SHOOTOUT Business Notebooks

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Searching for that perfect notebook equipped to help you increase productivity, but have financial constraints? Or maybe cost is not an issue for you, but what you want is a feature-rich notebook. How about making a style statement that will make you stand out of the crowd, a slim ultraportable perhaps for those long business trips. We have tested and evaluated 31 different notebooks that will cater to all your needs.

Every notebook has a unique set of characteristics defining it. This owes to its looks, performance, graphics, security, or entertainment features. In most cases, a higher grade in one or more parameters is achieved by compromising on the other, for instance, you might not find a massive hard disk or features that require more space in an ultraportable notebook.
In this shootout, we tested 31 different models of business notebooks from 12 different vendors. For this, we used industry standard benchmarks and the Brown Gibson statistical model to arrive at the weightages for all categories. This time, we divided the notebooks by price into the following categories:
a. Budget: Less than 30K
b. Standard: 35 to 45K
c. Mid-Range: 45 to 60K
d. High-End: 60-80K
Apart from the above, we also received two Tablet PCs, 3 UMPCs, and two other laptops whose price exceeds Rs 1 Lakh. All of these have been reviewed in this story, but have not been ranked. Ranking has only been done for laptops in the four categories above.

Performance tests
We ran like PC Mark 05 to test the overall performance of each laptop, 3D Mark 06 and Cinebench release10 to test the graphics, and QCheck to test the WiFi performance. One thing to keep in mind is that not all notebooks are shipped with a dedicated graphics card, therefore limiting their graphics potential. For testing backup times, we used Battery Mark 4.0. Lastly, we added one more test to measure the power consumed by each laptop in three modes-idle, working, sleep. We did this with the help of a Wattmeter we recently purchased.
Features
There is a wide variety of features available in notebooks. There are built-in web cameras, finger print readers, etc. The features that were taken into account were size and weight, no. and types of input-output ports available on the notebook including S video, FireWire, HDMI and no. of USB ports available, ergonomics that covers sturdiness, locks, screen protection, touchpad, and keyboard placement and then there were other features like presence of trusted platform module (TPM) chip, presence of Gigabit Ethernet, operating system shipped with the notebook, memory card readers, webcam, one touch media buttons, etc.
Pricing
Price is one of the most important factors that help people make their buying decision. So we took into account both price and warranty in deciding for the winner. The notebooks we received ranged from INR 23k to 1.5 lakhs. In terms of warranty, almost all came with 1 year warranty but there were some which had 3 years as well, which is always an added advantage.

High-End
Lenovo Thinkpad R61

The Thinkpad R61 from Lenovo turned out to be the winner in the high-end category with excellent performance and a competitive price. This laptop is a perfect choice for business users, given its matte black finish that doesn't attract smudges, the slim design, and the elegant looks. It has just about everything that a business user would want--a 14.1” screen that's neither to large, nor too small, nor is it glossy like others, which show the user's own reflection. It has rescue and recovery features, in case your laptop crashes, a webcam, and much more. Of course, the laptop's weight could have been a little lesser as other similar 14.1” screen laptops, such as Fujitsu's S6510 weigh much lesser. Hardware configuration is pretty good--an Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, 2 GB RAM and 160 GB HDD. It has 3 USB ports and a DVD R/W optical drive. Like most Thinkpads, this one too has a trackpoint.

Its keyboard also has two dedicated keys for going forward and backward on the same window. It also has a finger print reader and all connectivity options like with FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth. Its battery lasts for 2 hrs 22 mins and it's also the best performer in its category. Save for the weight, the laptop is an ideal buy for business users, given its performance and rich feature set.

Fujitsu S6510

The black Lifebook from Fujitsu gives you the professional business look similar to that of Lenovo's ThinkPad R61.While it has a non-glossy body to prevent smudging, its screen is glossy. On the performance front as well, the laptop is just a little behind the R61, the best performer in this category. The S6510 has a pretty decent set of features, which would be useful for all business users. These include all connectivity options like Bluetooth, WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet etc, security through a fingerprint scanner, and even a webcam for video conferencing. Plus, it has a large keyboard with well spaced out keys that are easy to operate even for people with large fingers.

Thelaptop is quite sleek, having a 14.1” widescreen, and weighing just 1.85 kg. Add to that a battery backup of 3 hrs and 12 mins, and you get an ideal option for frequent travellers.
This notebook has Core 2 Duo processor with 1 GB RAM, which is pretty decent for a standard business user.

The only caveat of this notebook is the high price. In this category, it's only lesser expensive than the Sony Vaio CR37. Otherwise, if you're looking for a slim, lightweight professional notebook for your business, then this is an ideal choice.

Sony FZ35

Here's another 15.4” large screen laptop for working professionals looking for a desktop replacement. This laptop gives a similar performance score as Fujitsu's S6510. However, its performance in grahics and regular productivity benchmarks is far ahead of Fujitsu. The only place where it looses out is battery backup. It managed to give a battery backup of just 1 hour 38 min, which is far below Fujitsu's 3 hrs 12 min. Interestingly, the notebook's power consumption is th e highest in its category. Even in idle mode, it consumed 40W, whereas at peak performance, it consumed 67W. One missing feature in the laptop is a fingerprint scanner, while the ones it does have are a SD card slot and webcam.

