Reviews

17 inch netbook? A 17 incher in a wooden case that only costs just under EUR 500? Something is wrong here. The wooden texture is actually plastic and AMD's E-450 netbook processor is inside.

It's partytime! While Nvidia's Kepler flagship still keeps us waiting, AMD's new Radeon HD 7970M is seriously mixing up the gaming notebook segment. In combination with Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors, Alienware had enough reasons to refresh its Luxury gamer M17x. Will the 17" notebook be able to score our "Gaming Reference" title again?

Dirtier than ever. With Dirt Showdown the race game expert Codemasters follows in the footsteps of the action-packed Flatout series. Traditional rallies are passé for now. The developer focuses on flashy demolition derbies. Find out if the track also pushes mobile graphics cards to their limits.

Hardware-Update. Hardly any other notebook was followed with such a great interest than the Clevo W150ER in 2011. Powerful components and a decent non-reflective display: the 15-inch all-rounder features a successful and rather unique blend. In 2012 Schenker release an update. The XMG A502 focuses more on inner components than on chassis.

Beautiful gap filler. A tablet fills the gap between Notebook and smart phone. Is there still room for a small tablet? The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus N, revised for Germany - with regards from Apple's lawyers - looks good at any rate and has its Raison d'être. And there's more than just good looks.

Hybrid book. Sony sends an ultrabook into the ring called SVT1311M1ES. An aluminum case and Intel Core i3 processor are to lure customers. A special highlight is the hybrid hard disk. It fuses the size of a conventional HDD with the speed of an SSD. Will Sony's Vaio ultrabook also be convincing in our tests?

Goodbye Ethos. Acer uses the change to the new Intel Ivy Bridge processors as an opportunity for completely renaming single ranges. For example, the prior Ethos range will now be called Aspire V3. However, the alignment remains unchanged: we are dealing with the premium multimedia sector.

Flat multimedia tablet. The Xoom 2 Media Edition is very compact. Motorola opted for a somewhat unusual screen size of 8.2 inches, which is located somewhere between the common sizes of seven and 10.1 inches. Can the 9 millimeter flat slate live up to Motorola's multimedia promise?

A subnotebook on steroids. A quad core processor and gaming graphics card in a just 11.6 inch laptop - that cannot possibly go well, or can it? Based on a Clevo W110ER barebone, Schenker's XMG A102 wants to debase the one or other established high-end DTR.

Bass & Full HD. A new processor and graphics chip, EUR 200 cheaper, but otherwise unchanged. This best describes the newest model of Asus' N55S range. A matte screen with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and an included subwoofer are to make multimedia fans' hearts beat faster.

Welcome to Hell! After years of waiting it is finally available: Legendary developer Blizzard Entertainment has at last launched Diablo III, the long-awaited successor to one of the most popular action role-playing games of all time. We dug into the dark fantasy world and ran Diablo III on several notebook graphics cards. Can your notebook system make it through Hell alive?

White behemoth. Stylish design, BluRay drive, Core i5 CPU - Sony bundles an attractive multimedia package called Vaio VPC-EJ3D1E/W. Our review reveals how the 17 inch machine fares in our tests and against the competition.

Ivy is here. Intel's Ivy Bridge processors are available and gamers are looking ever so closely at the new quad cores as well as Nvidia's new 6xxM series. Fans of tablets and subnotebooks fortunately did not get the short end of the stick as Fujitsu surprised us with a perfect display in the Office category.

April Showers Bring May Flowers. AMD unveils new processor and graphics architecture for notebooks, and aggressively attacks Intel's market share. In the following in-depth review of the A10-4600M, we will take a look at whether the attack succeeds and if Ivy Bridge should feel threatened by AMD's latest Fusion APU.

Black Beauty. Sony's Vaio S range currently encompasses over 24 models. In this review, we have the balanced Vaio VPC-SE2M9E model under the microscope. The 15.5-inch unit definitely delivers in looks, but what about performance?

Stoic Runner. A reliable work mule - an apt description for the Fujitsu Lifebook E781. This 15.6 inch model may not have great graphics performance, but it is equipped with good hardware and offers essential features for a business user.

