New Technology Reviews!.: 13inch

MSI slips AMD's Fusion into 13-inch X370 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice

<img align="right" alt="" border="0" hspace="4" src="http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6506/msix370.jpg" vspace="16">Tired of Intel's Core i5 taking a beating on your X-Slim X360's battery life? Join the crowd. For those less concerned with playing Crysis 2 and more concerned with a solid overall machine, MSI's new X370 looks to strike a lovely balance. The 13.4-inch ultraportable gets a 1366 x 768 resolution display, AMD's hot-off-of-the-presses Zacate E-350 APU, Radeon HD 6310 graphics, HDMI / VGA outputs, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, an internal card reader, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit Ethernet, a 1.3 megapixel camera and (nearly) as much DDR3 memory as you can stuff into it. You'll also get a 320/500/640GB hard drive, a 4- or 8-cell battery and a chassis that weighs 3.08 pounds with the smaller of the two cells. Naturally, Windows 7 (64-bit) is the OS of choice, but the company's stopping short of providing a hard price or release date -- here's hoping it falls somewhere between "cheap" and "price mistake."MSI slips AMD's Fusion into 13-inch X370 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/msi-slips-amds-fusion-into-13-inch-x370-ultraportable-hopes-yo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A>

MSI slips AMD's Fusion into 13-inch X370 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice

Tired of Intel's Core i5 taking a beating on your X-Slim X360's battery life? Join the crowd. For those less concerned with playing ...

