PC Magazine - 2009 04.pdf - Libertad Zero - Blog

DESKTOPS
LAPTOPS
DISPLAYS
first looks hardware
Quick looks
Visit pcmag.com for the full reviews of these and scores of other hardware products.
ASUS Eee
Top 1602
$599 list
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iBuypower
Video Pro
$1,799 direct
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Gateway
UC7807u
$800 street
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Dell Latitude
E4300
$2,789 direct
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Dell Inspiron
Mini 12
$524 direct
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HP EliteBook
2530p
$2,099 direct
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Toshiba Qosmio
X305-Q725
$2,699 direct
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iZ3D 22-inch
LCD Monitor
$399 list
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Gateway FHD2401
$469.99 list
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12 PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION APRIL 2009
PROS CONS BOTTOM LINE SPECS
• Compact all-in-one PC
• Runs Windows
• Nice styling
• Touch screen
• Quad-core power and speedy
memory for video editing
• Blu-ray burner
• Decent expansion possibilities
• Comes with VHS-to-DVD
converter and Adobe Premiere
Elements
• Well designed
• Attractive price
• HDMI port included
• Slot-loading DVD drive is a
nice touch
• Full-size keyboard is responsive
• Color options
• Huge hard drive selection
• Very good performance
• Very good battery life
• Rugged
• Excellent keyboard
• Big 12-inch screen
• Good resolution
• Very thin
• As light as its 10-inch netbook
peers
• Top-notch Ubuntu Linux OS
• Multiple battery options
• Standard and extended battery
together yield over 20 hours of
battery life
• Built-in optical drive
• Very good keyboard
• Dual pointing devices
• Multiple wireless technologies
• Runs an Intel quad-core
processor
• Fierce Nvidia 9800M GTX graphics
card
• Integrates both spinning and
solid-state drives
• Excellent gaming scores
• Very good 3D effects
• Wide viewing angles
• Great color and text reproduction
• Good motion handling
• Stylish design
• Only 1GB of RAM
• Smallish mouse lacks back
button
• Weak 3D graphics
• Screen is single-touch only
• Loud fans
• Lacks eSATA
• A little pricey compared with
similar hardware
• Too heavy for a 13-inch form
factor
• Mouse buttons are too resistant
• Trails the competition in
performance
• SSDs make it pricey
• Stiff pointing stick
• Slow, 4,200-rpm hard drive
• Expensive for a netbook
• VGA is the only video-out port
• Weak speakers
• Battery life without the extended
battery is unimpressive
• Resolution should have been
higher at this price
• Could use a higher-capacity
battery
• Weak light grayscale performance
• Limited image adjustments
• Lacks multimedia/entertainment
features
• Narrow viewing angles
• Lacks multimedia ports
• Tilt-only stand features
The Top 1602 is the first truly
integrated all-in-one nettop. It
may create a new category—an
Internet terminal that replaces
your desktop.
The Video Pro is a system that
is at the tipping point between
fairly priced and overpriced. If
you plan to upgrade components,
the Video Pro will work for you.
If you’re still starting out, try a
cheaper alternative.
The UC7807u’s basement price
and desirable design can make
customers, especially online
shoppers, look past its overfed
frame.
The E4300 is a powerful business
ultraportable that lets you choose
from a trio of fashionable colors,
and its 13-inch widescreen is a
first in the Latitude line.
Sure, the Mini 12 costs more than
other netbooks, but it’s the only
one with a 12-inch screen.
If battery life ranks high on your
list of business needs, the Elite-
Book 2530p won’t disappoint.
While the Qosmio X305-Q725’s
fiery design may not appeal to
everyone, its quad-core processor
and an Nvidia GTX graphics card
are parts that extreme gamers
yearn for.
The iZ3D does a super job of
displaying 3D images and works
with many of today’s gaming
titles, but you don’t get much
in the way of connectivity and
image adjustment options.
This monitor delivers bold colors
and very good text readability,
but its grayscale and viewing
angle performance are subpar.
1.6-GHz Intel Atom n270 processor;
1GB DDR2 SDRAM; 160GB,
5,400-rpm SATA hard drive;
128MB Intel GMA 950 integrated
graphics; Windows XP Home.
2.83-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
processor; 8GB 800-MHz DDR2
SDRAM; two 500GB, 7,200-rpm
SATA hard drives (RAID 0); 512MB
ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics
card; DVD±RW drive; Blu-ray
burner; Vista Home Premium.
Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 (2.0
GHz); 3GB DDR2 SDRAM; 250GB,
5,400-rpm hard drive; 32MB Intel
graphics; 13.3-inch, 1,280-by-800
CCFL screen; 5.3 pounds (6.0
pounds travel); 49-Wh battery;
Vista Home Premium.
2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP9400;
2GB DDR2 SDRAM; 128GB SSD;
64MB Intel Graphics Media
Accelerator 4500MHD; 13.3-inch,
1,280-by-800 display; 3.9 pounds
(4.8 pounds travel); 60-Wh
battery; Vista Business.
Intel Atom Z530 (1.6-GHz); 1GB
DDR2; 60GB; 4,200-rpm hard
drive; Intel Graphics Media
Accelerator 500; 12.1-inch, 1,280by-800
LCD widescreen; 2.7
pounds (3.2 pounds travel); 24-
Wh battery; Ubuntu Linux 8.04.1.
1.86-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L9400;
3GB DDR2 SDRAM; 80GB SSD;
64MB Intel Graphics Media
Accelerator 4500MHD; 12.1-inch,
1,280-by-800 LCD; 3.7 pounds (4.6
pounds travel); 55-Wh battery;
Vista Business.
2.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000;
4GB DDR3; 384GB (320GB, 7,200rpm
hard drive and 64GB SSD);
1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX;
17-inch, 1,680-by-1,050 LCD, 9.2
pounds (11.4 pounds travel); 58-
Wh battery; Vista Ultimate 64-bit.
22-inch LCD; 1,680-by-1,050
native resolution; DVI-D and
analog VGA inputs.
24-inch LCD; 1,920-by-1,200
native resolution; HDMI, DVI-D,
and analog VGA inputs; 16:10
aspect ratio.