refresh. Essentially, pretty much everything but the GTX 970M has been updated. Has gaming performance improved in any way?

Rarity. The conventional hard drive in the dock makes Acer unique in the market. However, other features are disappointing, and thus, a list of controversial pros and cons evolve. Is it a master of its category or leading a lost battle?

Hot flushes. The ThinkPad 10 2nd Gen is Lenovo’s second attempt to establish a mainstream business tablet. Besides the convenient features of the old model, once again, there are big issues in terms of performance.

New wine - old wineskin? Nexoc takes a tried-and-true Clevo barebone and packs top-of-the-line hardware into a familiar chassis. What could go wrong?

Resurrected: Scene one, take two. It seems this 15-inch computer offers everything a gamer could wish for, including a sizeable SSD alongside a terabyte of hard drive space. Read on to find out why our reviewer still wasn't satisfied with the device.

Better thanks to Skylake. Although the new Skylake processor in Schenker's XMG A706 only results in a marginal performance increase compared with the XMG A705, the laptop comes with lower power consumption and longer battery runtimes owing to it improved energy efficiency.

More than mediocre? The less expensive devices from Lenovo in particular often got a very mediocre rating in the recent past; the author was obviously disappointed by the B50-80. So does the "bigger sibling" B70-80 perform better? The situation seems to be better with a powerful i5 CPU and dedicated Nvidia GPU.

Price-performance smasher? HP promises that its exceptional multimedia laptop, Pavilion 15, can boast among others, with a Full HD screen and plenty of storage for a price less than 500 Euros (~$568). However, closer inspection shows shortcomings in the 15-inch device.

Middle-class convertible. The predecessors' displays didn't exactly impress because of their low resolution and subpar brightness. Asus improved the Transformer Book Flip somewhat in that regard, but the new convertible is still decidedly average. We'll explain why in the following review.

Windows 10 netbook. Lenovo proves that you don't need to have fancy convertibles or detachables to make a good netbook. While a healthy number of features had to be cut, the super-light Ideapad 100S is a bargain for just under $200.

Low-cost all-rounder. Although HP's 350 G2 does not excel in any category, it is not disappointing, either. All in all, it is a basic 15.6-inch all-rounder at a good price-performance ratio that should satisfy the needs of most users.

Hardware update. 2015 is the year of Intel’s brand-new Skylake generation, which not only offers a better performance but also improved power efficiency. The XMG P506 from Schenker Technologies is a surprisingly thin gaming notebook that utilizes all advantages of the modern technology.

Dockable ecosystem. The HP Pro Tablet 608 G1 is targeted at professional markets but might suit consumers looking for a particular type of ultramobile PC solution. There's an extensive set of specifications and a wide range of accessories.

More than meets the eye? Asus has leveraged the criticism of their T100 Chi to concoct a completely refined successor which corrects nearly all of its issues. Plus, just for kicks, it’s 25% less expensive, too! Is this the Chromebook killer Windows needs?

Stay-at-home. Acer's Aspire E17 E5-752G-W7TY sports one of the newest AMD CPUs from the Carrizo generation. This report discloses how the three-month-old A10-8700P scores, and whether an HD+ screen in a 17-inch device is still compelling.

Gentle evolution. Schenker sends its new XMG P706 into the race with efficient Skylake processors, modern DDR 4 memory and other minor modifications. Otherwise, compared with its precursor, the slim 17-inch device has hardly changed - and that is a good thing.

Do you have enough force? The new Battlefront game uses your computer screen to encompass you in epic battles between the Empire and the Rebels -- that is, provided your computer is up to the task. What kind of hardware will enable your machine to render the game fluidly? Read our article to find out.

King of Features. MSI refreshes its gaming laptops with new hardware and exciting features within the framework of the release of Intel's Skylake generation. Read here how the GT72S top model fares against its high-end rivals.

