Acer Aspire AS7740-6656 17.3-Inch HD Display Laptop (Blue) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I usually buy my electronics through [...]. Newegg didn't have this model so Amazon got my business on this one and I'm glad that I happened to stumble across it.
I wanted 2 things in my PC. One was a large screen and the other was speed. The 17.3" screen is perfect. Not as bulky as an 18.4" but larger than a 15.6", so it's a good compromise. The new i5 chip is great. I didn't see the point in buying a PC with the old INTEL chips or AMD. I buy a new PC maybe every 6 years or so and considering I could have spent a lot more on a model by another manufacturer with the older chipsets it just makes more sense to buy this....which is really what makes this PC such an excellent purchase.
Usually when you find something that's a good buy you're making numerous compromises. That's not the case with this Acer. From the new chip to the 500 gb hard drive to the 4 USB's, card reader, VGA, HDMI, and dual-layer drive it's top-notch and is of an excellent quality build. Nothing feels cheap.
I have always despised notebook PC keyboards and anticipated using an external keyboard. Well, surprise surprise surprise....with the touchpad turned off, I find this keyboard works great. The keys are a good size for my stubby fingers, I don't mistype on it and find that the straight down touch you use, instead of the slightly angular touch I like on the external keyboards, works perfectly fine. The keyboard has a great feel to it as well. Rest your palms on the lower portion and go to work. I won't need an external keyboard with this PC. I definitely give it an A.
The screen is excellent. It's very sharp, equally bright and does justice to all my pics. Video is excellent and although it does not do 1080p HD, it does do lower resolution HD perfectly fine and on the 17 inch screen it looks fantastic. In fact, watching YouTube or other videos in full-screen mode looks good, but will look better when these on-line videos start sending out higher resolution streams than they do now. DVDs are excellent.
When I made my purchase decision I had looked at 6 or 7 other brands and found that the ACER beat them all on price when you compared the options it came with. The biggest dilemma for me was to get a model with a blu-ray drive and an i3 chip, or to go with the much faster i5 and not have blu-ray. For me, the best decision was to take the faster chip. I believe it would likely provide for smoother video and graphics overall and I could always add an external blu-ray drive later, if I really wanted to.
The only other factor about this PC which concerned me was that this model uses the integrated INTEL video card. I have used PCs with that in the past and found that I preferred having a separate graphics card. But my research indicated that INTEL is using a different methodology on the motherboards that have the new i series chips so I decided to go with it. So far I am pleased, but since I have not used one with a separate graphics card, I cannot say whether or not the separate graphics card offers any advantage in terms of performance. My guess is that a separate graphics card with 2 meg of dedicated RAM in addition to the 4 meg the system comes with might perform better under certain situations, however the software for this PC automatically dedicates 1,756k to video memory of the main 4mb and it's all DDR3 so I wonder if the difference would really be that noticeable. The additional price would be though, so I think this might well be the better purchase.
One disappointment...the sound on the speakers is very low, and since it's Dolby Home Theater with Virtual Surround Sound I expected more volume from the PC itself. Internet radio is hard to hear, but if I watch a video and use Windows Media Player or Winamp, that software boosts the sound a bit more. I use external speakers whenever I can and will continue to do so with this, but these internal speakers really are low volume.
If you're in the market for a new notebook this is a great PC. It's a great buy too. To borrow a phrase from a mortgage broker who advertises locally here...."It's the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire AS7740-6656 17.3-Inch HD Display Laptop (Blue)

Acer Aspire AS7740-6656 Notebook comes with these specs: Intel Core i5-430M Processor 2.26GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.53GHz, Windows 7 Home Premium, 17.3- InchHD+ Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit Display, Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset, 4096MB DDR3 1066MHz Memory, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD, 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive, Built-in Webcam, Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Dolby Home Theater Audio Enhancement, Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, 4 - USB 2.0 Ports, HDMI Port, Multi-gesture Touchpad, 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh), up to 3-hours 30 minutes of battery life, 7.05 lbs. | 3.2 kg (system unit only), AC Power Adapter, AC Power Cord, Wireless Setup Card, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, McAfee Internet Security Suite (60-day trial)

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire AS7740-6656 17.3-Inch HD Display Laptop (Blue)

Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ-4174 11.6-Inch Blue Laptop - Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This ultraportable rocks. I have a nice laptop core2duo 15.4" with Blu-ray, etc...but I started to realize I needed portability and battery life for use on the road and around the house.
Why this laptop is "perfect" for me on the go and around the house off the plug:
1. Small form: barely over an inch at the thickest, just under 3.1 lbs.
2. Battery life: this is huge. The screen seems very bright. I am using it surfing the web on wifi and after about an hour and a half it still says over 9 hours of battery life. On the plane...I watch over 3 hours of high quality DVD rips (over 1 gig an hour mpeg4), plus an hour of full screen flash based "Peggle Nights"...and still over 40% battery left.
3. Keyboard is full sized (other than directional keys), touchpad multi works great
4. Real premium windows 7.
5. HDMI, 1080p, full uncompressed multichannel PCM audio. It actually plays bluray quality clips...no netbook outside of an ion based can get close to this
6. A solid dual core CULV processor. Each core can easily best an Atom 1.6Ghz
7. Real specs...3 GB RAM, 320GB HDD.
8. Screen. Awesome...no more scrolling when surfing or incompatible apps, a real usable res.
Cons.
1. No optical drive. this is expected on something this small and light like a netbook, but it is still a con
2. Cost. All these real specs, win7, comes at a premium over a netbook. Still it does what other ultraportables do at a third their cost.
3. Processor trounces Atom based, but forget real games on it, it still uses integrated gfx...while they are optimized for video, they don't push polygons.
4. Case lid. While it makes a good picture, the glossy finish of the lid is a fingerprint magnet. I am looking into a few options to reduce prints (car wax, skins, etc)
Overall...I can't be more happy I went for it. The only other option that was a contender was the HP mini 311. It also has the same type of 11.6 higher rez screen, HDMI with 1080p processing. But it falls down because while base is $400, that is without bluetooth, without wireless N, with only 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, winXP, and considerably lower battery life (30-40%), AND a far inferior atom N270. Really no contest...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ-4174 11.6-Inch Blue Laptop - Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Averaging more than 8 hours of battery life, the Acer Aspire Timeline notebook PC series makes "all day computing" a reality. You'll be able to remain productive as you work remotely from 9 to 5 without ever stopping to plug in and recharge, or keep yourself entertained throughout an entire coast–to-coast flight without worrying whether you'll make it to the end of your movie. The thin and light Timeline 1810 (model AS1810TZ-4013) is made for modern mobile work and play with its 3.1-pound weight and thin measurements--less than one-inch thin at its slimmest point and just over an inch at its thickest.
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. (Learn more about Windows 7 Home Premium below.)

The high-definition, 11.6-inch CineCrystal LED backlit widescreen display (16:9 ratio) offers 33 percent more energy savings than traditional notebook screens. A Multi-Gesture Touchpad enables you to pinch, flick and swirl your fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites. The Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. An integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam delivers smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and business video conferences, even in low-light situations.

Providing an elegant, high-tech design, the system is also lead- and mercury-free--making it easier to recycle.



Key Features
11.6-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with 1366 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 200-nit high brightness (Learn more)
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium. (Learn more)
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Energy efficient, dual-core 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 processor with ultra-low voltage for extended battery life (Learn more)
320 GB hard drive
3 GB of installed RAM with 667 MHz speed
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with up to 1700 MB of shared video memory and support for DirectX 10 games (Learn more)
Multi-gesture touchpad supporting circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, page flip (Learn more)
Crystal Eye webcam supports Acer PrimaLite technology, which consists of a premium sensor, firmware and lenses to provide superior video performance under low-light conditions. A built-in digital microphone helps keep background noise levels low and minimizes echoes.
Draft-N Wi-Fi wireless networking (802.11a/b/g/n) with SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones.
5-in-1 memory card reader
HDMI (with HDCP) and VGA video output
Stereo speakers with Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement transforms the experience of movies, music, and games.
Up to 8 hours of battery life with Acer PowerSmart Manager enabled and depending on configuration
Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.03 x 0.87/1.18 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 3.1 pounds
Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). This notebook also provides ultra-fast Gigabit Ethernet networking (10/100/1000).

