MSI A6000-029US Laptop Notebook - 16" widescreen / Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 / 4GB Memory / 320GB HD / DVD±RW Drive / 802.11b/g/Draft-N / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this laptop shortly after Windows 7 came out. I found a deal on it for $450 or so at Office Depot. I am not an avid Office Depot shopper (and actually used to work there), but I decided to check this out. I got the laptop, had everything setup relatively quickly, and realized that it came with Windows 7 32-bit installed (my lack of homework, but didn't turn out to be a problem). This is the one of only reasons (see next paragraph for other) I give this laptop a 4 star rating. Someone who is even moderately tech savvy can install Windows 7 64-bit with the exact same key, which is on the bottom of the laptop completely free and 100 percent Legal (Windows 7 keys allow for EITHER 32-bit or 64-bit installation). Some of the software for the computer that is on the disc is a bit more challenging to find the 64-bit drivers for, you will have to look for the 64-bit folder. This is worth the extra effort in my opinion. Google it and you will find plenty of forums if you need any help (especially on [...]).
Pros: This laptop for [...] bucks with 4GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, 16 inch wide screen, HDMI output, and 64-bit Processor and 64-bit Windows 7 (with a bit of work as said above), is clearly a steal! A brand that is lesser known in the mainstream market, because of less advertising, means you don't pay for the Dell, Apple, or Sony advertising. This is a well known brand in the motherboard industry.
Cons: The one problem I have noticed is that occasionally when it tries to hibernate it will not be able to come out of it. I just restart and everything is fine. I have avoided most of this problem by forcing my hard drive to stay on in the power settings. I know it has crashed when the power button LED does not flash anymore (which it normally does when its sleeping). This may be a Windows 7 thing, might be specific to Windows 7 64-bit, or may be the laptop. I am not 100 percent sure where this problem is coming from.
In repsonse to the reviewer talking about tech support and such. Obviously MSI support can only do so much when you haven't done all your research. In your review it even sounded like they answered all your questions and waived some of the cost for you. There were things you did not understand from the get go that you should have. This is not a case of poor MSI support, rather lack of customer due diligence. I am tired of customers rating the product poorly because they haven't done their homework. It sounded like this reviewer looked at a few laptops, chatted with a sales person at Office Depot for an hour, and thought he knew everything he needed to purchase a laptop. The Office Depot guy's job is to sell you a freaking laptop, NOT to do all your homework and make the best decision for you. He is going to have basic knowledge of the products for sale, not enough for you to make a great decision.

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This value-priced MSI A6000-029US notebook is ideal for everyday computing!With an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.2 GHz processor and 4 GB DDR2 memory, the A6000-029US can handle your work and play-related commands with ease! Store your music, games, videos, and other critical data on the roomy 320 GB hard drive. Also, the easy-to-use Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system comes pre-installed!Upload, edit, transfer and store your digital files with ease using the built-in 4-in-1 card reader. Access CD and DVD media, backup data, and burn CDs and DVDs using the DVD RW DL drive. Whether you need the Internet for work or play, this MSI A6000-029US has you covered with NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN and 802.11b/g wireless LAN.Stay in touch with family and friends no matter where you are! Chat face-to-face over the Internet via the built-in 1.3 MP webcam! Connect this A6000-029US notebook to a big screen HDTV using the HDMI port! The generous 16-inch widescreen HD TFT display is great for movie watching, playing games, or working on spreadsheets! Order today! By law, California shipments of this product are subject to an $16.00 Electronic Waste Recycling Fee

