You are one of the most demanding professionals when it comes to technology. You travel all over the globe, visiting different offices and clients; ensuring reliability is, therefore, an utmost priority.
You are a network engineer who needs to be able to use network hardware tools while out in the field. You may be deploying switches, troubleshooting networks, performing cabling, or setting up network equipment. Furthermore, your laptop needs to be something that you can take into diverse environments.
This includes wooded areas, other people’s houses, outdoor settings, etc. It should survive being knocked around somewhat.
It should have a long battery life so it can run for hours without being connected to power. It should be highly portable so it can travel in your backpack or briefcase comfortably. Let me briefly describe the categories of laptops
Laptops have become a common part of our daily lives. Thanks to their advantages, they have replaced desktops as well as printers. The important issue concerning the selection of a computer is whether it’s powerful enough or not.
You can’t expect a cheap laptop for a network engineer with a weak battery to be used all day long. Having that in mind, I suggest you read the below-mentioned article about the best laptops for network engineers.
What is network engineer?
A network engineer is a person who designs, runs and tests a computer network. The job involves the configuration of all network functions, design policies, security policy enforcement and troubleshooting, software documentation and support for editing the network.
A computer network is made up of hardware components along with instructions on how to use it. A network can be used by an individual user or by an organization.
A computer network consists of two or more computers that are connected to each other via high-speed networking devices (such as fibre optic cables).
Read Also: 10 Best Gaming Laptop For $1200 2022 – Reviews & Guide
1. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop
| Series | PH315-54-760S |
| Brand | Acer |
| Specific Uses For Product | Multimedia, Gaming, Business |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Human Interface Input | Keyboard |
| CPU Manufacturer | Intel |
| Card Description | RTX 3060 |
| Color | Black |
| Hard Disk Size | 512 GB |
Its Intel i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, 15.6″ Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display, 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, Killer WiFi 6, RGB Keyboard makes it a good gaming laptop.
Design
The Predator Helios 300 is all plastic, but it looks and feels like it should cost more. The matte black, brushed aluminum lid of the laptop looks sleek, and the blue Predator logo stands out. When you open the laptop, there’s a 15.6-inch display surrounded by a thick bezel with a 1080p webcam on top. The deck has an interesting pattern that resembles that of a finger print scanner with a power button in its center.
The keyboard is backlit with RGB lighting powered by four independently programmable zones via Acer’s Predator Sense software that also controls the overclocking settings of the CPU and GPU, fan speeds and more. At 14 x 10 x 0.9 inches and 5 pounds, the Helios 300 is smaller than average gaming laptops like its larger brother, the 17-inch Predator Helios 700 (15.6 x 12 x 1 inches) but not as small as some other competitors such as Razer Blade 15 (14.1 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches) or Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (12 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches).
Display
The 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with Max-Q Design graphics card let you blaze through the most demanding games. You’ll be able to play your favourite PC games at high settings, even while recording or live streaming, thanks to a 4MB L3 cache and an 8GB DDR4 2933MHz SDRAM.
【Operating System】Windows 11 Home, HP Stylus Pen Included
$1,299.00
$879.00
The 15.6-inch Full HD display has a 144Hz refresh rate, 3ms overdrive response time, 300 nits of brightness and IPS technology so that you can enjoy every moment of the action.
A high resolution allows for plenty of screen real estate, letting you keep multiple windows open simultaneously so you can multitask like a pro. The next generation of wireless connectivity offers faster speeds than ever before while consuming less power.
Enjoy up to 9 hours of battery life between charges so that you’ll never be left looking for an outlet in a café when inspiration strikes (battery life varies depending on product configuration, power settings and usage).
Plus, it supports the latest USB Type-C devices so that you can charge phones and tablets even when your laptop is powered off (requires third-party software). The backlit keyboard lets you game or work well into the night without disturbing anyone nearby because it illuminates each key as well as the touchpad area around it.
Keyboard and trackpad
You’ve got an awesome keyboard and trackpad to explore with your new Acer Predator Helios 300. The keyboard has 1.6mm of key travel, which is a good amount for a gaming laptop like this one. The keys feel nice and springy, even if they don’t have the same satisfying thunk that you find on some other gaming laptops that have more key travel.
The trackpad is pretty huge and it works well when you’re trying to game or work without a mouse. It’s bigger than some other gaming laptops’ trackpads and doesn’t get in the way at all when you’re playing games or editing videos or photo montages (like your friends’ wedding photos). All in all, I think Acer has done a great job with this keyboard and trackpad combo — it’s not as flashy as some other gaming laptop keyboards but it does the job just fine!
Performance
The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S laptop is available with up to an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The GeForce RTX 3060 GPU and 144Hz refresh rate help smooth out gameplay.
The Helios 300 is equipped with 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz memory, which will be sufficient for most people. If you need more RAM down the road and want to upgrade, you’ll be pleased to know that all three SODIMM slots are user-accessible through the bottom panel.
Our configuration of the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S comes equipped with an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The CPU delivered solid results on our benchmarks, although it was slightly behind other 11th Gen H Series chips in our tests.
Graphics performance is where this gaming laptop really shines thanks to its Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. With 6GB of GDDR6 dedicated memory, this GPU delivers strong frame rates at 1080p resolution whether you’re playing in low or high settings. You can expect 99 frames per second (fps) when playing Cyberpunk 2077 in low settings and 82 fps when cranking up the graphics to ultra settings at 1080p resolution with ray tracing turned on.
The Predator Helios 300 is an affordable gaming laptop with a fast display and plenty of power.
The Predator Helios 300 is an affordable gaming laptop that has a lot going for it. It has a 144Hz refresh rate display, fast 10th gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. With this configuration you can play your favourite AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with high frame rates and the laptop will not throttle during long gaming sessions.
The Predator Helios comes with a comfortable RGB keyboard and loud, clear speakers. The combination of these features makes it good for work as well as play. If you want to use your laptop to watch movies or TV shows, the 3ms response time on the IPS display of the Helios 300 means content will be blur-free.
Pros and Cons of Acer Predator Helios 300
PROs:
- Great Performance – The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a great gaming laptop with strong performance. It packs the latest Nvidia GPUs, powerful Intel Core i7 11th gen processors, and 16GB of RAM. This laptop can easily handle AAA games and is also a capable content creator too.
- Solid battery life – The Helios 300 has a nominal 61Whr battery capacity which is fairly average for a gaming laptop. You can expect anywhere between 4 to 6 hours of usable battery life depending on your usage scenarios. That’s great considering how it packs an RTX 3060 under the hood!
- High refresh rate display – The display in the Helios 300 comes with a fast refresh rate of 144HZ which makes gaming more fluid and enjoyable overall. It’s one of the cheapest options you can get that features such a high refresh rate display, so definitely have this on your checklist if you’re in the market for it!
