Apple MacBook Spring 2010 (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD)

Monday, 26 July 2010 2 comments
The good: Faster processor; improved graphics; better battery life.
The bad: Still no SD card slot; might be time for Apple to switch to 16:9 aspect ratio displays.
The bottom line: Apple slightly revamps its basic MacBook with improvements under the hood, but keeps the design and price the same, which makes the new MacBook tough to beat as a back-to-school laptop.
Review:
Apple MacBook Spring 2010 (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD)
Apple MacBook Spring 2010 (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD)
Apple MacBook Spring 2010 (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD)
Apple MacBook Spring 2010 (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD)

Incredibly popular on college campuses and in coffee shops, Apple's MacBook laptops are arguably one of the most flexible and useful laptop lines ever designed, thanks to the company's overarching hardware and software ecosystem--and anchored by our favorite track pad ever.The Pro line may be Apple's flagship laptop, but the basic white polycarbonate $999 MacBook hits the sweet spot between price and performance; especially now that the Apple's latest updates have added a slightly faster Intel Core 2 Duo processor, improved Nvidia graphics, and even given its battery life a modest boost.While the practical impact on users is probably modest, Apple still hasn't moved to Intel's newer Core-series CPUs in its 13-inch models, and the lack of an SD card slot in any laptop these days seems like a glaring omission. We expect some changes in these areas when Apple gives its MacBook line its next big refresh, else things may start to feel a bit dated. While we're compiling a wish list, we'd love to see Apple make the switch and give the MacBook screen a 16:9 aspect ratio with higher resolutions.That said, if you're shopping for a back-to-school laptop--and it's certainly getting to be that time of the year--the 13-inch MacBook is very likely near the top of your list, and with good reason.
Price as reviewed / Starting price $999
Processor 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 2GB, 1,066MHz DDR2
Hard drive 320GB 5,400rpm
Chipset Intel NM10
Graphics Nvidia GeForce 320M
Operating System OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard
Dimensions (WD) 13.0x9.12 inches
Height 1.08 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 13.3 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 4.5/5.0 pounds
Category 13-inch

From the outside, this new version of the MacBook looks identical to the one released in the fall of 2009. It uses the same polycarbonate "unibody" construction-- although the bottom panel is a separate piece--found in the last few generations of the aluminum MacBook Pro line, and only comes in white; we still find people who miss the black MacBook.The MacBook is not the thinnest 13-inch laptop we've seen, but the gently sloped edges on the glossy white lid make it look nice and slim. As before, the bottom panel has a darker off-white color and a matte feel than the glossy lid and keyboard tray.Seeing other PC makers implement their own versions of a multitouch track pad just makes us appreciate the Apple version even more. The MacBook has the same large glass multitouch track pad the MacBook Pros have had for some time, as well as the one on the non-Pro MacBook since last fall.The entire track pad presses as a giant left mouse button, but tapping to click can be turned on in the settings menu--it really should be on by default, and every time we use a new MacBook, it takes us a minute to figure out why we can't click on anything. The large surface area and the multitouch gestures--including four fingers to minimize every open window and the two-finger tap to simulate a right mouse click--are so intuitive and useful that it takes a few minutes to adjust to using any other kind of track pad.This 13.3-inch display still has the same 1,280x800-pixel native resolution as its previous versions had. Once that resolution was extremely common; however, these days laptops from 11- to 15-inch screen size generally have a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1,366x768-pixel resolution display, rather than the 16:10 aspect ratio found here. Many premium-priced laptops go even further, with display resolutions hitting 1,600x900 pixels or higher. It's not a deal breaker, but for viewing HD video content, it's not perfect. If you're spending $1,000 or more on a laptop, having a 12x8 aspect ratio display is starting to look a little long in the tooth.
  Apple MacBook spring 2010 Average for category [13-inch]
Video Mini-DisplayPort VGA plus HDMI or DisplayPort
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data 2 USB 2.0 3 USB 2.0, SD card reader
Expansion None None
Networking Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional mobile broadband
Optical drive DVD burner DVD burner

