This is part of a range of gaming notebooks from Acer. While I openly admit that I am no gamer other reviews will tell you what this and other units in the Predator range can accomplish in the gaming area I concentrate on its other features.
This is a larger Android Tablet that has an ‘approved by Google’ label. I am told not many tablets have. It comes in quite a large box for an Android Tablet. There are three different Android Tablets in the range I was sent the largest the 10inch offering, I hope to get a smaller one soon.

877209 ASUS VivoBook L402NA GA042TASUS VivoBook L402N

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 5 Feb 2018
Small enough to use on your lap and it comes with ‘ice cool’ technology to keep your palms cool something you will appreciate in the warmer months. The touchpad – a dirty word for some – has intuitive gestures and there is even decent sound from the Sonic Master chip.

877379 AOC PDS241 24 inch Class IPS Ultra Slim LED MonitoAOC 24 inch Thin Panel

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 29 Jan 2018
This is very thin in fact so thin that the only connection is in the leg of the base of the unit which in turn goes to a fitment that looks rather like a power brick and then everything power and computer connection via HDMI goes from there.

877205 BenQ BL2706HT 27 inch 1080p Business MonitoBenQ BL2706HT

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 10 Jan 2018
A large flat panel showing 1920x1080 may seem like overkill for spreadsheets or word processing but of course if you have 20:20 vision you can change the % rate shown, as an example a notebook will often show the display at 150% or 125% this defaults to 100% so you see a lot more.

877101 Dell Inspiron 15 5000 15 Inch NotebooDell Inspiron 15

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 5 Jan 2018
A big silver grey notebook from Dell was their latest offering to land on my desk. A large screen and a surprisingly small keyboard almost lost with lots of free space all around it may not sound that encouraging for you to read on.
As a member of Philips S Line range of business monitors, the Quad-HD 27inch 272S4LPJCB ticks all the right boxes for the discerning user. It provides 2560 x 1440 native resolution, is mounted on an ergonomic stand, provides a range of features and offers a choice of connectivity. In addition, Philips claims that it is built using 25% recycled materials.
Combining the functionality of a notebook and tablet elements is a product from Acer

876927 Dell S2218H 22 inch IPS MonitoDell 22inch Panel

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 8 Dec 2017
For me anyway the extra sound - quality and amount – that Dell can give you from a panel is a big plus if only from the point of desk space and the fact that you no longer need a pair of speakers on your limited amount of desk space.
The Swift range was launched a year ago in Glasgow and I have previously looked at a different model from the same range. This is a rather smart looking Notebook with the screen capable of going back to 180 degrees.

876922 startech MST30C2HDPPD Dual Monitor USB C Docking StatioStarTech MST30C2HDPPD

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 29 Nov 2017
StarTech is a company that has those had to find things that others do not have. Here something that could be a larger seller with more small notebooks being marketed with only USB ‘C’, so how do connect a standard USB device as well as other components.
This Toughbook looks ‘normal’ which while it may sound like a criticism, it isn’t, some Toughbook’s are very rugged as they are used on building sites and other places where they get abused, here one that would not look out of place in a boardroom.
Big it is, and the curve means that the centre is 3cm further in than the outside and unless you are viewing from a good distance away it is certainly noticeable. However while sound is often low on this list of priorities here there are fantastic up facing speakers mounted in the rear.
Normally when I hear ‘All In One’ it refers to a printer and scanner unit. This however is a PC everything is built into the touch screen with the only external bits the wireless keyboard and mouse so much less desk space is required.

876520 Lenovo YOGA 520 14IKB Ultrabook convertablLenovo Yoga 520

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 10 Nov 2017
This is a lightweight Windows Notebook/Tablet with – for me anyway – the all-important touch ability. Other things that might tempt you are USB ‘C’ and narrow screen borders on either side or the screen and the lack of Bloatware pre-installed.

