Ivy Bridge

Calm before the storm. The wait for Intel's Haswell generation shrunk the volume of our devices for review - we had a grand total of 15 test devices this month. But we certainly didn't have a dearth of exciting convertibles (an 18-incher!), elegant subnotebooks (IPS panel & Radeon HD 8570M), and even a flat business classic with an HD+ panel.

AMD Elite graphics. HP offers the Elitebook 8570w mobile workstation in several configurations. This one is a combination of the Intel Core i5-3360 CPU, AMD’s professional FirePro M4000 graphics and the mandatory Full HD screen. This is certainly not the ultimate hardware money can buy, but for an affordable workstation, we try to evaluate its suitability.
Intel Core i5-3360M | AMD FirePro M4000 | 15.60" | 3.3 kg

Mobile business companion. Asus offers a slim, lightweight 15.6-inch office laptop with a matte display for business customers. Thanks to its ULV processor, the PU500CA promises to be an untiring workhorse. Our review will show whether this claim is met.
Intel Core i5-3317U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 15.60" | 2 kg

Slim, sleek and chic, MSI want you to make their subnotebook your daily companion. Clad completely in white, it should even be appropriate for the fashion-conscious "cosmopolitan ladies". Our test exposes whether the device performs well and for whom it is suitable. We can reveal this much: the S30 is really swift.
Intel Core i3-3217U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 13.30" | 1.4 kg

All-round ultrabook. Hewlett Packard now has a slim, 15.6 inch ultrabook that even allows playing up-to-date 3D games in its product line. Storage is not an issue either owing to the large hard drive. That sounds as if HP has built the perfect laptop. Our test reveals whether the ultrabook is really compelling.
Intel Core i5-3317U | NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M | 15.60" | 2.1 kg

All-inclusive. Dell calls its 18.4-inch tablet an All-in-One. We review the XPS 18 with a Core i5, 8 GB memory and a combined storage solution with an HDD and an SSD. Continue reading to find out how it performs...
Intel Core i5-3337U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 18.40" | 2.3 kg

Business with sound. Slim-business is en vogue. The Taiwanese manufacturer uses its aluminum unibody know-how from the Zenbooks and creates an impressive chassis. The keyboard features a long drop and the maintenance options are A-one. Regrettably, Asus blunders in one vital point.
Intel Core i7-3517U | NVIDIA NVS 5200M | 14.00" | 1.6 kg

Chief and Indians. In April, we reviewed a lot of smartphones and tablets - more than ever before. The HTC One from the Taiwanese company clearly stands out from the huge crowd of mid-range models. The pre-series Sony Xperia Tablet Z is an interesting model too.

A reimagined T Series. It is the thinnest and lightest ThinkPad T Series model to date, but does it retain the rigidity and longevity of its predecessors? Lenovo is betting big on a new slimmer design and revamped touchpad to attract the attention of Ultrabook customers. Find out in this review if these hardware tweaks have paid off.
Intel Core i5-3437U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 14.00" | 1.6 kg

Better displays. More and more test devices attract attention with decent contrast, high brightness and the wide viewing angles of an IPS solution. However, the winners do more than show what a notebook display is expected to deliver.

An intermediate step. Dell's Latitude XT3 is a convertible PC in the classic sense - the display rotates and folds down. While the notebook offers nearly every kind of connection your heart could desire, the inner components lag a little behind the times. Our extensive review assesses the quality of the overall package.
Intel Core i7-2640M | Intel HD Graphics 3000 | 13.30" | 2.2 kg

Inexpensive touchscreen Ultrabook. Though its low budget price of $699 or less can be misleading of its quality, the VivoBook S500CA is actually built surprisingly well with impressive looks. Can this Asus hold up in what is becoming an increasingly common category of touchscreen-enabled Ultrabooks?
Intel Core i5-3317U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 15.60" | 2.2 kg

Surprise candidate. It doesn't always have to be a Latitude, ThinkPad or EliteBook when thinking about a professional laptop. Samsung sends a well bundled package into the race with the Series 6 test model, which competes against the established competition. We exhaustively tested whether it is successful in every field.
Intel Core i7-3520M | NVIDIA NVS 5200M | 15.60" | 2.5 kg

Serious little thing. A 14-inch screen, Intel Core i5-3320M CPU and comprehensive features: Toshiba enters the stage for business notebooks once again and praises the Tecra R940-1FL as the perfect companion for business trips. Our review shows if business customers should have a closer look.
Intel Core i5-3320M | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 14.00" | 2.1 kg

The more the better! Samsung packs the Series 7 flagship in an aluminum housing and equips it with a powerful Core i7, a dedicated AMD graphics card, a large SSD and a multi-touch Full HD IPS display. A bit over the top? We have thoroughly tested this good piece of hardware for you…
Intel Core i7-3537U | AMD Radeon HD 8570M | 13.30" | 1.7 kg