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable
Analog video output: 1 VGA
5-in-1 card reader compatible with MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card
1 headphone/line-out jack (with SPDIF digital audio support), 1 microphone jack
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ-4013 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions

It also comes with the following software: McAfee Internet Security Suite (trial version); CyberLink PowerDVD; Google Toolbar; Acer Recovery Management; Acer GridVista; Microsoft Works; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Trial (60 days)

Learn More
11.6-Inch Widescreen Display with True 16:9 Aspect Ratio The 11.6-inch LED-backlit display (1366 x 768 pixels) presents true 16:9 aspect ratio with high-def resolution and fast 8ms (millisecond) response time for high-quality media playback as well as increased readability in low-light conditions. And the LED backlight technology is 33 percent more energy efficient than standard CCFL LCD screens.
Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, which uses shared video memory (providing up to 1700 MB of video memory as allocated by the system memory). This graphics card is built with Intel Clear Video technology, which delivers clearer, more detailed images by eliminating many of the jagged edges and video artifacts seen when viewing interlaced content and features powerful color control to ensure videos are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out.



Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.



Jump Lists New in Windows 7, Jump Lists take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you turn to each day. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar. (You'll also find them on the Start menu.) What you see in a Jump List depends entirely on the program. The Jump List for Internet Explorer 8 shows frequently-viewed websites. Windows Media Player 12 lists commonly-played tunes. Your Jump List missing a favorite? You can "pin" whatever files you like there. Jump Lists don't just show shortcuts to files. Sometimes they also provide quick access to commands for things like composing new e‑mail messages or playing music.

Improved Windows Taskbar In Windows 7 you can "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar for easy access. Not crazy about the icon lineup? Now you can rearrange them any way you like by clicking and dragging. Finally, there are new ways to preview windows. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen. You can even close windows from the thumbnail previews--a big time saver.

Snap Ever need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window? Just click a pane and give your mouse a shake. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again--and your windows are back.



Energy Efficient Intel Pentium ProcessorOffering the latest in ultra-low voltage processing power, the dual-core Intel Pentium SU4100 has a has a power consumption rating of just 10 watts and a 1.3 GHz speed that's paired with a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
Designed for use in ultra-thin laptops to balance the competing needs of high performance with battery consumption, the Pentium SU4100 features Intel SpeedStep technology, helping your system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and core frequency to decrease power consumption and heat production. It also comes with built-in Execute Disable Bit technology, which helps keep your laptop safe from viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks.



The Multi-Gestured Acer Timeline

Extended Battery Life via Low Power Components and Acer's PowerSmart Adapter While most notebooks with long battery life use higher cell batteries which protrude from the back of the notebook, Acer combined numerous low power components with a standard high-capacity 6-cell battery, allowing them to keep the design as small as possible.
In addition, an Acer PowerSmart adapter senses when the notebook is unplugged, and stops sending needless energy. It also stops pulling power from the wall outlet when the adapter is full. The PowerSmart adapter saves 1752 watts of energy a year--equivalent to lighting a 15-watt (65W equivalent) light bulb for 116 days.

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ-4174 11.6-Inch Blue Laptop - Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Acer Computer Aspire AS5542-5416 15.6" Notebook PC - Gemstone Blue Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Purchased here (via J&R), great price on a bluray packing 15" laptop. 16:9 screen is great for watching movies. Screen looks great, watched Ratattouie (Pixar) DVD and The Bank Job bluray. Both movies looked great. Sound is Dolby Digital, and sounds great on headphones. Built in speakers sound terrible. Via even a cheap pair of headphones, the sound is superb. I heard sounds on Ratattouie that I never heard before.
Here's some good news: The HDMI port supports both video (duh) and Audio! Yay! When connecting the HDMI to my receiver, the ATI video driver popped up a warning that Audio is not supported. But clicking "help" opened a page basically saying that this is a generic message to warn users that a video card prior to Radeon 2xxx series does not support audio over HDMI, but anything later (including the one on this laptop, the 4200) DOES in fact support Audio. And a quick test (of those two movies) proved that it was Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The included movie player from Acer sent 1080p and 5.1 sound out the HDMI, and it seems that MS Media player did too. So no additional software is needed to output to 5.1 with both BR and DVD. One final note on movie watching: The Acer movie player worked flawlessly, but when I tried MS Media Player, it stuttered often and was annoying. Figures. So stick with the included (and set as default player) Acer movie player.
Gaming is NOT recommended. I grabbed the first game disc I had lying around that I had both the disc AND the install key (always hard to find both when you need them), and it was Call of Duty World at War. It was awful. At the default 1024x768, it was an unplayable slide show, and at the lowest settings (640x480 and every possible feature set to low) it was still an unplayable 5-10 fps. So that was disappointing, but not a show stopper as we already have two high-end gaming computers in the house, and really what did I expect for under 6 Benjamins?
I purchased this primarily to have a portable Bluray playing laptop and it fits the bill perfectly. As of this writing (2/1/2010), it is the cheapest Bluray playing laptop on Earth (or that I could find anyway, and believe me I spent/wasted a lot of time searching!).
I have another 2-year old Acer Aspire, also a 15" widescreen, that is heavier with a worse keyboard than this model. I really am happy with the fit and finish of this model. The added keypad makes the keyboard sit left-of-center, which takes a little getting used to, as does the multi-touch touchpad, which is sensitive and hitting it accidently with a 2nd finger causes the mouse to jump around. The vertical scrolling feature on the right of the pad isn't very accurate (had the same problem on my older Acer). We use Toshiba laptops at work and their scrolling feature is definitely better.
Some other non-issues: not many stickers. Not much bloatware at all. Comes with MS Works SE, which DOES read and write word and excel files (you just can't set those as the default save/open option). Works SE is advertised based but it gives you the option to purchase the non-ad version. MS Office Student is 60 day trial. The 320GB drive is a single partition (yay!).
That's about it. A great deal on a bluray laptop that works great.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Computer Aspire AS5542-5416 15.6" Notebook PC - Gemstone Blue

