Multimedia Laptops

Multimedia laptops for movies and casual gaming

If you're not a hard-core action gamer, but you want a snazzy laptop for playing movies and less intense games, you can spend less and still get an excellent multimedia laptop. Most either come with or can be optioned with a Blu-ray drive.

For general multimedia use, the Dell Studio XPS 16 (*Est. $1,000 and up) gets a number of recommendations, including Editors' Choice awards from Laptop Magazine and PCMag.com. Since it was last tested by these sources, the Dell Studio XPS 16 has received a modest spec boost. The base model now includes a 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 processor, 3 GB of memory, a 250 GB SATA hard drive and ATI Mobility Radeon HD graphics. Cisco Cheng at PCMag.com calls the Dell Studio XPS 16 a "lavish media center experience." He tests an upgraded model with a faster processor, larger hard drive and slot-loading Blu-ray Disc drive. The top-of-the-line model (*Est. $1,650 and up) now has an Intel Core i7 processor, 6 GB of memory and a 500 GB hard drive. The Dell Studio XPS 16 is now offered with Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate. However, older configurations with Windows Vista are still available from some retailers.

PCMag.com's Cheng gives the Dell Studio XPS 16 high marks for design and style, especially the LCD widescreen that provides rich and vibrant colors. Jarred Walton at AnandTech.com agrees, saying the 16-inch 1,920-by-1,080-pixel widescreen display, available on the top-of-the-line model and as a $250 upgrade on the other models, is one of the best he has tested. The backlit keyboard also earns mostly raves. Reviews indicate that performance will meet the needs of most users, with the exception of hardcore gamers. The screen may be too reflective for some, and some reviewers note that the laptop's glossy surfaces attract fingerprints. Like most multimedia and gaming laptops, battery life is nothing to write home about; in CNET's battery-drain test, the six-cell battery on the Studio XPS 16 lasts less than two hours.

While PCMag.com likes the Dell Studio XPS 16, it gives an Editors' Choice award to the new Acer Aspire 8940G-6865 (*Est. $1,350). PCMag.com's test unit has a wide 18.4-inch display, 1.6 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4 GB of memory and a Blu-ray drive. Reviewer Cisco Cheng has lots of praise for the 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display, which boasts edge-to-edge glass and outputs HD video flawlessly. While video quality is a highlight, the Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 also posts good scores in gaming tests, indicating this laptop will suit the needs of casual gamers. The battery life is dismal -- lasting just over an hour in PCMag.com's testing -- but Cheng says this downside is easily overshadowed by the many positives. "An incredible screen and screen resolution, an abundance of features, and outstanding performance scores are qualities you would expect from a $5,000 laptop, not a $1,400 one," he says.

The new HP Envy 15 (*Est. $1,800 and up) also gets high marks for multimedia use from NotebookCheck.net, which gives the laptop a good overall rating. It has a design very similar to the Apple MacBook Pro, with a 15.6-inch HD LED display. Like most HP laptops, most of the components are upgradeable, but the base configuration includes a 1.6 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 6 GB of memory, a 500 GB hard drive and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 graphics. Even though it is relatively lightweight at 5.2 pounds, J. Simon Leitner at NotebookCheck.net finds the case very stable and solid. Performance is good for general applications, and the HP Envy achieves playable frame rates in both "Crysis" and "Call of Duty - Modern Warfare," although not at the highest resolutions. Leitner would like more expansion ports, as the HP Envy 15 lacks FireWire and VGA ports, although it does include an SD memory card slot, two USB ports and a combined USB/eSata port. Notably, the HP Envy 15 also lacks an optical drive, so you'll have to upgrade to an external DVD drive (*Est. $75) or Blu-ray drive (*Est. $225) to watch movies.

Laptops for general computing

For those looking for an everyday laptop for general office tasks and Internet surfing, several affordable laptops are recommended. (For the most affordable laptops, see our report on cheap laptops.) The Acer Aspire 5738PG (*Est. $790 and up) earns several recommendations for general computing. This laptop is one of the first to take advantage of new Windows 7 functionality to create a multi-touch touch screen. It includes a 15.6-inch display, 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive and ATI Mobility Radeon 4570 graphics. While not everyone is thrilled with the touch-screen interface, most give the laptop great reviews for everyday usability and value. The Acer Aspire 5739PG is covered in more depth in our report on cheap laptops. That report also covers a number of other lower cost laptops that do a great job for everyday use for those that don't need heavy-duty graphics capabilities.

For business-oriented users, the 15.4-inch Dell Latitude E5500 (*Est. $1,200 and up) is a reasonable choice. The laptop has recently been overhauled, and the base model comes with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of memory, 80 GB hard drive and six-cell battery. Windows 7 Professional is also included. Users can upgrade with more memory and a larger hard drive relatively cheaply -- an upgrade to 4 GB of memory is only $70. The Dell Latitude E5500 gets a good review from NotebookCheck.net, although editors test a previous version with a slower processor and Windows Vista. While testers dislike the plastic case, the Dell Latitude E5500 does impress with good battery life of more than four hours. Still, NotebookCheck.net cautions that you shouldn't expect too much from the Dell Latitude, saying this laptop is best suited for "basic office applications." The Dell Latitude E5500 weighs 6.36 pounds, so it's reasonably portable for business travelers.

Business users and others needing an easy-to-use laptop for everyday use should also keep Apple laptops in mind. Apple draws great raves for reliability, ease of use and customer service. Since all now use Intel processors and can run the Windows operating system as well as the Mac OS, Macintosh laptops can now be a serious consideration for just about anyone. Though Mac laptops have a previously deserved reputation for being on the expensive side, recent price cuts have made things a lot more interesting.

For example, if you need a portable yet powerful laptop for everyday use, the 13-inch 2.26 GHz MacBook Pro (*Est. $1,200 and up) draws raves from just about everyone, as well as Editors' Choice selections from the likes of CNET, PCMag.com, ComputerShopper.com, Laptop Magazine and others. In addition to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the 13-inch MacBook pro offers 2 GB of memory and a 160 GB hard drive. Built-in Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics means that it can handle a bit of gaming, though serious game players won't be satisfied. For more information on it and other Apple laptops, see the ConsumerSearch report on Apple laptops and desktops.