Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2013: Electronic Gadgets

C A M C O R D E R S 15

QuickGuide CAMCORDERS

Camcorders do more than just play back video on a TV. Youcan edit your videos on a computer, e-mail them, or uploadvideo clips to such sites as Facebook or YouTube. Somecamcorders even have 3D capability, GPS, and built-in projectors

Shopping tipElectronic view-finders can helpyou shoot videoin bright lightsituations.

Scan this or see how, page 11

What to look for• An LCD with very goodquality, since most modelsdon't include a viewfinderand you'll need to composeon the display• Long battery life, sincebattery life varies greatly.Also, look for models thatcan be charged via a com-puter's USB port• Although image qualityis the most important factorin our tests, be sure to checkfor audio quality, whichvaries greatly

What to skip• Digital zoom, since thistype of zoom degrades im-age quality

What you'll payFor full-sized HD camcord-ers, you'll spend $300 to$1,500. For pocket camcord-ers, you'll spend $75 to $250.

For more buying advice,go to ConsumerReports.org/

I camcorders

Brands model Price Overall score Test results

.a- s .a-2

= s-° =̂ ra= 2 "K a = ~

A HD MODELS

0 100P I F I G IVGl E

Sony HDR-TD20V

Sony HDR-PJ710V

SonyHDR-P1580VE

PanasonicHC-X900MSony HDR-CX580V

Canon VIXIA HFGIO

o 1© ^© 1

© 1

o 1© í

1 ©^ ©1 ©

1 ©

1 ©1 ©

© i© 1© €

© ^

© €© í

1 ©^ ©b ©

^ ©

5 ©

1 ©

© 220© 110

© 120

© 75

© 120

© 113

of 37Consume Report Buying Guide 2013

16 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 t 3

Brand S model Price Overall score Test results

E

ro *-• ro 4j_ o ro 1^ ro :TZ C: C

o- Q.cr ° o c r - § o - e ^ 2 ^

< 'T=¡ Si ^ ^̂ 'S

! 0 0

F I G I V G l E

in C

A HD MODELS continued

0 70 8

0 100 110 12g 13

~ 15000

16

0 190 20

0 "g 22

0 23

0 240 250 26g 27g 28g 29

Canon VIXIAHFM41

SonyHDR-CX260V

SonyHDR-PJ260V

Sony HDR-XR260V

Canon VIXIAHFM52

Canon VIXIA HF M50

Panasonic HC-V700

Sony HDR-TDIO

)VC Eyerio GS-TDl

Sony NEX-VGIO

Panasonic

HDC-TM900

Panasonic

HDC-HS900

Canon VIXIA HF M31

JVCGC-PXIO

Canon VIXIA

HF M300

PanasonicHDC-TM90Panasonic

HDC-S090

JVCGZ-GXl

Canon VIXIA HFR32

Sony HDR-PJ50V

Panasonic

HC-V500M

Sony HDR-PJ30V

Canon VIXIA HFR30

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Very good OGood ©Fair #Poor

Q CR Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended.

0 Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.


C A M C O R D E R S

Brands model Pnce Overall score Test results

-g• S! S

• S sS 5

1 I g i f

0 100

p I F I G i V C l E

A HD MODELS continued30 Sony HDR-CX210

31 Panasonic HC-V500e Oe o e © o o ©

© e 95o o 110

B POCKET MODELS1 Samsung

HMX-W300

2 Panasonic HX-WA2

3 Sony Bloggie LiveHD MH5-T555

eoo

ooo

e io €e 1

1 e5 o^ o

oo•

e©

e

•

o

eee

120

65

125

Guide to the RatingsOveraii score mainly reflects picture quality and ease of use. The displayed score is out of a totalof 100 points. Picture quaiity is based on recorded video images shot in good light at the highestquality setting available. Low-iight picture quaiity is based on recorded video images shot in dimlight at the highest quality setting availabie. Ease of use takes into account ergonomics of the •controls and displays, and user manual readability. Auto focus takes into account speed andaccuracy. Audio quaiity represents accuracy using the built-in microphone, pius freedom fromnoise, image stabiilzer reflects how well the modei reduces the shakes in a scene. Display quaiityrefiects image clarity, color accuracy, and contrast of the LCD. It also includes our judgment of theonscreen informationai displays, the video piayback under bright sunlight, and (if appiicabie) touch-screen usability. Versatility indicates features that increase a camcorder's utility or capabiiities.Stiii camera refers to overall quality of the photo functions of the camcorder, which inciudespicture quality and handiing. Battery iife (min.) is how iong the camcorder can continuouslyrecord images with the LCD viewer in constant use and occasional use of other features such asthe zoom lens. Price is approximate retail.


Copyright of Consumer Reports Buying Guide is the property of Consumers Union and its content may not be

copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written

permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.


D I G I T A L C A M E R A S , A D V A N C E D 4 3

QuickGuide DIGITAL CAMERAS, ADVANCED

Consumers are placing increasing demands on digitaicameras, and manufacturers are meeting these needsby adding more capabilities.

Shopping tipSLRs have themost features,but they're aisothe heaviest,most expensivecameras.

Scan thi5 or see how, page 11

What to iook for• Wide-angle capability, withsome models able to go aswide as 24 mm• Extended zoom ranges from5x to 42x• An SLR or SLR-like modelwith interchangeable lensesfor the most versatility• Swiveling display for takinghard-to-reach shots• A viewfinder is a plus,though not a necessityFor more buying advice, go toConsumerReports.org/cameras

What to skip• An extended warranty,because digital cameras havebeen among the most reliableproducts overall in our sub-scriber surveys

What you'ii payFor advanced point-and-shoots, expect to spend $350to $600. For SLR-like cam-eras, expect to spend $450to $1,200. For SLRs, expect tospend $500 to $2,000.

Brands modei Price Overaii score Test resuits

0 100

p I F I G I V G i E

A ADVANCED POINT AND-SHOOT

B 1 Canon PowerShotGl2 $450

Panasonic LumixDMC-FZ150Fujifilm FinePixX-SlFujifiim FinePix XIOFujifiim FinePixHS30EXR

10 15 e © e O e 0 2s-mmm

12 20 e o © © e e 25-6OOinm

12 35 e © o © © © 24-624mm12 14 © O © O © © 28-112mm

16 26 © O O O © O 24-720mm

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Very good OGood 0Fair •Poor




C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 3

Brands model Price I Overall score I Testresuits

S, .a 3 75 oo. .^ = .c;.^ o Si ois .g a y

0 tooP I F I G U G l E

A ADVANCED POINT-AND-SHOOT continued6 Canon PowerShot

GIX7 FujifiimFinePixXlOO 1.2008 Leica D-Lux 59 Panasonic Lumix

DMC-tX510 Samsung TiiOO11 Ricoh GR Digital IV12 OiympusXZ-113 Fujifiim FinePix HSIO14 Panasonic Lumix

