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 fast for common tasks such as web browsing and video conferencing. Applications start up quickly. Speed was adequate when composing documents, working on data spreadsheets, and other productivity tasks, and its speed was adequate for manipulating filters on images, converting and editing videos, and rendering models and calculating simulations. In addition, demanding video games will show smooth graphics and have a quick response.
Portability: This laptop is a Fair choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 4.25 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 2.75 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were inadequate for a typical day of mixed use, and you'll need to charge the battery more often than similar laptops. Its max screen brightness was lower than our target for battery tests, which gave it a slight advantage. At 5.2 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. The power button was conveniently located, but its labeling was hard to read when the laptop is off. The touchpad was uncomfortably small, providing less space for gestures than most others tested.
Display: The display quality was 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 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. 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.