Enjoy extreme mobile performance with the Acer Aspire AS5542-5416 Notebook featuring a vivid 15.6" high-def widescreen display, AMD Turion II Dual-Core performance, plenty of storage space, media extras and Windows 7 Home Premium allowing your to get creative and accomplish more everyday. Email friends, explore the Internet, create a music library, video chat via webcam, watch movies and more on-the-go.15.6 HD Widescreen CineCrystal LCD Display (1366x768), 16 - 9 aspect ratio ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with up to 1919MB of HyperMemory (256MB dedicated and 1663 shared system memory) Blu-ray Disc / SuperMulti DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer InviLink 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 Port) 56K ITU V.92 Fax/Modem (RJ-11) Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO, xD-Picture Card High-Definition Audio Support and 3nd Generation Dolby Home Theater Enhancement Two Built-in Stereo Speakers and Built-in Microphone Multi-Gesture Touchpad (Circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, page flip) Webcam Ports -4 x USB 2.0, Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out Jack, Microphone-in Jack, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45, RJ-11 Approximate Unit Dimensions -15.1 (W) x 9.9 (D) x 1.03/1.5 (H) Approximate Unit Weight -6.16 Pounds

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HP Pavilion DV7-3065DX 17.3-Inch Refurbished Laptop with Blu-Ray - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It was right before Christmas when I bought this laptop and what caught my eye was the price considering everything you get for the price.
First of all the screen is a whopping 17.3 inch widescreen with an awsome color display. On top of the display is an integrated webcam with microphone which I have used from time to time without any problems. Just below the unit are the controls for power, sound, media controls and WIFI. The only button really is the power all of the other buttons are touch sensitive. Just below this you will find the speakers which are decent however the quality could be better but I am satisified for what I do with this laptop. Below the speakers is the full keyboard with numeric keypad just to the right and below this is the touch mouse pad. On the back of the monitor you will find a lighted HP logo and just below that you will find the removable battery.
On the left side of the laptop you will find the following ports...
External Video Connector
HDMI Connector
RJ 45Ethernet port (10/100)
eSATA Connector
2 USB Ports
A notebook expansion Port (which holds the remote for controlling the CD and windows media)
A integrated SD-MS/ProMMC/XD Reader
On the right side of the laptop you will find the following ports...
Power Connection
Locking mechanism
RJ11 Modem port
2 USB ports
Blu-Ray DVD Drive & Burner
On the front of the display you will find indication lights for the power, battery and hard drive and connections for connecting external headphone and a microphone.
After I purchase my unit I upgraded some of the components and actually replaced the 500GB hard drive with two 250 solid state drive which reduced the weight and temperature just a bit but the drives allows Windows to boot now in less that 15 seconds! I also upgraded the memory to 8GB and Windows 7 from the Home version to the Ultimate version.
This laptop works great for what I do which is studying (why I chose the large display), Internet & email, music, visual studio programming and from time to time I will watch a movie. I have not had any problems with the unit since I bought it, to me it does just what I need.
This is a very big laptop and you may have some challenges with weight, heat and finding an adequate bag to carry everything in and because I do significate traveling I wanted something close to what I have at home and this is very close and allows me to work, study or play very comfortly.
Remember laptops tend to be items where personal values dictate your needs so this may not be the unit for you. Also because these are mechanical devices you can experience problems while others do not so I always recommend dealing with a company that will stand behind their product.
Would I recommend you purchase this laptop? No, this is a decision that you must make.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DV7-3065DX 17.3-Inch Refurbished Laptop with Blu-Ray - Black

