Does Touch Bar Really Matters an Upgrade for Apple MacBook Pro 2016?

The waiting is over. At Apple event, Apple finally unveiled the new MacBook Pro 2016 with new hardware upgrades along with the new Touch Bar which will mold to the application specifically and bring up the necessary options under the finger tips. Not with any major appreciable upgrades except the Touch Bar, Apple MacBook Pro leaves the fans into confusion between the new Microsoft Surface Studio and the MacBook Pro 2016.

 

The MacBook Pro 2016 has its own advantages over Microsoft in terms of software functionality and smooth rendering of graphics. Sometimes, it’s not just the performance of the GPU but the software that plays a major role in using it. That is why we have a lot of difference between the smoothness of Android and iOS mobile operating systems.

 

Apple MacBook Pro 2016 specifications and availability

The new MacBook Pro has got the following the upgrades and additions. The are the 130% faster graphics, 67% brighter display (higher contrast ratio), 17% thinner body design, Touch Bar and Touch ID, up to 3.8GHz turbo boost, 100% faster storage, 58% higher volume, 2.5x louder bass with 2x dynamic range, 4x more key stability and 2x larger track pad.

 

The new MacBook Pro simplifies how we get connected to the other devices. It sports a four Thunderbolt 3 ports of which any port can be used for connecting charger. This is why people love MacBook which doesn’t need an eye to put the charge pin in.

 

The MacBook Pro 2016 is available in three versions, the 13-inch version without Touch Bar, 13-inch version with Touch Bar and Touch ID and 15-inch version with Touch Bar and Touch ID.

 

Does Touch Bar really matters an upgrade for new MacBook Pro?

The Touch Bar is nothing but a glass panel that shows up the most needed options based on the context and the software that we use. If the computer has not opened any software programs and it’s sitting idle on the desktop screen, it turns out to be the brightness and volume controller, press the ‘Fn’ button to get the function keys shown on it.

 

Touch Bar is quite interesting. We don’t have the multifunctional buttons with functional keys on the numbers anymore like as we see in the normal laptops and previous versions of MacBooks. The organic LED panel of the MacBook Pro will display only the necessary pixels and keep the rest of the bar darker. Apple is so proud to present this new hardware addition to the MacBook Pro because it is application specific as we talked about it earlier.

 

Along with the Touch Bar, Touch ID is included in the new Mac which adds a fingerprint biometrical security just like for the iPhone.

 

The new MacBook Pro comes in three versions, 13-inch without Touch Bar and the other two with the Touch Bar and Touch ID. They are divided with different price tags as you can see in the following image.

 

 

Note: The prices of the Apple MacBook Pro 2016 shown above are of 13-inch models. The actual pricing of the all MacBook versions range from $1,499 USD to $2,799 USD progressively.

 

The inclusion of the Touch Bar, Touch ID, 0.9GHz extra speed processor, Intel Iris Graphics 550 version and 2 more Thunderbolt ports costs another $300 USD extra on the same MacBook. If AirPods costing $159 is a fine pricing, MacBook Pro 2016 with Touch Bar and ID is a fantastic upgrade for another $300 from the basic version.

 

What do you think? Is Touch Bar a fine upgrade to Apple MacBook Pro 2016 comparatively to the Microsoft Surface Studio? Dribble your thoughts in comments below.

Continue Reading

Mi Notebook Air is the Windows Version of MacBook Air

Mi has entered the laptops markets with their new Mi Notebook Air released in to the market recently. The company that has been copying the business to design strategies of Apple Inc. is growing faster with new class of products into the market.

 

 

The Mi Notebook Air runs on Windows 10 and is 11% smaller and 13% thinner than the Apple MacBook Air. This light weight notebook is available with the different office document folders made with different materials. If you remember the launch of first MacBook Air by Steve Jobs of Apple, you would realize how Mi copied the same presentation to the audience.

 

 

Apart from the company’s copied strategies, the Mi Notebook Air looks so thin and beautifully crafted. It comes in whole metal body tested against the floor drops and other undergone resistance tests.

