The most recent articles from PC Magazine

Antec notebook cooler

PC Magazine Team — 2004-03-23T11:15:36.000Z

PC Magazine Team, PC Magazine, Tuesday 23 March 2004 at 11:15:36

Are you suffering from an overworked, overheated notebook? Then read on as Antec have a cure for you.

Are you using a notebook as a desktop? Does it keep crashing due to heat related problems? This can be a real problem if you have an older notebook powered by a desktop CPU, but Antec can help. Better known for its cases and power supplies, Antec has developed a notebook cooler.

The one we looked at was a stylish black and silver design, and there is also a pearl coloured version.

The cooler has two Antec double ball bearing fans with a quoted 25.9dB noise level, and uses power from a spare USB port on the notebook. The USB connector has a pass-through so you don't lose the use of the port and is slightly angled so it doesn't get in the way of any stacked USB ports below the one it is using.

We tested the cooler by measuring the CPU and hard disk temperatures before switching the unit on and then again after running PCMark 2004's CPU test. The cooler made a small but significant difference (see graph).

And in the real world, away from benchmarks, we know of one notebook that frequently crashed due to problems with heat. It has run without crashing since being used in conjunction with the Antec cooler.

Contact: Special Tech

www.specialtech.co.uk

IBM Thinkpad G40

Simon Crisp — 2004-03-01T12:56:50.000Z

Simon Crisp, PC Magazine, Monday 1 March 2004 at 12:56:50

ThinkPad G40 pulls its weight.

A new model launched to fill a gaping hole at the lower end of the ThinkPad price range, the ThinkPad G40 clearly belongs to the desktop replacement class of notebook. Big, chunky and using a desktop processor, it's ideal if you don't have much desk space and don't play games on your PC.

Powering the three-spindle beast is a 2.8GHz Pentium 4 processor with a 400MHz FSB, plus 256MB of PC2100 system memory, expandable to a maximum of 1GB via two SODIMM slots. Together with a 40GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive this should be enough power for even the most demanding mainstream applications.

The use of the desktop processor is one reason why the G40 is so big. You have to get rid of all that heat somehow, and the G40 uses a mighty big heatsink to help with this. The rear section of the chassis is raised up to allow unobstructed air flow from the cooling fan.

The G40 is chunky rather than stylish, weighing in at a hefty 3.8kg. Fortunately the keyboard, ThinkPoint and mouse buttons have the usual quality IBM feel about them and the keyboard is well placed to make typing comfortable.

As with notebooks, the Achilles heel of the G40 is the graphics. This is another notebook you won't be playing the latest games on, but this is no surprise in view of the market segment at which the G40 is aimed.

Powering the 15in XGA screen is Intel's Extreme Graphics integrated chipset, which uses up to 8MB of system memory as standard but can be expanded to a maximum of 64MB. The screen itself has a native resolution of 1,024x768 pixels.

One side of the chassis holds a floppy drive, two USB 2.0 and two audio ports, while the other side has a 24X/10X/24X/8X DVD-RW combo drive and two Type II PC card slots.

As with all the ThinkPad models, the most impressive features are the ones that aren't obvious. The Access IBM button launches the comprehensive IBM ThinkPad help and configuration utilities, including the indispensable Rapid Restore, which provides a one-button route to salvaging lost data files caused by system crashes.

In terms of connectivity the G40 is a little disappointing, with no wireless LAN or Bluetooth. But at least the basics are there, in the form of an integrated 10/100Base-T NIC and a V.92 modem.

The G40 may seem like a step backwards compared to recent top-of-the-range ThinkPad models, but there are plenty of users out there who need a fast, stable, no-nonsense notebook at a competitive price.

Contact: IBM UK (08705) 727 272

www.ibm.com/uk

Specifications:

Dimensions: (DxWxH) 28.2x30.3x5.8cm Weight: 3.88kg
CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Pentium 4
Memory: 256MB PC2100 (maximum 1GB)
Graphics: Intel Extreme Graphics (8-64MB shared memory)
Hard disk: 40GB Hitachi Travelstar Ultra ATA/100
Optical drive: TEAC-224E DVD-RW combo
Display: 15in TFT, 1,024x768 pixels
I/O ports: 10/100Base-T, modem, 2xUSB 2.0, VGA, parallel, 2xType II PC card, mic and headphone Warranty: One-year carry-in

NEC Versa M500

Simon Crisp — 2004-01-28T11:19:40.000Z

Simon Crisp, PC Magazine, Wednesday 28 January 2004 at 11:19:40

NEC Versa hits the right note.

NEC's latest addition to its Versa range of notebooks is the M500, a low-cost twin spindle Centrino model aimed at the "price conscious" segment of the business user market.

Powered by a 1.4GHz Intel Pentium M, backed by 256MB of PC2100 memory and Intel's 855 chipset, the M500 has sufficient performance to please most business users. As a Centrino model it features integrated wireless LAN and a reasonable battery life. It also comes with a multi-format card reader as standard. Its black and silver finish looks stylish, but it's a chunky beast that weighs 3kg, so it's not recommended for the frequent traveller.

It comes with an unusual choice of hard drive, a Seagate Momentus ST94011A. This 40GB Ultra ATA/100 drive has a spin speed of 5,400rpm and an 8MB buffer. The optical drive is a Matshita UJDA750, a 24X/24X/24X/8X DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

The keyboard is of a better quality than that found on many notebooks - it is well laid out and has a responsive typing action. The three-button trackpad is also a pleasure to use. At the front edge of the notebook there's a four-pin FireWire port, two audio ports and the 4-in-1 memory card reader. This useful device supports SmartMedia, SD, MMC and Memory Stick Flash cards.

