HP HSTNN-YB3B battery

Publié le 31 août 2012 par ehar

As 2012 rolls on, consumers shopping for a PC will be seeing more of the thin, light, quick-starting Windows laptops called ultrabooks.
Big names like Lenovo and Toshiba already have entered this new category, and on Tuesday, Dell will introduce its first ultrabook, the XPS 13, starting at $999. HP 2000-354NR battery

Dell has had difficulty lately attracting consumers. HP 2000-353NR battery At one time, it was the go-to brand for many people looking to buy a computer. But, in recent years, its consumer business has faltered as individuals, especially in the U.S., have flocked to Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and even once obscure brands such as Acer and Asus.
Now, HP 2000-352NR battery the Texas tech titan is making a renewed push for the affections of consumers and the XPS 13 is an important weapon in that push. Like other ultrabooks, it's an attempt to emulate Apple's popular MacBook Air by offering a thin, light laptop with good power that has a full-size screen and keyboard, starts up and resumes quickly, uses a solid-state drive and claims decent battery life. HP 2000-351NR battery

The XPS 13 uses a thinner screen border and a full-size keyboard.
However, Dell's entry offers an interesting twist: It packs a 13-inch screen into a footprint that is closer to that of models with just an 11- or 12-inch display. This makes it easier to fit in a briefcase or on an airplane tray table in coach. When placed atop a MacBook Air with the same-size screen, the Dell is noticeably smaller. HP 2000-350US battery
Dell uses edge-to-edge glass for its screen and leaves much less of a bezel, or border, HP TPN-Q101 battery around the screen, than the Apple does. The XPS 13 isn't smaller than its competitors in every dimension. It's thicker and a tad heavier than the comparable MacBook Air. And, like the Apple, it's significantly heavier than Toshiba's ultrabook. But the shorter width and height are a nice touch. HP TPN-Q102 battery

I've been testing the Dell XPS 13, and there is a lot to like about it, even beyond its compact dimensions. HP MTO6 battery I found it to be solid and well built, speedy and with a good, backlit keyboard, a bright screen, and good looks. It emerged from standby mode quickly and reliably. But this machine has a major downside: subpar battery life. In my standard test, it fell about an hour short of the longest-lived competing ultrabook I've tested and two hours short of the 13-inch MacBook Air. HP MTO3 battery \

Like other ultrabooks, the XPS 13 isn't a bargain computer. HP MT06 battery It's costlier than the typical, bulkier Windows laptop, which can be had for $400 to $700. But, at $999 with 4 gigabytes of memory and a 128 gigabyte solid-state drive, the Dell is $300 less than the 13-inch MacBook Air with the same specs. Both machines use Intel's midrange i5 processor. Dell offers an otherwise identical model with double the solid-state storage for $1,299, and a model with double the base storage and a more powerful processor for $1,499. HP MT03 battery