The ports and connections on this new MacBook are exactly the same as the previous model, which is no surprise. You'll need to adapt the mini-DisplayPort video output to match your preferred external monitor, and its lack of an SD card slot is still a major inconvenience. At the same time, the Magsafe power adapter connection, which pops harmlessly off if yanked, should be an industry standard across the board.The standard MacBook comes in only a single configuration with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. You can increase the RAM from 2GB to 4GB for $100, or upgrade the hard drive to 320GB ($50) or 500GB ($150), but that's it as far as you can upgrade the hardware. Considering the 13-inch MacBook Pro is only $200 more--and $100 of that goes to the RAM upgrade--you could spend the extra $100 and get the metal construction, backlit keyboard, and an SD card slot.Performancewise, you're getting essentially the same experience as with the more expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro in our benchmark tests, although even the older fall 2010 MacBook wasn't far behind. In fact, the Core 2 Duo MacBooks were significantly faster than a recent 13-inch Asus U30Jc with an Intel Core i3 CPU, although in our single-app tests, a Core i5 Sony Z116 was faster.The biggest under-the-hood change to the MacBook is that it now has Nvidia's GeForce 320M graphics chip. It's technically still an integrated GPU, and a close relative to the previous MacBook's GeForce 9400M chip. However, just as we loved the 9400, the new 320M is even better, providing decent 3D graphics and HD video playback without the need for a discrete GPU. In Call of Duty 4, we got 28.9 frames per second at the system's 1,280x800-pixel native resolution with 4x anti-aliasing turned on, and 48.3 frames per second at lower graphics settings without the anti-aliasing. In comparison, the current 15-inch MacBook Pro, with a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT 330M running at 1,440x900-pixel resolution gets 34.9fps and 59fps on the same tests.
With the introduction of Steam for Macs, there's never been a better time to be a Mac gamer. While it may not be perfect for hardcore gamers, mainstream users will find they can use the non-Pro MacBook for most current and upcoming games (provided the game publishers release an OSX version).
Juice box
Apple MacBook spring 2010Average watts per hour
Off0.26
Sleep0.88
Idle8.72
Load33.83
Raw kWh36.05
Annual power consumption cost$4.09
Annual power consumption costs
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Apple MacBook - spring 2010 - Core 2 Duo 13.3-inch - 2.4GHz
$4.09 
Asus U30Jc
$4.20 

Apple continues to dominate in our battery life tests. Thanks to a modest change in the chemistry of the sealed-in MacBook battery, the current 13-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro both last significantly longer than their predecessors did. This model ran for 6 hours and 27 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, while the fall 2009 MacBook ran for only 5 hours and 14 minutes. Outside of low-voltage Netbooks--and then even just a handful of those--it's nearly impossible to get a longer workday out of a laptop. The trade-off is that the sealed battery compartment means that you can't swap in a second battery, or replace an old battery yourself. Apple still includes a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, but only 90 days of telephone support. Upgrading to a full three-year plan under AppleCare will cost an extra $249 and is pretty much a must-buy, considering the proprietary nature of Apple products. Support is also accessible through an online knowledge base, video tutorials, and e-mail with customer service, or through in-person visits to Apple's retail store Genius Bars, which in our experience have always been fairly frustration-free encounters.
Multimedia multitasking test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Video playback battery drain test (in minutes)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)



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Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025

Monday, 19 July 2010 1 comments
The good: Solid combination of Core i3 processor and dedicated graphics; good battery life; better-than-average speakers.
The bad: Tremendous size and bulky battery; priced higher than other Core i3 laptops.
The bottom line: While the Toshiba Satellite A505-6025 has a rock-solid combination of computing power, graphics, and battery life, its price and bulk may be hard to swallow.
Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025
Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025
Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025

Review:
In the previous holiday retail roundup of laptops, our favorite budget notebook ended up being the Toshiba Satellite A505-6980. At $629, its package of a Core 2 Duo processor, long battery life, bright 16-inch screen, and great speakers made it a heavy, rather unportable, but good-valued general computer.
The A505-S6025 falls into our mainstream category, not budget, chiefly because the price--$799--and increased feature set elevate it. Gone is the low-end Core 2 Duo processor, replaced with an Intel Core i3 CPU. Instead of integrated graphics, the A505-S6025 has Nvidia GeForce 310M dedicated graphics.
Otherwise, the screen size, speakers, and bulky battery--a 12-cell--remain largely the same. We can't say that this is the most affordable Core i3; however: in fact, it's one of the more expensive. And, unfortunately, it's as large as a tank. With Core i3 laptops becoming so incredibly affordable, the A505 lost whatever cache it once had last year and has become just another laptop. For just $629, you could get the Asus U50F instead and have a similar computing experience, minus the dedicated gaming graphics and longer battery life. The Satellite A505-S6025 is a well-constructed, gaming-capable laptop, yes, but also a large one--and for only a hundred more, you could easily enter the realm of higher-end machines. So, despite some decent specs and performance, the system's awkward in-between price works slightly against it.



