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. 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 among the fastest for manipulating filters on multiple images, converting and editing videos, and rendering 3D models and calculating simulations. 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 a Good choice for traveling, although not ideal. Battery life lasted 9 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 5.5 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results could get you through a typical workday, under a workload of mixed use. At 6.2 lbs, this laptop is too heavy for a laptop of this size category.
Ergonomics: 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. There's a dedicated number pad for faster data entry. Keys were conveniently positioned, good for touch typists who want to speed up typing. The power button was conveniently located, but its labeling was hard to read when the laptop is off. Testers thought the chassis was especially heavy, but liked how the backlit keyboard increased legibility even in bright rooms.
Display: The display quality was Very Good overall. Colors were in the ballpark, though not completely accurate. 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 produces a smaller array of colors than on most other tested laptops.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: The spacious 1TB hard drive hard drive offers plenty of room for storing your music, photos, and movies. 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 Thunderbolt ports for maximum performance. Gigabit Ethernet provides fast transfer of data over a local network. This laptop has a full-size HDMI 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.
