PROS
Sharp IPS touch-screen display. Good performance. Sturdy construction.
The Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 is a well-built, 13-inch convertible-hybrid laptop that delivers solid all-around performance and features a crisp In-Plane Switching (IPS) display.
The Toshiba Satellite C55D-B5244 is an average budget desktop-replacement laptop. It’s sufficient for basic computing needs, though you may be left expecting more.
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The Toshiba Satellite C55D-B5244 ($469.99 as tested) is a budget desktop-replacement laptop priced quite a bit higher than the $250 budget Windows 8.1 laptops, for a good reason. This one is a more powerful and feature-rich Windows system with a full numeric keypad and DVD burner. It is faster, but it also eliminates some of the traditional features of a desktop-replacement (like a replaceable battery) that let you keep using it for many years. If you plan on upgrading from an older laptop, put the C55D-B5244 in the middle of your shopping list.
Design and Features
The laptop’s design is old school, with a textured, black, polycarbonate shell. It measures 1.05 by 15 by 10.25 inches (HWD) and weighs a manageable 4.6 pounds. Thanks to that 15-inch width, there’s room for both a full-size keyboard and a numeric keypad. The traditional scissor-switch keyboard has keys that can accidentally pop off and are a little slippery to type on, compared with the chiclet-style keyboards seen on more modern-looking laptops. For example, the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545 has scalloped keycaps that are much more comfortable to type on and are more durable.
The 15.6-inch screen has a 1,366-by-768-resolution and lacks touch capability, which is typical in the budget category. Text and graphics can look a little blocky when blown up to fill a 15.6-inch screen. That’s forgivable for less expensive systems like the Dell Inspiron 15 Non-Touch (3531), but we’d rather see higher-resolution screens like the 1,600-by-900 resolution of the 17-inch screen on the Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series, our Editors’ Choice budget desktop-replacement laptop. We’re stopping short of mandating a touch screen at this price point, but we do admit that Windows 8.1 is a lot easier to use if you have one.
On the sides of the system you’ll find a gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, a SD card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, and a VGA port. Wireless network connections are handled by the system’s 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, but there’s no Bluetooth for other wireless devices like keyboards and mice. The DVD burner is a throwback, one that might be necessary in your family for watching old DVDs or if you need to access archived pictures on optical discs.
The system appears to have a removable battery, but looks can be deceiving. There are gaps in the case in the usual spots by the hinge, but it’s not a removable panel. That’s unfortunate, since replacing a worn battery is a good way to add years of life to a laptop.
The rest of the chassis is off limits to users as well, so you can’t upgrade the system’s 6GB of memory and 750GB hard drive. That said, most users won’t need to upgrade, since the system exceeds the usual 4GB of memory and 500GB hard drive you’ll find on budget systems like the Acer Aspire E5-471-59RT. The 6GB of memory will help you keep dozens of browser tabs open simultaneously, and 750GB is plenty for music, photos, and videos. The drive spins at a relatively slow 5,400rpm, but that’s a fair tradeoff for this amount of space.
Some of the hard drive is occupied by an unusually large amount of bloatware, including programs and shortcuts to sites like Amazon, Book Place, eBay, Evernote, Hulu Plus, iHeartRadio, Kindle, Netflix, Next Issue, Norton Internet Security, Pokki, Wild Tangent Games, and Zinio. To be sure, there’s a lot of drive space to spare, but you’ll have to budget an hour or two to remove all the programs you don’t want to use or be prepared to ignore all the tiles in the Start screen and in the taskbar. The system comes with a standard one-year warranty.
Performance
The C55D-B5244 is equipped with an AMD A6-6310 quad-core processor with integrated AMD Radeon R9 graphics. It helped the system return a decent 1,967 points on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test, ahead of the Dell Inspiron 15 Non-Touch (1,554 points) and Lenovo E545 (1,777). The Intel-powered Dell Inspiron 17 (2,097) and Acer E5-471-59RT (2,688) returned higher scores, however. Multimedia scores are mostly good, at 4 hours 50 minutes for the Handbrake video test and 157 points on the CineBench test. However, the system lagged behind rivals on the Photoshop CS6 test (10:13). Gaming tests returned slideshow-like, single-digit frame rate scores, similar to the other budget laptops.
On our battery rundown test, the system lasted 5 hours 25 minutes. That’s 5 minutes better than the Dell Inspiron 17, and almost an hour-and-a-half better than the Lenovo E545 (4:01). The Acer Aspire E5-471-59RT is the class leader, however, having lasted 8:45 on the same test.
