I brought this laptop to take to uni with me this year and also to do my college work on. This is the first laptop I have had and so I can't really compare but so far it has been brilliant. It is very fast and loads everything quickly. You can run several things at once without it slowing down to much. The graphics are fantastic and there are plenty of different features. The sound quality is also brilliant, although cannot be turned up very loud and can get a bit distorted when it is turned up. It is very easy to use and install with clear instructions. Unfortunately it does have one major drawback which is the battery life. It only lasts an hour at the most before it needs to be charged and starts beeping. Apart from this I would definatley recommend this laptop as it is does its job and is fun and simple to use.