OMC-FZIOO15 Fujifilm FinePix

HS2DEXR 300

14 20 © O, © O © © 28-112mm

12 17 © © © O © © 35mm

10 10 © O O O © NA 24-90mm

10 10 © O O O © NA 24-90mm

10 13 © © O O © NA 24-72nim

10 8 © © O O © NA 28mm10 10 © © O O O NA 28-U2mni10 28 © © O O © O 24-720mm

14 20 O O © O © © 25-600mm

16 28 O 6 O O © O 24-720mm

B SLR

0 1 Canon EOS 60D 1,050

0 2 OiympusE-5 1,600

0 3 Nil(OnD7000 1,100

0 4 Canon EOS Rebel T3i 750

0 5 Canon EOS 7D Digital 1,850

0 6 Sony O5tR-A58OL 900

Q 7 Canon EOS Rebel T3 500

Q 8 Canon EOS RebeiT2i 650

B 9 Nii(OnD3100 550

0 10 Pentax K-5 1,350

Q 11 Nii(onD5100 700

Q 12 Pentax K-r 650

Q 13 Sony DSLR-A560L 650

Q 14 Nii(onD5000 650

15 Pentax K-x 77016 SonyDSLR-A38OL 800

18-55mma.6)

14-54mm (2.0)

18-lO5mm(1.5)

18-55mm (1.6)

18-I35mm (1.6)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.6)

18-55mm (1.6)

18-55mni (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)

18-55mm (1.5)


D I G I T A L C A M E R A S , A D V A N C E D 45

Brand S model Pnce Overall score Test results

o 100p I F I G I V G l E

roJ2o

B SLR continued

17 Nikon D3000

18 Olympus E-620

19 Sigma SD15

C SLR-LIKE

10 30 O e NA e O e 18-55mm(1.5)

12 28 o © NA e o .© 14-42mm (2.0)

14 42 O O NA O O © 18-50mm (1.7)

SonySLT-A55VL

Sony SLT-A33L

Panasonic LumixDMC-G2KPanasonic LumixDMC-GH2

Olympus 0M-DE-M5

Nikon 1VI

SonySLT-A65VK

8 SonyNEX-7K

16 27 © © © © © © 18-55mm (1.5)

14 27 e © © © © © 18-55mm (1.5)

12 22 © © © © © © 14-42mm(2.0)

16 23 © © © © o © 14-42mm(2.0)

16 25 © o © © © © 12-5Omm(2.O)

10 19 © NA © © O © lC-30nim (2.7)

24 31 O © © © © © 18-55mma.5)

24 20 © © © © © © 18-55mm (1.5)

Guide to the RatingsOverall score is based mainly on image quality, the presence of useful features, battery life, andweight. Megapixels is the sensor's pixel count, in millions. Weight (oz.) is with battery and memorycard. Image quality combines several tests, including regular photos, low-light photos, and flashphotos as well as resolution, macro, veiling glare, vignetting, and color and geometric distortiontests. Flash photos tests the quality of the built-in flash's output and evenness of illumination.Video quality mostly reflects 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 camera's controls,manual, response time, and focusing. LCD quality is a judgment of images viewed under variousconditions. Viewfinder is our evaluation of its quality, including accuracy in displaying the framingof the image that will be recorded. Test lens is the kit lens tested. To calculate its 35-mm-equivalentfocal range, multiply the minimum and maximum shown, respectively, by the magnification factor,if shown (in parentheses). Price is approximate retail.


46 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 t 3

I Brand S model Price Overall score Test results

0 100P I F I G I V G i E

C SLR-LIKE continued

0 910

1112

13

1415

16

17

18

19

20

2122

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

SonySLT-A77VPanasonic LumixDMC-G3KSamsung NX200

Panasonic LumixDMC-GF2KSonyNEX-3K

Sony NEX-5KPanasonic LumixDMC-GXlXPanasonic LumixDMC-GF3KOiympus PEN LiteE-PL3Olympus PEN E-P3

SonySLT-A57K

Nii(on 1 Jl

SonyNEX-C3KPanasonic LumixDMC-GF3XOiympus PEN E-PL2

Sony NEX-5NK

Samsung NXlOO

Pentax Q

Olympus PEN E-PLl

Pentax K-01

Fujifilm X-Prol

24 36 O ©

16 20 © ©

20 19 e ©

12 18 © ©

14 19 © ©

14 19 © ©

16 16 © O

12 16 © ©12 17 © ©

12 19 © ©

16 31 O ©10 15 © O

16 19 © ©

12 13 © ©

12 18 © ©16 18 © ©14 17 © NA12 U © O12 18 © O16 28 O O16 24 O NA

© © ©

© ©

O ©

© ©

© O

© O

© ©

© ©

© ©

© ©O ©© ©© O

© ©

© O© O9 ©O O© OO O0 O

O NA

© NA

© NA

© NA

© NA

© NA

© NA

© NA

© ©

O NA

© NA

© NA

O NA

© NA

O NA

O NA

9 NA

O NA

© ©

18-55mm (1.5)

14-42nini (2.0)

18-S5mm (1.5)

14-42mm (2.0)

18-55mm(1.5).

18-55mm (1.5)

14-42mm(2.0)

l4-42mm (2.0)

14-42mm (2.0)

14-42mm (2.0)

18-55mm (1.5)

10-30nim (2.7)

l8-55mm(1.5)

14-42nim (2.0)

14-42mm(2.0)

18-55mm (1.5)

2O-5Omiïi (1.5)

5-l5rnm (5.5)

14-42mni(2.0)

18-55mm (1.5)

35mm (1.5)

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Verygood OGood ©Fair ©PoorD CR Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended.0 Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.


D I G I T A L C A M E R A S , B A S I C 47

QuickGuide DIGITAL CAMERAS, BASIC

Most of the models we tested offer Good or VeryGood overall performance and image quality. Mostget 200 to 350 shots per battery charge and havea 2y2-inch display.

What to look for• A wide-angle end of thezoom range as low as 28 or24mm, for more panoramiclandscapes or group portraits• An LCD that can swivel forhard..to-reach shots• A touch screen for easy inter-action with menus• An optical or electronicviewfinder, which can helpyou compose when brightlight washes out your LCD• A dedicated video button,which lets you quickly record

Brand & model

video when you're shootingstill images

What to skip• Buying a camera solelybased on its megapixel count,since higher resolution doesn'tnecessarily produce betterphotographs

What you'll payFor basic point-and-shoots,expect to spend $80 to $500.For more buying advice, go toConsumerReports,org/canieras

Shopping tipLook for a lenswith a lower"widest angle"number tocapture moreof your subjectwithin the frame.


