Dell's new Latitude LM series goes its predecessors one-or actually, two-better. It sports a modular 4X CD-ROM drive, which was lacking on the line until now, and replaces the trackball with a Synaptic TouchPad.
Our test unit was a 133MHz Pentium-based Latitude LM P-133ST with a stunning 12.1-inch active-matrix screen that equals a 14-inch CRT for viewing area. It came with the maximum 40MB of RAM, an 810MB IBM hard disk (a 1.3GB drive is available) and a second battery. A base 100MHz LM model comes with an 11.3-inch dual-scan display, 8MB of RAM and a 540MB hard disk. All models include the options bay, which lets you swap out the floppy disk drive with a Toriscan 4X CD-ROM drive, both included in the standard configuration. The bay also holds an optional second battery (for an additional $249).
The modular bay has made this unit a little larger than the XPi, at 1.9 by 11.8 by 8.9 inches. And, at 7 pounds, it's a little heavier, too. The 87-key keyboard features the new Win 95-specific keys and has a full 3mm of travel and 18.3mm spacing.
This notebook is a screamer. On our WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 95 benchmarks, the processor pumped out 246MIPS on average. Its average video score of 9.67Mpixels per second and its average uncached 2.4MB-per-second hard disk data-transfer rate would be quite respectable even for a desktop. Average times to execute our 32-bit Excel and Word macros were 15 and 16.67 seconds, respectively.
Dell Latitude LM P-133ST
Price: $5,347
Pros: Fast; great screen; excellent ergonomics
Cons: Relatively bulky
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Dell Computer Corp.
800-613-3355, 512-338-4400
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The Olivetti Echos P100C is a pleasant, competent computer with a 100MHz Pentium processor and an 11.3-inch dual-scan passive-matrix screen.
It has a full complement of ports: monitor, serial, parallel, PS/2, IRDA and port replicator. The floppy disk drive can be attached to the parallel port with a provided cable while the CD-ROM drive or the second battery occupies the modular bay. It measures 1.9 by 11.1 by 8.9 inches.
An LCD panel on the hinge displays the system status. The power cord requires a grounded (three-pronged) plug, which can be a nuisance. Oddly for a notebook, the machine doesn't turn itself off when exiting Windows.
On our Wintune95 benchmarks, the P100C posted respectable scores, averaging 180.67MIPS, 1.5MB per second average uncached disk throughput, and 4.77MPixels per second average output for the video subsystem. The Word macro executed in 39 seconds, while the Excel macro took 30.33 seconds to complete.
Olivetti's choice of a nickel metal hydride battery means you should expect about two hours on a charge.
Olivetti Echos P100C
Price: $2,499
Pros: PCI bus; construction; 6X CD-ROM drive
Cons: NiMH battery
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Olivetti Personal Computers USA
888-465-4838, 512-246-4023
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
Cross a capable 90MHz Pentium notebook computer with a color ink jet printer and scanner, and you get the Canon NoteJet IIIcx. But this functionality has its Price: The unit measures 3.25 by 14 by 12 inches and weighs nearly 10 pounds.
It includes a full-size notebook keyboard, a pointing stick in the middle of the keyboard and a short palm rest. The active-matrix screen serves up crisp images and vivid colors. This notebook also has two Type II PCMCIA slots, 16-bit stereo sound and an infrared transceiver.
The NoteJet provided from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours of use between charges when the scanner and printer were used extensively. The recharge time with the unit off was about two hours; turned on, it was about five hours.
The notebook's 360x360dpi printer produces color or monochrome documents. To use the scanner, simply remove the print head and replace it with the scan head.
The results of our Wintune95 tests: 162.66MIPS, 1.13MB-per-second uncached hard-disk throughput and 5.36Mpixel-per-second video throughput. The NoteJet executed our Excel 7.0 and Word 7.0 macros in 24.3 and 81 seconds, respectively.