Quiet workhorse. A powerful Core i5 processor combined with a matte display and a 1 TB hard drive; theoretically, these features should make the Lenovo B580 a workhorse for the office. Whether or not this notebook can justifiably be allocated to this category will be revealed by our review.
Intel Core i5-3210M | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 15.60" | 2.5 kg

Chameleon? Schenker offers an inexpensive and very freely configurable business notebook based on the Clevo W551EU Barebone. Does the endless competition leave room for such an alternative?
Intel Core i7-3632QM | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 15.60" | 2.2 kg

Yet another bullseye. The compact, portable ThinkPad Edge E130 sports a Core i3 processor and a matte 11.6-inch screen, that is combined with a high-capacity battery. All the ingredients needed for a mobile work laptop are available. Our test reveals whether the device is thoroughly convincing.
Intel Core i3-3227U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 11.60" | 1.6 kg

The ultimate superlatives. Innumerable devices found their way to Notebookcheck's tests again in March. We would like to supply an overview of premium devices with this article and facilitate any potential buying intentions.

All-rounder for professionals. Flexibility - this feature is very important for the business convertible ThinkPad X230T from Lenovo. Integrated UMTS, high-performance hardware and good office capabilities are supposed to impress the more wealthy business customer - not an easy task with a retail price of almost 1,700 Euros (~$2206).
Intel Core i5-3320M | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 12.50" | 1.8 kg

Desktop roundup. Notebookcheck leaves the beaten track: We compare current PC processors of the FX and the A series with each other and want to know whether AMD can outperform the seemingly overwhelming competition from Intel.
AMD A10-5800K | AMD Radeon HD 7660D

The business professional? With the Tecra R950, Toshiba wants to teach its competitors from Dell, HP and Lenovo the meaning of fear. To do so, they equipped it with the currently fastest Dual-Core processor, an integrated UMTS module and extensive security equipment. But is this enough to justify the high price?
Intel Core i7-3540M | AMD Radeon HD 7570M | 15.60" | 2.5 kg

Add some contrast to the office. A Celeron dual-core processor from the Ivy Bridge generation powers this Toshiba notebook. The processor joins forces with a 15.6-inch display, plenty of hard drive space and Windows 8. On paper, the computer claims to serve the needs of most users. Whether this is true in practice is a question for our review to answer.
Intel Celeron 1000M | Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) | 15.60" | 2.3 kg

Workhorse. The 730U3E ultrabook is a new member of Samsung's Series 7 Ultra family. A first-rate metal casing, swift hardware, a matte Full HD IPS screen and agreeable input devices are its initial key specs. We tested the model featuring 256 GB flash memory for 1349 Euros (~$1761, RRP).
Intel Core i5-3337U | AMD Radeon HD 8570M | 13.30" | 1.5 kg

Balanced. The IdeaPad Z500-MBYG2GE is aimed at performance hungry multimedia users in particular. With an energy-saving Quad-Core and a GeForce GT 645M, the 15-inch device offers sufficient power for most (3D) applications. We have reviewed the all-rounder and will report our findings here.
Intel Core i7-3632QM | NVIDIA GeForce GT 645M | 15.60" | 2.4 kg

Small, white and glossy. Toshiba's product line features an interesting subnotebook dubbed Satellite L830-15L. The buyer not only gets a 13-inch HD screen but also an energy-efficient ULV processor for just under 640 Euros (~$834). We were especially curious about the graphics card's performance. Can the Radeon HD 7550M also cope with computing-intensive 3D applications.
Intel Core i5-3337U | AMD Radeon HD 7550M | 13.30" | 1.9 kg

Little brother. Powerful hardware within a more compact case: The 15.6-inch Samsung Series 7 Chronos 770Z5E-S01DE is equipped with a fast AMD Radeon HD 8870M graphics card, a matte Full HD display and a premium-quality metal case. We are putting the $1500-laptop through its paces.
Intel Core i7-3635QM | AMD Radeon HD 8870M | 15.60" | 2.4 kg

Pixel Perfect. Google's first internally developed Chromebook since the original CR-48 has made headlines for its novel specs. Does the dense 12.85-inch 2560 x 1700 resolution 3:2 IPS display really deliver an unmatched experience? Find out in this review how Google has managed to conceive the best, if not most unorthodox, Chromebook to date.
Intel Core i5-3427U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 12.90" | 1.5 kg

Entry-level touch device. An elegant aluminium case, economic ULV hardware, long battery life - the VivoBook S300CA possesses many advantages of expensive ultrabooks, but is already available for under 600 Euros (~$787). As the icing on the cake, a touchscreen was incorporated, which is meant to set it apart from the competition.
Intel Core i3-3217U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 13.30" | 1.8 kg