CONs:
- Fans are loud under load – The fans on this machine are quite loud when it’s under load and will begin ramping up after about 30-45 minutes of use. While not ideal for those who want quiet computers during gameplay sessions or office work alike, they do help keep things cool while running at max performance settings without compromising on the performance itself (as some other laptops might).
Drawbacks
- The display isn’t the most color accurate.
- The lid flexes a bit.
- The screen bezels are large.
- The fans can get loud, but that’s what happens when you have an incredibly powerful gaming laptop that’s packing a ton of heat-generating components within its tiny frame (you don’t buy a gaming laptop for its small size).
- The keyboard is flat, so it’s not great for long writing sessions, but it is also very responsive and clicky, with deep key travel for optimal feedback and precise typing accuracy, which is perfect when you’re trying to type up your next big paper or novel during those long nights in college where your roommate has been playing League of Legends since 5 pm and refuses to stop or even leave the room so you can get some work done (seriously dude I’m trying to study here).
- The touchpad is small, but that’s fine because you’ll likely be using a mouse anyway (and if you aren’t planning on buying one then perhaps this laptop isn’t for you).
2. APPLE MACBOOK PRO
| Model Name | MacBook Pro 13-inch |
| Brand | Apple |
| Specific Uses For Product | Multimedia |
| Screen Size | 13 Inches |
| Operating System | Mac OS |
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The 2020 Apple MacBook Pro is your high-end laptop. You will love it when you know the features of 2020 Apple MacBook Pro.
The MacBook Pro has a stunning 13-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the white balance to match the color temperature of the light around you for a more natural viewing experience. And the iconic Touch Bar places controls right at your fingertips and adapts to different apps to provide useful functions without having to navigate complex menus or memorize keyboard shortcuts.
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display
The 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors, alongside the 16:10 aspect ratio renders high definition resolutions.
This Macbook is made with a revolutionary touch surface that does away with the traditional function keys on the keyboard for more interactive ways to work. It has built in Touch ID technology which is a form of advanced security that uses your fingerprint to unlock your Macbook, fill passwords and make secure purchases with Apple Pay.
The backlight gives way to an impressive 500 nits brightness that makes visibility easier even under bright light conditions
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
One notable feature of this 2020 MacBook Pro is its “Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645.”
It has this. Not an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060. Not an AMD Radeon RX 480. And not an AMD Radeon RX 580.
This laptop does not have those graphics cards, but it does have Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 graphics card.
2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, with 128MB of eDRAM
The 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, with 128MB of eDRAM is good for gaming, work, programming, analysts, developers, graphic designers, video editors, music producers, photographers and pitch decks.
I am also good for web designers who have trouble choosing which images should be used on their website! I can help you with that!
16GB of 2400MHz DDR4 onboard memory
With 16GB of memory, you can run multiple virtual machines and test environments, edit high-resolution photos and videos or do any of the most demanding workflows. Configurable to 16GB.
The built-in 128MB of eDRAM delivers up to 119 GB/s of memory bandwidth.
If you want a machine that will last a long time, consider getting the one that has 16GB RAM – that’s twice as much as many other competing laptops.
1TB SSD
The laptop contains an SSD (Solid State Drive) with a storage capacity of 1TB. The size of 1TB is large enough to store a lot of data. The speed at which the SSD works is also very fast, much faster than the old school HDD’s. An HDD has moving parts and so the read/write speed is slower than the SSD’s. A 1TB drive is more desirable than a usual 512GB drive as you can store more files and it will take time before you run out of space in your disk.
A laptop without any HDDs means there are no moving parts inside and hence it makes the laptop more portable because there are fewer chances that anything might break inside due to movement (vibration).
Apple laptops, especially the MacBook Pro, are great for developers, analysts and gamers.
Apple laptops are great for developers, analysts, and many others. Their MacBook Pro is a great laptop for them as well. They are not good gaming laptops, however. The MacBook Pro may be a great laptop overall but it is not the setup you should use if you’re a gamer.
Pros and Cons
This MacBook Pro is priced at $2,499 and has a 2.3GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor and 32GB of RAM with a 1TB SSD drive. If you want more power than the $1,799 base model, but don’t need quite as much as this top configuration then there are plenty of options in between.
For example, you can spec up the model to have a 2.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD for just $1,999 – which is still pretty expensive for a MacBook!
But what if you need even more power? Well Apple has gone all out with its flagship model offering the new 9th generation Intel Core i9 eight-core processor at 2.3GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8Ghz – making it faster than any other 15in MacBook Pro yet!
Drawbacks
There are some drawbacks that make this laptop less than perfect for some users. The most obvious is the lack of Thunderbolt 3. This port is needed for many new accessories, and if you have something that needs this feature, you’ll need to buy a dongle to use it with the 2020 MacBook Pro.
Additionally, if you need an SD card reader or an HDMI port, again you’ll be needing another accessory (or two) to plug into the USB Type-A ports on the left side of the computer. There’s no fingerprint scanner for quick logins either, though Touch ID could someday come via an iOS update. And finally, there’s no Ethernet port on this model; Apple only includes one with its 16-inch models now.
3. MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO 7
| Series | Surface Pro |
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Generation | 10th Generation |
| Screen Size | 12.3 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is an excellent 2-in-1 laptop. It has a 12.3″ screen and weighs 1.7 pounds, which is just enough to make it feel sturdy but not so heavy that you’ll be hesitant to carry it around in a thin bag or purse.
This model comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD internal storage, meaning that you have plenty of storage space for your files and can run multiple apps at once without any slowdown issues. You can also use the Surface Type Cover (sold separately) to turn this device into a laptop with its full keyboard and trackpad setup.
Battery life
Battery life is always a concern when it comes to laptops, but it’s especially true of tablets because they’re meant to be mobile. The Surface Pro 7 has a solid battery life of just under 10 hours.
Keyboard
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 keyboard is a separate purchase that runs about $100 and includes a track pad, which the Type Cover does not have. It’s one of the best keyboards on the market for typing for long periods of time (like when you’re in class) without feeling wrist fatigue or experiencing back pain from poor posture.
If you want to use your laptop as more than just an entertainment device, then this is definitely something you should add on—the keyboard makes it easy to type out essays, research papers and more with minimal stress on your body due to its ergonomic design.
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 is the best combination of the Windows you already know, plus lots of great improvements you’ll love. Technologies like InstantGo let you boot up and resume quickly. And Windows 10 has more built-in security features than ever to help protect against malicious software.
We have a whole article dedicated to explaining how Windows 10 works! If you want to read it, click here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows
Display: 12.3″ PixelSense DisplayScreen: 12.3″
The PixelSense Display supports Surface Pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, low pen parallax, low latency, and precision for accurate note taking, drawing and computer-aided design.