 

 

The notebooks are available in two variants, 12.5 inch screen version has the thickness of 12.9mm and weighs 1.07Kg. Though it is thinner than the Apple MacBook Air 13.1mm thickness it still weighs more than it. This version comes with the Intel Core M3 processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB SATA SSD along with the SSD slot. The battery is claimed to stand 11.5 hours on one complete charge.

 

The 13 inch version on the other hand is the higher-end version of the Mi Notebook Air series laptop with little bigger screen and better processing capability. It has 14.8mm thickness overall and weighs 1.28Kg. This version has the sixth generation Intel Core i5 processor coupled with Nvidia GeForce 940MX GPU with 1GB GDDR5 VRAM, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. Xiaomi claims the 9.5 hour battery life on one single charge.

 

 

The screen is edge-to-edge glass protected and have thinner bezel than the MacBook Air. Both the laptops have the individual backlit keyboards, AKG dual speakers with Dolby digital surround output sound. They are available in two color variants, silver and gold. The prices varies for both the light and high-end versions as CNY3499 (appx. $530) (appx. Rs.36,000 INR) and CNY4999 (appx. $750) (appx. Rs.50,000) respectively.

 

If you are not aware of the Mac OSX and wanted a thin laptop with Windows 10 operating system, Mi Notebook Air can be your Apple MacBook Air with Windows 10 environment.

 

What do you think? Aren’t the Mi Notebook’s cool enough? Share you thoughts in comments below.

Continue Reading

Best Windows 10 Laptops Under Rs.50,000 in 2016

Windows operating system has evolved a lot. Even the recent announcement from Microsoft brings UNIX/LINUX bash shell on Windows 10 command prompt without adding any other software or any virtual machine. A software developer or a should carry a machine that runs the operating system interoperable with the operations that are needed to solve the problem. Here I sorted out some of the best windows 10 laptops that are available under Rs.50,000 in 2016.

1. HP 15-ab219TX

Manufactured by HP and named 15-1b219TX, this Windows computer gives control over the heavy multi-tasking with the hardware acceleration support. Innovation is the theme of this company in manufacturing the laptops of high configurations. Windows 10 on HP would give you seamless experience.

Specifications:

The specifications of HP 15-ab219TX are as follows,

• 2.2GHz Intel Core i5 5200U processor
• 8GB DDR3 RAM
• 1TB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
• 15.6-inch screen, Nvidia GeForce 940M 2GB Graphics
• Windows 10, 64-bit operating system
• Weight: 2.29 kilograms

Buy HP 15-ab219TX from Amazon

2. Dell Inspiron 3543 Y561928HIN9

Known for its toughness, Dell is the most preferred brand of any yesterday’s student until the other brands started making tough laptops to compete. Dell Inspiron series is one of the top sold laptop series of the company. Inspiron 3543 Y561928HIN9 can be your best carry-buddy for powerful use along with Windows 10’s intelligence.

Specifications:

• 2.7GHz Intel Core i5-5200U processor
• 8GB DDR3L RAM
• 1TB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
• 15.6-inch screen, Nvidia GeForce 820M 2GB Graphics
• Windows 10 operating system

Buy Dell Inspiron 3543 Y561928HIN9 from Amazon

3. Acer E5-574G

Acer is well known for providing high configured systems at low prices. Acer E5-575G comes with next generation processor to give better and faster processing of tasks. Windows 10 give you the power of the hardware one the Acer machine. Build quality is what people disappoint about Acer laptops. Check once before you hit that buy button and if you are satisfied with it, you can go with it.

Specifications:

• 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 6200U processor
• 8GB DDR3L RAM
• 1TB 5400 rpm hard drive
• 15.6-inch screen, Nvidia GeForce 920 2GB graphics
• Windows 10 operating system
• 1 year warranty provided by the manufacturer from the date of purchase

Buy Acer E5-574G from Amazon

4. HP Pavilion 15 AB108AX

Powered by core i3 AMD series processor supported by 8GB RAM with serial ATA hard drive, this HP Pavilion series laptop works great with Windows 10 on board.

Specifications:

• 2.2GHz AMD A8 7410 processor
• 8GB DDR3 RAM
• 1TB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
• Window 10 operating system
• 1 year warranty provided by the manufacturer from the date of purchase

Buy HP Pavilion 15 AB108AX from Amazon

5. Asus R558UF-XO044T

After making powerful gaming machines, Asus focused on the true business laptops that come under the Rs.50,000 category. Asys R558UF-XO044T is one of such best laptops.

