Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2014: Electronics

20
CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014
Quick Guide
COMPUTERS, DESKTOP
Windows 8 has brought new functionality to desktops, including touch screens and tabletop models that can run on batteries when you want to move around.
Shopping tip
Save money on your computer purchase by using coupon and forum sites such as Techbargains, FatWallet.com, and Ebates.
What to look for
For browsing the Web and checking e-mail, a low-end, dual-core processor such as the Intel Pentium Dual-Core or AMD Athlon/Turion X2 Intels fourth-generation Core processors for improved graphics performance, or AMDs Fusion processors for heavy-duty gaming At least 1TB of storage, especially if you have a lot of music, photos, and videos
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/computers
What to skip
More than 4GB of memory, unless youre a heavy multitasker or video editor
What youll pay
Scan this or see how, page 11
You can get a very good allin-one for $750 to $900, but many fuller-featured models cost more than $1,000.
All tested models In performance order, within types.
Brand & model Recommended Rank
Price
Overall score
Test results Performance Versatility Ergonomics Display Speakers
Features Display size (in.) Memory (GB) Storage (GB) Processor Core i7-3770s Core i7-4700MQ Core i7-3630QM Core i5-3210M Core i5-3330S
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A n 1 d
ALL-IN-oNE
Dell XPS 27 Touch $1,600 84 1,250 77 1,300
74
Core &N &M &M &N &C 27 i5-4430S 8 1000
n 2 HP ENVY 23-d150 d n 3 Toshiba d

PX35T-AST2G01 VAIO n 4 Sony d SVL24147CXB VAIO n 5 Sony d SVL24125CXW
&N &M &M &M &C 23 &N &M &M &M &C 23 &M &M &M &M &C 24 &M &M &M &M &C 24 &M &M &M &N &C 27
8 2000 8 2000 8 2000 8 2000 6 1000
1,500 74 1,250 72 1,350

72
n 6 Dell XPS One 27 d
Page 1 of 39
020-030 BG14 Computers.indd 20 9/25/13 1:06:30 PM
COMPUTERS, DESKTOP
21
Price
Overall score
Features Memory (GB) 6 6 Display size (in.) Storage (GB) 500 500 Processor Core i7-3770T Core i7-3630QM Core i7-3630QM Core i5-3350P Core i5-3330 Core i5 Core i5
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A n d
7
ALL-IN-oNE continued
Samsung DP700A7D-S03US $1,650 69 1,450 69 1,325 68 1,300 950
67 67
&M &M &M &M &V 27 &N &C &C &M &C 27 &N &C &C &M &C 24 &N &M &M &C &C 18.4 &N &M &M &C &C 21.5 &N &C &C &N &C 27
8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000
n 8 Vizio CA27T-B1 d n 9 Vizio CA24T-B1 d

Transformer n 10 Asus d P1801-B037K ET2220IUTIn 11 Asus d B019K iMac 27-inch n 12 Apple d MD095LL/A w/Fusion Drive n 13 Toshiba d PX35T-A2300 ET2411IUKIn 14 Asus d B008K
2,050 66 900
66
Core &M &M &M &M &C 23 i3-3120M 6 2000 Core &M &M &M &M &V 23.6 i3-3220 6 1000 Core &N &C &C &M &V 27 i7-3610QM 8 1000
750 65 1,350 1,400 800 950 850

64 64 63 63 62
15 Vizio CA27-A2 16 Acer Aspire A7600U-UR308 17 HP Pavilion 23-f254 18 Samsung DP700A3D-A01US 19 Lenovo IdeaCentre B540-57310058 20 Lenovo C440-57317004 21 Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 22 Apple iMac 21.5-inch MD093LL/A 23 Gateway One ZX6980-UB15 24 Samsung DP500A2D-A01UB 25 Vizio CA24T-B0
Core &C &M &M &M &B 27 i5-3210M 8 1000 &C &M &M &M &C 23 A-6 6400K 8 1000 Core &M &M &M &M &C 23.6 i5-3470T 6 1000 Core i3-2130 Pentium &M &M &M &C &V 21.5 G2030 Core &C &C &M &M &V 27 i5-3337U
&M &M &M &M &C 23
4 1000 4 1000 8 1000 8 1000
600 62 1,500 1,300

60 60
&N &C &C &M &C 21.5
725 60 750 55 1,150 54
Pentium &C &M &M &M &V 23 G2020 Core & &C &M &C &V 21.5 i3-3220T C A-10 & &C &C &M &C 24 4600M V
8 1000
Ratings Key NExcellent MVery good 3Good 2Fair 1Poor c CR Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended. d Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.
Page 2 of 39
22
Price
Overall score
Features Memory (GB) 4 4 4 Display size (in.) Storage (GB) 750 500 500 Processor Core i5-3330 Core i5-3330S Pentium G2020 Core i7-4770 Core i7-4770 Core i5-4430 A-10 6700 Core i7-4770 Core i7-4770 Core i5-3330 Core i3-3220
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
26 Sony VAIO Tap 20 SVJ20215CXW 27 Dell XPS 18 Touch
ALL-IN-oNE continued
$ 800 52 1,000
50
Core i5-3317U Core & C C & M & C & C & 18.4 i3-3227U
&V &C &M &C &C 20
n 1 d
CoMpact
500 66 650 60 400
59
Lenovo H520s-57311365 2 Acer Veriton L VL4620G-UI5333X 3 HP Pavilion Slimline 400-034 4 Asus Essentio M11BB-B05
&M &M &M NA NA NA &M &C &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA
6 1000
4 1000
550 48
&V &M &M NA NA NA A-8 5500 12 1000
C FULL-sIZE n 1 Dell XPS 8700 d n 2 Dell XPS 8700 d n 3 c
Special Edition
1,850 83 800
77
&N &M &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA & &M &M NA NA NA C &M &M &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA
24 2000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 12 2000 16 2000 8 1000 6 1000
Lenovo IdeaCentre K450-57317212 n 4 HP ENVY 700-010 c Essentio n 6 Asus d M51AC-B07 n 7 Gateway d DX4870-UB318
600 73 600 72
70 70
n 5 HP ENVY 700-030qe 1,000 d

900
500 66 600 62
8 Dell Inspiron 660
Guide to the Ratings

Overall score reects all the Ratings factors. Displayed scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise score out of a total of 100. Scores are comparable between the full-size and compact categories. Scores for the all-in-one category are not comparable to any other category. Performance reects speed while running productivity applications, multimedia applications, and 3D games. Versatility includes hardware, such as memory-card slots and A/V connections; software, such as security programs and productivity applications; and tech support and warranty provisions. Ergonomics represents the quality of the keyboard and pointing device, and accessibility of features. For all-in-ones, display is our judgment of clarity, color, brightness, and viewing angle. Speakers covers delity, bass response, and loudness. Price is approximate retail.
Page 3 of 39
24
Quick Guide
COMPUTERS, LAPTOP
Some laptops offer features and capabilities that rival those of traditional desktops. Youll nd more thinand-light laptops than ever, while touch screens and solid-state drives are becoming more common. What to look for
A convertible or detachable if you want a laptop/tablet combo An 11- to 13-inch model if you plan to carry the laptop around with you frequently A 14- to 16-inch screen for the ideal balance of performance, portability, and price A 17- to 18-inch model for an entertainment-oriented desk top replacement
What to skip
Shave off a little weight by skipping the built-in DVD or Blu-ray drive. You can add an external drive later if you find that its necessary
What youll pay
Shopping tip
If you want to customize a model, order la carte from the manufacturers website.
A well-equipped, 15-inch laptop in the middle price range should cost about $700.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/computers
Price
Overall score
Test results Ergonomics Portability Performance Versatility Display
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Processor Atom Z2760 Atom Z2760 Memory (GB) 4 4 4 2 2
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 1 d
10- to 13-INch dEtachabLE

Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro XE700T1C-A01US Asus Transformer Book TX300CA-DH71 Ultrabook Microsoft Surface Pro HP ENVY x2 11t-g010 Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx K3011 $1,100 69 1,450 66 920 65 650 64 500 61 Core &M &M &N &C &M 7.25 3.5 i5-3317U Core &M &C &N &C &M 5.5 4.2 i7-3517U Core &C &M &N &C &M 5.75 2.5 i5-3317U
n 2 d n 3 d
4 5
&M &N &V &C &C 15.25 3.1 &C &N &V &C &M 13.25 2.9
Page 4 of 39
COMPUTERS, LaPTOP
25
Price
Overall score
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Memory (GB) 4 2 2 4 4 4 6 4 4 4 4 4 6 4 Processor Core i5 1.3GHz Core i5-4200U Core i5 1.7GHz Core i7-3517U Core i3-3217U
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
a
6 7 8
10- to 13-INch dEtachabLE continued

HP Split x2 13-m010dx $ 700 60 Samsung ATIV Smart PC XE500T1C-A01US Acer Iconia W510-1422 700 60 600 57 Core i3-3229Y Atom &M &N &B &C &M 11 3.2 Z2760 Atom & &N &V &C &M 18.5 2.8 Z2760 C
&N &C &N &C &C
n 1 d
11- to 13-INch coNvErtIbLE

Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook Sony VAIO Duo 13 Ultrabook SVD13213CXB Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S 59370508 Asus Taichi 21-DH51 Sony VAIO Duo 11 Ultrabook Lenovo Thinkpad Twist-33474HU 1,100 75 1,400 72 750 66 1,000 63 1,150 61 900 59 Core &N &M &N &C &M 8 3.3 i5-3317U Core &V &N &N &C &M 9.25 2.9 i5-4200U 4 Core i3-3229Y Core &C &M &N &C &M 4.75 2.8 i5-3317U Core & &M &N &C &M 6.5 2.8 i5-3317U V Core & &C &N &C &M 4.5 3.4 i5-3317U M
n 2 d n 3 d
4 5 6
&C &M &N &C &M 6.75 3
n 1 d n d n d
11-INch
Acer Aspire 76 S7-191-6447 Ultrabook 800 Apple MacBook Air 1,000 73 11-inch MD711LL/A Sony VAIO Pro SVP1,150 73 11213CXB Ultrabook Apple MacBook Air 1,000 67 11-inch MD223LL/A Acer Aspire 675 63 V5-171-9620 Asus VivoBook X202E- 600 50 DH31T Ultrabook Core &M &N &N &M &M 6.75 2.3 i5-3337U
n 2 d
3 4 5 6
&M &N &M &V &M 12 2.4 &C &N &N &C &M 9.25 1.9 &M &N &M &V &M 7.25 2.4 &M &M &M &C &C 7.25 3.2 &C &C &C &C &C 4.5 3.1
Page 5 of 39
26
Price
Overall score
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Memory (GB) 4 4 8 8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 Processor Core i5 2.5GHz
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 1 d
13-INch
Sony VAIO Pro SVP13213CXS Ultrabook Apple MacBook Air 13-inch MD231LL/A Apple MacBook Air 13-inch MD760LL/A $1,250 79 1,000 74 1,100 73 1,600 73 Core &C &N &N &C &M 10 2.3 i5-4200U 4 Core i5 1.8GHz Core i5 15 2.9 &M &N &C &V &M 1.3GHz Core 7.5 2.5 &C &N &N &C &M i5-3337U
n 2 d n 3 d n 5 d n 6 d n 7 d
8 9
&M &N &M &V &M 11.75 3
n 4 Toshiba KIRAbook 13 d
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina 1,500 72 Display MD212LL/A Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DH71 1,300 67 Ultrabook Apple MacBook Pro 1,200 66 13-inch MD101LL/A Lenovo IdeaPad U310 550 58 59351642 Ultrabook Acer Aspire 57 S3-391-6676 Ultrabook 600
&M &M &M &V &N 8.5 3.6
Core &M &M &M &C &M 6.5 3.3 i7-3517U Core i5 2.5GHz Core &M &M &C &C &C 6 3.7 i3-3217U Core & &M &C &C &C 5.25 3 i3-2377M M
&M &M &M &C &M 8.75 4.5
n 1 d
14-INch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook Vizio CT14T-B1 1,300 70 1,300 69 Core &N &M &N &C &M 6 3.3 i5-3247U Core &M &M &N &C &M 5.75 2.9 i5-3317U
n 2 d n 3 d n 4 d n 5 d
6 7 8
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 1,200 69 Carbon Ultrabook Samsung ATIV Book 5 900 69 NP540U4E-K01US Lenovo IdeaPad 825 65 Y410p 59369921 Vizio CT14-A4 700 64 Ultrabook Asus VivoBook S400CA-DH51T 750 59 Ultrabook Sony VAIO Fit 600 57 SVF14212CXW 650 57 675 57
Core &C &N &N &C &M 10.75 4.1 i7-3635QM 8 Core &N &M &N &C &C 7.5 4.3 i5-3337U 4 Core &M &C &N &M &C 5.75 5.4 i7-4700MQ 8 Core &C &M &N &C &M 6 3.5 i5-3317U 4
&N &C &M &C &C &M &C &C &C &C
5 5
Core 4.1 i5-3317U
9 Dell Inspiron 14R 10 Lenovo IdeaPad Z400 Touch-59365077
Core 4.3 i3-3227U Core &M &M &C &M &C 9.75 5 i3-3217U Core &M &V &M &M &C 5.25 5.3 i5-3230M
Page 6 of 39
COMPUTERS, LaPTOP
27
Price
Overall score
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Memory (GB) 4 4 4 4 8 8 6 8 8 4 8 8 8 12 Processor Core i7 2.4GHz Core i7 2.3GHz Core i7-3635QM Core i7-4500U Core i7 2.3GHz Core i7-3610QM Core i7-4700MQ Core i5-4200U Core i5-4200U
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
11 Acer Aspire $ 550 V5-471P-6605 12 Sony VAIO Fit 700 SVF14213CXW 13 Lenovo IdeaPad S400 525 59342932 14 HP Pavilion Sleekbook 550 14-b010us 15 Lenovo IdeaPad S405 500 59342927 16 HP Pavilion Sleekbook 500 14-B110US
14-INch continued
55 55 52 51 46 39
Core &M &C &C &M &C 4.5 4.7 i3-3227U
Core &M &C &C &M &C 4.25 4.7 i3-3227U Core &M &C &C &C &C 4.25 3.5 i3-3217U Core &M &C &C &C &C 4.75 4 i3-2377M
&M &C &V &C &C 4 3.5 A8-4555M 4 &M &C &B &C &C 4.75 4 A4-4355M 4
n 1 d
15- to 16-INch
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina display ME664LL/A Samsung ATIV Book 8 NP880Z5E-X01UB Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina display MC975LL/A Acer Aspire R7-571-6858 Vizio CT15T-B1 Ultrabook Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch MD103LL/A Vizio CN15-A5 MSI GT60 2OC-022US 2,200 78 1,200 77 1,900 76 1,000 74 1,300 73
&M &N &N &V &N 10 4.4
n 2 d n 3 d n 4 d n 5 d n 6 d n 7 d n 8 d n 9 d
Core &M &N &N &M &M 10.25 5.7 i7-3635QM 8
&M &N &N &V &N 12.5 4.5
Core &N &M &N &C &N 6.5 5.4 i5-3337U
&M &N &N &C &M 10.25 4.8 &M &M &N &M &M
7 5.6
Asus Q550LF-BBI7T07 1,000 71 1,800 70 1,000

69
&M &N &M &C &M 11.75 5.6 &C &M &N &C &N 5.5 5 &M &C &N &M &M 6.75 7.5 &M &M &M &M &C 9.5 5.8 &N &M &N &M &C 5.5 4.7
1,325 69 850 68 800 67
n 10 Dell Inspiron 15R d

Satellite n 11 Toshiba d P50-AST2NX1
Page 7 of 39
28
Price
Overall score
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Memory (GB) 4 8 8 8 8 6 6 6 4 4 4 6 4 4 6 4 4 Processor Core i5-3317U Core i7-3537U Core i7-4700MQ Core i5-3337U Core i7-4700MQ Core i5-3317U Core i5-3317U Core i7-3632QM Core i3-3120M Core i7-3630QM Core i3-3227U Core i5-3317U Core i3-3110M Core i3-3227U Core i3-3227U A4-5150M Pentium B960
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
F 15- to 16-INch continued n 12 HP ENVY TouchSmart $750 d n 13 d n 14 d n 15 d n 16 d n 17 d n d

18 19 20 21
Sleekbook m6-k015dx Vizio CT15-A4 Ultrabook Samsung ATIV Book 4 NP470R5E-K02UB HP ENVY TouchSmart 15t-j000 Toshiba Satellite L55-A5284NR Toshiba Satellite S55t-A5258NR Lenovo IdeaPad U510 59347424 Asus S56CA-DH51 Ultrabook Acer Aspire V3-571-9831 Toshiba Satellite C55-A5246NR
67
Core &N &M &M &C &C 8.75 5.7 i5-4200U 8
800 67 700 67 900 66 675 66 950

65
&C &M &N &C &N 5.25 4 &M &M &M &C &C 6.25 4.4 &N &M &N &M &C 6.25 5.7 &M &M &N &C &C 5.25 5 &N &C &N &M &C 4.75 5.3 &M &M &N &M &C 6 4.9 &N &M &M &C &C 5.25 5 &M &M &N &M &C 5.75 5.5 &M &M &M &C &C 6.25 5 &M &C &M &C &C 5.25 5.5 &N &C &C &M &M 4 5.3 &N &M &M &C &C 4.75 4.8 &M &M &C &C &C 6.75 5.2 &M &M &C &C &C 8.25 5.8 &N &C &C &M &C 4.25 5.4 &M &M &C &C &C 6.5 5.1 &M &M &C &C &C 6 5.3
650 65 550 63 650 63 525 63 650 62 725 61 625 61 400 59 550 58 625
56
22 Asus K55A-DH71 23 Sony VAIO Fit SVF15213CXB 24 Asus VivoBook S500CA-DS51T 25 Acer Aspire E1-571-6680 26 Dell Inspiron 15 27 Acer Aspire V5-571P-6407 28 HP Pavilion 15-e016nr 29 Gateway NE56R41u 30 HP ENVY Sleekbook m6-k010dx 31 HP Pavilion g6-2211nr
400 56 325 55 600 55 450 54
&N &M &V &C &C 6 4.7 A10-5745M 6 &M &M &V &C &C 6.5 5.2 A4-4300M 4
Page 8 of 39
COMPUTERS, LaPTOP
29
Price
Overall score
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Memory (GB) 6 4 4 4 Processor Core i3-3110M
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
32 HP ENVY Sleekbook 6-1110us 33 Toshiba Satellite L855D-S5117 34 Acer Aspire V3-551-8458 35 HP Pavilion TouchSmart Sleekbook 15-b150us
15- to 16-INch continued

$ 625 51 400 50 425 49 650 39
&M &M &V &C &C
4.5 A8-4555M 4
&M &M &V &C &C 6 5.2 A8-4500M 4 &M &C &V &M &C 5.25 5.6 A8-4500M 6 &M &C &B &C &C 4.5 5.5 A8-4555M 6
n 1 d
17- to 18-INch
HP ENVY TouchSmart m7-j010dx MSI GT70 2OC-065US Toshiba Qosmio X75-A7295 Toshiba Satellite S75-A7270 Samsung NP700G7C-S02US HP Pavilion 17-e021nr Toshiba Satellite L75D-A7268NR Dell Inspiron 17 1,000 76 1,400 75 1,350 72 725 70 1,900 69 600 61 600 59 500 57 525 57 500 53 Core &N &C &N &M &M 5.5 7.1 i7-4700QM 8 Core &M &C &N &M &N 6.75 8.2 i7-4700MQ 8 Core &M &C &N &M &C 4.5 6 i5-3230M 8
n 2 d n 3 d n 4 d n 5 d
6 7 8
Core &M &C &N &M &M 4.75 7.4 i7-4700MQ 16 Core &M &V &N &M &M 3.5 8.8 i7-3630QM 16
&M &C &M &M &C 5.5 6
&M &C &C &M &C 4.5 6 A8-5550M 6

Core 6.1 i3-3227U Core & C M & C & C & C & 4.75 6.6 i3-2350M
&M &C &C &C &C
9 Asus X75A-DH31 10 Toshiba Satellite C75D-A7265NR
&M &M &C &C &C 5.25 5.9 A6-5200

Overall score reects all the Ratings factors. Displayed scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise score, out of a total of 100. Ergonomics represents the quality of the keyboard and pointing device, and accessibility of features. Portability score is based on battery life and weight. Performance is based on performance while running productivity applications, multimedia applications, and 3D games. Versatility includes hardware such as memory-card slots and A/V connections, software such as security programs and productivity applications, and tech support and warranty provisions. Display covers display size, clarity, color, contrast, brightness, and glare. Battery life (hr.) is estimated in hours while running productivity applications. Weight (lb.) is the weight of the laptop as you would carry it around, including the battery but without the power adapter. Price is approximate retail.
Page 9 of 39
30
Most & Least Reliable DESKTOPS

Apple HP Dell Acer Gateway
0% 5%
LAPTOPS
More repairs
Fewer repairs
6 10 11 11 14
10% 15% 20%
Apple Toshiba Acer Gateway HP Sony Lenovo Dell Asus
Fewer repairs
More repairs
6 9 10 11 11 12 12 12 13
5% 10% 15% 20%
Apple was the least repair-prone brand of desktop computers. Thats what we found when we asked readers who bought 15,892 desktops from 2010 through the rst half of 2013 about their experiences. The graph shows the percentage of models from each brand that were repaired or had a serious problem. Differences of fewer than four points were not meaningful, and data are adjusted to eliminate differences due to the age of the desktop. Models within a brand may vary, and design and manufacturing changes may affect future reliability. Still, choosing a brand with a good repair history can improve your odds of getting a reliable brand.
Source: Annual Product Reliability Survey, Consumer Reports National Research Center.
0%
Apple was among the more reliable brands of laptop computers. Thats what we found when we asked over 24,000 readers who bought a full-size laptop between 2010 and 2013 about their experiences. The graph shows the percentage of models from each brand that were repaired or had a serious problem. Differences of less than 4 points arent meaningful, and weve adjusted the data to eliminate differences linked to the age and use of the laptops. Models within a brand may vary, and design or manufacture changes may affect future reliability. Still, choosing a brand with a good repair history can improve your odds of getting a reliable model.
Page 10 of 39
TA B L E tS
117
Quick Guide
TABLEtS
Lightweight and highly portable, tablets are made to be carried wherever you go. Most have 7- to 10-inch screens. What to look for
A 10-inch screen for better Web surfing, video, and gaming; a 7-inch screen for better portability A display with a wide viewing angle An operating system that can be upgraded Ability to access a rich variety of apps authorized by the OS manufacturer
What to skip
you need everywhere access and are willing to pay extra for it
What youll pay
Shopping tip
Tablets can double as e-readers and movie viewers, and a wide variety of inexpensive apps is available.
Youll spend about $400 for a good, 10-inch Android tablet with 16GB of memory thats Wi-Fi-only. An equivalent iPad costs $500. Smaller Android tablets that we recommend start as low as $200.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/tablets
A 3G or 4G model, unless
Brand & model Recommended Similar models, in small type, are comparable to tested model. Rank
Price
Overall score
Test results Portability Ease of use Display Versatility Touch response
Features Battery life (hr.) Weight (lb.) Operating system
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 1 d
7- to 8-INCH WItH 3G/4G+WI-FI

Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB), Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) Google Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB)
iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 4G, 64GB)
$460 84 500 350 300

84 78 77
&N &N &M &M &N 11.3 0.7 iOS 6 &N &N &M &N &N 10 0.8 And. 4.1 &M &N &M &M &N 8.3 0.8 And. 3.2 &M &N &M &M &N 8.9 0.8 And. 4.2
n 2 d n 3 d n 4 c
Page 11 of 39
117-121 BG14 Tablets.indd 117 9/25/13 1:30:52 PM
118
CONSUmER REPORtS BUYING GUIDE 2014
Price
Overall score
Features Weight (lb.) Battery life (hr.) Operating system
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 5 d n d
7- to 8-INCH WItH 3G/4G+WI-FI continued

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) (Wi-Fi, 4G, 8GB) Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.2 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB) T-Mobile SpringBoard (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 (Wi-Fi, 3G, 16GB) $300 530 390 200
72 72 71 61
&M &M &M &M &N 8.3 0.8 And. 4 &C &M &M &M &N 5.2 0.9 And. 3.2 &C &M &M &M &N 6.1 0.9 And. 4 &M &M &V &M &N 8.5 0.9 And. 4
n 6 d
7 8
n 1 d
7- to 8-INCH, WI-FI-oNlY
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 16GB)
iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 32GB), iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
400 300
85 84
&N &N &M &N &N 10 0.8 And. 4.1 &N &N &M &N &N 11.8 0.7 And. 4.2 &N &N &M &M &N 10.5 0.7 iOS 6 &N &N &M &M &N 9.7 0.7 And. 4.1 &M N & M & C & N & 9.5 0.7 And. 4.2 & M M & M & M & N & 8.4 0.7 And. 4.1 &M &N &M &C &N 8.3 0.8 And. 4.1 &M &M &M &C &N 9.3 0.8 And. 4 &M &M &V &M &N 11.3 1.1 Wind. 8 &M &M &V &C &N 10.3 0.8 And. 4.1 &M &M &C &C &N 7.2 0.8 And. 4.1 &M &M &V &C &M 9.4 0.9 And. 4 &M &M &V &C &N 6.9 0.9 And. 4.1 &M &M &V &C &M 7 0.8 And. 4.1
5 0.7 And. 4.1 &C M & V & C & N & & M C & V & C & N & 4.7 0.7 And. 4 6 1 And. 4 & M C & V & C & N &
n 2 d n 3 d n c n c n c n c
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
330 80 200 250 200

80
n 4 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 c

Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
(Wi-Fi, 8GB) Google Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Wikipad 7 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Kobo Arc (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
Arc (Wi-Fi, 64GB), Arc (Wi-Fi, 16GB)
200 76
71 71
250 68 380 64 150 170 150 200 150 180 130 160
63 62 58 58 55 53 52 52
Acer Iconia Tab W3-810 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Iconia Tab W3-810 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) HP Slate 7 (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Acer Iconia Tab A110 (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Asus MeMO Pad ME172V (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Archos GamePad (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Coby MID7065-8 (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Coby MID8065-8 (Wi-Fi, 8GB)
Page 12 of 39
TA B L E tS
119
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 1 d
7- to 9-INCH, spECIaltY
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB) Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 64GB) Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (Wi-Fi, 16GB)
Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
$410 78 280 75 210 74 150 66 150 66 170

62
&M &M &N &M &N 9.1 1.2 And. 4 &M &M &N &C &N 9.1 1.2 And. 4 &N &M &M &C &N 10.7 0.9 And. 4 &M &M &M &C &N 9 1.1 And. 4 &M &M &M &C &N 8.8 0.7 And. 4 &M &M &M &V &N 7.6 0.9 And. 4
n 2 d n 3 c n 4 c n 5 c
6
Amazon Kindle Fire HD (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Kindle Fire HD (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Nook HD+ (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Barnes & Noble Nook HD (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Nook HD (Wi-Fi, 8GB) Amazon Kindle Fire (Wi-Fi, 8GB) (2nd gen) Apple iPad (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) (4th gen) iPad (Wi-Fi, 4G, 128GB) (4th Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) Asus VivoTab RT TF600T (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB) Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB) Dell Latitude 10 (Wi-Fi, 3G, 64GB) Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi, 3G, 16GB) Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB)
Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB) gen), iPad (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB) (4th gen), iPad (Wi-Fi, 4G, 64GB) (4th gen)
n 1 d
9- to 12-INCH WItH 3G/4G+WI-FI

630 85 600 700 500 750 530
83 82 81 81 80
&N &N &N &M &N 11.7 1.5 iOS 6 &N &N &M &M &N 11.4 1.3 And. 4.1 &N &M &N &N &N 10.7 1.2 Wind. RT &N &N &M &M &N 11.5 1.3 And. 4.1 &M M & N & N & N & 11.3 1.5 Wind. 8 & N N & M & M & N & 11.6 1.3 iOS 6 &M &M &M &M &N 8.9 1.3 And. 3.1 &M &M &M &M &N 7.8 1.4 And. 4
n 2 d n 3 d n 4 d n 5 d n 6 d n 7 d
8
500 77 500
74
Asus Transformer Pad TF300TL (Wi-Fi, 4G, 32GB)
Page 13 of 39
120
CONSUmER REPORtS BUYING GUIDE 2014
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 9 c
Google Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) $400 83 Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) iPad (Wi-Fi, 16GB) (4th n 10 Apple d gen) iPad (Wi-Fi, 32GB) (4th gen), iPad 500 83 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) (4th gen), iPad (Wi-Fi,
9- to 12-INCH, WI-FI-oNlY
&N &N &N &M &N 11 1.3 And. 4.2 &N &N &N &M &N 12.9 1.5 iOS 6 &N &N &M &M &N 9.6 1.1 And. 4.2 &N &N &M &M &N 11.1 1.3 And. 4.1 &N &M &N &M &N 10.7 1.2 Wind. RT &N &M &M &N &N 13.4 1.6 Wind. 8 &N &M &M &M &N 12.4 1.3 And. 4.1 &M &M &N &M &N 10.6 1.5 Wind. RT &N &M &N &N &N 11.5 1.5 Wind. 8 &N &M &N &M &N 12.6 1.4 Wind. 8 &N &M &N &M &N 9.7 1.1 And. 4.1 &M &N &M &M &N 8 1.3 And. 4 &N N & M & C & N & 11.6 1.3 iOS 6 & M N & M & M & N & 10.9 1.4 Wind. RT & M N & M & M & N & 10 1.3 Wind. 8 &N &M &M &M &N 10.9 1.4 Wind. 8 &M &M &M &M &N 9.5 1.5 And. 4 &M &M &M &M &N 8.9 1.4 And. 4.2 &M &M &M &M &N 10.5 1.4 And. 4.1
n 11 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 c

(Wi-Fi, 16GB) Galaxy Note 10.1 n 12 Samsung d (Wi-Fi, 16GB)
128GB) (4th gen)
400
82
n 13 Asus VivoTab RT TF600T d

(Wi-Fi, 32GB) ATIV Smart PC n 14 Samsung d (Wi-Fi, 64GB) Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) n 15 Samsung c (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Surface with n 16 Microsoft c Windows RT (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Latitude 10 Essentials n 18 Dell d (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
VivoTab RT TF600T (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
Galaxy Note 10.1 (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
500 81 550 81 700 350

80 80
Latitude 10 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) n 17 Dell d Latitude 10 (Wi-Fi, 32GB)

Latitude 10 Essentials (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
Surface with Windows RT (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
350 79 650 79 500 79 500 79 500 78 400

77
Xperia Tablet Z (Wi-Fi, n 19 Sony d 16GB) Xperia Tablet Z (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Transformer Pad Infinity n 20 Asus d TF700T (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Transformer
Pad Infinity TF700T (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
n 21 Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) d XPS 10 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) n 22 Dell d XPS 10 (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
Iconia Tab A700 n 25 Acer d (Wi-Fi, 32GB) Transformer Pad TF300T n 26 Asus d (Wi-Fi, 16GB) Excite 10 SE (Wi-Fi, n 27 Toshiba d 16GB) Excite 10 SE (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
Transformer Pad TF300T (Wi-Fi, 32GB)
450 77
77 76 76
n 23 Acer Iconia W510 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) 570 d IdeaTab Lynx K3011 n 24 Lenovo d 500 (Wi-Fi, 64GB)
450
350 76 300 75
Page 14 of 39
TA B L E tS
121
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
28 Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 (Wi-Fi, $400 16GB) IdeaTab S2110 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) 29 Asus MeMO Pad Smart 300 ME301T (Wi-Fi, 16GB) 650 30 HP ENVY x2 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) 31 Acer Iconia Tab A200 (Wi-Fi, 300 16GB) Iconia Tab A200 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) 32 Acer Iconia Tab A210 350 (Wi-Fi, 16GB) 33 Microsoft Surface Pro (Wi-Fi, 900 64GB) Surface Pro (Wi-Fi, 128GB) 34 Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 1,130 (Wi-Fi, 128GB) 230 35 Coby MID1065-8 (Wi-Fi, 8GB) 1,000 36 Razer Edge (Wi-Fi, 64GB) 180 37 Coby MID9740-8 (Wi-Fi, 8GB)
9- to 12-INCH, WI-FI-oNlY continued

74 73 72 69 69 67 66 63 53 46
&N &M &M &C &M 10.8 1.2 And. 4 &M &M &M &M &N 8.4 1.2 And. 4.1 &M &M &M &M &N 8.5 1.5 Wind. 8 &M &N &C &M &N 9.6 1.6 And. 4 &M &M &C &M &N 8.8 1.5 And. 4.1 &V &M &N &M &N 5.9 2.1 Wind. 8 &C &M &M &M &N 6.1 2 Wind. 8 &C M & M & C & N & 6.5 1.4 And. 4 & M V & M & M & N & 4.2 2.2 Wind. 8 & C C & V & C & N & 5.6 1.4 And. 4 &C &M &M &M &N 15.2 2.7 Wind. RT
n 1 d
10- to 12-INCH-sCrEEN CoNVErtIblE WItH kEYboard