The HP Pavilion dv7-3065dx Refurbished Notebook PC delivers stunning digital entertainment in a striking bronze design that sets it apart from all the other laptops in its class. This powerful Laptop Computer features a 2.4GHz AMD Turion II Ultra M600 dual-core processor, a 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, 4GB of DDR2 memory, and a 500GB SATA hard drive. Best of all, the HP Pavilion dv7-3065dx Refurbished Notebook PC boasts a sensational 17.3-inch Diagonal HD+ High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1600 x 900 resolution).You’ll enjoy dazzling on-screen images when you play games or watch movies, because the HP Pavilion dv7-3065dx Refurbished Notebook PC comes with an ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics RS780M graphics engine with Up to 1918MB total graphics memory. Other superb entertainment and communications features include 802.11b/g WLAN, a LightScribe Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD +/- R/RW Double Layer drive that supports double layer media, Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound, and an HDMI port that allows you to take command of your HDTV, Blu-Ray player, and your other high-definition resources. Plus, the HP Pavilion dv7-3065dx Refurbished Notebook PC comes with a powerful 8-cell Lithium-ion battery for extended playing time.

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ASUS G73JW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, Amazon Prime is awesome. I received my computer in 1 day (28hrs) for $4 shipping (15lbs). Wow!
I researched a few weeks before deciding on the XA1. I liked the A1 also but for $300+ less I couldn't resist the XA1.
What I like:
1. The case is flat black and will never show fingerprints (finally a finish for gamer's (and diets))!
2. The illuminated keyboard is super handy.
3. This computer is FAST, COOL and QUIET. Excellent cooling out the back as described in specs.
4. Low profile decorative lighting.
5. The DVD drive is on the left side of the computer so doesn't interfere with my mouse (right handed).
What I don't like:
1. The DVD drive has no drive status or drive in-use light. You have to rely on the software to tell you it is in-use.
2. Since the cooling out the back is so agressive, all the ports (USB/VGA/HDMI etc.)are on the sides. This crowds the sides if you want to use a video cable.
3. I think the hard drive status light is hard to see as it is right under the touch pad.
4. At certain angles, one can see the LEDs under the keys on the keyboard and and they are bright and distracting.
Differences between the A1 and XA1:
1. Yes, it's verified, the XA1 does NOT come with a back pack or ASUS gaming mouse as does the A1.
2. The XA1 has 8GB of 1033Mhz memory as reported by the CRUCIAL memory tester program (although the outside of the box states 1333mhz). The A1 has 8GB of 1333MHz memory.
3. No blue-ray player in the XA1. The A1 has one.
4. Did I mention that the XA1 is more than $300 cheaper?
5. Only 1 year warranty but it is still covered for accidental drops and spills for that whole year (ASUS Global Warranty). The A1 has a 2 year warranty.
6. Oh, almost forgot, the hard drive installed is 750GB and is 7200rpm (verified). It is pre-partitioned to a 250GB OS partition and a 500GB data partition. The A1 has two 500GB 7200RPM drives.
My first impression is that I can't believe I got this much computing power for < $1500. The computer has a quality feel and fit and seems to be thoughfully designed. I have only had mine for a few days but would highly recommend this to others. I'll post more info as I gain more experience.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS G73JW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black)

They'll Never Know What Hit'em Every gamer knows that the latest games demands the best performance. But we don’t believe in just meeting the minimum requirements, we believe in obliterating them. That’s why we made sure that the Republic of Gamers (ROG) G73Jw-XA1 was jam-packed with one-of-a-kind innovation that propel mobile gaming performance to unseen levels. Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics engine that comes with a massive 1.5GB of GDDR5 VRAM, the ROG G73Jw-XA1 leads in DirectX 11 gaming for advanced tessellation and faster graphics rendering. This gaming powerhouse, powered by the Intel Core i7-740QM quad-core processor, soars while performing several tasks simultaneously. And while others struggle to find the keys in dimly lit areas, the backlit gaming keyboard gives you the edge in the dark to put you ahead of the competition. The ROG G73Jw-XA1 showcases a stealth fighter-inspired design with a unique thermal design that promotes airflow and keeps the air away from you. Plus, its 17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display lets you experience the latest in high-definition entertainment brilliant 1080p playback.The ROG G73Jw-XA1 breaks from the heard of traditional gaming notebooks with built-in overclocking feature through the ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid utility – instantly giving you extreme power with a push of a button. The ROG G73Jw-XA1 also boasts 750GB 7200RPM hard drive, 8GB DDR3 system memory, high-speed wireless N, Intel Turbo Boost Technology, Super Speed USB 3.0 connectivity, Bluetooth v2.1, HDMI connectivity, 2.0 megapixel camera, and Altec Lansing speakers with EAX Advanced HD 4.0 sound.

