Lenovo’s Y-Series of notebooks are meant to be desktop replacements that can handle HD video playback, video editing, intense gaming, and much more. Lenovo Y570 is a for those who yearn for something little more powerful than the G-series Ideapad but still want a laptop within budget.


Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 Specs:
Windows 7 Home Premium, Office Starter
Intel Core i5-2410M Dual Core Mobile Processor
4GB PC3-10600 DDR3 Memory
750GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
15.6" WXGA (1366x768) LED Backlit Display
NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M Graphics With 1GB Memory
Blu-ray Reader And Dual-Layer DVD Burner Combo Drive
Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth
4 USB 2.0, eSATA (shared), HDMI, VGA, 7-in-1 Card Reader 

Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 Review

The laptop runs on a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M dual core CPU with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and 3MB cache. It isn't as fast as the quad-core ones found in the MacBook Pro 15-inch and dv6-6153cl, but it performed ably in Handbrake (1:59) and Cinebench R11.5 (2.54) tests. If you're looking for a gaming laptop, the Y570 is an impressive one. It runs an Nvidia GeForce GT 555 graphics chip and automatically switches to an integrated system when the running task isn't graphics intensive, a technology Nvidia calls Optimus.

The 15.6” screen is glossy and has decent viewing angles, and the max native resolution is 1366 x 768 in 16:9 ratio. The keyboard layout and design remains the same with the isolated key design that is very comfortable. Key travel is good and tactile feedback is decent, but the typing experience on the IdeaPad Y570 can’t compete with the excellent typing on the Lenovo ThinkPad line.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 has 3 USB 2.0 ports with an optional 3.0 upgrade, a USB/eSata combo port, headphone jack, mic jack, 6-in-1 SD card reader (SD, SD-pro, MMC, MS, MS-pro and XD), VGA monitor connector, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet port and a 2xMini-PCIe slot under a small cover. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 comes with a 6-cell battery with claimed average usage time of 4 hours.

The laptop comes in what Lenovo calls "Dusk Black" and it's a great higher-end college student notebook, and it will suit users who need plenty of multimedia and good gaming power.

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Dell Latitude E6420 Pros:

Good battery life

Excellent durability

Good keyboard

Multi-touch touchpad and pointing stick

Cons:

Relatively heavy

Expensive

Dell's Latitude line has long been a favorite of businesses large and small because of its good pricing, strong performance, and long battery life. The Dell Latitude E6420 ATG is one of the most well-balanced laptops we've seen in the semi-rugged class of business laptops.

Dell Latitude E6420 ATG Specifications:

Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

Intel Core i7-2620M processor (2.70GHz, 4MB cache)

14.0-inch LED-backlit 1366x768 Anti-Glare Display

4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM

128GB mobility solid state drive

Intel HD Graphics 3000

9-cell Li-ion battery (97Wh) and 90W AC adapter

Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 802.11a/b/g/n Half Mini Card

8X DVD+/-RW drive with Roxio and Cyberlink Power DVD

Dimensions (with 9-cell battery): 14.08 x 10.4 x 1.2-1.5-inches

Dell Latitude E6420 Review

The lid is wrapped in a sheet of grey, brushed aluminium that, together with the classic Dell logo, gives off an air of professionalism, mixed with a certain lack of imagination. The E6420-ATG measures 1.48 by 14.07 by 9.7 inches (HWD), and can be equipped with an optional briefcase-style handle for easier carrying.

The Latitude E6420's 14-inch, 1366 x 768 glossy touchscreen provided images that were sharp and bright, though not overly rich in color. The second screen option is a Resistive Touchscreen LED display with the same resolution. While bright and clear, the screen definitely doesn't deliver the contrast levels and deep blacks we like to see, but it will handle spreadsheets and presentations just fine.

The keyboard looks a little incongruous with its aformentioned orange frame, and it eschews the trendy 'chiclet' style.  The keyboard is apparently spill-resistant, so, if you chuck your coffee over it during a nervous spasm when the boss walks past, it shouldn't be a problem. The keyboard has a standard key layout similar to the previous generation of Latitudes and might be a welcome feature for those people who don't like the "Chiclet" style keyboards found on most modern notebooks. The keyboard, like the one on the E5420, is great: Keys are nicely sized and slightly sculpted, with good travel and a matte surface that discourages inadvertent sliding. The trackpad is pretty small but its texture makes it easy to use. The trackpad buttons -- also rubberised -- are big and easy to press.

It offers a somewhat odd array of ports for a current-generation notebook. You get three USB 2.0 ports along with an extra USB 2.0/eSATA port, Ethernet/LAN, VGA and HDMI, ExpressCard expansion slot and even a SmartCard reader for added security. An on-off switch for the dual-band 802.11n Intel Centrino Wi-Fi adapter rounds out the external fixtures.

Dell supplied us with a 9-cell extended Li-Ion battery with a 97Wh rating. With its nine-cell battery, the Dell Latitude E6420 lasted an epic 8 hours and 59 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi. 

The Dell Latitude E6420 ATG is one of the most well-balanced laptops we've seen in the semi-rugged class of business laptops. The screen and keyboard are both good, as is the battery life. With CPU options including a quad-core Core i7, this is potentially a powerful laptop.

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