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. 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.
Portability: This laptop is a Fair choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 5.25 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 3.5 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. At 8 lbs, this laptop is too heavy 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 well labeled and conveniently located.
Display: The display quality was Excellent overall. Colors were accurately reproduced, realistic, and natural looking. 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 has better contrast 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 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.