The graphics may seem a little disappointing, but in order to achieve the low price point NEC has used the integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 solution, which shares up to 64MB of system memory, rather than a more powerful third-party solution such as one of ATI's Mobility Radeon family. Output from the graphics chip powers a 15in XGA+ TFT display that has a native resolution of 1,024 pixels by 768 pixels at 60Hz. The display casing is quite rigid, with only a limited amount of flexing. Combining Centrino technology with a 6000mAh battery gives the M500 an excellent life of 4hrs 32mins when tested using Bapco's MobileMark 2002 Productivity suite, rising to 4hrs 48min with the less demanding Reader suite.

Connectivity is quite good, with a 10/100BaseT Ethernet port as well as the integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi solution. There's also V.90 modem and a single Type II PC Card slot. You'll need two of the four USB ports for a keyboard and mouse as there are no PS/2 ports.

Overall, though, it's what you get for the price that makes this a great product for the budgetconscious buyer.

Contact: NEC (0870) 010 6329

www.nec-online.co.uk

Specifications:

Weight: 3.0kg
Dimensions: (DxWxH) 27.7x31.8x2.2cm
CPU: Intel Pentium-M 1.4GHz
Chipset: Intel 855
Memory: 256MB PC2100 (maximum 1GB)
Graphics: Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2
Display: 15in. SVGA TFT
Wireless: connectivity Integrated Intel Wireless Pro 802.11b
I/O ports: 4xUSB 2.0, 2 x audio, 1 x 4-pin FireWire, S-Video, modem, LAN, VGA
Hard drive: 40GB Seagate Ultra ATA/100
Warranty One-year collect and return

Dell Precision M60

Simon Crisp — 2003-12-02T15:19:08.000Z

Simon Crisp, PC Magazine, Tuesday 2 December 2003 at 15:19:08

A feature-rich beast.

In line with the rest of Dell's notebook PC range, which has recently undergone a complete revamp, its Precision workstation notebook model has also been updated, with the M50 being joined by the new M60. Using the latest Intel technology, the M60 offers more features and better performance than its older sibling, despite having less raw megahertz of CPU power.

Instead of the 2.4GHz Pentium 4-M and Intel 845 chipset of the M50, the M60 uses a combination of a 1.7GHz Pentium-M and an Intel 855 chipset, supporting a 400MHz front side bus and offering better power efficiency and performance. Although the M60 uses the same PC2100 memory as the M50, it supports a maximum of 2GB of system RAM as opposed to 1GB in the old model. The M60 comes with 256MB of memory as standard, although the review system we looked at came with 1GB installed.

Using Dell's own Tri-Metal chassis, which uses aluminium, magnesium alloy and steel in its construction, the M60 has the appearance of being slimmer than its stablemate. However, this is a little deceptive, as they are both 27.6cm deep and while the M60 may be a shade thinner - 3.9 compared to 4.45cm - it's 3cm wider due to its wide aspect ratio screen.

Unfortunately, the M60 loses the Media Bay of the M50 and while this reduces the weight of the notebook to 3.20kg, it does limit what you can do to expand the M60 with its single bay. For example, with the M50 you could supplement the fixed CD-RW drive with another optical drive, but this is impossible with the M60.

As the M60 is aimed purely at the workstation market, you'd expect the graphics chip to reflect this and Dell hasn't disappointed. Using 128MB of DDR memory, the nVidia Quadro FX Go700 is one of the company's latest mobile chips and is perfect for this environment with its hardware Open GL support. The screen is pretty special as well - a 15.4in. wide aspect ratio (WUXGA) TFT with a native resolution of 1,920 by 1,200 pixels.

While the M60 loses some of the physical ports of the M50 (there are no PS/2 or audio line inputs and only a single PC Card slot), it gains in having Wi-Fi as standard. You can choose to have either Intel's own or one of Dell's TrueMobile cards. The system reviewed had a Dell TrueMobile 1300 WLAN card fitted. In addition, there's Gigabit Ethernet support, an integrated V.92 modem and a total of four USB 2.0 ports.

For extra security, the Precision M60 features an integrated Smart Card reader, which can be configured to use primary, administrator or hard disk password access. The one area where this new technology really shines is in the notebook's battery life and performance. Taking its massive 6486mAh cell into account, a battery life of a shade under four hours using the MobileMark 2002 productivity workload benchmark is impressive in this class of notebook and, needless to say, it trounces the M50.

Dell offers a choice of pre-installed operating systems - Window XP Home Edition, Professional or Windows 2000 (SP3) - and provides a three-year, on-site warranty.

It may be a bit pricey, but fully featured workstation notebooks are rare beasts. The M60 is an ideal tool for mobile designers or architects, as long as you're not bothered by the lack of a second Media Bay. It's a great successor to the M50 model and most users will be glad of the extra processing power on tap.

Contact: Dell (0870) 907 4155

www.euro.dell.com

Specifications:

Dimensions (DxWxH)
27.6x36.1x3.9cm
Weight 3.20kg
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Pentium-M
Memory 1GB of PC2100 (max. 2GB)
Graphics 128MB nVidia Quadro FX Go700
Hard disk 60GB Hitachi Travelstar 7K60 Ultra ATA/100
Optical drive Samsung SN-3224B DVD/CD-RW
Display 15.4in. WUXGA TFT; 1,920 x 1,200 pixels
I/O ports 10/100/1000Base-T, RJ-11 modem, four USB 2.0, VGA, serial, parallel, S-Video output, FireWire, Type II PC Card, Smart Card slot, microphone and headphone
Warranty Three-year, NBD, on-site

Acer Travelmate C111TCi

Simon Crisp — 2003-11-27T12:48:38.000Z

Simon Crisp, PC Magazine, Thursday 27 November 2003 at 12:48:38

New outlook for Tablet PCs.