- Display: 12.3″ PixelSense Display
- Screen: 12.3″ Resolution 2736 x 1824 (267 PPI) Aspect ratio 3:2
- Touch: 10 point multi-touch
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Memory and Storage 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 256GB SSD
- 8GB LPDDR4x RAM for efficient multitasking and again offers better performance than previous generations.
- 256GB SSD offers a huge amount of storage space, but also has no moving parts, resulting in faster start-up times and data access, no noise, and reduced heat production and power draw on the battery.
- Solid-state drive (SSD) – While offering less storage space than a hard drive, a flash-based SSD has no moving parts, resulting in faster start-up times and data access times.
Wireless Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible Bluetooth Wireless 5.0 technology Xbox Wireless built-in
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) compatible; connects to your network or hotspots on all current Wi-Fi standards. Connect to a Wireless-AC router for speed nearly 3x faster than Wireless-N. The Gigabit Ethernet LAN port also plugs into wired networks.
Bluetooth 5.0 technology Permits short-range wireless data transfers at up to 30′ with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as phones, speakers and printers.
With Xbox Wireless built in, you can pair your headset or Xbox Wireless Controller directly to your Surface without the need for a dongle or adapter, so you’ll have fewer unsightly dongles sticking out of your device and more room in your bag while traveling.
Camera, Video and Audio Windows Hello face authentication camera
- Capture all the details with outstanding clarity, even in low light. Make sure your meeting participants can see you clearly, whether you’re at your desk or out and about with a built-in 720p HD camera.
- Connect with the people who matter most. With a 5.0MP front-facing camera and 8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera, photos and video are clear as can be. Plus, make sure everyone hears you loud and clear with dual microphones and 1.6W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium to provide increased clarity when communicating on Skype and other platforms that support wideband audio.
Sensors Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer
The Ambient light sensor detects the amount of light in the environment and is used to adjust the display brightness. The Accelerometer detects if the device has been dropped or bumped. The accelerometer is also used to detect shaking. This can be used to undo an action, such as deleting a file.
The Gyroscope measures angular velocity around 3 axes (x, y, z) so that motion of the device in 3D space can be tracked accurately. The Magnetometer measures earth magnetic fields and is used in conjunction with other sensors for compass applications.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good battery life
- Light and portable
- Built-in kickstand
- Good performance
- Good display
- USB-C port
- Optional LTE
- Rear camera
Cons
Pen and keyboard sold separately
Drawbacks
There are some drawbacks to the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. The kickstand is not flexible, so you cannot place it on your lap like a traditional laptop. Some of the accessories that come with the laptop are expensive, and you have to buy them separately in order to get the full experience of using it. Other than that, there are no major problems with this product.
I would recommend this product if you want a tablet and laptop in one. You can use it for anything from working at the office to watching videos on Netflix during your lunch break.
The pros definitely outweigh any cons that come along with purchasing this device because there is nothing else like it on the market today!
4. Lenovo ThinkPad T490 14
| Series | Lenovo Thinkpad |
| Brand | Lenovo |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal |
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Human Interface Input | Keyboard |
If you’re on the market for a business laptop, then you’ve already heard of Lenovo ThinkPad T490. The ThinkPad T490 is one of the most sought-after business laptops on the market right now.
The ThinkPad T490 is a 14-inch business laptop that weighs just over 3 pounds and has a battery life of up to 13 hours. The laptop is thin and made out of aluminium, so it’s light and easy to carry around with you. The screen is bright, with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.
POWERFUL PERFORMANCE
Take your business to the next level with the Lenovo ThinkPad T490. It’s packaged in a thin, lightweight chassis and has an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U quad-core processor with up to 4.6GHz clock speeds. With integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, the ThinkPad T490 offers smooth visuals on its 14″ FHD IPS anti-glare screen.
The ThinkPad T490 also features 256GB of PCIe M.2 SSD storage for quick data access times, enhanced by 16GB of RAM. Connect peripherals such as external storage solutions and optical drives via USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports or Thunderbolt 3 ports, which deliver data transfer rates up to 40 Gb/s and allow you to connect additional displays or charge mobile devices via their USB Type-C port.
FAST BOOTUP WITH SOLID-STATE DRIVE
When it comes to a computer, one of the first things you’ll notice is how slow your boot time can be. To help remedy this, you can make your laptop more energy efficient and faster by installing an SSD drive.
Why would I want one?
- Speed: SSD drives are known for being extremely fast and having better read/write speeds than traditional hard drives.
- Energy efficiency: The fact that the entire drive operates at less power means that the laptop will run cooler, saving on battery life and reducing heat generation. More importantly, however, an SSD has no moving parts so there’s no danger of them breaking or becoming damaged with wear and tear as with a traditional HDD.
Where does it fit into my workflow?
- SSD drives should be used for booting up your computer so that you can get to work faster without having to go through the slow startup process multiple times a day. In other use scenarios, consider swapping out your operating system if it’s installed on an HDD for something like Windows 10 Pro instead if it’s far more performant from the get-go since replacing your OS is an easy way to make a computer faster while keeping all of your files safe and sound in case anything goes wrong at some point down the line (though this shouldn’t be necessary in most cases).
AMPLE STORAGE AND MEMORY
You’ll enjoy the powerful combination of 8GB RAM, which can handle all your tasks without a hitch.
Windows 10 Pro has built-in security features, including firewall and internet protections to help safeguard against viruses, malware, and ransomware.
The blazing fast 256 GB SSD (Solid State Drive) is perfect for reducing boot up times and in-game loading.
Windows 10 Pro operating system
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 laptop comes preloaded with Windows 10 Pro. Windows 10 professional is the most powerful operating system that Microsoft has ever released. With comprehensive security and easy-to-use features, your experience on this computer will be like no other.
Windows 10 Pro delivers comprehensive protection – including antivirus, firewall, internet protections, and more. You can also use BitLocker for encryption to protect your data from theft or loss. And with remote desktop capabilities, you’ll have seamless access to your data and applications anytime, anywhere.
As a business professional, you will appreciate the intuitive design of Windows 10 Pro. The Start menu is back in an expanded form, plus there are new ways to find files and multitask between apps using Task View or Snap Assist features. You’ll quickly get acquainted with all these features at the first use of this laptop!
Intel Core i7 processor
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 packs a punch with an Intel Core i7 processor. The 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U Processor 1.8GHz base frequency, up to 4.6GHz with turbo boost (4 Cores, 8MB Cache) delivers the power and responsiveness you need to breeze through your daily tasks with ease. Combined with the Intel UHD Graphics 620, this machine has more than enough processing power to get you through your most demanding tasks!
The 8GB DDR4 2400MHz (16GB max) will keep everything running smoothly as well as allow for multitasking so that you can have all of your windows open seamlessly.
