I posted this review in my "Check my spec!" thread but then found this section of the forums and thought it would be better suited here. Hope you guys enjoy it 
Design
I really like the design of the Vortex III and feel the contrast between the matte and glossy sections works well visually; even if the glossy parts attract dust and fingerprints. The overall aesthetic is functional, business-like but without looking completely totalitarian. The speaker bar sits below the display and blends into the overall body very well while; I’ll discuss the speaker’s sound quality in another section.
The brushed aluminium effects on the lid and palm-rest are nice touches that, while understated, add to the laptop's appearance. Ironically, the plastic matte sections around the keyboard and throughout the rest of the body tend to make the laptop look of a higher class than those from other manufacturers, even though brushed aluminium tends to brings to mind a look of luxury and rates higher in general opinion.
Display
I had every intention of buying a matte display as soon as I decided I was going to buy a new laptop but for those who are of a similar mind-set, try looking around in stores to see what’s available, otherwise you might end up with buyer’s remorse like I initially did.
Now let me qualify that last statement. When I received my laptop, I couldn’t get over the grainy effect the matte display had. It was not like my previous matte display on my Dell laptop, which I now class as glossy even though it was denoted as being matte when I bought it. I read up about matte and glossy displays once I received my laptop, in an attempt to educate myself more, even though I had originally thought I was clued up about these sorts of things, and also in an effort to reinforce my decision to choose a matte display. What I discovered was that users, who intend to work with images, be it in Photoshop or any other image application, would be better off using a matte display as they more accurately represent colours when compared to glossy displays. The example given was that an image on a glossy display will look different to that same image when printed, so it would be hard to colour correct effectively whereas this wouldn’t be an issue with matte displays.
In use, the lack of glare on this matte display is amazing and something I didn’t completely understand or appreciate until I saw it with my own eyes. Pictures can only ever show you so much when it comes to a display comparison between matte and glossy so seeing this display in action is something else.
Taking all that into account, I would still prefer a laptop display that offers a balance between non-glare and accurate colour while not having a grainy effect. With that said, I can live with this display and no longer have buyer’s remorse but this experience has taught me to do a bit more homework when making such decisions in future.
Sound quality
Given the speaker bar’s size, I was expecting the sound quality to be of a higher quality, even more so given the association of the Onkyo brand; however, with most brand tie-ins, it appears that marketing is more at play here than quality. I understand that there’s a subwoofer located at the bottom of the laptop but I don’t feel as if it offers much in the way of bass. The overall sound of the speakers is thin and tinny, like a lot of other laptops.
One point to note about the sound quality from these speakers is that it’s a lot better, to my ears at least, when using the included THX TruStudio PRO software from Creative. As a lot of people prefer audio solutions from companies other than Creative, generally as a result of the abundance of software that’s installed, I simply made sure to only allow the TruStudio PRO control panel to start with Windows as it simply resides in the system tray. In my experience, audio software that simulates surround sound and other effects has generally been a novelty and never really amounted to much but I was pleasantly surprised with the options available. With TruStudio PRO turned on, there’s a richer, deeper sound to music that doesn’t have that tinny quality I mentioned previously. There are also several options to choose from such as Surround, Crystalizer, Speaker and more. I doubt anyone is expecting an audiophile experience from these laptop speakers but for those who are, I recommend you look elsewhere.
Additionally, when listening to music on this laptop with headphones, the sound takes on a completely different quality and renders what I mentioned above, regarding TruStudio PRO, somewhat mute as I find the sound hollow and almost akin to that of a low bit-rate MP3. Turning TruStudio PRO off leaves audio more natural and pleasant sounding. As with any opinion on audio, it is entirely subjective and is difficult to form an opinion on until you listen for yourself.
Keyboard
The keyboard is the biggest pain I’ve had so far. It’s cramped, in comparison to a standard keyboard and even my previous Dell Inspiron 9400, so I’m missing the full Enter/Return key in addition to the placement of other buttons, e.g. Windows key, back-slash key, up/down/left/right keys etc. My recommendation for any would-be buyers would be to take a close look at this laptop’s keyboard in the pictures available and pay close attention to the placement of the keys in comparison to what you’re already accustomed to and think whether you would have any issues.