Price Overall score Test results

• Q. m o m ^ 1X1

E

A COMPACT MODELS

_E

•a

0 100p I F I G I V G l E

0 1 Nikon Coolpix P300

0 2 Nikon Coolpix P310

0 3 Canon PowerShot ELPH 510HS

0 4 Nikon Coolpix S8200

B 5 Nikon Coolpix 58100

0 6 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4

B 7 Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

8 Leica V-Lux 209 Canon PowerShot SX230 HS10 Panasonic Lumix DUC-TS3

12.7 e e e O e 24 24016 7 e e o o o 24 23012 7 e o e o e 28 17016 8 e e o o o 25 25012 7 e o e o o 30 21012 7 e o o e o 28 31012 u e e e o o 28 13012 8 e e o o o 25 30012 8 o o e o o 28 21012 7 o e e o o 28 310


48 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 3

Brand & model Pnce Overaii score Test results

B a:

ES

1 F

100I G I V G l E

. a S - S o 7 5 . Z ' S E 2C 1 . . W = 3 J I : = 3 o = ' — ' ' S

IfIlllsfi^ ̂ " s ¡

A COMPACT MODELS continued

11 Canon PowerShot DIO

12 Canon PüwerShotSX210 IS

13 Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

14 Fujifiim FinePix F80EXR

15 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V

16 Oiympus Tough TG-820

17 Pentax Optio WG-2

18 Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS

19 Pentax Optio I-IO

20 Oiympus Tough TG-620

21 Canon PowerShot A1300

22 Fujifiim FinePix Reai 30 W3

23 Pentax Optio RZIO

24 Fujifiim FinePix XPIOO

25 Fujifilm FinePix XP150

26 Fujifiim FinePix XP50



29 Oiympus TG-810

30 Oiympus Stylus Tough-8010

31 Kodai(EasyShareC142

32 nii(on Coolpix S30

33 Kodai(EasyShareC195

34 Kodak EasyShare Spor t C123

12 8 ©14 8 o14 11 ©12 7 ©16 7 O

7 O7 O8 O6 O6 O79

12161612121610141414141010141410101412

O©

© 0 0 0O © O OO © O O0000©©00000000000000000000000000

6 O7 O7 O6 O7 O7 O8 O8 0

6 O8 O7 07 0

© 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 0© 0 0 0O • 0 0O • O 0O 0 O •© • 0 •

35 22028 26028 11027 23025 30028 NA

28 260

28 260

28 250

28 NA

28 220

35 150

28 260

28 300

28 300

28 220

37 300

37 150

28 NA

28 NA

34 200

29 240

33 180

35 250

B SUBCOMPACT MODELS

0 1 Nikon Coolpix SlOO

0 2 Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS

0 3 Canon PowerShot S9S

16 5 © O © O O 28 150

12 5 © e O O © 28 210

10 7 e © © O © 28 200

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Very good OGood 0Fair •Poor

D CR Best Buy These models offer'the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended.

bd Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.


Brands model Price Overall score Testresuits

-5 7Î .S- o .£• S .S- -g. í s S 7 5 o 7 5 ¿ 7 5 ECL4 . - = . £ = = ^ ^ " - 'ro . d c r Cl. O" j j j O" OJ5? .2? eu -C o ¡il Q "ôb

•SíI F

100

G I V G l E

B SUBCOMPACT MODELS continued

0 4 Nikon CoolPixAWlOO

0 5 Canon PowerShot ELPH110 HS[71 6 Canon PowerSbot SD4000 IS

ELPH

0 7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1

0 8 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZl

0 9 Nikon Cooipix S8000

0 10 Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

0 11 Panasonic Lumix 0MC-FH8

0 12 Nikon Cooipix S1200pj

13 Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS

14 SonyCvber-shotDSC-TX9

15 SonyCyber-shotDSC-WXlO


17 Nikon Cooipix S6300

18 Canon PowerShot SD140013 ELPH

19 Canon PowerShot SlOO

20 Panasonic Lumix DUC-FH2721 Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS

ELPH

22 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90

23 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3

24 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TSIO

25 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78

26 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5




30 Nikon Cooipix S80

31 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TXIOOV

32 Sony Cyber-shot OSC-TX55

33 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50

16

16

10

12

16

14

12

16

14

12

12

16

16

16

14

12

16

10

12

14

14

12

16

12

10

10

14

16

16

16

7 © o o

5 © o ©

6 © © ©

7 © O e

5 © © o

6 © e ©

5 © © ©

4 © o ©

7 © o o

7 © o ©5 © o ©6 © © ©56

5

7

6

© e ©© © oo © ©© o ©© © o

7 © © ©

5 © o ©5 o o ©6 © © o5 © o a4 © o o

6 © o o6 o o o

© ©4 © o ©4 © o ©

© oo ©o ©o o© oo oo o© oo oo ©o oo oo ©o oo oo ©o ©o oo oo oo ©o oo oo oo oo oo oo ©o oo o

28 250

24 170

28 250

25 200

25 250

30 210

24 220

24 260

28 220

24 180

25 230

24 360

24 170

25 230

28 230

24 200

28 250

36 150

24 200

35 300

35 300

24 200

28 260

28 230

28 190

28 190

35 150

25 220

26 250

25 240



Brand & model Price Overaii score Test results

S S• a

P I F

100G IVGl E


34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

Canon PowerShot A4000 IS

Canon PowerShot A2400 IS

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2

5ony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5

Samsung DV300F

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20

Nikon Coolpix S5100

Nikon Coolpix SUOOpj

Nikon Coolpix S4300

Canon PowerShot A33OO IS

Fujifilm FinePixT400Samsung WB210

Samsung UV800

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7

Fujifilm FinePixZ900EXR

Samsung ST95

Nikon Coolpix S6200

Canon PowerShot A23OO

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55

Nikon Coolpix S3300

Samsung PL90 .^^_

Samsung PL20

Samsung TL350 flBBSamsung PL120

Samsung ST200F

Panasonic Lumix DMC-Sl

Olympus VR-340

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FPl

Pentax Optio WG-l

$170

140

90

250

170

150

155

150

150

160

160

180

280

235

200

150

230

100

160

120

100

100

[ 240115

200

85

^ 130

120

220

16

16

14

12

16

16

12

14

16

16

16

14

16

10

16

16

16

16

14

16

12

14

10

14

16

12

16

12

14

5 O O5 O O4 e O5 © O5 © O5 O O5 © O6 © O5 © ©5 e ©6 © O7 O ©5 © O5 O O5 © O5 © ©6 O ©4 O O7 O ©

© O© ©© OO o

4 o ©6 O O4 © o6 © O5 O O6 O O

O O OO O Oo o Öo o oo o oQ © o© o o© o o© o oo o ©o o oo o oo o oo o ©o o ©o o ©© o oo o oo o o© o ©© o o© o o© o oo o oo o o© o ©o o oo © ©o o o