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Sony VAIO VGN-FW510F/H 16.4-Inch Gray Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
Good specs for a mid-grade notebook
Comforable & quiet keyboard
Upward facing speakers
HDMI output
Aesthetically pleasing
Cons:
LCD is dark even at full brightness
Fan comes on intermitently every 4-5 mins
Heavy (6.9 pounds)
Low battery life (~2.5hrs on light usage)
Review:
I bought this at Bestbuy the weekend of Black Friday ($649.99). It's rare to find a mid-grade notebook that has dedicated graphics, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, GigE & 802.11n connectivity, and a 1600x900 display. Even at MSRP, the specs are pretty good for the price. The keyboard is very quiet and comfortable to type on. The touchpad is a decent size but the 2 buttons are hard to click (I generally use the touchpad tap gestures). The max volume on the speakers are pretty good and they actually face up. Many lower end notebooks have them facing down going away from your ear and also gets muffled if you put it on your bed. The HDMI is great for connecting to an external display. Unfortunately, the integrated glossy 1600x900 xbrite-eco display looks pretty bad. Even on max brightness, the LCD is not very bright. The viewing angles are bad. Normal sized text is hard to read unless you're looking at the LCD straight-on. This is my first experience with extended usage on a Sony xbrite-eco display and I'm a bit disappointed. I haven't used a TN-panel in 3 years, so I am a bit spoiled on monitors. I'm also very conscious of computer noise. The fan comes on and off frequently and cannot be controlled by 3rd party software (This is true of all Sony Vaios). I checked this out using HWMonitor. The PC idles around 50C. When the CPU gets stressed to 59C, the fan starts spinning and cooling the CPU down until 51C, then stops. This is a regular pattern that occurs maybe every 4-5 mins, but on the other hand, many notebook cooling systems are the same way. The good thing is this never becomes one of those lap-scorchers. This thing is quite heavy at 6.9 pounds. The big LCD and dedicated graphics add weight and also trim down the 4400mAH battery's life. I get 2.5hrs on light usage. I think this could have used a bigger battery, but I think Sony didn't want to have to market a 7 pound+ computer. There is still pre-installed garbage software that you'll want to uninstall but it's not as bad as it used to be. This is currently my main computer and I usually have it "docked" to my external S-IPS Dell monitor, external keyboard/mouse, and constantly charged, so I don't feel the effect of the dull LCD, weight, or battery life.
Overall, I still really like the computer. To get similar specs elsewhere, you'd have to spend $1000+. It looks very sleek and has the Sony "Vaio" branding if you're into that. With a 16"+ laptop, weight and lowered battery life are a given. The hardware is very good other than the LCD and the cooling sytem is a little bit below average in my opinion. I'd say if this looks good on paper to you, head down to a brick and mortar to check out the LCD brightness, viewing angles, and weight before making your decision.

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Sony VAIO VGN-FW510F/H Notebook Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz) Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 500 GB HDD 4 GB of RAM

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Sony VAIO VPCF121FX/B Laptop Computer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the laptop and everything was good.
But the Sony service sucks so bad. I had a faulty hard-drive, and called to change for a new hard-drive, and it has been over 3 weeks now with no signs of getting it soon. Apparently Sony does not have any hard-drives left, which is highly unlikely. Don't buy Sony, buy toshiba, Asus or Macs. Anything with a better customer service is worth the money.

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This Sony VAIO VPCF121FX/B Laptop Computer offers maximum performance and amazing HD entertainment on a top-notch 16.4" widescreen laptop with a backlit keyboard and integrated number pad. And with a quad core Intel Core i7-740QM 1.73GHz CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, dedicated NVIDIA® GeForce® 310M graphics, and a Blu-ray Disc™ drive, you will experience the ultimate in smart performance and a razor-sharp picture with amazing depth and clarity.

