Acer Aspire R7 review

Windows 8's future lies in touchscreen devices, but Microsoft's army of OEM manufacturers haven't exactly done a great job of building the perfect laptop.

There's been some notable efforts; the HP Envy X2 and Surface Pro spring to mind as decent efforts at marrying computing and touch, but for every neat portability trick is a usability nightmare and sticking with the old fashioned clamshell laptop design hasn't led to a happy matrimony.
Acer's back with its updated range of touchscreen devices, the king of which is the interesting Acer Aspire R7. It's very much a laptop device – at 15.6-inches that should be no surprise – but with a nifty design that pushes touchscreen to the fore, without castrating its usefulness with an uncomfortable keyboard or by killing the trackpad.

To try and tackle the touchscreen problem, Acer has employed a 'four-in-one design' with its new Aspire R7, which it believes offers the maximum versatility for maximum comfort. These four modes include 'notebook mode' which does exactly what it says on the tin, but adds 'Ezel mode', 'display mode' and 'pad mode' to its repertoire.
Ezel mode's name derives from the 'Ezel hinge' which elevates the screen above the keyboard, enabling you to pull the display forward, creating a more natural angle for using with your fingers. The hinge then allows for a host of other positions, such as the classic laptop look with a full-sized qwerty keyboard, or completely flip it over, in a move reminiscent of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga.

One of the biggest challenges of the keyboard and touchscreen marriage 'the zombie look' (Acer's words not ours) where users have to hold their hands forward to interact with the panel. It usually means that they forgo the touchscreen and revert to the trackpad, but one of the most revolutionary changes Acer has made to the R7 is that it's pushed the trackpad back towards the rear of the laptop and brought the keyboard forward.
The keyboard is large and spacious, but the keys don't offer much travel or cushioning, and we much prefer the luxurious feel of the Dell XPS range. The Acer's keys lack quality and if you're a regular typist you may want to give this serious consideration.

It may look like the laptop's been assembled backwards, but it means the screen can sit just behind the keys at a usable 45 degree angle. The result makes for a decent experience, and Windows 8 is refreshing to use on a full-sized screen.
Other than ezel mode, there's display Mode, which enables you to flip the screen over, for a more tablet-style experience, which is more suited to watching movies or playing games, be it through the Windows Store or full-blooded titles.
Finally, there's 'pad Mode', where the screen can be pushed down and forward, lying almost flat, turning it into a 15-inch tablet. It offers a slight angle, which is useful if you are resting on the desk. Of course it's completely unsuited to tablet usage, such as sofa surfing or on-the-move gaming.
It's actually quite an over-bearing experience standing in front of the Aspire R7, wondering where exactly you should place the screen. The good news is there's no give in the hinge so there's minimal wobble when touching the screen, but it took some time to discover the angle we felt comfortable with.

For a 15.6-inch device, the Acer Aspire R7 is pretty heavy, weighing in at 2.4kg, you'll certainly notice it in your bag. This kind of weight harks back to the bad old days of chunky laptops, and we've become accustomed to a bulk south of 1.5KG with modern Ultrabooks. The pay off, however, is a fearsome spec that will challenge laptops like the MacBook Pro for power.
If you're looking for real power for image and video editing and other creative tasks, the headline story is the Nvidia GeForce GT 750M on board. It's got 2GB of memory, giving the Acer Aspire R7 a quality USP. This graphical power is backed up by an Intel Core i5 processor, with options to add up to 12GB of RAM, up to 1TB hard drive and a 256GB SSD.
As we've come to expect from the current crop of Windows 8 touchscreen products there's a full HD 1,920 x 1,080 touchscreen display. It looks great, showing off Windows 8 in all its flat-designed glory, and makes using apps a pleasure. We didn't get the opportunity to play movies, but its clear that this panel is up there with the gorgeous Dell XPS 15z.
Unfortunately, it doesn't match the MacBook Pro for build quality, and there's a plasticky feel to the silver case. When the laptop's opened it looks intriguing and space age, but when it's closed it reminds us of the awful Acer Iconia 6120 from 2010.
Connectivity is good, and you'll find a HDMI port, SD card reader, audio jacks, three USB ports, WiFi, Bluetooth and a convenient converter port supporting VGA, RJ45 and USB.

Early Verdict

All things considered Acer is to be applauded for offering a different take on the laptop experience. Here there's a concerted and genuine attempt to be open, to embrace those that want a laptop, but to make it easy for people to use touchscreens.
Part of Windows 8's rocky road has been due to an authoritarian dictation of how people 'should' use their laptops, such as removing the Start menu and putting Metro front and centre. The Acer Aspire R7 lets you work in nearly any way possible, and we're looking forward to putting it through its paces in a full review.

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NEW!! ASUS Taichi 31 13-inch Displays

The ASUS Taichi 31 has finally become available, and it brings a new design form factor to the world of Windows 8 ultrabooks. The ASUS Taichi features back-to-back displays both able to support FULL HD 1080p resolution. The outer 1080p display is also a touchscreen, allowing you to close your ultrabook and use it as a tablet if you want. You are able to use a stylus to interact with the touch screen.

The ASUS Taichi 31 was announced last year, and it garnered much attention for its dual displays. However, the ASUS delayed the availability of this ultrabook, much to the disappointment of potential buyers. ASUS never stated why it delayed the availability of the Taichi 31, however it still released the smaller, 11.6-inch Taichi 21 to the marketplace, which went on sale in October 2012.

The ASUS Taichi 31 boasts some impressive specs. It has two 13.3-inch Super IPS+ 1080p displays, an SSD drive, your choice of a Intel Ivy Bridge i5 or i7 processor, dual-band WiFi, two USB 3.0 ports, Bluetooth 4.0, a 5MP rear-facing camera capable of recording 1080p video, a front-facing camera capable of recording 720p video, and Windows 8. This ultrabook hybrid is also claimed to be able to survive up to 7 hours on a single charge thanks to ASUS’s Super Hybrid Engine II technology.

While ASUS announced that the ASUS Taichi 31 is now available, it hasn’t revealed a price for it just yet. Right now, the smaller ASUS Taichi 21 goes for about $1200 to $1500 depending on your preferred configuration, meaning that the ASUS Taichi 31 will most likely cost a small fortune. But then again, with dual-1080p screens, a hefty price tag was expected.

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Sony VAIO Duo 11

Design

Click to EnlargeThink of the Duo 11 as more of a notebook than a tablet. When its lid is closed, the Sony VAIO Duo 11 looks like a very thick tablet, at 12.5 x 7.8 x 0.75 inches. The 11-inch screen is surrounded by an inch-thick glossy black bezel that fortunately doesn't show fingerprints all that much.

But wait! Pull up (gently but firmly) on two ridges on the upper right- and left-hand corners of the display, and the screen lifts up to reveal a keyboard. The ridges are somewhat hard to see, and it's not immediately obvious that you have to lift the lid at these spots; more than one person in our office tried pushing up on the bottom of the screen to open the device.

Click to EnlargeWhile this sliding design is a clever way to incorporate a keyboard and a tablet, we have two major concerns. The first is that the screen is not protected when you're carrying the Duo 11 around in a bag or backpack; we were concerned that other objects in our bag would scratch or break the display. Fortunately, the display is made with Gorilla Glass, which should protect the screen. Sony will also sell a $49 carrying case.