The model Dell sent me for testing was high end. But based on my tests of other ultrabooks—all designed to tight standards promulgated by Intel—I have no reason to doubt the base model with the midrange processor also is speedy, and no reason to recommend the costlier chip. HP HSTNN-YB3B battery
The XPS 13, which runs Windows 7 and is part of Dell's premium consumer line, has a silvery aluminum top and a base made of carbon fiber. It rests on two long rubber runners. The battery is sealed and ports are minimal. There are two USB ports—one is the faster USB 3.0 type—and a video-out port called a Mini Display Port. HP HSTNN-YB3A battery
The spacious keyboard has nicely separated keys. The touch pad is large, with no physical buttons. But I found it required tweaking in its buried settings screen before it felt right for me. HP HSTNN-LB3B battery
I was annoyed that, out of the box, the top row of function keys that is commonly used to adjust things like brightness and volume also requires you to hold down a special key to get to these controls. But this can be changed in a settings panel and Dell says it's considering changing the way this works. HP HSTNN-DB3B battery
The 13-inch screen fits nicely in a smaller footprint than the Mac's, but has a lower resolution than the Apple screen of the same size. So, an identical Web page in the identical browser displays more on the MacBook Air than on the Dell XPS 13. HP 646757-001 battery
Dell says this is because it had to use the lower-resolution panel for a special manufacturing process it employed on the new ultrabook. It says it will increase the resolution later this year. HP 646755-001 battery
Dell's ultrabook comes with a standard suite of Microsoft and Dell software, including the Windows Live Essentials consumer package, which includes email, and a photo and video program. A starter edition of Microsoft Office contains somewhat stripped-down versions of Word and Excel. HP 646657-251 battery
The computer easily handled other programs I installed, including the Google Chrome browser, and Apple's iTunes.
But Dell still clings to the bad old habit of loading in software you may not want, for which it presumably gets paid. In particular, it has added a Dell-branded Bing toolbar to the Internet Explorer browser. HP 3115m battery
As noted above, battery life was disappointing. In my test, where I use full brightness, disable power-saving software, leave on the Wi-Fi, and play a loop of music, the battery on the XPS 13 lasted just under four hours, the worst I've seen on an ultrabook. HP 671602-001 battery
By contrast, in the same test, the longest-lived ultrabook I've tested, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, got nearly five hours, and the MacBook Air almost six hours. I estimate you could likely get five hours on the Dell in a more normal usage pattern.
Ultrabook shoppers looking for a well-built, unusually compact 13-inch model should consider the Dell, but the relatively poor battery life might be a deal breaker for some. HP 671518-800 battery

The internal graphics card is more power efficient and handles simple 2D tasks. The dedicated graphic card is supposed to take over when demands increase (3D). According to AMD's website, this switching - called AMD Enduro - is supposedly automatic. HP 671277-171 battery In the case of our test system, it's a semi-automatic process: after exiting a program, a window opens and the user is asked to select the desired graphics option (either energy saving / internal or high performance / dedicated graphics card). During the review period, this process worked reliably - having to switch manually is a bit of a nuisance, however. In addition, the pop-up window does not show the previous selection, even though the information is not lost. The user has to search for the .exe to determine what the system is using. HP EliteBook Folio 9470m battery

We conducted the graphics benchmark tests using the dedicated graphics card, HP Folio 13-2000 battery since we wanted to find out what kind of 3D performance the system is capable of. Our test system scored 2552 points running 3DMark Vantage. This puts the performance of the 535U4C on the same level as notebooks equipped with an AMD Radeon HD 6490M or a Nvidia GeForce 610M - both cards that are just a little above entry level. The Samsung fares a bit better running 3DMark 06: 4804 points. HP Folio 13-1000 battery This performance is about what one would expect from laptops equipped with a Radeon HD 7450M - a card ranked below the Radeon HD 7550M. Overall, the synthetic 3D performance is definitely lacking. While we don't know what the exact cause is, we suspect the driver model and maybe the Enduro-mechanism. We can only hope that Samsung and AMD will remedy this shortcoming. HP Folio 13 battery

After the disappointing performance during the 3DMark tests, we didn't expect too much as far as the gaming performance of the Samsung Series 5 535U4C is concerned. To get an idea how the dedicated card compares to the integrated graphics, we ran our benchmarks for each GPU. Our database only lists the performance of the (more powerful) dedicated graphics card. HP MI06 battery

In every test, the AMD Radeon HD 7550M was superior to the integrated HD 7500G. HP H4A44AA battery The difference in performance was quite significant at times. Running Batman: Arkham City using the HD 7550M, we recorded 41 fps using low and 34 fps using medium details - frame rates high enough for decent performance without any stuttering. For the 7500G, we measured 32 and 26 fps, respectively - already a bit too low. HP ST09 battery Anno 2070 had the dedicated card pull ahead even further. Details should be set to low for both graphic options. We also recommend the lowest settings for F1 2011. Call of Duty: Black Ops, on the other hand, runs OK with the 7550M set to medium details; the internal graphics card is operating near its limit here at 22 fps. HP EliteBook 2170p battery