28 175

28 190

28 270

24 230

25 NA

25 250

28 200

28 220

26 180

28 230

28 160

24 NA

26 NA

25 230

28 220

26 NA

25 250

28 210

25 310

26 210

28 NA

27 NA

24 NA

26 NA

27 NA

28 240

24 NA

35 300

28 260

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Verygood OGood ©Fair »Poor





Brand & model Pnce Overali score Test resuits

P I F


pixe

l

100VGl E

14

10

16

14

16

14

14

16

14

12

16

12

16

12

14

14

14

16

14

10

12

14

14

16

14

12

14

16

16

14

14

14

S.£=DO

i

6

5

5

5

5

4

5

6

6

6

5

7

4

5

4

5

5

6

6

6

6

5

7

5

4

4

4

4

7

4

5

6

na=3CT

^

poo©©

ooooooooo©

oooooaooooaoo©©©0

-2

JC=

POO©©

ooo©©

o©ooo©©

oo©

o©ao©

ooo©

oo©

razsO"o

¡de

oo©©

o©

o©

o©©©©

©

ooooo•©©oo©©

o©

ooo

of US

tu

iS

oooo©

oooooooo©©

oooooooooooo©

ooo©

lual

it

o

o©©

o©©

oooooooooo©©©©©©©

oo©©

o©©©©

O)•a.ro

lest

s

28

25

35

28

25

28

28

28

27

28

25

37

25

28

26

26

26

28

34

35

35

28

37

26

26

27

26

25

25

28

35

28

1—S

260

250

240

NA

180

250

280

220

NA

200

250

240

NA

210

250

NA

NA

190

230

230

170

160

220

NA

NA

NA

NA

220

290

180

NA

200

63 Pentax Optio WG-l GPS

64 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5

65 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7

66 Olympus Stylus 7040

67 Fujifilm FinePix 1Z25O

68 Panasonic Lumix DUC-S3

69 Canon PowerShot A22OO


71 Samsung PL210

72 Nikon Cooiplx S70

73 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20

74 Nikon Coolpix L22 ; .

75 Samsung ST66 "^«ííBS

76 Pentax Optio H90

77 Sony Cyber-sbot OSC-W610

78 Olympus Stylus 5010

79 Samsung SHIOO

80 Canon PowerShot A3400 IS

81 Sony Cyber-sbot DSC-W370

82 Canon PowerShot A3000 IS

83 Fujifilm FinePix Z800EXR .

84 GE E1486TW _

85 Nikon Coolpix L24

86 Samsung PL170

87 Samsung ST90

88 Olympus VG-110

89 Oiympus VG-160

90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570

91 SonyCvber-ShotDSC-H70

92 Pentax Optio SI

93 Samsung ST80

94 Kodak EasyShare M580


5 2 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 3

Brand & model Price lOverall score I Test results

"S ' - ' á ' - S S ' S - S ' E

0 100. P I F I G I V G l E


' 9596

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109110111112113114115116117U8119120121122123

RatingsD CR

Fujifi im FinePix T300

Sony Cyber-sbot DSC-W53O

Nikon Coolpix 54000

Fujifi lm FinePix Z700EXR

Pentax Optio RSlOOO

Fujifi lm FinePix JZ500

Samsung ES80

Sony Cyber-Sbot DSC-TXIO

Fujifi lm FinePix JX500

Samsung ST65

Fujifi lm FinePix JX25O

Canon PowerShot A1200

Olympus Tough TG-320

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690

Nikon Coolpix 53100

Olympus Stylus Tough-6020

Sony Cyber-shot 0SC-W650

Fujifi lm FinePix JX300

Sony Cyber-shot OSC-TUO

Sony Cyber-sbot DSC-W510

Fujifi im FinePix Z70

GEJ125O

GE E1410SW

Kodak EasyShare Touch M577

Kodak EasyShare M575

GE J1470S

Oiympus TG-31Ó

Kodak EasyShare M53O

Fujifi lm FinePix XP30

Key ©Excellent eVery good

$150 UMÊÊ

120 E S H l100 E^BB130 EnB85 E^H

200 E a ^

300 E ^ H100 E Z H100 EIBB130 EIl^l80 E IH I130 Ean

140 ESIB180 E^^l120 E3BÍ100 EEBB200 BBB90 UMÊ80 E!BBno E3H150 E9B120 EEHI150 EliBi100 E3B140 E^B80 ES i150 EIBi

OGood ©Fair ©Poor

14

14

12

12

14

14

12

16

14

14

14

12

14

16

14

14

16

14

16

12

12

12

14

14

14

14

14

12

14

6

4

5

6

5

6

5

5

4

4

5

7

5

5

4

6

4

5

4

4

5

5

5

5

5

5

55

6

OOOoooaoooooooooooooooooooooo

Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price

bd Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.

ooaoa©aooaooooaaoooaoooaoaeoo

©©O•

o©©aoo©©oo©©o©o•o©o©©

•

©

•

o©oooooooooo©oo©oo©oo©o©©o©©©

©©©o©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©o©©©©©©©©©

28

26

27

35

28

28

27

25

26

27

28

28

28

25

26

28

25

28

25

26

36

35

28

28

2833

28

36

28

All are recommendet

180

250

190

170

210

230

NA

250

170

NA

180

200

NA

220

220

NA

220

180

230

220

165

190

150

200

220

300

NA

200

200

).



Brand S modei Price Overall score Test results

E^ 7 o Eo = > • — '

0 100P i F I G I V G l E


124 GEG5WP $160

125 Oiympus Stylus Tough-3000 200

126 GEE1450W 90

127 GEA1456W 80

128 Kodak EasyShare Mini M200 70

129 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 80

130 Fujifiim FinePix XPIO 160

131 Fujifilm FinePix Z90 100

132 Olympus TlOO 110

133 RicoilPX 180

134 Kodak EasyShare Touch M5370 140 WM

135 Kodak EasyShareJS9^ 90 B B

C SUPERZOOiUI MODELS

12

12

14

14

10

12

12

14

12

16

16

14

5 O

6 ©

5 O

0 0

© 0

0 0

0 •

0 0

0 0

O 0

O 0

0 0

6 O 0 •

O O

O 0

O •

0 •

0 0

0 0

0 •

38 180

28 NA

28 220

28 120

29 200

35 170

36 165

28 220

36 NA

28 300

28 200

35 195

Q 1 Nikon Coolpix S9100

2 Nikon Coolpix L120

3 Oiympus SZ-31MRÍHS

4 Fujif i im FinePix F550EXR

5 Panasonic Lumix 0MC-ZS20

6 Canon PowerShot SX240 HS


8 Sony Cyber-shot 0SC'HX9V


10 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

U Nikon Cooipix LUO

12 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15

13 Nikon Coolpix PlOO

14 Fujif i im FinePix F770EXR

15 Samsung WB850F


17 Olympus SZ-30I1/IR

12 8

14 17

16 9

16 8

14 7

12 8

12 8

16 9

12 23

12 18

12 18

12 7

10 18

16 8

16 9

18 9

16 8

© © ©

© © O

© © O

© © O^

© © O

© © O

© © O

© © ©

© O ©

O © ©

© © O

© O O

© © ©

© O O

© O O

© O ©

© © O

O O

O ©

© O

o ©© o© ©

© ©

o ©o o© ©

o o© oo ©© oo oo oo o

25 270

25 330

25 NA

24 300

24 260

25 230

25 230

24 300

24 380

25 400

28 270

24 260

26 NA

25 300

23 200

25 320

25 NA



Brand & modei Price Overall score Testresuits

^ "m ^

OD xJ QJ rO i_j C í =ro ^ -C3 LLJ _J fT3 —~E " - > i i £•

0P I F I G IVGl E

C SUPERZOOM MODELS continued

Q 18 Panasonic Lumix 0MC-ZS8

0 19 Leica V-Lux 30

B 20 Panasonic Lumix OMC-ZSIO0 21 Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