Pros and Cons
Lenovo ThinkPad T490 Pros:
- Good hardware: The T490 is equipped with the latest hardware, which ensures a fast everyday routine. The Intel Core i5-8265U, 8 GB of RAM and the PCIe SSD ensure that all applications run smoothly.
- Low weight: Lenovo has reduced the weight of the ThinkPad T490 by almost 200 grams compared to its predecessor. A 14-inch laptop now weighs only 2.4 kilograms so it’s not too heavy to carry around.
- 16:9 screen format: Unlike its predecessors, Lenovo uses a 16:9 screen in the new ThinkPad T490s instead of 16:10. This is only noticeable at first glance if you hold two devices side by side and look at them in detail.
- TrackPoint keyboard: For users who want to use the TrackPoint, there is good news here because it has remained on board and also offers three mouse keys directly above the touchpad as standard. There are other models from Lenovo that contain a keyboard without a TrackPoint and these must be ordered separately for an additional charge if required.
- Good battery life In addition to high performance, we are particularly enthusiastic about the long battery life of more than ten hours when idle thanks to modern hardware components such as Whiskey Lake processors from Intel or NVMe SSDs from Samsung that consume significantly less power than their predecessors!
Drawbacks
The laptop is noisy for a laptop. It is not the quietest laptop in this category and it will make noise during heavy operation. If you are looking for a quiet machine, look elsewhere.
The build quality of the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is not as good as other ThinkPads in this price range. The computer feels slightly cheaper than other laptops in this class.
Nothing too major but if you are used to high-end premium models, you may be disappointed by the build quality of Lenovo ThinkPad T490’s chassis. For example, there is some flex on the keyboard area and on the back of its lid which was unexpected at this price level when compared with competitors such as the Dell XPS 9370 or MacBook Pro 13” 2019 model.
The battery life of the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 could be longer than what it currently gets due to its power-hungry processor and CPU integrated graphics card used instead of a dedicated GPU (which usually has lower performance but much better battery life than integrated graphics).
This specific configuration with the 8th Gen i7-8565U processor can get about 10 hours of battery life on average consumer use so if you do some more intensive tasks, it will probably be around 5-6 hours from my experience with similar machines.
5. PREMIER HP SPECTRE X360
| Series | Spectre |
| Brand | HP |
| Screen Size | 13.3 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 8 |
| Human Interface Input | TouchPad |
A convertible laptop, also called a 2-in-1 laptop, is a portable PC that can double as either a notebook or tablet. This is done by rotating the screen 360 degrees to fold it back on itself, converting the unit into a slate. This can be especially useful when using touchscreens to control your device and in some cases use with a stylus.
The HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED is not one of those devices; however, it’s still pretty cool.
This review will attempt to answer all your burning questions about the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED but will not include color commentary on things like its thickness or weight–that stuff’s all available online.
Highlights
The HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED is a thin and light convertible laptop with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. It has a 13.3″ UHD touch screen with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and it weighs about 3 pounds. What does all that mean? Well if you:
- want to do more than just browse the web on your laptop
- are looking for high quality hardware
then this might be the laptop for you! But don’t just take my word for it, read on to see all the features I can offer you.
The design and feel of the notebook
(The typing of this review is on a Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED). This is the first HP laptop I’ve ever bought, and I’m super excited to test it out. The specs are great: Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, and a 13.3″ UHD touch screen. It’s also incredibly light for its size and incredibly thin for its size. It feels like it’s made from air!
It also has an amazing design with useful features such as the fingerprint reader that allows you to log in with your fingerprints when you’re not near the computer at all.
The screen of the Spectre x360 13T 4K OLED 2021
The screen of the Spectre x360 13T 4K OLED 2021 is a 13.3-inch UHD OLED touchscreen with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, 400 nits brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and HDR 400.
The touch screen allows you to interact with your laptop with taps and swipes instead of using only the trackpad or mouse. To zoom into an image, for example, you can use the pinch-to-zoom gesture: place two fingers on the image and slide them closer together to zoom in or slide them further apart to zoom out.
Keyboard and touchpad on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED
The keyboard on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED has a good amount of travel and feedback, but it is only average in terms of typing experience. This is not necessarily a bad thing because the keys are well spaced out, they are large enough, and they have good feedback. They also offer plenty of resistance to ensure that you do not press them accidentally.
- Three-level backlit keyboard
The keyboard comes with three levels of brightness that you can adjust to your liking. However, there is no option for changing the color or turning off the backlight entirely, which would have been nice.
- Clickpad with fingerprint reader
The clickpad on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED is large and provides great support for my palms while I type. It also has a fingerprint reader built into its top left corner that works quite well at logging me into Windows 10 when I turn on my laptop. Another nice feature of this clickpad is that it has an integrated set of buttons for right-clicking or opening contextual menus when I tap anywhere within its bottom half area instead of just pressing down directly on one side like most laptops do these days
Stylus pen on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED!
If you’re looking for a laptop with a stylus, the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED is your machine. It’s thin, light (3.5 pounds), and has an optional gold casing that looks fantastic in addition to being super-stylish.
Its 13.3″ 1920×1080 IPS display is great for watching movies and playing games, though not quite as sharp as the 2560×1440 panel on the Surface Book 2 Intel Core i7-8650U 15″ 4K touch screen convertible notebook (9 lbs). The polycarbonate chassis gives it a nice rugged feel that makes it well-suited for travel.
The same discrete AMD Radeon R9 M470X graphics card you’ll find in a $500 gaming system is on board here too—so take care to turn down your settings while watching videos or playing games on this machine so that you don’t need to upgrade in the near future!
The HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED has its own stylus pen which is small enough to store inside the body of the laptop alongside one of the two USB Type-C ports located along its left side. This stylus works well with Windows Ink Workspace, Microsoft’s new feature designed to help users draw sketches quickly and accurately on their touchscreen displays with an included digital pen .
So yeah, I think it’s safe to say this thing is good at what it does—so if you want a thin, light convertible laptop with an optional gold casing and an impressive array of specs for about $1,780 USD , then this could be your pick!
Graphics performance on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED!
The laptop has integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics that provides enough power for less demanding games. While we do not recommend using the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED for gaming, you can expect to play some newer titles at lower resolutions and settings. We ran a few popular games such as World of Warcraft, CS:GO and Fortnite from our library and the results are provided below:
- Overwatch – 41 FPS @ medium settings, 1920 x 1080 resolution, FHD screen
- World of Warcraft – 36 FPS @ low settings, 1900 x 1080 resolution, FHD screen
- CS:GO – 156 FPS @ low settings, 1920 x 1080 resolution, FHD screen
Battery life on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED! Conclusions regarding battery life.
- Battery life on the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED is disappointing.
- The main reason is that the touch screen and CPU are both very power hungry. HP wanted to make a thin, sleek laptop so they had to sacrifice battery size to do it.