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) 550
71

Overall score is based on ease of use, display, touch response, versatility, battery life, and weight. Portability is based on size, weight, and battery life. Ease of use considers reading books, playing media, and using e-mail and the Web. Display score reects color, viewing angle, brightness, and amount of glare. Versatility reects the presence of useful features. Touch response indicates responsiveness of the touch screen when selecting and moving objects or typing. Battery life (hr.) indicates the time it takes to deplete a fully charged battery while the tablet loads a sequence of Web pages over Wi-Fi. Weight (lb.) is without a case or cover. In features, under operating system: And.=Android, iOS=iOS, and Wind.=Windows. Price is approximate retail.
Page 15 of 39
E-BOOK READERS
61
Quick Guide
E-BOOK READERS
only access suit most users and generally cost less Color capability. For the most part, youre better off buying a tablet to get this
What youll pay
Light weight, long battery life, and crisp type make e-book readers the best device for reading e-books. What to look for
A 6-inch screen, for the best balance of screen size and portability for most people Touch capability to help you easily select content and turn the pages
What to skip
Shopping tip
Some e-readers allow you to borrow e-books from public libraries.
3G access to the Internet; while that offers the most flexibility for obtaining new content, models with Wi-Fi-
Prices typically range from $100 to $200, though some cost less than $100.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/ebooks
Price
Overall score
Test results Readability Responsiveness File support Versatility Page turn Touch screen Navigation
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A n 1 d 2 n 1 d B
8-INCH oR LARGER
Amazon Kindle DX (3rd Gen) Ectaco jetBook Color $380 71 500 47
&N C & & N & C & N & M & C & C & C & V & M & N &N &M &N &N &N &M &N &M &N &N &N &M &N &M &M &N &N &M &N &C &M &N &N &M
6- to 7-INCH
Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 3G with Special Offers
Kindle Paperwhite 3G without Special Offers
120 83 100 82 180 82 120 81
n 2 c n 3 d
n 4 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite d

with Special Offers
Kindle Paperwhite without Special Offers
Page 16 of 39
061-062 BG14 EBookReaders.indd 61 9/25/13 1:21:14 PM
62
Price
Overall score
Test results File support Readability Versatility Page turn Responsiveness Touch screen Navigation
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 5 d
6- to 7-INCH continued
Amazon Kindle Keyboard 3G with Special Offers
Kindle Keyboard 3G without Special Offers
$140 79 100 75 70 74 130 180 150 150 70

74 66 54 50 48
&N &M &N &N &M &M &M &M &N &M &M &M &N &C &N &M &M &M &N & M & C & V & C &M & M & C & C & C &M & C & M & C & C &C & N & V & C & V &N & N & M & M & V &N & C & M & M & M
n 6 c n 7 c
Kobo eReader Touch Edition Amazon Kindle with Special Offers Kindle without Special Offers n 8 Sony Reader PRS-T2 d n 9 Kobo Vox eReader d 10 Bookeen Cybook Orizon n 11 Aluratek LIBRE Touch (AEBK08FB) d 12 Kobo Wireless eReader
C
1
5-INCH oR sMALLER
Ectaco jetBook mini 120 43
&C &V &V &N &C &V

Overall score is in performance order, based on display readability, e-book reader versatility, performance, page turn, navigation, and le versatility. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points. Readability is a measurement of how well the e-book reader can be viewed in various lighting conditions. Versatility mainly includes characteristics that aid in usefulness and convenience. Responsiveness is a speed measurement of how quickly an e-book reader can turn on from full off, resume from sleep, open an e-book, and transfer an e-book from a computer via USB. Page turn measures how quickly an e-book reader can turn to the next page of an e-book. Navigation includes the readers ability to rotate to landscape and portrait mode, automatically and manually bookmark a page, search for an e-book, search through an online bookstore, and the presence of an accelerometer. File support is a Rating of typical e-book formats supported as well as other typical le formats you may want to read on an e-book reader. The following formats are rated: EPUB, PDF, MOBI, Word documents, TXT, RTF, JPEG, and GIF. Touch screen is a full touch-sensitive display that responds to light contact with a stylus, nger, or both. Price is approximate retail.
Page 17 of 39
061-062 BG14 EBookReaders.indd 62 9/25/13 1:21:14 PM
P R I N T E R S , A L L- I N - O N E
83
Quick Guide
PRINTERS, ALL-IN-ONE
If all you do is print, you can save money and space by purchasing a dedicated printer. But if you want to copy or scan, or even fax, its worth investigating an all-in-one. What to look for
If you dont need to print in color or scan color photos, an all-in-one laser for superior quality, faster print speed, and a lower cost per page An all-in-one inkjet, if you want color printing and a model that excels at printing your photos Printers with low monthly costs (ink and paper)
What to skip
costs, which can make a bargain-priced printer a bad deal in the long run An inkjet with a single color cartridge, because separate color cartridges may be more economical, depending on your photos
What youll pay
Shopping tip
If youre printing photos, a memory card reader or PictBridge compatibility can be helpful.
All-in-ones are actually getting less expensive and more versatile. Inkjets cost $60 and up.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/printers
High ink- or toner-cartridge
Price
Overall score
Test results Ink cost/month ($) Maintenance ink use Photo quality 4x6 photo time 8x10 photo time Text quality Text speed Graphics quality Convenience Scan quality Copy quality Power saving Versatility
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A n d n c n c n d n d n d
1
bLACK-AND-WHItE LASER
$300 200 150 400 350 400
76 76 76 76 76 75
Canon imageCLASS MF4890dw 2 Canon imageCLASS MF4770n 3 Samsung SCX-3405FW 4 Canon imageCLASS MF5950dw 5 HP LaserJet Pro 400 MFP M425dn 6 Dell 2355dn
5.4 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &M &M &N &N &V 5.4 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &M &M &N &N &B 5.8 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &C &M &N &N &V 3.8 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &C &M &N &M &V 2.7 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &C &M &M &M &C 0.1 &N NA NA NA &N &N &C &M &N &N &C &C
Page 18 of 39
083-090 BG14 Printers.indd 83 9/26/13 12:38:38 PM
84
CONSUMER REPORTS bUYING GUIDE 2014
Price
Overall score
Test results Maintenance ink use Photo quality 4x6 photo time 8x10 photo time Text quality Text speed Graphics quality Convenience Scan quality Copy quality Power saving Versatility Ink cost/month ($)
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A bLACK-AND-WHItE LASER continued n 7 Samsung d $300 75 n 8 Brother MFC-7360N 200 c n 9 Brother DCP-7060D 160 c n 10 Brother d 300
11 12 13 14 15 16
MFC-7860DW Dell B1265dnf Canon imageCLASS MF3010 OKI MB471w Panasonic KX-MB1520 Panasonic KX-MB2030 Panasonic KX-MB2000 200 150 480 140 200 140 SL-M2875FW
74 72 72 69 69 67 64 63 62
4.65 &N NA NA NA &N &N &M &C &M &M &M &V 0.1 N & NA NA NA &N N & C & M & N & N & N & V & 0.1 N & NA NA NA N & N & C & M & N & N & N & V & 2.7 &N NA NA NA &M &N &C &M &M &N &N &C 4.6 &N NA NA NA &N &N &C &M &M &M &N &C 4.9 &N NA NA NA &N &N &C &C &M &N &N &B 1.3 &N NA NA NA &N &N &C &C &C &N &M &C 5.2 &N NA NA NA &M &N &C &C &M &N &M &B 0.3 &N NA NA NA &M &N &M &C &C &M &M &V 0.5 &N NA NA NA &M &N &M &C &C &M &M &V
B CoLoR LASER n 1 Dell 2155cn d

Dell C1765nfw Brother MFC-9970CDW 4 Samsung CLX-4195FW 5 Samsung CLX-3305FW 6 HP LaserJet Pro 200 color MFP M276nw 7 Brother MFC-9325CW
2 3
360 280 700 350 380 500 400
71 69 67 66 65 62 55
11.7 N & C & NA &N N & N & N & M & M & M & C & V & 20.1 N & M & NA N & N & M & N & C & M & M & M & V & 5.6 &N &V &N &N &N &N &N &C &M &M &M &C 7.9 &N &V NA &N &N &N &N &C &M &M &M &V 14.9 &N &V NA &N &N &N &M &C &M &M &M &V 9.7 &N &V NA &N &N &M &M &M &M &M &M &V 9.6 &N &B &N &N &N &N &M &C &M &M &C &V
Page 19 of 39
85
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
C INKJEt n 1 HP Photosmart 7520 $200 d n 2 Epson Expression 180 d n c n d n c n d n d n d n c n d n d n d n d n c n d

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Premium XP-800 Epson Expression Premium XP-600 HP Photosmart 6520 Canon Pixma MG3220 Canon Pixma MG6320 Canon Pixma MG5420 Canon Pixma MX922 Brother DCP-J140W HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus Brother MFC-J6910DW Brother MFC-J5910DW Canon Pixma MX892 Canon Pixma MG2220 Canon Pixma MX512 Epson Expression Photo XP-850 Dell V525w HP Officejet 6600 Brother MFC-J625DW HP Officejet Pro 8600 HP Officejet 4620 Brother MFC-J4310DW Epson Workforce Pro WP-4540 100 120 70 150 150 200 100 220 300 200 200 60 150 300 100 120 130 150 100 170 400
78 76 73 72 72 72 71 71 71 71 70 70 70 70 70 69 69 68 68 68 68 68 68
6.4 &V &M &N &M &M &M &N &C &N &M &N &M 7.5 &N &N &M &C &M &N &M &M &M &M &N &N 8 &N &M &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &N 6.5 &V &V &M &M &M &M &N &C &M &M &N &M 7.3 &M &M &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &C 7.6 NA &N &N &M &N &N &M &C &M &M &N &N 6.9 &C &N &N &M &N &N &M &C &M &M &N &N 6.5 V & N & N & M & N & N & M & M & M & M & N & M & 7.2 N & N & C & C & V & C & V & M & M & C & N & C & 4.2 &B &M &N &N &M &N &M &M &M &M &N &M 5.4 NA &M &M &M &C &M &V &M &M &C &N &N 5.8 NA &M &M &M &C &M &C &M &M &M &N &N 8.8 NA &M &N &N &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &N 7.3 &M &M &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &V 6.6 NA &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &M 10.9 &V &M &M &C &C &M &C &M &M &M &C &N 11.2 NA &M N & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & 5.5 NA M & M & M & M & N & M & C & M & M & N & C & 5.1 NA &M &M &N &C &M &C &N &M &C &N &N 4 NA &M &N &N &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &M 6.4 NA &M &M &C &M &M &M &C &M &M &N &C 4 &N &M &N &M &C &N &V &M &M &C &N &N 4.6 NA &M &M &M &M &N &M &M &M &M &M &C
Page 20 of 39
86
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
INKJEt continued
$100 400 170 250 140 150 200 130 180 150 150 150 230 100 650 70 100 80 400
66 66 66 66 65 65 65 64 64 64 64 64 63 62 61 61 60 59 50
24 Canon Pixma MX432 25 HP Officejet Pro 276dw 26 Dell V725w 27 Brother MFC-J4710DW 28 HP Officejet 6700 Premium 29 Epson Workforce WF-3540 30 HP Envy 120 31 Canon Pixma MG4220 32 Brother MFC-J4410DW 33 Brother MFC-J4510DW 34 Canon Pixma MX522 35 Epson Workforce WF-3520 36 Brother MFC-J6510DW 37 Canon Pixma MX452 38 HP Officejet Pro X476DN 39 Canon Pixma MX392 40 Epson Workforce WF-2540 41 Epson Workforce WF-2530 42 HP Officejet Mobile 150
6.9 NA &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &C 4.46 &V &V &N &M &M &N &C &M &M &C &N &M 10.8 NA &V &N &N &N &M &M &M &M &M &M &M 4.3 &N &C &N &M &C &N &V &M &M &C &N &N 5.3 NA &M &M &M &V &N &C &C &M &M &N &C 6.1 &C &V &C &V &M &N &M &M &M &M &C &N 7.8 &N &M &M &V &N &M &M &C &M &M &M &C 7.5 &M &M &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &C &N &M 4.2 &M &C &N &M &M &M &C &C &N &C &N &N 4 &M &M &N &M &C &N &C &C &N &C &N &N 7.5 &M &C &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &C 5.1 &C &V &C &V &M &N &C &M &M &M &N &N 5.7 NA &N &C &C &C &M &C &M &M &C &M &N 7.4 &M &C &M &C &M &M &M &M &M &M &N &V 3.6 &C &V &N &N &C &N &C &C &N &M &M &C 7.2 &M &C &M &C &M &M &M &M &N &M &N &V 9.6 &N &C &C &B &M &M &C &M &C &C &N &C 9.9 &N &C &C &B &M &M &C &M &M &M &N &C 10.3 &M &C &C &V &N &M &M &C &V &M &M &C
Page 21 of 39
87