22 Fujifiim Finepix F600EXR

23 Oiympus SP-620UZ

24 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HXIOV


• 26 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HXIOOV

27 Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR

28 Nikon Cooipix P510

29 Fujifilm FinePix S4200

30 Fujifiim FinePix SL300

31 Kodak EasyShare Max Z990

32 Oiympus SZ-1033 Nikon Cooipix S930034 Samsung WB70035 Fujifilm FinePix S450036 Samsung WB150F37 Nikon Cooipix P50038 Oiympus SP-800UZ39 Fujifiim FinePix S295040 Fujifiim FinePix F300EXR41 Oiympus SP-810UZ42 Nikon Cooipix L81043 GEX5

44 Pentax Optio RZ1845 Fujifilm FinePix S400046 Pentax Optio VS2047 Samsung WB75O48 Fujifiim FinePix S2800HD49 GEX500

14 7

14 8

14 8

14 23

16 8

16 17

18 8

18 22

16 21

16 8

16 21

14 21

14 20

12 22

14 8

16 8

14 8

14 21

14 7

12 19

14 16

14 17

12 8

14 16

16 17

14 17

16 7

14 21

16 9

13 8

14 17

16 17

© O O © O© O © O O

© O © O Oo © © o o© o o o ©© © o o o© o © o o© o © o ©o © © o o© o o e o© © o o o© © © o o© © © o o'© © o o o© a o o o© o © o oa a © o oa a © o ©a o o o oo a o o o© © ©© © ©a o •

o oo oo o

a a o ©a a © oe e 9 9o o o oa a © oa a o oo o © oo a © o

• © ©

24 340

24 NA

24 260

24 370

24 300

25 NA

24 340

27 450

27 NA

24 300

24 240

24 300

24 300

28 NA

28 NA

25 200

24 NA

24 300

24 NA

23 NA

28 NA

28 300

24 250

24 NA

23 300

27 300

25 240

24 300

28 200

24 NA

28 300

27 300



Guide to the RatingsOverall score is based mainly on ¡mage quality, ease of use, and versatility, plus LCD, flash,and video quality. Megapixels is the number of pixels, in millions, on the sensor. Weight (oz.)is with battery, memory card, and strap. Image guality combines several tests, including regularphotos, low-light photos, and flash photos as well as color tests, among others. Flash photostests the guality of the built-in flash's light outp'ut and evenness of illumination. Video gualitymostly reflects 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 camera's controls, manual,response time, and focusing. LCD quality is a judgment of images viewed under various lightingconditions. For widest angle (mm), the lower the number, the broader the vista the cameracan capture. Battery life (shots) is as the manufacturer states. Price is approximate retail.

Most & Least Reliable

DIGITAL CAiVIERAS

Panasonic

Canon ̂ ^ | E !Samsung I B B Q

Nikon ^ ^ ^ BFujifilm • | | m ^ H |

Kodak b a g g i ÉOlympus ^ ^ I ^ ^ M

Pentax • • • «Casio • • • • ESony

Canon

Nikon

4

4

50% 10% 15%

I POINT-AND-SHOOTS

SLRs

Most cameras are very reliable, and fewdifferences exist among brands. That's whatwe found when we asked more than 146,000readers who bought a digital camera between2007 and 2011 about their experiences. Thegraph shows the percentage of, models foreach brand that were repaired or had a seriousproblem. Differences of fewer than 3 pointsaren't meaningful, and we've adjusted thedata to eliminate differences linked solely tothe age of the camera. We lacked sufficientdata to include Pentax and Olympus SLR cam-eras, but they do not appear to have reliabilityproblems. Models within a brand can vary, anddesign or manufacture changes might affectfuture reliability. Still, choosing a brand witha good repair history can improve your oddsof getting a reliable model.

Source; Annual Product Reliability Survey,Consumer Reports National Research Center.


6 6 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 3

QuickGuide E-BOOK READERS

Light weight, long battery life, and crisp type make e-bookreaders the best device for reading e-books.

What to iooi( for• A 6-inch screen, for the bestbalance of screen size andportability for most people

• Touch capability to helpyou easily select content andturn the pages

What to si<ip• 3G access to the Internet;while that offers the mostflexibility for obtaining newcontent, models with Wi-Fi-

Brand & model

only access suit most users

and generally cost less

• Color capability. For the

most part, you're better off

buying a tablet to get this

What you'ii payPrices typically range from

$140 to $400, though some

models cost $100 or so.

For more buying advice, go toConsumerReports.org/ebooks

Price Overali score Testresults

= s ffl

Shopping tipSome e-readersallow you toborrow e-booksfrom publiclibraries.

Scan this or see how. paqe 11

0 100P I F I G IVGl E

A 5-iNCH OR SMALLER DISPLAY1 Sony Reader Pocket Edition

PRS-3505C2 Aiuratei( LIBRE eBook

Reader Pro3 EctacojetBookmini 120

B 6-TO 7-INCH DISPLAY

9 O

e •9 9

© © e

© o e

2 weeks

24 hrs. continuous/30 days standby

O 9 90 hours

1 Barnes &Nobie NookSimpie Touch with GlowLight

2 Barnes & Noble NookSimpie Touch Reader

3 Amazon Kindle Keyboard 3G 1904 Amazon Kindie Keyboard 3G

with Special Offers

5 Barnes SNobie Nook Color 170

Amazon Kindle Keyboard

60 days/30 withGlowLight

60 days

60 days

e 60 days

© Up to 8 hours

© 60 days of 37Consume Report Buying Guide 2013

E - B O O K R E A D E R S 67

Brand & model Price Overall score Test results

S S IS.

0p 1 F I G I V G l E

B 6- TO 7-INCH DISPLAY continued

$70n 7 Amazon Kindle WithSpecial Offers

Q 8 Amazon Kindle WIthoufSpecial Offers

B 9 Kobo eReader Touch Edition 100[ • ] 10 Amazon Kindle Touch 3G'—' With Special Offers[ • ] 11 Amazon Kindle Touch 3G

Without Special Offers 13Q 12 Amazon Kindle Touch

With Special Offers EI[ 7 | 13 Amazon Kindle Touch

Without Special Offers El

0 14 Kobo Vox eReader El

0 15 Sony Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-Tl)

16 BeBook Neo

17 Bookeen Cybook Orizon18 Aluratek LIBRE Touch

(AEBK08FB)19 Pandigital Novel

(PR007T10WWH7)20 Pandigital Novel

(PRD07T20WBL1)21 Aluratek LIBRE Color eBook

Reader(AEBK07FS)22 Kobo Wireless eReader

C 8-INCH OR LARGER DISPLAY

30 days

30 days

30 days

60 days

60 days

60 days

60 days

7 hours

> 30 days

a 4,000 pg. furns

a 21 days

a 8-10 hours

6hrs

6hrs

6 hours

10 days

1 Amazon Kindle OX (3rd Gen) 380

2 EctacojetBook Color 500

O a O © a 2-3 weeksO O a O a © 10,000 pg. turns

El Discontinued

Guide to the RatingsOverall score is based mostly on test results. Readabillty reflects text in various ligfiting conditions.Versatility signifies convenience. Responsiveness reflects speed to turn on, resume from sleep, openan e-book, and transfer an e-book from a computer via USB. Page turn measures how guickly ane-reader can turn to the next page of an e-book. Navigation includes the ability to rotate the screen,bookmark a page, and search for an e-book through an online bookstore. File support scores compat-ibility with typical e-book and file formats. Claimed battery life is as stated by the manufacturer. Touchscreen displays respond to light contact with a stylus, finger, or either. Price Is approximate retail.