- If you decide to buy the HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED, I recommend using it plugged in most of the time, at least until you’re familiar with how much power your normal usage pattern uses up.
- It’s worth noting that even if battery life had been a non-issue, this device would still be far from perfect because of its bugs and poor documentation.
It’s very lightweight with great components, a nice screen, and comes in at a much lower price than some other similar devices.
This is a very nice device. It’s very lightweight with great components, a nice screen, and comes in at a much lower price than some other similar devices. There are some downsides like the 256GB storage not being enough for everyone, but there is also a model with 512GB storage available if you’re willing to spend an extra $200 or so.
Pros and Cons
- You get a lightweight computer with great components, including a UHD touch screen. The HP Spectre x360 13T 2021 4K OLED convertible laptop has a starting weight of 2.79 pounds and it gets even lighter if you opt for an aluminum chassis instead of ceramic white. It comes with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, and a 13.3″ UHD touch screen (3840 x 2160). There are plenty of other configurations available to meet your needs.
- It’s relatively inexpensive compared to the competition from competitors like the Dell XPS 13 9300 or Microsoft Surface Laptop 3.
Drawbacks
The screen is not the brightest, but it is very good, and the colors are great.
The keyboard and touchpad are good but not great. The speakers are not the best. Some users have reported issues with the keyboard.
The price is high.
6. RIVETING DELL XPS 15
| Series | 9550-3628 |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Human Interface Input | Touchscreen |
| CPU Manufacturer | Intel |
We know that’s a lot of information to digest, so we’ll quickly summarize. This is a touchscreen laptop that comes with a fingerprint reader and backlit keyboard. It has Bluetooth, WiFi and Thunderbolt capabilities, so you can connect it to all your devices. It comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed and includes a charger in the box. It’s also great for gaming!
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is responsible for the display of images on the computer screen. The GPU processes graphics data and systems information at a faster rate than the CPU, storing it in RAM and then sending it to the monitor.
The Dell XPS 15 9510 comes equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti discrete graphics card with 4GB GDDR6 VRAM. It also has Intel Integrated UHD Graphics 620, which allows you to play games like Minecraft or Fortnight without any problems.
It’s important to note that while the GPU may be better at processing graphics data than the CPU, they are still two separate components in your computer system that work together to make sure everything runs smoothly.
For example: if you wanted to play a game on your computer but didn’t have enough RAM installed into your system, then there wouldn’t be enough memory available for both components to function properly at once so there would be lag time when trying out new features or running applications because only one can run at any given time due to lack of resources available from having too few physical chips as opposed having multiple processors working simultaneously.”
Display
The new XPS 15 is the ultimate creator’s laptop, let’s start with the display. To begin, we have a 15.6-inch (3840 x 2400) FHD+ 500 nits InfinityEdge Anti-Reflective Touch Display featuring 100% Adobe RGB with Dell PremierColor and DCI-P3 90% color gamut, or a 15.6″ FHD+ 500 Nits Anti-glare Non-Touch IPS 100% sRGB 500-Nits WVA Display depending on your needs. You can also get it with a new 4K UHD OLED touch display featuring 100% Adobe RGB with Dell PremierColor and Dolby Vision™ HDR 400 for incredible brightness and contrast that delivers true blacks and amazing colors in any content.
Then pair it with Dell’s ultimate laptop sound system for an immersive audio experience: the Waves Nx® speaker system brings things to life by simulating a 360° speaker array – giving you studio quality sound no matter where you are sitting relative to your screen – or if you prefer using headphones, Waves Nx® Head Tracker makes it feel like your headphones are speakers in your room, so as you move from side to side your music moves around you naturally.
Storage and Memory
This computer has plenty of storage space for all your favorite media. With 2TB of SSD storage, you have enough space to save countless photos and other documents. In addition, you can also add extra HDD or SSD storage if you’re interested.
The memory is also very impressive. With 32GB RAM, you can easily run multiple programs at once without having to worry about slow performance. If you plan on doing lots of multitasking, then this is the computer for you!
Battery life
- Battery life is average for a gaming laptop, at most two hours of constant use and decreasing rapidly with more demanding workloads.
- Fans are much quieter than most other gaming laptops, but the nature of fans is that they’re loud when they’re working hard, so no laptop will be completely silent.
- If you want your laptop to run as quietly as possible, you can manually control fan speed through the Dell Power Manager app (unit comes pre-installed).
Design
At nearly six pounds and measuring 14.7 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches, the XPS 15 is one of the bigger laptops in its class, but it’s still much thinner than Dell’s old Vostro 15 7590. The carbon fiber keyboard deck and anodized aluminium lid give the XPS 15 a premium look and feel, while also helping keep the weight down to more reasonable levels. It feels well-built, with no flexing or creaking when you apply pressure to either side of the keyboard
Like most other high-end laptops these days, the XPS 15 has a minimalist design that consists of a silver aluminum lid emblazoned with Dell’s logo (in white) on top of a black carbon fiber keyboard deck and base. Even though this laptop is mostly metal with minimal plastic parts (the hinges are made from magnesium alloy), it’s still fairly heavy for a laptop that measures 14.7 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches and weighs 5.5 pounds
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The screen is great, no dead pixels
- The keyboard backlight is bright and easy to see
- Mouse pad is smooth and responsive
- The WiFi 6 connection is super fast, no interruptions even when I’m far away from the router.
- My daughter says she can hear me better on her end of a Teams meeting. Her words are “This thing has great speakers”! Yay!!
Cons:
- Most USB-C devices still need an adapter or dongle to work, with the exception of my phone charger.
Drawbacks
The software on the laptop is good but it seems that Dell has some issues in terms of releasing proper drivers and updates.
This laptop uses a new 11th generation Intel processor, but there are not many software updates available for this model.
When it comes to the keyboard, I don’t feel like this one is perfect for typing long articles or coding. Keyboard feedback is weak and you will miss some keys easily because of their shape and size.
However, if you want a gaming laptop with productivity features and an affordable price, I think this one is great!
7. Razer Blade 15
| Series | Blade 15 |
| Brand | Razer |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, Gaming, Business |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
Whether you’re a gamer, power user or regular consumer looking for better performance and speed, you’ll definitely enjoy what the Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop has to offer.
With a slim chassis measuring less than 0.7″ thin and weighing just 4.63 lbs, the Razer Blade 15 packs a lot of power into its compact form factor.
The aluminium unibody frame houses incredible performance and massive battery life in one of the most beautiful laptops on the market. The backlit keyboard will allow you to play even in poor light conditions while maintaining great precision with its touchpad controls.
If you are shopping for an overall great laptop that’s both portable and powerful enough to handle your daily tasks as well as gaming needs (when necessary), this is probably one of the best options available today.