Overall score is based on speed and quality of print, scan, and copy functions, plus ease of use. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points. Ink cost/month ($) is estimated cost (in dollars) for ink or toner in a month of typical use. For inkjets: 23 text pages, 9 graphics pages, 2.4 large photos, 3.6 small photos, and 3.5 photos on plain paper. For lasers: 62 text pages, 24 graphics pages, 1.7 large photos, 1.9 small photos, and 2.3 photos on plain paper. Maintenance ink use reects the amount of extra ink used by an inkjet printer to maintain its print heads. NA indicates an older model that did not undergo this test. Photo quality reflects a photos appearance. The 4x6 photo time score reects how quickly the model can print one 4x6 photo on photo-quality paper. One minute or less is excellent; 1 to 2 minutes is very good; 2 to 4 minutes is good; 4 to 6 minutes is fair; and longer than 6 minutes is poor. The 8x10 photo time score reects how quickly the model can print one 8x10 photo on photo-quality paper. Two minutes or less is excellent; 2 to 4 minutes is very good; 4 to 6 minutes is good; 6 to 8 minutes is fair; and longer than 8 minutes is poor. Text quality assesses clarity and crispness of black text. Text speed reects how quickly the model can print text on ve pages of plain, letter-sized pages. Thirty seconds or less is excellent; 31 to 60 seconds is very good; 61 to 90 seconds is good; 91 to 120 seconds is fair; and longer than 120 seconds is poor. Graphics qual ity assesses the appearance of color graphics produced by the printer. Black-and-white lasers were judged on black-and-white graphics. Convenience measures the ease of carrying out a series of common activities with the printer. Scan quality is for color photos, graphics, and text scanned at each models default settings. Copy quality is for graphics and text. Power saving indicates how well the printer conserves power between uses. Versatility indicates features that increase a printers utility or capabilities. Price is approximate retail.
Page 22 of 39
88
Quick Guide
PRINTERS, REgULAR
What to look for
Inkjet and laser printers have become more affordable and increasingly full featured.
Shopping tip
A printer with an Energy Star label will consume very little power when not printing.
A laser printer, if you want fast, low-cost, top-quality black-and-white text An inkjet, if you want the most versatile printer. You can print color photos and graphics, as well as text Features such as a memorycard reader, PictBridge support, or a wireless interface, if you want to print photos without a computer
What to skip
are more costly than their monochrome counterparts and unsuited for photos Snapshot printers, most of which didnt provide the photo quality of the best regular inkjets in our tests
What youll pay
Color inkjets can cost as little as $50, and monochrome laser printers less than $80.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/printers
Color laser printers, which

Price Overall score Test results Ink cost/month ($) Maintenance ink use 4x6 photo cost ($)
8x10 photo cost ($)
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
a n d n c n d n d n d n c
1
BLACK-AND-WHItE LASER
$180 78 130 78 380 77 150 75 150 74 140 73 1.2 &N NA NA 4.1 NA NA NA &N &N &C &N 1.4 &N NA NA 5.2 NA NA NA &N &N &M &N 2.7 &N NA NA 2.3 NA NA NA &N &N &M &M 3.4 &N NA NA 3.4 NA NA NA &N &N &C &N 2.98 &N NA NA 2.3 NA NA NA &N &N &M &N 0.6 &N NA NA 1.9 NA NA NA &N &N &C &N
HP LaserJet Pro P1606dn 2 HP LaserJet Pro P1102w 3 HP LaserJet Pro 400 M401dw 4 Samsung ML-2955DW 5 Samsung SL-M2825DW 6 Brother HL-2270DW
083-090 BG14 Printers.indd 88
Text cost (cents) Photo quality 4x6 photo time 8x10 photo time Text quality Text speed Graphics quality Power saving
Page 23 of 39
9/26/13 12:38:40 PM
P R I N T E R S , R E G U L A R
89
Price
Overall score
Test results Ink cost/month ($) Maintenance ink use 4x6 photo cost ($) 8x10 photo cost ($) Text cost (cents) Photo quality 4x6 photo time 8x10 photo time Text quality Text speed Graphics quality Power saving
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
a BLACK-AND-WHItE LASER continued n 7 Samsung c $130 73

ML-2165W 8 Dell B2360dn 9 Samsung ML-3712DW 10 Dell B1160w 230 68 300 68 110 67
5.6 &N NA NA 5.3 NA NA NA &N &N &C &N 2.3 &N NA NA 1.8 NA NA NA &N &N &M &M 2.3 &N NA NA 1.7 NA NA NA &N &N &C &N 5.2 &N NA NA 4.4 NA NA NA &N &N &M &N 22 &N NA 1.35 12.3 &M NA &N &N &M &N &M 12.7 &N NA 1.2 3.1 &V NA &N &N &N &M &M 1.3 &N 0.15 0.5 1.3 &V &N &N &N &N &N &M 7.3 &N 0.15 0.55 2.7 &C NA &N &M &N &M &N 9.2 &N NA 0.85 3.2 &V NA &N &N &N &N &M 1.9 &N NA 0.65 3 &C NA &N &N &N &M &C
B n 1 d n 2 d
CoLoR LASER
180 67 230 66 500 64 280 64 300 62 200 59
Dell C1660w Samsung CLP-365w 3 Brother HL-4570CDW 4 Brother HL-3170CDW 5 Samsung CLP-415NW 6 Konica Minolta Magicolor 1600W
n 1 d
Epson Workforce Pro WP-4010 Officejet Pro n 2 HP d 251dw Pixma n 3 Canon c iP7220 Stylus Photo n 4 Epson d R2000 n 5 HP Officejet 6100 c Pixma n 6 Canon d iX6520 Officejet Pro n 7 HP d 8100
INKJEt
200 70 230 69 80 69 600 69 80 69 200 65 100 65 4.4 NA 0.45 1.45 2.1 &M &N &N &M &N &M &N 4.4 &V 0.25 0.75 1.6 &M &N &M &M &N &C &N 6.9 NA 0.5 1.7 6.1 &N &N &M &N &N &M &N 7.5 NA 0.5 1.7 7.8 &N &N &M &M &B &M &M 5.2 NA 0.25 0.9 3.4 &M &M &M &M &N &M &N 3.1 NA 0.55 1.85 6.8 &M &N &N &M &N &C &N 3.9 NA 0.25 0.85 1.6 &C &M &N &M &N &C &N
Page 24 of 39
90
Price
Overall score
Test results Ink cost/month ($) Maintenance ink use 4x6 photo cost ($) 8x10 photo cost ($) Text cost (cents) Photo quality 4x6 photo time 8x10 photo time Text quality Text speed Graphics quality Power saving
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
8 HP Officejet Pro $450 X451DN 230 9 Epson Artisan 50 10 Epson WorkForce 70 30 11 Epson Stylus Photo 600 R2880
INKJEt continued
61 61 55 47
3.5 &C 0.2 0.75 1.5 &V &N &N &C &N &C &M 5.6 NA 0.65 2.2 4.5 &M &C &M &C &C &M &N 4.4 NA 0.5 1.7 4.8 &C &C &C &M &N &M &N 6.4 NA 0.5 1.7 3.9 &N &C &M &V &B &M &N

Overall score is based mainly on speed and text/photo quality. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points. Ink cost/month ($) is estimated cost (in dollars) for ink or toner in a month of typical use. For inkjets: 23 text pages, 9 graphics pages, 2.4 large photos, 3.6 small photos, and 3.5 photos on plain paper. For lasers: 62 text pages, 24 graphics pages, 1.7 large photos, 1.9 small photos, and 2.3 photos on plain paper. Maintenance ink use reects the amount of extra ink used by an inkjet printer to maintain its print heads. NA indicates an older model that did not undergo these tests. 4x6 photo cost ($), 8X10 photo cost ($), and text cost (cents) indicates the cost per print. Photo quality reects a photos appearance. The 4x6 photo time score reects how quickly the model can print one 4x6 photo on photo-quality paper. One minute or less is excellent; 1 to 2 minutes is very good; 2 to 4 minutes is good; 4 to 6 minutes is fair; and longer than 6 minutes is poor. The 8x10 photo time score reects how quickly the model can print one 8x10 photo on photo-quality paper. Two minutes or less is excellent; 2 to 4 minutes is very good; 4 to 6 minutes is good; 6 to 8 minutes is fair; and longer than 8 minutes is poor. Text quality assesses clarity and crispness of black text. Text speed reects how quickly the model can print text on ve pages of plain, letter-sized pages. Thirty seconds or less is excellent; 31 to 60 seconds is very good; 61 to 90 seconds is good; 91 to 120 seconds is fair; and longer than 120 seconds is poor. Graphics quality assesses the appearance of color graphics produced by the printer, or black-and-white graphics for black-and-white lasers. Power saving indicates how well the printer conserves power between uses. Price is approximate retail.
Page 25 of 39
106
Quick Guide
SMART PHONEs
Smart phones are getting smarter every day. Theyre not only great for texting, e-mail, and social networking, but they can also play music, shoot photos and video, and direct you via GPS navigation.
Shopping tip
Make sure you can read the phones display in bright sunlight, especially for texting and Web surng.
What to look for
The phones operating system, which dictates its features and capabilities How many apps are available and what they cost The keyboardphones with virtual keyboards tend to be less bulky than models with physical keyboards, but its easier to type on a physical keyboard without looking
What to skip
not worth it when you factor in the extra expense, high de ductibles, and low chance of using them
What youll pay
Phone prices with a two-year contract, including rebates, range from about $50 to $300. Smart phones purchased un locked without a contract can cost significantly more, starting at $500.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/cellphones
Phone insurance and extended warranties, which are

