Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was Excellent. Tasks like email, word processing and web browsing will be speedy. Compared to other tested laptops, it was among the fastest with common tasks such as web browsing and video conferencing. Applications start up almost instantly. It was among the fastest when composing multiple documents with images, calculating large complex data spreadsheets, and running other demanding productivity tasks, and it was fast for manipulating filters on multiple images, converting and editing videos, and rendering 3D models and calculating simulations.
Portability: This laptop is an Excellent choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 27.25 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 11.25 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were outstanding enough to last well beyond a typical day of mixed use, lasting longer than most other similar laptops. In heavier loads, the battery lasted shorter than expected, so you're more likely to need a charge as you run more performance intensive tasks. At 2.7 lbs, this laptop is lightweight 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 high contrast letters were easy to read, and the backlighting can be useful in dark rooms. The power button was well labeled and conveniently located.
Display: The display quality was Excellent overall. Colors were near-accurate, and mostly realistic and natural looking. The display was anti-reflective, so there was little or no glare when viewing in a brightly lit room 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.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: The 512GB solid-state drive uses less power and accesses data more quickly than conventional hard-disk drives. You can connect common external devices such as hard drives and Blu-ray burners using Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) for maximum performance. This laptop has a full-size HDMI port and supports DisplayPort over USB-C 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. The power supply adds about 0.6 lbs, which is heavy compared to the laptop weight.