Routine Kick. Few games have the mass appeal of the FIFA football series. We took a look at its various aspects and our benchmark results will tell you what hardware you need to run FIFA 16 well. Is an entry-level system powerful enough to run the game fluidly?

Worthy budget 2-in-1. Asus' new version of their 11.6-inch Transformer Book ticks all the important checkmarks for budget convertibles. True, the storage could be larger and the performance better - but from a price-to-value ratio, the little machine is a tough act to follow.

4G for cheap. 4G is becoming more accessible than ever as Bluboo now offers it for just under $90 USD with the 5-inch Xfire. Is there a catch to this Dual-SIM smartphone?

Flexible all-rounder. Lenovo's multi-mode, 15.6-inch Flex 2 Pro 15 does not exhibit any severe shortcomings and presents itself as a well-rounded, versatile device. However, its decent configuration (SSD, 16 GB RAM) forces up the price to almost 1000 Euros (~$1135).

Shrinkage. Samsung’s new 8-inch tablet looks just like its larger sibling, the Galaxy Tab 9.7. The internals are very similar as well, but can the device offer the same amount of performance despite the reduced dimensions?

Sink Ships! In the Free 2 Play game “World of Warships”, Navy enthusiasts will engage in short and action-packed sea battles. Despite good graphics, the engine is very conservative and is capable of running decently, even on older laptops. In this review, we will present our findings from our various benchmarks.

Recycling. You have a déjà-vu experience when you open the box of the Galaxy J5, because Samsung uses the old chassis design. Although the components are fairly standard, the manufacturer has integrated a flash at the front for selfie fans.

Well done, Asus. Until recently, Asus has been using Core M processors in their Zenbook UX305 models. However, the manufacturer now has greater aspirations. By adding new Core i7 processors to the series, Asus hopes to compete with the MacBook Air 13. Even with its stronger CPU, the Zenbook's battery life has improved. It just goes to show that in the wrestling ring of the computer world, sometimes it is not a disadvantage for a battery to put on some weight.

Quiet demeanor. Toshiba has refreshed its affordable Tecra A50 lineup with the thinner and sleeker A50-C series. Unfortunately, the manufacturer has a long way to go to catch up to the likes of Dell, HP, or Lenovo in the business space.

Insanely slim. With a more compact chassis and a different screen ratio, the new Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 aims to outdo its predecessor. Our in-depth review will show whether this is a success despite – or because – of the shrunken dimensions.

Mixed feelings. Lenovo's newcomer wants to qualify for the multimedia division with its mid-range graphics card but blunders in terms of screen and sound. The keyboard might disappoint users who value good office qualities. However, most other traits, and primarily the performance, are very compelling.

Platform update. Slightly delayed, but they are here. As September draws to an end, the first notebooks based on Intel's Skylake architecture are arriving on the scene. Our first test device equipped with the new technology is the Schenker XMG U506, which has a bona fide desktop processor at its command. Is it time for the old CPUs to disappear?

Bigger and better. Sounds disrespectful, but it is just a pun. The latest Apple iPhone 6S Plus is all about the touch as part of the new handling concept called 3D Touch. The latest S model is obviously faster, and you also get better cameras as well as faster communication modules. You also get more weight compared to the predecessor. The new iPhone is still a great smartphone.

The 3D Midas touch. No disrespect intended for the Apple iPhone 6S, but rather to point out the new control concept 3D Touch, which is one of the most important new features of the current smartphones from Cupertino. Just like every other generation, the 6S models are once again faster, but the design did not change. One thing that was increased is the weight.

Superfluous. Despite a frugal CPU, Lenovo's 15.6-inch notebook only manages poor battery runtimes. With a price tag of around 400 Euros (~ $446), it cannot really be called a bargain either.

No compromises. Desktop CPUs, G-Sync support, NVMe SSDs: Schenker's new 17-inch XMG U706 machine features almost everything that the heart of a gaming enthusiast desires. Will it be enough for our Top Ten Chart?