A Beautiful Accessory or Cutting-Edge Technology? The HP Envy 14 Spectre is a beautiful laptop with a price tag of $1200 USD. Many buyers will be enticed by the model's looks, but is the laptop really worth the money? We find out in the following review.

Expensive high-end fun. MSI sells a lavishly equipped gaming notebook for almost EUR 2200. A BluRay burner and two mSATA SSDs set up in a RAID array are found under the hood of the GT70. The matte Full HD screen, the illuminated keyboard and the good sound system are also impressive. Reason enough for contenders to panic?

Unspectacular. In February, Asus presented their new Eee PC 1011CX with an Intel Atom N2600 dual-core CPU and a 10.1 inch display, along with six other models. The chassis, however, has only changed to a limited extent over these years. In this review, we shed light on whether or not performance has improved and exactly what changes have been made, both externally and internally.

Dark Waters. The Gothic creator Piranha Bytes has turned to a medieval fantasy world in its recent pirate RPG Risen 2. Despite partly outdated technology, the title creates a very special atmosphere. We test which graphics card is required for optimum visual quality in this review.

Thunderbolt for everybody? Although many Macs feature a Thunderbolt port, it is not often used as the few peripherals offered are either expensive or rather specific. Could Seagate's Thunderbolt adapter gain more popularity among users?

Mobility? Limited. Sony ranks the Vaio VPC-YB3V1E/S as a particularly slim notebook, but also explicitly avoids labeling it as a "netbook". This raises a rather important question: is this a premium netbook or truly an entry-level notebook? Our following review and tests will answer this question and more.

New model, old performance? The Acer Aspire One D270 offers the latest Intel Atom processor generation based on Intel's Cedar Trail platform. For EUR 300, the buyer even gets a notebook with Bluetooth 4.0 that only a few notebooks feature. Is it great progress or just big names for Acer to put on its list?

A Timeless Design. We didn't think Samsung could do it, but they have managed to turn an already superthin design even thinner and lighter. Has performance and quality suffered along the way? We find out here in our in-depth review of the 2nd generation 13.3-inch Series 9.

Flexible Cooling. NZXT offers a simple cooling solution with adjustable dual 80mm USB-powered fans. Find out here if the budget notebook cooler is a worthwhile investment.

Wanted: Excellent Display. Apple have demonstrated that customers are willing to pay steep prices for devices with perfect displays. This summary explains why there are so few notebooks following this strategy and refers to the few exceptions.

Let there be light! Clevo's P170EM Barebone (the base of the XMG P702) is impressive like its predecessor: lightning fast hardware, great connectivity, excellent input devices, and various upgrade and configuration possibilities. New features, such as the backlit keyboard, make the 17 inch model into an attractive packet.

Ivy rocks! The integrated HD 4000 has become Intel's new backbone in the integrated GPU market. Not only does the new GPU trump the HD 3000 of yesteryear, entry-level GPUs from Nvidia and AMD may have a lot to fear as well. In this review, we go in detail with our initial gaming benchmarks of the Intel HD 4000.

The New Star of the Gaming Heavens. Asus has re-worked its 17 inch giant so as to be able to compete in 2012. The new model has a fresh look and the latest hardware. Thanks to the Ivy Bridge CPU and GeForce 600 graphics card, the G75 can leave its predecessor behind in the dust. Is the fan still as quiet as it used to be in 3D use?

Ready for round three! After a slight delay, Intel releases the next generation of the extremely successful Sandy Bridge architecture on the market. A revolutionary 22-nanometer manufacturing and a greatly improved graphics unit are to make up for the delay of the third generation Core architecture.

Affordable all-rounder or classic blowhard? 4 processor cores, two graphics chips, 8 GB of RAM and a 640 GB hard disk memory - sounds like a lot of power at a low price for a notebook of the EUR 600 category. We tested to what extent the Satellite L755D can live up to this first impression extensively.

Business as usual? Does the top model of Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 series deserve its price tag of 1800 Euros? The basic configuration of the model includes integrated UMTS, a well-sized SSD and a fast Core i7 CPU, and all of that is installed in the thinnest ThinkPad of all times. So read our following in-depth review to find out more about this revolutionary laptop.