Review: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair201012-200-200.jpg"> Apple has reimagined the MacBook Air and we've been using one full time for a few days now. Since Steve Jobs pulled the original out of that manila envelope back in early 2008, Apple's premium laptop has been somewhat of an enigma. At the time it wasn't underpowered, but it has never exactly sparkled either. And it has gained notoriety as the ultimate coffee table computer – well, that was until the iPad came along. The new model retains the sense of haughtiness and has now been launched in two models – 13 and 11-inch. This is the 13-inch version – we'll review the smaller model separately. The new model is so thin at its bottom end that it's hard to grasp to open it – just 0.3mm. The laptop is a real wedge shape and people are extremely impressed as to how thin it actually is. The indented part near the trackpad can seem quite sharp though and, while we haven't caught ourselves on it, it's a distinct possibility. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20104-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> As with the original Air, the hinge can easily hold the weight of either half of the notebook, so if you hold the screen with the keyboard part raised, the keyboard section won't drop down. The Air's real problem remains price – for a laptop of this core spec, Apple's latest MacBook represents extremely poor value for money. With only 128GB (or 256GB if you pay for it) of onboard storage, many would be hard-pushed to use it as their only machine. And, given that, the question has to be asked whether you can really afford it. A huge number of people would surely prefer to plump for the extra storage and oomph that a MacBook or MacBook Pro can offer. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair201010-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> In terms of ports, you get a Mini Display Port connector and headphone jack. There's also an SD card slot in the side (plus an additional USB port - there's now one on either side). <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20101-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Once again there is no Ethernet port, so you can only connect to networks wirelessly, and no DVD drive. This is to be expected of such a slim machine, but be sure to consider your needs carefully before buying. Once again, you can install software over the air from a DVD drive on another PC or Mac on your home network. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20103-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> A big omission is the backlit keyboard which was inside the original Air but not this new model. However, despite its compact dimensions, Apple has still managed to fit a full-sized keyboard into the slim chassis. The isolation-style design makes it incredibly comfortable to use. The Air also now has the full size multi-touch gesture-enabled glass trackpad from the MacBook and MacBook Pro, too. You can effortlessly scroll through documents, zoom in and out of photos and rotate images using a range of easy-to-master finger gestures. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20102-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Performance-wise, the specs have improved, but there hasn't been a big boon in this area. Intel developed a special version of the Core 2 Duo when the MacBook Air originally launched and it's this processor that has been retained – albeit with better performance. 1.86GHz is the standard in the 13-inch now. Beyond the issue of physical room, there's also the issue of cooling, but the fact is that the MacBook Air is now a decidedly poor performance relation of the MacBook and MacBook Pro with their latter-generation Core processors. The main addition is in terms of flash storage, now available in 128GB as standard, with a build-to-order option of 256GB in the 13-inch, though 2.13GHz is an option. The screen surround is still metallic silver, and the Air now contrasts with the look of the MacBook and MacBook Pro which both now have black screen surrounds. Because of those design changes, it almost seems like there's something old-Apple about the screen surround of the new Air. The camera has been changed from an iSight camera to a FaceTime camera, but essentially it's still the same hardware underneath – you can use a beta software add-on to communicate with iPod touch and iPhone 4 owners. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20108-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The Air has received a boost in terms of graphics though, with the Nvidia GeForce 320M which has dripped down from the MacBook Pro. If the Air had not had a decent Nvidia chip, it would have been a serious flaw in this design. The MacBook Air now has a deep sleep mode, which kicks in after your MacBook has been sleeping for about an hour. Apple says that the battery can last up to 30 days in this mode and, while we haven't found it to dispose of too much power when in this mode, we obviously haven't had it for 30 days to test that particular claim. While the original MacBook Air had a terrible battery life of just over two and a half hours, this latest model runs for nearly six hours, a great improvement. The battery remains non-user replaceable. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20105-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> And in terms of raw performance, the Air is finally able to compete with the best ultraportables in the business – even if it doesn't have the processor grunt of many cheaper laptops with Core i3 and i5 processors. Indeed, the performance of the Air vastly exceeded our expectations, running Apple's iMovie and iPhoto video and photo editing tools with aplomb. Even mid-level gaming is possible. The flash drive means it boots in absolutely seconds, but it's not cut out for serious video editing or other processor intensive tasks such as serious Photoshop work. The flash storage is extremely rapid – apps load in seconds and while 2GB of memory may not be enough for some, all the standard programs seem quite happy with it, as was Office 2008 (we didn't have 2011 at our disposal at the time of testing). A key criticism of the original MacBook Air was its limited performance, so it's great to see the problem rectified. Applications open and respond quickly and smoothly. Graphics are even more impressive for such a slim machine, thanks to those MacBook Pro-spec graphics. While the standard 128GB of storage is poor compared to many Windows-based machines, many purchasers of the Air will just be looking for a machine to take out on the road rather than a core workhorse. Unless your needs are light and you employ extra storage, this is still a secondary machine. By fixing many of the significant flaws of the original, the MacBook Air is fi nally a viable rival to the best ultraportables on the market. While it is still not the most comprehensively equipped sub-2kg machine, it is certainly the most luxurious and its improved power now makes it as capable as it is gorgeous. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20106-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> We liked The flash drive is exceptionally speedy, and the whole package is extremely pleasurable to use. It really is a fantastic Mac that zips along for basic tasks including media and productivity apps. We disliked The cost makes the MacBook Air exactly what everybody knows it to be – an expensive luxury that looks the business. More power is surely a requirement for many using a Mac for work or serious pleasure and Intel will surely have to do better for the next generation of the Air. We'd also like our backlit keyboard back please. Verdict If you're going to go and buy this laptop, you have to know exactly why you want it. Despite the flash memory and great graphics, it's seriously underpowered for the kind of money you're paying – and you have to be completely comfortable with paying such a sum, though flash memory remains expensive, so that's worth remembering. Portability freaks may prefer to go for the smaller 11-inch model, even though the screen real estate is far better here. Aside from the obvious aesthetics, the only other explanation for buying this laptop is the ultimate portability it offers. Having carried it around, used it on flights and trains and used it for many different purposes, this is surely the ultimate travelling companion – one of the best laptops for mobility around. But light PC laptops are available with more powerful processors – they just don't look this good. Somebody asked us whether it was the best combination of portability and power. It's great for the former and average at the latter. Have you got the money?

Review: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

Apple has reimagined the MacBook Air and we've been using one full time for a few days now. Since Steve Jobs pulled the original out of...

