Latest News, How to & Product Reviews
Experience education through hands-on demos, tips, buying guides, and product reviews at ExcelDisc Event Space. Watch and learn!

How To

News

Buying Guide

Product Reviews
Insights, Tutorials, and thoughts on modern Laptops and Gadgets

Power, Speed, and Storage Options: Everything You Need to Know About the HP EliteBook 860 G11 (2024)
The HP EliteBook 860 G11 (2024) combines powerful performance and efficiency with a range of Intel Core Ultra processors to meet diverse user needs. From high-performance options like the Core Ultra 7 165H for demanding tasks to energy-efficient choices such as the Core Ultra 5 135U for ultrabooks, this laptop offers versatile computing capabilities. Integrated Intel Arc graphics provide solid performance for casual gaming and light creative work, while flexible RAM configurations (16GB, 32GB, and 64GB) and up to 4TB SSD storage ensure smooth multitasking and ample space for professional workflows. With DDR5-5600 memory, the EliteBook 860 G11 (2024) delivers impressive performance for both productivity and creative tasks.

HP EliteBook 830 G11: Efficient, Durable, and Ready for Work (2024)
The HP EliteBook 830 G11 (2024) is a versatile ultrabook that blends high performance with portability, making it a top choice for professionals on the go. Powered by Intel Core Ultra 7 and Ultra 5 processors, it offers a range of options suitable for a variety of tasks, from everyday productivity to more demanding workloads. The device comes with up to 32GB of DDR5-7500 RAM and storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB SSD, ensuring smooth multitasking and ample space for files and applications. Its 13.3" WUXGA display delivers crisp visuals for a premium viewing experience, while Windows 11 Pro provides advanced features tailored to business use. With security features like an optional fingerprint reader and a security lock slot, data protection is prioritized. The laptop’s audio system, enhanced by Poly Studio technology, further elevates the user experience, making it a well-rounded option for both work and entertainment.

Unleashing AI-Powered Performance: Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 (2024) for Modern Workflows
The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 (2024) is a powerful laptop tailored for SMB owners, data engineers, and professionals. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, it provides AI-assisted productivity, handling tasks from data analysis to content creation with ease. The Intel Evo™ Edition offers instant wake, fast charging, extended battery life, and superior responsiveness.For security, the laptop features an optional match-on-chip fingerprint reader integrated with the power button for secure access and fast bootup. It includes a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for encryption, a Kensington Nano Security Slot™ for physical security, and a webcam privacy shutter for additional privacy.The ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 is designed for fast, clear, and interruption-free work. It has an extensive range of ports for fast file transfers, device pairing, and screen sharing. AI-powered smart connectivity reduces network delays and dynamic noises during video calls, while Dolby Audio™ ensures clear sound.The 14” display offers rich colors and vibrant visuals, with multiple options for clarity, depth, and detail. Intel graphics support creative tasks with precise color accuracy, and it is TÜV Eyesafe certified to reduce eye strain.For comfort, the keyboard is redesigned with spacious keys and curved keycaps for fast, accurate typing. It is spill-resistant and made with 50% recycled PCC plastic. The laptop is also ENERGY STAR 8.0 and EPEAT Gold certified.The ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 is MIL-STD 810H certified, ensuring it meets military standards for reliability and durability in extreme conditions, such as harsh temperatures, humidity, and vibrations.

Cisco - A Revolution at the Edge of Connectivity
In a world buzzing with connections, every machine, device, and sensor has found its voice. And as they all 'talk', the dream of seamless operational efficiency, safety, and minimized downtime becomes clearer by the day. However, with this massive network expansion, come challenges we can't ignore: the looming threats of cyber attacks, the rough terrains of environmental conditions, and the intricate web of complexity.

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Review : Balancing Performance and Design in 2024
The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 (2024) brings a refreshed design with Intel Core Ultra processors, offering improved efficiency and performance for multitasking and productivity. It features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9-185H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, ensuring seamless performance for professionals and creators. The 16-inch display comes in 2.5K 120Hz non-touch or Full HD+ touch variants, delivering vibrant visuals. With Wi-Fi 6E, a 1080p webcam, and a 90Wh battery option, this laptop balances power, connectivity, and endurance for modern users.

Tailored for Every Task: Exploring the Versatile Power of the HP EliteBook 630 G11 (2024)
The HP EliteBook 630 G11 (2024) is built with a CPU that utilizes a 7 nm fabrication process. This process refers to the size of the transistors within the processor, with 7 nanometers being a highly advanced and efficient manufacturing technology. A smaller fabrication process allows for more transistors to be packed into the CPU, improving performance and energy efficiency. This results in faster processing speeds and lower power consumption, making the device more powerful and suitable for demanding tasks while optimizing battery life.

The HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 (2024): Where Power, Precision, and Security Meet
Monumental Power and Expandability The HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 (2024) is designed to deliver outstanding performance, equipped with powerful processors and advanced graphics options. It excels in handling demanding tasks such as 3D rendering, simulations, and complex data processing, making it an ideal choice for professionals in fields that require substantial computing power. Additionally, the laptop's expandability options for memory and storage ensure that users can upgrade the system as their needs grow, providing long-term value and future-proofing the device.Gorgeous DreamColor Display The DreamColor display on the HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 offers exceptional visual quality, providing vibrant colors and sharp contrast. This display technology is designed to deliver accurate color reproduction, which is essential for professionals in fields like graphic design, video editing, and content creation, where precise color representation is crucial. With impressive brightness and wide viewing angles, the display ensures that content looks great from various perspectives, offering an enhanced visual experience.Top-Notch Connectivity The HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 (2024) is equipped with a range of advanced connectivity options, including multiple USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.4. These features enable fast data transfer, seamless connections to peripherals, and high-speed internet access. Whether working with large files or running demanding applications, these top-tier connectivity options ensure smooth and efficient workflow, making it ideal for professionals who need reliable and fast communication with their devices and networks.HP Wolf Security Sets the Standard The HP Wolf Security suite provides enhanced protection for the ZBook Fury 16 G11, safeguarding it from potential cyber threats. The security suite includes features such as HP Sure Start, HP Sure Click, and HP Sure Run, which work together to protect the laptop’s firmware and prevent unauthorized access. With this robust security framework in place, users can trust that their sensitive data is secure, making it a suitable choice for business and enterprise environments where data protection is paramount.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 (2024) Review: Quiet, Efficient, and Built to Last
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 (2024) features a rigid build and good overall performance, ensuring durability and reliability. The fan operates quietly even during long 100% CPU loads in “Best Performance” mode, while the display is PWM-free, offering comfortable viewing angles with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 445 nits of maximum brightness. The 5MP web camera includes a privacy shutter, and the laptop comes equipped with modern ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 and Gigabit LAN. Its comfortable keyboard and touchpad, combined with 2x SODIMMs, make it user-friendly. Optional features include vPro CPU, an IR web camera, fingerprint reader, Nano-SIM card slot, Smart card reader, Wi-Fi 6E, and NFC. The Core Ultra 5 125U processor maintains strong performance, with a 2.68 GHz / 2.36 GHz P and E-core clock in long stress and a quiet 2.15 GHz / 1.80 GHz frequency in “Balanced” mode. The bottom plate is easily removable, and the SSD (SAMSUNG PM9C1a) is fast and well-cooled. High-resolution IPS and OLED display options further enhance the viewing experience. Additionally, the laptop offers very long battery life with the optional 52.5Wh battery, lasting around 17 hours of video playback. The lid can be opened easily with one hand, adding convenience.

Balancing Performance, Durability, and Sustainability: Meet the EliteBook 840 G11

