Packard Bell EasyNote TS11-HR-040UK review

Packard Bell’s 15.6in TS11 looks similar to the 14in NS44, but the extra width allows for a numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard. It also has a more powerful Intel Core i5-2410M processor, plus 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk.

As with most Packard Bell laptops, design takes a front seat, although as this model is black it avoids some of the odd colours the company is fond of. The black lid has a subtle pattern on it which is mirrored inside on the wrist-rest below the keyboard. The keyboard panel itself is finished in matt black, while the screen bezel is glossy.

The extra screen size doesn’t necessarily lead to a better image. The resolution is the same 1,366×768 as the 14in NS44, so each pixel is larger, but it’s standard for 15.6in screens. The backlight is even but not amazingly bright so colours lack punch, despite the glossy screen finish. This is highly reflective and, as vertical viewing angles are tight, you’ll have to adjust the screen’s tilt carefully to get the best picture.

The keys have a light, crisp action that touch-typists will find comfortable, but the odd conjoining of the Enter and left Shift keys with their neighbouring keys serves no practical purpose. With the inclusion of a four-column numberpad, the shortcut keys have moved to the right of the function keys, which are inverted so that they act as shortcuts unless you use the Fn modifier key. The touchpad and its single see-saw button are a decent size and very responsive.