Dell XPS M1210

Processer:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5600 (1.86GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)
<o>

</o> What more can I say? While not the fastest, it certainly smokes anything I’ve ever used. On XP it was lightning fast; on Ubuntu, its pretty quick also.
<o>

</o> Video Card:<o>
</o> Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
<o>

</o> Out of the two choices, this is not the best, but it is the cheaper. If you’re not gaming, then this is probably all you’ll need. I’ve played doom 3 a little bit, but it was kind of choppy. If I had it to do over again, I’d spring for the Nvidia.
<o>

</o> Chipset:<o>
</o>Intel Pro Wireless

No complaints here. The Wifi connects easily in XP, and not so easily in Ubuntu (mainly due to my use of WPA encryption. I really don’t know enough about Linux to troubleshoot it at this point). After changing my router to WEP encryption however, it worked fine.
<o></o>
Memory:<o></o>
1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)
<o>

</o> This wasn’t the largest amount of RAM money could buy, but it wasn’t the lowest. So far it doesn’t seem to have affected performance.
<o></o>
Audio:
Integrated Audio
<o>
</o>The absolute bane of my existence; Sigmatel hardware, and Creative software. I’ve had and read about more problems on this segment than any other “out of the box” notebook. Now I’m not a music buff, and I’ve read that the speakers are too tiny. The real problem however, is the software conflicts (both on XP and Ubuntu). The best I could figure it, the software on the Creative CD (pre-installed), was conflicting with the Sigmatel drivers. After reformatting I left the Creative out of installation, and it worked fine- that is until I installed Ubuntu. Initially the speakers were good, then as soon as I plugged in the head phones, there was no sound at all. After some laborious googling, I got the speakers and one (of two) headphone jacks working, but the line in doesn’t function at all (everything still works in XP though).
<o>
</o><st1><st1lacename w:st="on">Media</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Bay</st1lacetype></st1>:
<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive</st1:address></st1:street>

It plays movies. No issues.
<o></o>
Build Quality<o></o><o></o>

I really like its sturdiness. It’s a hearty little machine with a lot of power. Some people complain that its too fat, but I guess that’s just personal preference.<o></o>

A tale of two operating systems:<o></o><o></o>

Currently I’m dual booting with Ubuntu and XP. This might actually be necessary with this model due to the protected Media Direct software that comes with the system (it’s a long painful story) The version of XP I selected was Media Center Edition, with an express upgrade to <st1>Vista</st1>. Everything worked out of the box except the audio (which worked, it just kept popping error messages every time I plugged in headphones).<o></o>
Later, I installed Ubuntu, which took a lot more tweaking to function. So much so that it begs the question; why switch? I guess I just heard so many great things about it and I’d hate to miss out just because I’m dumb. <o></o>
Anyways, I’ve managed to get mostly everything working, and I’m pretty happy with it. It runs fast, and Does everything I need.<o></o><o></o>

Pics to follow!

Specs
2.33GHz Core 2 Duo
2GB RAM
120GB HD
Nvidia256 GeForce 7400 Go
Sound Blaster Audigy
8X DVD/CD Burner

Let me start by saying that this is a major upgrade from my old laptop. Until I got the 1210, I was using a Sony Vaio R505 (PIII 750MHz w/384MB RAM). As expected, the 1210 is absolutely amazing in comparison.


Benchmarks
These results were after a clean install. The only tweaking done was to "Disable On-Access Scan" (McAfee).

Super PI to 2M --> 53 seconds

3DMark05
2083 3DMarks

3DMark06
838 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score:305
HDR/SM3.0 Score:279
CPU Score:2017

Size/Weight
These pictures show 1210 comparison to R505 Vaio and a standard 8.5x11in sheet of paper.

Attachment 12018

Attachment 12019

Attachment 12020

While not a very large laptop, it's rather dense yielding a weight of ~4.5lbs.

LCD
The LCD is beautiful. I recieved the AUO3214. And yes, for those keeping track, I ordered the AV package as well. Anyway, I wasn't sure whether or not I would like the high gloss display since this would be my first such display. The verdict is a definite thumbs up. Glare isn't much of a problem for me since I rarely use my laptop outside. I'm not sure why the concern about viewing angle considering one usually sits directly in front of the computer. For those interested, it's not great. I'd say anything past 45 degrees is crap. Up to 45 degrees is okay at best. Really, do yourself a favor and sit directly in front of the computer.

