GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST
A good laptop needs to handle creativity and entertainment to stand out from the pack, but if it’s not up to snuff on the business side, it’ll never win us over. Business clearly means different things to different people, think Kayne West v. Warren Buffet. For the GP crew, though, it all boils down to constant communication. Sleep is overrated anyway.
With everyone sprinkled all over the country and often on the move, we rely on a variety of tools to keep up. Skype sits atop that list — for IM, voice, file transfers, and video chats. The built-in front-facing webcam provides a clear video picture in our testing — and certainly not out of concern for accidentally doing our best on-screen Marlon Brando. While it’s nice to approximate face to face chats, the webcam also serves a more critical need when one of us happen to reset his Canon 7D’s settings right before an event (we’ll avoid naming names).
More importantly, we manage to pull it all off on the road — bi-coastal style, all thanks to the laptop’s clutch integrated 4G WiMax connection powered by Clear. Call clarity was admirable, and transfer rates for files and photos smoked what we normally get from a tethered 3G iPhone. The fact that we could better utilize our phone’s batteries for GPS navigation and tunes took one less worry off our plate too. After all, stressed induced fits from power outlet searches just have a way of ruining your day.
In sum, our time with the U46E-BAL6 has proven that the new ultraportable is a more than capable all-around laptop for performance-hungry users in search of mobility without sacrificing performance — all at a great price.
Buy Now: $850