Besides the aforementioned issues, I find the backlight an excellent addition and the fact that the colours are customisable, makes it even better in my eyes. For those that don’t know, there are 3 independently lit regions to the keyboard, left, middle and right, so you can customise each region in the colour of your choice. I’ve played around with the colours and prefer a uniform colour for all sections; my favourites are blue and white.
Connectivity
I configured this laptop with the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 6235 as it offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I haven’t used Bluetooth yet other than to test it and make sure it worked. I am using Wi-Fi and have had complaints so far. As I’m using the router my ISP gave me when I got Broadband, I can’t comment on the speed of the 6235 as my router only supports 802.11g.
One feature that I’m glad for is USB 3.0. I have a USB 3.0 compatible desktop and love the fact that the speed of a hard drive connected to my USB 3.0 hard drive dock is the same as if the hard drive was connected to an internal SATA port. The addition of a FireWire and e-SATA port rounds out the connectivity and means I’m left wanting for nothing when it comes to my connection needs.
While not really a connectivity feature, I really like the addition of the Biometric fingerprint scanner as I not only saves me having to type my Windows logon password every time I start my computer, but it’s just an excellent addition to a laptop that exudes style.
Performance
Given the powerful CPU, copious amounts of ram and fast SSD, this system feels like it’s flying. Even though I have 3 other computers, 1 laptop and 2 desktops, this is the fastest of the 4. Though not one to buy items just because they’re the fastest or most powerful, I will be making use of the speed and power this laptop provides, given my use of Photoshop and similar applications. I don’t plan on gaming on this laptop, even though I chose an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, so I won’t be able to give my opinion on that front; I haven’t even bothered installing the NVIDIA drivers so I’m just using the integrated GPU. I discussed this fact with other members on the forum before my purchase and was advised that there were alternatives to the Vortex III that might suit my needs better, but I couldn’t find one that was good value and offered the features and customisation that I required.
Conclusion
Am I happy with this laptop after all is said and done? Yes, I am. Are there some things I would change? Yes, there are. I’m never going to be completely happy with any laptop I buy as I’m very particular in what features I want. With desktops, it’s a whole lot easier as I build my own and take time picking the components that not only complement each other but work the way I want.
For anyone looking for a laptop that has a great design, is built very well, offers an abundance of features and allows a lot of customisation, this is the laptop for you.
Design
I really like the design of the Vortex III and feel the contrast between the matte and glossy sections works well visually; even if the glossy parts attract dust and fingerprints. The overall aesthetic is functional, business-like but without looking completely totalitarian. The speaker bar sits below the display and blends into the overall body very well while; I’ll discuss the speaker’s sound quality in another section.
The brushed aluminium effects on the lid and palm-rest are nice touches that, while understated, add to the laptop's appearance. Ironically, the plastic matte sections around the keyboard and throughout the rest of the body tend to make the laptop look of a higher class than those from other manufacturers, even though brushed aluminium tends to brings to mind a look of luxury and rates higher in general opinion.
Display
I had every intention of buying a matte display as soon as I decided I was going to buy a new laptop but for those who are of a similar mind-set, try looking around in stores to see what’s available, otherwise you might end up with buyer’s remorse like I initially did.
Now let me qualify that last statement. When I received my laptop, I couldn’t get over the grainy effect the matte display had. It was not like my previous matte display on my Dell laptop, which I now class as glossy even though it was denoted as being matte when I bought it. I read up about matte and glossy displays once I received my laptop, in an attempt to educate myself more, even though I had originally thought I was clued up about these sorts of things, and also in an effort to reinforce my decision to choose a matte display. What I discovered was that users, who intend to work with images, be it in Photoshop or any other image application, would be better off using a matte display as they more accurately represent colours when compared to glossy displays. The example given was that an image on a glossy display will look different to that same image when printed, so it would be hard to colour correct effectively whereas this wouldn’t be an issue with matte displays.
In use, the lack of glare on this matte display is amazing and something I didn’t completely understand or appreciate until I saw it with my own eyes. Pictures can only ever show you so much when it comes to a display comparison between matte and glossy so seeing this display in action is something else.
Taking all that into account, I would still prefer a laptop display that offers a balance between non-glare and accurate colour while not having a grainy effect. With that said, I can live with this display and no longer have buyer’s remorse but this experience has taught me to do a bit more homework when making such decisions in future.