Secondly, the sliding mechanism, which you can see when the screen is raised, has so many parts and nooks--such as two slender ribbon cables connecting the display-- that we'd be worried about something breaking or getting stuck inside the opening.

Look really hard under the front lip, and you'll find two minuscule volume buttons, rotation lock and a VAIO Assist button. Not only are they very difficult to locate by feel, but they're hard to press, too.

Click to EnlargeOn the right side of the Duo 11 are two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and a power button. The back edge has a plug for Ethernet and power, and the left side has a VGA port, headphones, and a combo SD and Memory Stick Duo slot. One thing we wish this device had was a slot for the included stylus, considering a replacement costs $49.

In terms of size and weight, the 2.8-pound Duo 11 is almost the same size as 13-inch Ultrabooks such as the Toshiba Portege Z935 (12.4 x 8.9 x 0.3 - 0.6 inches), and is actually 0.4 pounds heavier. It's only about 3.2 ounces lighter than the ASUS ZenBook Prime UX31A (13.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 - 0.7 inches) and the Envy Spectre XT (12.4 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches).

Keyboard

Click to EnlargeWhen you have to cram a keyboard into such a limited space, it's inevitable that you're going to make compromises. While the keys on the VAIO Duo 11 are well-spaced, the keys themselves are netbook-small. The right Shift key, among others, is condensed. While the keys were snappy, travel is limited, so we found ourselves making more mistakes than usual. We do like that the keyboard was backlit, though.

Click to EnlargeInstead of a touchpad, the Duo 11 has a pointing stick that's actually an optical sensor. While it was accurate, we found it highly sensitive, which would result in the cursor jumping around if we accidentally touched it. This proved especially annoying while typing a document, as we would inadvertently start typing in the wrong place. Hopefully this can be resolved via software update.

Display

Click to EnlargeA fantastic canvas for Windows 8's Live Tile interface, the 11.6-inch screen on the Duo 11 has a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080. This screen's crispness, colors and brightness all impressed. In the trailer for "The Lone Ranger," stark rock formations of the southwest stood out from the blue sky, and the black and white of Tonto's face paint showed great contrast. The Duo 11's IPS panel also has wide viewing angles--we could see the screen from almost any angle--and it was even readable in bright sunlight.

While it was easy to select objects in the Modern UI, trying to click on minuscule icons in the desktop interface was just as difficult as it is in Windows 7.

The VAIO Duo 11 registered 402 lux on our brightness meter, which is almost twice the ultraportable average of 223; only the ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A was brighter, at 423 lux.

Audio

Two speakers mounted on the bottom front corners of the Duo 11 produced accurate, if not very loud, audio. When we streamed Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" using the Slacker app, her voice sounded a little hollow. The bass line in the chorus of Fun's "We Are Young" barely came through, and the beat in Rihanna's "We Found Love" lacked the heart-pumping quality we're used to hearing in clubs. Neither song was able to fill our office, but was loud enough for a couple of people sitting nearby.

Windows 8

Click to EnlargeThe Duo 11 is the first laptop we've fully tested that runs Windows 8, Microsoft's new operating system. This bold OS attempts to bridge the gap between a traditional desktop and a tablet-style interface, and actually has both. When you first boot the Duo 11, you're presented with the Modern UI, a series of customizable Live Tiles that stretch horizontally across the screen.

Click to EnlargeTiles are divided into several sections, the first two clusters of which are Windows apps (Mail, Calendar, People, Internet Explorer, Maps, Photos, Messaging, Weather, News, SkyDrive, Store, and Desktop, to name a few). A VAIO apps section includes VAIO Care, VAIO Message Center, PlayMemories Home, Album by Sony, and Music by Sony, among others.

You can add additional tiles by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, and selecting "All Apps." Then, in the next screen, swiping down on an icon gives you options to pin it to the Start screen, taskbar, uninstall it, open in a new window, run as administrator or open file location. We highly recommend pinning the Control Panel; it's difficult to access otherwise.

Swiping from the right bezel reveals the Charms menu, which has options for Search, Share, returning to the Start screen, Devices and Settings. Swiping from the left side of the screen lets you switch between active programs; if you swipe in, then out in one motion, open programs are shown as thumbnails along the left side.

Click to EnlargeThen, there's the Desktop mode. Selecting the Desktop tile brings you to a Windows 7-style interface, with a few notable exceptions. Instead of a Start menu in the lower left, all you get is an Internet Explorer icon, next to a file explorer.

We encountered some bugs that make us wonder if Windows 8 is fully baked. The Modern-style version of Internet Explorer often had trouble loading Web pages, where the desktop version would load pages instantly. We encountered another issue: Any app should be smart enough to recognize when the keyboard is open, and not present the on-screen keyboard. This was not the case with IE.

Read our full review of Windows 8 for additional details.

Apps

At the moment, Microsoft's Windows Store for apps is pretty limited. It's divided into categories such as Sports, Music & Video, Games and Social, but each has far fewer apps than you'd find in Apple's App Store or Google Play. For instance, as of this writing, there were only 522 titles in the Games section; while "Fruit Ninja" was there, "Angry Birds" wasn't there. Also missing were apps for Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

A few of the Modern-style apps could use some work, too. In the Sports tab, when we tried to read a story, we couldn't move past the first page; we would swipe to go to the second page, but the screen would simply bounce back to the first page. We had to use the cursor keys instead.

Click to EnlargeSony also includes several apps, a few which have already been on Windows 7 systems. The Music by Sony app presents tunes in an attractive interface, but wouldn't let us add tracks that weren't in the Music folder. Same goes for Album by Sony; there was no way to add photos we had stored anywhere but the Pictures folder.

Pen Input

Click to EnlargeThe metal stylus that comes with the Duo 11 is about as thick as a Bic pen, and has a nice heft, aided undoubtedly by the AAAA battery inside. Two buttons on the stylus let you perform secondary functions, such as selecting text or erasing a drawing. However, just like we couldn't believe there's no place to stash the stylus, we were even more incredulous that the cap for the stylus didn't snap onto its other end while in use. So, not only is it easy to lose the stylus, but it's even easier to lose its cap.

We liked the Note Anytime app, which not only let us scribble on the screen, but had decent handwriting recognition, to boot. A small ring of circular icons lets you change pen types; pressing on one opens up a much larger control panel allowing you to change color, size, type and opacity of the brush.

Heat

After streaming a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the mouse buttons on the Duo 11 were a cool 77 degrees, the middle of the underside was 85 and the trackpoint was 82. The hottest spot, on the right corner of the bottom, hit 95 degrees, which is right at the edge of what we consider uncomfortable.

Webcam and Back Camera

Click to EnlargeAbove the display is a 2.4-MP webcam that can record video at a max resolution of 1080p. Colors were fairly accurate, although we noticed a good deal of noise, even in a well-lit office. When the notebook is open, we found the camera works best if the Duo 11 was sitting on our lap; that way, our entire face is on-screen, though its angle--shooting us at an upward angle--is somewhat unflattering. If the Duo 11 is sitting on a desk, your face is in the lower part of the screen, and partly cut off.

