I tend to prattle exhaustively so I tried to divvy up my numerous opinions into sections you might find relevant.
Now/Future = I've been very pleased with this laptop, and I do consider it a great deal for the six hundy spent (on the 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H). Not only does it perform splendidly as it comes "right out the box", but it's also upgradeable in the near future as tech advances and my finances allow. I've been using it for hours on end everyday for almost one month.
Multitasking = I can run WoW (weeeeee!!) while simultaneously streaming music on Spotify in my web browser. Beyond that, I can also minimize my game and music to do a quick Google on whatever boss I'm trying to squelch as I solo dungeons with my Night Elf Demon Hunter. No lag or stuttering while multitasking whatsoever. Nice. B-)
Graphics quality = It comes with 2 graphics cards, so be sure to check your in-game settings to make sure the best card is selected. Streaming Netflix and running WoW are lovely in a way I wasn't able to appreciate on my previous HP laptop. My only concern is that once in a while I've seen a rolling screen dim from top to bottom for a split second before it returns to normal. It has only happened a couple of times in the past month I've owned this, so?
Pre-installed software = I had to find workarounds to disable Bing and Microsoft Edge, but in the end I can now use the search box on the start bar and it opens Google results in Chrome. Those being my preferred search engine and web browser. It wasn't terribly difficult as an amateur tinkerer.
Heat = Sometimes I use the laptop on my actual lap (go figure), and when I've been immersed in my addiction for 4-5 hours, it gets rather warm. Almost hot. The pre-installed Nitrosense app allows you to manage the fan settings in order to allay this. Also of note is that the heat escape is on the right side, which means south paws keep their leading hand cool and us orthodox boxers get a warm periodic reminder to move our hand away from the keyboard. In plain words: the heat from the fans blows directly where one would naturally rest one's hand on a mouse (if you use one, however, a mouse is not included).
Keyboard = The keys are comfortably spaced, appropriately sensitive to touch, and all are in working condition. The value of the number pad on a laptop cannot be understated!! The red backlight on the keyboard by default times out after 30 seconds. Finding the right key to strike first on an all-black keyboard after the backlight turns off was obnoxious to me. After some searching, I found that this too is changeable in the Nitrosense app. Weird place to put it, but ok. Hit the "(N)" key in the top left of the number pad, then click the Settings gear inside Nitrosense, and click to toggle off the "backlight off after 30 seconds" option. This might not be available on every model, but take a gander.
Battery life = The battery lasts for a decent amount of time when simply browsing and streaming music: several hours, give or take. But I prefer/recommend plugging in the power cord when I know I'm about to sit down for a long session of questing. ("Just one more quest!!")
Port/Cable management = Speaking of the power cable... It must have been a desperate decision to seat it on the righthand side of the laptop in the middle. The configuration of the internal hardware almost certainly has to be to blame for this. It seems like they tried to offset this inconvenience by making the power cable with a immediate 90 degree bend so you can swivel it (hopelessly) out of the way.
Final summation = I listed things things that I believe could be improved which were mostly cosmetic in nature and were either adjustable or could be lived with. But on the whole, this laptop has been a game-changer for my usual activities and has truly been a "best bang for your buck" experience. I recommend it for anyone who is maybe moderately into gaming but mostly wants a very reliable and delightful experience.
| Standing screen display size | 15.6 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Processor | 4.1 GHz core_i5 |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Memory Speed | 4.1 GHz |
| Hard Drive | 256 GB SSD |
| Graphics Coprocessor | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 |
| Chipset Brand | NVIDIA |
| Card Description | Dedicated |
| Graphics Card Ram Size | 4 GB |
| Wireless Type | 801.11ac |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
| Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 8 Hours |
