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. It was among the fastest with productivity and Web-based tasks such as word processing, Web browsing, and scanning for malware. It was among the fastest for viewing and editing photos, and among the fastest for viewing and editing HD videos. In addition, demanding video games will show smooth graphics and have a quick response. Its playback was smoother than most other tested laptops, even when video game settings were maxed out. 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 5.5 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 4 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were inadequate for typical day of mixed use, and you'll need to charge the battery more often than similar laptops. At 5.1 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 high contrast letters were easy to read, and the backlighting can be useful in dark rooms. There's a dedicated number pad for faster data entry. The power button was conveniently located, but its labeling was hard to read when the laptop is off.
Display. The display quality was Very Good overall. Colors were in the ballpark, though not completely accurate. 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 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 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 USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports for maximum performance. Gigabit Ethernet provides fast transfer of data over a local network. This laptop has a full-size HDMI port and a miniDP 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.