Price as reviewed $799
Processor 2.1 GHz Intel Core i3 M330
Memory 4GB, 1066 MHz DDR3
Hard drive 500GB 5,400rpm
Chipset Intel HM55
Graphics Nvidia GeForce 310M
Operating system Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Dimensions (WD) 15.1 x 10.2 inches
Height 1.6-2.0 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 16 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 7.2 / 8.2 pounds
Category Mainstream

The Satellite A505-S6025 is one seriously thick laptop. With its chunky battery attached, it's even thicker than the 1.6 inches we measured--more like over 2 inches. At more than 8 pounds with its AC adapter, this is a computer that will need a reinforced bag and some good shoulder strength to carry.
It's not unattractive, however, on the inside. With a glossy black body and a dull silver trim around the edges, the A505 looks like a premium multimedia laptop with its lid open. Harman Kardon speakers flank both sides of an LED touch-key media control strip above the keyboard, and the edge-to-edge keyboard includes a full-size number pad.
The glossy black finish, etched with a spread of varying gray pinstripes that Toshiba calls "quantum black," is much like many other Satellites: curved and flashy, but awfully eager to show off smudges and prints. We liked the interior better, which is fortunate, since the A505 seems destined for a life seated on a desk, sedentary and unlikely to ever move into a backpack or bag.
The 16-inch glossy LED-backlit screen on the Satellite A505-6025 has a native resolution of 1,366x768 pixels, which is a standard size for 16x9 screens in general, but a little low for screens in the 16-inch and larger range. Having a full HD 1,900x1,080 display would have been preferred (although they're rare under 17 or 18 inches), or at least 1,600x900.
Still, our display looked good both when computing and playing back videos and games, although to its credit, the Asus U50F, at only $649, looked equally good to our eyes. As always, Toshiba's speakers are decidedly better than average. The stereo Harman Kardon speakers on the A505--6025 are louder than nearly any other laptop we've recently reviewed and have well-defined bass, a rarity. We won't give this laptop a pass thanks to its speakers alone, but they help justify the relatively higher price.
  Toshiba Satellite A505-6025 Average for category [Mainstream]
Video VGA-out, HDMI VGA and HDMI or DisplayPort
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data 2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 2.0/eSATA sleep-and-charge port, SD card reader, mini-Firewire 4 USB 2.0, SD card reader
Expansion ExpressCard/54 ExpressCard/54
Networking Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN
Optical drive DVD burner DVD burner

With a laptop this huge, we would at least expect an extensive selection of ports, and the A505-6025 delivers on that front. USB 2.0, a combo eSATA and sleep-and-charge port, HDMI, FireWire and an ExpressCard slot round out a nearly complete set of options, with only Bluetooth omitted. The included 500GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM are nice touches, but hardly noteworthy anymore: in fact, they are fast becoming standards in the mainstream category, based on our recent reviews.
Running the show inside the A505-6025 is a new Intel Core i3 M330 CPU, a processor that has already impressed us with its speed and overall multitasking performance, especially for the price of the laptops it's being dropped into. Unfortunately, the A505-6025 performs nearly identically to other Core i3 M330 laptops. We say "unfortunately" because the Asus U50F-RBBAG05, also reviewed in this roundup, only costs $649. The Satellite A505-6025 is an extra $150, placing it at the upper end of Core i3 laptops.
The A505-6025 does have its advantages, however: first and foremost is its discrete graphics, thanks to an Nvidia GeForce 310M included inside. This is a good GPU, especially for a general mainstream user--our gaming benchmark had Unreal Tournament III running at 36 fps in 1,440x900 mode downscaled to native resolution, and it can play most mainstream games. That's an admitted plus for this Toshiba Satellite--many of the other Core i3s we reviewed only had integrated graphics. The question is: do you feel like paying $150 for that privilege?