Laptop for Students. The new Lenovo X130e is designed for students who need a reliable notebook with long battery life. ThinkPad is famous for their amazing build quality, but their models are also known to have a few weak points. So read our in-depth review to find out more about the ThinkPad X130e.

Big item. When looking at the voluminous package of the Asus K93SM-YZ085V, the first thing that springs to mind won't be a notebook. More likely than not, you might expect an HD receiver or a Blu-ray player. Nevertheless, the box contains a notebook with an 18.4 inch display - surely not a device for everyone.

With the power of two cores. An AMD quad core and a second graphics card in a crossfire configuration are to boost the performance of Samsung's multimedia entry-level machine. Why the 305E7A can't completely convince us despite the good input devices and low emissions is revealed here, in our review.

Shelf Warmer. Gigabyte is well-known for its mainboards and graphic cards. The manufacturer has even released a Windows tablet with an Atom processor. Read the following review to find out more about this Gigabyte gadget and our opinion thereof.

Stylish Beats Audio. The 14-inch Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition is the most stylish Beats Audio notebook to date.. but how does it perform in a market that is increasingly favoring similarly-priced Ultrabooks?

Modern couch surfer. The new Acer Iconia Tab A200 brings the latest technology to the private living room. In addition to a 10.1 inch screen, it features a 16 GB memory capacity, wifi module and Google's Android 4.0.3 ICS. The lack of a UMTS module won't be a decisive factor in view of a price of EUR 349, as our test report shows.

Prepare for Ivy! Schenker Notebooks, the German gaming laptop builder, releases its new gamer onto the market just in time for the launch of Intel's latest HM77 chipset. Everything is set to go for Intel's new processors, but Sandy Bridge CPUs are installed in the devices - for now.

Elegant Evolution. The successor to the Xoom is here: the Xoom 2. The new tablet looks better and performs faster thanks to its upgraded hardware. But is it fast enough to compete with the latest tablet generation? We put the Xoom 2 (16 GB with 3G) to the test.

Private business. It seems like Sony sticks to this brief motto even almost a year after the VPC-SB subnotebook range's debut. The innovations that are now found in the light 13.3" device are disclosed in our review.

Display Update. The small sister, X770-10J, with a weak HD+ display: dull colors and restricted viewing angles. Has Toshiba built in a first-class panel in the more expensive 3D model?

Ultimate workstation with old shortcomings? Sony refreshes its Z range and now offers its new EUR 3000 flagship with a non-glare, 13.1 inch Full HD screen under the product name VPCZ23N9E/B. Can the external graphics solution convince this time around?

Stylish & Affordable. HP promotes its ProBook B series with these words. In the following in-depth review, we test the smallest member of the ProBook B family, the 13 inch 6360b, to see what it has to offer.

Travel-Office A 3G/UMTS module and a long battery runtime make this laptop to a true traveler. Moreover, security features such as a fingerprint sensor or a SmartCard reader qualify the TravelMate as a business notebook. Does the solid computer have hidden weaknesses?

Bread and butter. After the Tegra 3 quad-core, focus was placed on low and mid-priced mainstream devices. One highlight: The Radeon HD 7670M for less than EUR 500. Also, the first 3D notebook with an AMD graphics, the HP Envy 17 3D. Here, an overview of all Notebookcheck reviews in February.

Touch me. Windows 8 comes with a few profound modifications compared to its precursor. The operating system has been particularly optimized for touch inputs as Microsoft also wants a significant say in tablets in future. We will take a look at what's new in this regard by means of a consumer preview.

The Radiance Notebook. What makes this high-end multimedia laptop so great? For starters, how about its bright 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display? In this review, we scrutinize the latest HP 2012 Envy 15 and explain how it managed to miss an even more spectacular rating.

Kepler's Debut. "Ultrabook XL" is one way of describing the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 as the notebook doesn't exactly check in gracefully in its 15-inch case. However, with the new GeForce GT 640M graphics card, Acer offers a worthwhile treat that promises gaming on the go.

Saved in the wrong places? The main thing is cheap – if you don't have any special requirements on a basic Office notebook, you'll find a wide range of offers for around EUR 400. Whether the TravelMate 5744Z from Acer should be put on the shortlist is clarified in this review.