Tablet PCs are still struggling to find their place in the market, but Acer has kept faith in the concept and has updated its TravelMate C100, one of the original batch of Tablet PCs. Its new C111TCi uses Intel's Centrino technology and offers more features than its predecessor.

On first glance, the C111TCi review system looks like an ordinary ultraportable, but open the lid, press the two buttons on the base of the 10.4in. screen and the display not only rotates 180 degrees, but also folds flat onto the keyboard, converting the unit into a true Tablet PC.

The original C100 was powered by an 800MHz low-voltage version of Intel's Pentium III Processor-M. This has been replaced in the C111TCi by a 1GHz Pentium-M, which drops to 600MHz when running under battery power. It uses 512MB of DDR266 memory, although if you can find 1GB SODIMMs, this can be increased to a maximum of 2GB via two SODIMM slots.

Because of the small format of the C111TCi, the only onboard storage is provided by a 40GB hard drive. All other devices, such as optical drives, are external. Options include a USB floppy drive, FireWire DVD/CD-RW combo - both supplied with the review system - and a USB CDROM drive. There's also a Type II PC Card slot.

There are no shortages of ways to connect the C111TCi to the outside world. As well as Wi-Fi as part of the Centrino technology, you also get integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet, a V.90 modem and the review sample had the optional integrated Bluetooth wireless networking fitted.

The most important aspect of a Tablet PC is obviously the screen and this is the one big disappointment with the C111TCi. The trouble lies not with the stylus input, which is smooth and easy (and could be made even better if a larger stylus was provided), but the screen itself. It's very difficult to use in bright conditions and the viewing angle is almost non-existent - you have to sit straight on to see it properly.

With space at a premium, the keyboard is very small and some keys, such as the Shift and Enter buttons, are too small to use easily, as are the touchpad and mouse buttons. However, despite their small size, they are very responsive. Acer has also provided five easy-launch buttons: Internet; email, which has an LED to notify you when there is new mail in your inbox; wireless on/off; and two user-programmable buttons.

Apart from Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, the bundled software package is quite impressive. You get Acer's Notebook and Launch Manager, Norton AntiVirus, Microsoft Reader, CyberLink PowerDVD, NTI CD-Maker and trial versions of TabletPlanner, Sketchbook Pro and Zinio Reader. The battery life was a little disappointing when tested with BatteryMark4.0.1, having a life of only two hours and 15 minutes. And we weren't able to get MobileMark 2002 to run.

If you're looking for a Tablet PC, then the C111TCi is one of the best currently available. However, if you're just looking for a very small notebook, there are plenty of better-performing ultraportables around.

Contact: Acer, (0870) 900 2237

www.acer.co.uk

Specifications:

Dimension (DxWxH) 21.6 x 25.7 x 29.7
Weight 1.45kg
CPU 1GHz Intel Pentium M
Memory 512MB of PC2100DDR
Maximum memory 1GB (through two DIMM slots)
Graphics Integrated using up to a maximum of 64MB of system memory
Hard drive 40GB Hitachi Travelstar 40GN-40 Ultra ATA/100
Optical drive External CD-RW/DVD combo
Display 10.4in. TFT XGA 1,024 x 768 pixels
I/O ports 10/100Base-T, RJ11 modem, two x USB 2.0, VGA, FireWire, InfraRed, TypeII PC Card, microphone, headphone.
Warranty Two years, collect and return

Maxdata NB Pro 7000X Combo

Simon Crisp — 2003-09-17T11:29:48.000Z

Simon Crisp, PC Magazine, Wednesday 17 September 2003 at 11:29:48

Centrino technology hits the notebook PC.

Maxdata's latest notebook, the NB Pro 7000X Combo, is the company's first to use Intel's Centrino technology and combines reasonable performance and a long battery life with a host of connectivity features.

A slim, two-spindle chassis, finished in silver and grey, gives the 7000X a stylish appearance, although it's no lightweight, weighing in at a hefty 2.8kg.

Powering the 7000X is a 1.6GHz Pentium-M processor and 256MB of DDR-SDRAM memory. Centrino technology isn't all about pure performance - it's about giving the mobile user good performance for the longest possible time. In VNU Labs' tests, the 7000X achieved a battery life of just under four-and-a-half hours when tested with Ziff-Davis Media's BatteryMark v4.0.1, which is impressive from the 4400mAh battery.

On the downside, graphics performance is disappointing - instead of using a mobile ATI or nVidia GPU, Maxdata has opted for an Intel integrated solution that uses shared system memory for the video memory. While this isn't a problem for productivity applications, it's not suitable for modern games or other 3D applications. Although the generous 15in. TFT screen is commendably thin, it doesn't flex too much and only has a native resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels, which is unimpressive for a screen of this size.

The keyboard is well placed and set up. However, although the keys are responsive, the keyboard's overall build quality isn't that good - it flexes when you type. The mouse buttons and touchpad both work well.

Apart from the Intel PRO/Wireless LAN, there's also a Broadcom 10/100 Ethernet for standard network connections. In addition, a V.92 modem and an infrared port are fitted.

For storage, there's a Fujitsu MHT2040AT hard drive, which has a spin speed of 4,200rpm and a 40GB capacity. The front-mounted optical drive is a QDI CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo device and for extra storage there's a multimedia card slot, which accepts Memory Stick, Secure Digital and MultiMedia cards, enabling a wide range of external cards to be used. As with many notebook PCs, the CD player can used without actually having to boot the system.