Multimedia multitasking test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Video playback battery drain test (in minutes)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)


Juice box
Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025 Average watts per hour
Off (60 percent)0.53
Sleep (10 percent)0.98
Idle (25 percent)12.61
Load (5 percent)52.98
Raw kWh54.47
Annual energy cost$6.18

The Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025 ran for 4 hours and 28 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, using the included 12-cell battery. Admittedly, that's also with dedicated graphics running, but with a gigantic battery like the one grafted to the back of the A505-S6025, we'd have expected even more. That's still better than other Core i3 laptops we covered in this price range, so perhaps adding significant bulk is a worthy trade-off for the added juice. As for us, we'd rather carry a thinner laptop and a charger and live dangerously.
The Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025 is backed by an industry-standard, one-year warranty. Support is accessible 24-7 via a toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base, and a Web site with driver downloads. While retail shops are happy to sell you an in-store extended warranty, they are often expensive and hard to use, so we don't recommend them.



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Nikon Coolpix S8000 (black)

Friday, 16 July 2010 0 comments
The good: Great LCD; stereo mic; 10x zoom in an attractive compact body.
The bad: Poor low-light photo quality; no optical zoom while recording movies; mixed shooting performance; no semimanual, manual modes.
The bottom line: A nice design and a couple extra features keep the Nikon Coolpix S8000 from being an also-ran compact megazoom.
Nikon Coolpix S8000 (black)
Nikon Coolpix S8000 (black)
Nikon Coolpix S8000 (black)
Nikon Coolpix S8000 (black)

Review: A year ago, the Nikon Coolpix S8000 would've been impressive: a slim, compact 14-megapixel camera with a wide-angle zoom lens, a high-resolution LCD, and a 720p HD movie mode with a built-in stereo mic and HDMI output for less than $300. And frankly, those features are still enough to grab attention from competing models. On the other hand, the users who would appreciate these features might also want more or better shooting options; the S8000 is for the most part an automatic camera. They'd probably also want better indoor/low-light photo quality, too. But, if you don't care about any of that and don't do a lot of cropping of your shots or printing them larger than 4x6 inches, the S8000 is an above average compact megazoom.
Key specs Nikon Coolpix S8000
Price (MSRP) $299.99
Dimensions (WHD) 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.1 inches
Weight (with battery and media) 6.5 ounces
Megapixels, image sensor size, type 14 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder 3-inch LCD, 921K dots/None
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) 10x, f3.5-5.6, 30-300mm (35mm equivalent)
File format (still/video) JPEG/MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (.MOV)
Highest resolution size (still/video) 4,320x3,240 pixels/1,280x720 at 30fps
Image stabilization type Optical and digital
Battery type, CIPA rated life Li-ion rechargeable, 210 shots
Battery charged in camera Yes; by computer or wall adapter
Storage media SD/SDHC memory cards
Bundled software Software Suite for Coolpix (Windows/Mac)