P R I N T E R S , A L L - I N - O N E 91

QuickGuide PRINTERS, ALL-IN-ONE

if ail you do is print, you can save money and space bypurchasing a dedicated printer. But if you want to copy orscan, or even fax, it's worth investigating an all-in-one.

What to iook for• If you don't need to print incolor or scan color photos, anall-in-one laser for superiorquality, faster print speed,and a lower cost per page• An all-in-one inkjet, if youwant color printing and amodel that excels at printingyour photos• A built-in duplexer to printon both sides of the page

What to skip• High ink- or toner-cartridge

costs, which can make abargain-priced printer a baddeal in the long run• An inkjet with a single colorcartridge, because separatecolor cartridges may be moreeconomical, depending onyour photos

What you'ii payAll-in-ones are actually gettingless expensive and more ver-satile. Inkjets cost $60 and up.

For more buying advice, go toConsumerReports.org/printers

Shopping tipIf you're printingphotos, a memorycard readeror PictBridgecompatibility canbe helpful.

Scan this or see how, page It

Brands model Price Overaii score Test resuits

o. o

o 100p I F I G I V C l E

O o

I so Q.

O

S

A BLACK AND WHITE LASER K/IODELS1 Samsung

SCX-3405FW2 Canon imageCLASS

MF5950dw

3 Dell 2355dn

4 Brother M FC-7360N

s HP LaserJet Pro

MI212nf

6 BrotherMFC-7460DN

7 HP LaserJet ProMl2l7nfw



Brand S model Price Overallscore Testresults

fi3 '.S

cr 3O

0 100p I F I G I V G l E -

A BLACK AND WHITE LASER MODELS continued

8 Brother DCP-7060D $1609 Brother

MFC-7860DW10 Canon imageCLASS

MF3010U OKÍMB46012 Panasonic

KX-MB203O13 Panasonic

KX-MB2000

B COLOR LASER MODELS

©

E, W

E

E

E

Dell2155cnBrotherMFC-9970CDWHP LaserJet ProCM1415fnwDell 1355cnDell I355cnwHP LaserJet ProM275nw

C INKJET MODELS

1 Canon PixmaMG8220

2 LexmarkOfficeEdge Pro 4000

3 Canon PixmaMG6120

4 Lexmark Pro 9J5

5 HP PhotoSmart 75106 HP OfficeJet Pro

8600 Plus

11.4

5.9

11.2

12.4

9.2

5.3

e©

©©©©©©©©

o©©

©o©© ©

© © © ©© © © o

© © © © • © © ©

E,W

E,W

È,W

E,W

W

E,W

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Verygood OGood ©Fair ©PoorQ CR Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended.E Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.


P R I N T E R S , A L L - I N - O N E 9 3

Brand S model Pnce Overall score Test resuits

m ro ra '>= = = S

a"g

100 ™F I G I V C I E -

C II«!KJET MODELS continued0 7 BrotiierMFC-J825DW $100

fTI 8 Brother

MFC-J69100W

0 9 Lexmarif Pro 715

0 10 HP PhotoSmart 6510

r 7 | 11 Canon PixmaMG6220

0 12 BrotherMFC-J5910DW

0 13 HP PhotoSmart 5510

0 14 Canon PixmaMX892

0 15 Canon Pixma MX51216 Lexmari< Genesis

S815

17 Epson Artisan 725

18 HP OfficeJet 6600

19 Brother MFC-J6250W

20 HP OfficeJet Pro8600

21 HP OfficeJet 7500A

22 Canon PixmaMX882

23 HP PhotoSmart 5515

24 Epson WorkforcePrüWP-4540

25 EpsonWori<force 845

26 Lexmari(Interpret S405

27 EpsonWorkforce 635

28 Lexmari(Intuition S505

29 Kodait HERO 9.1


© O © O a O

© o © ö a o

a a a © © oo e e e e e

eee© o a o a o

E,W

E.W

E,W

W

E,W

E.W

W

E,W

E,W

W

E,W

W

W

E.W

E,W

E,W

W

E,W

E,W

W

E,W

W

E,W

E,W



Brand S modei Price Overaii score Testresuits

P I F

100 _2

G IVGI E -

vO CD

t:r t r t x - • +^ ^

I I I I '̂ §

ii^lKJET MODELS continued

31 KodakESP Office 2170

32 Canon PixmaMX432

33 Canon PixmaMG532O

34 Kodak HERO 7.1

35 Epson Artisan'730 100

36 Kodak HERO 5.1 130

37 Epson WorkforceWF-7510

38 DeiiV725W39 Epson Artisan 835

40 LexmarkInteract S605

41 HP OfficeJet 6700Premium

42 Kodak OFFICEHERO 6.1

4 3 Canon PixmaMX420

44 Canon PixmaMG4120

45 Canon Pixma

MG3120

46 Canon Pixma MX372

47 Canon PixmaMP280

48 Canon PixmaMP495

49 Canon PixmaMG2120

50 HP Envy UO

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Verygood OGood ©Fair 9POOI

D CR Best Buy These models offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended.



P R I N T E R S , A L L - I N - O N E 95

Brand S model Pnce Overall score Testresuits

0 100 JP I F I G I V G l E -

C INKJET MODELS continued51 Brother

IVIFC-J6510DW5 2 Brother IVIFC-J430W53 Epson

Workforce 435

54 Kodak HERO 3.1

55 Epson Stylus NX430

56 HP Deskjet 3050

57 Brother MFC-J220

58 Epson Stylus NX420

7.9

7.3

1C.6

8.6

10.5

12.6

11.1

12

© o o o a© © © © ©

a e

e e

e aa a9 aa o

© O6 9 • ©

o a9 aa aa aa oa aa ao a

o ao ©e eo a© ©e mo © •© Ô NA W

• E,W

• W

• w

w

. ww

Guide to the RatingsOverall 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 and paper/month is estimated cost (indollars) for ink and photo paper in a month of typical use, based on our tests and how our readerstold us they print. 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, 1.9small photos, and 2.3 photos on plain paper. Photos cost the most, text documents the least, soyour results may vary from these figures, but they are useful for comparing models. Photoquality reflects a photo's appearance. The 4x6 photo time score reflects how quickly the modelcan print one 4x6 photo on photo-quality paper. One minute or less is excellent; 1 to 2 minutes isvery good; 2 to 4 minutes is good; 4 to 6 minutes is fair; and longer than 6 minutes is poor. The8x10 photo time score reflects how quickly the model can print one 8x10 photo on photo-qualitypaper. Two minutes or less is excellent; 2 to 4 minutes is very good; 4 to 6 minutes is good; 6 to 8minutes is fair; and longer than 8 minutes is poor. Text quality assesses clarity and crispness ofblack text. Text speed score reflects how quickly the model can print text on five pages of plain, ,letter-sized pages. Thirty seconds or less is excellent; 31 to 60 seconds is very good; 61 to 90 sec-onds is good; 91 to 120 seconds is fair; and longer than 120 seconds is poor. Graphics quality as-sesses the appearance of color graphics produced by the printer. Black and white lasers were iudgedon black and white graphics. Scan quality is for color photos, graphics, and text scanned at eachmodel's default settings. Copy quality is for graphics and text. Power savinq indicates how wellthe printer conserves power between uses. For networking, E indicates the model can networkusing wired Ethernet; W indicates wireless capability. Price is approximate retail.