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Sony VAIO VGN-FW510F/B 16.4-Inch Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
Good specs for a mid-grade notebook
Comforable & quiet keyboard
Upward facing speakers
HDMI output
Aesthetically pleasing
Cons:
LCD is dark even at full brightness
Fan comes on intermitently every 4-5 mins
Heavy (6.9 pounds)
Low battery life (~2.5hrs on light usage)
Review:
I bought this at Bestbuy the weekend of Black Friday ($649.99). It's rare to find a mid-grade notebook that has dedicated graphics, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, GigE & 802.11n connectivity, and a 1600x900 display. Even at MSRP, the specs are pretty good for the price. The keyboard is very quiet and comfortable to type on. The touchpad is a decent size but the 2 buttons are hard to click (I generally use the touchpad tap gestures). The max volume on the speakers are pretty good and they actually face up. Many lower end notebooks have them facing down going away from your ear and also gets muffled if you put it on your bed. The HDMI is great for connecting to an external display. Unfortunately, the integrated glossy 1600x900 xbrite-eco display looks pretty bad. Even on max brightness, the LCD is not very bright. The viewing angles are bad. Normal sized text is hard to read unless you're looking at the LCD straight-on. This is my first experience with extended usage on a Sony xbrite-eco display and I'm a bit disappointed. I haven't used a TN-panel in 3 years, so I am a bit spoiled on monitors. I'm also very conscious of computer noise. The fan comes on and off frequently and cannot be controlled by 3rd party software (This is true of all Sony Vaios). I checked this out using HWMonitor. The PC idles around 50C. When the CPU gets stressed to 59C, the fan starts spinning and cooling the CPU down until 51C, then stops. This is a regular pattern that occurs maybe every 4-5 mins, but on the other hand, many notebook cooling systems are the same way. The good thing is this never becomes one of those lap-scorchers. This thing is quite heavy at 6.9 pounds. The big LCD and dedicated graphics add weight and also trim down the 4400mAH battery's life. I get 2.5hrs on light usage. I think this could have used a bigger battery, but I think Sony didn't want to have to market a 7 pound+ computer. There is still pre-installed garbage software that you'll want to uninstall but it's not as bad as it used to be. This is currently my main computer and I usually have it "docked" to my external S-IPS Dell monitor, external keyboard/mouse, and constantly charged, so I don't feel the effect of the dull LCD, weight, or battery life.
Overall, I still really like the computer. To get similar specs elsewhere, you'd have to spend $1000+. It looks very sleek and has the Sony "Vaio" branding if you're into that. With a 16"+ laptop, weight and lowered battery life are a given. The hardware is very good other than the LCD and the cooling sytem is a little bit below average in my opinion. I'd say if this looks good on paper to you, head down to a brick and mortar to check out the LCD brightness, viewing angles, and weight before making your decision.

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Sony VAIO VGN-FW510F/B Notebook Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz) Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 500 GB HDD 4 GB of RAM

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Sony VAIO VGN-NW320F/B 15.5-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I LOVE this laptop. I have both worked on and owned several brands and types of laptops. This is by far the best one yet. I know this sounds silly but after owning (and constantly cleaning) stainless steel appliances the thing that caught my attention on this laptop was the 'non-fingerprint' finish and the keyboard touch. I have owned the laptop for about a month now without any issues whatsoever. I have owned more expensive (and heavier) laptops in the past. For the price and size this baby delivers.

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A great value in a gracefully slim 15.5-Inchnotebook. With the power of an Intel Dual Core CPU, loads of RAM, and multimedia capabilities, it\'s the perfect PC for multitasking all you want. The extra-wide 15.5-Inch (1366x768) LCD allows for an optimal viewing experience.

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HP Pavilion DV6-1350US 15.6-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 8 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I decided it was time to upgrade my laptop and looked for several weeks for the right combination of price, hard drive, RAM, Bluetooth, battery, numeric keypad, etc. This laptop has it all. I thought my replacement laptop would be a second Mac since I bought a Mac for my wife six months ago. However with Windows 7 getting good reviews and a price one-third of the cost of an "equivalent" Mac, my decision was what PC did I want. The DV6-1350 has all the features I was looking for including the new DDR3 RAM instead of DDR2 and Bluetooth. I also like having the 12 cell battery pack attached. The extra "bump" on the bottom doesn't bother me. Ergonomically the keyboard is great. My last laptop was an HP and I am pleased with the reliability. I am really liking Windows 7 in it's functionality. It starts up almost instantly from sleep mode. This is great laptop at a very good price.

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For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv6 Entertainment series delivers excellent mobile performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers the features you need to support your digital lifestyle.Enjoy full-screen viewing of HD TV and movies with the 16:9 display.Enjoy your photos and videos on HD TVs with the HDMI port (cable sold separately).Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects.Enter data quickly with the separate numeric keypad.Look good on the go with award-winning HP Imprint finish. Create personalized DVD and CD labels with LightScribe.