Review: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair201012-200-200.jpg"> 
Apple has reimagined the MacBook Air and we've been using one full time for a few days now. Since Steve Jobs pulled the original out of that manila envelope back in early 2008, Apple's premium laptop has been somewhat of an enigma. At the time it wasn't underpowered, but it has never exactly sparkled either. And it has gained notoriety as the ultimate coffee table computer – well, that was until the iPad came along. The new model retains the sense of haughtiness and has now been launched in two models – 13 and 11-inch.This is the 13-inch version – we'll review the smaller model separately. The new model is so thin at its bottom end that it's hard to grasp to open it – just 0.3mm. The laptop is a real wedge shape and people are extremely impressed as to how thin it actually is. The indented part near the trackpad can seem quite sharp though and, while we haven't caught ourselves on it, it's a distinct possibility.<img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20104-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>As with the original Air, the hinge can easily hold the weight of either half of the notebook, so if you hold the screen with the keyboard part raised, the keyboard section won't drop down. The Air's real problem remains price – for a laptop of this core spec, Apple's latest MacBook represents extremely poor value for money. With only 128GB (or 256GB if you pay for it) of onboard storage, many would be hard-pushed to use it as their only machine. And, given that, the question has to be asked whether you can really afford it. A huge number of people would surely prefer to plump for the extra storage and oomph that a MacBook or MacBook Pro can offer.<img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair201010-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>In terms of ports, you get a Mini Display Port connector and headphone jack. There's also an SD card slot in the side (plus an additional USB port - there's now one on either side). <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20101-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>Once again there is no Ethernet port, so you can only connect to networks wirelessly, and no DVD drive. This is to be expected of such a slim machine, but be sure to consider your needs carefully before buying. Once again, you can install software over the air from a DVD drive on another PC or Mac on your home network. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20103-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>A big omission is the backlit keyboard which was inside the original Air but not this new model. However, despite its compact dimensions, Apple has still managed to fit a full-sized keyboard into the slim chassis. The isolation-style design makes it incredibly comfortable to use. The Air also now has the full size multi-touch gesture-enabled glass trackpad from the MacBook and MacBook Pro, too. You can effortlessly scroll through documents, zoom in and out of photos and rotate images using a range of easy-to-master finger gestures.<img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20102-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>Performance-wise, the specs have improved, but there hasn't been a big boon in this area. Intel developed a special version of the Core 2 Duo when the MacBook Air originally launched and it's this processor that has been retained – albeit with better performance. 1.86GHz is the standard in the 13-inch now. Beyond the issue of physical room, there's also the issue of cooling, but the fact is that the MacBook Air is now a decidedly poor performance relation of the MacBook and MacBook Pro with their latter-generation Core processors. The main addition is in terms of flash storage, now available in 128GB as standard, with a build-to-order option of 256GB in the 13-inch, though 2.13GHz is an option. The screen surround is still metallic silver, and the Air now contrasts with the look of the MacBook and MacBook Pro which both now have black screen surrounds. Because of those design changes, it almost seems like there's something old-Apple about the screen surround of the new Air. The camera has been changed from an iSight camera to a FaceTime camera, but essentially it's still the same hardware underneath – you can use a beta software add-on to communicate with iPod touch and iPhone 4 owners. <img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20108-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>The Air has received a boost in terms of graphics though, with the Nvidia GeForce 320M which has dripped down from the MacBook Pro. If the Air had not had a decent Nvidia chip, it would have been a serious flaw in this design. The MacBook Air now has a deep sleep mode, which kicks in after your MacBook has been sleeping for about an hour. Apple says that the battery can last up to 30 days in this mode and, while we haven't found it to dispose of too much power when in this mode, we obviously haven't had it for 30 days to test that particular claim. While the original MacBook Air had a terrible battery life of just over two and a half hours, this latest model runs for nearly six hours, a great improvement. The battery remains non-user replaceable.<img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20105-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>And in terms of raw performance, the Air is finally able to compete with the best ultraportables in the business – even if it doesn't have the processor grunt of many cheaper laptops with Core i3 and i5 processors. Indeed, the performance of the Air vastly exceeded our expectations, running Apple's iMovie and iPhoto video and photo editing tools with aplomb. Even mid-level gaming is possible.The flash drive means it boots in absolutely seconds, but it's not cut out for serious video editing or other processor intensive tasks such as serious Photoshop work. The flash storage is extremely rapid – apps load in seconds and while 2GB of memory may not be enough for some, all the standard programs seem quite happy with it, as was Office 2008 (we didn't have 2011 at our disposal at the time of testing).A key criticism of the original MacBook Air was its limited performance, so it's great to see the problem rectified. Applications open and respond quickly and smoothly. Graphics are even more impressive for such a slim machine, thanks to those MacBook Pro-spec graphics. While the standard 128GB of storage is poor compared to many Windows-based machines, many purchasers of the Air will just be looking for a machine to take out on the road rather than a core workhorse. Unless your needs are light and you employ extra storage, this is still a secondary machine. By fixing many of the significant flaws of the original, the MacBook Air is fi nally a viable rival to the best ultraportables on the market. While it is still not the most comprehensively equipped sub-2kg machine, it is certainly the most luxurious and its improved power now makes it as capable as it is gorgeous.<img alt="Apple macbook air review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mac/images/macbookair2010/macbookair20106-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG>We liked The flash drive is exceptionally speedy, and the whole package is extremely pleasurable to use. It really is a fantastic Mac that zips along for basic tasks including media and productivity apps.We dislikedThe cost makes the MacBook Air exactly what everybody knows it to be – an expensive luxury that looks the business. More power is surely a requirement for many using a Mac for work or serious pleasure and Intel will surely have to do better for the next generation of the Air. We'd also like our backlit keyboard back please.VerdictIf you're going to go and buy this laptop, you have to know exactly why you want it. Despite the flash memory and great graphics, it's seriously underpowered for the kind of money you're paying – and you have to be completely comfortable with paying such a sum, though flash memory remains expensive, so that's worth remembering.Portability freaks may prefer to go for the smaller 11-inch model, even though the screen real estate is far better here. Aside from the obvious aesthetics, the only other explanation for buying this laptop is the ultimate portability it offers.Having carried it around, used it on flights and trains and used it for many different purposes, this is surely the ultimate travelling companion – one of the best laptops for mobility around. But light PC laptops are available with more powerful processors – they just don't look this good. Somebody asked us whether it was the best combination of portability and power. It's great for the former and average at the latter. Have you got the money?