QuickGuide PRINTERS, REGULAR

Ini^jet and laser printers have become moreaffordable and increasingly full featured.

Shopping tipA printer withan EnergyStar label willconsume verylittle power whennot printing.


What to iooit for• A iaser printer, if you wantfast, low-cost, top-qualityblack-and-white text• An inkjet, if you want themost versatile printer. Youcan print color photos andgraphics, as well as text• Features such as a memory-card reader, PictBridge sup-port, or a wireless interface,if you want to print photoswithout a computer

What to skip• Color laser printers, which

are more costly than theirmonochrome counterpartsand unsuited for photos• Snapshot printers, mostof which didn't provide thephoto quality of the best reg-ular Inkjets in our tests

What you'll payColor inkjets can cost as lit-tle as $50, and monochromelaser printers less than $80.For rnore buying advice, go toConsumerReports.org/printers

Brands model Price Overallscore Testresults

:§ E e :^ s s .EOJ .-tí

o ox: szCL CL

r: î<

QJ oí)

£ ¿5•a t;

y s s

0 100p I F I G I V G l E

A BLACK AND WHITE LASER MODELS

HP taseijet ProPlóOódnHP Laserjet ProPU02WSamsungMt-2955DWBrotiierHL-5370DW

Lexmark E260dnHP LaserjetP2O55dnBrother

HL-2270DW 150

NA E

NA W

E,W

NA E.W

NA E

NA E

E,W


P R I N T E R S , R E G U L A R 9 7

Brands model Price Overallscore Testresults

— H E

3 g

re ¿

•Q- o- ^ " ^ IP

s '5 ~ gÏ *2 •? S — •§

100

P I F I G IVGI E -

A BLACK AND WHITE LASER MODELS continued

8 SamsungML-2165W

9 DelllBOn

10 0KIB411dn

11 SamsungML-3712DW

12 Dell235Odn

B COLOR LASER MODELS

5.6

5.5

3.1

2.3

3.5

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA ©

NA ©

NA ©

NA ©

NA ©

© O

© O

© O

© O

© ©

©

aa©

a

NA

NA

NA

W

E

E

E,W

E

1 Dell 1250c

2 Lexmark C540n

3 HP Laserjet ProCPlO25nw

4 BrotherHL-4570CDW

5 BrotherHL-3040CN

6 OKI C330dn

7 Konica MinoltaMagicolor 1600W

8 BrotherHL-3075CW

9 SamsungCLP-325W

C INKJET MODELS

250

200

13.3 a NA © a a © a

7 o NA © © © © o

11.3 o m ^ ^ e ^ e

6 © © © © © © ©

10.5 © NA © © © a o

10.5 © NA © © © a o

8.5 o NA © © © a o

9.3 # © © © © a a

11.1 © © © © © © a

3Z]

Z]ElZl

1

2

3

4

5

Epson WorkforceProWP-4010Epson StylusR2000

HP OfficeJet 6100

HP OfficeJet 6000WirelessCanon PixmaPro9OOO Mark II

7.7 © © © a © a ©

10.7 m m e e • e e

6.2 a © a a © e ©

11.8 © © © a o

E

E,W

E,W

E,W

Ratings Key ©Excellent ©Verygood OGood ©Fair ©Poor


Lid Recommended These are high-performing models that stand out.



Brands modei Price Overall score Test resuits

•E ra

^ s s s -a^ O CL Q. ¿J

rö •= s, O

S 'S S

I F I G I V G l E -

C INKJET MODELS continued6 Canon Pixma

ÍX65207 HP OfficeJet Pro

81008 Canon Pixma

ÍP49209 Canon Pixma

ÍP2702

10 Epson Artisan 50

U HP Deskjet 3000

12 HP OfficeJet 100Mobile


14 EpsonWorkForce 30

15 EpsonWorl(force 60

16 Epson StylusPfioto R2880

120

600

11.7 e ^ ^ e e

5 O a © a ©

11.8 a © © o ©

10.7 e e e e e

13.4 © o © o o

12.9 © a o o a

11.2 a o o © ©11.1 o o a o ©11.8 o o o a ©

8.6 o o o o ©

9.7 © o © © •

o ©

o ©

a ©© ©

© ©

a ©

a ©

a ©

E,W

• w

• i '¡• E.W '

i• ' j 'ri

-3 r

Guide to the RatingsOverall score is based mainly on speed and text/photo guality. The displayed score is out of atotal of 100 points. Ink and paper/month is estimated cost (in dollars) for ink and photo paperin a month of typical use. For inkjets: 23 text pages, 9 graphics pages, 2.4 large photos, 3.5 smallphotos, and 3.5 photos on plain paper. For lasers: 62 text pages, 24 graphics pages, 1.7 largephotos, 1.9 small photos, and 2.3 photos on plain paper. Photo quality reflects a photo's appear-ance. The 4x6 photo time score reflects how quickly the model can print one 4x6 photo onphoto-quality paper. One minute or less is excellent; 1 to 2 minutes is very good; 2 to 4 minutesis good; 4 to 6 minutes is fair; and longer than 6 minutes is poor. The 8x10 photo time scorereflects how guickly the model can print one 8x10 photo on photo-guaiity paper. Two minutes orless is excellent; 2 to 4 minutes is very good; 4 to 6 minutes is good; 6 to 8 minutes is fair; andlonger than 8 minutes is poor. Text quality assesses clarity and crispness of black text. Textspeed score reflects how quickly the model can print text on five pages of plain, letter-sizedpages. Thirty seconds or less is excellent; 31 to 60 seconds is very good; 61 to 90 seconds isgood; 91 to 120 seconds is fair; and longer than 120 seconds is poor. Graphics quality assessesthe appearance of color graphics produced by the printer-or black and white graphics for blackand white lasers. Power saving indicates how well the printer conserves power between uses.For networking, E indicates the model can network using wired Ethernet; W indicates wirelesscapability. Price is approximate retail.


S M A R T P H O N E S

QuickGuide SMART PHONES

Smart phones are getting smarter every day. They're not only greatfor texting, e-mail, anci social networking, but they can also playmusic, shoot photos and video, and direct you via GPS navigation.

Shopping tipMake sureyou can readthe phone'sdisplay Inbright sunlight,especially fortexting and Websurfing.

Scan this or see how. page 11

What to looK for• The phone's operating sys-tem, which dictates its fea-tures and capabilities• How many apps are avail-able and what they cost• The keyboard—phones withvirtual keyboards tend to beless bulky than models withphysical keyboards, but it'seasier to type on a physicalkeyboard without looking

What to skip• Phone insurance and ex-tended warranties, which arenot worth it when you factor

in the extra expense, highdéductibles, and low chanceof using them

What you'ii payPhone prices with a two-yearcontract, including rebates,range from about $50 to $300.Smart phones purchased un-locked without a contract cancost significantly more, start-ing at $500.