The Duo 11 also has a rear-facing 2.4MP webcam. We felt ridiculous holding this 11-inch tablet up to take photos. The device snapped photos very quickly--usually less than a second after we touched the screen. Colors looked vivid, such as the blue sky and red sandstone in a building's facade, but finer details were blurry.

Performance

The Duo 11 packs a 1.7-GHz Intel Core i5-3317U, 6GB of RAM and a 128GB Toshiba SSD, a pretty common arrangement for Ultrabooks. On PCMark 7, the Duo 11 scored 4,683, which is about 1,600 points higher than the category average, but well below the Portege Z935 (5,486), which has almost the same specs.

The Duo 11 booted Windows 8 in a fast 13 seconds, even faster than the Z935, which itself took a speedy 20 seconds to boot Windows 7. The SSD was just as fast when duplicating 5GB of multimedia files, taking a mere 35 seconds, for a transfer rate of 145.4 MBps. That's more than double the 61 MBps average, and just a bit below the Z935 (164.2 MBps) and the HP Envy Spectre XT's score of 150 MBps.

So how about everyday use? Both the Duo 11's touch screen and stylus worked well within Windows 8. We were able to not only execute mulltitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, but all the Windows 8 gestures were also smooth. However, when you turn the Duo 11, it takes approximately two seconds for the screen to change orientation; it shrinks slightly, pauses, then rotates. Another annoying quirk is that the screen doesn't automatically orient itself with the keyboard when it's extended. More than once, we found ourselves looking at an upside-down display.

Graphics Performance

Click to EnlargeThe integrated Intel Graphics 4000 GPU in the Duo 11 delivered a score of 615 on the 3DMark11 benchmark test. That showing is 200 points below the category average, but in line with other ultraportables with the same GPU. The Portege Z935, for instance, scored 621, and the UX31A notched 594.

You can game on this hybrid, but not at full HD resolution. While we were able to eke out 31 frames per second in "World of Warcraft" with the effects on autodetect and the resolution at 1366 x 768, increasing the latter to the Duo 11's native 1080p dropped performance to 24 fps. Good luck with all the eye candy on: We averaged just 13 fps.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeOn the Laptop Battery Test (Web surfing via Wi-Fi), the Duo 11 lasted 5 hours and 8 minutes, more than an hour less than the ultraportable average (6:20). The UX31A lasted 6:28, and the Toshiba Z935 lasted 6:35. The 4960 mAh battery doesn't give you a ton of capacity, but we expect more endurance out of a 2.8-pound device.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeAt first blush, the Sony VAIO Duo 11 looks like a slick Windows 8 hybrid--and it is. We appreciate the bright and colorful full HD display and very fast boot time. However, this slider feels cramped as a notebook, too big as a tablet and has too short endurance for either type of device. We also have concerns about the durability of the screen as the Duo is thrown into bags (despite the Gorilla Glass treatment), and the fact that the stylus can get lost easily. Even if the Windows 8 app selection vastly improves--and we suspect that it will--$1,199 is a lot of money to spend on a 2-in-1 device with this many shortcomings.

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HP Envy Spectre XT Ultrabook Reviews

We've been enamored with HP's Envy Spectre series notebooks, so it should come as no surprise that we were eager to get our hands on the company's latest Envy Spectre XT. This slick, 13.3-inch $999 Ultrabook features an Intel Core i5 processor and a super quick 128GB SSD. But the ultraportable market is full of steep competition from the likes of Apple, ASUS and others. Read on to find out where this machine ranks.

Display

Click to EnlargeUnlike the Envy 14 Spectre, the Envy Spectre XT's chassis is an all-metal design --no glass-coated lid here. The handsome look gives the system an industrial feel, similar to the ASUS Zenbook UX31A and MacBook Air. The sole design flourish on the Spectre XT's brushed metal lid is a small, raised HP logo in the bottom right corner. As with other recent Envys, the bottom has a soft-touch coating that felt great as we were carrying around the notebook.

However, we'd prefer a higher resolution. While a bit more expensive, both the $1,199 MacBook Air (1440 x 900) and the $1,050 ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A, with its jaw-dropping 1920 x 1080 display offer a sharper picture than the Envy Spectre XT. With this machine, you can't even upgrade to a higher--res panel.

Because it's glossy, the Spctre XT's display also produced a significant amount of glare when used in brightly lit rooms. Viewing angles were also fairly limited, with images washing out when viewed at a roughly 45-degree angle.

With a lux rating of 176, the Spectre XT's screen was brighter than both the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 (148 lux) and the Sony VAIO T13 (163 lux), but fell behind the ultraportable category average of 223 lux and the MacBook Air's 268 lux rating. The ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A blew the competition away with a 423 lux rating.

Audio

HP's Beats Audio gives the Envy Spectre XT's four speakers--two on the deck, and two on the botom--a much needed boost. With the feature turned off, songs such as French Montana's "Pop That" sounded hollow and lacked bass. When we enabled Beats Audio, however, audio sounded much fuller and more dynamic, and was loud enough to fill a large room.

Keyboard and Clickpad

Click to EnlargeThe Envy Spectre's Chiclet-style backlit keyboard features smooth soft-touch textured keys. Key spacing and feedback were good, although they felt a bit on the mushy side. Still, on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we scored an average of 80 words per minute with a 1 percent error rate. That's far better than or usual rating of 77 wpm with a 2 percent error rate. We also appreciated the keyboard's reversed function keys for tweaking the brightness and volume, a feature more laptops should incorporate.

The Envy Spectre XT's 3.7 x 2.3-inch Synaptics clickpad was a pleasure to use. It was accurate and responsive, and multitouch functionality worked very well. Two-finger rotate, scroll, pinch-to-zoom and three-finger swipe were all spot on. The Spectre XT also includes an off switch for the clickpad in its top left corner. Unfortunately, the button would occasionally become unresponsive when trying to turn the clickpad back on.

Ports

Click to EnlargeThe Envy Spectre XT comes with all the ports most users need. On the right side, you'll find the power jack, a powered USB 2.0 port, 4-in-1 card reader and a dual microphone/ headphone jack. The left side features a USB 3.0 port, HDMI, Ethernet, and a Kensington lock slot. The only real omision is VGA, which some presenters require.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe HP Spectre XT's HP TrueVision HD webcam offered dull, grainy video at its default 640 x 480 resolution. Pump up the resolution to 1280 x 720, though, and the image clears up significantly. The included CyberLink YouCam software provides users with a host of different webcam functions including animated photo frames, avatars and accessories.

Heat

Heat proved to be a nonissue for the Sectre XT, thanks to HP's CoolSense technology. After streaming a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the Spectre's keyboard temperature measured just 88 degrees. The touchpad was even lower than that at 79 degrees. The underside of the system was equally cool, registering at 87 degrees. We generally consider temperatures of 95 degrees and lower to be comfortable. Our only issue is that the Spectre XT's fan became quite loud while running.