We then compared the results of various other notebooks playing Anno 2070 to our test system and were able to confirm what we saw during the 3DMark tests: the uninspiring performance of the 535U4C translates directly to sub-par gaming performance. HP CC09 battery Systems with a (theoretically weaker) GeForce 610M bested the Samsung by a fair margin. Even an Intel HD Graphics 4000 is able to keep up with the dedicated AMD Radeon HD 7550M in this 14-inch notebook. The results are simply very disappointing. The dedicated graphics card isn't beneficial here, especially considering that it increases the system price and is both more power hungry to boot. HP CC06XL battery

The F11 function key is home to a little blue fan symbol. HP CC06X battery The second function of the key activates the Silent Mode, which immediately decreases rpm and consequently the system noise level. Even without said mode, the Samsung Series 5 535U4C is certainly not very noisy. During idle, the system is only audible when the surrounding area is extremely quiet. HP CC06 battery With Silent Mode active, we measured between 31.6 and 33.5 dB, with it switched off, the noise level increases by about 2 dB. Even under load, the 14-inch system is comparatively quiet. We measured a maximum of 37.4 dB. While the system is certainly not quiet any longer, we should consider that other systems emit a lot more noise when the fan is spinning at maximum rpm. HP BB09 battery

The AMD Ultra-Low-Voltage Trinity-APU is also used in much smaller notebooks. HP ProBook 6570b battery Consequently, the cooling system of the Samsung Series 5 535U4C should have no issues dealing with the thermal output of the APU. As expected, the temperatures we encountered were no reason for concern. During normal use, when both the processor and the graphics card are mostly at idle, HP ProBook 6470b battery the temperature on the top never increased above 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).The warmest spot is near the power jack. At the bottom in that location we measured 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) - perfectly OK still to have the notebook sitting on the lap. We also noticed that the palm rest is very cool on the right side but heats up a bit towards the middle and especially the left side. 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit) are still quite acceptable. HP ProBook 6475b battery

Under full load (during the stress test with FurMark and Prime95), the temperature of the base unit increases by quite a bit. The hot spot is again the area near the power jack. 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) is a little too hot for our taste. The palm rest, however, is barely warmer than during idle. HP QK646AA battery

Processor and graphics card get a lot warmer. HP PR09 battery During the stress test the AMD A6-4455M reaches temperatures of 89.5 degrees Celsius (193.1 degrees Fahrenheit). The result is throttling to below the base frequency of 2.1 GHz - down to 1.5 GHz. The processor bounces back quickly though and overclocks to 2.7 GHz (HWiNFO64). HP PR06 battery The integrated AMD Radeon HD 7550M heats up to 81 degrees Celsius (177.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and throttles back accordingly. The frequency range adjusts from 150 to 900 MHz. This temporary throttling does not decrease the overall performance of Series 5 535U4C. We could not discern any difference while playing games or running the 3DMark06 benchmark test while the laptop was heated up. HP HSTNN-Q89C LC32BA122 battery

The speakers of the Samsung Series 5 535U4C are located between the display and the keyboard and cover about three fourths of the width of the notebook. HP HSTNN-I99C-4 battery Even though the speakers seem large enough, the bass is lacking and not very powerful. Maximum volume could be higher, too. The mids and highs of the 14-inch laptop are sufficiently loud and clear though. The overall sound is certainly decent enough for movies and YouTube videos. The headphone jack works flawlessly - so we recommend hooking up external speakers or using headphones to listen to music. HP HSTNN-I99C-3 battery

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Power Consumption
Despite the fact that the system features a dedicated graphics card and a larger display, Samsung decided to use the same battery that the 13.3-inch model ships with. The lithium polymer battery has a capacity of 45 Wh and is not replaceable by the user. HP HSTNN-I98C-5 battery Looking at the result of our tests, we understand why Samsung decided to not switch to a larger battery (even though it would have been beneficial). Compared to the 13.3-inch Series 5 530U3C-A01DE, power consumption of our test system is up only slightly during idle. 7.8 to 12.5 watts are certainly not unreasonable. HP HSTNN-I97C-4 battery We expect about 10 watts during every-day use. During CPU and GPU intensive tasks, power consumption goes up of course - especially because of the dedicated graphics card. We measured a maximum value of 38.5 watts - certainly quite acceptable. All in all, the Samsung Series 5 535U4C is quite energy efficient.