Fashionably late? Dell's first Ultrabook seems late but impressive. The manufacturer drafts in high-end materials and fast components to convince those still reluctant to make a purchase. Should the mainstream competition from Apple, Samsung and Co. be scared of the new competitor on the block?

Improved? The launch of the new iPad 3 is probably one of the highlights of 2012 - at least when it comes to the general interest displayed by the media. There have been innumerable rumors about the improvements-to-come before the device even launched, but the moment of truth has finally arrived – will the added changes be worthwhile for existing iPad 2 users?

Ultra-cheap? A fast flash memory and a big HDD are paired in the new ultrabook 530U3B from Samsung. The slim notebook comes with a bright and matt 13.3 inch screen. At a street price of below EUR 800, it belongs to the cheaper representatives of the new notebook category. Where do cutbacks have to be made?

Handled laptop. Robust laptops are called for on the construction site or terrain. The semi-rugged Latitude is off-road capable without looking like a tank. Will it become the multipurpose weapon for the technician on the move?

Work time. The ProBook 6465B-LJ489UT shares the model name of the ProBook 6465-LY433EA, and it's largely the same situation on the inside. HP's latest business notebook features entry-level specifications, but a competitive price tag.

Tablet + Notebook = Slate PC? Samsung aims to unite the best of the notebook and tablet worlds with its new Series 7 tablet. To this end the Windows Tablet gets a docking station and keyboard and runs some touchscreen-optimised programs. Is this enough to convince professional users to part with 1300 Euro?

Refreshed. HP has improved its multimedia laptop, the Pavilion dv7, by adding a graphic card from the new AMD Radeon HD 7000M series. This high-performance desktop replacement (DTR) laptop has a few weaknesses, but its great price-to-performance ratio is guaranteed to entice buyers.

Money pinching. Asus primarily focuses on the price in the X54HR-SO060V. Great equipment or high performance isn't possible for just under EUR 480. Is the 15 inch multimedia notebook, equipped with AMD's newest Radeon HD 7470M, nevertheless a good alternative for smart savers?

Budget performance. Dell's affordable Inspiron family has always been popular with everyday users, but does this 2011 14-inch Inspiron have the bang for the buck needed to continue the lineup's appeal?

The new entry level. Acer doesn't dare making any extensive experiments on the Aspire 5750G. Rather than installing a GeForce GT 520M or GT 540M, a GeForce 610M, respectively GT 630M is now found under the hood. Will the time-proven 15 inch case nevertheless still be attractive in 2012?

Eye candy. The Lenovo IdeaPad U400 features one of the better-looking exteriors we've seen on a mid-range notebook, but can its internal components match up?

AMD ThinkPad. With the ThinkPad Edge E520, Lenovo already had a 15.6-inch notebook with Intel processor in its portfolio. Now with the ThinkPad Edge E525 it has an AMD processor variant.

Thin, Thinner, AT200. "Ultra thin and ultra stylish" - Toshiba hasn't got that wrong. At only 7.7 mm the device really is thin. Whether it's everyone's cup of tea or even 'ultra stylish' depends on the user. Just like in life, it's not just what's on the outside that counts, but also what's on the inside!!

The price is hot. Asus proves with the K53SK-SX021V that you don't have to spend more than 600 Euros for good performance. Alongside the metal palm rest, the brand new Radeon HD 7610M catches your eye. Can the 15-inch all-rounder stand against the tough competition?

Premium Hipflask. HP arrives late to the party with the Folio 13, its own interpretation of the ultrabook, and faces up to the ultraportable competition. The following review shows how well HP's little one performs in a comprehensive hardware test.

Cheap is rarely the best option. This was confirmed by the office, subnotebook and multimedia test devices in January. No matter if it was a ProBook for EUR 430, a Compaq Presario for EUR 350 or an Aspire with dual core graphics for EUR 600 - none of the devices were really awe-inspiring.

X53 aka K53. As if it wasn't already difficult enough to keep a clear mind amidst the dozens of almost incomprehensible model numbers, Asus has given us another one. There's obviously the same device behind the model numbers X53 and K53. In this review, we've scrutinized the X53SK multimedia notebook.

Afraid of the dark? Around nine months after the Xbox 360 version, Remedy releases the mystery thriller Alan Wake once more, this time for the PC. We have tested whether the technology can keep up with the competition and how demanding the game is on hardware.