The Toshiba Satellite C55D-B5244 is a competent desktop-replacement laptop for a nice price, but drawbacks, like a non-removable battery and a somewhat flimsy keyboard, keep it in the middle of the pack. Even features like 6GB of system memory and a 750GB hard drive can’t elevate the system much higher. The Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series remains our top pick, thanks to its large 1,600-by-900-resolution screen, removable battery, more expensive feel and build quality, all for a list price that’s $20 less than the Toshiba model.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Display First we had 3.5-inches, then the iPhone 5 gave us 4-inches, but now, finally, we have an iPhone with a 4.7-inch display. As with all iPhones since the 4, Apple has attached the Retina Display moniker to the iPhone 6 meaning pixels will, hopefully, be a complete pain to spot. Continue reading Apple iPhone 6 vs Apple iPhone 5s: What’s changed?
The LG G2 is the brand’s biggest attack yet on the flagship Android smartphones that have, until now, remained the main point of call for customers not looking to buy an iPhone 5s.
For those customers the choices have been mightily impressive, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is certainly one of the best smartphones ever made while the HTC One has become a critic’s favourite by rivaling Apple in build quality.
Continue reading LG G2 review
The Samsung Galaxy S5 made its debut at the MWC show in Barcelona on 24 February 2014. But is it worth upgrading from the S4? Find out in ourSamsung Galaxy S5 review.
There have been a number of other challengers to the Galaxy S4 since it launched, but now it has the more palatable price of a shade over £300, is it still worth buying?
This was Samsung’s biggest release for a year. All new features, a faster core, better screen… and now it’s at a lower cost, should you consider upgrading? Continue reading Samsung galaxy s4 reviews
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Fans of comically oversized smartphones will be feeling vindicated by Apple’s decision to join in the phablet fun. But while the iPhone 6 Plus screen is a mere 5.5 inches, the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 is half an inch bigger and over £200 cheaper. It too is made from metal and glass with an Apple-style fingerprint scanner on the back, while Huawei’s EMUI 3.0 interface mimics iOS in its look and feel. An octa-core processor helps it to keep up in terms of processing and the larger Huawei’s battery actually outlasts Apple by several hours. Larger than both the 5.9-inch HTC One Max and cheaper than the 5.7-inchSamsung Note 4, the Huwawei Ascend Mate 7 could be the phablet that finds its way into the pockets of the masses…so long as they are BIG pockets of course. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: Size and buildIn terms of screen size, only the hulking Sony Xperia Z Ultra is larger at 6.4 inches in diameter. The six-inch Mate 7 looks considerably smaller than the Sony because its screen runs almost to the edges of the handset, which keeps the dimensions down to a fairly trim 157 x 81 x 7.9mm. It is, however, pretty heavy at 185g and that’s due to the materials and the battery. Unlike the Samsung Note 4, the Huawei is made of metal and glass and while it can’t compete with the sublime engineering of the iPhone 6 Plus, it does feel like a premium product. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: ScreenGiven that a phablet is essentially just one big touchscreen, we’re pleased to find Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) here. The race for pixel density has given us sharper screens – the iPhone 6 Plus is 401dpi and the Note 4 is 500dpi – but there’s nothing wrong with this 368dpi display. It’s the ideal resolution for watching HD video in 16:9 aspect ratio and it looks bright, crisp, and colourful, but just less so than the Apple and Samsung handsets. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: CameraEquipped with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and a 13-megapixel camera at the rear, you can leave your compact at home – unless you need an optical zoom that is. Our test shots looked clear and consistent on the big six-inch screen, even though the colours seemed a tad dull before applying any image-enhancing effects. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: FeaturesThis is Huawei’s top-of-the-line handset and as such, it’s packed with features and the highlight is probably the 360-degree fingerprint scanner. It means you just have to touch it once with any of your fingers (that you scanned in previously) at any angle to unlock it. It seemed to work as often as Apple’s scanner and locating it on the back makes it possible to sign in with one hand. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: InterfaceThe operating system here is Android 4.4 KitKat, but what you’re looking at is Huawei’s own EMUI 3.0 interface, which claims to make navigation and control of your device even more intuitive. In reality, it feels very much like any other lightly skinned Android handset except that the three buttons you always find below the screen – Back, Home and Menu — have switched around and moved closer together so you can reach them all across the expanse of screen with your thumb. They’re soft on-screen buttons, so the only physical buttons are the power and volume controls on the side of the device. The phone is so big, you really need two hands to operate it, but the capacitive touchscreen responds quickly and the interface is as logical as your average Android home screen only it looks much more like Apple’s iOS with the apps spread over multiple pages, or collected in bubbles instead of being automatically grouped behind one logo like ‘Google’ for all the various Google apps. What we enjoyed most was the way you can choose a different Theme and have almost every aspect of the skin redesigned. Several themes are included with more available for free download. Choose Bloom and you’re phone will resemble the iPhone interface. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: PerformanceWith a Kirin 925 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM, this phone is no slouch, opening apps almost immediately and playing games without glitching to a halt. The almost 16:9 ratio screen makes this phone feel like a widescreen TV when it’s propped up on your desk. The rear-mounted speaker is surprisingly loud, unless you lie the phablet on its back of course. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t manage to muster much of a bass response, however, so it tends to sound screechy if you turn it up. If you don’t mind speaking into a device that’s big enough to hide behind, the Mate 7 functions well as a phone thanks to the dual antenna that should prevent dropped calls. One slightly odd thing is how the vibration alerts feel very weak. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: BatteryOne advantage of a big phone, is you have room for a big battery and the Mate 7 outlasted our iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3 by several hours. Of course the big screen and powerful processor sap energy, but the 4100mAh battery can power them for up to two or three days in standby, or around 17 hours of heavy use. Huawei Ascend Mate 7: VerdictIf you ask us, a phone that doesn’t fit in your pocket is a phone that’s too big, but if you prefer a device that you could also use as a raft in the event of a flood, then we have to admit that the Mate 7 offers a lot of phone for your money. The metal body, FHD screen and long battery life are impressive attributes and while it can’t keep up with the flagship phablets from Samsung and Apple, Huawei’s keen pricing makes this hulking handset a tempting proposition. Huawei Ascend Mate 7 release date: Out now Huawei Ascend Mate 7 price: £400 |
Back in March, the HTC One M8 became the first member of a star-studded class of top phones in 2014. With its rich front-facing stereo speakers, gorgeous 5-inch 1080p display and beautiful all-metal body, the One M8 offered one of the best all-around smartphone experiences from any manufacturer. But 9 months is a long time in the smartphone industry so it’s time for HTC to refresh its flagship device with a new look and updated components.
While there has yet to be an official announcement regarding a future One M9, there have been some interesting leaks and rumors which may shed some light on what’s to come from HTC.
We’re expecting the One M9 to retain its trademark all-metal enclosure. According to noted leaker, @upleaks, a new HTC phone codenamed “Hima” which may be the One M9 will keep the same 5-inch 1920 x 1080 sized display from the One M8. This report has been corroborated by a recent benchmark shot from AnTuTu spotted by Nowhereelse.fr.
Another leak from Steve Hemmerstoffer of Nowhereelse shows a reported CES press shot of Hima, notably lacking the front-facing speakers of HTC’s last two flagship smartphones
The most exciting design for the One M9 comes not from HTC, but AndroidJS graphic designer Jermaine Smit, who rendered his concept of what a new One M9 might look like. This design retains cues from previous HTC models while still pushing the aesthetic forward and incorporating front-facing speakers.
Getting rid of the front-facing speakers would eliminate one of the best features of the One M7 and M8, and take a step back for HTC’s smartphone design.
The leaked benchmark shot from AnTuTu
The leaked AnTuTu benchmark also reveals some alleged internal specs showing the Hima running Android 5.0 on a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM, up from the Snapdragon 805 CPU and 2GB of RAM on the One M8. The inclusion of the Snapdragon 810 seems like a sure thing after Samsung’s recent announcement of the Galaxy Note 4 LTE-A, which will also use Qualcomm’s new 64-bit SoC.
The Snapdragon 810 processor allows for even faster LTE speeds (up to four times quicker), increased graphics power and enhanced image processing for better photos and video.
The most dramatic change for the One M9 seems to be HTC’s departure from its low-resolution Ultrapixel cameras. The AnTuTu benchmarks show the upcoming One M9 sporting a 20.7-megapixel rear camera and a 13-MP shooter in front.
This may indicate that HTC will use a version of the 20.7-MP camera from the Sony Xperia Z3 to help boost its photographic capabilities, something the HTC One M8 fell short on when compared to other flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6.
The front camera is most likely a tweaked version of the selfie-cam from the HTC Desire Eye, a logical choice after seeing the impressive shots captured by HTC’s selfie-centric phone.
Release Date and Price
Without an official announcement from HTC, price and release date are biggest unknowns. HTC’s history points to a springtime release for the One M9, but it may opt to move the launch back to better combat the usual summer and fall releases from other companies. We expect HTC to stick with similar pricing to its past flagships, which would have the One M9 at around $200 on contract or $650 for the unlocked or possible Google Play Experience versions. source:TOm’s Guide.com
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