Price Overall score Test results
Brand & model Recommended

Similar models, in small type, are comparable to tested model.
Rank
Ease of use Messaging Web browsing Display quality Voice quality Phoning Battery life Camera: Image quality Camera: Video quality Portability Display diagonal size (in.)
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 1 d n d n d n d n d
AT&T
Samsung Galaxy $200 81 S 4 (16GB)
Galaxy S 4 (32GB)
&N &N &N &N &C &N &N &N &N &N &N &N &C &N &N &N &N N & N & N & C & M & N & & M & N N & N & N & C & M & N & & C &N &N &N &N &C &N &M &M &N &M &N &N &C &M &C &N
&C &M &C &M
5 5
And. And.
Galaxy 200 n 2 Samsung d S 4 Active
80 79
3 LG Optimus G 4 HTC One (32GB) 5 6

One (64GB)
50
200 79 Samsung Galaxy 100 78 S III (16GB) Apple iPhone 5 (16GB) iPhone 5 (32GB), 200 77
iPhone 5 (64GB)
4.7 And. &V M & 4.7 And. & V & M
&C &M 4.8 And. &M &N

4 iOS
Page 26 of 39
106-110 BG14 Smartphones.indd 106 9/26/13 4:03:45 PM
Operating system
SMaRT PHONES
107

Price Overall score
Test results Ease of use Messaging Web browsing Display quality Voice quality Phoning Battery life Camera: Image quality Camera: Video quality Portability Display diagonal size (in.) Operating system And. And. iOS
Rank
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 7 d n d n d n d n d
A
8 9 10 11
AT&T continued
Nokia Lumia 1020 Pantech Discover HTC One X+ HTC One VX Samsung Galaxy Note II (16GB) LG Optimus G Pro HTC Windows Phone 8X (16GB) $300 50 200 50 300 100
77 77 77 77 77 77
&N &N &N &N &C &M &N &M &N N & N & N & C & M & N & & M & N N & N & N & C & M & N & & C & N N & N & M & C & M & N & & C &N &N &N &N &C &C &N &N &N &N &N &N &C &C &N &M &N &N &N &N &C &M &M &M &N N & N & N & C & M & M & & N & N N & N & M & C & M & M & & M &N &M &M &N &C &M &C &M &N &M &N &N &C &M &M &C &M &M &N &M &C &M &N &C &M M & M & N & C & M & N & & M & M C & N & N & C & M & N & & C &N &M &C &N &C &M &C &C &M &N &M &N &C &M &C &C &N &N &N &N &C &N &M &N &N N & N & N & C & M & M & & M & N N & N & N & V & M & M & & C &N &N &N &N &C &N &C &M &N &M &N &N &C &M &C &N
&C &C 4.5 WP

4.8 And. &V M & 4.7 And. & V & M 4.5 And. & C & M
&M &V 5.5 And. &C &V 5.5 And. &M &M 4.3 WP
4.4 WP &C C & 4.2 BB & C & M
n 12 d n 13 d
n 14 Nokia Lumia 920 100 d n 15 BlackBerry Z10 200 d n 16 Apple iPhone 4S 100 d n d n d n d n d
17 18 19 20 21 22
(16GB) Pantech Flex Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro BlackBerry Q10 HTC First Apple iPhone 4 (8GB) BlackBerry Torch 9810 0 100 200 0 0 10
Windows Phone 8X (8GB)
100 76
76 75 74 72 72 71 70 69 66
&M &N 3.5 iOS &V &M 4.3 And. &V &C
4 3.1 BB &C M & 4.3 And. & V & N
&M &N 3.5 iOS &C &M 3.2 BB &C &M

5
B SpRInt n 1 Samsung Galaxy d

S 4 (16GB) n 2 LG Optimus G d n 3 HTC One (32GB) d Galaxy n 4 Samsung d S III (16GB)
150 0 100
79 77 77
4.7 And. &V M & 4.7 And. & V & M
n 5 Apple iPhone 5 d
Galaxy S III (32GB)
100 76 100 75
&C &M 4.8 And. &M &N

4
(16GB) iPhone 5 (64GB), iPhone 5 (32GB)
Page 27 of 39
108

Price Overall score
Test results Ease of use Messaging Web browsing Display quality Voice quality Phoning Battery life Camera: Image quality Camera: Video quality Portability Display diagonal size (in.) Operating system And. And. And. And. And. And. iOS
Rank
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
B SpRInt continued n 6 Samsung Galaxy $250 d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Note II (16GB) LG Optimus F3 HTC Evo 4G LTE Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE HTC 8XT Sprint Vital Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE LG Viper Kyocera Torque Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) Sprint Force Kyocera Hydro Edge LG Optimus Elite ZTE Fury Kyocera Rise 0 0 100 100 0 50 0 0 100 0 20 0 0 0
75 73 73 73 73 73 71 69 68 67 66 58 58 56 55
&N &N &N &N &C &C &M &N &N M & M & N & C & M & N & & C & N N & N & N & C & M & C & & V &N &N &N &N &C &M &C &M &N N & N & N & V & M & C & & M & N N & N & N & V & M & M & & C &N &M &N &M &C &M &C &C &N N & N & M & V & M & C & & C & M M & N & M & V & M & N & & C &N &M &C &N &C &M &C &M &M &M &N &M &V &C &C &C &M &M &C &M &V &M &M &C &M M & C & M & C & C & C & & V & M M & C & M & C & M & C & & C & M M & C & M & C & M & C & & V &N &N &N &N &C &N &N &N &N &N &N &N &C &M &N &C &N &N &N &N &C &N &M &M &N &M &N &N &C &M &C &N &N &N &N &N &C &C &N &N &N N & N & N & C & M & M & & M & N N & N & N & C & M & M & & M &N &N &N &N &C &M &M &C
&M &V 5.5 And.

4 And. &C N & 4.7 And. & C & M
&C &C 4.3 And.

4.3 WP &M M & 5 And. & V & M
&C &M &V M & & V & V &B &M &V &M
4 4 4 4 4
&M &N 3.5 iOS
3.5 And. &V N & 3.5 And. & B & M 3.5 And. & B & M
C n d n d n d n d
1
T-MobIle
81 79 78 77 77 77 77 76
Samsung 0 Galaxy S 4 (16GB) 0 2 HTC One (32GB) 3 Samsung 0 Galaxy S III (16GB) 4 Apple iPhone 5 150 (16GB) iPhone 5
(32GB) , iPhone 5 (64GB)
&C &M
& V &M 4.7 And. &C &M 4.8 And. &M &N
4
n 5 Samsung Galaxy d n 6 d n 7 d n 8 d
Note II (16GB) Sony Xperia Z Nokia Lumia 925 Google Nexus 4 (16GB)
0 0 0 0
&M &V 5.5 And.

5 And. &C M & 4.5 WP & C & M
&C &M 4.7 And.
Page 28 of 39
SMaRT PHONES
109

Price Overall score
Test results Ease of use Messaging Web browsing Display quality Voice quality Phoning Battery life Camera: Image quality Camera: Video quality Portability Display diagonal size (in.) Operating system And. And. iOS
Rank
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
C T-MobIle continued n 9 LG Optimus L9 $ 0 d n 10 BlackBerry Z10 0 d n 11 Samsung d 0 n 12 d n d n d n d

13 14 15 16 17
Galaxy S II Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) Samsung Galaxy Exhibit BlackBerry Q10 Nokia Lumia 521 T-Mobile myTouch Q T-Mobile Prism II 70 0 0 0 0 0
76 75 75 74 71 71 71 63 60
&N N & N & N & C & M & M & & C & N N & N & M & C & M & M & & M &N &N &N &N &C &N &C &M &N &M &M &N &C &M &C &M &N &M &N &M &C &M &C &C &M M & M & N & C & M & N & & M & N M & N & N & C & M & M & & C &M &M &M &N &C &M &C &V &C &M &C &M &C &M &M &C &N &N &N &N &C &N &M &N &N &N &N &N &C &M &N &M &N &N &N &N &C &M &M &M &N &N &N &N &C &M &C &M &N &M &N &N &C &M &C &N &N &N &N &N &C &C &M &N &N N & N & N & C & M & M & & M & N N & N & M & V & M & C & & M & N N & N & N & V & N & C & & M &N &N &N &N &V &N &M &C &N N & N & N & V & M & C & & C & N N & N & N & C & M & M & & V & N N & N & N & C & M & C & & M
4.5 And. &V N & 4.2 BB & C & M
&C &M 4.5 And. &M &N 3.5 iOS &V &N 3.8 And.
3.1 BB &C M & 4 WP & V & M
&B &C
&V &M 3.5 And. &C &M

5
D VeRIzon n 1 Samsung d n 2 d
Galaxy S 4 (16GB) 200 Motorola Droid 150 Razr Maxx HD Motorola Droid 3 n d 50 Razr HD Motorola Droid 4 n d 0 Razr M iPhone 5 n 5 Apple d 200 (16GB) iPhone 5 Galaxy 250 n 6 Samsung d Note II (16GB)
(64GB), iPhone 5 (32GB)
79 79 77 75 75 75 75 74 74 73 73 73 73
&C &M 4.7 And. &C &M 4.7 And. &C &N 4.3 And. &M &N
4
&M &V 5.5 And.

4.4 WP &C C & 4.2 BB & C & M 4.7 And. & V & M
n d n d n d n d
Nokia Lumia 928 BlackBerry Z10 LG Spectrum 2 Pantech Perception n 11 HTC Droid DNA d n 12 LG Lucid 2 d n 13 Nokia Lumia 822 d
7 8 9 10
100 100 0 0 50 20 20
&V &M 4.8 And.

5 And. &V C & 4.3 And. & V & N 4.3 WP & V & M
Page 29 of 39
110

Price Overall score
Test results Ease of use Messaging Web browsing Display quality Voice quality Phoning Battery life Camera: Image quality Camera: Video quality Portability Display diagonal size (in.) Operating system And. WP And. And. And. And.
Rank
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
D VeRIzon continued n 14 HTC Windows $ 50 d n 15 d n 16 d n 17 d n 18 d n 19 d n 20 d n 21 d n 22 d

23 24 25 26 27
Phone 8X (16GB) Motorola Droid 4 Samsung ATIV Odyssey Casio GzOne Commando 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Stellar Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II BlackBerry Q10 LG Intuition Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) Apple iPhone 4 (8GB) Pantech Marauder Casio GzOne Commando BlackBerry Bold 9930 Jitterbug Touch 100 0 100 0 50 200 0 100 0 0 50 100 150
73 73 71 71 71 70 69 68 67 65 65 60 59 50
&N &N &N &N &V &M &C &M &N &N &N &M &C &M &C &M &N &N &N &N &V &M &C &C &N &N &N &M &V &M &C &C &N &N &N &N &V &N &C &V &N &N &N &M &V &N &C &C &M M & M & N & V & M & M & & M & N N & N & N & C & V & C & & C &N &M &C &N &C &M &C &M &N &M &C &N &C &M &C &C &M &M &N &M &V &M &C &C &M &M &C &M &C &M &M &C &M &M &C &N &V &M &C &V &C &M &V &C &C &M &C &V
&M &M 4.3 WP &C &C &C &N &C &C &V &M &V &C
4 4 4 4 4
3.1 BB &C M & 5 And. & C & V
&M &N 3.5 iOS &M &N 3.5 iOS &V &C 3.7 And. &V &C 3.6 And. &V &N 2.8 BB &B &M
3