Key Features
17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display for immersive cinematic experience with resolution up to 1920 x 1080 (Learn more)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics with 1.5GB GDDR5 VRAM for unprecedented DirectX 11 gaming (Learn more)
Intel Core i7-DD740QM processor with Intel Turbo Boost technology to automatically boost speed to your task at hand (Learn more)
ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid that innovatively saves battery life and delivers extreme performance (Learn more)
SuperSpeed USB 3.0 for quicker device charging and up to 10x faster transfers than USB 2.01
750GB 7200RPM hard drive and 8GB of DDR3 system memory for smooth computing and ample storage for all your games and media files (Learn more)
Backlit gaming keyboard with ergonomic tilt-up design for comfortable control in any lighting environment (Learn more)
Altec Lansing speakers and EAX Advanced HD Audio for premium gaming sound (Learn more)

Learn More
Relax, ASUS Has You Covered Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources2, readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. ASUS relentlessly strive to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC. ASUS backs a commitment to quality with the industry’s most comprehensive warranty.
1 Year ASUSGlobal Warranty3 Offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars tothe price of competing laptops:
1year global warranty
30 day Flawless Display Guarantee
2-way free standard shipping
24/7 tech support

1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty (ADW)3 Whether your notebook is damaged by accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire, ASUS will fix it or replace it for you during the first year after purchase.
Covers accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
Target 3 business day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
1-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
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What's in the Box
ROG G73Jw-XA1
AC Adapter
8 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card

Specifications
OperatingSystem: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display (1920 x 1080)
Processor: Intel Core i7-740QM quad-core processor (1.73 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz)
Chipset: Intel HM55
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5GB GDDR5 VRAM
WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v2.1
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1333 MHz RAM, 4 x SODIMM (expandable to 8GB)
Storage:750GB 7200RPM hard drive (1x HDD, 2x bays in total)
Optical Drive: Super Multi DVD
Camera: 2.0 megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers with EAX 4.0 sound
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: 8-in-1 card reader (MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory stick/MS Pro/MS-Duo/MS-Pro Duo)
Input/ Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x Headphone-out, 1 x VGA port/Mini D-Sub 15-pin for external monitor, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x Gigabit LAN, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Kensington Lock
Battery: 8 cell
Dimensions: 16.6 x 12.8 x 0.08 ~ 2.3 –inches
Weight: 8 lbs (with 8 cell battery)
Color:Black

© 2010 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. Allspecifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please checkwith your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not beavailable in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos.

1All figures theoretical values compared to USB 2.0 benchmarks for reference purposes. Actual speed depends on device and system status. 2Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2010. Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Q2 2010's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/2010-2nd-Quarter-Computer-Reliability-Report.html 3ASUS reserves the right to exclude certain SKUs; check with your retailer to confirm coverage of specific models. Valid for notebooks purchased in the US and Canada only. Certain retailers do not participate in ADW coverage. For complete details, please visit: usa.asus.com/event/ASUS360 and adw.asus.com/.