Performance

Click to EnlargeHP equipped the Spectre XT with a 1.7-GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB Samsung SSD. On the PCMark 7 benchmark, which tests a system's overall performance, this Ultrabook scored an impressive 5,447, almost twice the category average of 2,970. The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and the Sony VAIO T13, which have the same processor as the Spectre but mechanical hard drives, registered much lower scores of 3,480 and 3,334.

The Spectre XT even outclassed Ultrabooks with that have solid--state drives. The UX31A, which has a 1.9-GHz Intel Core i7-3517U processor and a 256GB SSD, scored 4,989. The pricier MacBook Air, with its 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD, notched 4,380 while running Windows 7 in Boot Camp.

On the LAPTOP File Transfer test, the Spectre XT duplicated 4.97GB of mixed media files in 34 seconds, a rate of 149.7 MBps. That showing leaves the IdeaPad U310 (28.6 MBps), the VAIO T13 (18.6 MBps), and the UX31A (51 MBps) in the rearview mirror. Only the MacBook Air's 159 MBps was higher.

The Spectre XT's 22-second boot time was also stellar. That's faster than the UX31A (23 seconds) VAIO T13 (25 seconds), and the IdeaPad U310 (33 seconds).

On our OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, the Spectre XT matched 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses in 5 minutes and 43 seconds. That was more than two minutes faster than the category average (7:53), and a few seconds faster than both the Sony VAIO T13 (5:53) and the IdeaPad 310U (6:06). The UX31A was a bit faster at 4:59.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeGraphics performance is not the Envy Spectre XT's strong suit. On 3DMark11, the Intel HD Graphics 4000-equipped Spectre XT scored 569, far lower than the category average of 832. The UX31A and the MacBook Air, which have the same GPU, recorded higher scores of 594 and 624, respectively. Meanwhile, the IdeaPad U310 and VAIO T13, which also feature Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPUs, posted scores of 486 and 456.

While playing "World of Warcraft" with the graphics set to autodetect, the Envy Spectre XT chugged along at a barely playable 30 frames per second. The ASUS UX31A, by contrast, registered a whopping 52 fps, and the ultraportable category average is 47 fps on autodetect and 23 fps on high. However, it's worth noting that the recent Mist of Pandaria expansion for WOW has caused frame rates to take a hit.

Battery Life

On the LAPTOP Battery Test, which consists of continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 40 percent, the Envy Spectre XT's 4-cell battery lasted 6 hours and 17 minutes, four minutes longer than the ultraportable category average of 6:13. While that runtime is well below the MacBook Air's time of 8:10 and a few minutes shy of the UX31A (6:28), it's still far better than the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 (5:19) and the Sony VAIO T13 (5:05).

Configurations

Our Envy Spectre XT came with a 1.7-GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics chip, as well as Windows 7 home premium for $999. If you're looking for more horsepower, you could opt for a 2-GHz dual-core Intel Core i7-3667U processor, 4GB of RAM, a 256GB and Windows 7 Ultimate priced at $1,549.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeHP keeps the Envy Spectre XT relatively free of bloatware. Beyond trials for Microsoft Office, pre-installed software is limited to the aforementioned CyberLink webcam software. Users will be happy to learn that the XT also comes with Adobe's Premiere Elements 10 and Photoshop Elements 10, so you'll be able to edit photos and videos with ease. The Envy also ships with a two-year subscription to Norton Internet Security, much better than the typical 90-day trial found on most laptops.

The HP Envy Spectre XT includes a two-year limited hardware warranty. Also, exclusive to Envy owners, HP's personal assistant program provides online or phone-based assistance 24 hours a day for two years. See how HP fared in our Best & Worst Brands report.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe HP Envy Spectre XT is a slick Ultrabook with plenty of power and strong Beats Audio. We like the fast SSD, accurate clickpad, good battery life, and cool-running temperatures. What holds this system back from a higher rating is itsho-hum 1366 x 768 screen. In this price range we give the edge to the Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A because it packs a higher quality full HD screen with much wider viewing angles for just $50 more. But if you're looking for an ultraportable that offers excellent performance in a sexy package, HP's Envy Spectre XT deserves your attention.

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New Aspire S7 series Ultrabooks

The new Aspire S7 series Ultrabooks, available in 11-inch and 13-inch models, are tailored for the Windows 8 operating system.

Computer maker Acer took the wraps off its latest series of Intel-powered Ultrabooks, the Aspire S7 Series, featuring a unibody design made from a single block of aluminum, high-definition In-Plane Switching (IPS) 10-point touch-screen displays with 1920 x 1080 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass, and configured to run Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system. The Aspire S7 Series starts at $1,199 for the 11.6-inch model (S7-191) and $1,399 for the 13.3-inch model (S7-391) and will hit store shelves and online retailers Oct. 26, the company said.

The notebooks include third-generation Intel Core i5-3317UB or i7-3517U processors and solid-state drives in a RAID 0 configuration for faster read/write times, as well as an embedded lithium-polymer battery that provides up to 6 hours of battery life. An optional second battery doubles computing time up to 12 hours, according to an Acer release. All models in the Aspire S7 Series also include Theft Shield, a free software-based solution that recognizes the distance from a designated WiFi signal source, and if the system moves beyond 10 feet of the signal, a loud siren will sound from the Ultrabook's speakers.

To enhance durability, Acer included a thin, soft cushion of material between the aluminum frame and the Gorilla Glass, so if the S7 is dropped, the impact will mainly be absorbed by the system and not the glass. The touch-enabled screen found on the S7-391 models can be laid back flat 180 degrees and the image orientation reversed for sharing and collaborating with others. The company incorporated an electroluminescent (El) backlit keyboard, which automatically turns on and off and adjusts its brightness level based on the ambient light available.

Acer created a new thermal solution called "TwinAir" cooling, a thermal design that extends battery life and keeps the Ultrabook cool and comfortable to use by employing two small high-speed (10,000rpm) thermal fans—one to pull in cool air, while another releases hot air. Rounding out the feature set is Green Instant-On technology for fast boot and resume, and Always Connect, which lets users manage multimedia and data on all their devices.

The notebooks also ship with AcerCloud, which provides customers with remote access to the digital data residing on their Ultrabook via their Android tablet or smartphone. Users can also download and share that data among their other PCs and Android devices even when the S7 is in sleep mode. If the Aspire S7 is in sleep mode, Always Connect technology can wake it up through WiFi, allowing the media to be retrieved via a mobile device. AcerCloud also makes it possible to take photos on a smartphone and then view them on their S7 at home or in the office.

"Acer took a fresh approach to the design and development of the Aspire S7, using premium construction methods and materials," Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing for Acer, said in a prepared statement. "We also used cutting-edge manufacturing processes that are not typically used in the PC industry, but were necessary to achieve the high-level of engineering and design quality we set for the S7."

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Lenovo ThinkPad Twist for Convertible Ultrabooks

Lenovo today announced its take on a modern Windows 8 convertible notebook with the all new ThinkPad Edge Twist. The Twist is being marketed as an all-in-one mobile PC designed to simplify the purchasing process for businesses that have trouble deciding if they should invest in notebooks or tablets.