Keyboard
The keyboard is indeed full-size which is great. I initially disliked the feel of the keys. I'm not sure if it was the paint/finish or the tactile response. I think it was just a matter of adjusting to something new. I still think the keys feel a bit funny in terms of paint/finish. As for the tactile response, it's a non-issue now. Lastly, I have no keyboard flex.

Wireless
I went with the Intel PRO Wireless. It's worked great for me connecting to both 802.11b/g networks w/out issue.

Bluetooth
I haven't given this the test drive yet.

Battery
I have the standard 6 cell battery. I usually get around 3hrs w/general (email, web, etc...) usage. I've come close to 4hrs while working offline (no wireless).

Camera
It's a cheap 1.3 MP web cam. Enough said.
p.s. Don't forget to take the protective plastic strip off before you complain about REALLY noisy/bad pictures ;-)

Gaming
I have been way too busy w/work and life. I haven't had a chance to install and/or play any games. I hope to change this in the next week. Until then, there are plenty of others who have given it a go on the 1210 w/positive results. Search the forums.

Misc
It's extremely quiet. The fans are barely noticeable in a quiet room
The exterior is subject to finger prints

If I've missed anything, let me know...

Guys, Wrote this for a different technology forum which is not lapto centric though, so forgive some basic laptop n00b friendly stuff in there:

Introduction:

I am not a big desktop fan, and I love the untethered feeling one gets with a laptop, especially small & light laptops.

Having said that, gaming is 1 area where laptops lose big time over desktops. I am not much of a gamer, but I do enjoy the ocasional frag fest on UT or love dabbling in racing games like NFS-MW or RPGs like Dreamfall. That is where lappies would let let me down.

So far, there were very few laptops available which have a decent GPU built in and nearly all of them were 15.4" or above in size and weighed over 6-7 Lbs, and that for me made invalid the very reason I prefer notebooks.

However, when I saw the Sony Vaio SZ series followed soon after by Dell's XPS M1210 (13.3/12.1 WXGA respective and both weigh below 4lbs) , my interest in a laptop for ocasional gaming got fueled again as both run a Go7400 GPU which though (Obviously) not in the league of the big-bad boys, are good enough for a casual gamer like I .


Decisions, decisions

Both the machines were almost similarly priced, around the $1600-1800 mark, the configuration was pretty much the same
The Sony had a marginally bigger screen in its favor, but the Dell was smaller in size.
I was like totally and utterly confused.

After a lot of deliberation, hours of research and inputs from a dear friend in the US who agreed to go down to a store to take a look at the Vaio SZ , here is the conclusion I came to:

Sony:

Pros: Sleeker looks, thinner shell, slightly bigger screen, Slightly lighter
Cons: Questionable build quality (Apparently the lappy feels quite flimsy), slightly bigger form factor

Dell:

Pros: The sweet sturdy build, 1 year complete cover (incl. accidental damage), slightly smaller form factor, tru-life screen

Cons: Bland looks, slightly smaller screen (12.1"), slightly heavier

Since the build quality is something I could not compromise on (I am a rather sloppy person, and am incapable of taking good care of my stuff ), eventually decided in favor of the Dell

On a side note, here is a big note of thanks to a friend who helped sweeten the Dell deal by quite a bit

SO I finally ordered the Dell on the 12th of August, and got the delivery on the 27th

The package:


Configuration:

* Intel Core Duo T2400 1.86 Ghz
* 667 MHZ FSB
* 12.1" True-life WXGA LCD
* 1 GB 667 mhz 512X2 running in dual channel
* nVidia GeForce Go7400
* 80 GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
* Integrated WebCam & Mic
* 3945 a/b/g wireless + BT
* 4 USB Ports, 1 Firewire, VGA out, S video out
* Memory Stick/SD Slot

Design, Looks & Build

The first thing that struck me when i opened the box was the size of the lappy, or rather the lack of it
It has the size of a A4 sheet


(A4 sheet placed on top)

Add to it the fact that it is a 2kg notebook and what you have is a fairly portable machine that you can actually hold on one palm and work with the other hand.

