0 A Lenovo ThinkPad Twist Mini-Review

By Admin_AT | At 11:00 PM | Label : Lenovo , Lenovo ThinkPad Twist , ThinkPad , ThinkPad Twist | 0 Comments

The design may be retro (being less than half a decade old; which is retro enough for quick-advancing technology), but the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist’s inner laptop components are anything but. Before we delve into that, though, let’s talk about the laptop part that defines the Twist’s form.

A Matter of Perspective

Yes, that’s right: The Twist’s design harkens back to earlier laptop/tablet hybrids, although this was before tablets as we know them today (i.e. iPads) were even a thing. It wasn’t that long ago, sure; but back then, most people didn’t even know what a tablet PC was. Full-fledged laptops were still the only things that came to mind when most people thought of portable computers.

It’s this unfamiliarity that makes many people think the Twist’s design is as innovative as Lenovo’s other interesting hybrid, the Yoga. While both are admittedly nifty-looking, it’s only the Yoga that’s really new, design-wise. The Twist’s design, in more apt words, has already made the rounds.

On the other hand, this also means that the Twist’s single-hinge mechanism has already been tried and tested,which should ease the concerns of those who may think of it as frail. In fact, the laptop’s hinge is one of the sturdiest I’ve come across; as it should be, since it’ll have to take at least five years’ worth of constant abuse.

Specs Report

For just a hundred bucks shy of a cool grand, the Lenovo Twist gives you a durable casing to go along with the following laptop parts: A 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM running at 1600 MHz, an Intel HM77 APU with integrated HD4000 graphics, and a hybrid drive with 500 GB of 7200 rpm hard disk storage space plus 24 GB of fast-access solid state drive.

The laptop also has two video ports (a mini-DisplayPort and a mini-HDMI), two USB 3.0 slots, and an SD card reader. For network connectivity, it has the expected standards Ethernet, Bluetooth, and 802.11n Wi-Fi, as well as optional WWAN.

The LCD screen measures 12.5 inches diagonally, and is outfitted with edge-to-edge glass to give it an optimum touch control interface. It has great image clarity, and the viewing anles aren’t too shabby either. The keyboard and clickpad are also great, as is expected of Lenovo. The keys are contoured at their lower ends to provide better “finger-grips” (and hence, fewer wayward keystrokes), and Lenovo’s signature trackpoint is also as responsive as ever.

The Twist’s accelerometer, however, seems to have a life of its own sometimes, changing the screen’s orientation from portrait to landscape and vice versa with even the slightest budge. It could prove inconvenient for some users, although admittedly it’s not as severe as some people make it out to be. Personally, it’s a flaw I could live with.

What I could do without, though, is the less-than-impressive battery life, which the Twist unfortunately is saddled with. Whereas most laptops nowadays are expected to run for around six hours straight with constant video playback, the Twist only gives around four and a half. This is especially short if the laptop is running video games; but then again, if video gaming is what you’re after, you wouldn’t even be considering the business-like Lenovo Twist in the first place.

Bottom Line

At $900, the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist’s construction and features seem just about right. It has all the attributes expected of a “serious” mid-to-high-end Lenovo machine, and it’s one of the better Windows 8 computers out there to boot. Recommended.

0 Lenovo G560 Laptop Review

By Admin_AT | At 7:27 AM | Label : Lenovo | 0 Comments

Lenovo Essential G560  specifications:

15.6-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy panel with LED backlighting

Intel Core i3-330M dual-core processor (2.13GHz, 3MB L3 cache, 2.5GT/s QPI, 35W TDP)

Intel HM55 chipset

Integrated Intel HD graphics w/ shared video memory

4GB DDR3-1066 dual-channel RAM (2x 2GB)

320GB 5400RPM Western Digital hard drive (WD3200BEVT)

Broadcom 802.11n wireless LAN card

DVD burner (Optiarc DVD RW AD-7585H)

1-year limited warranty

6-cell Li-ion battery (11.1V, 48Wh)

Weight: 5.73 lbs.

