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. Speed was adequate with writing, creating spreadsheets, video chat and other productivity tasks. Its speed was adequate for mainstream gaming, viewing and editing photos and editing music, and speed was adequate for productivity and Web-based tasks such as word processing, Web browsing, casual gaming and video chat. You'll be able to play demanding video games on this system, with smooth graphics and quick response. It is among the top tested models for games, and in our tests it could maintain an average of 49 frames per second using medium gaming settings, and 18 frames per second using maxed out gaming settings. This system has the best speakers you'll find in a laptop, with excellent sound for movies, music, and games.
Portability: At 6.5 hours, battery life was adequate but not notable. At 6 pounds, weight was typical for a laptop this size.
Ergonomics: The keyboard, touchpad, labeling, and LED indicators were all well-designed, making it comfortable and convenient to use. The full-sized keyboard was pleasant to type on. The keyboard was lighted. There's a dedicated number pad. The touchpad supports use of multiple-finger gestures to zoom and scroll.
Display: The display quality was good overall. Colors were in the ballpark, though not completely accurate. The display was highly prone to glare making it difficult to see 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.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: The spacious 1TB hard drive offers plenty of room for storing your music, photos, and movies. You can connect common external devices such as hard drives and Blu-ray burners to the USB 3.0 port for maximum performance. Gigabit Ethernet provides fast transfer of data over a local network. An HDMI port is provided for connecting this laptop to an HDTV.
Downsides: The battery is not easily removable.
