Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was Excellent. Tasks like email, word processing and web browsing will be speedy and you can even accomplish tougher tasks like video editing and mid-range gaming at top speed. With hybrid graphics, the laptop can dynamically switch to the dedicated graphics card when a performance boost is needed for demanding games or applications. Everyday tasks, like web browsing or playing videos, will default to the integrated graphics chip, which is more power efficient and can reduce noise and extend battery life.
Portability: This laptop is an Excellent choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 13.5 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 7.5 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 4 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 conveniently located, but its labeling was hard to read when the laptop is off. The touchpad was among the largest of those tested, and provides ample space for different touch gestures.
Display. The display quality was Excellent overall. Colors were accurately reproduced, realistic, and natural looking. The laptop's display was brighter than most and it's anti-reflective, a plus for 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 produces a wider array of colors and has better contrast than on most other tested laptops, which can help add realism to videos or slideshows.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: There's a 256GB 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 Thunderbolt ports for maximum performance. The fingerprint reader lets you log into your computer without typing in a password. This laptop 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. It has a shorter-than-typical 3 months of free tech support by telephone.
