Reviewed on September 5, 2008Dell's entry into the Netbook market means it's time to take these low-cost, low-power PCs seriously. The Inspiron Mini 9 is an excellent example of the form, if not radically different from the competition.TAGS:Netbook, Dell Inspiron, ASUS, webcam, broadband, hard drive, Intel, operating system
Reviewed on November 6, 2008Falcon Northwest's latest Mach V provides a model for the coming trends in high-end computing. From the latest Intel CPU, to solid-state storage, to copious amounts of memory, there's lot to admire about his PC. You will also have to pay for it, which unfortunately will thwart all but the most well-off gamers and enthusiasts.TAGS:Intel, Hitachi Ltd., CPU, motherboard, hard drive, chipset, PC, games
Reviewed on November 3, 2008Thanks to an expensive new motherboard requirement, Intel's new Core i7 desktop processors will remain enthusiast and professional-level parts until more affordable complementary hardware comes out later next year. Speed never comes cheap, however, and if you're willing to spend for it now, you'll find yourself in possession of the fastest CPU on the market.TAGS:motherboard, CPU, Intel, chipset, memory stick, AMD, Intel Pentium, platform
Reviewed on October 21, 2008Apple's redesigned 15-inch MacBook Pro boasts a redesigned aluminum body that's stunning, thin, and sturdy; a new trackpad with expanded functionality; and a dual graphics setup for either longer battery life or better performance, but there's now less incentive to spend extra for it because its 13-inch mainstream cousin received a greater overhaul.TAGS:Apple MacBook, Apple MacBook Pro, FireWire, NVidia, Nvidia GeForce, Intel Core 2 Duo, Apple Computer, chipset, laptop computer, Intel
Reviewed on October 28, 2008HP may have arrived late to the consumer Netbook game, but by lifting the generous keyboard from last year's business-oriented model, the Mini 1000 easily joins the category's top tier.TAGS:Netbook, HP, keyboard, laptop computer, Intel, PC
Reviewed on August 14, 2008The Dell Studio S1535-125B impresses us with its leading performance in the sub-$1,000 category, thanks in large part to a speedy Intel CPU and generous memory allotment. Striking a fine balance between Dell's XPS and Inspiron lines, we recommend this well-rounded 15-inch laptop for students and home users alike.TAGS:Dell Studio, Intel Core 2 Duo, back-to-school, CPU, laptop computer, Intel, Intel Centrino, IEEE 802.11, resolution, speakers, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Reviewed on July 31, 2008The HP Pavilion dv6985se is a well-stocked mainstream machine with a long-living (though heavy) 12-cell battery. We recommend it, provided you like the unique copper-colored case and are willing to schlep around 6.6 pounds of laptop.TAGS:HP Pavilion, battery, HP, Intel Core 2 Duo, Sony Vaio, laptop computer, keyboard, Sony Corp., Intel