The Black/Silver color combination looks nice though the Blue LED buttons on the front side for Media direct look a little tacky

The good: Very light, Sweet screen with nice wide viewing angles
Very sturdy Mg- Alloy case with no hint of flex on the screen and the body, The rotating webcam is a nice touch

The bad: fingerprint stain prone, keyboard a little cramped,

Build


Rating: 9/10

The Screen

Since the resolution is a sweet 1280X800, the small screen is not a bother at all. In fact the crispness of the display makes working on this 12.1" a little more than effective the 14.1" on my Compaq
Absolutely no issues while doing regular work on it.
However, movies (esp non widescreen ) look a tad too small on it.

The backlight is really bright, and I need to keep it two-three notches below the max most of the time.

The integrated webcam is OK, nothing great. Takes very decent pics in good lighting but pales out if the lighting is even marginally bad.
The directional Mic on the Cam is pretty good though.
The viewing angles are very decent (Auo screen) and overall, the screen looks a lot better than my older Compaq V2000 and IBM R51.
I would rate it at par with my Fujitsu s2110 (though XGA) but the viewing angles aren't anywhere as good as that on my Sony HS95 LCD monitor (Desktop)


The screen at medium brightness


Rateing: 9.5/10

Peripherals and connectivity:

4 USB ports, 1 firewire, modular DVD drive, Wireless a/b/g, card reader..this is
one department I can't complain about

Heat, noise, other irritants

The fan is usually off or running at low speeds most of the time, and is barely a bother

However, while running games, the fan comes up at full swing and though it is still silent, is my left palm is next to the fan vent (which it usually is, as my left fingers are on the w-a-s-d buttons while gaming, the warm-hot breeze can get pretty uncomfortable. If only they had kept the cooling fan on the back side

Thankfully The palmrest area runs cool all the time


Rating: 7/10

Speakers
The speakers have decent clarity but absolutely lack bass but can't really crib as it would be foolish to expect decent bass on a laptop
There are three 1/8" stereo jacks. Two for the L/R, one for mic. The two L/R jack is a good to have thing if two people are watching a movie.
The Internal Audigy(?) Sound card can be switched to 5.1 in which case all the 3 1/8" jacks work as audio outputs for the six channels.
There is also a digital SP/DIF out though no TOSLINK optical out

Performance:

The first thing i did after getting the lappy was to run a full system diagnostic from UBCD and the Dell diagnostics utility
Next, I formatted and partitioned the Drive to 20/60 followed by a clean windows & drivers install.

Boot time: Windows fresh install with just the basic startup items:
Press-On to POST -> Windows startup screen: 6 seconds
startup screen to complete loading: 21 seconds
Total- 27 seconds

Super-Pi:
2M- 1 min, 16 seconds

3dmark05

2059 Total

NFS- MW:

After the registry tweak to eliminate choppiness,
Medium detail settings, I get 40-50 fps consistently
Very fluid gameplay

GTA-SA

25-30 fps
and 15-25 with 2XAA
Funny why the FPS figure is so low here
However the Gameplay stays pretty fluid being a Third person perpective game

HL2
Medium details
50+ fps

Battery Life
I ran the notebook from fullcharge to 100% charge to 10% . I kept using the notebook all the while with LCD brightness 2 notches below Max with iTunes running and browsing on firefox while downloading some stuff ....Total time: 3:10 mins

Conclusion

Finally a laptop that will keep me happy for a while now.
It is a difficult task to get a portable machine that is realllyyyy portable , still feels sturdy and yet has enough grunt to admirably handle the latest games.

I had almost stopped PC gaming altogether because I hate gaming while slouched on a chair.
I can happily curl up on a beanbag or lie down on my couch now yet manage to dabble in the latest games :hap2:

Also, the nice size and the weight of this lappy enable me to quickly tuck it away in my backpack, and take it travelling with me.

Actually, there is nothing much to crib about on this puppy!
And I for one, am definitely loving this toy!!!

Specs
2.0 GHz T2500 processor
1 gig ram
100 gig 5400 rpm HD
256 MB Nvidia GeForce 7400
6-cell battery
Intel 3945 Wireless
8x DVD/CD-RW
Windows XP Media Center Edition

Out of the box impressions
The packaging for the machine is fairly impressive. It comes w/ a box containing the AC cord, XPS accessory bag, XPS CD case, instruction manuals, and original install CD's. Then there's another box housing the actual machine w/ XPS cut out of the cardboard.



