Gradual Panic!

If I was ever feeling flush and wanted to replace mt current laptop it would have be a Macbook Pro. In particular the 13″ model as I find the 15″ and 17″ just that little too big. However, up until now I haven’t been too keen on the 13″-er as it has always been a tad underpowered compared to its bigger brothers (normally sporting a Core 2 Duo processor) but since last months refresh you can now get them with the latest Core i5 and i7 ”Sandy-bridge’ chips and this week I was lucky enough to get my hands on one to give it a whirl.

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There is no point denying that the netbook was a revelation as well as a revolution. Since the start of the decade I’ve had users clambering for ultra portable devices for their far flung adventures and in those days you could actually get a super light laptop without an optical drive but you’d pay £1500-£2000 for the privilege for something that wasn’t actually that powerful. Fast forward to a couple of years ago and from the embers of the ‘One Laptop Per Child’ programme came the netbook. Ultra small, ultra light and ultra portable. Fair enough the Atom processor was never going to set the world on fire but netbooks do serve their purpose if you’re after that sort of thing.

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My fave PC laptop ever is the Toshiba U400, well, it was until now. We just got in the new U500. And look what it can do. Full review coming soon…

In my estimation the best make of laptop has and will always be Toshiba. They just make sooo much nice kit. So I was even more pleased when I got a demo model of their latest offering, the L500. Although there are a multitude of flavours for the L500 I plumped for the L500-1D3. This gives you a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive as well as lots of other nifty bits like Dual Layer DVD burner and HDMI out.

This is the first laptop we’ve had in running 64-bit Windows and I’m glad to say it runs it really well (although there is a rollback disc to 32-bit for some reason). For it’s size (15.6″) is weighs a lot less than it looks. They have even found room to squeeze in a number number pad for those who insist on using them and some chunky speakers. Like I say the OS runs great (Windows 7 Home Premium) and we’ve had no problem running programs.

Only criticism I have is that the trackpad is textured. Why? I’m not sure. I guess people like that, and that’s the only reason I wouldn’t buy it. But if you’re looking for a decent Windows 7 machine (around £450 ex VAT) which will last you a few years and you’re fingers aren’t tactically challenged like mine then I would say go for it (UEA staff students should buy theirs from Getech).