Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 15.6" Notebook Computer (Matte Black)

Comment:
Got this as a second home computer for my significant other, as we were having too many discussions about whose turn it is to use the desktop...The E520 is the perfect compromise between a standard consumer notebook and a business notebook. The i5 CPU is worth the $50 more over the standard i3, as it adds higher clocks and Turbo. Intel HD3000 integrated graphics is enough to stream HD videos... and play online Sudoku ;-)This is my first experience with Intel HD3000 graphics, and I am pleasantly surprised, as it' even possible to create  custom resolutions, something AMD graphics drivers still refuse to do.The Bluetooth option with Bluetooth mouse work as they are supposed to.There was very little "bloatware" installed on the machine. All I had to do was uninstall Norton trial version and Google toolbar. There are some Lenovo-specific programs, but they are mostly useful (checking system status, managing driver updates... and counting the days till the warranty expires...)Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 is supposed to speedup bootup by about 20 % to 30 % delaying loading of non-critical services, and apparently it works, as the system is ready for use 30 seconds after pushing the ON button.The machine works very silently. If I listen closely, I can faintly hear the fan spinning faster for a few seconds from time to time, but it's hardly noticeable.My overall verdict is that the E520 offers similar quality to a similarly-configured Dell Inpiron or Toshiba Tecra for about $200 less.