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Samsung RF510-S02 15.6-Inch HD LED Laptop (Graphite Radiant Burst) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So far I am very impressed by this laptop. For the price, the included hardware, specifically the processor, RAM, and video card are quite impressive--these are the things that made my decision to purchase this laptop. I am not going to list either pro or con for the battery, this machine is a powerhouse, so of course it's going to suck a lot of power. If you want a business travel machine or ultra-portable this isn't for you. This laptop is intended for someone who needs desktop power that has the *option* of being mobile when necessary. This fits fine with my lifestyle. I should mention that I am coming to this laptop as an owner of 3 Apple laptops. I made the switch because the hardware on this *far* exceeds the Apple version of the same price point. Or even that of double this price point. My purchase of this item was at $849.99. This is $100-200 less than any other online retailer at the time I purchased, so a great deal with Amazon.
I'm going to review a few points not well-covered in the product description or other reviews:
Pros:
-There is a feature to turn off the LED backlight (function+F5). This reminds me a bit of the Pixel Qi display panels, but more rudimentary since it isn't an eInk technology, just simple LCD panel. However, if outdoors in bright sunlight, the screen is very easy to see and battery savings are significant. Otherwise, you will want to keep the backlight on, unless you put a bright lamp directly behind you.
-Already mentioned, but the feel of the keyboard is the best I've found in a laptop. Amazing. Very slightly rubberized keys with a soft but not completely weightless action. This is excellent for a fast typist, but isn't so ultra-sensitive that it causes accidental letter repeats.
-The touchpad is great. The ELAN Smart-Pad driver has a lot of extra options. My previous laptop is a macbook and I am accustomed to gesture touchpads (swiping, 2-finger scrolling vertically and horizontally and more). I needed to configure a few options, but in the end am able to mimic all touchpad options I utilized on my macbook. This is very valuable.
-The palmrest is a metal material, which surprised me. It looks as though it should wear well, I've had laptops where the friction from use and oils from hands discolored or rubbed away paint/tint in the plastic.
-There are 4 USB ports (two 2.0 (left side) and two 3.0 (right side). This is great, because I have a few USB devices that are wider than typical and prevent use of the adjacent USB port. With two ports on either side, I can keep a bulky device on one side and still use the other two, or use two bulky ones at the same time.
-I've been using the CPU monitoring widget for Win7. So far it seems that the laptop only kicks in use of additional processor cores when absolutely necessary, battery life seems to be a bit better than I expected. With casual browsing and IM going I get about 2.3-2.5 hours on one charge. This is with settings for longer battery life enabled.
Cons:
-Fast Start is quoted as a 3 second or less duration in waking from 'sleep.' So far this is more in the 4-8 second range for me. Not a dealbreaker, but slightly annoying that it is advertised as "within 3 seconds."
-The webcam is (I believe) 0.5 MP. It has poor detail and is honestly just crummy. Just what I'd expect with that. Not a feature I plan on using, but it's surprising that this piece of hardware is so far behind the curve of the rest, especially given that these cameras are relatively inexpensive, especially for a 1 or 2 MP. I knew the low MP going into the purchase so had no expectations of quality. It doesn't affect my rating but I figure it worth mentioning for someone who needs higher quality. Honestly, it's still such a great machine, if that's a big deal, I'd get a clip-on external cam for when you need one.
-One minor issue with keyboard layout. There's a 10-key layout on the right side of the keyboard, the zero key is the same width as the other numbers, directly below the 2 key which is not ergonomically sound for use by your thumb when doing significant number entry. This nearly defeats the inclusion of the 10-key section. I rarely do much of this type of work, but for someone who intends to utilize this, you may wish to consider another system or remap the right arrow key to function as a zero.
As you can see, the cons are fairly minor when considering the system and pros. I've only had the laptop for a week so will update this review if I notice anything different. Feel free to comment if you have any specific questions about this review or laptop.
For more reviews and at about $120 or so cheaper, check out the Samsung RF510-S01 15.6-Inch HD LED Laptop (Graphite Radiant Burst). The only difference is a slightly slower processor (Intel Core i5, you'd only notice a difference if doing very system-intensive work like video editing, 3D gameplay) and smaller hard drive (500 GB). If you just intend on using the laptop for web browsing and office applications, save yourself the cash.

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Are you into power and performance? Your notebook is here. Presenting the Samsung RF510. It features a 15.6" HD (1366 x 768) LED-backlit display that produces the sharpest images and boldest colors imaginable. Combined with dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 330M graphics with 1GB of memory, and HD gaming and multimedia come bursting to life. Because audio is key, Samsung's True2Sound system immerses you in more natural and realistic 3D SRS Premium Sound. Exceptional processing power is delivered via the latest Intel Core i7 processor with turbo boost technology combined with the multi-tasking power of Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium. The large 640GB hard drive means you'll never have to be without your favorite music, movies and pictures, and Samsung's innovative Fast Start feature gets you going in 3 seconds instead of waiting to boot up. Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR lets you wirelessly exchange data more quickly, and two USB 3.0 ports are up to ten times faster than USB 2.0 to an external hard drive. One port is chargeable, so you can charge your cell phone or MP3 player even when the notebook's off. And with a graphite radiant burst lid with two-tone interior and blue-halo power key, style accompanies you everywhere. The Samsung RF510. Power, performance, perfection.