Unconvincing. Lenovo throws a new 15.6-inch office laptop on the market with its IdeaPad 305-15. The computer presents solid processing performance and is well-equipped. However, it has clear shortcomings in battery life and keyboard.

Mirror, mirror in my hand … The Mate S is definitely one of the most beautiful smartphones that are currently available on the market. Whether it is all only beautiful illusion or the new style-icon from China has more to offer can be discovered in our report.

Hardly faster, but much more efficient. The wait is over: Intel's new Skylake architecture is finally available for notebooks and replaces the predecessors Haswell and Broadwell. We review the two quad-core models Core i7-6700HQ and i7-6820HK.

Advantage wanted. Toshiba launches a new office laptop powered by the latest AMD APU on the market. It presented an overall decent performance in the test. However, the question arises: Why should buyers not opt for an almost equally priced, stronger Intel alternative?

Crossover. Shortly after the release of the new Windows 10, Apple released new Boot Camp drivers for the latest operating system from Redmond. We tested it.

For playing games on the job. If you want a business notebook that's more about games than actual work, then look no further.

Touch me harder! This is what the new iPhones are about – the touch. At least in terms of the handling with 3D Touch. The new Apple smartphones are obviously faster, heavier, and thicker. On the other hand, the battery is smaller and the cameras are supposed to be much better. First, a quick check.

Speed up! USB 3.1 is waiting in the wings to succeed USB 3.0 as standard interface. New features, double the performance and relatively cheap hardware make migrating attractive. We checked what you should consider and who will benefit from migrating now.

There’s life in the old dog yet. It has been very quiet around the small iPad lately. Some people even claimed that the Mini could be cancelled. Phil Schiller from Apple only mentioned the iPad Mini 4 with two sentences during the keynote. With that in mind, the new iPad Mini performs better than expected in our review, but there is still a respectable distance to the iPad Air 2.

Universal tool? 2-in-1 convertibles want to be the Swiss Army Knife in the Laptop World. Lenovo has an interesting configuration that should satisfy office workers, casual gamers, and media consumers alike in its line for 800 Euros (~$892).

Jack-of-all-trades? AR-coated, Full HD, powerful Intel SoC, and an AMD graphics. The mix that dreams are made of? However, we are disappointed - and you?

Braswell upgrade. Acer's 13.3-incher delivers long battery runtimes, a decent keyboard, and a matte display. It is priced at about 380 Euros (~$424). However, the computer also showed weaknesses.

Family duel. Alongside the GT, GS and GE series of gaming notebooks, MSI has also released their GP62 and GP72 entry-level models. We just reviewed the 15-inch version -- now we turn our attention to the 17-inch model. We have recorded our impressions here.

From an unloved stepchild to a Shining Star? According to some rumors, Apple would discontinue its iPad Mini entirely. There was hardly any mention of the Mini at the last keynote event. There was not even a news item. Nevertheless: The iPad Mini 4 has arrived - and more effort has been put into it than expected. It is even allowed to bear the iOS 9 banner.

Problem child. The Envy 15 is wrapped in an elegant case and equipped with an up-to-date Nvidia GTX 950M. While the specs of the Envy 15 are impressive, throttling has been a prominent problem of our test model.

5-inch smartphone for $90 USD. Smartphones are getting bigger, but that doesn't mean prices have to follow. The Doogee Nova Y100X is one of the cheapest 5-inch phones currently available with decent hardware in tow. What corners were cut along the way?

Average fare. No maintenance hatch, fixed battery, clattery keyboard, dark display, weak GPU - the Lenovo Z51 does not really provide rays of hope.

A fresh take. Dell’s Inspiron 15 7558 continues the manufacturer’s expansion of the Inspiron line into more premium territory, this time with a 2-in-1 convertible design (similar to Lenovo’s smaller Yoga machines). Can it inspire us with its rebalanced priorities?

Slowed down. Anyone thinking about buying HP's new, unusual 15-inch convertible will need patience. The sluggish hard drive slows down the system unnecessarily. A high-quality screen should not be on the priority list, either. Fortunately, there are also positive aspects to report.