Available in black, red, silver, and bronze, the S8000 is compact for having a 10x zoom lens, and it's one of the slimmest in its class. That's likely because of the smoothly flared lens surround, which is somewhat out-of-step with the camera's otherwise boxy design. It's attractive, though, and will fit easily in a pants pocket or small handbag. The metal casing makes it feel high-quality and despite it being completely flat, the right side has a textured finish that improves your grip slightly. If there is one problem with the design it's the flash. It pops up from the left side, so it's easily blocked by fingers when it rises and then leaves you little room to grip the camera once it's up. Fortunately, it only pops up when needed.
The controls and menu system are fairly uncomplicated, so out-of-the-box shooting shouldn't be much a problem. The menu system is broken into three tabs: Shooting, Movie, and Setup. The layout keeps you from doing too much hunting through settings. And thanks to the high-resolution screen, menus are nice-looking, sharp, and easy to read. The LCD gets reasonably bright as well, so you shouldn't struggle too much when framing shots in bright direct light. It's great for playback to boot.
Controls are pretty straightforward. Squeezed between the large thumb rest and the screen, is a record button for movies. Below that is a shooting mode button labeled "Scene" with a playback button to its right; a four-way control pad/wheel with an OK button in its center (Nikon calls it a Rotary Multi Selector); and then Menu and Delete buttons at the very bottom. The control pad is used for menu and image navigation as well as setting self-timer, adjusting flash and exposure compensation, and turning on macro focus. Should you want to move faster through menus or images and videos, you can spin the wheel instead of doing single presses with underlying control pad. Although it moves easily, you can feel stops. All in all, it's a pretty standard digital camera arrangement, but everything could be more responsive.
The S8000 is powered by a lithium ion rechargeable pack that is rated for a measly 210 shots; this was supported in testing, though it was a mix of stills and movies. The battery is charged in the camera by connecting via USB to a computer or the included wall adapter. The battery and card compartment are on the bottom behind a locking door. Next to it is a Mini-USB/AV port. A covered Mini-HDMI port is on the right side of the camera for connecting to an HDTV or monitor; you'll need to buy a cable, though.
General shooting options Nikon Coolpix S8000
ISO sensitivity (full resolution) Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, 3,200
White balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Manual, Flash
Recording modes Auto, Scene Auto Selector, Scene, Smart Portrait, Subject Tracking, Movie
Focus modes Multi AF, Center AF, Face Priority, Selectable Area AF, Macro
Metering modes Multi, Center-weighted average
Color effects Brightness, Vividness, Hue
Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) 10
There are two Auto modes on this camera. One is Nikon's Scene Auto Selector, which is the first option in the camera's Scene mode. It adjusts settings appropriately based on six common scene types. If the scene doesn't match any of those, it defaults to a general-use Auto. Then there is an Auto mode, which is like the program AE modes on other point-and-shoots. You can change ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation as well as light metering, autofocus area and mode, and continuous shooting modes. For the S8000, Nikon adds some extra control over hue (color tone) and vividness (saturation), too, with adjustable sliders. They're not revolutionary, but if you like to experiment they'll be welcomed. (Then again, so would semimanual or manual controls.) The slider settings get stored in the camera's memory for the Auto mode, so they stay even if you power the camera off.
If you're able to decipher the type of scene you're shooting, it may correspond to one of the camera's 14 selectable scene modes. All of the scenes are standards like Portrait and Landscape, and there is a Panorama Assist for lining up a series of shots that can be stitched together with the bundled software.
Nikon's Smart Portrait System gets its own spot in the shooting-mode menu. Basically, it combines blink detection, smile-activated shutter release, red-eye fix, skin softening, and Face Priority AF features into one mode. The System works well (though the red-eye reduction failed most times and there's no option to use it in playback mode), in particular for self-portraits, allowing you to take pictures without pressing the shutter release or setting a timer. The blink detection will fire off a second shot if the camera thinks someone blinked (though squinting had the same effect) and skin softening helps smooth out skin tones and can be set to low, normal, or high. Plus, the smile and blink detection and skin softening can be shut off entirely.
The last of the shooting modes is Subject Tracking, and the name pretty much says it all. Place the focus area box at the center of the frame on your subject, hit OK, and the camera will move the box with the subject. If the subject moves out of frame, the camera will do its best to pick up the subject when it reenters the frame. The camera can be set to focus once or continuously and it can prioritize tracking faces, but otherwise everything else is handled automatically. The mode mostly works as promised, but it should really just be an AF area option instead of a whole mode.
If you like to shoot close-ups, the S8000 has a few ways to enter Macro mode. It will automatically switch to it if you're using the Scene Auto Selector mode. You can also select a Close-up mode from the camera's Scene options. And if you're in Auto mode, you can switch to macro focus via the control pad. You can focus as close as 0.4 inch from your subject.
There is no Movie mode to select since video capture is activated with the dedicated record button. Press it and a couple seconds later the camera starts recording; resolutions can be set up to 720p HD quality at 30 frames per second. There is no use of the optical zoom while recording, but a stepped digital zoom is available and there is a continuous AF option.
Nikon claims the S8000 has ultrafast start-up, autofocus, and shooting and that's true, at least partially. The camera starts up and shoots very fast at 0.8 second, but that's if you're ready to shoot as soon as the camera comes on and your timing is good. If you wait for everything to get loaded up and ready, though, it is more like 4 or 5 seconds from off to first shot. Shot-to-shot times are good for its class at 1.7 seconds without the flash and 2.1 seconds with it on. Shutter lag---how quickly a camera captures an image after the shutter-release button is pressed--is average for its class at 0.5 second in bright lighting and 0.9 seconds in dim conditions. The S8000 has a couple continuous shooting options; we test with its full-resolution continuous setting, which shoots at about 1.2 frames per second. There is a faster Sport Continuous option for capturing up to 45 photos at approximately 3 frames per second. In order to do this, the maximum resolution is reduced to 3 megapixels; the focus, exposure, and white balance are fixed at the first picture in the series; and the ISO is set to a range of 400-3,200. These things aren't unusual for burst modes on compact cameras, and it does allow you to capture something. However, you won't be able to do much with them beyond Web sharing and 4x6-inch prints, which is probably enough for most people.

