Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was Very Good. Tasks like email, word processing and web browsing will be accomplished quickly and you can even accomplish some tougher tasks like photo editing and mid-range gaming near top speed. 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. 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 an Excellent choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 14.75 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 9.5 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were notably longer than many similar laptops, under a workload of mixed use. At 3.4 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. The power button was conveniently located, but its labeling was hard to read when the laptop is off. The touchscreen is smooth enough for fast swipes, and fingerprints clean off easily.
Display: The display quality was Very Good overall. Colors were not reproduced as accurately as on better displays. 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: Laptop has a touchscreen. 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 3.0 ports 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. 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.