876297 acer spin 7 convertible windows PC laptop tableAcer Spin 7

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 25 Oct 2017
This is both a Notebook and a Tablet computer. It is of course quite light which is nice if you are walking around with it all day but that means compromises the main one for me was the lack of a full size USB port which for some might be a problem.

875814 ASUS ZenBook Full HD Nano Edge Screen LaptoAsus UX410U Zenbook

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 9 Oct 2017
A notebook with decent Harman Kardon speakers, a not that reflective screen brushed metal front and a mushroom back which means not much to show finger marks all things that are plus points before we get on to what’s inside.
This is part of the Dell back to school/university range. A Chromebook is able to do a lot of things that a Windows or Apple computer can do, it can browse the Internet, collect and send emails and you can these days even store word processing and spreadsheets on it. What it cannot do is run Apple or Microsoft programs.
If you have a clear desk policy then with your PC under the desk you still need to connect various peripherals and the best way to do that is a USB hub so if this hub lives in the item that need to be on the desk - the panel - all you need is the keyboard and mouse and you are working. If you still have a cluttered desk then this panel can help.
Not just another Tablet/Notebook this looks very different and while it has an attached keyboard there is nothing showing when it is turned off and it can also be used with a (pen) supplied as a drawing area altogether taking things in a new direction.
This is one of a range recently launched at Thorpe Park on what in some parts of the country was the hottest day of the year. While it was an event I was unable to make I have been kept up to date by the excellent Acer PR Company, here the first offering sent to me.
A flat panel that has speakers is the norm these days, they are normally tiny and do not have much volume, here something different as the speakers fit into the stand of the panel, so they can be larger and also give a far better sound.

875045 NETGEAR Nighthawk S8000 Gaming 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet SwitcNetgear Gaming Switch

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 18 Aug 2017
This item from Netgear even looks sinister as you remove it from the black box that this switch comes in. The matt black finish and the areas made up of triangles and rectangles add to the illusion that this device is somehow not a friendly one, add to that the dark blue ‘V’ of LED light when switched on it becomes more menacing.

875081 Panasonic Toughpad FZ Q2 128GB Black tableA Rugged 2-in-1 Device

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by mfereday on 15 Aug 2017
As you might expect from its Toughbook classification the FZ-Q2 is a product that has been developed for use by professional field workers who require a device that can withstand the rigours of a workspace environment.

875039 aoc I2490PXQU lcd monitoA Frameless Monitor

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by mfereday on 8 Aug 2017
Forming part of its business-orientated Pro-line brand of products is the AOC new 90 Series of offerings. One of these new models making up this new series is the 12490PXQU which forms the subject matter of this review.
Having recently told you about a Dell small Tower system with Windows 10 v1703 the next item to cross my desk again from Dell is a notebook in the same Vostro series that also comes with the latest incarnation of Windows 10 v1703.

874573 verbatim store n save 2TB external HDVerbatim Drives

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 17 Jul 2017
Verbatim have recently launched some larger capacity drives, while it was not possible to get these newest items in for review their PR person assured me the smaller capacity ones sent to me were identical in all but capacity.

874571 Philips 243V7QDSB LED MonitoPhilips 24 inch 243V7Q

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 14 Jul 2017
This is a flat panel to fit easily on your desk; it protects your eyes for those of us who need to look at a flat panel for hours each day. This latest offering from Philips is a full HD offering at 1920x1080 and the actual viewable screen is 23.8inches.

874650 Venturer Saturn 10 Pro Android TableMini-Laptop Tablet

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by mfereday on 11 Jul 2017
Adding to its range of products available in the UK, Venturer has released the Saturn 10 Pro.

874567 Acer Chromebook  11 C73Acer Chromebook 11

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 5 Jul 2017
This is the latest non Windows PC from Acer, it’s the Chromebook 11. From the outside it looks identical to most other notebooks open it and one look at the keyboard tells you immediately that this is a Chromebook as the alpha keys are all lower case.