Comparison HP 17-cn2000 [17-CN2015UA 825J2EA] vs Asus Vivobook 17 X1704ZA [X1704ZA-AU013]

Laptop display certification for safe blue light emission levels and panel flicker rates. The presence of a TÜV Rheinland certificate confirms that the screen is comfortable for the eyes.

TÜV Rheinland is a large international concern headquartered in Cologne, Germany, providing a wide range of audit services. The company's specialists have developed and approved a number of tests for the compliance of the screens of mobile devices, monitors and TVs with the required level of eye protection from the harmful effects of display radiation on the user's vision on the other side of the screen. The authoritative opinion of TÜV Rheinland is respected in the tech community. Certificates from this body are issued to successfully tested electronics for the implementation of blue light filtering and screen flicker suppression technologies.

The result shown by the laptop processor in the Passmark CPU Mark test.

Passmark CPU Mark is a comprehensive test that is more detailed and reliable than the popular 3DMark06 (see above). It checks not only the gaming capabilities of the CPU, but also its performance in other modes, based on which it displays the overall score; this score can be used to fairly reliably evaluate the processor as a whole (the more points, the higher the performance).

The total number of slots for RAM modules provided in the laptop; in fact — the maximum number of slats that can be installed simultaneously in this model.

Features for upgrading RAM directly depend on this indicator. So, in low-cost models, there is often only 1 slot, and the only upgrade option is to replace the "native" bar. In more advanced devices, two or even four slots may be provided, while some of them may be free in the initial configuration.

A special case is embedded RAM; it is more compact and cheaper than removable modules, but does not imply replacement at all. At the same time, in some laptops, the “RAM” is only built-in, in others it can be supplemented with one or even two slots for interchangeable strips.

The presence in the laptop of an additional compartment for an internal drive of the form factor 2.5 ".

Usually, to install or remove a drive in such a bay, it was not necessary to disassemble the entire laptop — just remove the cover or remove the plug. As for 2.5", this is the traditional form factor for hard drives (HDD) for "laptop" purposes, although other types of media (SSD and SSHD — see "Media Type") can be produced in this format. For connection 2.5 "storage drives normally use the SATA connector — it is not as fast as more modern standards like M.2 PCI-E (see "Drive Interface"), however, it is cheaper, and for HDD this connector is quite enough.

Thus, the presence of an additional 2.5" bay allows you to quickly and cost-effectively increase the total volume of laptop drives.

Connection connectors provided in the design of the laptop.

This paragraph mainly indicates data on video outputs: VGA, HDMI(versions 1.4, 2.0, 2.1 and their varieties), miniHDMI / microHDMI, DisplayPort, miniDisplayPort). In addition, the presence of other types of connectors can be specified here: audio S / P-DIF, service COM port. But information about interfaces such as full-sized USB, USB-C, Thunderbolt and LAN is provided in separate paragraphs (see below).

— VGA. Analogue video output, also known as D-Sub 15 pin. Technically considered obsolete: it has low noise immunity, does not provide sound transmission, and the maximum supported resolution in fact does not exceed 1280x1024. However, VGA inputs are still quite common in monitors today, and are also found in other types of video equipment — in particular, projectors. Therefore, some modern laptops, mainly for multimedia purposes, are equipped with similar outputs — counting on connection to the mentioned video devices.

— HDMI. The most popular modern interface for working with HD content. Uses digital data transmission, allows you to transmit high-def...inition video and multi-channel audio over one cable at the same time. Most modern monitors, TVs, projectors, and other HD-enabled video equipment have at least one HDMI input; so outputs of this type are extremely common in modern laptops.

— microHDMI and miniHDMI. Reduced varieties of the HDMI described above: they are completely similar in functionality and differ only in the size of the connector. They are installed mainly in the thinnest and most compact laptops, for which full-size HDMI is too cumbersome.

