Amzar File

Sweet 16: the new must-have laptops



By Oo Gin Lee
(asiaone)

SIXTEEN inches is the new sweet spot for consumers looking for a larger-sized multimedia laptop that will not yank out their limbs when they lug their machines around.

You can get the same high-definition crisp images (1,920 x 1,080) on today's multimedia laptops as on the full HD TV in the living room.

Most of them come with Blu-ray drive and powerful speakers, often with a built-in mini-subwoofer as well, to pump up the volume while you enjoy your high-definition movies.

The Blu-ray drive also typically doubles up as a DVD writer so you can store your home videos and photos and burn them onto discs to share with friends and family.
In some machines, there are decent graphics cards which turn these sleek laptops into gaming centres.



All of them have dedicated multimedia buttons, which are soft touch-sensitive keys and, sometimes, back-lit as well to add a touch of style.

The evolution of laptops to the 16-inch models is a chain reaction to netbooks encroaching into the laptop space.

It used to be that netbooks, when they were first out at the end of 2007, were just 7-inch models. However, consumers did not like the too-small screens, yet wanted their machines to be lightweight.

So, laptop makers brought out 8.9-inch, then 10-inch and 12-inch models in the space of a year.

To differentiate the pricier mainstream laptops from the sub-$500 to $1,000 netbooks, manufacturers started to bump up the screen sizes - from 12-inch to 13.3-inch models for the ultra-portables, and from 17-inch to 18.4-inch versions for the desktop replacements.

For the multimedia laptops, the upsizing went from 14 and 15 inches to 16 inches from the end of the last year.

Digital Life takes a look at six such models.

1. Gateway ID-5805G
Coming in at under $2,000, this is the most affordable of all the laptops tested and it comes with some pretty decent features, including a huge hard disk drive, plenty of RAM, fast processor and a discrete graphics card.


One cool thing is the manual slider that covers the webcam lens when you want privacy.

Compared to the competition, there are a few missing parts like the lack of a Blu-ray drive, no Firewire port and no Express Card slot.

The lid design is again the typical glossy piano black and fingerprint-smudging type.
However, the body is matt inside.

There is a generous-sized keyboard and a huge sound bar at the top, which slopes upwards.

Audio can go loud but lacks clarity and the bass is muted.

The graphics card scored 2,255 in 3DMark06, which is low where gaming is concerned.
There are some touch-sensitive keys under the sound bar but unlike most of the other laptops, the keys lacks sophistication in its looks.

Verdict: The cheapest of the lot, it has the basic features but lacks a Blu-ray drive.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 15.6-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 512MB Nvidia GeForce G105M graphics, DVD writer, 3kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, eSATA, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price: $1,988

2. Sony Vaio FW37

The best thing I liked about this Sony offering is its screen.

It is big at 16.4-inch, has high resolution but most important of all, it has the right level of reflectiveness for bright images and yet is not glaring.

Design is top-notch with a metallic greycoating on the lid that gleams like the paint of a new car.

Inside, the body and bezel around the screen are decked out in a sturdy silver finish with robust hinges.

Lots of nice curves accentuate the stylish design of the machine with contrasting black keys on the "floating" keyboard.

The power button is built neatly into the right hinge while the power port is on the left hinge.

Instead of going with the softer look of the other laptops here, Sony has stuck to a tough stance: There are no soft touch-sensitive keys but hard ones that go clickety-clack.

Sound quality is super: The crystal clear audio is great when you are listening to the sound of glass shattering in an gunfight scene in the 24 TV series.

Specs-wise, there is nothing to write home about.

The use of the less efficient T processor (instead of the newer P processors) and a run-of-the-mill graphics card, which only hit 3,848 on the 3DMark06 scale, make the stiff price hard to justify.

Verdict: Fabulous screen, good audio, beautiful tough-looking design but priced at a premium.

Specs: Windows Vista Ultimate, Intel Core2Duo T9550 processor (2.66 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16.4-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon 3650 graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, 3.2kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, memory stick reader, Express Card slot, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price not available yet, expected to be over $4,000

3. Lenovo Ideapad Y65

The Y650 is a refreshing change from the typical all-black look of most multimedia laptops.

While the lid is brownish-black, the keyboard and palm rest are ceramic white.
Both the edges of the lid and the body are finished with a metallic orange tinge that contrasts sharply between the black and the white.

What I really liked about this laptop is that Lenovo has taken away the keypad and squeezed the keyboard together.

So instead of the typical space-hogging soundbar above the keyboard, there are two small but powerful JBL speaker squares on the sides of the keyboard.

The result: More than half of the body space is freed up.

Although there is a gigantic trackpad smack in the middle of it, there is still enough space for both my palms to rest.

The trackpad is excellent and by far, the most responsive of all the trackpads here.
Ideapad is also the lightest of the lot and the thinnest too.

The battery is built into the laptop, which saves space but it is not swoppable.
So you cannot have a stand-by ready.

In terms of clean and smart design, this machine wins hands down.

