Labs: laptops and notebooks

Labs: laptops and notebooks

• Guide price: £250
• Processor: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz
• Memory: 1GB
• Disk: 20GB SSD
• Optical: None
• Graphics: Intel UMA
• Display: 8.9in 1,024×600
• Modem: No
• Camera: 1.3Mp
• Ports: 3 USB, VGA (out), SD/MM card slot
• Network: 10/100
• Wi-Fi: a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• TPM: No
• Battery life: Up to 6 hours
• OS: XP Home
• Weight: 1.1kg
• Size: 225×175.5×22.7mm

Of all the machines in this lab, the Asus EEE 901 is the most revolutionary – it’s a very low-cost ultra-portable. The EEE range includes machines that have less processing power but are cheaper and some that have more processing power but have built-in hard disks. The 901 is a good compromise on price and performance and it still uses a solid state drive and so has no moving parts.

The processor is Intel’s new Atom, which is designed for low power portables. This makes the 901 run significantly faster than the earlier 701, which used the Celeron. Overall this makes the 901 a better choice for serious business use and a suitable platform for Window XP. You can buy a similar model with Linux installed and this is fine as long as you can cope without the standard Windows utilities. If you can’t, retrofitting Windows XP is relatively easy. You also need to know that XP uses 8GB more of SSD storage, leaving only 8GB free for your documents and applications. Housed in well-finished plastic, the machine is smart but feels heavy for its size. It’s available in a range of colours, including red, green and black.

It has good communications including a standard network port, Wi-Fi up to draft-n standard, and Bluetooth, but there’s no built-in modem. Clearly, you can use a Bluetooth connection to a suitable mobile phone for 3G connections. A camera and microphone built into the top edge of the case make it suitable for use in video conferencing and multimedia in general, but notice that the screen is on the small size at 8.9in.

The screen size also impacts on its general use but it is fine for e-mails, surfing the Web and working with single documents. However, given the resolution of 1,024 by 600, you will also notice the loss of height compared with the usual formats. Similarly the keyboard is very small.

A significant omission is the TPM chip or any security features apart from a Kensington lock. Also note that the standard machine comes with XP Home and this means there is no support for working in a domain. No instructions on upgrading to XP Pro are provided, but given that this would reduce the amount of storage available even further, upgrading isn’t a sensible option.

Verdict A low-budget solution for staying in touch on the move.

ROCK PEGASUS 210
www.rockdirect.com

• Guide price: £700
• Processor: Intel A110 800MHz
• Memory: 1GB
• Disk: 80GB
• Optical: None
• Graphics: Intel GMA 950
• Display: 12in WXGA 1,280×800
• Modem: 7,2Mbps 3G/GPRS
• Camera: No
• Ports: 3 USB, VGA (out), PCMCIA, 4 in 1 card slot
• Network: 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi: a/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• TPM: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 6 hours
• OS: Vista Business
• Weight: 1.4kg
• Size: 296×209×30mm

The Pegasus 210 is certainly in the ultra-portable class – it’s light and its battery lasts for longer than most. It achieves its weight saving without compromising its strength and overall looks and somehow manages to feel like a bigger machine than it really is. The full magnesium alloy case is probably the reason it feels so solid and tough. Much of the power saving is achieved by using a low-power, single-core processor running at only 800MHz, which works well if all you want is something to browse the Web, read e-mails and run an office suite. However, navigating Vista did seem a little sluggish – a reason for downgrading to XP perhaps?

Other power-saving features include an LED rather than fluorescent-lit LCD screen and no optical drive. The screen is shiny but clear and bright. The keyboard is three-quarters normal size and has one or two idiosyncrasies – like an oversize hash key – but it’s easy to get used to and good quality. Similarly, the trackpad is very small but again you quickly get used to it.

A USB optical drive is available as an optional extra. Surprisingly it doesn’t use a solid state drive and you might find the 1.8in 80GB hard disk a bit small. It comes with a good selection of expansion ports and has a 7.2Mbps 3G/GPRS modem built-in. The SIM slot is underneath the removable battery, which makes it difficult to change. An “Eco” button is provided to switch the machine quickly between power-saving and performance modes.

When it comes to security, the Pegasus has a TPM chip and a built-in fingerprint reader in the top right-hand corner.