The HDMI and mini/microHDMI ports on modern laptops may correspond to different versions:

• v 1.4. The earliest of the commonly used standards, released in 2009. Allows you to transmit a signal in resolutions up to 4096x2160 at a frame rate of 24 fps, and with Full HD resolution, the frame rate can reach 120 fps; 3D video transmission is also possible.
• v 1.4a. The first addition to version 1.4, in which, in particular, two additional 3D video formats were added.
• v 1.4b. The second update of the HDMI 1.4 standard, which introduced only minor clarifications and additions to the v 1.4a specifications.
• v2.0. Global HDMI update introduced in 2013. Also known as HDMI UHD, it allows you to stream 4K video at frame rates up to 60 fps. The number of audio channels can reach 32, and up to 4 audio streams can be broadcast simultaneously. In addition, support for the 21:9 aspect ratio and some improvements regarding 3D content have been introduced.
• v2.0a. First HDMI 2.0 update. A key innovation was compatibility with HDR content (see "HDR support").
• v2.0b. Second update of version 2.0. Key innovations have affected mainly work with HDR — in particular, support for HDR10 and HLG has been added.
• v2.1. One of the newest versions, released in the fall of 2017. Further increases in bandwidth have made it possible to support 4K and even 8K video at frame rates up to 120 fps. In addition, key improvements include enhanced HDR capabilities. Note that to use the full capabilities of HDMI v2.1, HDMI Ultra High Speed cables are required, although basic functions are available with regular cables.

— Display port. Digital high-speed port, allows you to transfer both video and audio in HD quality. It is similar in many respects to HDMI, provides a higher data transfer rate and allows the use of longer cables, but is less common, mainly used in computer technology.

— miniDisplayPort. A smaller version of the DisplayPort described above, designed to make the connector more compact; except for the dimensions, it is no different from the original interface. Some time ago it was a regular video connector for Apple laptops; and even the Thunderbolt interface that replaced it, in versions 1 and 2 (see below), uses a connector identical to the miniDisplayPort connector.

Both full-size DisplayPort and its smaller version may be different versions. Here are the most popular options today:

• v 1.2. The earliest version common in laptops, released in 2010. Among the most important innovations presented in this version are 3D support, the ability to work simultaneously with several video streams for serial connection of screens (daisy chain), as well as the ability to work through the miniDisplayPort connector. Bandwidth v 1.2 is enough to fully support 5K video at 30 frames per second and 8K video — with certain limitations.
• v 1.2a. Update version 1.2, released in 2013. One of the most noticeable innovations is the ability to work with AMD FreeSync (see above). Bandwidth and supported resolutions remain unchanged.
• v 1.3. DisplayPort version released in 2014. Compared to the previous version, the throughput has been increased by 1.5 times for 1 line and almost 2 times for the whole connector (8.1 Gbps and 32.4 Gbps, respectively). This, among other things, made it possible to provide full support for 8K video at 30 fps, as well as increase the maximum frame rate in 4K and 5K standards to 120 and 60 fps, respectively. In daisy chain mode, this standard makes it possible to work with two 4K UHD (3840x2160) screens at a frame rate of 60 Hz, or with four 2560x1600 screens at the same frequency. In addition, Dual-mode support was introduced in this version, providing compatibility with HDMI and DVI interfaces through the simplest passive adapters.
• v 1.4. Version introduced in March 2016. Bandwidth, compared to the previous standard, remained unchanged, but some important features were added — in particular, support for Display Stream Compression 1.2 compression, HDR10 standard and Rec. 2020, and the maximum number of supported audio channels has increased to 32.
• v 1.4a. An update released in 2018 "quietly" — without even an official press release. The main innovation was the update of Display Stream Compression technology from version 1.2 to version 1.2a.

— S/P-DIF. Output for digital audio transmission, including multi-channel. It has two varieties — optical and electrical; the first is absolutely insensitive to interference, but uses rather delicate cables, the second does not require special care in handling, but can be subject to pickups (although the wires are usually made shielded). Laptops use mainly optical S/P-DIF, while for compactness this connector is combined with a mini-Jack jack for connecting headphones. However, anyway, it's ok to clarify the specific features of this interface separately.

— COM port. Universal interface for connecting various external devices — in particular, dial-up modems — as well as for direct connection between two computers. Also known as RS-232 (after the connector). Nowadays it is considered obsolete due to the spread of more compact, faster and more functional interfaces, primarily USB. However, many types of equipment, including specialized ones, use the COM port as a control interface. Such equipment includes uninterruptibles, satellite receivers and communication devices, security and alarm systems, etc. Thus, COM ports, although almost never used in consumer-level laptops, are still found in some specialized models.

Number of USB 2.0 ports provided in the laptop.

USB of all versions is the most popular modern interface for connecting various peripherals to computer - from keyboards, mice and flash drives to very original devices. It can also be used to charge smartphones and other gadgets. The more USB ports laptop has, the more peripherals you can connect to it without using splitters. Specifically, USB 2.0 is the earliest version found in modern laptops. It uses regular full-size connector and provides speeds of up to 480 Mbit. In light of the emergence of faster and more advanced versions of USB 2.0, it is considered obsolete; more and more laptops are being produced that do not have such connectors at all. At the same time, this interface is still far from completely disappearing, especially since its capabilities are quite sufficient for many peripheral devices.