Specifications:

• 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6200U processor
• 4GB DDR3 RAM
• 1TB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
• 15.6-inch screen, Nvidia GeForce 930M 2GB Graphics
• Windows 10, 64Bit operating system

Buy Asus R558UF-XO044T from Amazon

6. Lenovo Ideapad 300 80Q700UGIN

Known for not only for its toughness but also for the extraordinary built quality and power packed performance, Lenovo delivers best laptops in the world. Ideapad 300 80Q700UGIN is an Indian version of their super normal computers.

Specifications:

• 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6200U processor
• 4GB DDR3L RAM
• 1TB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
• 15.6-inch screen, ATI Exo Pro R5 M330 2GB Graphics
• Windows 10 operating system

Buy Lenovo Ideapad 300 80Q700UGIN from Amazon

Conclusion

Sometimes it is not all about configuration, you should also consider build quality and brand service reachability. Some brands might not give proper service in some areas due to lack of good local service center associations. The top 6 laptops are very good for programmers, multimedia purposes like audio and video editing. Almost each laptop comes with 2GB graphics included which is cool enough to run many wonderful PC games. The final picking choice is always yours.

Continue Reading

The Ultimate Guide for Buying a Laptop 2014

When you wanted to buy a laptop, what is that you see in it before buying? design? processor capability? technology it uses? or the face of the seller?

In fact, it is statistically proven that 9% of the people who go to a retail shop to buy a laptop by getting convinced by the retailers with some sort of products that gives them best profit. Another statistical fact says that 33% of the people blindly go with the retailer’s choice than their own.

There is a difference between the two lines said above. First line talks about those who wanted to buy a laptop with known configurations but don’t know what to go for and the second line talks about people who wanted to buy a laptop buy don’t know how to choose one. Finally, it says that only 67% are wise enough to buy a laptop to their own wish and requirement.



Buying a laptop isn’t that hard. All you need is an idea of what you wanted in it. Also you need to have an idea of the prices of the products for various hardware configurations. The same product can be tagged at two different prices of $399 and $299 for example. Buying it for lower prices doesn’t make you a clever and the one who bought it for higher price a fool. What matters here is the configuration you bought it for.

Why do you need a laptop?

The only important thing you should consider is ‘necessity’. You would need a tool when there is a work to do with it. So, identify your necessity and assess the software and hardware requirements. The sizes and features can also be considered in your requirements. Choose to buy one that fits your needs which of some are shown below.

For All purpose

If you want to buy a laptop for everyday tasks, you can consider buying a 15 inch laptop that can easily be carried around everywhere. You may also choose to buy a 11 or 13 inch light weight laptop with moderate configuration that fits to accomplish your daily tasks. Depending on the gaming and graphics you need, laptops defer in costs and performance.

The ideal configuration for all purpose laptops without much gaming and graphics is:

Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM           : 4GB
Display    : 15 inch
Graphics : Inbuilt Graphics up to 1GB
HDD           : 500GB

The ideal configuration for all purpose laptop with moderate gaming and graphics is:

Processor : Intel Core i5
RAM           : 6GB
Display     : 15 inch
Graphics : Intel Graphics GPU up to 2GB video memory.
HDD           : 500GB

For Business

If you want to buy a laptop that can process your business tasks like creating and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations, you need a laptop with good keyboard, durable design and sharp screen. A business laptop should also be slim and light weighted in design that can fit in the bag you carry around documents with in.

The ideal configuration for a business laptop is:

Processor  : Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core i3
RAM             : 4GB
Display       : 15 inch or any portable size
Graphics    : Inbuilt is sufficient
HDD             : 500GB or more
Keyboard  : Non Chiclet keyboard with LED backlit

Try to buy one with strong keyboard as you can’t drag out the external keyboard from your bag every time and everywhere.

For Gaming

If you want to buy a laptop that supports high-end gaming, you should opt for one with equally high-end configuration. You need discrete graphics, a high resolution anti-glare screen and powerful speakers on the go. For more best gaming experience, you may have to spend more on configuration.