Sample photos: Nikon Coolpix S8000
Sample photos:
Nikon Coolpix S8000
For being one of Nikon's highest end Coolpix cameras, the S8000's photo quality is pretty average. Photos taken at ISO 400 and below are good with low noise and decent fine detail, so light cropping and enlarging are possible, resulting in good prints up to 8x10 inches. With no cropping, you can probably go slightly larger without seeing soft, smeary details. Above ISO 400, images look more like watercolor paintings than photos. At ISO 800 they're still usable for small prints and Web use, but go any higher and you end up with soft, smeary subjects and blotches of yellow and blue color noise.
In Auto mode, you have a choice of two fixed range auto settings for ISO: ISO 100-400 and 100-800. When possible, use the former. If you're using the full 10x zoom range, you're indoors, or in low-light conditions, switch to the latter.
Nikon for the most part controls lens distortion, but there is very slight barrel distortion at the wide end and pincushion distortion when the lens is fully extended. Center sharpness is OK, but gets visibly softer in the corners. Fringing is average to above average in high contrast areas of photos. In the center of the frame it's not as bad. However, subjects off to the sides have more severe fringing making it harder to edit out.
Color performance is very good--bright, vibrant, and accurate; only blues were a bit off, looking slightly pale. Exposure and white balance are good, too, though the auto white balance is slightly green under fluorescent lighting. However, it performed fine when switched to the fluorescent preset or with a manual reading.
Movie quality is on par with a pocket video camera; it's good but jittery when the shooter or subject is moving. On top is a stereo mic, and it works well, too. If you want to hear your clips in stereo directly from the camera, though, you'll have to invest in a Mini-HDMI cable.
The Nikon Coolpix S8000 is a strange camera, mostly because I'm not sure who the target user is. Is a person who would appreciate paying extra for a 921K-dot LCD and stereo mic the same one who would be satisfied with mainly snapshot shooting modes, no use of the optical zoom while recording movies, and poor high ISO photo quality? The addition of slider controls for brightness, saturation, and color tone and the use of the Rotary Multi Selector seem to suggest the S8000 may at one time have had semimanual and/or manual controls in its feature set. Maybe next time around, Nikon can take the design and key features, pop in a better sensor, and add more control over results to make this a more attractive package. As it stands, it's just an above average compact megazoom.
Shooting speed
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot  
Typical shot-to-shot time (flash)  
Typical shot-to-shot time  
Shutter lag (dim)  
Shutter lag (typical)  
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
2 
2.5 
2 
0.6 
0.4 
Fujifilm FinePix JZ500
2.7 
2.8 
2.8 
0.6 
0.4 
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
2.5 
6.1 
2.6 
0.7 
0.6 
Nikon Coolpix S8000
0.8 
2.1 
1.7 
0.9 
0.5 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370
2.3 
4.2 
1.9 
1.6 
0.8 
Typical continuous-shooting speed
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
0.8 


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JVC Everio GZ-HM320

The good: Relatively intelligent autofocus system; compact.
The bad: Poor video quality; no optical image stabilization.
The bottom line: The four sibling models--the JVC Everio GZ-HM300, HM320, HM340, and HD500--deliver subpar video for even their dirt-cheap prices.
JVC Everio GZ-HM320
JVC Everio GZ-HM320
JVC Everio GZ-HM320
JVC Everio GZ-HM320

With some of the worst video quality I've seen in an HD camcorder of late, the best I can say about JVC's entry-level HD Everio camcorder models is that they're small and cheap. Though they're $60 to $100 less than HD competitors, they're defined by a tiny, insufficient-resolution-for-HD sensor, a 20x zoom lens with no optical image stabilization (only electronic), and the lowest-resolution LCD display in their class.Perhaps JVC's goal is to upsell customers: the company offers 10 HD models for less than $800, with these four nearly identical versions that list between $400 and $550 alone. Three are flash models that differ only by built-in memory, and the fourth is an 80GB hard-disk-based model, which takes microSD cards instead of regular SDHC/SDXC cards. It bears pointing out that in JVC's confusing lineup and unlike every other manufacturer out there, the similarly named HD300 and HD320 are not sibling products to the HM300 and HM320; they have bigger, higher-resolution sensors and their flash-based sibling is the HM200.