The sides of the chassis are relatively uncluttered, with one just slot containing the Kensington Security slot and the other a Type II PC card slot, the speaker control and multimedia card slot. The rear panel contains the remaining I/O ports - single VGA, parallel, FireWire and S-Video, three USB 2.0 and two audio ports, but no PS/2 mouse/keyboard ports. Windows XP Pro is the preinstalled operating system, although copies of Nero Express and Vision Express, CyberLink PowerDVD 4 XP and anti-virus and personal firewall software were also bundled.

Graphics performance aside, though, the Maxdata NB Pro 7000X Combo is a well-featured notebook PC that has a decent battery life and connectivity options, which are ideal for the mobile business user.

Contact: Maxdata (01344) 788 900

www.maxdata.uk.com

Specifications:

OS: Windows XP Professional
CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Pentium-M
Memory: 256MB of PC2100
Graphics: Integrated Intel 855
Hard disk: 40GB Fujitsu MHT2040AT Ultra ATA/100
Optical drive: QDI CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive
Display: 15in. TFT, 1024 by 768 pixels
I/O: VGA, parallel, S-Video out, FireWire, Type II PC card, MMC slot, three x USB 2.0, line in and out, 10/100Base-T, V.90 modem, infrared

JVC Mini Note MP-XP7210

Henry Tucker — 2002-10-29T10:53:17.000Z

Henry Tucker, PC Magazine, Tuesday 29 October 2002 at 10:53:17

JVC's first foray into the notebook PC market is a pretty impressive product.

The Mini Note MP-XP7210 from JVC is the company's first foray into the notebook PC market. It previously launched a Windows CE-based device in Germany in 1999, but hadn't until now offered a fully featured notebook PC.

The Mini Note MP-XP7210 is one of the smallest PCs we've seen. Measuring only 22.5 by 2.95 by 15.2cm, it's around the same size as a hardback novel and in its basic state won't weigh a lot more than 885g.

Our review model, the MP-XP7210, came with an ultra-low voltage version of Intel's Pentium III processor, which runs at 800MHz and has 512KB of Level 2 cache.

This is supported by 256MB of PC100 SDRam divided into two 128MB modules. One of these is built in and the other sits in the system's one memory slot. Should you want to increase the memory, you'd need to replace the existing module instead of just adding to it.

Despite its compact size, the Mini Note still has room for a regular notebook PC hard disk drive - an IBM 30GB model. It doesn't have a built-in optical drive, an external one nor any form of floppy disk drive.

Therefore, if you want to install any software onto it, you'll need to have a USB or i.LINK (FireWire) optical drive. It does, however, have an extensive array of connectivity options, including both a V.90 modem and 10/100Base-T adapter, as well as two USB 1.1 ports, one i.LINK, an SD Card slot and one Type II PC Card slot. It doesn't have any type of wireless connection, though, or either Bluetooth or 802.11b.

Due to the limited size of the system, the MP-XP7210 uses an 8.9in TFT. This is a low-temperature polysilicon display. This technology allows manufacturers to make thinner and stronger displays that also have better contrast control. The display is powered by a SiS 630 chipset that uses 16MB of the system's memory and provides a native resolution of 1,024 by 600 pixels.

Although it doesn't have a regular VGA port, you can still connect the system up to an external monitor, as it comes with a proprietary adapter that plugs into the side of the system near the USB, Lan and modem ports.

Another of its limitations is with the size of battery which can be fitted into the chassis. The MP-XP7210 does have one built-in battery that can't be removed, but also comes with an additional 2,000mAh unit that clips onto the system.

A further larger battery is also available for £149.99 (ex. VAT). With just the built-in battery, JVC claims that you only get around two hours of autonomy, but with the second cell, this is extended to five hours and 30 minutes.

We tested the system using eTesting Labs' BatteryMark 4.0.1 benchmark with both the built-in battery, which gave a time of one hour and 24 minutes, and then with the additional battery, which gave a time of three hours and 30 minutes.

Along with its impressive specifications, its main selling point will be its size and design. It seems JVC has taken a leaf out of Sony's style book when designing the Mini Note series. The outer plastic casing has an aluminium look and inside it's black around the keyboard and screen with silver mouse buttons.

The keyboard is fully featured and hasn't been cut down too much to fit the available space. Obviously, the keys are smaller than a full-sized notebook PC and could well put some people off. Typing on it isn't that awkward, though, despite the size constraints.

Unlike many of the PCs of its size, the Mini Note MP-XP7210 doesn't use Windows CE, but instead uses the same Windows XP Professional you'd expect to find on any other new business PC. This is accompanied by Pixela's Image Maker and a copy of Norton's Anti-Virus software.

If you're fed up with lugging around a notebook PC and want something a little more portable, then JVC's Mini Note MP-XP7210 could just be what you need.

Price: £1,200 (ex. VAT)Contact: JVC - (0870) 330 5000

www.jvc.co.uk

Fact file

OS Windows XP Professional
Processor Intel Pentium III ULV 800MHz
Memory 256MB of PC100 SDRam
Graphics chipset 16MB SiS 630
Hard disk 30GB
Optical drive n/a
Display 8.9in XGA
I/O Two USB 1.1, four-pin FireWire, 10/100Base-T, Type II PC card, SD, proprietary VGA

Dell Inspiron 4150

Roger Kirkwood — 2002-10-15T10:32:04.000Z

Roger Kirkwood, PC Magazine, Tuesday 15 October 2002 at 10:32:04

An ideal notebook PC for high-end computing on the move.