Canon NoteJet IIIcx
Price: $5,799
Pros: Functionality; portability
Cons: Weight; battery life
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Canon Computer Systems
800-848-4123, 714-438-3000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The AST Ascentia P50 is ideally suited for mobile professionals who use applications requiring horsepower and speed. This versatile notebook ships with a standard configuration of 8MB of RAM and your choice of 800MB or 1.2GB hard drives, and allows you to slip a 4X CD-ROM into the socket normally occupied by the floppy disk drive. It has a PCI bus and two vertically stacked Type II connectors, or one Type II and one Type III connector plus an external video connector to drive monitors at 1024x768 pixels. It also has an internal 28.8Kbps modem. You can navigate the P50 with its SmartPad touchpad pointing device. Its travel weight, including its AC power equipment, is slightly more than seven pounds. It features an 11.3-inch high-resolution active-matrix display.
The P50 delivered impressive scores on Wintune95 and our 32-bit application benchmarks. Its Pentium processor clocked 245MIPS, and its hard disk had an uncached throughput rate of 2.7MB per second. The notebook's video subsystem pumped out 7.5Mpixels per second. Our 32-bit Word and Excel macros executed in 30.8 seconds and 16 seconds, respectively. The estimated battery life for the dual lithium ion batteries in the P50, with moderate power conservation, is between four and six hours on the first battery, and three to four hours on the second.
AST Ascentia P50
Price: $4,179
Pros: Performance; display; modular design
Cons: Cost
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
AST Research
800-876-4278, 714-727-4141
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The Toshiba Tecra 720CDT's no-nonsense configuration includes a 6X internal CD-ROM drive, an external floppy disk drive, Sound Blaster 16-compatible audio, internal speakers and a built-in 28.8Kbps modem. And the 12.1-inch, 1024x768-pixel screen is simply stunning.
A bay at the front of the unit accommodates either the floppy disk or CD-ROM drive. An external case can house either drive, so they can be used simultaneously.
The keyboard and integrated AccuPoint pointing device make this notebook a pleasure to use. The pointer's buttons are located on the palm rest. The hard-drive, CD-ROM and battery/AC-power indicators are somewhat obscured by your right hand when it's resting on the keyboard.
The notebook's lithium ion battery pack provided about 1.8 hours of juice with minimal power conservation. With stringent power management, the battery lasted nearly three hours.
On the Wintune benchmarks, the processor rated 244MIPS and the uncached disk pulled 2.6MB per second. The video performance was disappointing, though, and it contributed to somewhat leisurely strolls through our Word and Excel macro-based application tests.
Toshiba Tecra 720CDT
Price: $6,299
Pros: Display; audio; upgradability
Cons: Video performance; status indicators
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Toshiba America Information Systems
800-999-4273, 714-583-3000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
As in its desktop models, Micron used top-shelf technology in the Millennia TransPort P133, which is based on Intel's PCI Mobile Triton chipset. The unit is a screamer that achieves desktop-level Wintune95 scores. The CPU cranked out a healthy 245MIPS, while the 1.3GB hard disk did 2.63MB per second uncached. The PCI-bus, 64-bit graphics accelerator with 1MB of VRAM performed an impressive 8.27Mpixels per second. The system executed our Word macro in an average of 24.67 seconds, while the Excel macro took only 16 seconds.
Two modular expansion bays let you configure the notebook in various ways. The first bay holds a lithium ion battery, a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive or a 1.36GB hard drive, while the second can hold the same or a 4X CD-ROM drive. All components are hot-swappable in suspend mode. There's also a PCMCIA slot for two Type II PC Cards or one Type III card.
The dual pointing devices-a touchpad and a pointing stick-and the dual infrared ports in front and back are a pleasure to use. The active-matrix display is crisp, and there are S-Video and NTSC-video outputs. The notebook's Sound Blaster 16 sound system is complemented by two integrated speakers at either end of the wrist rest.
