The i7 processor is super fast and windows 7 is superb in every way imaginable. I have absolutely no problems running the adobe creative suite. I was wondering whether the lower screen resolution than other models would be noticable, but it is not. The graphics card is excellent and the blu-ray picture quality is amazing. Also, I would have to say that the speakers are much louder and clearer than my previous hp unit. And yes, the battery life is short (no more than an hour and a half with the six cell), this is to be expected. This is a performance laptop, not a portable one, but I would go ahead and recommend getting the twelve cell battery. Not to heavy, though, which is nice. Also, I love the slick design and the touch pad buttons. Overall, fantastic purchase