Is a little more OK? The Samsung 300E5A wants to stand out with high mobility at a low price, despite the lack of ULV hardware. Even the odd game isn't a problem for the Office notebook thanks to the switchable Nvidia GPU.

1015PX = R051PX? Asus unleashes another netbook onto the market with the proven seashell case. The 1015PX admittedly seems to be of identical construction to the R051PX.

The Style in SonyStyle. Sony refreshes its budget 14-inch Vaio E lineup for the New Year with WiDi, Blu-Ray and standard voltage Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPUs. But, has the Japanese giant cut any corners to reach that sub $500 starting price? Find out in this review what the new Vaio E does right – and ultimately what still needs to be done.

Saved Money at the Wrong End? Tablets are the craze. Coby tries to take a piece of the cake with its new, relatively low-priced tablet. Does the Kyros 7022 have what it takes to attract buyers?

A test of patience. With the Slate 2, the manufacture HP targets business customers who even in the realm of tablets are forced to stick with Windows. These people have to reach deep in their pockets and still be content with a slow Atom Processor. Can the extensive list of features compensate for that?

The final chapter. The plot-heavy Mass Effect trilogy is slowly but surely coming to an end. We used the free demo version to test one of the hottest tracks of 2012 on several notebook graphics cards. Find out how much hardware power this game needs.

Elegant entertainment machine. HP has just updated its premium notebook lineup by reintroducing the 15.6-inch Envy 15 in an all-new design, and the 17.3-inch Envy 17 has been given the same makeover. The latter is also available in a 3D edition, which is the model that we will be taking a close look at today.

Weak corporate. Dell has a 10.1 inch tablet with Windows 7 in its range called Latitude ST. It is to address companies that want to completely integrate their tablets into the existing IT network. In contrast to the Android devices, the Latitude ST runs on an Atom processor from Intel. Is it strong enough for Windows 7?

Good and cheap? The Pavilion g6-1352eg is particularly striking due to its attractive price. HP manufactures a 15 inch multimedia device for EUR 500 that has two graphics cards (CrossFire) in addition to a dual core CPU right away. Is the AMD hardware a match for the Intel and Nvidia competition?

For smart savers. HP designs the Pavilion g7-1353eg according to the motto "plenty of hardware for a small price". The inexpensive multimedia notebook, price-tagged at just under EUR 500, not only has a quad core processor and two graphics chips, it also has a 750 GB HDD and a six GB DDR3 RAM. Who can resist such a bargain?

From Marvell to SandForce. The new high-end Intel SSD comes without an Intel controller. This SATA 3 SSD uses the fast SandForce SF-2281 and aspires to be the king of the hill.

Quad core tablet. The new Asus tablet with a keyboard dock is one of the first products with Nvidia's quad core processor, Tegra 3. Just in time for our review, Asus also upgraded to Android 4.0. We examined how the hybrid with the brand new chip and latest software fares in comparison to the precursor and the competition.

Super small. The Renice X5 promises write speeds and read speeds of up to 160MB/s and 240MB/s, respectively, all in a package about half the size of a business card. Find out here just how well the mSATA drive performs and if it's worth an upgrade.

New graphics card in an old garment. Packard Bell freshens its 17-inch EasyNote LS11 series with the latest components. Particularly interesting among them is the "brand new" Radeon HD 7670M from AMD. For a scarce 700 Euros, is this multimedia device going to be a cost/performance king?

A week at the CES. After publishing the comprehensive review of the German Core i5 version in December, we can now test the smaller Core i3 version thanks to Intel. In addition to numerous benchmarks, the inexpensive ultrabook also had to show how it fares in practical use at the CES 2012.

Compact performance. With the 14.5-inch Envy 14, HP has managed to squeeze some powerful components into a slim and stylish chassis--particularly if you opt for a model like this one, with a quad-core, 2nd-generation Intel Core i7 processor. It is also equipped with a midrange graphics card from AMD, which is switchable to integrated graphics when longer battery life is required. So, is this the perfect traveling companion? Not entirely. Keep reading to find out why.