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 (2024): Power, Performance, and Precision for Professionals
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 (2024) is a high-performance mobile workstation designed to handle demanding tasks with its range of advanced Intel Core Ultra processors. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, ranked #25 in Top CPUs, offers top-tier processing power for complex tasks such as 3D rendering and large-scale simulations. Its superior computing capability makes it ideal for professionals in engineering and creative fields. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, ranked #37, excels at multitasking and is well-suited for graphic design, video editing, and data-intensive operations. For those requiring a balance of performance and efficiency, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, ranked #47, is perfect for content creation and heavy multitasking, offering a more energy-efficient solution. For moderate workloads, the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and 125H processors (ranked #63 and #57, respectively) provide reliable performance for everyday business tasks and light multitasking, offering a solid option for professionals and students with less intensive computational needs.Optimized for graphics-intensive tasks, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 offers NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation and Intel Arc GPU options. The NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation (35W) GPU, ranked #169, provides reliable performance for entry-level professional applications, supporting ray tracing and AI-accelerated workflows for 3D modeling, CAD design, and content creation. The Intel Arc (8-Cores), ranked #193, delivers a significant performance boost over basic integrated graphics, making it suitable for casual gaming, media editing, and light 3D rendering. The Intel Arc (7-Cores), ranked #190, offers slightly lower performance, catering to everyday productivity, media playback, and light creative tasks.The Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 offers a range of RAM configurations to meet different professional needs. The 16GB RAM configuration is ideal for standard multitasking and business applications, efficiently handling tasks like word processing, web browsing, and moderate design software. The 32GB RAM option enhances multitasking capabilities, making it suitable for complex workflows in software like Revit and Maya, as well as large-scale spreadsheets. For the most demanding users, the 64GB RAM configuration supports highly intensive applications such as large datasets, high-resolution rendering, and simulation software, making it perfect for data scientists, developers, and 3D animators.Storage options on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 range from 512GB to 4TB SSDs, offering tailored solutions for varying data storage needs. The 512GB SSD provides a balanced solution for everyday business tasks and moderate data storage. The 1TB SSD doubles the storage capacity, making it ideal for users working with larger files, such as in engineering, architecture, and graphic design. The 2TB SSD caters to users handling large datasets, multimedia files, and complex project files, while the 4TB SSD configuration is designed for users with exceptional storage requirements, such as those in film production or machine learning.The display options on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 cater to different visual needs, with WUXGA IPS and WQUXGA OLED configurations. The 16.0" WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display provides sharp visuals, 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, and a brightness of 400 nits, making it ideal for general productivity and multimedia tasks. The 16.0" WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) OLED display, with its true blacks, vibrant colors, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, delivers superior visual fidelity and is perfect for professionals in photo editing, video production, and design work.The Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 comes with a choice of Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home, depending on the user's needs. Windows 11 Pro offers advanced features such as BitLocker encryption, remote desktop capabilities, and virtualization tools, making it ideal for business professionals and IT administrators. Windows 11 Home, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly experience for everyday tasks, offering core features such as Snap layouts and Windows Hello biometric authentication.For enhanced typing comfort, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 offers a backlit English keyboard option, which is particularly useful for users who work in low-light environments. The backlighting is adjustable for visibility and battery efficiency. The standard English keyboard provides a traditional typing experience without backlighting, focusing on durability and functionality for well-lit environments. Both keyboards maintain Lenovo's reputation for comfort and precision, ensuring a reliable typing experience for professionals.Security features on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 include a touch-style fingerprint reader integrated into the power button for quick and secure authentication. The fingerprint reader employs match-on-chip technology to minimize the risk of unauthorized access, ensuring seamless login and power-on experiences. Additionally, the device is equipped with a Kensington Nano Lock slot, offering physical security to prevent theft, making it suitable for professionals working in secure environments.Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 (2024) is a versatile and powerful workstation, offering scalable performance, robust storage, stunning display options, and strong security features, tailored to meet the needs of professionals across various industries.

Your Ultimate Productivity Companion: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 (2024) Features Breakdown
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 (2024) offers a range of Intel Core Ultra processors to suit different needs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, ranked #139, is an entry-level processor ideal for basic productivity and web browsing, while the Ultra 5 135U, ranked #129, provides better efficiency for multitasking and light creative work. The Ultra 7 155U, ranked #137, is optimized for business professionals and developers, offering higher efficiency. The Ultra 7 165U, ranked #120, delivers the best performance in this lineup, handling data analysis, advanced computing, and moderate creative workloads with excellent power efficiency.For graphics, the Intel Integrated Graphics is designed for office tasks, media playback, and light content creation. It supports 4K video playback and casual gaming but is not suited for demanding graphical workloads.The laptop offers 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB RAM configurations. The 16GB RAM is best for office tasks and light creative work, while 32GB RAM enhances multitasking and moderate video editing. The 64GB RAM is tailored for high-performance workloads like 3D rendering, virtualization, and large dataset processing.Storage options include 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSDs. The 512GB SSD is ideal for business users with moderate storage needs, while the 1TB SSD suits professionals handling large files and creative projects. The 2TB SSD provides maximum capacity for engineers, content creators, and users dealing with heavy workloads.The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 runs on Windows 11, available in Home Edition for general users and Pro Edition for professionals needing advanced security and business features.

Powerful Performance in a Slim Package: HP EliteBook 660 G11 (2024)
The HP EliteBook 660 G11 (2024) offers a blend of powerful performance and sleek design, making it a standout choice for professionals who require both portability and reliability. Weighing only 1.75 kg and featuring a slim profile of 10.9 to 17 mm, it’s impressively compact for a 16-inch laptop, ensuring comfort and ease of use during long work sessions. Its display, boasting a high brightness of 333 nits and a PWM-free panel, ensures crisp, clear visuals with wide viewing angles, making it ideal for office tasks, presentations, and media consumption. The comfortable keyboard, which includes an optional backlight, makes typing effortless even in low-light environments. Equipped with a variety of ports, including 2x Type-A and 2x Type-C, this laptop provides versatile connectivity for external devices. Despite running in “Performance” mode, the fan operates quietly, maintaining a serene work environment. Battery life is exceptional, providing up to 11 hours of video playback, ensuring productivity throughout the day without the need for constant recharging. Additional features include a web camera with a privacy shutter, NVMe storage with effective cooling, and a durable base with a lever-style lid for easy opening.