Overall score is based mainly on test results. Ease of use indicates how easy it is to access features and modes, such as phoning, messaging, Web browsing, the camera, the music player, applications, and other multimedia content. Messaging assesses keyboard ergonomics, e-mail readability, attachment capabilities, and text-messaging features. Web browsing assesses browser capabilities. Display quality represents overall picture quality, contrast in normal and bright lighting, and color accuracy. Voice quality incorporates listening and talking in noisy and quiet settings using live phone calls. Phoning considers the step-saving functions for making and receiving calls, speed dialing, and more. Battery life was tested under strong and weak cell network signals, and considers tasks that involve voice, data, standby, and other factors. Camera: Image quality evaluates resolution, dynamic range, color accuracy, and visual noise. Camera: Video quality judges recorded video images shot at the highest quality setting available. Portability represents our judgment based on the best combination of size and weight. Display diagonal size (in.) is to the nearest tenth of an inch. Under operating system, And.=Android; BB=BlackBerry; iOS=iOS; WP=Windows Phone. Price is approximate retail.
Page 30 of 39
44
Quick Guide
DIGITAL CAMERAS, BASIc
Most of the models we tested offer Good or Very Good overall performance and image quality. Most get 200 to 350 shots per battery charge and many have a 3-inch display. What to look for
A wide-angle end of the zoom range as low as 28mm, 24mm or wider, for more panoramic landscapes or group portraits An LCD that can swivel for hard-to-reach shots A touch screen for easy interaction with menus An optical or electronic viewfinder, which can help you compose when bright light washes out your LCD A dedicated video button,
which lets you record video when youre shooting photos

What to skip
Shopping tip
When looking for a basic camera, only consider optical zoom. Disregard digital zoom; it degrades image quality.
Buying a camera solely based on its megapixel count, since higher resolution doesnt necessarily produce better photographs
What youll pay
For basic point-and-shoots, expect to spend $90 to $500.

For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/cameras
Recommended models only From 130 tested.
Price
Overall score
Test results Weight (oz.) Widest angle (mm) 26 24 25 25 25 24 Battery life (shots) 240 230 250 300 120 200 Megapixels Image quality Flash photos Video quality Ease of use LCD quality
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
a n d n d n d n d n c n d
1 2 3 4 5 6
CoMpaCt
Olympus Stylus XZ-10 Nikon Coolpix P310 Nikon Coolpix S8200 Fujifilm XF1 Nikon Coolpix L610 Canon PowerShot S110 $400 250 330 450 150 400
65 60 57 57 57 55
12 16 16 12 16 12
8 7 8 8 9 7
&M & M & M & M & M & M
&M & M & C & C & M & C
&C & C & C & C & V & C
&C & C & C & C & C & C
&M & C & C & C & C & M
Page 31 of 39
040-048 BG14 Digital Cameras.indd 44 9/26/13 11:46:23 AM
D I G I Ta L C a M E R a S , B a S I C
45
Price
Overall score
Test results Image quality Video quality Weight (oz.) Flash photos LCD quality Megapixels Ease of use Widest angle (mm) Battery life (shots)
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
B n 1 d n 2 d n 3 d
SUbCoMpaCt
$350 250 190 200 230 300 400 140 200 150
63 60 59 57 57 56 56 56 56 55
Nikon Coolpix P330 Nikon Coolpix S800c Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 n 4 Nikon Coolpix S6500 d PowerShot ELPH n 5 Canon d 110 HS 6 Canon PowerShot N Lumix n 7 Panasonic d DMC-3D1 Lumix n 8 Panasonic d DMC-SZ1 Lumix n 9 Panasonic d DMC-SZ5 Lumix n 10 Panasonic c DMC-FH8
12 16 16 16 16 12 12 16 14 16
7 6 4 5 5 7 7 5 5 4
&M M & M & C & M & 24 200 & C M & M & C & C & 25 140 &M &C &M &C &C 25 240 &M &C &C &C &C 25 150 &C &C &M &C &C 24 170 &M &B &C &C &M 28 200 &M &C &M &C &C 25 200 &C &C &C &C &C 25 250 &C &C &C &C &C 25 250 &C &C &M &C &C 24 260
n 1 d
SUpErZooM
Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX50V Olympus Stylus SH-50 iHS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR 300 400 450 270 500 330 370
64 64 63 63 63 62 60
12 18 20 16 20 14 16
8 7 10 10 23 19 8
&M &M &C &C &M 25 210 &M &C &C &M &M 24 300 &M &M &M &C &M 24 400 &M &C &M &M &M 25 300 &M &C &M &C &M 24 310 &M &C &C &C &C 22 NA &M &C &V &M &C 25 260
n 2 d n 3 d n d n d n d n d
4 5 6 7
Page 32 of 39
46
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
C n d n d n d n c
8 9 10 11
SUpErZooM continued
Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Nikon Coolpix S9500 Nikon Coolpix S9400 Olympus Stylus SZ-16 iHS Nikon Coolpix P520 Nikon Coolpix L820 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 Leica V-Lux 40 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 Fujifilm FinePix S8400W Fujifilm FinePix F770EXR Samsung WB850F Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Leica V-Lux 30 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Olympus Stylus TG-830 iHS Nikon Coolpix AW110 $400 330 280 230 430 250 280 700 330 350 300 315 260 340 300 650 280 300 415
60 59 59 59 59 59 59 59 58 58 57 57 57 56 56 56 56 55 55
16 18 18 16 18 16 14 14 18 16 14 16 16 16 18 14 12 18 18
9 7 7 8 21 18 7 7 6 18 7 25 8 9 9 8 7 8 22
&C M & C & V & C & 25 NA & C M & C & C & C & 25 230 & C M & M & C & M & 25 230 &M &M &C &C &C 25 270 &M M & C & C & M & 24 200 & C M & M & C & M & 23 320 &M &C &C &C &C 24 340 &M &C &C &C &C 24 260 &M &C &M &C &C 25 500 &C &M &M &C &M 25 450 &M &C &C &C &C 24 260 &M &M &V &C &M 24 300 &M &V &V &C &C 25 300 &M &C &C &C &C 23 NA &C &C &M &C &M 25 320 &C &C &M &C &C 24 NA &C &C &M &C &C 24 260 &C &C &M &C &C 24 340 &C &C &M &C &M 27 450
n 12 d n 13 c n 14 c n 15 d n 16 d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d n c n d n d
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
n 1 d
RUGGED & WatErproof

400 230 330
58 57 56
16 16 16
8 8 7
&M &C &M &C &M 28 370 &M &C &C &C &M 28 NA &M &C &M &C &M 28 250
n 2 d n 3 d
Page 33 of 39
D I G I T a L C a M E R a S , Ba S I C
47
Price
Overall score
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
D RUGGED & WatErproof continued n 4 Panasonic Lumix d $300 56 n d n d n d n d n d n c n c

DMC-TS4 Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX30 6 Fujifilm FinePix XP200W 7 Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS 8 Canon PowerShot D20 9 Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS 10 Olympus Stylus TG-630 iHS 11 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20
12 18 16 12 12 12 12 16
7 5 8 9 8 8 6 5
&M &C &C &C &C 28 310 &C &M &M &C &C 26 250 &C &C &C &C &C 28 300 &M C & C & C & C & 25 300 & C C & C & C & C & 28 280 & M C & C & C & M & 25 350 &C &M &V &M &C 28 270 &C &C &V &C &C 25 250
350 280 330 350 350 170 180
56 56 53 53 52 52 50

Overall score is based mainly on image quality, ease of use, and versatility, plus LCD, ash, and video quality. Megapixels is the number of pixels, in millions, on the sensor. Weight (oz.) is with battery, memory card, and strap. Image quality combines several tests, including regular photos, low-light photos, and ash photos as well as color tests, among others. Flash photos tests the quality of the built-in ashs light output and evenness of illumination. Video quality mostly reects footage shot in regular and low light, with audio quality and macro (close-up) capability also considered. Ease of use is our evaluation of the cameras controls, manual, response time, and focusing. LCD quality is a judgment of images viewed under various lighting conditions. For widest angle (mm), the lower the number, the broader the vista the camera can capture. Battery life (shots) is as the manufacturer states. Price is approximate retail.
Page 34 of 39
48
Most & Least Reliable DIGITAL CAMERAS

Fewer repairs More repairs
Panasonic Sony Canon Pentax Fujifilm Samsung Olympus Nikon Canon Sony Olympus Nikon Pentax
0%
3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 6
5% 10% 15%
Most cameras are very reliable, and few differences exist among brands. Thats what we found when we asked more than 126,000 readers who bought a digital camera between 2008 and 2012 about their experiences. The graph shows the percentage of models for each brand that were repaired or had a serious problem. Differences of less than 3 points arent meaningful, and weve adjusted the data to eliminate differences linked solely to the age of the digital camera. Models within a brand can vary, and design or manufacture changes might affect future reliability. Still, choosing a brand with a good repair history can improve your odds of getting a reliable model.
Source: Annual Product Reliability Survey, Consumer Reports National Research Center.
point-and-shoots slrs
Page 35 of 39
40
Quick Guide
DIGITAL CAMERAS, AdVANcEd

What to look for
Consumers are placing increasing demands on cameras, and manufacturers are meeting these needs by adding more capabilities, especially wireless features.
Shopping tip
SLR-likes (also called mirrorless) lack the mirror found in SLRs, so they can be built thinner and smaller.
Wide-angle capability, with some models able to go as wide as 24 mm Extended zoom ranges from 5x to 42x An SLR or SLR-like model with interchangeable lenses for the most versatility Wi-Fi features for quickly uploading images and video A viewfinder is a plus, though not a necessity
What to skip
because digital cameras have been among the most reliable products overall in our subscriber surveys
What youll pay
For advanced point-andshoots, expect to spend $450 to $1,300. For SLR-like cameras, expect to spend $300 to $1,500. For SLRs, expect to spend $450 to $1,700.
For more buying advice, go to ConsumerReports.org/cameras
An extended warranty,
Price Overall score
Test results Weight (oz.) Megapixels Image quality Flash photos Video quality Ease of use LCD quality Viewfinder Test lens 28mm 35mm 28mm 25-600mm 28-200mm
9/26/13 11:46:21 AM
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
A n d n d n d n d
1 2 3 4
ADVaNCED poINt-aND-SHoot
Nikon Coolpix A Fujifilm X100S Ricoh GR Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 $1,100 1,300 800
71 69 69
16.1 12 M & M & M & M & N & NA 16 17 M & M & M & M & M & &N 16 9 M & C & C & M & M & NA 12 22 &M &M &M &M &M &M 12 7 &M &M &M &C &N &M
600 69 500 68
n 5 c
Page 36 of 39
040-048 BG14 Digital Cameras.indd 40
D I G I Ta L C a M E R a S , A D Va N C E D
41
Price
Overall score
Test results Image quality Flash photos Video quality Ease of use LCD quality Megapixels Viewfinder Weight (oz.) Test lens 24-90mm 28-140mm 28-112mm 28-112mm 28-70mm 28-112mm 28-100mm 24-624mm 24-1200mm 28-200mm 24-80mm 28-112mm 45mm 18-55mm (1.6) 18-105mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.6) 18-55mm (1.6) 14-54mm (2.0) 18-105mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.6) 18-135mm (1.6) 18-55mm (1.6) 18-55mm (1.6) 18-55mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.5)
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
n 6 c n 7 c n d n c n d n d n d
ADVaNCED poINt-aND-SHoot continued