The Twist can be used as a standard, full performance Ultrabook, but with a simple twist of the screen the PC switches to a convertible tablet. The 12.5-inch screen gives working professionals the workspace they need for serious computing and the ThinkPad Twist is likewise loaded with business features like up to 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, up to Windows 8 Pro, optional 3G, large storage up to 500GB HDD or 128GB SSD and the ThinkPad-brand's legendary keyboard, quality and reliability features. Users can work for hours with "nearly all-day battery life" (7 hours) and tablet-like quick resume from standby. The Twist also includes dedicated software tools specifically for small business.

ThinkPad Twist's extra-bright 350nit HD display and Dolby Home Theatre should deliver an impressive multimedia experience for everything from video presentations to playing your favorite movie on a flight. You can also connect the Twist to a HDTV or projector with the Twist's mini-HDMI or DisplayPort jack. Like the new IdeaPad Yoga, you can convert the Twist into a "stand" for presentations or collaboration with others while taking advantage of the multitouch screen.

The ThinkPad Twist will be available starting on Oct. 26 via Staples and other retailers, business partners and www.lenovo.com. MSRP starts at $849.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge Twist Specs:

• Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core processors up to i7
• Operating System: Windows 8 Standard or Windows 8 Pro
• Windows 8 multi touch-enabled Display/Resolution: 12.5-inch HD IPS Display w/ Touch Sensor (1366 x 768) 350 nit; Gorilla glass with anti smudge coating
• Video Graphics: Intel Integrated Graphics
• Memory: Up to 8GB DDR3 1600 MHz
• Storage: 320/500 7200RPM (7mm) HDD ; 128GB SSD
• Sound: Dolby Home Theater v4; stereo speakers; built-in dual array microphone (combo jack)
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.0 ports; RJ45 connector; 4-in-1 slot; mini-DisplayPort; mini-HDMI
• Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet; Bluetooth 4.0 + ABGN WLAN; WWAN Optional; USB 3.0; HDMI
• Camera: 720p high definition camera
• Battery: 7 hour "all day" battery life
• Weight: 3.48 pounds (1.58 kg)
• Thickness: 0.79 inches thin (20 mm thin)
• Software: Lenovo Solutions for Small Business powered by Intel Small Business Advantage; Lenovo Cloud Storage by SugarSync
• Price: Starting at $849

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LIFEBOOK T902 tablet PC

                

The LIFEBOOK T902 is a 13.3-inch convertible tablet PC which comes with a dual digitizer and multi-touch support for advanced navigation and precise drawing in a wider viewing screen. The convertible tablet PC is equipped with full business features like Intel® vPro technology, SmartCard reader and optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for enhanced mobile security. Users can specify an additional port replicator for easy drop-and-go in corporate environments or use the modular bay for a second battery or second hard disk drive.

                All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

Specifications

Platform	Intel® Core™ i7-3520M (4MB cache, up to 3.60GHz) with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology15 Intel® Core™ i5-3320M (3MB cache, up to 3.30GHz) with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology15 - Intel® QM77 Express Chipset
OS Supported	Genuine Windows® 7 Professional Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium
Display	13.3" HD+ WideView IPS LCD with dual digitizer (1600 x 900 pixels, 300nits brightness, 500:1 Contrast Ratio, Anti-Glare) Wide Viewing Angle: Right/ Left/ Up/ Down - 75/75/75/75 degrees
Modular Bay Options - Optical Drives	Dual Layer DVD Super Multi Writer2 Dual Layer Blu-Ray Writable Drive2
Memory	2GB DDR3 1600MHz 4GB DDR3 1600MHz 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Max. Memory Supported8 - 2x8GB DDR3 1600MHz, Dual Channel
Hard Disk	HDD: 500GB/ 640GB (7,200rpm), 320GB/ 500GB/ 750GB (5,400rpm) SSD: 128GB/ 256
Bluetooth®	v4.0
Battery	Up to 9hrs (6cells Li-ion 6700mAh)1
Weight	Approx. 1.86kg (without ODD)
Specifications
Hard Disk Drive	SATA-300 5400/7200rpm, S.M.A.R.T support, Two Partitions - 50/507
Graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 4000
High Definition (HD) Audio	Realtek ALC269 HD audio codec with Dual Built-in Stereo Speakers DTS Boost™ enhancement HD Audio-in: External Mic-in, Dual Built-in Stereo Microphone HD Audio-out: Headphone-out
Communication	1000/100/10Mbps3 Gigabit Ethernet Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6205 Dual Band ABGN network connection Separate ON/OFF switch for wireless network connection. 1080p FHD camera
4G13	Embedded 4.0G (LTE) WWAN connectivity with dual antenna. Up to 100 Mbps peak downlink and 50Mbps peak uplink speed14 - Supports LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz - Supports WCDMA 900/2100 MHz - Supports triband EDGE/GPRS/GSM: 900/1800/1900MHz - Supports GPS Embedded 3.5G (HSPA+) WWAN connectivity with dual antenna. Up to 14.4Mbps downlink and 5.76Mbps uplink speed14 - Supports UMTS (HSPA): 850/900/1900/2100 MHz/AWS - Supports WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz/AWS - Supports quadband EDGE/GPRS/GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz - Supports GPS
User Interface	Spill-resistant Keyboard Anti-bacterial and Spill-resistant Keyboard Backlit Antibacterial and Spill-resistant Keyboard6 (19mm key pitch, 1.7mm key stroke) Intelligent Touch Pad with configurable vertical and horizontal scroll functions
Card Slots	SD/SDHC/SDXC Smart Card Slot
Connector Interface	USB3.0 w/ Anytime USB Charge x 1 USB3.0 x 1 USB2.0 x 2 RJ45 (LAN) VGA (External display) HDMI-out HDA-in, HDA-out Power Adapter DC-in Port Replicator Interface
Quick Launch Panel	Five Programmable Application Launch Buttons
Security4	BIOS Lock Hard Disk Lock Anti-theft Lock Slot RF Fingerprint Sensor Trusted Platform Module v1.2 (optional)
Dimensions	334mm(W) x 244mm(L) x 26.8 - 31.0mm(H)
Bundled Accessories
AC Adapter	Input AC 100~240V, Output DC 19V 100W Input AC 100~240V, Output DC 19V 80W 0-Watt AC Adapter Input AC 100~240V, Output DC 19V 80W
Bundled Softwares	Adobe® AIR® Adobe® Reader® Cyberlink PowerDirector™ CyberLink PowerDVD™ CyberLink YouCam™ Fujitsu FaceSense Utility Fujitsu 3D Shock Sensor Utility Fujitsu Anytime USB Charge Utility Fujitsu Application Panel Fujitsu Auto-Rotation Utility Fujitsu Battery Utility Fujitsu System Manager Finger Zoom Fujitsu Display Manager Fujitsu MyRecovery Fujitsu Pointing-device Utility Fujitsu Power Saving Utility Fujitsu Security Panel Fujitsu Support Center Fujitsu UpdateNavi10Fujitsu Hotkey Utility Microsoft® Silverlight® Microsoft® Touch Pack Microsoft® Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word and Excel® only, with advertising. No PowerPoint® or Outlook® Mobility Center Extension Utility Norton™ Internet Security 60 days trial Oracle® Java Roxio® Creator LJ Sierra AirCard Watcher Softex Omnipass TPM Utility (include but not preinstall) Windows Live® Essentials (Windows Live® Messenger, Windows Live® Photo Gallery, Windows Live® Mail, Windows Live® Writer, Windows Live® Mesh, Windows Live® Movie Maker)
Optional
Port Replicator	Connector Interface: USB 3.0 x 4 DVI-D VGA (external display) Display Port RJ45 (LAN) Audio-out Power Adapter DC-in Anti-theft lock
Modular Bay Options	Replaceable with - Bay Battery, 6-cell Li-ion 2600mAh, up to 12.5hrs1 battery life (Standard + Bay Batteries) - Blu-ray writable drive - Dual Layer DVD Super Multi writer - 2nd HDD Fitting Kit (w/o SATA HDD) - Weight Saver

