SC
Scarlett CollinsVerified
Oct 15, 2026
Massive coil whine
Thermal paste has clearly pumped out already and the device now runs ten degrees hotter than at launch.
Thermal paste has clearly pumped out already and the device now runs ten degrees hotter than at launch.
Panel yellowed noticeably within the first year, especially around the bottom edge where the backlight sits. This device feels like a prototype that shipped by accident with half the planned software features missing.
I replaced an aging ultrabook and the difference in boot time and app launch speed is immediately obvious.
Audio quality improves after a long break-in period but out of the box it was honestly a letdown. Setup is quick but the companion app is a cluttered mess that hides basic settings behind weird menus.
Weight distribution makes it feel much lighter in the bag than the spec sheet would suggest. Game library loads from external storage so fast that I honestly cannot tell it is not internal.
Camera stabilization keeps handheld shots steady at ridiculous shutter speeds in low light.
Build looks premium but a couple of panel gaps on my unit are wider than I would like.
Repairability is finally improving, with standard screws and clearly labeled components inside.
A whole category of advertised features turned out to be region-locked and I only discovered this after unboxing. Camera app crashes multiple times a day and loses the shot I was trying to grab in the first place.
Camera handles daylight very well but anything indoors or at night turns into noisy mush that I usually delete.
Signal lock on GPS is instant even in dense city streets with tall buildings on both sides. I honestly stopped carrying a dedicated point-and-shoot after a week of using this instead. Finally a trackpad with gestures that work consistently instead of fighting me every other swipe.
Panel finally supports true blacks and watching dark movies no longer feels like staring into gray fog. Fan noise even at full load stays below the ambient hum of my office, which is honestly impressive.
I upgraded from an older device in the same lineup and feel like this new unit is a step backward in daily use.
USB-C port stopped charging after the first few weeks and the device now only accepts power from one specific cable. Screen developed a vertical line of dead pixels after only three weeks of ownership and the warranty process has been painful.
I never thought I would call charging cables premium, but the braided one included here is genuinely nice. Even the included accessories feel like real products rather than afterthoughts stuffed in a box.
Keyboard travel is just right for long typing sessions and my wrists feel better after full days of writing. Wi-Fi 7 range reaches every corner of my house including the basement where every router before has given up.
Camera lens scratches so easily that daily use has already left visible rings in every photo I take.
Mic clarity on calls is so good people kept asking if I was in a studio. Hinge finally feels like it will last, holding any angle rock-steady without a hint of sag.
Software bundled on the device is bloated with ads and junk I spent hours removing on the first day. Fans spin up to a jet-engine level during the lightest tasks and never seem to settle back down. Screen developed a vertical line of dead pixels after only three weeks of ownership and the warranty process has been painful.
Audio is detailed in the mids yet the bass sounds hollow in a way no equalizer seems to fully fix. Camera shutter is fast but the processing step before you can take a second shot is unexpectedly slow. I love half of what it does and merely tolerate the other half, which is a weird feeling to have about any product.
I love that the sleep mode wakes instantly instead of making me wait for a laggy animation. Game load times dropped so dramatically that I had to recheck I was running on the right drive.
Firmware had a nice option to tune fan curves manually and now the whole system runs much quieter. Haptic feedback on the trigger buttons makes racing games feel way more connected to the road.
Battery health reporting is actually transparent, with a real cycle count and capacity readout. I ran a two-hour video call with the webcam on and the camera held exposure beautifully the entire time.
I love half of what it does and merely tolerate the other half, which is a weird feeling to have about any product.
I like the look but the stand on the back only tilts in one direction and never at the angle I want. Fingerprint reader is fast when it works but about one in four attempts needs a second try.
Call quality is decent but the microphone picks up a lot of background hiss in quiet environments.
The remote lost pairing with the main unit within the first month and the re-pair process is a nightmare.
Weight shed from last year's model is immediately noticeable in a backpack across any decent walking distance.
I like most of what it does but there is one quirk with power management that trips me up weekly.
This GPU handles native 4K at high settings in modern titles without me having to lean on upscaling.
Fingerprint reader unlocks reliably in under a second and has never once failed with slightly wet fingers. I replaced an aging ultrabook and the difference in boot time and app launch speed is immediately obvious.
Response time on this panel is low enough that fast motion in sports and action games stays crisp. Panel coating stays smudge-free much longer than my previous device and wipes clean in one pass.
Hardware is honestly great but the software side still feels like a work in progress after months on the market.
Audio drivers have real body in the low mids without turning muddy at louder volumes. I love how light this feels in a backpack after years of lugging around a brick of a laptop. Audio tuning out of the box favors clarity over boomy bass, which is a huge relief after years of V-shaped signatures.
I appreciate the physical shutter on the webcam because it means I never have to think about privacy stickers. I love that the sleep mode wakes instantly instead of making me wait for a laggy animation. Micro-pattern on the trackpad gives a nice tactile cue that stops my fingers from slipping during long edits.
Audio latency over Bluetooth is low enough for video but noticeable in rhythm games where timing really matters. I appreciate the warranty terms but the actual repair turnaround took far longer than the website advertised.
Charging port feels sturdy and I have zero worry about yanking the cable in a hurry. This GPU handles native 4K at high settings in modern titles without me having to lean on upscaling.
Latency on wireless peripherals feels truly indistinguishable from a wired connection even in fast games. Battery easily lasts a full workday with brightness cranked and I still get home with twenty percent left. Carry case included is actually useful instead of flimsy plastic I would throw away.
I love that the remote has backlit buttons and I never fumble in the dark anymore. A single tap on the lock screen gets me straight to the camera, which has saved several shots. Running a full day of video calls and the thermal design handled it without ever hitting the fan limit.
Image processing on the camera handles skin tones so naturally that family photos finally look like real people. Running a full day of video calls and the thermal design handled it without ever hitting the fan limit. I love that the remote has backlit buttons and I never fumble in the dark anymore.
Fast charging works as advertised but the device gets uncomfortably warm during the whole process. I enjoy the main features but the paid tier for cloud backup feels unnecessary at this price point. Keyboard travel feels nice but the layout squeezed the arrow keys into a tiny strip that trips me up constantly.
Thermals stay under control even during long gaming sessions and the fans never spin up into jet-engine territory. Repairability is finally improving, with standard screws and clearly labeled components inside.
I bought this on a sale and still feel ripped off given how little of what was advertised actually works properly. GPU runs so hot that I can feel the heat through the chassis onto my lap even during light tasks. Keyboard backlight stopped working entirely on one side of the device after a routine firmware update.
I paid flagship money for a device that cannot even hold a stable frame rate at its native resolution. Advertised fast charging barely trickles into the battery when the device is doing anything other than sitting idle.
Boot from cold power to logged-in desktop is under ten seconds, which is a joy every morning. Audio tuning out of the box favors clarity over boomy bass, which is a huge relief after years of V-shaped signatures. I love how light this feels in a backpack after years of lugging around a brick of a laptop.
A single charge gets me through two full-length movies with a bit of light reading left over. Multitasking between creative apps feels snappier than my previous machine that cost almost twice as much.
Memory feels generous for most tasks but opening a few more browser tabs quickly eats the headroom. Panel is lovely in a dim room but the glossy finish turns it into a mirror under any overhead light.
Carry case included is actually useful instead of flimsy plastic I would throw away.
Companion app is lightweight and actually useful instead of a bloated advertisement for other products.
Keyboard layout respects the standard arrow cluster, which is a tiny thing that makes a huge difference daily. Audio stage from the built-in speakers is honestly surprising for a device this thin.