Micron Millennia TransPort P133
Price: $4,399
Pros: Modular expansion bays; Triton chipset
Cons: Relatively heavy
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Micron Electronics
800-243-7615, 208-893-3434
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The WinBook XP5 really performs. A tiny fan nestled inside blows fresh air over the processor, which clocked a cool 208MIPS on our Wintune tests. The video system painted crisp, well-saturated images at 6.43Mpixels per second. Data was shuttled to and from the hard disk at a rate of 2.33MB per second, uncached. It powered through the Word macro in 22.33 seconds and made short shrift of the Excel macro in 18 seconds.
With the WinBook you can choose among a trackball, Lexmark pointing stick or Alps touchpad. A 2.5-inch LCD below the screen displays symbols for battery status and other system activities. On top of the case, a lightbulb-shaped cutout glows red when the AC adapter is connected. A small, pop-off hatch covers the optional 16-bit stereo audio card. It also has a built-in 14.4Kbps modem.
The notebook's Lexmark keyboard has a nice touch, with gentle but yielding resistance and enough clickiness to know you're typing. Some key positions seem a little awkward. For instance, your pinkie might inadvertently hit the Page Down key instead of the backspace key. In addition, the right-side shift key and the Home and End keys are a bit small.
WinBook XP5/120MHz
Price: $2,879
Pros: Performance; ergonomics
Cons: Keyboard; lacks CD-ROM bay
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
WinBook Corp.
800-228-1553
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The IBM ThinkPad 560 comes well equipped with an external floppy disk drive, a port replicator socket, a 115Kb-per-second infrared transceiver in the back, PCMCIA slots for two Type II cards or a single Type III, and a top-of-the-line 12.1-inch active-matrix SVGA screen. At 800x600 pixels, the big display produces bright, readable images with excellent contrast.
The full-size, 85-key Lexmark keyboard is superb, with superior touch and impressive reliability. Nestled in the center is an IBM TrackPoint III, which is the best around. The cursor control buttons are located in the middle of a palm rest that's about 3 inches deep.
Screen brightness and system settings are controlled via function keys. Small colored lights indicate the status of hard disk access, power state and other attributes. There's a volume control for the 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro audio along with jacks for external speakers and a microphone.
The ThinkPad averaged 217.33MIPS on the Wintune processor test and an uncached hard disk throughput of 1.37MB per second. Video speed was clocked at 3.03Mpixels per second.
The software bundle includes Lotus SmartSuite (Word Pro, 1-2-3, Freelance, Approach and Organizer), IBM Internet Connection services, Netscape Navigator and software that allows IBM's technical support to diagnose problems remotely.
IBM ThinkPad 560
Price: From $3,749
Pros: Weight; screen; Pentium performance; low profile
Cons: Limited expandability
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
IBM Corp.
800-772-2227, 914-766-1900
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
PCI-bus architecture, a cellular-ready 28.8Kbps modem and a trackpad are all incorporated into the NEC Versa 6030H. The PCMCIA bay can hold two Type II PC Cards or one Type III.
The battery and the hard-disk bays are easy to access, and the Versa supports NEC's Versa Bay expansion pocket, which accommodates the floppy disk drive or the 6X CD-ROM drive. To attach these drives simultaneously, you'll need an optional docking station.
At the heart of the Versa 6030H's graphics system is a Chips and Technologies adapter with hardware-based MPEG. The 2MB VRAM graphics system works well with NEC's 12.1-inch, 800x600 screen, suiting the notebook for multimedia.
The Versa 6030H uses a lithium ion battery. With minimal power conservation, you can squeeze about two hours from a charge; more-stringent conservation could yield three hours.
The 6030H performed well on our Wintune benchmarks, clocking 242MIPS, 1.73MB per second for uncached disk throughput and 6.13Mpixels per second on the video test. The notebook completed our 32-bit macro-based Excel and Word application tests in 18 and 30 seconds, respectively.
NEC Versa 6030H
Price: Under $4,999
Pros: Video; modular construction; 133MHz processor; CD-ROM drive
Cons: Price
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
NEC Technologies
800-NEC-VERSA, 508-264-8000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
When you open the Hitachi M-120T, the display swings up and slides forward, which makes it easy to adjust the angle and facilitates use on airplanes.