Panasonic Lumix $ 500 66 DMC-LX7 Canon PowerShot 500 65 G15 Fujifilm X20 600 65 Pentax MX-1 450 65 Leica X Vario 2,850 64 Olympus Stylus XZ-2 600 64 Sony Cyber-shot 650 62 DSC-RX100 Fujifilm FinePix X-S1 700 61 Canon PowerShot 430 61 SX50 HS Nikon Coolpix P7700 450 60 Samsung EX2F 450 59 Canon PowerShot 59 700 G1 X Fujifilm FinePix 480 54 HS50EXR Sigma DP2 Merill 950 44 10 11 &M &M &M &C &M NA 12 13 &M &C &M &C &M &V 12 12 16 12 14 15 24 14
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
&M & C & M & M
&M & M & M & M
&C & M & C & M
&M & M & C & C
&M & N & N & M
&N
NA NA NA
20 9 &M &M &M &C &M NA 12 35 &C &M &C &C &M &M 12 22 &C &C &C &M &M &C 12 15 &M C & C & C & M & NA 12 12 M & M & M & C & M & NA 14 20 &M &C &M &C &N &V
16 30 &C &C &V &M &M &M 24-1000mm 15 14 &C &N &V &C &V NA 18 24 18 18 12 16 18 18 18 12 24 24 30 44 36 23 49 44 29 50 29 26 20 29
B n c n d n d n c n d n d n c n d n d n c n d n c
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
SLR
Canon EOS Rebel T5i Nikon D7100 Canon EOS 60D Canon EOS Rebel SL1 Olympus E-5 Nikon D7000 Canon EOS Rebel T3i Canon EOS 7D Digital Canon EOS Rebel T4i Canon EOS Rebel T3 Nikon D5200 Nikon D3200 900 1,500 1,050 800 1,700 1,100 650 1,700 750 600 900 600
73 72 71 71 70 70 70 69 69 67 66 66
&M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M
&M & N & N & M & M & C & M & M & C & C & M & C
&M & N & M & M & M & M & M & M & C & M & C & C
&M & M & M & M & M & C & M & M & M & M & M & C
&M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & M & C & M & M
&M & N & N & M & N & N & N & M & M & N & N & M
Page 37 of 39
42
Price
Overall score
Test results Image quality Flash photos Video quality Ease of use LCD quality Megapixels Viewfinder Weight (oz.) Test lens 18-55mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.5) 18-55mm (1.5) 18-50mm (1.7)
9/26/13 11:46:22 AM
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
B n c n d n d n c
13 14 15 16 17 18
SLR continued
Nikon D3100 Pentax K-30 Pentax K-5 Nikon D5100 Pentax K-5 II Sigma SD15 $ 450 850 1,050 750 1,350 950
65 65 65 65 61 37
14 16 16 16 16 14
29 33 36 31 37 42
&M & M & M & M & C & V
&M & C & C & C & C & C
&C & M & M & C & M NA C &
&M & C & C & M & V
&C & C & C & M & M & C
&M & N & M & M & M & N
n 1 d
Panasonic Lumix 1,300 DMC-GH3 Panasonic Lumix 2 n d 750 DMC-G6K Panasonic Lumix 3 n d 800 DMC-G5K n 4 Olympus OM-D E-M5 1,000 d 750 n 5 Samsung NX300 d Lumix n 6 Panasonic c 600 DMC-GF6K 600 n 7 Sony SLT-A57K d 450 n 8 Sony NEX-3NL c 700 n 9 Nikon 1 J2 d 1,000 n 10 Samsung NX20 d 800 n 11 Sony SLT-A65VK d
SLR-lIKE
72 70 69 68 68 68 68 67 66 66 65
16 32 &M &M &M &M &M &N 12-35mm (2.0) 16 15 &M &M &M &M &N &N 14-42mm (2.0) 16 21 &M &M &M &M &M &N 14-42mm (2.0) 16 25 &M C & M & M & M & &M 12-50mm (2.0) 20 20 M & N & M & C & N & NA 18-55mm (1.5) 16 16 &C &M &M &M &M NA 14-42mm (2.0) 16 16 10 20 24 31 14 14 23 31
&M & M & M & M & C
&M & C & C & M & M
&C & M & C & C & M
&M & M & M & M & M
&M & M & C & M & M
&M 18-55mm (1.5) NA 16-50mm (1.5) NA 11-27.5mm (2.7) &M 18-55mm (1.5) &M 18-55mm (1.5)

Overall score is based mainly on image quality, the presence of useful features, battery life, and weight. Megapixels is the sensors pixel count, in millions. Weight (oz.) is with battery and memory card. Image quality combines several tests, including regular photos, low-light photos, and ash photos as well as resolution, macro, veiling glare, vignetting, and color and geometric distortion tests. Flash photos tests the quality of the built-in ashs light output and evenness of illumination. Video quality mostly reects footage shot in regular and low light, with audio quality and macro (close-up) capability also considered. Ease of use is our evaluation of the cameras controls, manual, response time, and focusing. LCD quality is a judgment of images viewed under various lighting conditions. Viewnder is our evaluation of its quality, including accuracy in displaying the framing of the image that will be recorded. Test lens is the kit lens tested. To calculate its 35-mmequivalent focal range, multiply the minimum and maximum settings shown, respectively, by the magnication factor, if shown (in parentheses). Price is approximate retail.
Page 38 of 39
040-048 BG14 Digital Cameras.indd 42
D I G I Ta L C a M E R a S , A D Va N C E D
43
Price
Overall score
Test results Image quality Flash photos Video quality Ease of use LCD quality Megapixels Viewfinder Weight (oz.) Test lens
0 100 P | F | G | Vg | E
C n d n d n c n d n c n d n c n d n d
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22
SLR-lIKE continued
Olympus Pen E-P5 Sony NEX-7K Sony NEX-F3K Sony SLT-A77V Olympus E-PM2 Sony NEX-6L Samsung NX1100 Sony SLT-A58K Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5X Samsung NX210 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1X Samsung NX2000 Olympus Pen Lite E-PL5 Nikon 1 J1 Nikon 1 J3 Samsung NX1000 Fujifilm X-E1 Nikon 1 S1 Nikon 1 V2 Sony NEX-5NK Sony NEX-5RK Canon EOS M Pentax Q10 Pentax Q Fujifilm X-Pro1 Pentax K-01 $1,250 1,150 500 1,000 500 900 350 600 750 900 700 700 500 600 550 1,400 500 1,000 700 650 900 600 400 1,200 1,000
65 65 65 65 64 64 64 63 63 63 61
16 24 16 24 16 16 20 20
16 20 19 36 15 17 15 30
&M & M & M & C & M & M & M & C
&M & C & C & M & C & C & C & C
&C & M & M & M & M & M & C & C
&M & C & C & M & M & C & C & M
&M & M & M & M & M & M & M & C
NA 14-42mm (2.0) &M 18-55mm (1.5) NA 18-55mm (1.5) &M 18-55mm (1.5) NA 14-42mm (2.0) &M 16-50mm (1.5) NA 20-50mm (1.5) &N 18-55mm (1.5)
12 14 &M &C &C &M &M NA 14-42mm (2.0) 20 19 &M &M &V &M &M NA 18-55mm (1.5) 16 16 &M &C &M &M &M NA 14-42mm (2.0) 20 15 &M &M &V &M &M NA 20-50mm (1.5) 16 18 &M &C &C &M &C NA 14-42mm (2.0) 10 14 20 16 10 14 16 16 18 12 12 16 16 15 13 16 24 12 17 18 18 22 11 11 24 28
n 21 d
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37
650 61
60 60 60 60 59 59 58 57 57 55 54 54 52 50
&M & M & M & M & M & M & C & C & M & C & C & C & C
&C & C & M & M & M & C & M & M & C & C & C & N & C
&M & C & V & C & C & C & C & C & C & C & C & V & V
&M & C & C & C & C & M & C & C & C & C & C & C & C
&C & M & M & M & M & C & M & M & M & M & M & N & C
NA 10-30mm (2.7) NA 10-30mm (2.7) NA 20-50mm (1.5) &M 18-55mm (1.5) NA 11-27.5mm (2.7) &C 10-30mm (2.7) NA 18-55mm (1.5) NA 18-55mm (1.5) NA 18-55mm (1.6) NA 5-15mm (5.5) NA 5-15mm (5.5) &M 35mm (1.5) NA 18-55mm (1.5)
Page 39 of 39

Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2014: Electronics

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2014: Electronics

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

20

CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014

What to look for

Scan this or see how, page 11

All tested models In performance order, within types.

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Performance Versatility Ergonomics Display Speakers

Core &N &M &M &N &C 27 i5-4430S 8 1000

n 2 HP ENVY 23-d150 d n 3 Toshiba d

8 2000 8 2000 8 2000 8 2000 6 1000

1,500 74 1,250 72 1,350

n 6 Dell XPS One 27 d

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Performance Versatility Ergonomics Display Speakers

8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000

n 8 Vizio CA27T-B1 d n 9 Vizio CA24T-B1 d

750 65 1,350 1,400 800 950 850

&M &M &M &M &C 23

4 1000 4 1000 8 1000 8 1000

600 62 1,500 1,300

&N &C &C &M &C 21.5

725 60 750 55 1,150 54

CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Performance Versatility Ergonomics Display Speakers

26 Sony VAIO Tap 20 SVJ20215CXW 27 Dell XPS 18 Touch

&V &C &M &C &C 20

&M &M &M NA NA NA &M &C &M NA NA NA &M &M &M NA NA NA

&V &M &M NA NA NA A-8 5500 12 1000

C FULL-sIZE n 1 Dell XPS 8700 d n 2 Dell XPS 8700 d n 3 c

24 2000 8 1000 8 1000 8 1000 12 2000 16 2000 8 1000 6 1000

n 5 HP ENVY 700-030qe 1,000 d

8 Dell Inspiron 660

Guide to the Ratings

CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014

All tested models In performance order, within types.

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Ergonomics Portability Performance Versatility Display

10- to 13-INch dEtachabLE

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Ergonomics Portability Performance Versatility Display

10- to 13-INch dEtachabLE continued

&N &C &N &C &C

11- to 13-INch coNvErtIbLE

&C &M &N &C &M 6.75 3

CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Ergonomics Portability Performance Versatility Display

&M &N &M &V &M 11.75 3

&M &M &M &V &N 8.5 3.6

&M &M &M &C &M 8.75 4.5

Core 4.1 i5-3317U

9 Dell Inspiron 14R 10 Lenovo IdeaPad Z400 Touch-59365077

Brand & model Recommended Rank

Test results Ergonomics Portability Performance Versatility Display

Core &M &C &C &M &C 4.5 4.7 i3-3227U

&M &N &N &V &N 10 4.4

Core &M &N &N &M &M 10.25 5.7 i7-3635QM 8

&M &N &N &V &N 12.5 4.5

Core &N &M &N &C &N 6.5 5.4 i5-3337U

Asus Q550LF-BBI7T07 1,000 71 1,800 70 1,000

1,325 69 850 68 800 67

n 10 Dell Inspiron 15R d

CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE 2014