General Build, Appearance, & Ergonomics
I was fairly impressed w/ the appearance of the machine. The black w/ gray accents color scheme works very well. The build feels very solid, no creaky hinges. The laptop shuts and opens w/ ease and doesn't use any latch devices. It's a little thick for it's size, but it more than makes up for it in pure performance. It's a little heavier than it looks, but again, it more than makes up for it in performance.

Top of machine, CD jewel case included for size reference.


The only con to the black top is that you will see fingerprints easily.
Contrast adjusted to bring out the fingerprints.


Ports & Media
Left side of machine: RJ11 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, S-Video out, Wi-Fi on/off/catcher, vents, hard drive


Right side of the machine: DVD/CD-RW, 5in1 card reader, 1394, 2 USB 2.0, VGA out


Front of Machine: 2 Headphone port, Mic line in, Media buttons


Back of Machine: RJ45 ethernet, AC Power


Screen
I have the dreaded toshiba LCD58E. I actually think the screen looks fine. However, I'm definitely not an expert on screens, so don't crucify me when I say the screen looks fine to me. The screen is very bright at the max setting and is more than decent at the halfway point. At this point, I'm not going to try to get Dell to replace my screen as I have no comparison point. I'm not going to go out of my way to find another M1210 owner w/ an AUO3241, but if I happen to see one, I'll probably fold due to curiousity.





NO light leakage!


Keyboard/Touchpad
I'm glad Dell decided to have the full size keyboard on this. The flex is almost non-existant and I have no trouble hitting the right keys, just as I was typing on my desktop.




The touchpad was a very pleasant surprise. It's very responsive and it didn't wander/jump once during the whole time I was using it. The click buttons are absolutely excellent. They have the perfect amount of travel and are probably the best click buttons I've ever used on a laptop.


Wireless capability
The wireless card range is more than sufficient as I was able to pick up 7 different networks from the dining room in my house. I live in the suburbs and the distance between each house is a good 10 ft. I also love the Wi-Fi catcher feature. Just slide the Wi-Fi on/off switch all the way to the right and the catcher will tell you whether or not you have a signal. And this feature works whether or not the laptop is on or off, so you don't look like an idiot walking around w/ your laptop open looking for a signal.



Sound & Speakers
I really didn't expect much in this department as I was thinking there was no way this tiny laptop could house decent speakers. The speakers are actually quite decent. I had no problem listening on Itunes or dialogue during a movie.

6 Cell-Battery
My battery came fully charged from the factory. The battery has a small guage on it that has 5 lights. If you press and release the guage, it tells you how much battery it has left in 20% increments corresponding to the 5 lights. If you press and hold the guage, it gives you a battery health reading. I went right to work removing the bloatware and adding the laptop to my home network. Once i got it connected (Wi-fi off, cable connectivity), i transferred 13.9 gigs of music from my desktop, loaded up a few programs, while surfing the net. I then watched a 15 minutes of an Entourage episode and saw that I had been on the laptop for a little under three hours. I checked the battery and it was at 15%. That's pretty decent life for what I was doing.

Processor
The core duo T2500 smokes all other laptops I've ever handled plus my personal desktop. I was installing programs, transferring files from my desktop, and surfing the net all at the same time and it didn't skip a beat. A real treat for multitaskers!

Super PI to 2M digits: 1 min, 11s


Optical Drive/Media Center
What can I say about the optical drive.... it works. It's a tad bit louder than some of the drives I've used, but nothing overpowering. Media Center is also a welcome addition to Windows. I really enjoy watching DVD's w/ it as opposed to the crap player Dell packages in the bloatware.

Conclusion
This laptop is all I expected and more. You can't beat the power to size ratio along w/ the decent price (unlike Sony). This laptop packs a punch and not only spanks all others in it's 12" screen class, it outperforms many other desktop replacements. This thing performs so well that I find myself using it more than my desktop. If you're looking for power in a small package for a decent price, this is definitely is the way to go.

Case Logic 13" Slimline Laptop case (TNC-13)
I stumbled on this case while browsing on amazon. This holds the M1210 perfectly as seen in the pix. It has many pockets for anything you can imagine: keys, camera, built in CD sleeves, document holder, etc.





