The new processors are simply labeled i3, i5, and i7, making them easy to differentiate. They are essentially the same processors built into desktop machines, with smaller form factors but nearly the same performance. Even better, they use less heat than previous models, making it easy to keep laptops running cooler.

The i7, the fastest of the three classes of processors, has many of the same features that make the desktop version so fast. The first of these is Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. This allows the processor to adapt its performance when its heat and power usage are below specified limits. This keeps it from running too hot, but still gives the maximum performance when heat and power are not an issue.

The new processors also have hyperthreading built in, which allows individual cores to focus on separate processes, acting more like separate processors and speeding up tasks. Also included is integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000, which provides great graphics performance without the need for additional graphics hardware.

With the new generation of Intel mobile processors, the company is continuing to close the gap between laptops and desktop computers. Modern laptops with Core i-Series processors can now handle difficult processing tasks and multi-threaded programs with ease, allowing power users and professionals to take their work with them no matter what the processing requirements.

Parts Locator Tool

Many sites that sell replacement parts for laptops offer a parts locator tool. You can simply enter your make and model of laptop and the tool with show you parts that are compatible with your specific model. In many cases, this may be all you need to find a fully-compatible part for your Acer laptop.

User Manual or Service Manual

Another option for finding a proper replacement part is to look in the User Manual that came with your laptop, or find a Service Manual online. Often, a search for your laptop’s make and model followed by the term “service manual” will help you locate a PDF version of the service manual. Usually one or both of these manuals will list part numbers for the various replaceable parts for your Acer laptop.

The Part Itself

Many replaceable parts have a part number printed on them directly. A laptop battery, for example, usually lists the part number on a sticker or label. This is usually a last resort option, however, as it requires disassembling the laptop to access internal parts, which might render the laptop unusable until the replacement part arrives. Try the other methods before resorting to disassembly whenever possible.

By following the methods above, you should be able to locate almost any part number you will need for your Acer laptop. Once you have the proper part, the service manual can help you with replacement instructions.

1. Before beginning any laptop repair, it is important that you power down the system and unplug all cables, including the power cable. Then remove the battery as well. This will protect you against the risk of electric shock and also protect your laptop from potential damage.

2. Open the laptop’s lid as far as it will go. Use a plastic tool such as a guitar pick to unlock the four latches located at the top edge of the keyboard by pressing down with the plastic tool or pick. The latches are above the F1, F6, F11, and End keys.

3. Gently lift the keyboard up just enough to gain access to the ribbon cable connector underneath. Pull up gently on the connector to disconnect it and remove the keyboard completely.

4. Connect the new keyboard to the connector in the same manner and snap the connector down in place.

5. Flip the keyboard down into place until it snaps into the latches you previously unlocked. Make sure it is secure.

At this point you can replace the battery and power cable and power up the system. Check to make sure that your new keyboard is functioning properly. If so, you have successfully repaired your laptop. Enjoy your new fully-functioning keyboard.

Finding a laptop with a 17” screen at such a low price is impressive enough, but paired with a powerful Intel Core i3 processor, the g7t is actually a very robust machine. It also includes 2 GB of memory, upgradeable to 6 GB, and a large 500 GB hard drive for storing all your files and media. HP often offers free upgrades for memory and storage when ordering online as well, adding even more value.

The gorgeous 17.3” inch diagonal display features HP’s BrightView LED technology with a resolution of 1600×900. Having so many pixels on a laptop screen allows it to function as somewhat of a desktop replacement even for power users, but it isn’t as bulky as some 17” models, keeping it portable. Buyers have a choice between a SuperMulti drive with DVD and CD burning support, or paying a little more to add a Blu-ray player drive.

The design of the HP Pavilion g7t is very sleek, with rounded edges and a solid construction. Buyers can choose between a number of colors to customize the look to their liking. The color choices are charcoal grey, butter gold, sonoma red, sweet purple, and pewter. The machine measures just 1.44 inches by 16.22 inches by 10.55 inches and weighs 6.05 pounds, making it very portable for its size.

HP has designed a very impressive laptop in the Pavilion g7t. Its combination of a large, bright screen with a powerful processor and a surprisingly low price is a real winner. Customization options and a great design just sweeten the deal.

The Edge comes with a 12.5 inch screen, keeping the overall size of the laptop small and portable, and the 1366×768 resolution still provides a solid amount of screen real estate for business applications and even multimedia viewing. The screen is not as bright and vibrant as some competing models, but this is probably somewhat of a tradeoff for longer battery life. The glossy coating of the screen makes it difficult to see in bright daylight.

Speaking of battery life, the Edge E220s provides around 5 hours of battery time. This is around an hour shorter than some competing models in its class, but none of these models will provide an entire workday worth of battery life, so buying an extra battery may be a good idea.

Despite its small size and low price, Lenovo still managed to put quite a bit of processing muscle inside the machine. It sports a 1.4 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4 GB of RAM in its standard configuration, and has integrated Intel HD graphics that provide a solid experience even for multimedia and light gaming. A 320 GB hard drive is included, with the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Professional pre-installed.

The design of the ThinkPad Edge E220s is quite impressive. Lenovo has used design elements from the original but updated it for a more modern look. The result is a throwback to the past and a very sleek design for the future.

Business users and travelers will find a lot to like in the combination of affordability and portability of the Edge E220s, and its power and solid screen make it a good value.

Power users will love the specifications of the Envy 17. It includes an Intel Core i5 processor or it can be upgraded to the i7 when purchasing, providing some of Intel’s most modern processors for fast speeds. It comes with 6 GB of RAM as a standard feature, but can also be upgraded to 8 GB when purchasing, or at any time afterward. Buyers have many options when it comes to hard drives. They can choose a single 1 TB drive or two for a total of 2 TB. They can also choose a dual setup with an 800 GB standard hard drive and a 640 GB SSD, which provides faster performance and better battery life.