The ideal configuration for a gaming laptop is:

Processor : Intel Core i7
RAM            : 8GB and more preferable
Display      : 17 inch or more
Graphics  : Dedicated GPU (preferably dual cards) with dynamic video memory
HDD            : 750GB or more
Speakers  : Powerful
Battery     : Powerful long lasting battery

Choose a laptop that serves best in creating Gaming laptops.

For Multimedia Work

If you wanted a laptop to edit multimedia content like photos, videos and graphical illustrations, you need a laptop with powerful processor, discrete graphics, solid SSD hard drive and a full HD high resolution display. Moreover, prepare to spend for the best required configuration as it may cost a bit higher than you expected.

The ideal configuration for a Multimedia laptop is:

Processor : Intel Core i7
RAM            : 12GB
Display      : 15-17 inch HD display
Graphics : High-end dedicated graphics GPU with dynamic video memory
HDD           : 500GB SSD
Battery     : Powerful long lasting battery

The SSD type of hard disk constitutes the 25% of the price of the laptop as it is the latest technology that allows faster data reading and writing speeds.

For Kids/Internet Usage

If you want to buy a laptop for internet browsing or for kids, you can go with low cost laptop like Chromebook that runs on Google browser centric OS. You may also find a laptop with Windows around $35 instead.

The ideal configuration for a basic usage laptop is:

Processor : Intel Pentium Dual Core or Core 2 Duo
RAM           : 2GB
Display     : 13 or 15 inch display
Graphics  : Inbuilt is sufficient
HDD           : 250GB

You may choose your own configuration in buying a laptop. The intention of writing this article is to help you not to put your laptop buying decision in the hands of a seller. Hope this article gave you some idea about laptop types and their configurations.

Please like & share this article to your friends and help them buying a laptop with best configuration for their needs.

Continue Reading

Acer Aspire E1-531-BT Laptop(2nd Gen PDC/ 2GB/ 500GB/ Win8) Exclusive Review

 

 

Acer delivered its new Aspire series laptop with windows 8 configuration at the listed price of Rs.33,478  but Flipkart gives it for Rs.27,134 . It is a Aspire E series laptop with the almost same Acer style keyboard that comes with other acer laptops. I personally like the Acer’s keyboards as they are smooth and comfortable to use. This laptop is for daily use purpose.

 

Sales Package

The laptop comes along with the following

Sales Package

Laptop, Battery, AC Adapter, User Guide and Manuals

 

Processor Configuration

 

Processor	Pentium Dual Core (2nd Generation)
Variant	B960
Chipset	Mobile HM70 Express
Brand	Intel
Clock Speed	2.2 GHz
Cache	2 MB

 

The Pentium dual code (2nd generation processor) works better but we can’t say this is the best compatible processor for this configuration. Totally for the budget price this configuration is optimal.

 

System Memory

Expandable Memory	Up to 8 GB
Memory Slots	2 (Unused Slot - 1)
System Memory	2 GB DDR3

 

Initially this laptop comes with 2GB DDR3 RAM. It has 2 memory slots in total in which one 2GB RAM is already set up and the unused slot can be configured with another 2 or 4 or 6 GB memories. Like that it can added up to 8GB.

 

2GB RAM is sufficient for a normal daily user. If you want to buy this product being a programmer or computer savvy, I recommend you to buy extra memory with it.

 

System Storage

 

Hardware Interface	SATA
RPM	5400
HDD Capacity	500 GB

 

The storage of the acer laptops is ever impressive even at low prices. This laptop comes with SATA 500GB HDD with 5400 RPM writing and reading speed.

 

Optical Disk Drive

Optical Drive

DVD RW Drive

 

It has a optical DVD RW drive just like every laptop with in the this range of price.

 

Platform

Operating System	Windows 8
System Architecture	64-bit
OS Architecture	64-bit

 

As I said before, this laptop comes with windows 8, today-trending OS from Microsoft. It is x64 bit operating system that fits perfectly on the x64 bit system architecture.

 

Display & Graphics

Screen Size	15.6 inch
Screen Type	Active Matrix HD TFT LCD Display with LED Backlit (CineCrystal Technology)

 

15.6 inches screen is the noticeable size for acer laptops. Acer, generally would manufacture laptops with larger screen sizes which are difficult to carry everywhere. But this size looks handy & portable.