For more buying advice, go toConsumerReports.org/ceirphones

Brand & model Price Overallscore Testresults

: Srmilar models,i in small type,

are comparableto te iU 'd model .

0 IOO

P I F I G IVGI E

"^^ "^ 'r^ '— ™ •;« .SS s ¡Í.E S

A AT&T SMART PHONESIITI 1 Samsung Galaxy S III

(16GB) (AT&T)

0 2 HTCOneX 2000 3 Samsung Galaxy S II

Skyrocketp ] 4 Samsung Galaxy

Note0 5 LG Nitro HD0 6 HTC Vivid0 7 Samsung Galaxy S II

(ATST)

O e 4.8 And.

e e 4.7 And.

o © 4.5 And.

O 9 5.3 And.

Q © 4.5 And.

O O 4.5 And.

O © 4.3 And.



Brand S model Price Overaii score Test resultsSimilar models,in small type.IK coniparableIn issted model.

ë" s i" :s «'S S & &

p I F I G IVGl E

A AT&T SMART PHONES continued

[̂ 10

0 11

0 12

0 13

0 14

0 15

16

0 17

18

19

Motoroia Atrix 2 4GAppie ¡Phone 4S(16GB) ATSTiPilone 4S (64GB) ATST.iPilone4S(32GB)AT8TSamsung GalaxyExhilarateNoitia Lumia 900HTC Titan IISony Xperia ionSamsung Focus 2Samsung RugbySmartApple iPhone 4(8GB) AT&TBlackBerry Torch9810Appie iPhone 3G S(8GB)Pantech Crossover

100

100

0

^ Q ^ e o e e e o a 4.3 And.

© a a © o a o a a © 3.5 ¡os

© © © © o a o o © a 4 And.

a © © © o a o © OO4.3WPa © © a o a o o o o 4 . 7 w pa a © © o a o a o a 4.6 And.a a © a o a o a © © 4 wp

a © a © o a o o © a 3.7 And.

© a o © o a o o a © 3.5 ¡os

a © a © o a o o o a 3 . 2 BB

© a o a o a o © o a 3.5 ¡os

a a o o © o o a me 3 And.

B SPRINT NEXTEL SMART PHONES

[ 7 { 1 Samsung Galaxy S III(16GB) (Sprint)Galaiy s III(32GB) (Sprint)

0 2 HTCEV0 4GLTE0 3 SamsungGalaxySIl

Epie 4G Touch0 4 LG Viper

0 5 Samsung Epie 4G0 6 Apple iPhone 4S

(16GB) SpriiitiPiione4S (32GB) Sprint.iPiione4S (64GB) Sprint

7 Apple iPhone 4(8GB) Sprint

o © o a o a 4.8 And.

o a o © o a 4.7 And.

© © a o a o a o a 4.5 And.

© a o o © a 4 And.o a o • © o 4 And.

a o © o a o a a © 3.5 ¡os

a o © o a o o a © 3.5 ¡os

Ratings Key ©Excellent averygood OGood ©Fair •Poor

Q CR Best Buy Tiiese modeis offer the best combination of performance and price. Ail are recommended.

bd Recommended These are high-performing modeis tiiat stand out.


S M A R T P H O N E S

Brands model Price Overall score Testresuits5imilar models.in small lype,are comparableto tested mode!.

DûUISMO

S

qual

it

raCL

qual

itoic

eho

nin

a-

Batt

tu >.

Imag

qual

it

recû

:Vid

equ

aüt

2ro

Pon ag

on;

ze(in

S.

ting

oP i F ! G !VG! E

B SPRINT NEXTEL SMART PHONES continued8 Samsung Conquer

4G9 BlackBerry Torch

985010 LG Optimus Elite

U ZTEFurv12 Motorola XPRT

U HTC Arrive14 Samsung Replenish

C T-MOBILE SMART PHONES

e

e © o o e oe o © o e oe o e o o oe o e o e oe o o o e oe o e o e ©e © o o o o

oo©oo©o

e 3.5 And.

e 3.7 BB

© 3.5 And.e 3.5 And.o 3.1 And.o 3.6 WP© 2.8 And.

1 Samsung Gaiaxv S III(I6GB) (T-Mobiie)Galaxy s III (32GB) (T-Mobilc)

2 HTC One S3 SamsungGalaxvSll

(T-Mobiie)4 Samsung Gaiaxv S

B!aze4G5 HTC Amaze 4G

6 T-Mobile Sidei<ick 4G7 T-Mobile mvTouch

4G8 HTC mvTouch 4G

Slide9 BlackBerry Bold

9900 4G10 HTC Radar 4G11 T-Mobile Prism12 BlackBerry Bold

9780

20

110 Oe O e O e Oe © e © o o

D VERIZON SMART PHONES

1 Motorola Droid Razr , „ 0Maxx ^"^

2 SamsungGaiaxy S ! l !(32GB) (Verizon) 250Galaxy s m (16GB) (Verizon)

3 Motorola Droid Razr 200

e o e 4.3 And.

e o e 4.8 And.

e o e 4.3 And.



Brands model Price Overaii score TestresuitsI similar models,I insnialliype,.

are comparableto tested model.

tu DO DO

tv ro

QJ *il t. i CT i i .2 .a

m wSg.

P I F I G IVG l £

D VERIZON SMART PHONES continued

4 LG Spectrum5 Motorola Oroid 46 Samsung Galaxy

Nexus7 Samsung

Stratosphere8 LG Lucid9 Samsung Droid

Charge10 Apple iPtione 4S

(16G8) Verizon¡Phone 4S (64GB) Verizon,¡Phone 45 (3ÍGB) Verizon

U Apple IPhone 4(8GB) Verizon

12 Casio G'zOneCommando

13 BlackBerryBoid9930

14 Sony EricssonXperia Play

15 HTC Trophy

Guide to the RatingsOverall score is based mainly on test results. Ease of use indicates how easy it is to accessfeatures and modes, such as phoning, messaging. Web browsing, the camera, etc. Messaqinqassesses keyboard ergonomics, e-mail readability, attachment capabilities, and text-messagingfeatures. Web browsinq assesses browser capabilities. Display quality represents overall picturequality, contrast in normal and bright lighting, and color accuracy. Voice quality incorporateslistening and talking in noisy and quiet settings using live phone calls. Phoninq considers the step-saving functions for making and receiving calls, speed dialing, and more. Battery life was testedunder strong and weak cell network signals, and considers tasks that involve voice, data, standby,and other factors. Camera: Imaqe quality evaluates resolution, dynamic range, coior accuracy,and yisual noise. Cannera: Video quality judges recorded video images shot at the highest qualitysetting available. Portability represents advantages and disadvantages based on dimensions andweight. Display diaqonal size (in.) is to the nearest tenth of an inch. Under operatinq system, Ais for Android; B, BlackBerry; i, iOS; W, Windows Phone; wOS, web OS. Price is approximate retail.


Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2013: Electronic Gadgets

Documents

Transcript of Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2013: Electronic Gadgets