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Dell outs the XPS Duo 12 and XPS 10 portable devices

Dell has announced yesterday at the IFA trade show in Berlin that it is adding two new mobile products to its existing XPS Series – the XPS 10 tablet and the XPS Duo 12 convertible Ultrabook. Aimed at users on-the-move, both devices will reportedly go on sale alongside Windows 8 on October 26th.

XPS 10

The manufacturer claims the tablet sports a 10-inch touchscreen display and runs on the RT version of Windows 8’s OS. Furthermore, Dell’s upcoming slate computer is apparently powered by an ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 central processing unit and an integrated Adreno GPU.

According to a report from The Verge, the XPS 10 can be purchased with a QWERTY keyboard dock and offers up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge (when connected to the dock).

XPS Duo 12

Next in line is the XPS Duo 12, which seems to be the successor to the company’s Atom-based Inspiron Duo model introduced two years ago. In contrast to the 2010 Duo, however, this system can be configured with up to an Intel Core i7 chip and sports an illuminated keyboard.

Combining two devices in one, the convertible Ultrabook features a flip hinge design (aluminium + carbon fiber) and a 12.5-inch touchscreen display with Gorilla Glass coating, and a native resolution of 1920-by-1080 pixels (Full HD).

Dell says it will reveal pricing details when available.

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Lenovo IdeaPad U510

The Lenovo IdeaPad U510 is the new 15.6-inch addition to Lenovo’s popular U series of Ultrabooks and, at first glance, it seems like a bargain. For a starting price of $679, you get the U510 with Nvidia GT625M graphics and a DVD drive for those who still want to play DVDs. However, we got to go hands-on with the U510 at Lenvo’s IFA Berlin booth and we were not particularly impressed with its size, keyboard or multimedia prowess.

The IdeaPad U510 is listed at 4.8 pounds, but in our hands, this notebook felt even heavier. When you consider that the Samsung Series 9 15-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display weigh in at less than 4 pounds, this is hardly the most portable system around.

You’d think that a system with discrete graphics and a DVD drive would take advantage of its larger screen by providing better display quality, but you’d be wrong, as the IdeaPad U510′s 1366 x 768 screen seemed pretty washed out and not as sharp as notebooks with higher pixel densities. Considering that you can now find 13-inch notebooks with full HD screens, a 15-inch screen with the lowest possible resolution is nothing to type home about.

Speaking of typing, the keyboard on the display unit we tested wasn’t as sharp and tactile as those on other IdeaPads like the S400 that was just a few feet away from it. Even worse, the keyboard had a noticeable amount of flex, something we’d never expect from Lenovo, a company that’s famous for its high-quality keyboards. The metal wrist rest also got a little warm, though mainly toward the right edge of the system.

We did like the matte chrome chassis design, which is identical to the aesthetic on the smaller IdeaPad U310 and IdeaPad U410, both of which came out earlier this year. We were also pleased with the slim, 0.82-inch thick chassic and its plethora of ports.

However, our initial impression of the IdeaPad U510 is that might just be too heavy to carry around everywhere and its washed out, low-res screen and flex-y keyboard make it a poor stationary PC. We look forward to getting a closer look at a final production unit to see if it leaves a better impression.

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Kingston Digital to Create Certified USB Flash Drive for Windows To Go

A developing trend of late in business has been the “bring your own device” movement, where employees use their own smartphones or tablets for work instead of relying on company issued equipment. Now Kingston wants to step this up a notch with the announcement that it is planning on offering the entire Windows 8 experience on a bootable USB flash drive.

Called “Windows to Go”, this a new feature in Windows 8 Enterprise that allows for a full corporate desktop on an external USB drive enabling users to boot and operate from multiple PCs. Kingston says that their new Kingston DataTraveler Workspace USB Flash drive is the first available that has full Windows 8 certification requirements — meaning it can provide SSD-like performance.

“We are excited to have Kingston as an associate on Windows To Go. Our joint innovation will further enable mobile work styles. Kingston’s DataTraveler Workspace will give our customers the performance and endurance required to deliver a great experience when running Windows 8 Enterprise from a USB drive,” said Karri Alexion-Tiernan, Director of Product Marketing, Windows Enterprise, Microsoft in a statement.

“Kingston has been working together with Microsoft for over a year in developing a USB Flash drive capable of meeting the requirements of Windows To Go. We are excited to offer this drive to our enterprise customers later this year,” said Andrew Ewing, Flash memory business manager, Kingston.

“We appreciate the work from Genesys Logic, Inc., who have helped ensure that the drive is compatible and can boot from the latest systems. Kingston would also like to recognize the work of LSI Corporation in helping to ensure the forthcoming USB Flash drive with their SandForce Flash Storage Processor meets the performance requirements of Windows To Go.”

Kingston currently has a beta version of the drive available for enterprises or organizations in need of evaluating the Windows To Go feature of Windows 8 Enterprise. For more information visit www.kingston.com/wtg.

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Synaptics Introduces the Future of Mobile Computing Interaction

Synaptics first introduced the TouchPad to laptops in the mid-1990s, which was seen as a revolution to the paradigm of mobile computing interaction. Now the company has introduced what it promises to be the next generation of mainstream mobile computing interaction: the ForcePad.

The ForcePad uses the same multi-gesture capacitive touchpad found in virtually any netbook on the market that uses a Synaptics TouchPad with one caveat: as the name implies the ForcePad is pressure sensitive. Synaptics says the ForcePad  can detect up five fingers at once, with sensitivity to detect up to 1000 grams of force.

For ForcePad users, the most notable difference will be the lack of a ‘click’ button. The user simply applies concentrated pressure in a specific area.

Utilizing the device’s pressure sensitivity, the ForcePad supports a variety of new pressure sensitive gestures. One example could be for toggling fast-forward during movie playback: instead of tapping a touchpad’s click button a number of times to make the fast forward faster a user could simply increase pressure on the touchpad.

Critics have often praised the integration of gestures into Mac’s UI as one of the stronger aspects of the system. With these new gestures offered by the TouchPad, the Windows world is certain to leapfrog Apple in this regard.

Synaptics is planning on spinning off their pressure tracking research into more than just touchpads. The company is planning on integrating this technology into a keyboard called ThinTouch. Because of Synaptics’ pressure sensitive technology, this keyboard would not require springs — making the keyboard 40% thinner. According to Synaptics’ press people, focus grounds that have done blind tests of this technology say the experience is as good as Apple’s keyboards — the apparent standard to beat.