Wi-Fi standards supported by the laptop.

In modern laptops, most often there are wireless communication modules that support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). Earlier standards appear infrequently; First of all, this is Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), which ensures compatibility of the laptop with legacy wireless equipment. Here are the features of each of these standards:

- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Standard introduced in 2013. It operates exclusively on the 5 GHz frequency, which is why it is only compatible with Wi-Fi 4 and newer versions. Provides a theoretical maximum speed of up to 1 Gbps with a single-channel connection and up to 6 Gbps with multiple channels in MIMO format, while consuming significantly less power than its predecessor.

- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). A standard developed as a direct development and improvement of Wi-Fi 5. A priori, it operates at standard frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (including equipment of earlier standards), but if necessary, it can connect additional bands in the range from 1 to 7 GHz. The maximum data transfer speed has increased to 10 Gbps, but the main advantage of Wi-Fi 6 is not even this, but the further optimization of the simultaneous operation of several devices on the same channel. Wi-Fi 6 provides a minimal drop in speed under conditions...of high channel load.

- Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax). The Wi-Fi 6E standard is technically called 802.11ax. But unlike basic Wi-Fi 6, which is named similarly, it provides for operation in an additional unused 6 GHz band. In total, the standard uses 14 different frequency bands, offering high throughput in the most crowded places with many active connections. And it's backwards compatible with previous versions of Wi-Fi.

— Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). The technology, like the previous Wi-Fi 6E, is capable of operating in three frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz. At the same time, the maximum bandwidth in Wi-Fi 7 was increased from 160 MHz to 320 MHz - the wider the channel, the more data it can transmit. The IEEE 802.11be standard uses 4096-QAM modulation, which also allows more symbols to be accommodated in a data transmission unit. From Wi-Fi 7 you can squeeze out a maximum theoretical information exchange speed of up to 46 Gbps. In the context of using wireless connections for streaming and video games, the implemented MLO (Multi-Link Operation) development seems very interesting. With its help, you can aggregate several channels in different ranges, which significantly reduces delays in data transmission and ensures low and stable ping. And Multi-RU (Multiple Resource Unit) technology is designed to minimize communication delays when there are many connected client devices.

Movable shutter, with which you can cover the webcam lens. Such a device provides additional security: even if an attacker gains access to a laptop and tries to follow the user through a webcam, a closed lens will not allow him to see anything. In addition, the shutter protects the optics from various contaminants.

Note that relatively recently an alternative option has appeared — a switch on the laptop case, with which you can turn off the camera's power at the hardware level. Such a switch in our catalog is also referred to as a “camera shutter”, since its purpose and capabilities are completely similar.

The presence of a backlight in the laptop keyboard. This feature not only gives the device a stylish look, but also makes the keys more visible than on non-backlit laptops. The specific implementation of the backlight may vary - it depends both on the price category and on the general purpose of the laptop. For example, single-colour lighting is found in both inexpensive laptops and professional ultrabooks. And gaming models may provide advanced RGB backlighting and even the ability to synchronize the backlight.

The backlight colour is usually chosen by the manufacturer taking into account the general specialization of the laptop. Thus, white backlighting is popular in “office” devices - it fits well into a restrained business style and at the same time looks good on its own. Yellow (golden) colour is noticeably less common - mainly among fashion laptops, although there are exceptions. In turn, among gaming models the most advanced type of backlighting is often found - RGB: it allows you to choose the shade as you wish, and besides, a change in colour can signal different gaming and system events. A number of top gaming laptops feature multi-zone RGB backlighting - each zone can be illuminated indiv...idually or in combination with other areas of the keys. One of the simplest options is a 3-zone backlight highlighting the “WSAD” keys and another additional area. A more advanced implementation is the 4-zone RGB backlighting of the keyboard, and the most chic is the 24-zone backlighting or even customizable backlighting for each individual key, visually distinguishing the buttons from others. Gaming devices are also produced with simpler, single-colour backlighting systems - in such cases, the keyboards usually glow red, green or blue. It is these shades that are best combined with the characteristic design of gaming laptops; Moreover, the red glow is usually used in devices with a rather catchy and “aggressive” appearance (and in itself is an important element of such a style), while blue and green are typical for a more restrained design.