Review: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

Apple has reimagined the MacBook Air and we've been using one full time for a few days now. Since Steve Jobs pulled the original out o...

Buying Guide: Best 13-inch laptops: which one is right for you?

The 13-inch laptop is a bit of an oddity - not small enough to be considered a netbook, not big enough to be a proper laptop. But, in many ways, it's the perfect size for a portable PC; they're not as fiddly and squint-inducing as netbooks, but not as heavy and awkward as a full-on notebook. The price of these machines is higher than netbooks though, so if your wallet's feeling the strain we recommend you take a look at our guide to the <a href="" target="_blank">15 best netbooks in the world today.</A> Or for a broader view, look at our <a href="">20 best laptops in the world today</A>. But whatever you do, read on to find our favourite 13-inchers of the past few months - all in price order. 1. Lenovo Thinkpad Edge - £373 <img alt="Lenovo" src="/WLT136soloLenovo01-420-100.jpg" width="420"> If you can live with Lenovo's Thinkpad Edge's 80s-tastic looks, you'll find a relatively cheap but powerful little lappy. It's never going to perform as well as a £1,000 machine, but the integrated ATI GPU means it can handle complex multimedia presentations, as well as basic photo and video editing. Best of all is that it's as hard as nails, with a spill-resistant keyboard and high-quality plastics used throughout. Perfect for clumsy students who can't handle their drink. 2. Dell Vostro V13 - £409 <img alt="Dell" src="/PCP295ot03v13-420-100.jpg" width="420"> The polar opposite to Lenovo's industrial looks, Dell's Vostro V13 is sleek and shiny, but not much more expensive. It's got a wonderful screen, a built-in webcam and an SD card reader. At the base specs the power doesn't quite match its incredible looks, and the battery life could be better. But get Dell to slap in 4GB of RAM and a dual-core processor and you'll have quite the machine, for less than £500, too. 3. Samsung Q330 - £555 <img alt="Samsung" src="/WLT140solosamsung2-420-100.jpg" width="420"> Samsung's entry into the 13-inch market - the Q330 - is a powerful workhorse of a machine packed into a super-slim chassis. It includes Intel's latest Core i3 processor for decent performance plus 3GB of DDR3 memory. The integrated graphics chip could even handle some older games - such as Modern Warfare - albeit with the settings turned down. It's a class act of a laptop, and although battery life isn't quite up there with other ultraportables its high-performance features and low price more than make up for it. 4. Toshiba Satellite U500-1EX - £687 <img alt="Toshiba" src="/WLT137solotoshiba1-420-100.jpg" width="420"> Almost everything comes with a touchscreen these days - including this Toshiba Satellite laptop. The touch-sensitive nature of the display lets you play basic games and cruise through Windows 7 programs with a swipe of your fingers. It's all backed up with some fairly meaty specs, too, such as a Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM. It's let down slightly by the poor integrated graphics and dodgy keyboard, but if you're really keen on the touchscreen you can simply use that instead. 