The unit comes with a fast hard disk, a quad-speed CD-ROM drive that shares the same bay as the removable floppy disk drive, a high-speed infrared transceiver, a built-in V.34 modem and a PCI 10BaseT Ethernet adapter. Sound is supplied by the Sound Blaster Pro-compatible audio system and internal stereo speakers. There are jacks for a microphone, audio in and audio out. Two Type II PCMCIA slots can accommodate a single Type III card.
The M-120T's screen produced clear, bright images via its Cirrus Logic graphics controller and 1MB of video memory.
Because of the sliding screen, the keyboard doesn't have a palm rest, but it's still comfortable.
For portable power, it uses a nickel metal hydride battery, which lasted slightly more than 2.5 hours with advanced power management enabled. The notebook's self-contained adapter makes plugging in to AC power convenient.
Its processor averaged 216MIPS and its hard disk achieved 3.03MB-per-second throughput on our Wintune tests. Video reached 3.43Mpixels per second. On our application tests, the Excel macro completed in 30 seconds and the Word macro in 65.66 seconds. The quad-speed CD-ROM drive worked well, with true 4X speed and 200-millisecond seek times.
Hitachi M-120T
Price: $5,299
Pros: Modem and LAN adapter; 120MHz Pentium; screen; five-year warranty
Cons: No docking port
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Hitachi PC Corp.
800-555-6820, 408-321-5216
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The Toshiba Portege 650CT is as powerful and versatile as heftier rivals. It includes a 64-bit Chips and Technologies controller with 2MB of VRAM, PCI-bus architecture, and hot and "warm" docking capability. The PCMCIA slots accept two Type II cards or one Type III.
The Portege 650CT has a built-in V.34 modem and a Zoomed Video port. Used with a Zoomed Video card, this port allows you to play full-screen video. The system contains a 16-bit stereo sound system with internal speakers.
The 650CT incorporates an AccuPoint pointing device with two cursor buttons located in the middle of the notebook's integrated palm rest.
The Toshiba Portege 650CT handled our Wintune benchmarks with ease, registering 243.67MIPs for the CPU test and a quick 3.07MB-per-second uncached hard-disk throughput. Its score of 5.47Mpixels per second on the video test was also exemplary. On our application tests, it completed the Word macro in 31.3 seconds and the Excel macro in 21.0 seconds.
Toshiba Portege 650CT
Price: $4,499
Pros:Modem; processor; MPEG
Cons: Keyboard
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Toshiba America Information Systems
800-999-4273, 714-583-3000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The Toshiba Satellite Pro 420CDT provides multimedia with hardware-based MPEG video, a 6X CD-ROM drive and accelerated graphics. The 420CDT tested had 2MB of video RAM, an external 3.5-inch floppy disk drive and support for Zoomed Video. You can connect the CD-ROM and floppy drives simultaneously.
The audio jacks for the sound system are in front. The notebook's keyboard is comfortable, with an AccuPoint pointing stick. Although its screen isn't as bright as other notebooks, it's adequate for presentations to just a few people.
On the road, the 420CDT is powered by a lithium ion battery. With advanced power management enabled, the system's battery delivered nearly three hours of operation. It's reasonable to expect 2.5 hours by lowering display brightness, removing PC Cards and limiting hard-disk access.
On our Wintune tests, it scored 176MIPS, an uncached hard-disk throughput of 1.77MB per second and 4.77Mpixels per second on the video test. It completed our macro tests in 62 seconds for Word and 27.33 seconds for Excel.
Toshiba Satellite Pro 420CDT
Price: $3,299
Pros: Video; 6X CD-ROM drive
Cons: External drive
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Toshiba America Information Systems
800-999-4273, 714-583-3000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The HP OmniBook 5000 CTS 5/120 is a notebook to be reckoned with, thanks to its 16-bit, Sound Blaster-compatible sound system, NTSC/PAL video output, lithium ion battery and built-in SCSI-2 capability.