“If the ForcePad had been around 15 years ago, I don’t know if we would ever have used the mouse,” said Rick Bergman, the chief executive of Synaptics, to VentureBeat. “This is the biggest thing in touch innovation since the launch of the TouchPad in 1995.”

Writing in Techpinions Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights & Strategy fame, said that he is “excited” about the ForcePad because advances in human-computing interaction have historically defined winners in the tech sector.

“I believe that many PC makers will quickly adopt these Synaptics technologies to differentiate themselves from Apple and from each other, and some will even drive them across mid-range product lines, too. Unfortunately, some OEMs will continue to count pennies as they lose dollars,” wrote Mr. Moorhead .” When Apple comes out with their next generation of HCI, they will wish they had invested that dollar.”

OEMS are expected to have units offering ForcePad support in 2013.

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Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 Review

The Inspiron 17R Special Edition is like a Toyota decked out with all the bells and whistles. While it's not as sleek as Dell's Lexus-like XPS, this 17-incher does have a lot of power and premium features under the hood. For $1,099, you get a quad-core Ivy Bridge processor, a 2GB Nvidia graphics card for gaming and a matte 1080p display. Plus, the built-in Skullcandy speakers promise to give your favorite tunes and flicks some added oomph.

Specifications Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720

CPU	2.3-GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM	8GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size	1TB + 32GB SSD
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive + mSATA SSD
Display Size	17.3
Native Resolution	1920x1080
Optical Drive	DVD /-RW
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Intel HD Graphics 4000/Nvidia GeForce GT 650M
Video Memory	2GB
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Intel Centrino Advanced-N 2230
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	3.9 x 2.25 inches
Ports allow you to connect to external devices such as monitors, printers, MP3 players, and hard drivse. Learn More Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; HDMI; Headphone; Kensington Lock; Microphone; USB 3.0; VGA
USB Ports	4
Card Slots	8-1 card reader
Warranty/Support
Size	16.41 x 10.87 x 1.25-1.46 inches
Weight	7.4 pounds

Design

Click to EnlargeMade from anodized aluminum, the Inspiron 17R SE's Stealth Black lid panel is awesome to look at and touch. The panel has a slightly raised honeycomb pattern that adds a nice level of depth and texture. However, all that gratuitous groping left a lot of smudges. The trademark chrome Dell logo sits in the middle and the entire panel is surrounded by a thick gray plastic border.

Those who prefer a bit of variety can purchase additional SWITCH lids, which start at $29.99 each. Removing the panel is as easy as sliding the chrome gray switch at the bottom of the lid to the right and popping off the panel. We did experience some trouble snapping the lid back into position, however.

The notebook's interior features the same Stealth Black aluminum honeycombed panel as the lid, complete with plastic gray border. The big chrome power button, next to the left hinge, was easy to locate. The three utility keys (Windows Mobility Center, Waves Maxx Sense control pane, Dell Instant Launch Manager) located in the top right corner of the deck were proved useful. The keyboard resides in a recessed glossy black plastic panel.

At 7.4 pounds, the 16.4 x 10.8 x 1.3-1.5-inch Inspiron 17R SE is definitely a heavyweight. The HP Envy 17 weighs the same 7.4 pounds but is thinner at 16.4 x 10.7 x 1.3 inches. The Samsung Series 7 Chronos, by comparison, is significantly slimmer (15.9 x 10.3 x 0.98 inches) and lighter (6.3 pounds), but it also costs a few hundred dollars more.

Display

Click to EnlargeThanks to its matte finish, the Inspiron 17R SE's 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080-pixel display delivered wide viewing angles, able to accommodate three people comfortably. When we browsed sites such as CNN.com, we saw sharp text with vibrant color.

However, as we watched the 1080p trailer for "The Man With the Iron Fists," the colors seemed muted due to the matte display. For example, Lucy Liu's golden robes looked slightly washed-out, as did many of the pinks and reds throughout the trailer. Still, the display delivered a serious amount of sharpness, as witnessed in the delicate etchings of the golden throne as well as the earthenware vases decorating the room.

In terms of brightness, the Inspiron 17R SE measured a luminous 304 lux, much brighter than the 250 lux desktop replacement average. The Series 7 Chronos and the Envy 17, both of which have 1080p displays, were dimmer at 222 and 188 lux, respectively.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThanks to Waves Maxx Audio software, the bottom-mounted Skullcandy speakers on the 17R SE delivered loud audio that easily blanketed our small test room. We found that the speakers were easily muffled, however, by placing the notebook in our lap. Dialogue during "The Man With the Iron Fists" was clear and nuanced, balancing a myriad of war cries against the staid voice of the narrator.

Waves Maxx Audio comes with five presets (Voice, Music, Gaming, Movies and MaxxSense) that can be accessed using the Waves Maxx button above the keyboard. Switching through the presets predictably delivered different results, but what was surprising was how much the audio differed from song to song.

As we listened to Mary Mary's "Walking," we heard a lot of low-end distortion on the Music setting, which threatened to overtake the highs. When we played Guns N' Roses "Welcome To The Jungle," the track became rather muted and hollow. We found a more balanced sound when we switched to MaxxSense or Gaming, the latter delivering the best sound in terms of audio quality and volume.

Don't get us wrong. The Inspiron 17R SE gets plenty loud and offers above-average sound quality, but the JBL speakers Dell used last year on its XPS line were better.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeWe liked typing on the Inspiron 17R SE's island-style keyboard. The black matte keys had generous spacing and were nice and springy, but we noticed a small amount of flex. During the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we scored our usual 50 words per minute with a 1 percent error rate. Our only quibble is that the keyboard backlighting is too dim.

The 3.9 x 2.25-inch Elan touchpad is plenty large, providing us enough space to navigate websites and documents. Multitouch gestures including pinch-zoom, and three-finger flick were relatively easy to activate, but we had to be more deliberate than usual to perform two-finger rotates.

The pair of discrete mouse buttons delivered firm feedback with a swift, accurate response.

Heat

After watching 15 minutes of "The Colbert Report" on Hulu at full screen, the touchpad registered a cool 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The space between the G and H keys and the underside measured 87 and 86 degrees, respectively. We noticed a 92-degree pocket of heat along the bottom of the notebook along the left front corner.

When we played "Batman: Arkham City" for 15 minutes, the touchpad and bottom of the notebook measured 83 and 85 degrees. The space between G and H keys registered a hot 99 degrees, surpassing our 95-degree comfort threshold. The bottom right front corner of the notebook also measured 95 degrees.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe 1-megapixel webcam inside on the Inspiron 17R SE captured our skin tone accurately when we recorded a quick video. However, we found that our hair color looked fairly washed-out, particularly the reddish tips. There was also a noticeable amount of visual noise. However, you can make HD video calls on Skype.

Ports

Click to EnlargeA pair of USB 3.0 ports, a tray-loading DVD burner, Ethernet and a Kensington lock slot sit on the Inspiron 17R SE right. The left side houses another pair of USB 3.0 ports, VGA, HDMI and jacks for headphones, microphone and the AC adapter. An 8-in-1 card reader sits on the front lip of the notebook.