5. Apple MacBook - £779 <img alt="Apple macbook" src="/MAC223revmbpro17mb09macbook1-420-100.jpg" width="420"> It says a lot that the cheapest Apple 13-inch laptop is almost twice the price of the cheapest Windows laptop. But you're getting a well-specced little machine, packing a 2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB of RAM and - most importantly - an Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics chip. With Steam coming to the Mac, this makes games of Team Fortress 2 an actual possibility. And, of course, it's all wrapped up in Apple's lovely unibody chassis. 6. HP Envy 13 - £966 <img alt="HP" src="/WLT133solohp-420-100.jpg" width="420"> HP's Envy cost a whopping £1499 when we reviewed it, and we rightly criticised it for being far too expensive. Now that price has dropped to under £1000, making it a worthy competitor to Apple's 13-inch MacBook. Like the MacBook, it sports a quality build, lozenge-type keys, a lovely screen and a dedicated graphics card. Unfortunately, battery life isn't that great, but if you fancy buying something of Apple's inscrutable quality without the Apple branding, look no further. 7. Fujitsu LifeBook S760 - £999 <img alt="Fujitsu" src="/WLT139soloFujitso01-420-100.jpg" width="420"> The first notebook on our list to include Intel's Core i5 processor - and it's a belter as a result, with stunning results in our benchmarking tests. Fujitsu hasn't stopped there, though, and has included some handy innovations such as a circular trackpad that actually works, a fingerprint scanner and a really lovely keyboard. It's also incredibly slim and light, but let down slightly by a suspect build quality and a distinct lack of dedicated graphics. 8. Toshiba Portege R700 - £1,387 <img alt="Toshiba" src="/WLT140solotosh-420-100.jpg" width="420"> Spongy keyboard aside, the sample Toshiba Portege machine we received was absolutely stunning. Toshiba has reinvented the laptop with its Airflow Cooling Technology, which places core components near the edge of the machine to ensure optimum airflow over its most sensitive bits. Add to this the stunning transflective panel - which allows for use in bright sunlight - and an 128GB SSD and it's a machine as fast as it is innovative. Our sample came with a Core i7 processor, hence the high price, but you can pick up similar models with Core i3 processors from just £669. 9. Sony VAIO VGN-Z11WN/B - £1,478 <img alt="Sony" src="/WLT117rev3sony-420-100.jpg" width="420"> It's here that we get into the ridiculous levels of money for 13-inch laptops, but you get what you pay for. Sony's VAIO series is generally stunning, and this model includes a luscious screen capable of near-HD quality; a rarity on such a small laptop. It's all backed up by some almightily impressive specs, too: a high end 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and an Nvidia 9300M graphics card. The build quality is astonishing, battery life amazing and it's a marvel of modern micro-engineering. 10. Sony VAIO VPC-Z12V9E/X - £1,931 <img alt="Sony" src="/WLT142rev3Sony01-420-100.jpg" width="420"> Just under £2,000 is a lot to spend on a laptop, especially one so small. But this Sony VAIO is basically a desktop in a tiny laptops' clothing, and it includes a proper desktop Core i7, 6GB of DDR3 RAM and an Nvidia GT 330M graphics chip. You needn't worry about this beefy setup draining the battery, either: we got a decent 285 minutes out of it. It's all wrapped up in VAIO's exquisite style and rugged build quality, and the screen is a sight to behold. As we said in our review, "this is easily one of the best laptops you can currently buy."

Buying Guide: Best 13-inch laptops: which one is right for you?

The 13-inch laptop is a bit of an oddity - not small enough to be considered a netbook, not big enough to be a proper laptop. But, in many w...