The large keyboard provides ample feedback and a wrist rest. The trackball and its two large buttons sit conveniently below the spacebar. As trackballs go, it's easy to use.
Two built-in speakers are situated on either side of the trackball, toward the case's outer edges. The sound quality is surprisingly full. A built-in microphone is located just to the left of a small LCD panel. The panel displays icons for battery charge, number of batteries installed, disk-drive access, PC-slot status and the status of the locking keys.
Its Advanced Power Management shuts the system down and saves your work when battery power gets dangerously low. The system recovers when you either install a charged battery or plug in the AC adapter. An LCD displays charging information that's visible even when the notebook is closed. You can remove the floppy disk drive and add a second battery.
Our Wintune benchmarks yielded scores of 219MIPS, 5.5Mpixels per second for video and 1.6MB per second for uncached hard-disk throughput. The system earned blistering scores of 22 and 18 seconds on the Word and Excel macros, respectively.
HP OmniBook 5000 CTS 5/120
Price: $5,040
Pros: Processor; hard disk; SCSI-2; PCI bus
Cons: Paper documentation; BIOS options for the parallel port
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Hewlett-Packard Co.
800-443-1254
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The Fujitsu Montego has a lot going for it. The Montego weighs only 4.9 pounds; with its battery charger, travel weight is about 5.3 pounds. The 100MHz Pentium is enhanced by 256KB of level 2 cache. There's also a SuperVGA 10.4-inch active-matrix screen, accelerated graphics, 1MB of video memory, 16MB of RAM, a 1GB hard disk and an internal floppy disk drive.
Using conservative power management, you can probably coax three hours from its standard battery. Typical battery life is closer to 2.5 hours.
The Montego uses a nearly full-sized keyboard and a stickpoint pointing device. The controls are located on the back, on the left- and right-hand side of the system case. The suspend switch is awkwardly located behind the speaker, where it's easy to mistake for the speaker cover.
The Montego blew through our Wintune 95 and application benchmarks, scoring well above average for 100MHz Pentium notebooks. Its processor delivered an average of 180.33MIPS, its hard disk system had an average uncached throughput of 2.5MB per second and its PCI-based video system delivered an average score of 5.93MPixels per second. Its three-pass average times to execute for the Excel and Word macros were 25.0 and 31.0 seconds, respectively.
Fujitsu Montego
Price: $3,199
Pros: Performance; value; screen; battery life
Cons: Awkward location of suspend control
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
Fujitsu PC Corp.
888-4ONTHEGO, 408-935-8800
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
You could almost fall in love with the WinBook FX-and this puppy's loaded. The model we tested included a 133MHz Intel Pentium processor using the power-saving Mobile Trident chipset with 16MB of EDO RAM (upgradable to 40MB).
The LCD screen supports 800x600 resolution at 64,000 colors on its 11.3-inch SVGA active-matrix display. The screen is clear and crisp, and you can easily view it from a variety of angles. There's 256KB of pipeline-burst level 2 cache that accounts for its good benchmark scores. At press time, a spokesperson told us the WinBook FX will ship standard with a 6X CD-ROM drive and a 1GB hard disk.
In the center of the keyboard is a TrackPoint device (the one that looks like the tip of an eraser). Our test unit came with an optional TouchPad preinstalled ($79.99), which offers tap-and-drag to simulate the drag-and-drop you do with a mouse.
The WinBook FX is a solid, but not great, performer. The notebook completed the Excel macro test in 20.33 seconds on average, while the Word macro averaged 31 seconds to execute. In our Wintune 95 tests, the WinBook FX's CPU clocked in at 246.67 MIPS, with scores of 2.83MB per second (uncached disk speed) and 7.07Mpixels second (video).
WinBook FX
Price: $3,679, as configured with optional TouchPad
Pros: Good display; excellent documentation
Cons: Position of Shift key
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95
WinBook Corp.
800-288-1558
WinMag Box Score: 4.5