Verdict A tough ultra-portable machine, with enough security to keep your important data safe.

SAMSUNG Q210
www.samsung.com/uk

• Guide price: £490
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.2GHz
• Memory: 3GB
• Disk: 320GB
• Optical: DVD burner dual layer
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS
• Display: 12.1in TFT 1,280×800
• Modem: 56K V92 Fax
• Camera: 1.3Mp
• Ports: 3 USB, Firewire, VGA (out), HDMI (out), Express card, SD/MMC card slot, memory stick slot
• Network: 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi: a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• TPM: No
• Battery life: Up to 4 hours
• OS: Vista Home
• Weight: 1.95kg
• Size: 304×226×37mm

The Q210 is housed in a remarkably smart, but fingerprint and smudge attracting, shiny black clamshell. It features a red graduated front edge which you’ll either love or hate. It feels chunky and solid, but at about 2kg it’s no lightweight either. Overall the machine is well built, has a very reasonable specification for its price and offers a good all-round performance.

It comes with all the features you could need for day-to-day operation but nothing extra – no fingerprint scanner, no TPM chip, no encryption hardware and so on.

The standard configuration of 3GB of RAM fills the two memory slots so upgrading to 4GB isn’t as economical as it might be. The display is clear overall but perhaps a little too dim in power-saving mode and a little too shiny in strong light. Although the keyboard size is necessarily compact, it has a positive feel and the touchpad is also responsive. HDMI and VGA ports can be used to connect to an external TV/monitor for presentations. The DVD drive supports “Lightscribe”, so with the correct blank discs you can automatically write a label.

Verdict A reasonably priced, solidly built portable that is suitable for general use.

DELL LATITUDE E6400
www.dell.co.uk

• Guide price: From £580
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz
• Memory: 1GB (one free slot)
• Disk: 80GB
• Optical: DVD/CD combo
• Graphics: Intel GMA 4500HD
• Display: 14in WXGA 1,280×800
• Modem: Optional
• Camera: Optional
• Ports: 4 USB, VGA (out), Firewire, eSATA, PCMCIA/Express card, 5 in 1 card slot
• Network: 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi: b/g
• Bluetooth: Optional
• TPM: Yes
• Battery: life 8 hours
• OS: Vista version optional
• Weight: 1.95kg
• Size: 335×238×31mm

The Dell Latitude E6400 is highly configurable, which means you can modify its specification simply by selecting options when you order it via the web site. For example, you can increase the speed of the processor slightly and increase the memory to 8GB, opt for a modem, and so on. You can even swap the touchpad for one with a built-in fingerprint reader. If you want maximum battery life and video quality, you need the optional LED backlight screen. You can also add a built-in 0.3 megapixel camera and microphone for £12.

One unusual standard feature is that the keyboard has a backlight that you can turn on using a function key. If you often try to use a portable in a dimly lit room, during a presentation say, this is a great idea. Another interesting feature is the ambient light sensor, which changes the brightness of the screen to match the lighting conditions. There is also an upgraded battery pack that Dell claims will last 19 hours.

What does remain unchanged is the “black slab” overall look. It has a good sized keyboard with a joystick style pointer. Overall the machine isn’t on the light side of ultra-portable but it does have a good range of extras such as an optical drive, eSATA port and lots of expansion including a docking station connector.

Verdict A versatile workhorse that is highly configurable to suit any application you have in mind.

FUJITSU-SIEMENS LIFEBOOK P8010
www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk

• Guide price: £1,200
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo SL7100 1.20GHz
• Memory: 1GB
• Disk: 120GB
• Optical: None
• Graphics: Intel GMA X3100
• Display: 12.1in TFT 1,280×800
• Modem: Optional
• Camera: Yes
• Ports: 3 USB, Firewire, VGA (out), Express card, SD card slot, port replicator
• Network: 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi: a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• TPM: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 6 hours
• OS: Vista Business
• Weight: 1.3kg
• Size: 284×210×37mm

The LifeBook P8010 is solidly built and feels chunky, although the plastic top of the case feels a little thin. A smart leather protective bag is provided allowing you to slip it into your briefcase. The top of the case is shiny and tends to smudge but inside things are less shiny and the screen is clear and high contrast and makes excellent use of the space available. It’s thicker than most ultra-portables because it has a DVD writer and some expansion connectors and this also helps to give the keyboard, which uses the width of the unit, a responsive feel.