Run notebook, run! The motto: Small and mobile is no longer only to apply to ultrabooks. Asus promises that the U56E is a high performance, enduring runner that will stir up the office field properly. Is this enough to justify a purchase price of over €700?

Budget business. We are reviewing the latest 13 inch model of HP's ProBook S series called ProBook 4330s. A metal case with business qualities and UMTS in a subnotebook for less than €500? Read how this is accomplished in this review.

Affordable versatile performer. Acer uses mainly on components from AMD in the Aspire 7560G. A quad core Fusion processor and two graphics chips in CrossFire mode are available in only few devices. And best of all: The interesting hardware combination only costs €600. Is it an alternative to the established Intel/Nvidia notebooks?

Well-rounded ultrabook. Long battery runtimes, a matt screen and high performance - it almost looks as if Samsung has made the dream of a perfect mobile companion come true. But is the notebook for over €1000 really as perfect as it seems?

Step in. Lenovo has built a good reputation with its ThinkPad series. These high-quality business notebooks deliver cutting-edge technology to customers all over the world. Lenovo also manufactures other notebooks, such as, the Lenovo B-series, which, unlike the ThinkPad series, are aimed at buyers looking for the "essentials"; the series is advertised as: "ideal, cheap notebooks for home and office use". Find out more about the B-series in the following review.

Red All-round Package. The new red EasyNote TR13HR is equipped with an Intel i5-2450M and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 630M graphics card, both of which should provide sufficient performance and battery runtime alike. On top of this Packard Bell also supplies an abundant software package for the notebook. A thorough success or rather a bad compromise?

Good and cheap? How much power does a notebook need to cope with everyday tasks? HP believes not much and equips the 15.6 inch Presario CQ57 with an energy-efficient E-450 APU. In return, the price of not even €330 is tempting.

Hızlı ufaklık. Yeni notebook modelleri artna bir şekilde mSata arayüzü ile gelmekte. Bu arayüz sayesinde alışılageldik sabit disk kapasitesi ister arttırılabilir, istenirse tamamen değiştirilebilir. Biz 120GB OCZ Nocti'nin konvensiyonel sabit sürücülere karşı performansına kısaca değindik.

Solid entry-level tablet? The new Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet A1 was announced a long time ago but it was first available at the beginning of December. The A1 is a 7 inch entry-level tablet and is currently sold for €199 RRP. Is it just an oversized smartphone (without phone functions) or an undersized tablet? How Lenovo's new "penny pincher" fares will be rated based on our conclusive test criteria in the following review.

Multimedia headquarters. The Pavilion dv7-6b02eg has everything that can be expected from a well-equipped multimedia notebook. In addition to a quad core processor and a top of the range, DirectX 11 graphics card, a solid state drive and a BluRay burner are under the hood. Another highlight is the matt Full HD screen. Is the price of €1300 justified?

Small is beautiful. In December the focus was on small subnotebooks and multimedia laptops and not on big power computers. Surprise: It was easier to select the winners than we thought: Dell, HP, and Apple win the cups.

SSD is everything. This ProBook is definitely aimed at professionals with its HD+ screen, DisplayPort and docking station. But the notebook only has a weak AMD quad core.

Compact and quick? The smallest model in the Samsung Series 4 is equipped with a 12.5 inch matte display, and is powered by an Intel Core i5 2520M dual-core processor with a clock speed of 2.5 GHz. A UMTS module is also included. Is this notebook able to stand out from the competition due to its special features, or will it blend in with the mass of other notebooks on the market?

Smartphone or tablet? "It's all in the screen size" - Samsung advertises with this slogan for its currently biggest smartphone, aka "smartlet", in Germany. If everyday use meets up to the slogan and if it's possible to work and handle the behemoth reasonably can be read in our review.

Duracase 2.0. Samsung promises perfect reliability with its business notebook, 600B5B. The 15.6 inch laptop offers a lot of security features and a bright, non-glare screen. Intel's Core i5-2520M (2.5 GHz) and Nvidia's NVS 4200M are responsible for the power. Is the notebook worth its steep price of €1100?

Business for tight budgets. The case and screen both come with matt looks. Is that enough to call it "business"? Asus thinks so and even prints AsusPro on the minimalistic computer. How much "professional" is possible for €450?