 

The screen is HD LCD screen with LED backlit using Acer’s CineCrystal Technology(Cinecrystal is the brand name Acer uses for their glossy screen display technology. It also indicates that it is a newer LCD display that uses LED backlighting. Older glossy displays which utilized CCFL backlighting were sold under the CrystalBrite branding.)

 

Graphic Processor

Intel HD Graphics

 

This laptop comes up with the Intel HD graphics processor like as in any other laptop.

 

Input & Audio

The input hardware that comes with this laptop are,

Web Camera	HD Webcam
Pointer Device	Touchpad
Keyboard	Standard Keyboard

 

Internal mic is provided under the webcam for the audio input

Internal Mic

Yes

 

Network

Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet
Wireless LAN	IEEE 802.11b/g/n

 

Power Source

Battery Backup	Upto 4 hours
Power Supply	65 W AC Adapter
Battery Cell	6 cell

 

4 hours battery backup is noticeable thing in acer laptops. The 6 cell battery works better in bringing up power to multiprocessing tasks on the system. However reducing the brightness and using balanced power settings are recommended to get best battery backup on any laptop.

 

Ports/Slots & Port Security

USB Port	3 x USB 2.0
RJ45 LAN	Yes
HDMI Port	Yes, HDMI Port with HDCP Support
VGA Port	Yes
Multi Card Slot	Yes

 

3 USB, 1 RJ45 LAN, HDMI and VGA ports are quite common in any laptop. HDMI with HDCP support and multi card slot are noticeable in this laptop. There is no need to buy extra memory card readers to connect the memory cards to the computer to transfer files from and to.

 

Lock Port

Kensington Lock Slot

 

Kensington lock slot is a small, metal-reinforced hole which is useful for attaching a lock-and-cable apparatus to prevent opportunist theft.

 

Dimensions

Weight	2.45 kg
Dimension	382 x 253 x 33.2 mm
Color	Black

 

2.kg weight is a portable weight and when compared to its family of products, Acer Aspire E1-531-BT Laptop is having less weight and small size.

 

The whole laptop comes in black and a white stripe at the touch pad. This design resembles the Samsung laptops on quick look.

 

Warranty

1 year warranty period is given by the Acer in case of any product failures in manufacture. This is very short period for warranty when compared to the other branded laptops.

 

Conclusion

This laptop is good for daily users who use it for general office applications, internet, and multimedia. Some type of games can also be played but not the heavy ones because the RAM is not sufficient. If you are a geek or a computer savvy better to look for the best that fits your requirements.

 

Listed Price : Rs.33,478 

Flipkart’s Price: Rs.27,134

Continue Reading

Sony VAIO Laptop & Computer E Series (VPCE) Excusive Review

 

Overview:

   

Windows® 7 Home Basic

 

Windows® 7 Home Basic makes it faster and easier to get to the programs and documents you use most often.

AMD Dual-Core E-450 APU with AMD Radeon™ HD 6320 Graphics

 

Cutting-edge AMD Dual-Core E450 processor with the powerful discrete-class graphics supports DirectX® 11 and provides smooth playback of 1080p HD video. The processor is responsive and energy-efficient performance for everyday PC productivity. Transform your system into a multimedia center with a VISION Technology-based PC Run your digital life smooth, fast and more brilliantly than before with the added power and performance of the 2nd gen multi-core AMD APU. Multitasking turns into megatasking, allowing you to quickly edit photos and get them out to friends, family, and into frames fast. Bring your world together in HD with smooth running video chat watch, as gamers become a force to be reckoned with, with unstoppably awesome graphics.

Bluetooth®

Built-in Bluetooth® unleashes the power of communication by enabling swift wireless data transfer with minimum power consumption. Compatible accessories for enhanced wireless enjoyment include a Bluetooth® mouse, keyboard, and headset.

HDMI Output

A single HDMI cable lets you digitally output movies and music to your large-screen television. It’s the perfect way to enjoy original HD home movies.