The world’s smallest 15.6″ gaming laptop. 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core (2.2GHz/4.1GHz)
The new Razer Blade is an ultra compact NVIDIA GeForce GTX powered laptop with a stunning 15.6” Full HD thin bezel display. The 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics power through even the most intensive tasks without slowing down.
Whether you’re in the heat of battle or kicking back with a game, every detail pops with brilliant color, astonishing clarity, and silky smooth motion that takes you right into the action — all in a phenomenally sleek design that’s only 0.66 inches thin.
Equipped with everything you need to take on serious gaming and creative tasks anywhere, this versatile 15.6” full HD 60Hz IPS display laptop supports up to three external displays via Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), Mini DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 for an expansive visual workspace that can transform your productivity or immerse you in entertainment.
The 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H mobile processor gives you the power to play at your best no matter what game or application you’re running—it’s 40% more powerful than previous generations and boasts up to 4.1 GHz Max Turbo Frequency for incredible performance.*
Every aspect of this laptop has been crafted for incredible performance, from its portable all metal chassis that houses amazing graphics and intuitive controls, to its precision touchpad for seamless navigation during gameplay and work alike—the Razer Blade is built for excellence.
15.6″ thin bezel Full HD 60Hz IPS display, color calibrated
We know that display panels are critical for a great gaming experience, which is why we’ve custom tuned each to deliver an optimal experience. Our display features a full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution with a 60 Hz refresh rate.
The thin bezel on three sides gives you more room for your vibrant visuals by giving the 15.6-in screen a 14-in footprint, which still fits into the form factor of most backpacks and laptop bags. Wide viewing angles mean that you can share your content at up to 45 degrees either side of center without sacrificing image quality.
No matter how you look at it, this panel delivers color performance that’s better than many competing solutions thanks to color calibration from the factory and an IPS screen that provides superior viewing angles, meaning your screaming game highlights will always be visible to all who are gathered around your desk or in a LAN party.
16GB dual-channel (8GB x 2) DDR4 2667MHz memory; 256GB SSD; Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
You’ve probably heard about RAM before. It stands for random access memory, and it’s one of the key specs that determine how well your computer can perform. The more memory (aka RAM) you have in your device, the faster it is, and the more tasks it can handle. And generally speaking, the higher the quality of RAM you’re using, the better results you’ll get.
This laptop comes with 16GB dual-channel DDR4 2667MHz memory; 256GB SSD; Windows 10 Home 64 Bit. Every single component has been carefully chosen to ensure maximum performance and user comfort right out of the box.
Razer Synapse software
Razer Synapse software seamlessly syncs all your essential device settings automatically through the cloud. Take your custom settings everywhere you go with you, and more. This is a really good paragraph about Razer Synapse software seamlessly syncs all your essential device settings automatically through the cloud.
Pros and Cons
- Pro: You’ll be able to play most games smoothly, work quickly and comfortably on the go, enjoy beautiful and realistic graphics on your commute.
- Con: Audio quality and battery life are not the best.
Drawbacks
The Razer Blade 15 is an excellent gaming laptop, but it has a few notable drawbacks.
The sensitivity of the trackpad can be annoying to some, as well as the fact that the trackpad is located on the right side instead of in the centre. Some users have complained about noisy fans, but only when running demanding games for long periods of time.
If you’re looking for a game computer-primarily and don’t care much about portability, you might want to look elsewhere since this laptop doesn’t include any USB-A ports and is more expensive than comparable laptops with similar specs. However, if you’re looking for high end performance in a lightweight package with great battery life, then this laptop could be perfect for you! The keyboard feels great and the display is fantastic; there’s also solid build quality.
8. MSI GS65 Stealth-002
| Series | GS65 Stealth-002 |
| Brand | MSI |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, gaming, business |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
The MSI GS65 Stealth-002 is a super thin laptop with plenty of power, great battery life and a good screen. It has beefy hardware for gaming, design for style and a long battery life. The price is $2,111.33. The specs are as follows:
- CPU: 2.20GHz Intel Core i7-8750H
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB Max-Q
- RAM: 32GB DDR4-2133MHz
- Screen: 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz 7ms 72% NTSC panel (LGD053F)
- Storage: 512GB SSD + 1TB SSHD (8GB cache)
Battery
The GS65 Stealth has a four cell battery with an 82Whr capacity. For the unit we received, that means you can expect to get about 1.5-2 hours of continuous use out of it on a single charge, which is pretty impressive for such a powerful gaming laptop. Unfortunately, this isn’t as much as we would like it to be and there’s no easy way around it – when you have such powerful components in such a thin form factor, that’s just the sacrifice you need to make.
If you need more juice than what the battery can provide and don’t have access to an outlet, MSI does offer an external battery pack accessory called the NB power kit but unfortunately it looks like they currently only sell this in China at this time. And besides, who wants to carry around another device in their bag?
Charging times are respectable though – in our testing we were able to get 0-100% charge times within 2 hours using the included 240W power adapter (with normal use).
Gaming Performance
Overall, the MSI GS65 Stealth-002 is an excellent gaming laptop. It has the latest hardware and a cooling system that keeps it running at high speeds, even when stressed. The 144Hz screen and ultra-fast connection to your peripherals make sure you won’t get any input lag. When playing with this machine, your only limits are those of your skills and game settings.
The performance is consistent because the problems usually found in other laptops have been addressed. There are no issues with heat on this device; there’s even a special fan mode that keeps it from overheating under heavy stress loads during long sessions of gameplay where you might be moving around less than usual (like during long cutscenes).
You won’t experience problems like keyboard or mouse pad interference; these areas have been specially insulated against outside interference sources such as wireless devices nearby. Even if you do encounter them for some reason, there are ways to mitigate or eliminate those interferences completely!
Screen Quality
The refresh rate is 144Hz so your games will look smooth as chocolate milk. The horizontal viewing angles are wide and the vertical ones are narrow so you can sit anywhere in your bedroom and still have a good view at this laptop’s screen. You will be able to use this laptop outside without much difficulty thanks to the screen’s brightness of 370 nits (cd/m²).
Luckily if you want to use it in the dark you can control how bright or dim the display gets with just two clicks of your mouse! This laptop’s response time is 7ms which means you won’t ever experience ghosting or stuttering when playing video games with it! The bezel surrounding this computer’s screen is thin so no black bars covering your favorite YouTube videos!
Design
- The GS65 Stealth takes on a slim and sleek, all-metal alloy body. It’s designed to be thin and light while also providing excellent performance when it comes to gaming.
- The keyboard of the laptop feels solid and has a nice overall design that resembles what you would find in your everyday high-end laptop. What’s even better is that the keys are backlit with RGB lighting, which makes it easy for you to see where the different keys are in lowlit environments.
- For those who like their laptops to be compact, yet still have a touchpad on the side, MSI has got you covered with this one as well. The touchpad is fairly large and provides good room for movement across the screen of your computer or tablet device.
