HP Essential 655 C6Z75UT 15.6" LED Notebook - AMD - E-Series E1-1200

I will preface this by saying that this is my first laptop, so I don't know what is normal for them. To start, I purchased this computer because I am due to undergo major surgery and wanted something portable that I could use for entertainment and general purposes while I was laid up and unable to sit at my desk. Originally I wanted all the bells as whistles, but am glad now that I purchased this model. I've had it for a month and am still in a steep learning curve. Compared to this my Old Betsy desktop is a Model T. It is VERY fast. I don't know if it is the Windows 8 or the increased RAM, etc. vs. Old Betsy, which, though it is not as large as some laptops out there, the HP with Windows 8 seems plenty fast to me. Downloads are installed with amazing speed. When you turn it on, it takes about 20 seconds to power on, at most. The Windows 8 can be VERY confusing. The instructions provided left something to be desired. What is frustrating is that if you even relax your hand, or inadvertently brush the pad ever so slightly, you will find yourself on another page entirely. It is very frustrating when you are working on a specific technical project and suddenly find yourself in Movie Reviews that you looked at yesterday with no idea how you got there. Maybe the touch pad is too sensitive, or maybe this is normal for laptops, I don't know. It will take getting used to, and I am not a techie by any means. If you are, then you should be fine. There is a steep learning curve. A word: I had it about four days when a spyware search engine calling itself Iminent, evidently originating in Paris, France suddenly appeared. I didn't down load it, it snuck in with an update for legitimate software.. It is pernacious and evil. Nothing could get rid of it. It was very disappointing that the new Norton malware/anti-virus pre-installed with the computer didn't catch it. Fortunately a friend's husband rode to the rescue and knew how to restore the computer to factory settings, which can be done on Windows 8.. He saved me $200, which is what the computer repair people wanted to charge me. I would recommend adding supplemental protection ASAP. Pictures displayed are unbelievably sharp and crisp. The Skype seems to work, though I haven't used it. There are features like My Room that I haven't gotten to yet--there are a lot of cool features that I'm sure I'll appreciate when I delve into them. The keyboard feels very good, the keys are raised, and not too stiff or sensitive. All numbers are in their usual place across the top as on a regular keyboard; there is no extra numeric pad. I never use it anyway, so I'm fine with it. If this is an important feature for you, you probably wouldn't be happy with this computer. All in all, the more I use it, the more I like it, and would recommend it to anyone who is willing to try Windows 8. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is the issue with the touchy pad and the spyware issue.

• How did the image on site compare with the actual product? Very well
• Was the product free of any manufacturer defects? Yes
• Please tell us about the quality of the product. Very good
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Yes