Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was Good, below that of many other models but still powerful enough for tasks such as email, word processing, web browsing, streaming movies and even some gaming. Compared to other tested laptops, it was fast for common tasks such as web browsing and video conferencing. Applications start up quickly. Speed was adequate when composing documents, working on data spreadsheets, and other productivity tasks, and it was slow for manipulating images, editing videos, and calculating simulations.
Portability: This laptop is a Very Good choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 12.75 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 8.25 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were notably longer than many similar laptops, under a workload of mixed use. At 2.8 lbs, weight was typical for a laptop of this size category.
Ergonomics: Some features of the keyboard, touchpad, and labeling, were well-designed, and were comfortable or convenient to use. The keyboard has large keys and was comfortably sized. Its low contrast letters were difficult to read, although the backlighting can be useful in dark rooms. The power button was well labeled and conveniently located. This laptop was tested with the platinum color keyboard, which testers found did not provide good readability to its white letters.
Display: The display quality was Excellent overall. Colors were accurately reproduced, realistic, and natural looking. The laptops display was brighter than most, a plus for viewing in bright indoor lighting or outdoors. The display has a wide viewing angle, especially important if more than one person needs to see the screen at a time, say, for a video or presentation. Its display has better contrast than on most other tested laptops. The touchscreen is smooth enough for fast swipes, and fingerprints clean off easily.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: Laptop has a touchscreen. There's a 128GB solid-state drive, which uses less power and accesses data more quickly. You can connect common external devices such as hard drives and Blu-ray burners to the USB 3.0 ports for maximum performance. This laptop has a miniDP port for connecting to an HDTV or monitor.
Downsides: There's no optical drive like a CD or DVD reader, so you'll have to buy an external drive if you need one. There is no memory-card reader, so you'll need to buy an external reader or connect your digital camera directly to this laptop to transfer photos.