Dell's new Inspiron 4150 notebook PCs utilise the latest Mobile Intel Pentium 4-M processors with SpeedStep technology, 14.1in. TFT LCD screens and great battery life. They also have Dell's colour-coded plastic inserts to personalise the look, which polarise aesthetic opinions.

Several processor speeds are offered. Our test unit ran at 1.9GHz, but 1.6GHz, 1.7GHz and 2.0GHz are available. The range of options continues to almost every component, offering the chance to customise the performance, features and cost to a considerable degree.

Intel's 845MP chipset supports external graphics processing through an AGP 4X interface. The GPU is an ATI Mobility Radeon 7500C with 32MB of SDRam, which gives the Inspiron 4150 sparkling graphics performance for a notebook PC.

The 845MP chipset also supports a 400MHz system bus and up to 1GB of DDR 200/266MHz SDRam in two user-accessible Sodimm sockets. The standard configuration is 128MB of Ram, but our unit had 256MB of the faster SDRam memory.

Text definition with the 14.1in. SXGA screen (1,400 by 1,050 pixels) is very sharp, but the characters are quite small. A resolution of 1,024 by 768 (XGA) is easier on the eyes.

Two pointing devices are provided, each with its own set of mouse buttons. The trackpoint sits almost flush with the keyboard, but is easy to use and good for moving fast over big areas. The trackpad is good for fine work.

Connectivity is generally well served. Integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet and V.92 modem hardware provide the standard network connections, but there's also an internal Dell TrueMobile 1150 wireless local area network (Lan) card for 802.11b Wi-Fi communication.

On the left side is a Kensington Security Slot and stacked PC Card slots that can accommodate two Type I or II cards, or one Type III.

The right side has an infrared port, modem and Lan connectors, S-Video and headphone/microphone jacks (a built-in mic sits by the keyboard).

At the rear are single serial, parallel and PS/2 ports, a VGA port for dual display setups and a docking connector for an optional port replicator. The only disappointment is that it includes just a single USB 1.1 port.

Removeable components are at the front. On the left there's the Li-ion battery and the single bay on the right is for removeable media drives and supports warm-swapping.

Our unit had a floppy disk drive and a 24/10/24/8 DVD/CD-RW combo drive. Other options are a 24 CD-Rom, an 8/24 DVD-Rom and a 24/10/24 CD-RW drive. You can also fit a 40GB ATA/66 secondary hard disk drive or another battery.

Our notebook PC's main hard disk drive was a top-of-the-range Ultra ATA/100 40GB 5,400rpm unit, with options down to 20GB.

Harman Kardon stereo speakers vent out the sides and are driven by a Cirrus Logic CS4205 audio chip. Volume is adjusted via keyboard combinations.

Depending on components, the system weighs around 2.6 to 2.8kg and measures 31.9 by 25.4 by 37cm. Software offers further choices over which options to take.

Our test machine's Windows XP Home Edition and Works Suite 2002 are replaceable with Windows XP Professional and Office XP Professional or Small Business editions, respectively. Norton AntiVirus 2002 is also supplied.

One excellent feature is the Dell Solution Centre button: effectively a one-stop shop for all support questions. It offers integrated access to user guides, Windows help and online resources. You also get Dell's phone/email support during business hours and a one-year, six-day collect-and-return warranty. Other options are available.

The Inspiron 4150 is a capable notebook PC with excellent battery life and is ideal for mobile computing. It's easily fast enough to be a desktop replacement PC (you might want to add more USB ports with a hub though) or even a compact home PC that can still play games.

Contact: Dell (0870) 152 4644

www.dell.co.uk

Price £1,249 (ex. VAT)Fact file

OS Windows XP Home Edition
Processor 1.9GHz Intel Pentium 4-M
Memory 256MB of 266MHz SDRam
Graphics chipset 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500C
Hard disk 40GB
Optical drives CD-RW/DVD-Rom
Display 14.1in. SXGA
I/O Serial, parallel, PS/2, USB 1.1, VGA, S-Video, headphone, microphone, infrared, two Type II PC Card, 10/100Base-T, V.92 modem, IEEE 802.11b

IBM ThinkPad X24

Mark Fowler-Child — 2002-10-11T11:57:20.000Z

Mark Fowler-Child, PC Magazine, Friday 11 October 2002 at 11:57:20

A well built system with good performance for mobile professionals.

IBM's latest ThinkPad X24 is an ultraportable notebook PC weighing in at just under 1.7kg with diminutive dimensions of only 3.0 by 22.6 by 28.0cm.

It has a bright and clear 12.1in. TFT display with a native resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels and a full-sized keyboard that's comfortable to type on for long periods.

To minimise heat dissipation and battery life problems the ThinkPad X24 is supplied with a 1.13GHz Intel Pentium III-M mobile processor.

However, coupled with the system's 30GB hard disk drive and 256MB of PC133 SDRam memory, performance is very good for this class of portable system and is more than capable of satisfying the demands of most business users.

Build quality is very good overall with no protruding plastic flaps or covers that could snap off when travelling. The notebook PC also has a titanium alloy top cover that should ensure that it survives most everyday knocks.

Such a portable form factor usually means that compromises have been made by the manufacturer, but the ThinkPad X42's 4,000mAh Li-ion battery has a life of just under four hours when tested with our BatteryMark 4.0.1 benchmark.

The keyboard is up to IBM's usual good standard, offering excellent tactile response and a comfortable wrist rest area.