Specifications:

Operating System

Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic with Service Pack 1 64-bit (English Version)

Architecture

Processor Name	AMD Dual-Core E-450 APU (1.65 GHz)*1

Chipset	AMD A50M FCH

Cache Memory	1 MB (L2 Cache)

Main Memory

Pre-installed/Max	2 GB (2 GB (SO-DIMM) x 1) DDR3 SDRAM*2 (upgradeable up to 8 GB*3)

SO-DIMM slots	DDR3 SO-DIMM slots (Unused Memory slot 1)

Memory Speed	1333 MT/s

Hard Disk Drive

Hard Disk Drive	500 GB*4 (Serial ATA, 5400 rpm)

Optical Disc Drive

Drive	DVD SuperMulti Drive

Maximum Reading Speed	DVD+R: 8x(SL), 8x(DL) / DVD-R: 8x(SL), 8x(DL) / DVD+RW: 8x / DVD-RW: 8x / DVD-ROM: 8x / DVD-RAM: 5x / CD-ROM: 24x / CD-R: 24x / CD-RW: 24x

Maximum Writing Speed	DVD+R: 8x(SL), 6x(DL) / DVD-R: 8x(SL), 6x(DL) / DVD+RW: 8x / DVD-RW: 6x / DVD-RAM: 5x / CD-R: 24x / CD-RW: 10x

Graphics

Graphics Accelerator	AMD Radeon™ HD 6320 Graphics

Display

Type	15.5(39.37 cms) wide (WXGA: 1366x768) TFT colour display (VAIO Display, LED backlight)

Interface

USB	Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) Type A Connector x 4

Network (RJ-45)Connector	1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T x 1

Display Output Connector	Analogue RGB, mini D-sub 15 pin x 1

Headphone	Stereo, Mini Jack x 1

Microphone	Stereo, Mini Jack x 1

HDMI In/Out Connector	HDMI Out x 1

Memory Stick Slot	"Memory Stick Duo"("Memory Stick PRO" compatible, Not support for copyright protection)*5

SD Memory Card Slot	SD memory card (SDHC, SDXC compatible, Not support for copyright protection)

DC IN	x 1

Wireless Connection

Wireless LAN Type	IEEE 802.11b/g/n*6

Wireless LAN Data Rate	Maximum transmission speed: 150 Mbps*7, Maximum receipt speed: 150 Mbps*7

Bluetooth	Bluetooth® standard Ver. 3.0 + HS

Camera

Front Side Camera	web camera (Resolution: 640 x 480, Effective Pixels: 0.3 Mega pixels)

Audio

Sound Chip	Intel® High Definition Audio

Speaker	Internal, Stereo speakers

Microphone	Internal, Monaural microphone

Keyboard/Input Device

Keyboard	19.05 mm key pitch/2.0 mm keystroke, 103 keys

Touchpad	Touchpad (Gesture supported)

Battery Life

Bundled Battery	VGP-BPS26 Lithium-ion battery: up to 3.5 hours of use*8

Optional Battery	VGP-BPL26 Lithium-ion battery: up to 7.0 hours of use*8

Size

Dimensions (WxHxD)	369.8 x 31.3-36.8 x 248.4 mm

Weight	2.7 kg (including the supplied battery)

Included Software

AV Entertainment	Media Gallery, WinDVD, Quick Web Access

Content Creation/Editing	PMB VAIO Edition

Word Processor / Spreadsheet	Microsoft® Office Starter 2010*9

Tool	Adobe® Reader® X

Utilities	VAIO Control Center, Battery Care Function, VAIO Gate, WebCam Companion, Magic-i™ Visual Effects, Remote Keyboard*10, Remote Play with PlayStation®3*11, Media Go

Security	Trend Micro™ Titanium™ Maximum Security 60days*12

Support	VAIO Care, VAIO Care Rescue, VAIO Update, VAIO Transfer Support, Norton™ Online Backup  60-day Free Trial*12

Supplied Accessories

AC Adaptor	VGP-AC19V43 or VGP-AC19V48

Battery	VGP-BPS26*13

 

Downloads

BIOS Update version R0190E3

Recovery Data Update version 1.0.0.12230

SuperMulti Drive GT30N Firmware Update version KS06

Media Gallery Update version 2.0/2.1

VAIO Gate Update version 2.4.2.02200

Continue Reading