Ambitious. Metal surfaces, backlit keyboard, a Full HD screen and an external subwoofer lets Asus' N56VB stand out from the competition in many aspects. A contemporary midrange GPU works under the 15-inch, all-round laptop's hood in the form of the GeForce GT 740M. Find out whether the graphics card is deceptive or whether it is really a new product in this review.
Intel Core i7-3630QM | NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M | 15.60" | 2.7 kg

A balancing act. The Surface Pro is an interesting concept tablet that Microsoft developed to showcase the strength of the Windows 8 platform on a touch-capable device. This is another Wintel collaboration that is able to use the ecosystem of apps available for the X86 Windows platform. This review points out the strengths and weaknesses of this form-factor.
Intel Core i5-3317U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 10.60" | 920 g

Mom, Dad and I. Sony's Vaio Tap 20 not only strikes with its exceptionally large tablet size but, unlike the rule, also sees the whole family as its target group. In order to fulfill the wishes of all family members, young and old, Sony installs strong hardware and the finger supportive Windows 8 in the 20-inch tablet. We exhaustively checked just how family-friendly this concept really is.
Intel Core i5-3317U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 20.00" | 5.1 kg

A versatile performer. Samsung has extended its popular 5 Series with a new well-rounded notebook. The 15-inch 510R5E aims to appeal to customers with a slim case and up-to-date mid-range hardware components. AMD's freshly released Radeon HD 8750M promises a high level of performance, while at the same time using a moderate amount of power. The question is whether the two kilogram lightweight is able to live up to expectations.
Intel Core i5-3210M | AMD Radeon HD 8750M | 15.60" | 2 kg

Understatement. Samsung restyles its midrange dubbed Series 5 with plain, high-end looks and fresh components. Onboard we find a matte 14-inch screen, a dual-core processor from Intel and a dedicated graphics from AMD. This configuration is currently priced at about 800 Euros (~$1034).
Intel Core i5-3337U | AMD Radeon HD 8750M | 14.00" | 1.8 kg

Diet plan. Thin is in: Asus shrinks a classic multimedia laptop to ultrabook dimensions in the A56CB. Nvidia's new GeForce GT 740M, which can render even demanding 3D games smoothly, is installed for the first time. But the affordable 15-incher has quite a bit to offer beyond that as well.
Intel Core i3-3217U | NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M | 15.60" | 2.3 kg

Outsider with potential. Asus' Pro B53V is the current top model from the Taiwanese business range and lures with abundant equipment. Besides typical business features, the professional Nvidia NVS 5200 graphics is particularly striking. We exhaustively tested whether Asus' Pro B53V principally has what it takes to be a threat for the established competition.
Intel Core i5-3210M | NVIDIA NVS 5200M | 15.60" | 2.8 kg

Elite versus low-cost. 4K workstation, 1.3K gamer and 375 Euros (~$5195, $1688 and $487 respectively) typewriter. With Dreamcolor display, HP set a high standard. Samsung favor AMD and use a Radeon HD 8870M in their new Chronos. Lenovo aim to sell masses and cut the price with a cheap AMD APU. These were the best laptops in February.

Silent. Dell's Precision M6700 could already convince us with its high performance and agreeable noise development in a first review. Now Nvidia's highest performance, professional Quadro K5000M graphics is installed and has to prove for whom this configuration upgrade is really worthwhile. We also closely examined whether the other qualities are not neglected.
Intel Core i7-3940XM | NVIDIA Quadro K5000M | 17.30" | 3.8 kg

High performer. Schenker's XIRIOS W712 workstation features superlative performance components. Intel's Xeon desktop CPU, Nvidia's Quadro K5000M pro-graphics, 2 terabytes of storage and a wealth of other equipment clearly show the high-end laptop's direction: The peak of performance. We exhaustively tested whether this goal is achieved.
Intel Xeon E5-2680 | NVIDIA Quadro K5000M | 17.30" | 6 kg

Stylish marathon runner. Acer has an ultra-thin 14-inch notebook with a Core i5 ULV chip on offer with the M3-481. The Computer is available from just 480 Euros (~$622) without operating system, and also looks nice. Our review reveals whether or not Acer has built a recommendable notebook with this model.
Intel Core i5-3317U | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 14.00" | 2 kg

14-inch with long battery life. Sony has recently started offering models of the SV-E14 series with a touchscreen. Our E14A3M2ES is such a notebook. Our review reveals whether the touchscreen provides added value or if it just raises the price unnecessarily.
Intel Core i3-3120M | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | 14.00" | 2.3 kg

Evolutionary. Acer takes a new approach to the familiar Ultrabook: a laptop with a touchscreen, optical drive and gaming-ready GPU. How will their "all-around device" fare in our tests?
Intel Core i5-3337U | NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M | 15.60" | 2.3 kg