Despite the emergence of touch-based tablets for casual computing, if you want to play the latest 3D games or have real productivity requirements, the best portable solution is still using a laptop.
This week, here are two solid laptop deals from Lenovo and HP, both at similar price point but they’re definitely built for different users:
Lenovo IdeaPad Y560p Laptop
One of the most popular 15-inch gaming laptops, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560p has finally been refreshed with the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processor. This is the lowest price we’ve seen on this particular configuration. You get 8GB of RAM, plenty for multitasking power users, the 2nd generation quad-core i7-2630QM Intel processor that clocks in at 2.0Ghz, and a decent mid-range GPU in the form of a Radeon HD 6570M.
Although the Radeon HD 6570M is simply a renamed Radeon HD 5730 with GDDR5 RAM, it does provide very capable 3D performance, letting you rock the latest games without too much worries. This IdeaPad also comes with an ExpressCard/34 slot, HDMI/VGA, and a 6-in-1 memory card reader, rounding out this model as a capable entertainment laptop. With the latest Lenovo coupon, you can get this 15-inch gaming rig for $870 with free shipping.
Dell XPS 17 Laptop
For those wanting a bit more screen real estate, the desktop replacement 17-inch Dell XPS 17 is a pretty good choice in terms of balancing price and features. You get a bigger screen than the Y560p above, as well as a higher resolution display (1600 x 900 versus the Y560p’s 1368 x 768).
Dell‘s latest XPS line has a superb display that rivals MacBook Pro quality in viewing angle and contrast ratio. While this laptop is paired with a Core i5, it is no slouch as it’s sporting the 2nd generation Intel Core series CPU (in many instances, the higher clock rate on this dual-core laptop will win out in gaming performance.
You also get a very solid mid range graphics card in the form of a GeForce GT 550M with Optimus switchable graphics, saving you power when you need to go mobile. The most interesting part on this laptop is the 2x 500GB hard drive, giving you the option to set your configuration in a RAID format for faster speed, or upgrade to a SSD along with a regular hard drive for more flexibility and performance.
This week’s Neato App Deals:
Quickoffice Pro for Android
Buying an app that cost more than $0.99 might seem scandalous for some people, but when it comes to real productivity tools, you’ll have to fork over some hard earned cash. The fairly popular Quickoffice Pro productivity suite lets you edit power point, word docs, and other file formats while seamlessly syncing with your Google Doc, Dropbox, and other cloud storage venues. Usually at around $10, this Android app is now currently $8 for a limited time. There is also an HD version that’s on-sale at $15 for those of you rocking the Android-based tablets.
PhotoFrame Pro HD for iPad
Usually selling at $1, you can now grab this photo frame app for free. The photo slideshow app works well enough with additional UI features of date, time, and calendar.
POSTsms for Android:
This nifty app that usually goes for $1.37 is currently free. The Android app lets you forward your SMS quite a few different ways. You can also set forwarding rules (e.g. route SMS from work to your work email inbox).