As with most other IBM portable systems the ThinkPad X24 is fitted with a trackpoint pointing device, which may initially limit user appeal, but should soon find favour once you get used to using it.

Next to the left-hand screen hinge is the volcontrol and speaker mute buttons for the system's single speaker, located under the front right-hand corner of the unit.

However, a stereo output is available via the device's headphone socket, which is located at the back of the left hand-side of the case, next to a microphone input.

Also on the left-hand side of the case are the ThinkPad X24's sole Type II PC Card slot and a CompactFlash memory card slot, which will be useful if you use a digital camera.

The right-hand side of the system's chassis carries only a USB 1.1 connector, with the rear of the case holding just a power connector, external monitor socket, the system's second USB 1.1 socket, a line level audio output and connectors for the integrated modem and 10/100Base-T NIC.

The ThinkPad X24 is equipped with a good range of communication options. In addition to the integrated V.92 modem and 10/100Base-T NIC, this notebook PC is also Bluetooth-enabled, allowing wireless connections to be made to Bluetooth peripherals.

If you're looking for a floppy disk or DVD-Rom drive, serial or parallel ports, or even a PS/2 connector you'll be disappointed unless you also invest in an IBM UltraBase X2 media slice.

This is a small docking base (supplied with our review ThinkPad X24 and costing £142 ex. VAT) that the system clips into.

It also contains stereo speakers and allows the system to be used at a desk, with an external monitor and mouse.

Other similarly sized ultraportable notebook PCs are available, but few can boast a battery life as impressive as the ThinkPad X24.

Coupled with IBM's traditionally good build quality and warranty, light weight and good performance, this notebook is definitely worth considering.

One drawback is the price, but corporate buyers should be able to secure a discount, making it an even more attractive proposition.

Contact: IBM (0800) 169 1458

www.ibm.co.ukPrice: £1,786 (ex. VAT)

Fact file

OS Windows 2000 Professional
Processor 1.13GHz Intel Pentium III-M
Memory 256MB of PC133 SDRAM
Graphics chipset 8MB ATI Mobility Radeon
Hard disk 30GB
Optical drives optional
Display 12.1in XGA
I/O Type II PC Card, CompactFlash, 10/100Base-T, Bluetooth, VGA

Toshiba Portege 2000

Henry Tucker — 2002-08-21T10:19:39.000Z

Henry Tucker, PC Magazine, Wednesday 21 August 2002 at 10:19:39

If you're looking for an ultra-portable notebook PC, this is the one to go for.

The Toshiba Portege 2000 is the slimmest (14.9mm) and lightest (1.2kg) notebook PC that we've seen. In a brushed aluminium and black case, it has a very stylish look as well as some interesting and highly useful features.

It's based around a 750MHz low-voltage Intel Pentium III-M processor. This has 512KB of Level 2 cache and is accompanied by 256MB of PC100 SDRam, which can be expanded to a maximum of 512MB.

The hard disk drive, a 1.8in Ultra ATA/100 20GB Toshiba unit that spins at 4,200rpm, is the only built-in drive, as there's no room for an optical or floppy disk drive.

This is an industry first, as the hard drives usually fitted into ultra-portable notebook PCs are generally 2.5in models. Smaller drives have until now offered reduced capacity, so the fact that Toshiba's new drives have capacities between 10GB and 20GB is a step forward.

Despite its diminutive size, the Portege 2000 still has room for many features often only found on larger notebook PCs. It has both an integrated 10/100Base-T network interface and built-in 802.11b wireless, via a pre-installed Toshiba wireless local area network mini-PCI card.

To turn the wireless connection on, all you need to do is flick the switch on the right-hand side of the chassis. There are a row of LEDs by the screen hinge, one of which lights up when the wireless connection is enabled.

Should you want to install any additional hardware, the Portege 2000 also has a Type II PC card slot, an SD card slot, two USB ports and an external VGA connector that will drive an external monitor up to 1,600 by 1,200 pixels.

Because of its reduced size the Portege 2000 only comes with a 12.1in. TFT that has a native resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels. This is powered by a Trident CyberALADDiN-T graphics processor with 16MB of video memory. However, the screen isn't very bright, which could prove frustrating in brightly-lit environments.

Even though it has a compact chassis, it manages to provide a full-sized keyboard that's well laid out and easy to use. There's even room to rest your hands comfortably while typing.

Unlike most Toshiba notebook PCs, the Portege 2000 has a trackpad, rather than a trackpoint, for cursor control. This is a matching silver colour and is very responsive with left and right click buttons.

You might think that because of size restrictions, the size of its battery would result in poor battery life, but that isn't the case. When we tested it using BatteryMark 4.0.1, it recorded a time of exactly two hours, even with power-saving assistance turn off.

For those who require more battery power, Toshiba offers an additional clip-on battery for £169.99 (ex. VAT). Even with this attached, the Portege's weight is still only 1.5kg.

The clip-on battery also raises it up slightly so that it sits at a more comfortable height for typing as well as allowing air to circulate underneath for improved cooling. You can also replace the PC Card CD-Rom drive with a CD-RW drive for £319.99 (ex. VAT).

If you're looking for an ultra-portable notebook PC that's extremely thin and light, Toshiba's Portege 2000 is one of the most stylish models we've seen.

Price: £1,699 (ex. VAT)

Specifications:

OS: Windows XP Professional

Processor: 750MHz Intel Pentium III-M

Memory: 256MB of PC100 SDRam

Graphics chipset: 16MB Trident CyberALADDiN-T

Hard disk: 20GB

Optical drive: External CD-Rom drive

Display: 12in. XGA

I/O: Two x USB, 10/100Base-T, SD card slot, serial, infrared, 802.11b, Type II PC Card slot, VGA.