  JVC Everio GZ-HM300/HM320/HM340 JVC Everio GZ-HD500 JVC Everio GZ-HM200 JVC Everio GZ-HD300/HD320 JVC Everio GZ-HD620
Sensor 1.37-megapixel CMOS 1.37-megapixel CMOS 3.1-megapixel CMOS 3.1-megapixel CMOS 3.3-megapixel BIS CMOS
1/5.8 inch 1/5.8 inch 1/4.1 inch 1/4.1 inch 1/4 inch
Lens
 20x
f1.8-3.5
46.4 to 928mm		 20x
f1.8-3.5
46.4 to 928mm		 20x
f1.9-3.2
41.4 - 828mm		 20x
f1.9-3.2
41.4 - 828mm 		30x
f1.8-4.7
43.7 - 1411mm
Optical image stabilization No No Yes Yes Yes
Min illumination (lux) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
EVF No No No No No
LCD 2.7-inch 123,000-dot 2.7-inch 123,000-dot 2.7-inch 123,000-dot 2.7-inch 123,000-dot 2.7-inch 123,000-dot
Primary media 0GB/8GB/16GB flash; SDHC 80GB hard disk; microSD 0GB flash; SDHC 60GB/120GB hard disk; microSD 120GB hard disk; microSD
HD recording AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps
(all video interpolated up from less than 1,440x1,080 pixels; actual dimensions n/a)		 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps

(all video interpolated up from less than 1,440x1,080 pixels; actual dimensions n/a) 		AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps		 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps		 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps
Manual shutter speed and iris No No No No Yes
Accessory shoe No No No No No
Audio 2 channels 2 channels 2 channels 2 channels, headphone 2 channels
Body dimensions (WHD, inches) 2.1 x 2.4 x 4.4 2.1 x 2.5 x 4.6 2.2 x 2.6 x 4.4 2.1 x 2.7 x 4.5 2.1 x 2.5 x 4.6
Operating weight (ounces) 8.5 10.7 (est) 11 (est) 12.8 (est) 11 (est)
Mfr. Price $399.95/$449.95/$499.95 $549.95 $579.95 $699.95/$799.95 $649.95
Ship date February 2010 March 2010 March 2010 March 2010 April 2010
One thing the entry-level JVC models do have going for them is size: they're the lightest and smallest models in their class. The length of the body of the flash models is about the width of a large man's palm; the hard-drive version is slightly longer and wider, which might make for more comfortable shooting for large-handed people. Though made of shiny plastic, the camcorder feels reasonably well constructed.Beneath a door on the bottom right sits a pair of SDHC card slots; the models with built-in memory only have a single slot. I like this card location better than in most of the other designs I've seen; it's out of the way and the thin grip strap doesn't block it. I also like the location of the USB connector, which shares a spot above the battery with the DC input.
Toward the front of the camcorder is the grip strap release lever, which turns it into a wrist strap. The top controls consist of the zoom switch and photo shutter button.
The LCD recess houses the playback and recording controls, Upload (to YouTube, via computer), and a power button that also cycles through three different information screens. I'm not a big fan of the multiple-duty power button; to me, it's a surefire way to end up turning off the camcorder accidentally. The component, AV, and Mini-HDMI out connectors also occupy the recess.
Of the touch-sensitive buttons on the LCD bezel, only OK and Menu are fixed; the other three are context sensitive. You navigate the menus via a slider strip on the left side, which lights up as you use it. It probably demos well in retail and gives you something pretty to look at while the camcorder boots, but it's only modestly effective as a navigation technique--it's too imprecise for that or for manual focus, leading to accidental slide-bys past your desired options.