Official Case Logic site link:
http://www.caselogic.com/case_logic/...?modelid=70104

I got mine at amazon for $31.99 shipped. I also believe newegg has a good deal also.

I will be expanding on the following review as i get time. (Sorry my camera sucks balls)

GENERAL

As soon as i opened the dell box, i was happy. The special black boxing ets you all excited before you open up the computer and begin to get REALLY excited. When i saw the computer, i let out a "sweeeet" and opened the sucker up. I really enjoy the sleek, black look and the nice lines and silver trim (with blue lights for kicks). I went for the extended battery, and the sticking-out part is really not a big deal.

Camera

Really cool. gets SUPER hot though (no complaints). Most people were pretty disappointed with what they got, but i really think its pretty good. Considering the size and what else you paid for in that $100 a/v package (headphones and broadband capabilities).






samples from the camera.



Screen

Holy freaking god! The trulife is absolutely stunning, and stunningly REFLECTIVE. Oh well, no REAL complaints. DVDs and "obtained" media are a blast on this thing. I thought the Dell Media Direct concept and capabilities were a real plus and will DEFENITELY come in handy, especially for saving battery. Back to the screen; what more can i say? The 1280x800 resolution is great. Thankfully i have the really wicked auo screen. Theres actually NO light leakage. The picture below kinda shows some but i dont really see it.



DVD Playback
Pretty darn good, i think. The best aspect for the screen is 16:10 and its pretty hard to find widescreen DVDs that arent 16:9. So, my viewing of V for Vendetta was pretty alright. I got two differents sets of black bars which is pretty bad. My Doom Experience was slightly batter. As mentioned above, the TrueLife is extremely cool, bringing a wonderful crispness that was otherwise non-existant with older lcd screens. *most pics show non-existant light leakage for some reason*






The Chancellor!/Menu


you can see my two sets of black bars in this image.


Doom menu

Speakers/Included Headphones

Tinny? What tinniness? My speakers are fantabulous. I actually hear bass. Also, the included headphones rock! I cant hear a bloody thing aside from the music. I found though, that sometime the earbuds will slip out a little bit. The placing of the speakers is a wee bit awkward. If dell decided they wanted to place them there, the should have put more on the front, that way, you would be able to listen to music with the lid down.

EDIT: Lately I've been getting quite a bit of static when the headphones are plugged in and no audio is playing. Additionally, i would like to know if the is a way to stop that annoying "CLICK" sound that plays when you double click a folder to open it. I HATE it.



Keyboard

NO FLEX! Or at least none that bothers me. This is my first laptop/ultraportable, so i guess i benefit from the regular-sized keyboard. The only real bother is the fact that the delete key is up in the corner. This will defenitely be dealt with as i keep using it and get used to it. I also noticed that the right side of the spacebar is somewhat loose. If i press down on the very top right part i dont get any spaces. Not that big of a problem but a minor annoyance.



Touchpad/Buttons

Better than i imagined. The pad doesnt have that awful bumby feeling that i felt on some dudes' 700m. I LOVE how the buttons arent "clicky" if you knowwhat i mean. Its nothing like the buttons on a mouse. Its closer to a gamepad button. I also noticed that the touchpad wasnt cramped whatsoever. The included synaptics software that allows you to customize all the areas for scrolling and quick functions (tap top left to go back etc..) was wickidlyawesome. Responsiveness and accuracy for the touchpad was also high quality.



SPECS

Build

Like a Rock! I really love how stiff the hinges are. As soon as you stop moving the screen, it stops, just like that. As i mentioned above, there was no keyboard flex present. The build of the touchpad and media buttons is great. They feel great to touch.

EDIT: after some use and carrying and suc, have found some apparent flex with the left palmrest. This is defenitely bad since it is directly above the tiny-ass hdd.



Speed

Really quick. Im coming from a 2.5GHz p4, so... Exploring folders and such is almost always instantaneous, depending on how many programs and processes are running. I LOVE the core duo processor. If i do benchmarks for gaming, they will be done by august 1st. I dont have enough monthly usage to download the 3d/pc mark stuff.

EDIT: I have downloaded 3dmark05 and will run some tests and get some numbers and stuff on the go as soon as i resolve my heat issue (see "Heat" section).