Even though the system isn't very power hungry, HP HSTNN-I97C-3 battery overall battery life is not particularly great since the battery is quite small. When we checked the maximum run time using the Battery Eater Reader's test, we got slightly more than eight hours. The minimum battery life (established with the Classic test) is quite decent at 01:48 hours though. Since both of those measurements are not that useful to determine every-day performance, we ran our WLAN surfing test. With brightness set to 150 cd/m2, it took four and a half hours before the system shut down. This is not that impressive - we would have expected at least five hours for a notebook in this category. HP HSTNN-I02C battery

The system is well suited for DVD playback. The Samsung Series 5 5354U4C lasted for well over three hours - long enough even for two movies back to back. HP HSTNN-LB2R battery

For our final verdict, we look at all the positive aspects of the Series 5 535U4C and work our way to the flaws. Let's start with the chassis. Build quality is superb, and the materials used (aluminum and fiberglass) would even look at home on a much more expensive notebook. The 14-inch notebook is visually appealing and timeless. Unfortunately, the system is not quite as sturdy as we would like. HP HSTNN-DB3C battery

As far as the port selection is concerned, the Samsung comes well equipped. Even full-sized LAN and VGA ports are included. The inclusion of a DVD-RW drive makes the Series 5 535U4C a perfect all-round system. We also liked the keyboard and the touchpad - with a few reservations. HP HSTNN-DB2R battery

The new model scores well as far as mobility is concerned. The weight is pretty low for a 14-inch system, the battery life OK. Since the display is both non-glare and bright, users can work outdoors away from any outlet for several hours. Although we appreciate the matte display and its impressive brightness, we do wish for better contrast and a better viewing angle stability. HP 633805-001 battery

Another point of criticism is the sub-par power output. HP 633733-321 battery We knew we wouldn't get wowed by the performance of the Trinity CPU and the two graphics card in the first place - but both the processor and the graphics system disappoint and perform below expectations. The hard drive is also sluggish and slows the system down further. The notebook is suitable for gaming - as long as the games are set to low details. In theory, the AMD Radeon HD 7550M should be capable of much better performance. We suspect that the graphics switch-system Enduro and underdeveloped drivers are the culprit. HP 633733-1A1 battery

So what is the bottom line? HP 3ICR19/66-2 battery We think that the negative aspects overwhelm the positive ones and are therefore hard pressed to recommend the Samsung Series 5 535U4C. Both the driver model and the integration of the two graphic cards could use some improvement. An interesting alternative is the Samsung 530U4C, which features an Intel ULV CPU, a GT 620M GPU, and the more usable Optimus graphics-switching technology from Nvidia. Unfortunately that system costs about 200 Euro more. HP ProBook 4740s battery

Fujitsu updated the Lifebook E series with the Lifebook E782, a notebook with an Ivy Bridge processor. HP ProBook 4545s battery The Lifebook E family stands for high-quality business notebooks. The device is available in various configurations - more on that later. Our test unit is powered by a dual-core processor (Intel Core i5-3360M). For graphics tasks is the Intel HD Graphics 4000 responsible. Both are joined by 8 GB of system memory, a DVD burner (Fujitsu also offer a Blu-Ray alternative) and a hard drive, which has a capacity of 320 GB. HP ProBook 4540s battery

We reviewed the predecessor Lifebook E781 (Intel Core i5-2430M, Intel HD Graphics 3000) in April 2012. The Lifebook E781 used Intel's previous generation of processors, "Sandy Bridge". This review will show whether or not Fujitsu has succeeded with the Ivy Bridge update of the Lifebook E series. HP ProBook 4446s battery