Sound quality
Given the speaker bar’s size, I was expecting the sound quality to be of a higher quality, even more so given the association of the Onkyo brand; however, with most brand tie-ins, it appears that marketing is more at play here than quality. I understand that there’s a subwoofer located at the bottom of the laptop but I don’t feel as if it offers much in the way of bass. The overall sound of the speakers is thin and tinny, like a lot of other laptops.
One point to note about the sound quality from these speakers is that it’s a lot better, to my ears at least, when using the included THX TruStudio PRO software from Creative. As a lot of people prefer audio solutions from companies other than Creative, generally as a result of the abundance of software that’s installed, I simply made sure to only allow the TruStudio PRO control panel to start with Windows as it simply resides in the system tray. In my experience, audio software that simulates surround sound and other effects has generally been a novelty and never really amounted to much but I was pleasantly surprised with the options available. With TruStudio PRO turned on, there’s a richer, deeper sound to music that doesn’t have that tinny quality I mentioned previously. There are also several options to choose from such as Surround, Crystalizer, Speaker and more. I doubt anyone is expecting an audiophile experience from these laptop speakers but for those who are, I recommend you look elsewhere.
Additionally, when listening to music on this laptop with headphones, the sound takes on a completely different quality and renders what I mentioned above, regarding TruStudio PRO, somewhat mute as I find the sound hollow and almost akin to that of a low bit-rate MP3. Turning TruStudio PRO off leaves audio more natural and pleasant sounding. As with any opinion on audio, it is entirely subjective and is difficult to form an opinion on until you listen for yourself.
Keyboard
The keyboard is the biggest pain I’ve had so far. It’s cramped, in comparison to a standard keyboard and even my previous Dell Inspiron 9400, so I’m missing the full Enter/Return key in addition to the placement of other buttons, e.g. Windows key, back-slash key, up/down/left/right keys etc. My recommendation for any would-be buyers would be to take a close look at this laptop’s keyboard in the pictures available and pay close attention to the placement of the keys in comparison to what you’re already accustomed to and think whether you would have any issues.
Besides the aforementioned issues, I find the backlight an excellent addition and the fact that the colours are customisable, makes it even better in my eyes. For those that don’t know, there are 3 independently lit regions to the keyboard, left, middle and right, so you can customise each region in the colour of your choice. I’ve played around with the colours and prefer a uniform colour for all sections; my favourites are blue and white.
Connectivity
I configured this laptop with the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 6235 as it offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I haven’t used Bluetooth yet other than to test it and make sure it worked. I am using Wi-Fi and have had complaints so far. As I’m using the router my ISP gave me when I got Broadband, I can’t comment on the speed of the 6235 as my router only supports 802.11g.
One feature that I’m glad for is USB 3.0. I have a USB 3.0 compatible desktop and love the fact that the speed of a hard drive connected to my USB 3.0 hard drive dock is the same as if the hard drive was connected to an internal SATA port. The addition of a FireWire and e-SATA port rounds out the connectivity and means I’m left wanting for nothing when it comes to my connection needs.
While not really a connectivity feature, I really like the addition of the Biometric fingerprint scanner as I not only saves me having to type my Windows logon password every time I start my computer, but it’s just an excellent addition to a laptop that exudes style.
Performance
Given the powerful CPU, copious amounts of ram and fast SSD, this system feels like it’s flying. Even though I have 3 other computers, 1 laptop and 2 desktops, this is the fastest of the 4. Though not one to buy items just because they’re the fastest or most powerful, I will be making use of the speed and power this laptop provides, given my use of Photoshop and similar applications. I don’t plan on gaming on this laptop, even though I chose an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, so I won’t be able to give my opinion on that front; I haven’t even bothered installing the NVIDIA drivers so I’m just using the integrated GPU. I discussed this fact with other members on the forum before my purchase and was advised that there were alternatives to the Vortex III that might suit my needs better, but I couldn’t find one that was good value and offered the features and customisation that I required.
Conclusion
Am I happy with this laptop after all is said and done? Yes, I am. Are there some things I would change? Yes, there are. I’m never going to be completely happy with any laptop I buy as I’m very particular in what features I want. With desktops, it’s a whole lot easier as I build my own and take time picking the components that not only complement each other but work the way I want.
For anyone looking for a laptop that has a great design, is built very well, offers an abundance of features and allows a lot of customisation, this is the laptop for you.