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Toshiba Satellite P505-S8980 18.4" Notebook (2.2GHz Core 2 Duo T6600 6GB RAM 500GB HDD Blu-ray Read Only Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted a large screen laptop that I could use around the house. This computer satisfied my requirement. The screen is very large and sharp. My best photos come up large and crisp. Beautiful colors. The speakers are wonderful and were an unexpected surprise. It is like wearing a good set of earphones. The computer is silent. I do not hear the fans or drive. It is very fast.
I did not like the style in the store (Best Buy) since it is shiny black and I prefer a flat finish. But once I got it home I realized it is very smart, modernistic. My wife who is picky on such matters remarked that it is beautiful. The keys are flat like minature tiles but this is ok with me and I would prefer if the function keys were set somewhat lower. It smudges but you only see this in direct light and it wipes off anyway.
I would not buy this computer for travelling due to its size. But as a home laptop it is great. I am very happy with my choice.

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Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.2GHz 6144MB RAM (8192MB max) 18.4 HD+ TruBrite TFT LCD (1680x945) 500GB HDD (5400rpm) Blu-ray ROM DL DVD+R/W Labelflash Realtek WiFi (802.11b/g/n) Ethernet Built-In Webcam & Microphone Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD HDMI Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (Fusion Finish w/Sonic Pattern Black Onyx)

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ASUS G73JH-X5 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The professional reviews of this series are correct. The cooling system is quiet and very effective. The screen is nice, but does pick up reflections in bright light. The machine is fairly heavy and you will need to buy a bag or sleeve meant for 18" screens because the thickness of the laptop prevents it from fitting in most 17.3 bags. The battery dies fast and furious, though you can squeeze out over an hour of use if you are just web browsing and turn down the screen backlighting. I wanted an ATI powered rig, not NVIDIA, and this fit the bill. I've had a couple of the grey bars of death screens that apparently are common with this series. That has been the most disconcerting issue. Hopefully some future 5870 drivers will clear that up. I wiped the drive and installed Windows 7 Ultimate. The laptop includes a utilities installation disk.
Update 1/13 - The computer continues to function pretty well. I haven't used it for gaming recently, but I have not had any more of the "grey bars" crashes. All drivers and bios are updated.
A different issue has developed: the built-in touch pad seems to loose sensitivity and/or malfunction periodically. This is very annoying as I use the laptop in multiple locations and rely on the touch pad - I do not carry around an extra mouse with me. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it, and updating the driver did not solve the issue. It goes through periods of not working, automatically resizing the window when I do not want to and other irksome issues.
Update 2/10 - Over the last several days I have been using this laptop for gaming. Nothing major - mostly "Two Worlds" on maxed settings. "Two Worlds" is a perfectly dull, buggy game I would not recommend to anyone, but it does have graphics that will push the mobile 5870 card a bit on maxed settings. When I first received the laptop (before updates) it was a game that gave me a couple of my GSODs. Anyway - no GSODs now. Updating everything seems to have worked. I haven't had a GSOD (knock on wood) since December. Now I will have to try a game that is actually worth playing! (I have a tower I have dedicated to major games - and it's hooked to a 60" Sony TV, so it is hard to use my newest stuff on the laptop for long periods when I can use the larger system instead.)
Overall still highly recommended. I would buy this again over the Toshiba gaming laptops if I had it to do over.

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Take a giant leap ahead of the competition with the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) G73JH gaming notebook. The G73JH takes the latest games to the next level of realism with Full HD graphics at a blistering fast framerate. Featuring an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, graphics powered by an extremely powerful DirectX 11-enabled ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 graphics processor with 1GB GDDR5 VRAM, and 8GB DDR3 of system memory, the G73JH unleashes its hypersonic performance to render today’s and tomorrow’s most demanding games with ease.The G73JH boasts 640GB of 7200RPM hard disk space (320GB x2), high-speed wireless N (802.11 b/g/n @2.4GHz), ASUS CPU Level Up performance boost, Bluetooth v2.1, HDMI connectivity, a 2.0Mp camera, Blu-Ray combo drive, DirectX 11 support, and Altec Lansing speakers with EAX Advanced HD 4.0 sound. With a 3DMark06 score of 13,667* the G73JH will help you obliterate your competition.The G73JH comes with a 1 year ASUS 360 global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty with 30-day Flawless Display Guarantee.

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