The 17.3 inch (diagonal) display has a resolution of 1600 x 900, or it can be upgraded to a display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which is the resolution of 1080p multimedia. This will be a popular option for multimedia creators. A DVD burner is included, but buyers can also opt for a Blu-ray player and DVD burner drive instead. Other bonus features include an integrated webcam, support for 802.11n wireless networking, and a backlit keyboard for working in the dark.

Due to the size and power of the Envy 17, battery life suffers somewhat. The machine is capable of up to 2.25 hours of battery life on a single charge, so users who need more portability may need to purchase additional batteries.

For power users, multimedia creators, or those who don’t want to sacrifice power for portability, the Envy 17 is an impressive desktop replacement laptop. Others may find its limited battery life and extra bulk to be disappointing.

The design of the Iconia incorporates dual touch screens that open up like a traditional laptop. The lower screen can act as a touch keyboard, or any number of control widgets. It can also act as a second monitor when viewing long web pages or other documents. The possibilities are nearly endless.

What is quite unique about the interface is that the lower screen responds to the user’s touch and gestures to figure out what to do. If the user places both palms on the screen, it automatically switches to the virtual keyboard, for example. When the user puts 5 fingers on the screen, a control dial called the Acer Ring appears. The user can touch or rotate the ring to access different options and interfaces.
The lower screen also supports customizable links to websites, applications, and other items through the use of icons or even gestures. For example, a user can swipe a finger to draw a letter on the screen, which can open an application or site of the user’s choice.

The device uses a custom version of Windows 7, with most of the interface and other additions designed by Acer themselves. This allows for more device-specific features, but could also create problems when updating or troubleshooting. Still, the custom software is what provides the interface that makes the device so unique.

The Acer Iconia has a lot going for it. Its interface is innovative out of the box, and software designers will likely come up with even more interesting ways of utilizing the dual screens in the future.

The Tablet will include a 10.1 inch screen (measured diagonally) as compared to the 9.7 inch screen of the iPad. While this extra screen size won’t be a huge improvement, it might sway some users who dislike the iPad’s form factor. The device will be able to show videos in 1080p resolution, and includes an HDMI port for connecting to high-definition televisions and other devices. This adds a little more flexibility than Apple’s offering right out of the box.

Early versions of the Tablet will have Wi-Fi support, but not mobile wireless support through phone carriers. This could be a major downside for some users, but Toshiba seems confident that this option will be available in later releases. Along with GPS and Bluetooth support, the device will also include an SD memory card slot; something that iPad users have been asking for since its launch. Battery life is expected to be around 7 hours, which falls short of the 10 hours provided by the iPad, but is still impressive.

Along with the Android operating system and its apps and app store, the Tablet will also include Toshiba’s own marketplace, called Toshiba Places. This will be a place for users to find movies, music, and games, and will even have a digital book store.

Overall, the preview of the Toshiba Tablet shows promise, but it remains to be seen if any tablet maker can truly compete with the iPad’s domination of the tablet platform.

Power users will love the specifications of the Envy 17. It includes an Intel Core i5 processor or it can be upgraded to the i7 when purchasing, providing some of Intel’s most modern processors for fast speeds. It comes with 6 GB of RAM as a standard feature, but can also be upgraded to 8 GB when purchasing, or at any time afterward. Buyers have many options when it comes to hard drives. They can choose a single 1 TB drive or two for a total of 2 TB. They can also choose a dual setup with an 800 GB standard hard drive and a 640 GB SSD, which provides faster performance and better battery life.

The 17.3 inch (diagonal) display has a resolution of 1600 x 900, or it can be upgraded to a display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which is the resolution of 1080p multimedia. This will be a popular option for multimedia creators. A DVD burner is included, but buyers can also opt for a Blu-ray player and DVD burner drive instead. Other bonus features include an integrated webcam, support for 802.11n wireless networking, and a back-lit keyboard for working in the dark.

Due to the size and power of the Envy 17, battery life suffers somewhat. The machine is capable of up to 2.25 hours of battery life on a single charge, so users who need more portability may need to purchase additional batteries.

For power users, multimedia creators, or those who don’t want to sacrifice power for portability, the Envy 17 is an impressive desktop replacement laptop. Others may find its limited battery life and extra bulk to be disappointing.

The biggest surprise came with the inclusion of a new port on all MacBook Pros, called Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is an implementation of a new I/O technology created by Intel, which was previously code-named Light Peak. The design of the Thunderbolt port uses Apple’s own Mini DisplayPort for a connection, but gives the new port the ability to support multiple displays, external hard drives, and a number of other peripherals all from a single port. In fact, up to 7 devices can be daisy-chained together with no slowdowns in performance. Apple appears to be choosing the Thunderbolt connection design over the USB 3.0 standard being used in other machines.

Another striking upgrade for the new MacBook Pro machines is the inclusion of quad-core processors, providing a major speed boost for the devices. The 13 inch model comes with a choice of an Intel i5 or i7 processor, while the 15 and 17 inch models include i7 processors at varying speeds, depending on the configuration. The models all use Intel’s newest Sandy Bridge processors. Such a significant upgrade should have a significant effect on performance, and early benchmarks are beginning to show that the new models are quite a bit faster than previous models, likely due to their quad-core design.

Apple continues to be a leader, particularly when it comes to laptops and mobile computing. Choosing to include Thunderbolt over USB 3.0 could have a significant effect on the computing industry. In any case, their new updated MacBook Pros will likely have many buyers considering an upgrade sooner rather than later.