The screen has a resolution of only 1,336 x 768, but I did not find it as reflective as the others, giving it a good balance of brightness in the dark and just enough glare under ambient lighting.

Unfortunately, it does not come with a Blu-ray drive which, to me, is an absolute necessity for a multimedia machine.

The graphics card is also rather weak for games, registering only 2463 on the 3DMark06 scale.

Verdict: The slimmest and cleanest cut of them all, but pity about the missing Blu-ray drive.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 16-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard disk drive, 256MB GeForce GT105M graphics, DVD writer, 2.55kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, 2x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price: $2,299

4. Dell Studio XPS 16

The Studio XPS 16 is one of the best designs that traditionally staid Dell has come up with.


The overall glossy piano black finish across the lid, body and bezel is broken with attractive dashes of aluminium accents on the sides and the hinges.

The black leather strip near the hinge gives it not only a handsome look but also allows for a firm grip.

The screen delivers sharp, crisp pictures but it is also a tad reflective.

As with all Dell machines, you can make plenty of tweaks but I would strongly recommend going for a machine with higher specs: Consider one with a Blu-ray drive and a full HD 1,920 x 1,080 screen.

Twin candy-bar sized stereo speakers are found to the sides of the keyboard, which belts out decent tunes with deep bass.

A minimalistic look goes with the soft, tactile, well-spaced and back-lit keys on the keyboard.

Above the keyboard sits a bar of touch-sensitive multimedia keys.

The Blu-ray/DVD writer combo drive is a slot load one.

Though it looks good, I do not like it for the dust bunnies that it will gather after some time.

Verdict: Slightly pricier than the rest but has a clean minimalistic look and great features.

From $1,999, price of unit selected: $2,799

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo T9550 processor (2.66 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670 graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, 2.95kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, Display Port, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, 2x USB, Firewire, LAN, two headphone ports, mic port

From $1,999, price of unit selected: $2,799

5. Acer Aspire 5935G

Launched this month, the 5935G is a refresh of the older 5930, with pretty good features at an attractive price.


Compared to the HP HDX-16, this Acer number has a faster processor, larger hard disk drive, more RAM and a better graphics card, which scored 5517 on 3DMark06 - the highest among all the laptops tested here.

At this score, all games should run smoothly although you may have to set to the lower graphics settings for resource-hungry titles like Far Cry 2 and Crysis.

This machine does not have the digital TV tuner and its screen resolution is only 1,336 x 768 - expect HD-Ready rather than full HD quality.

That said, you will see little difference in quality on a screen of this size.
For instance, the BBC's Planet Earth looked just as good on this screen as it does on the full HD HP and Sony machines.

In finish, while the piano black lid looks sharp, the gloss also shows up fingerprint smudges too easily.

Under the lid, the raised "floating" keyboard keys gives a good tactile feel and works quietly.

A huge sound bar at the top of the keyboard booms out loud audio with good bass.
At maximum volume, though, audio was a little muffled.

What is really nice is the back-lit, touch-sensitive media keys with a huge volume knob, which looks really neat.

There is also a dedicated touch-key below the screen, which lets you turn the screen on and off instantly without shutting down or going into stand-by mode.

Verdict: Good specs and a Blu-ray drive translate into the best value for money among the laptops here.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 15.6-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 1GB GeForce GT130M graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, fingerprint reader, 3kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port, SPDIF port

Price: $2,298

6. HP HDX 16

It may cost a little more but the HDX 16 has all the bells and whistles you need in a multimedia laptop.


These include an ultra-sharp full HD 1080p display, Blu-ray and a decent graphics card for games, which hit 4,103 on the 3DMark06 benchmark.

This unit also qualifies for HP's premium round-the-clock Total Care service.
It also comes with a digital DVB-T TV tuner, which means you simply plug-in the supplied digital antenna and get digital channels like TV Mobile broadcast over-the-air.

There are two remote control units, with the smaller one designed to fit snugly into the Express Card slot.

Its design, what HP calls the Fluid imprint, has dashes of silvery thread-like designs running across the greyish-black lid.

The Altec-Lansing sound bar runs across the space on top of the keyboard and, combined with a mini-subwoofer embedded at the bottom of the laptop, produces clean audio with a punchy bass.

The maximum volume could have been a little louder though.

There are two headphone ports, so you and your beau can share your favourite song together.

The screen displays sharp and beautiful images in the dark although I felt it was a tad too reflective under room lighting.

Just below the sound bar is a row of back-lit, touch-sensitive media buttons including volume, treble and bass control and the MediaSmart launch button, which launches the multimedia functions - movies, music, photos, TV and files.

The keyboard has a soft tactile feel and includes the number keypad.

Verdict: If you are the type who wants everything in your laptop plus a full HD screen, this is the one for you.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8400 processor (2.26 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16-inch screen, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard disk, 512MB GeForce 9600M GT graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, fingerprint reader, 3.2 kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, TV tuner, two headphone ports, one mic port

Price: $2,699

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.