- Although this is not something that should bother most people too much, some may feel that their laptops get too hot when they play games or watch movies over long periods of time without turning down the brightness level of their screens first – especially if they use an external monitor instead of having one built into their computers themselves (which can run pretty expensive). We recommend using this setting only when needed so as not to overheat yourself while playing games or watching movies!
Performance
This laptop is a powerhouse with an i7-8750H and GTX 1070 Max-Q or RTX 2070 Max-Q, 32GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, and 512GB SSD. It’s freakishly fast.
The GS65 has a 144 Hz display panel that looks amazing. The colors are bright and the screen is super sharp. You’ve never seen anything like this before. Usually you have to sacrifice gaming performance to get a laptop this thin, but not with the GS65 Stealth Thin. For example, you can play PUBG at 60 FPS on high settings while still getting over 100 FPS in CS:GO on max settings (with no anti-aliasing).
In Fortnite Battle Royale, I got 62 FPS with everything cranked up as far as it could go, with only shadows set to medium instead of high or epic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have to say that the Stealth is a very capable and well-rounded gaming laptop. The keyboard is solid, the screen is beautiful, and performance is top-notch. However, it’s not without its issues. The battery life isn’t great, and it costs an arm and a leg.
But if you’re looking for a high-end gaming laptop that won’t weigh you down in your backpack or make you look like some kind of commando with an armored briefcase when you walk around with it, then the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF could be very hard to beat.
The MSI GS65 Stealth-002 is a great buy for anyone interested in playing PC games.
The MSI GS65 Stealth-002 is a great buy for anyone interested in gaming. It has a sleek design that makes it look like a Macbook Pro, but it is actually a powerful gaming computer. It has the latest Intel processor, a Nvidia graphics card and can handle any game you throw at it.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The GS65 Stealth offers great gaming and overall performance in a sleek, relatively slim body, making it our top pick.
- The GS65 has a simple but stylish design with thin bezels and an RGB keyboard.
- It comes with a solid 144 Hz screen that’s also Pantone-certified.
Cons:
- It has poor battery life because of its strong hardware. It can’t last more than two hours if you’re doing something more demanding than web browsing or watching videos.
- Terrible webcam placement on the bottom left corner is probably one of the worst designs we’ve seen on any laptop.
Drawbacks
The trackpad is a bit small, and it only features two buttons, also smaller than your average trackpad. While this doesn’t bother everyone, some people find that a smaller trackpad makes certain tasks (like drawing or signing your name with a digital pen) more difficult.
The keyboard is non-backlit, making it difficult to see in low light situations. This doesn’t necessarily detract from the laptop’s gaming capabilities, but for keying in the dark on the rare occasions when you’re not gaming? You may be stuck fumbling around to find each key.
The display bezels are not as thin as advertised; if you’ve been looking forward to those ultra-thin bezels to maximize screen space while maintaining portability in a small footprint, you might want to look elsewhere.
This laptop is also heavier than most other laptops that claim “ultra-portability.” It’s less lightweight than its competitors: at 4 pounds and 14 ounces, it’s over 1 pound heavier than similar models from Razer and Alienware. If you’re hoping for an ultraportable gaming laptop that won’t slow you down at LAN parties or public events were travelling on foot will be required? This may not be your best bet.
Lastly, battery life suffers under anything but idle conditions. Don’t expect this device to last through your trip without being plugged in!
9. Acer Aspire 7 Casual Gaming Laptop
| Brand | Acer |
| Specific Uses For Product | Travel |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Card Description | Dedicated |
| Special Feature | Water Resistant |
| Color | GTX 1050Ti graphics & backpack |
| Chipset Brand | NVIDIA |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Form Factor | Laptop |
| Graphics Coprocessor | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti |
The Acer Aspire 7 is a laptop I would recommend to anyone who needs a computer that can perform the most demanding tasks and look great doing it. This device tower above the competition with an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H 6-Core Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM, and 15.6″ Full HD IPS display, making it one of the best gaming laptops on the market.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
You can enjoy the latest in gaming technology with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card. It features an impressive 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM and its power efficiency means you can experience smooth, fast performance even when gaming on battery mode.
7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad-Core Processor (Up to 3.8GHz)
When it comes to gaming, the 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad-Core Processor (Up to 3.8GHz) is a beast in its class. With its unbeatable power, you’re able to take on your most demanding tasks and more with ease. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM offers powerful graphics at an affordable price point. And with 16GB DDR4 Memory & 256GB SSD, you can enjoy swift performance and ample storage space.
15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS display
And finally, the 15.6” LCD monitor gives you a stunningly vivid picture quality and comes with IPS technology for a viewing angle up to 178 degrees. This means that no matter where you are, whether it’s in front of the laptop or off to the side, you will always have an excellent visual experience when using this machine. By combining these three things together, this laptop is perfect for gamers who are looking for both performance and visuals.
Pros and Cons
- The Aspire 7 excels at gaming. We were able to run popular games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Rise of the Tomb Raider with high settings at a resolution of 1920×1080.
- The Acer Aspire 7’s keyboard is backlit and has great keys that are very responsive while still having some resistance.
- The Aspire 7 comes with a decent-sized hard drive. The 1 TB HDD provides plenty of storage for most gamers. If you need more space, you can get an external hard drive to supplement the internal one or upgrade from the factory-installed version to another size (or a solid-state drive).
Drawbacks
However, the battery life on this laptop is not very good, it can last only 5 hours on a full charge. The keyboard is not backlit, which makes typing in dark conditions a little bit difficult. Also, while the speakers are excellent, they could be better and have a little bit thin sound.
10. ASUS VivoBook S
| Series | ASUS Vivobook S |
| Brand | ASUS |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, gaming, business |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
If you’re looking to purchase a laptop, you may want to consider the ASUS VivoBook S. It is light, portable and has a good screen. That being said, it’s not cheap.
In this Review, we will examine the various features of this computer in more detail. We’ll give an overview of what makes it great and where it falls short so that you can make an informed decision about your next laptop purchase.
The VivoBook S has a matte-black finish with a metal-clad hinge for the screen and keyboard. The build quality feels really good, as expected from ASUS. This laptop is solidly built with no compromises as far as I can tell.
Even though the materials used are plastic, it does not feel cheap at all. The matte finish has this nice rubberized texture which makes holding it very comfortable and adds to the aesthetics of the laptop. It also keeps fingerprints away from sticking to the lid cover.
Design
The VivoBook S is a bit of a surprise when you pull it out of the box, as it’s one of the most attractive laptops in this price range. It’s crafted from a mixture of metal and plastic, and has some fine lines that give it an edgier look than most other laptops. The textured finish adds grip, even though it’s not that thick or heavy. There are subtle red accents on the edge of the keyboard, while the power button is backlit in silver plastic. This laptop looks like something twice its price, which is definitely more than we can say for others in this segment.
