Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was Very Good. Tasks like email, word processing and web browsing will be accomplished quickly. Compared to other tested laptops, it was fast for common tasks such as web browsing and video conferencing. Applications start up quickly. It was fast when composing documents with images, calculating large data spreadsheets, and running other productivity tasks, and its speed was adequate for manipulating filters on images, converting and editing videos, and rendering models and calculating simulations.
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 5.25 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 3 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. The touchpad was uncomfortably small, providing less space for gestures than most others tested. The touchpad can get noisy during use, but the keyboard has good feedback.
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 256GB 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 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) for maximum performance. The fingerprint reader lets you log into your computer without typing in a password. 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.