  Canon HF R100/ 10 / 11 JVC Everio GZ-HM300/HM320/HM340 Panasonic HDC-SD60/ TM55 / TM60 Sony Handycam HDR-CX110/CX150
Sensor 2.4-megapixel CMOS 1.37-megapixel CMOS 3-megapixel CMOS 3-megapixel Exmor R CMOS
1/5.5 inch 1/5.8 inch 1/4.1 inch 1/4 inch
Lens 20x
f1.8-3.6
40 - 800mm (16:9)		 20x
f1.8-3.5
46.4 to 928mm (n/a)		 25x
f1.8-3.3
35.7-893mm (16:9)		 25x
f1.8-2.6
37 - 1075mm (16:9)
Optical image stabilization Yes No Yes Yes
Min illumination (lux) standard: 5.5
low light: 0.4		 n/a recommended:1400
low light: 4
night: 1		 standard: 11
low light: 3
EVF No No No No
LCD 2.7-inch 211,000-dot 2.7-inch 123,000-dot 2.7-inch 230,400 dot touch screen 2.7-inch 230,000-dot touch screen
Primary media 0GB/8GB/32GB flash; SDHC 0GB/8GB/16GB flash; SDHC 0GB/8GB/16GB built-in; SDXC 0GB/16GB built-in; SDHC
HD recording MPEG-4:
1080/60i @ 24 Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps
(all video interpolated up from 1,664 x 936) 		AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17, 12, 5 Mbps
(all video interpolated up from less than 1440x1080; actual dimensions n/a)		 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 5 Mbps		 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 24, 17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9,5 Mbps
Manual shutter speed and iris No No Yes No
Accessory shoe No No No No
Audio 2 channels;
mic, headphone jacks		 2 channels 2 channels 2 channels
Body dimensions (WHD, inches) 2.4 x 2.5 x 4.9 2.1 x 2.4 x 4.4 2.0 x 2.6 x 4.4 2.0 x 2.3 x 4.3
Operating weight (ounces) 10.9 (est) 8.5 10.5 9.3
Mfr. Price $499.99/$549.99/$699.99 $399.95/$449.95/$499.95 $499.95/$529.95/$499 $499.99/$549.99
Ship date March 2010 February 2010 March 2010 February 2010

The feature set is pretty typical. Most notably, there's face-priority AE/AF, video categorizing, interesting time-lapse video, and a faux motion-sensor mode that records when it detects changes in brightness.
Unfortunately, none of these makes up for the lack of optical image stabilization. JVC fails to distinguish between optical and electronic stabilization (EIS) on its Web site, referring to both as the "Advanced Image Stabilizer," but the HM300/320 manual refers to it as the "digital image stabilizer." Unfortunately, EIS can degrade video quality, and the camcorder simply doesn't have the extra pixels to spare for the EIS to work well.
On the upside, the autofocus works pretty intelligently, and seems to make accurate distinctions between subject and background without notable delays. And the 1,400mAh battery last a reasonably long time, somewhere between 60 and 90 minutes.
Which brings me to video quality. Though I don't expect much for $300, I admit I'm probably dinging JVC just a little harder for marketing this as an HD camcorder when it's adhering to the letter but not the spirit of the definition of HD (Canon plays the same game with its HF R series). The sensor is tiny and its native resolution is somewhat mysterious. It varies with the zoom, which is yet another trick that annoys me; it's a now-common method for gaming the zoom ranges on camcorder lenses, but it's only potentially acceptable as long as the effective number of pixels is still above the minimum needed to get a native HD capture, about 2.1 megapixels. But the HM300/320/340 and HD500's effective resolution ranges from 1.1 megapixels down to 750,000 pixels, which the camcorders then interpolate up to 1920x1080 HD.
If you're going to be playing the video at small sizes--say, 50 percent or less--it should look fine and sharp. At actual size, though, the subject is soft, and both edges and out-of-focus areas look quite smeary and processed. You can get the same results out of a cheaper standard-definition model. That's coupled with a lens that produces uncommonly bad fringing; my videos contained not just rampant purple, but yellow, cyan, and magenta variations.
However, the colors are pleasing and saturated, if not accurate, and like most low-end camcorders, the highlights tend to blow out. The sound is just OK; the mics seem oddly omnidirectional given their placement beneath the lens, and I suspect that location makes them a bit more susceptible to wind noise, the digital wind filter notwithstanding. Still, the sound is clear, if tinny.
The low-light video looks surprisingly decent, as long as you play it back scaled down. At full size it's pretty soft and noisy.
Though $300 sounds cheap for an HD camcorder, if by choice or budgetary necessity you're willing to sacrifice video quality, you might as well spend even less for a decent standard-definition model. Otherwise, I suggest you spend a little more for a true HD model like the Panasonic HDC-SD60. Of the four JVC options, only whichever is cheapest at the moment is even worth considering, and the HD500 is simply overpriced.
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