Main Features
The only place where ASUS has clearly cut corners to reduce the price is in the selection of ports. The VivoBook S15 ships with a USB 3.0 port on each side, plus a USB 2.0 port for good measure and a full-size HDMI output for connecting to an external display or TV.
You’ll also find a 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card slot, and VGA output (because yes, some classrooms and conference rooms still have these). There’s no Thunderbolt 3 port despite having 7th-generation Intel Core processing power inside, and there’s no USB Type-C port at all. If you want wired Ethernet because it’s faster than Wi-Fi or more reliable in certain situations, you’ll need to use the included dongle.
You won’t find any other security features besides the Kensington lock slot on our review unit either. There is no fingerprint sensor built into the trackpad nor is there a Windows Hello camera above the screen to log in with just your face.
A backlit keyboard would have been nice too, especially since this notebook has enough performance to be used as an occasional workstation replacement while travelling or commuting without carrying around extra weight like most 15″ notebooks do today. Finally, we miss not having a dedicated number pad on this laptop either—the slightly smaller touchpad seems like it could have been moved over by an inch to make room for one if needed, though that would have made the keyboard-less centred within its chassis.
Fantastic Keyboard
The main keyboard is outlined in silver plastic, and the keys have slightly more room to move around than on most other laptops. This provides a sturdier feel when typing and can let you type faster as well. There are subtle red accents around some of the buttons which add to its aesthetic appeal.
The touchpad is fast and sensitive to multi-touch gestures. It also includes right-click functionality via the lower right corner of the pad, but it can be changed in settings so that two fingers tap will function as a right-click instead if preferred.
Storage includes a 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD
Storage includes a 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD, though you can swap in an additional hard drive if you need more space. I’ll be honest: even 128GB isn’t that much hard drive space these days, but at least it’s a lot faster than the mechanical HDD. SSDs should be used for storing your operating system, applications, and games; HDDs are better for storing media files like movies and music. The 1TB HDD is plenty of room to keep all of your files on one drive.
If you want additional storage space, or want to replace the 128GB SSD with something larger (perhaps a 256GB or 512GB model), there is another bay inside that can accept additional storage devices.
This is key as computers only come with so much storage by default; what happens if you exceed the capacity on your drives? What if you need to backup important data? What if your computer gets damaged or stolen? It’s best to make sure all of this sensitive information has been backed up elsewhere.
A strong performer for gaming and work
The VivoBook S is not meant to be a gaming laptop. It has a discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU, which gives it some gaming power, but it’s just not meant for that and I wouldn’t recommend it for that. The benchmark scores are:
Pros and Cons
The ASUS VivoBook S is a high-performance laptop that fits perfectly into your lifestyle. It’s thin and light, making it ideal for travel or take-anywhere use. A long-lasting battery delivers all-day power, so you can work or play without worrying about recharging. No matter where life takes you, there’s an ASUS VivoBook that meets your needs.
Pros:
- High performance; processing power and fast SSD storage provide incredibly fast loading times and quick responsiveness
- Comfortable keyboard; ErgoLift hinge design ensures great typing experience; ultra slim metal body with 18 mm profile has comfortable backlit keyboard with 1.4 mm key travel distance
- Good display; 15.6” FHD WideView Display in a 13” body frameless four-sided NanoEdge display with 85% screen to body ratio provides more screen space and immersive viewing experience; 178 degree wide view technology lets you see the screen clearly from any angle
- Good connectivity; built-in dual band 802.11ac Wi Fi provides up to 867 Mbps of bandwidth for faster streaming and large file downloads
Cons:
- Slightly Heavy: at 3 lbs, this isn’t the lightest laptop out there if weight is your primary concern
- No fingerprint scanner
Drawbacks
The ASUS VivoBook’s display is not full HD, so if you’re looking for a laptop that has great color and detail, this one may not be it. The refresh rate on the screen is also quite low, so this laptop isn’t ideal for gaming.
Since it doesn’t have many ports, including no USB-C ports, it can be difficult to connect some devices to your computer (and there’s no HDMI port either). It also has two drawbacks that come with most laptops: a short battery life and an annoying fan (though we’ve found the fan on this laptop to be particularly noisy at times). The touchpad is relatively small, which might bother some people.
What to look for in Best Laptop For Network Engineer
Hard Drive
SSD is generally faster than HDD in terms of file transfer and data recovery speeds. File reading and writing speed is more important when you work with large files like video editing software, so if the speed is what you’re looking for, SSD might be your best bet.
If, however, you are looking for a lot of storage space (1 TB or above) then go for HDD since it can provide large storage capacity at just 1/4th the price of SSD for one terabyte. Most people usually favor HDDs because of their low prices and easy availability.
RAM
The amount of RAM is the most important feature you should look in a laptop, especially when used by a Network Engineer. The minimum you should get is 8GB of RAM, but we recommend 16 GB or more if possible because it will make your life easier. Especially if you use virtual machines.
If you can afford to splurge then get 32GB or more RAM for multitasking purposes and for running multiple virtual machines smoothly on one laptop.
Processor
Now, we will try to elaborate on each and every factor of laptops for network engineers. If a laptop has a good processor, then it will be able to handle different tasks including saving multiple files and folders etc. These laptops must have the latest generation of processors in them. Mostly Intel core i5 or i7 processors are preferred by most of the network engineers. In addition to this, they prefer laptop with at least 8 GB RAM so that they can install as many applications as they want without worrying about their laptop’s performance.
Graphics card
Of all the features you can look for in a laptop, the graphics card is one of the most important. A good graphics card is critical if you use your laptop for gaming or visual design.
When looking at a graphic card, make sure to note its video memory (VRAM). The more VRAM available, the better it will be able to handle intense graphics and animation. If you’re trying to run high-end games or other intensive programs, look for a laptop that has an Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card with 4GB or more of VRAM.
Operating System
The operating system is the first thing that you need to look for. The operating system will provide you with the best performance and usability of your laptop. If you want to learn more about this, read my article on Best Laptop Operating System.
It is important to note that some laptops do not come with an operating system. This is because they come pre-installed on the laptop or they are installed by a third party company. If you have purchased a new laptop from a reputable company, you should always ensure that it comes with an operating system.
Conclusion
A laptop has a huge hard drive. We all know that the laptop is a very important part of our life because without it we cannot complete our work, so if you are worried about your laptop’s performance or want to know about the best laptops, then this article is perfect for you.
I would suggest that if you have any other brand in mind then first look at its performance, speed and price and compare it with these laptops, then take decision according to your budget and need. This will make your selection easier. Conclusion should be genuine and meaningful.
So these are the 10 Best Laptop For Network Engineers. You can choose any one of them for your use but keep in mind that you should always do proper homework before buying any product so that there is no regret later on due to wrong decision taken by you.