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Sony VAIO VGN-NW240F/S 15.5-Inch Silver Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After replacing my 8 year old Dell Laptop, I looked into this Vaio upon the recommendation of a few friends. I'm not a tech-guy by any stretch, just wanted a solid everyday home laptop with good memory for interent, Itunes, Quickbooks, Skype and some word processing (no gaming) and this laptop absolutely fit the bill! Solid construction, unique and appealing design (case texture is great, shows no fingerprints), comfortable, wide and spacious keyboard, lightning fast-start up and downloads, user-freindly, gorgeous Hi-Def screen, great for watching videos and DVD's, fast CD and DVD burner and an awesome camera for Skyping with friends and family. For the price (just a shy over $600) and complete with Windows 7, you can't beat it! Battery life is fine too. Unlike some complaints, mine gets just under 3 hours which suits my needs and also charges very fast. I've had freinds that have owned Vaio's years with little to no problems, and now glad to own one myself. If you're looking for a rock solid laptop with style and function, get this one. I'm happy I made this purchase, would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone!

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Sony VAIO VGN-NW240F/S Notebook Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz) Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 320 GB HDD 4 GB of RAM

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Toshiba Satellite L655-S5117 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion Finish in Helios Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Had this computer for a week now, paid $449.99, and have been very happy with it and will list some impressions.
--I3 Processor combined with 4GB of ram results in laptop that is very fast for this price range. Passmark benchmarks show the I3 to be almost half again as fast as the best CPU's from Intel and AMD found in comparably priced laptops.
--Comfortable keyboard w/numeric keypad.
--Numeric keypad makes the computer a little wider than my HP without a keypad. Still fits in my zip up laptop case though.
--Screen is also a little wider, but it does not distort anything displayed.
--Graphics are good. Fine for viewing DVD movies and editing photos. Maybe not so great if you play a lot of demanding games. If so, proceed with caution. Test it or get an opinion from someone who has played the games you are interested in on the computer.
--No HDMI port. I won't miss it. Probably a statement by Toshiba that this is not a game machine.
--Can't comment on the built in camera or the face recognition--haven't tried them yet.
--Card reader only accepts Memory Sticks, MultiMedia Cards or SD cards (standard size only, you need an adapter for the smaller ones). Does not take XD cards which sucks for me because that is what my Olympus camera uses. As long as I don't lose the USB cable that came with it I can still connect through a USB port.
--Onboard speakers are very tinny sounding. Sound can be improved some if your software has an equalizer but only to the point of being just acceptable. Music sounds pretty good through headphones and can be tailored nicely if you have an equalizer. Volume of on board speakers is reasonable but since the speakers point directly at the ceiling, it helps to tilt the screen to about a 45 degree angle so the sound bounces off of it. Can't use the computer for anything else while the screen is tilted.
--Wireless download speed is very good, much better than my desktop, even though it is connecting through a G router.
--Amount of bloatware doesn't seem excessive.
--Getting use to Windows 7 64 bit. Very fast boot speed. Have been able to load most of my software without a problem. Windows 7/64 is ok with the 32 bit software but balks at the older 16 bit. One of my all time favorite programs was Micrografx Picture Publisher but it is one of the 16 bit programs--oh well.
--Top of the computer and most of the inside surfaces are a high gloss finish over a textured surface. Not really wild about it. Shows finger prints and smudges easily. Will show scratches readily if and when they occur. Would have done much better if they had just gone with the textured surface.
--Lid has no latch and I would like it better if it did.
--Battery life seems to be very good. I would estimate 3-4 hours. Haven't used it continuously for that long so it is just an estimate. When it powers down after not being used for a period of time the drain on the battery is very, very low.
--Overall, I don't think you will find a better machine for the price. The processor is very robust and the feature set is good. I wish it had a dedicated video processor, but since my game playing is limited to the likes of solitaire, I don't think it will cause me any problems.


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This laptop features a built-in webcam and microphone so you can video chat with family and friends. Connect wirelessly to the Web via the built-in wireless LAN. With Microsoft Live Essentials and more. 60-day trial of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Starter 2010 also included (product key card required for activation; sold separately).

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