Dimensions: 14.8” (L) x 9.8” (D) x 0.7~1.4” (H)

Our test unit has specifications appropriate for what it was designed for – basic use. The Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM ensure smooth multitasking. Something this machine will not be able to do is play 3D games since it has integrated graphics.

Build and Design

The G560 has a modest-looking exterior with a few high-quality touches. The palm rest area is inlaid with brushed aluminum, which feels cool to the touch. The G560 is rather thin and light given its 15.6” screen, coming in at a shade under six pounds and about 1.3” thin. Despite its all-plastic construction the G560 has a solid feel. The palm rest and areas surrounding the keyboard have good support and do not flex, even under abnormal pressure. The plastic used in the construction has satisfactory quality; it is thick enough to not feel brittle yet not something I would classify as durable.

Unlike the chassis, the lid is covered in smooth glossy plastic, which attracts dust and fingerprints. This is a con – the glossy plastic gets messy quickly unless a microfiber cloth is kept handy at all times.  The build quality of the lid itself is average and not as good as the chassis. It flexes easily when twisted by the corners and I made ripples appear on the screen when I pushed in on the back. The G560’s overall build quality is satisfactory; my only real complaint is the glossy plastic used on the lid.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The G560 has a full-size keyboard with separate numeric keypad. The keyboard is one of the highlights of this notebook; it feels solid and is pleasing to type on. Even under significant pressure there is little flex. The keys are quite communicative thanks to the just-right travel (the distance between pressed and un-pressed positions) and moderate actuation force (the amount of pressure needed to depress a key); both of these factors help accuracy. The layout of the keyboard takes some getting used to. Lenovo was only able to fit in a number pad by squeezing the keys to half their normal size – this means a bit more precision is required to hit them.

The touchpad is the polar opposite of the notebook – that is, terrible. After reviewing several dozen notebooks, I can safely say this is the worst I have used. The positives first: the touchpad’s mildly-textured surface is a cinch to track on with moist or dry fingers. It is also appropriately-sized for a 15.6” screen. The negatives: its usability; only about half my intended clicks actually registered, which was quite frustrating. There are no dedicated touchpad buttons; this is a “clickpad”, where the entire surface can be pressed down anywhere (supposedly) to register a click. Pressing the very bottom-right simulates a right-click and everything else is left-click. I had to apply an abnormal amount of pressure to get any sorts of clicks to register, especially towards the edges and center. On top of all this, the clicks are loud.

When I use a touchpad I have one hand to click and one hand to track; this does not work with the G560’s touchpad. It gets confused when there are two fingers on it and works sporadically; I had to change the way I used a touchpad to work with the G560. All in all, the G560’s touchpad was aggravating; those planning to purchase this notebook should also invest in an external mouse.

Screen and Speakers

The G560 has a 15.6-inch screen with a 720p (1366x768) resolution and LED backlighting; this is the only available screen. While its glossy mirror surface helps colors stand out and improves sharpness, it also acts as a mirror, especially when there are light sources behind it. Cleaning is also difficult.

The picture quality of the display is passable at best; it has a low contrast ratio of 150:1 and lacks sharpness. Colors appear somewhat washed out. We measured brightness at 210nit at its peak, which is average for a notebook of this size. Side-to-side viewing angles are also average; colors start to shift about 40 degrees off-center. Vertical viewing angles are narrow; it is viewable about 20 degrees up or down off-center before serious color inversion.

The 1366x768 resolution is the number one problem with the display; it makes multitasking difficult and limits productivity in general. Only about one-half of a page in a Microsoft Word document is visible at a time; additionally, lots of scrolling is required in web pages since there are only 768 pixels of vertical space. Using two windows side-by-side is more or less impractical since only 1366 pixels span the horizontal.

Overall, the display is typical of a low-priced notebook; it is hard to find budget 15.6” notebooks with better. To get a better resolution than 1366x768 one needs to go with a business class notebook, and even then higher resolutions are a rarity.

The G560 has two stereo speakers above the keyboard. They actually sound respectable; tinny, yes, and without much bass however quite usable for casual listening; the sound is fuller than I expected. The touch-enabled volume buttons above the keyboard work well.

modified from notebookreview.com

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