A Year in Review: Top Laptops of 2010

The year 2010 had so many computers choices – from new all-in-one desktops to laptops, netbooks and touch pads. It’s truly difficult to make exact comparisons in the electronics market because every machine offers so many options, upgrades and model variations.

If you search the web, you can find literally hundreds of reviews on laptop computers. When I’m trying to evaluate computer electronics, I turn to CNET, PCWorld and Amazon. I line up the specifications from CNET and PCWorld and read customer reviews on Amazon until my eyes glaze over – and that’s exactly what I did for this article.

This article is dedicated to the five best mid-size (15 inch diagonal screen) non-gaming, personal use models released in 2010 – the pros, the cons and the specifications. At the end, I’ll reveal what I purchased this year to replace my antique desktop and why.

Manufacturer: HP
Model: Pavilion dv6-3120us
Retail Price: $629.99
Lowest Price (12/06/10): $549.99 at HP (Direct)

Pros: This is a decent computer for the price. It has most of the bells and whistles a standard model should – which a few upgrades like the advanced audio system with Altec Lansing speakers.

Cons: Really poor touchpad design – hard to navigate and lacks a numeric keypad.

Specifications:

Diagonal Screen size: 15.6 inches
Hard Drive Capacity: 500 BG
Memory: 4 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Processor Brand: AMD
Processor Model: Turion II Dual-Core
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
Video Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 Graphics with 128MB display
Weight: 5.35 lbs
Numeric Keypad: No

Manufacturer: Toshiba
Model: Satellite A665-S6095
Retail Price: $849.99
Lowest Price (12/06/10): $699.99 at Office Depot

Pros: I really like the look, feel and sturdiness of this computer. The backlit screen delivers solid color and the lighted keyboard is a great design. It also has the upgrade of Harman/Kardon speakers for better sound on such a basic model.

Cons: The only downside about the sturdy build of this laptop is that it’s also the heaviest of the five reviewed at 6.5 lbs. But, if you can live with that, it’s a great computer.

Specifications:

Diagonal Screen size: 16 inches
Hard Drive Capacity: 500 BG
Memory: 4 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor Model: Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
Video Graphics: Mobile Intel HD Graphics with 64MB-1696MB shared memory
Weight: 6.5 lbs
Numeric Keypad: Yes

Manufacturer: Apple
Model: MacBook Pro MC372LL/A
Retail Price: $1,999.00
Lowest Price (12/06/10): $1,889.00 at MacMall

Pros: Either you’re a Mac person – or you’re not. If you are, you will probably love the Apple multi-touch technology. This model also boasts an incredible 8-9 hour battery life – which is terrific if you’re always on the go. That lands it in the top five for 2010.

Cons: Price, price, price – did I say price? At more than twice the price of comparable laptops, only a Mac person can justify that kind of cash. One more negative – no numeric keypad on this laptop.

Specifications:

Diagonal Screen size: 15.4 inches
Hard Drive Capacity: 500 BG
Memory: 4 GB
Operating System: Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor Model: Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
Screen Resolution: 1440 x 900
Video Graphics: Intel HD Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 256MB
Weight: 5.5 lbs
Numeric Keypad: No

Manufacturer: Sony
Model: VAIO VPCEB35FX/WI
Retail Price: $819.99
Lowest Price (12/06/10): $762.28 at Staples

Pros: This is a great basic computer – it seems to respond quickly and had a good keyboard design – including a numeric keypad.

Cons: The only downside for this model appears to be the short battery life at 2-3 hours. Some people are turned off by the white or black color choices – but, black always works for me.

Specifications:

Diagonal Screen size: 15 inches
Hard Drive Capacity: 500 BG
Memory: 4 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor Model: Core i3
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
Video Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
Weight: 5.9 lbs
Numeric Keypad: Yes

Manufacturer: MSI
Model: A6200-461US
Retail Price: $629.99
Lowest Price (12/06/10): $479.99 at Office Depot

Pros: This is the lowest price of the laptops reviewed. It’s sturdy yet lightweight, the backlit display has great color and the touch pad is well designed.

Cons: The sound and smaller hard drive capacity of 320 BG versus 500 BG for all the other computers reviewed are a drawback on this computer. Also, the batter life is pretty short – about 2-3 hours.

Specifications:

Diagonal Screen size: 15.6 inches
Hard Drive Capacity: 320 BG
Memory: 4 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor Model: Core i3
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
Video Graphics: Intel HD Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 8200M
Weight: 5.46 lbs
Numeric Keypad: Yes

These are the five best mid-size non-gaming, personal use models released in 2010. Ranging from $479.99 to $1,999.99, they all have pretty evenly matched specs – so it all comes down to personal prefaces and price.

When all was said and done, what laptop did I buy in 2010? Believe it or not, I selected the MSI. This manufacturer has been around for over 20 years (that I can remember) in the components market and they have always produced a solid product. I bought the floor model at my local Office Depot for $359.99 and I’m extremely happy with it. I’m a writer, an artist and a business professional and the laptop has handled everything from mega spreadsheets to graphics. For the price, I couldn’t beat it.

CNET Reviews; Laptops
PCWorld; Laptops
Amazon; Laptops, Tablets & Netbooks