The battery life is very reasonable for the middle of the road performance. There are two RAM slots which can support up to 4GB. A CD card reader is positioned on the front of the unit. 
The basic unit comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but you can fit an optional integrated mobile phone modem that claims 7.2Mbps (HSDPA) or 2Mbps (HSUPA) connection. An integrated camera and microphone make it suitable for videoconferencing and collaboration. A docking connector can be used to turn the machine into a desktop unit complete with VGA, USB and LAN connectors.

As well as the security features, TPM and fingerprint recognition, the LifeBook comes with DeskView Admin which makes it easier to manage within an organisation.

Verdict A good choice for a middle-of-the-road business ultra-portable.

SONY VGN-BZ11MN
www.sonystyle.co.uk

• Guide price £550
• Processor Intel 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz
• Memory 2GB
• Disk 160GB
• Optical DVD burner double layer
• Graphics Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Display 15.4in WXGA 1,280×800
• Modem 56kbps
• Camera Yes, Motion Eye WebCam 1.3Mp
• Ports 2 USB, Firewire, VGA (out), HDMI (out), Express card, SD card slot, memory stick slot
• Network 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth Yes
• TPM Yes
• Battery life Up to 4.5 hours
• OS Vista Business
• Weight 2.7kg
• Size 362×266×37mm

This  portable is luggable rather than ultra-portable. It has a full size keyboard, DVD burner and all the network connectivity you could require. A switch on the top edge can be used to turn off the Wi-Fi without having to reconfigure the machine. A programmable button can be set to initiate a set of regular tasks, such as retrieving e-mail.

The screen is very sharp and high contrast thanks to a non-reflective coating. Although the screen resolution is adequate, it isn’t generous for a 15.4in display. The keyboard also doesn’t seem to make the best use of the space available, leaving an unusually large wrist rest. On the other hand, it feels responsive and so does the built-in touchpad.

Overall the machine isn’t quite as stylish as many Vaio models, but it is still smart enough to wear the Sony badge and its magnesium structure gives it extra strength. It comes with Vista Business (SP1) installed and with a collection of useful software and trial editions. A docking station connector can extend its use to the desktop.

The built-in webcam and microphone make it a good choice for videoconferencing and its security features have been designed for the business traveller. As well as TPM, HDD protection and optional fingerprint recognition, you can enable or disable device access control at BIOS setup. Combined with its USB Access Restriction Setting, this means that IT managers can ensure employees can’t write confidential data using USB.

Verdict A reasonably priced, business-oriented portable.

TOSHIBA PORTÉGÉ R500-12S
www.toshiba.co.uk

• Guide price: £1,500
• Processor: Intel Centrino Duo U7700 1.33GHz
• Memory: 2GB (one expansion slot)
• Disk: 128GB SSD
• Optical: None
• Graphics: Intel Media Accelerator 950
• Display: 12.1in TFT 1,280×800
• Modem: No
• Camera: No
• Ports: 3 USB, Firewire, VGA (out), Express card, SD card slot, memory stick slot
• Network: 10/100/1000
• Wi-Fi: a/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• TPM: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 8.5 hours
• OS: Vista Business
• Weight: 0.8kg
• Size: 283×216×19mm

The Portégé R500-12S looks like a standard clamshell portable, but it’s very, very light and this coupled with its use of a solid state drive makes it the ideal business portable. The downside is that it’s a little flimsy.

The 128GB SSD should be enough for most business use, but the R500 isn’t suitable for multimedia presentations and the like without extra storage. It also lacks any sort of optical drive and if you need to install software, a USB external device is the best option.

The Toshiba Portégé combines a fast 1.33MHz processor with low power consumption thanks to its ultra low voltage requirements. The screen is transflective, lit by light shining on the screen as well as by the backlight, making it less prone to reflections. This also means you can turn off the backlight to conserve the battery. The claimed battery life of 8.5 hours isn’t unreasonable given its low power consumption and lack of moving parts.

It lacks a built-in camera but it does have a built-in microphone that can be used for VoIP. A welcome inclusion is the built-in fingerprint scanner. It also has Toshiba EasyGuard utilities, which provide encryption, fingerprint single sign-on and more.

Verdict An amazing machine that brings the promise of lighter, more usable portables in the future.