Mingling in the mid-range. Motorola has pitched its mid-range Moto X Play phone to compete against price-performance whoppers such as OnePlus' One. The buyer gets a gigantic battery, plenty of performance and a high-resolution camera for under 400 Euros (~$454). Find out whether this is the new mid-range champion.

Brilliant. It has been four months since the Hollywood blockbuster was released and now its time for the video game. Unlike many other movie-to-game ports, Mad Max is impressive. Let us take a look at what it has to offer.

Colors everywhere. Thermal images allow a vivid visualization of the heat development on mobile devices – we explain the theoretical basics and show current smartphone solutions. We start with Therm-App from Opgal Optronic as well as the Seek Thermal Compact.

Yet another sibling. The current G4 family from LG already got a new member with the G4c. Now we get the next sibling. The LG G4s sits right between the top model and the compact version in terms of size and features. Still, the G4s cannot convince us completely, despite the good genes.

Shark attack. Eurocom's fourth generation Shark gets an updated chassis with GTX 960M graphics. Is this mainstream-level gaming notebook a better deal than more well-known competitors?

Wise man's tablet. Zen means to live life to the fullest - a high claim. Asus also expects much from its latest tablet. The ZenPad S 8.0 is supposed to be the slimmest of its kind and features a big RAM capacity of 4 GB. Asus mentions beauty, strength, and luxury - for a fair price.

No more Aluminum! The predecessor had an aluminum lid, while the new Dell Inspiron 17-5758 is now mainly made of plastic. On the other hand, it features up-to-date Broadwell CPUs and a dedicated graphics card. Is this sufficient to make up for the poor connectivity?

Versatile and affordable… The Pavilion x2 10-n013dx is the latest in HP’s rather crowded convertible line, sporting a familiar detachable design and a power-sipping Intel chipset intended to handle the basics. But with its multimode design and reasonable components, it’s an enticing candidate for the price tag.

Box of Curiosities. After a longer hiatus, Metal Gear Series 2014 with Revengeance and Ground Zeroes once again returns to the PC platform. The newest offshoot, called "The Phantom Pain" is - in line with the previous installment - a rather unusual title. We check out the new stealth game and look at how it performs on notebooks.

Cute top-seller. Acer's little 11-inch convertible features a new Braswell CPU and a 360-degree hinge. However, contrary to the manufacturer's touting, the Aspire R11 is not a jack of all trades.

Excellent? The in-house tablet from the online shop one.de is now available with Windows 10. We looked closer at the 10.1-inch device.

Wise man's tablet. Zen means to live life to the fullest - a high claim. Asus also expects much from its latest tablet. The ZenPad S 8.0 is supposed to be the slimmest of its kind and features a big RAM capacity of 4 GB. Asus mentions beauty, strength, and luxury. Here is a first short review.

An edge in need of sharpening. Released almost half a year after the original S6 Edge, the S6 Edge+ brings a larger display and... unfortunately not much else. How does the new Edge compare against the Galaxy Note 5 and its siblings?

Limited performance. HP advertises its new business detachable as: "The one device you need...". In fact, the Elite x2 is a versatile multi-talent, but it ultimately misses a better rating due to minor flaws in details.

Business made affordable. Among professional users, Lenovo have built up a good reputation with their solid ThinkPad-line. The E-series consists of affordable business notebooks, but lacks the premium name. Is the series truly an affordable alternative?

Workhorse for rough jobs. The CAT S40 is a ruggedized smartphone that combines a very bright IPS screen and long battery life in a robust exterior. However, the hardware could have been more powerful. It is powered by a Qualcomm entry-level quad-band SoC and 16 GB of storage. Nevertheless, the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system and penta-band LTE are on board.

Fine tuning. The second smartphone from the still young Chinese company is once again a strong package. There are many small improvements, but the design evolved as well. A current Snapdragon and even a new operating system are also included, but it is still not a flagship killer.