Contact: Toshiba 0870 444 9844

www.toshiba.co.uk

Itronix GoBook Max

Henry Tucker — 2002-08-20T13:31:23.000Z

Henry Tucker, PC Magazine, Tuesday 20 August 2002 at 13:31:23

Ideal if you want an almost indestructible notebook PC.

The Itronix GoBook Max is a 'ruggedised' notebook PC, hence its unusual appearance. It's been designed to withstand more bumps and knocks than a regular notebook and complies to many international standards, including those of the US military. It's also waterproof, but not submersible.

According to analysts IDC, one in three notebook PCs are broken each year with 45 per cent of them falling off their user's desk. With this in mind, Itronix believes that the GoBook Max is suitable not just for in the office, but for field work as well.

The GoBook Max uses an embedded Intel Pentium III running at 700MHz and our review model came with 256MB of PC100 SDRam. The system doesn't have a single configuration, but is built to order depending on requirements.

Ordering is done over the phone and Itronix claims that it takes one to two weeks to build a system.

Our review model had a shock-mounted 2.5in 20GB IBM hard disk drive. This is because the hard disk drive is the most vulnerable component in the system.

To reduce the amount of shock that passes through the system, the chassis has rubberised edges for added protection. The screen has the same material on its edges and on the back.

The chassis itself is made of hardened plastic and the internal structure of the system is made of die-cast magnesium for extra strength. This all makes for a sturdy, if heavy, device at 3.25kg.

The GoBook Max confirms to the MIL STD 810E military test standard for drop testing, which includes 54 drops of one metre on to 2in of plywood over a concrete floor. It is also tested for vibration, humidity, water resistance, high/low temperature operating and storage, as well as temperature shock.

We tested these claims by dropping the system while it was turned off onto a vinyl covered concrete floor and then rebooting it. We did this twice, once on each edge, and it booted first time on both occasions.

The first time we tested it, there was no damage, although one of the keys came loose on the second test. However, this was easily reattached and it worked perfectly well afterwards.

One of the most common accidents involving notebook PCs is liquid spillage onto the keyboard. To deal with this, the GoBook's keyboard is waterproof and is made of phosphorescent plastic so that it glows in the dark.

As well as the internal and external protection, the GoBook Max has an integrated carry handle. The 10.4in TFT XGA touch screen folds back a full 180 degrees for ease of use and comes with two styli that slot into the case.

The notebook has a reduced number of I/O connectors with one serial port, two USB ports, one Type II PC card slot, a V.90 modem and a 10/100Base-T network adapter. All the ports are covered externally to prevent dust or water getting into the system.

The battery can be removed and changed while still running as it suspends to Ram using a backup battery.

It also has a feature that allows you to shut it down and boot it up in seconds using the function on/off keys. If the system is shut down using Windows, you need to hold down the two mouse buttons for 10 seconds in order for it to boot.

Although it won't win many awards for its looks, if you're after a notebook PC that can survive where few others can, then Itronix's GoBook Max could well be the one for you.

Price: £3,500 (ex. VAT).

Specifications:

OS: Windows 2000 Professional

Processor: 700MHz Intel Pentium III Memory 256MB of PC100 SDRam

Graphics chipset: 4MB Silicon Motion LynxEM+

Hard disk: 20GB

Optical drive: External Teac CD-Rom

Display: 10.4in. XGA TFT

I/O: Two USB, one four-pin IEEE 1394, 10/100Base-T

Contact: Itronix 02476 604040

www.gobookmax.co.uk

Sony Vaio PCG-GRX316MP

Henry Tucker — 2002-07-15T14:57:47.000Z

Henry Tucker, PC Magazine, Monday 15 July 2002 at 14:57:47

A robust desktop replacement system with an excellent large screen.

Sony has become a popular choice for its small and stylish notebook PCs. However, it also makes larger desktop replacement systems, such as the PCG-GRX316MP, which is one of the widest notebook PCs we've seen.

This is mainly due to its huge 16.1in. UXGA TFT display. Not surprisingly it uses the latest 1.6GHz Pentium 4-M processor, with 256Mb of PC1600 DDR SDRam and is designed to replace your desktop system to give you some degree of portability.

Despite its size, the PCG-GRX316MP is a two-spindle device. As well as the 30Gb Toshiba hard drive, it has a Sony CD-RW/DVD-Rom combo drive.

This is located in the system's Multi-Purpose bay, which can also house a second battery or be left empty if you want to save on weight. This might be necessary as, with the optical drive installed, it weighs a considerable 3.8kg.

The weight of the system isn't the only thing you need to take into consideration when carrying it, as the chassis is a bulky 35.5 by 3.9 by 29.2cm.

To power the large display, the system uses an ATi Mobility Radeon 7500 chip with 32Mb of DDR SDRam video memory, 16Mb integrated and 16Mb shared. This gives good performance and complements the system's excellent display.

Sony has made good use of the size of the PCG-GRX316MP by including a decent keyboard. Another benefit of the large chassis size is that there's plenty of room to rest your hands while typing.

The trackpad isn't that responsive which is a bit annoying as it takes several finger movements to get from one corner of the screen to another. In addition to the regular left and right click buttons, it also has a scroll wheel and a Back button.

Sony hasn't included any wireless technology, 802.11b or Bluetooth in the system, which is unusual for a modern notebook PC. In spite of this, it has a 10/100Base-T network port and V.90 modem.

And should you want to connect it to a wireless network, it has two Type II PC card slots suitable for wireless PC cards. All the system's I/O ports, including the modem and NIC, are neatly covered up with protective flaps.

On each side of the Vaio is a USB port and on the left-hand side is a further four-pin i.LINK (IEEE 1394) port. There are also microphone and headphone ports. On the rear edge is a third USB port along with VGA out and a parallel port, as well as an AV mini-jack. In addition, the system has a Magic Gate Memory Stick slot.

One of the problems with the Pentium 4-M is the amount of power it uses. It comes with a 4,000mAh battery that only gave an operational time of two hours and 17 minutes running our battery tests.

Although not that impressive, we tested it with SpeedStep disabled, so it's a worst case scenario. If you want to use it away from your desk for longer periods, it may be worth purchasing the extra battery (£144 ex. VAT).

Sony's PCG-GRX316MP isn't as attractive as most of its smaller notebook PCs and the large screen means it's bulky. It also isn't the most powerful of the Pentium 4-M notebook PCs we've seen.

However, if you want a relatively robust notebook with a large screen instead of a desktop system, Sony's latest offering will be more suitable, although there are more cost effective solutions elsewhere.

Price: £1,704 (ex. VAT).

Specifications:

OS: Windows XP Professional

Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Pentium 4-M

Memory: 256Mb of PC1600 SDRam

Graphics: 32Mb ATI Mobility Radeon 7500

Hard disk: Toshiba 30Gb

Optical drive: CD-RW/DVD-Rom

Display: 16.1in. UXGA TFT

I/O: Three USB, four-pin IEEE 1394, 10/100Base-T, two Type II PC cards, serial, parallel, PS/2, Memory Stick.

Contact: Sony 08705 424 424

www.vaio.sony-europe.com

Asus L3C

Alex Cruickshank — 2002-06-19T11:25:22.000Z

Alex Cruickshank, PC Magazine, Wednesday 19 June 2002 at 11:25:22

The Pentium 4-M is put to good use in this capable notebook PC.

This impressive Asus machine makes use of the new mobile version of Intel Pentium 4. The L3C runs at a relatively modest 1.7GHz, although it provides good performance and good battery life.

The other important factor, and one that's readily seen from the L3C's dimensions (326 x 267 x 40mm), is that the Pentium 4-M processor consumes considerably less space than its desktop counterpart. So, although this is still quite a weighty machine (3kg), it's still portable.

The L3C looks pretty good as well. The case's styling isn't anything special, but it's black and quite discreet. The majority of the casing is made from plastic, although it's thick enough to survive a few knocks and drops and there's sufficient screen support to prevent any serious flexing.

The 1,400 by 1,050 pixel resolution LCD is sharp and bright and gives plenty of work space. The screen is driven by the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 with 32Mb of DDR SDRam. There's also the option of sending the display output to either another monitor via the VGA D-Sub port at the rear or a television via the S-Video port.

The L3C's 30Gb E-IDE hard disk drive is configured to use the Ultra ATA/100 protocol for faster sustained data transmission. In our review system, the drive was divided into three partitions: one for Windows ME, one for XP Professional and one for data storage.

This configuration is unusual, though, and in retail machines, there will usually be just the single operating system installed, most probably Windows XP Professional.

Aside from the hard disk drive, there's also a floppy drive and an eight-speed DVD-Rom drive as standard. The latter is a modular unit that can be swapped with other factory options, such as a CD-RW drive or a combo CD-RW/DVD-Rom drive.

The floppy disk drive, on the other hand, is integrated into the left-hand side of the case and can't be swapped, which restricts your choice a little.

Asus supplied our review machine with 256Mb of DDR SDRam, which can be upgraded to a maximum of 1Gb via SODIMM sockets that sit in the base of the unit.

Coupled with the graphics adapter and processor, this provides plenty of power for office applications and demanding 3D games, so the L3C really is suitable for use as a desktop replacement.

The L3C's size means that it can make use of a fully featured keyboard. The one included is very good, with an excellent tactile sensation and all but the cursor and function keys being full size.

Set into the wrist rest at the front of the keyboard is a track pad with two mouse and two scroll buttons. There are also three user-configurable program shortcut keys, as well as a key for swapping between high performance mode and lower speed/power consumption mode.

In terms of connectivity, the Asus L3C is well equipped. It comes with a V.90 modem and a 10/100Base-T network adapter built in, plus a brace of IEEE 1394 ports for digital video editing or the connection of external hard disk drives and other high-bandwidth peripherals.

The usual pair of 1.1 USB ports is provided as well, along with a legacy serial port, a parallel port and the usual audio connectors. There's also an optical S/PDIF audio connector for 5.1-channel output and a manual volume control with mute button, which is more useful than a software-only solution.

Additional connectors include a pair of Type II PC Card slots, as well as a connector for the optional PortBar II port replicator (£59.99 ex. VAT). An 802.11b wireless network adapter is available as an optional extra (£55.99 ex. VAT), as is a Bluetooth module (£TBA) and GPRS modem (£TBA).

The casing has a Kensington Security slot, although there's no carry case included as standard, which is quite an oversight given the weight and cost of this notebook.

Price: £1,899 (ex. VAT)

Specifications:

OS: Windows XP Professional

Processor: 1.7GHz Intel Pentium 4-M

Memory: 256Mb of DDR SDRam

Graphics chipset: 32Mb ATI Mobility Radeon 7500

Hard disk: 30Gb

Optical drive: DVD-Rom

Display: 15.1in. SXGA+

I/O: Two USB 1.1 and IEEE 1394 ports, IrDA, V.90 modem, 10/100Base-T, S-Video.

Contact: Dabs.com 0870 429 3220

www.asus.com