Performance

The Dell Inspiron 17R SE delivered solid performance on our real-world and benchmark testing. We were able to open eight tabs in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome while running a full system scan and stream "Thor" with minimal hiccups.

Click to EnlargeThe Inspiron 17R SE's 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-361QM CPU with 8GB of RAM notched 4,007 on PCMark07, beating the 3,524 desktop replacement average. The Apple MacBook Pro, which has the same CPU and GPU, but an SSD, scored 4,779. The Samsung Series 7 Chronos' 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3615QM CPU with 8GB of RAM only managed a score of 2,881. The HP Envy 17, which we tested with a second-generation 2.2-GHz Intel Core i7-2670QM CPU and 8GB of RAM, scored 2,790.

We booted Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) in 32 seconds with the Inspiron 17R SE's 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive and 32GB mSATA SSD. That's 22 seconds faster than the average and enough to beat the Envy 17's (750GB 7,200-rpm hard drive) time of 49 seconds, the Series 7 Chronos' 44 seconds (1TB, 7,200-rpm hard drive), and even the MacBook Pro's (256GB SSD) 36-second time in Boot Camp.

When we ran the File Transfer Test, the Inspiron 17R SE duplicated 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 3 minutes and 52 seconds, a transfer rate of 21.9 MBps. That's well behind the 51 MBps average, but still enough to top the Series 7 Chronos' 19.7 MBps. The Envy 17 did a little better with 31.6 MBps while the MacBook blew past the competition with a searing 196 MBps.

During the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro test, the Inspiron 17R SE matched 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses in 4 minutes and 26 seconds. That's 1:43 faster than the 6:11 category average. The Series 7 Chronos was only a couple seconds slower at 4:28.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Inspiron 17R SE is tricked out with Nvidia's Optimus technology, so it can automatically switch between its Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM depending on the task(s) at hand.

During 3DMark11, the Inspiron 17R SE scored 2,089, which failed to meet the 2,659 desktop replacement category average. To be fair, this average includes a number of high-powered gaming rigs. The Apple MacBook Pro and the Samsung Series 7 Chronos, which both have an Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU, notched 2,275 and 2,170, respectively. The HP Envy 17 and its AMD Radeon HD 7690M XT with 1GB of VRAM scored 1,583.

The Inspiron 17R SE redeemed itself on the "World of Warcraft" test with a frame rate of 156 fps on autodetect at 1920 x 1080 pixels. That's slightly below the 168 fps average, but on a par with the Series 7 Chronos (157 fps). The Envy 17 mustered 90 fps. Cranking the settings to maximum dropped the Inspiron 17R SE's frame rate to 78 fps, matching the Series 7 Chronos, but falling short of the 87.4 fps category average.

When we moved on to the more demanding "Batman: Arkham City," we notched 80 fps from the Inspiron 17R SE at its native full HD resolution and effects set on low. That was enough to beat the 64 fps desktop replacement average and the Series 7 Chronos' 36 fps. On the highest settings, the Inspiron 17R SE dropped to 28 fps, below the 33 fps average. The Samsung only managed 19 fps, though.

Dell Stage

Click to EnlargeComprised of 14 tiles, Dell Stage sits near the bottom of the display as a large navigation bar. We were able to create additional tiles by dragging icons on the desktop to the bar. Clicking on some tiles simply launch a program or utility while others open a mini-window displaying our recently used content. While we found this software useful, others may not like the amount of desktop space it takes up.

Some tiles such as Organizer, Books and Magazines are simple shortcuts that launch Cozi Family Organizer, Blio and Zinio. The most compelling applications can be found in the MusicStage, VideoStage and PhotoStage tiles that deliver a number of interesting ways to interact with your multimedia content. For example, MusicStage gave us access to our music collection, but we were also able to access RadioTime, a program that let us stream music and podcasts from around the world. There's also Noisey, Vice's music channel dedicated to showcasing emerging artists.

In VideoStage, we shopped for movies and TV shows, watched Hulu and video podcasts in addition to viewing our video library. We could organize our photos, create albums in PhotoStage as well as upload photos to Shutterfly and order prints. Users can also check out their friends' photos with the Facebook utility and the Flickr utility.

Dell Stage Remote enables streaming of music, photos and video from other DNLA-compatible sources such as smartphones and televisions. Setup was relatively easy; After connecting the notebook and our Samsung Galaxy III (Verizon) phone to the same Wi-Fi network, we used the Stage Remote settings panel to scan for compatible devices. From there, a small panel appeared in the lower right corner where we could select videos, music and photos. We simply clicked on the content we wished to stream and chose the device. It then took about 30 seconds for Stage Remote to access content from other devices.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeDuring the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi), the Dell Inspiron 17R SE clocked just 3 hours and 19 minutes. While we don't expect all-day endurance from desktop replacements, that's still about half an hour less than the average (3:50). The Samsung Series 7 Chronos and the HP Envy 17 nearly doubled that with times of 6:06 and 6:12, respectively.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeDell packs the Inspiron 17R SE with a number of utilities and other apps. Dell DataSafe Local Backup enables users to create backup discs and initiate system restores. There's also DataSafe Online that gives users 2GB of storage free for a year. Additional storage space can be purchased starting at $29.99 a year for 10GB. Dell Digital Delivery automatically updates any preinstalled software. Other branded utilities include Dell PC Checkup and Support Center.

Dell also included some goodies designed to enhance your multimedia creation experience. On the editing/creating side, it's an Adobe trifecta with Photoshop Elements 9, Premiere Elements 9 and ExtendScript Toolkit CS5.

There's also the Nero-powered Dell SyncUp, which compiles all your photos, video and music in one spot. Users can also upload media to the Web and synchronize content with other devices. Zinio Reader 4 and Blio provide a seemingly endless supply of magazines and books.

Other third-party apps include Skype, Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader X, Windows Live, Cozi Family Calendar, Microsoft Office Starter and a 15-month free trial of McAfee SecurityCenter.

Configurations

As opposed to its regular (and less expensive) Inspiron line, Dell's Inspiron Special Edition notebooks place more of a focus on high performance and a high-definition multimedia experience. For example, the Inspiron 17R SE has Nvidia discrete graphics, a mSATA SSD cache and a high-res 1920 x 1080p display, whereas the Inspiron 17R has integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, a 1600 x 900p display and no SSD cache. Regular Inspiron 17R users also miss out on the SE's Skullcandy speakers. However, both regular and SE models feature the Adobe software bundle. Of course, this all comes at a premium: The 17R SE starts at $999, whereas the 17R starts at $599.

Our $1,099 review unit features a 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3610M CPU with 8GB of RAM, a 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and a Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM. The $999 base model has a 2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3210M CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and a Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM. The high-end model costs $1,499 and is equipped with a 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3610M CPU, a 2TB 5,400-rpm hard drive with a 32GB mSATA SSD cache, a Blu-ray player and a 3D-capable 1080p display.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeDell crams a lot into the Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 for a rather affordable price. For $1,099, consumers walk away with a 17-inch notebook that has a bright full HD display, powerful graphics for playing the latest games and a robust suite of software for content creation and consumption. While the sound isn't best in class and the design is on the husky side, overall this multimedia notebook shines.

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