Weight

NOT a problem. One of the reasons i bought this notebook was because of its light weight and small form factor. The weight that it does carry though, is good. It gives you the feeling of having a very well-built computer. The magnesium is really nice. Some parts that would normally be plastic on most computers is now made from this magnificent alloy, contributing to the proper build and light weight.

Heat

Puh-lease. This laptop stays extremely cool. If it got hotter, it wouldnt bother me. Hotter still, then i probably wont mind. Having a possible heat issue though. Looking into it and will post the results when they're found.

EDIT: There is defenitely a HUGE heat issue with this laptop. Not one that would burn your lap or fry your palms or anything. The problem is that the graphics card is overheating (idle at 82 degrees celcius) and is bringing down the gaming performance quite a bit. HL2 at low/off settings gets a literal 4 FPS. I will be sending this one back for sure.

Ports

We have a buffet of ports on our hands. 4 usb, network card, svideo out, expresscard 54 slot, vga out, 1394, dvd burner, media card5-in-1 reader. Loving the selection. I ESPECIALLY love the media reader. Eventually when high capacity cards become dirt cheap, read-only versions may be utilized to distribute games. Imagine that.





All in all i am VERY satisfied with my computer. I think it was a great investment.

EDIT: It WOULD be a great computer if it played any of my games (it will soon. its getting replaced, remember?)

I can't believe nobody's written up a review of this laptop on here yet. I think I'm the last person to order on the release day (May 31st) to get his/hers.

Well, here are the specs:
1.86ghz Yonah Core duo
1GB of PC-5300 DDR2 667 (upgraded immediately to 2GB of same speed)
nVidia 7400 TC
60GB 7200rpm 8mb (Seagate Momentus)
Bluetooth
DVD+/-RW
9 cell + 6 cell batteries

Initial Thoughts:
No Keyboard Flex!! (check pictures) and No Dead Pixels!!!
Looks badass!!! I'm glad that I didn't get the AV package. I think the built in camera takes away from the smooth lines and I would have never used it. I have a webcam at home and have never used it...plus, I've been to certain "sensitive" areas where they forbid the use ot anything with a built in camera.
Very similat in size to the 700m and similar screen.

Screen:
Glossy WXGA looks glossy, but not overly glossy. I would say somewhere between the Sony and the Fujitsu in terms of glossiness (with Sony being less glossy and Fujitsu being more).

Speed:
Seems very quick. The first boot up did take a while, but once I popped in my 2Gb of RAM, and uninstalled all the dell software in favor of all my preferred ones (Dell Media > PowerDVD, Sonic > Nero, etc..) and uninstalled some of the stuff I don't use, as well as a little cleaning up on msconfig...it boots VERY fast now. I'll be doing some benchmarking later.

Wireless:
No problems. Picked up my router, plugged in the WEP and it's crusing along.

Sound:
Speakers seem better than most other laptop speakers. I turn the volume up and could hear the music playing loud and clear from a few rooms away.

Battery:
The 9-cell came completely charged. I plugged it in and noticed that it had 100% charge. I unplugged it about 4.5 hours ago and have been doing quite power intensive things (installing, uninstalling, music, running DVDs, etc...) with everything on and brightness set to 2 clicks below full (which is still plenty bright) I just got the "low battery warning stating that I have about 20 minutes left. That's AWESOME! I was worried that I wouldn't get more than 3 hours or so even with the 9-cell.

Oh, and I love the XPS wallpaper.

And now for the pics (Oh, and this is the only notebook I've owned so far that had a card reader built in that read XD cards and I'm using it to read the pictures off my card now to post these pictures!)







No "Bulge" causing the Keyboard Flex!!!





So in summary:

The good:
Awesome looking
Very quick
Good screen (I got the AUO panel)
Good battery life
Good speakers
Quiet Drive (I have the Sony DVD Burner)
Good multimedia card reader
Good trackpad/responsive click buttons
Very quiet! (Fan noise is bearable, unlike most other "ultraportables")
Stays cool! (Was on my lap the whole time and barely got warm)

The Bad:
Don't like the "chrome" buttons and the trimming around the trackpad.
On the heavy side for such
Thick a small laptop
On the thick side for such a small laptop
The black backing is attracts fingerprints
The memory upgrade is a little harder than it should be (where one stick is under the keyboard


....gaming benchmarks to come later in the week.

*edit* couple of Benchies added: