Asus F3sv-A1

The Asus name has been synonymous with quality notebooks, and the F3sv-A1 certainly exemplifies it. The F3sv-A1 is a replacement for the previous F3j line of notebooks, sporting a new build, motherboard while still preserving the high-end yet budget gaming experience.
I purchased the Asus F3sv-A1 for $1,425, and received a 3% cash rebate via Fatwallet, bringing the total to $1,383.
The notebook arrived packed very neatly in a sleek corrugated cardboard box with a plastic handle. Asus provided a funky, spacious messenger bag and an Asus branded Logitech optical mouse along with the notebook. These additions gave the purchase a very polished touch.
Specs
Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB
Intel PM965 Series Crestline Chipset 800MHz FSB + ICH8M (Santa Rosa)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
15.4" WXGA+(1440x900) LCD
1024MB x 1 DDR2 667MHz; two sockets for expansion up to 4GB
160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS with built-in 256MB VRAM (TurboCache up to 512MB w/ 1GB RAM and 1GB w/ 2GB RAM) & DX10 support
8x Super-Multi DVD-RW Dual Layer with LightScribe
Intel Wireless 4965AGN Draft-N Wi-Fi network adapter
Built-in 1.3M webcam with 240 degree swivel and LED lighting
Bluetooth, Fingerprint Scanner, 8-in-1 card reader
6 Cell Li-Ion Battery
Fax/Modem/LAN/WLAN
A/C Adapter Output: 19 V DC, 90W, Worldwide (100V-240V)
6.5 lbs & 14.2" * 10.5" * 1.1"-1.6"
BIOS Booting / HDD User Password Protection and security lock
Kensington Lock Slot
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
Built-in Fingerprint Reader
In The Box
F3sv-A1 Notebook
Asus Messenger Case
Asus Branded, Logitech Optical Mouse
LCD Cleaning Cloth
OEM Recovery Disc
Instruction Manuals (2) & Driver Disc
A/C Adapter 90W w/ Cord Strap
S-Video & RJ45 Phone Cables

HP Compaq 6515b

The 14.1” HP Compaq 6515b notebook is one of eight or so “Balanced Mobility” business machines currently being offered by HP. The 6515b is distinguished from some of its thin-and-light brethren, such as the 14.1” nc6400, by its relatively low price and AMD processor options. An AMD Sempron-based 6515b is available for as little as $650 right now, while a nicely configured AMD Turion-outfitted machine can be had for under $1000. Despite its positioning as something of a budget business notebook, the 6515b makes no sacrifices when it comes to the security and communications features one expects to find in a solid business model. Moreover, the 6515b includes some of the latest mobile technologies being offered by the newly merged AMD and ATI, namely, the AMD M690T chipset and the Radeon x1270 GPU, a coupling designed to provide good mobile performance and low power consumption.

The configuration of this review machine is slightly different than what is currently available on the HP website, but a similar 6515b, with a one-year warranty and no Bluetooth, costs $929. Step up one level, and $1199 gets you a slightly better CPU, the faster TL-56, Bluetooth and a three-year warranty. In both cases, 2GB RAM and a WWAN card will add to the price.
The 6515b is very similar, in terms of look and feel, to the laptops I occasionally use at work, which are HP Compaq nc6120s. These are solid, if unexciting, business notebooks, providing reliability, good build quality and adequate performance. When I started up the 6515b under review here, I had the feeling that I would end up viewing it in much the same manner. But after a good couple of weeks with the 6515b, I would certainly take it over the older Pentium M-based nc6120.
HP Compaq 6515b Specs as reviewed:
CPU: AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-52 (1.60 GHz/2x512 KB L2 Cache)
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Hard Drive: 120 GB SATA @ 5400RPM
Screen: 14.1" WXGA Widescreen (1280 x 800)
Graphics: ATI Radeon Xpress 1270 with up to 512 MB shared
RAM: 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM @667 MHz (2 x 1GB)
Optical Drive: DVD SuperMulti drive (DVD+/-RW) w/Double Layer Support
Battery: 6-cell lithium ion
Wireless: Broadcom 802.11a/ b/g WiFi Adapter + Bluetooth
Optional WWAN: Integrated HP ev2200 1xEV-DO Wireless Module
Security: Fingerprint reader, TPM hardware-based encryption
Weight: 5.7 lbs
Dimensions: 1.33” (H) x 13.03 “ (W) x 9.57" (D)
Ports/Slots: docking connector; 1 IEEE 1394 (FireWire); 4 Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0); VGA monitor out; S-video out; RJ-45 Ethernet LAN; RJ-11 modem; Type I/II PC Card Slot; 6-in-1 media reader; headphone/speaker jack; microphone
Purchasing Considerations
The 6515b should appeal to businesses, and individuals as well, looking for quality, security and usability, including good communications, provided they don't mind sacrificing top-of-the-line performance to stay below a certain price. For the vast majority of notebook users, security, connectivity, sturdiness, a decent screen and a pleasant keyboard are the main issues. And the 6515b seems to have targeted these pragmatists well.
Initial Impressions
The first thing that struck me, as noted, was how closely the 6515b resembles the familiar nc6120. The 6515b is all dark gray and black, has a clean business look, and feels very solid. Like the dv6000t, an HP consumer model I reviewed, the 6515b features touch-sensitive light-buttons, rather than protruding switches, to allow the user to perform certain basic functions, such as muting the speakers or enabling and disabling wireless. This is a nice feature, and the 6515b, thankfully, does not beep loudly, like the dv6000t, when these light-buttons are touched. All in all, what I was most impressed by was the solid feel; this notebook seems about as sturdy as any I've used. My second favorite thing, light buttons notwithstanding, was the clean, subdued look.
Design and Build
There's not a lot more to say about the look and build of the 6515b, though I might add that during two weeks of use, I was repeatedly impressed by the overall strength of the notebook. Everything, from the palm rests to the hinges, seem to have been designed to last, whether the notebook is sitting on a desk or flying around the country, and there is virtually no flex in anything. The one downside to all this strength and solidness is portability: the 6515b is slightly thicker and heavier than some other 14.1” business notebooks, such as the aforementioned nc6400.

Dell XPS M1330

Overview and Introduction
The Dell XPS M1330 is designed for those that want power on the go. If you're also fashion conscious and like to standout in a crowd, the looks of the XPS M1330 will help you in that area too. Sleek design coupled with a portable form factor and powerful components come together to make for a compelling notebook.
Build and Design
Our pre-production XPS M1330 as equipped:
13.3-inch WXGA screen with LED backlight
"Crimson" red paint (also available in "Tuxedo" black or "Pearl" white)
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, Santa Rosa chipset (up to 2.4GHz available)
2GB DDR2-667 SDRAM (up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM available)
160GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD (32GB SSD drive available)
Slot-loading dual-layer DVD±RW drive
128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS
WWAN option for Verizon
Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n (Intel 4965), Bluetooth option
Integrated VGA webcam
HDMI, VGA, 1394, two USB 2.0 ports, integrated media reader (MS, SD, xD), fingerprint reader
Media Center remote located in ExpressCard slot
Windows Vista Home Premium
Dimensions 12.5" x 9.4" x 0.87" - 1.33"
Weight starts at 4 pounds with 6-cell battery

The design of the XPS M1330 really sets it apart. The design is, in a word, striking. The sloping look and stunning lid, available in three different colors, are immediately attention grabbing. The slope is akin to a fast car tear drop look. And while the XPS M1330 isn't designed to go fast in the physical sense, it looks like it could if you just put wheels on it.

Sony VAIO SZ-110B

I'm looking for a new or excellent condition Sony Vaio SZ110b laptop. If it's used, there has be no dead pixels, scratches, dents. I would also like to have warranty and the box/manuals included with it.The target price I'm looking at is around $1,300 shipped. I'm located in California and I can pay via Paypal with a confirmed address. Please PM, if you have one for sale with pictures.

Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526

Overview and Introduction
Following is a full review of the Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 notebook. This desktop replacement notebook features a 17” glossy screen and a fast Core Duo processor with dedicated nVidia Go 7600 graphics. The Xi1526 has a great quality/performance ratio and is meant for gamers, people who want to use it as a multimedia notebook or those that just want a fast system.

Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 specs:
System: Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526
Processor: Intel Core Duo T2300 (1.66 GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2-cache)
Memory: 1 GB (2 x 512 MB DDR2 533 MHz running in Dual Channel)
Hard drive: 2 x 80 GB (5400 rpm, 8 MB cache running in RAID-0)
Graphics card: nVidia GeForce Go 7600Go with 256 MB GDDR2 dedicated graphics
Screen: 17" WXGA+ Crystalview screen (1440 x 900 glossy screen)
Optical drive: DVD ± RW Dual Layer
Operating system: Microsoft Windows Home Edition SP2
Wireless card: Intel 3945 54 mbps card (802.11a/b/g)
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0 connection
Battery: 8-cell Lithium Ion rechargeable battery
Ports / Slots: 4-in-1 card reader (SD/MS/MCC/MS pro), 4 x USB 2.0, 1 x IEEE 1394 (fire ware), 1 x S-video out, 1 x DVI-I, 1 x Modem / Fax, 1 x Gigabit Lan, 1 x ExpressCard slot, 1 x headphone-out with SPDIF, 1 x microphone-in
Integrated subwoofer
Weight with 2 hard drive configuration: 4.1 kg
Price of this configuration with 1 year pick-up and return warranty: €1300,-.
Reasons for Buying:
As a full disclosure I want to say that this is not a notebook that I bought for myself. I received the notebook from Fujitsu Siemens as a review loan. Fujitsu Siemens gave us the permission to do this review because we (Notebook Solutions Company) are a partner of F&S Computers.
Build & Design:
The design of the Xi 1546 is simply great. Fujitsu Siemens is known for making great looking notebooks and this 17” notebook is not an exception. As you can see on the picture there is one line at the top of the notebook, adding style to its looks. The colour of the machine is totally silver and the notebook itself has a clean look. The indicators are blue and look good.
When we open the lid we see a full keyboard, a touchpad and nicely designed speakers and vertically placed buttons. The buttons may look nice when they are put vertically, but I find them harder to push with this orientation.

IBM laptop T40R40

In this laptop review learn why the IBM ThinkPad T40 is a good choice for mobile workers who want flexible connection options. No matter where you may be working from, you're sure to have a means of connecting to the Internet or a corporate network. The addition of IBM security features mean more time spent working and less time worrying about security when using the IBM ThinkPad T40.

Description
Weight - 4.5lbs
Display - 14.1 in TFT active matrix, Max Resolution - 1024x768
Networking - Integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi, Ethernet Intel Pro/1000 GB, Fax/modem 56K, Infrared Port
Power - 1 Li Ion 4.7hrs est. Adding optional ThinkPad Ultrabay Slim Li Polymer increases to 9.7hrs
OS Provided - MS Windows XP Pro
Installed RAM - 256MB Maximum - 2GB
Hard Drive - 40GB, ATA-100 (Enhanced IDE)
Optical Drive Installed - C-RW/DVD
Processor - Intel 1.4GHz
Pointing Device - ThinkPad Ultra Nav: TrackPoint & touch pad
Guide Review - IBM ThinkPad T40 Laptop
The ThinkPad T40 I received for review came with Service and Troubleshooting guides which are very thorough and a Windows XP User Guide.
Within minutes I was connected to my office network and accessing the Internet. No configuring was required. Wi-Fi connecting is just as quick provided you have your login information ready.
The full size keyboard made entering information and working on documents no different that working on my desktop. Too often laptops have significantly smaller keyboards which require a period of adjustment and too frequent errors to work smoothly in a quick time frame. The IBM ThinkPad T40 demonstrates that portable doesn't mean compromising on the size of the keyboard.
IBM also provides International Warranty Service which is geared at mobile workers traveling outside North America. Before leaving on your business trip be sure to check if you will have coverage where you are going. Go to the IBM web site - http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/ and click on the Warranty Lookup icon.
What I liked most with this laptop:
- IBM provides options for restoring the hard drive which are separate from the OS. The Rapid Restore program will restore the hard drive back to an earlier state - which makes it easier on mobile workers to troubleshoot problems. - IBM Predesktop program which allows you to access information for additional troubleshooting.
This laptop is well suited for mobile workers and the design certainly supports working in a mobile environment.

Acer Aspire 4520

Acer recently introduced the AMD-powered Aspire 4520 laptop in India. This laptop is aimed towards the entry-level segment which attracts first-time laptop buyers and students. The 4520 is a 14.1-inch value notebook with good specifications and feature set. This laptop model is sold as-is and there is no customization provided from Acer’s end. So, one needs to make sure the specs are nice and the laptop has enough firepower to get through all of your daily applications.
This 2.6kg laptop does feature some interesting inclusions in the form of Dolby-certified surround sound system and the latest nVidia chipset and graphics. For a budget laptop, it does pack in some serious components which are usually not seen in budget systems. More on it later in this article.
Since this model is relatively new worldwide, we’ve tried to focus on providing detailed information with respect to design, usability, specs, build quality, software-support and user experience. The rigorous benchmarking for the laptop components will be done shortly and reflected in this article as soon as possible.
So, without wasting any time, let’s explore the Acer Aspire 4520 laptop.