It can even be an entertainment notebook, having buttons detected for multimedia. So if you are looking for a good performing notebook at a reasonable price, then consider this. But you have to compromise on battery life and power consumption.

Sony CR 37

Designed to look 'kewl,' the laptop has a metallic color base and a black color lid, with a black keyboard outlined by a metallic border. The machine has a display of 14.1” and is quite sleek and weighs just a littlelighter (2.5kg)than Lenovo R61.

The laptop also has a display off button, and once you switch display, its ambient light starts flashing slowly to indicate that the laptop is on. It also has dedicated button for capturing images directly from its integrated 1.3 megapixel motion eye camera. It's equipped with Intel Core2 Duo Processor T8100 with 2.10 GHz speed, 2 GB RAM, and a slightly bigger hard drive with 250 GB space. It also has a fingerprint reader, 3 USB ports, and a DVD RW optical drive. In terms of performance it lasted for 2 hours and 28 minutes in battery mark. It scored low (889) in 3D Mark and another down point is 1 year of warranty. Overall, it's a good buy if you are looking for stylish looks and don't plan to run graphic-intensive applications.

TOSHIBA M800

This laptop is part of Toshiba's Portege series. It looks quite simple and sleek and weighs only 2.05 kg, with a 13.3” Display and an integrated webcam. This makes it ideal for mobile professionals who travel frequently. The laptop is powered with an Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 running at 2.10 GHZ, 2 GB RAM and 240 GB Hard Drive. It comes with Toshiba HDD protection and also a finger print reader for security. It has 3 USB ports, a DVD R/W optical drive and also has support for Dolby Sound Room. For connectivity it supports standard 10/100 Ethernet, Bluetooth and Firewire.

Performance wise the laptop gave average performance, lasting 2 hours and 9 minutes in Battery Mark and managed a score of 3070 in PC Mark and a score of 581 in 3D Mark.

Overall it's a decent laptop, priced just a little higher but on the positive side, it comes with a 3 year Warranty.

Mid-range
Dell XPS M1330

This light-weight notebook looks beautiful with its smart and compact design. Meant for professionals who need performance with style, this notebook is a true winner in all respects. Styling done on the upper flap is beautiful with aluminum strips on both sides. The notebook is designed in such a way that when placed on an even surface there is a gap left beneath it; this helps in better airflow, which in turn helps the machine to perform better. Now moving from brilliant design to its performance: here again it comes out to be the best in its category. The overall score of this machine is also way ahead as compared to that achieved by most others; infact M1330 has second best score amongst all notebooks evaluated in this shootout. One point to note here is that M1330 comes with nine-cell battery that has given it an edge in battery backup. The laptop lasted a shopping 4 hrs 13 mins on battery. The laptop also has a comfortable keypad with large keys, big enough for even large hands.

The XPS M1330 comes with nine one-touch buttons for quick access and 'Firewire' and 'HDMI' ports. M1330's sleek design and light weight makes it ideal for frequent travellers. It only weighs 2.1 kg. If a professional is looking for a notebook that has blend of performance and style, this one is highly recommended as worth every penny spent on it.

Sony VGN-NR38GN/L

This machine is for professionals who have an appetite for style. The Vaio series is known for its good styling and this machine is no exception. The design of this is sturdy and stylish. It comes with four USB ports along with a 'Firewire' port and even something called the 'Magicgate' slot for Sony specific memory cards. Its switch for WiFi is placed in front along with speakers just below the 15.4” screen. In overall performance, this machine is second best to Dell's XPS 1330, but its behind by a wide margin. Its closest competitor is Acer's TM5720, which outscores it in performance, but looses out to it in features. One of the places where it gains against the Acer is hard drive capacity. It has 200 GB hard drive against's Acer's 120 GB. The laptop's keyboard is well built, but the only catch is that the whole keypad bends when one applies extra pressure on any key.

Though the machine is quite presentable, its weight which is around 3 kg, which makes it difficult to carry around.

So it is a good option for users who need a laptop to save space on the desktop, but who don't travel much. The laptop's battery backup stands just a little below 3 hours, which is excellent. If only the weight had been a little lesser, it would have been a great choice for those on the move.

Acer TravelMate 6292

This is a serious professional's notebook, with a small form factor and a screen size of 12.1”. The notebook weighs only 1.99 kg, and has batteries that last a little over 3 hours, making it an ideal travel companion. It's also quite sturdy. The TravelMate 6292 comes with FireWire and S-video ports and smartly placed speakers at the front. Even the ports for mic, headphones, lineout, and FireWire are positioned in front of its base, making them easily accessible. Even the fingerprint scanner has been placed between the two trackpad buttons for quick and easy access. The laptop has a webcam that's apparently optimized for video conferencing. Its performance is average compared to others. The machine's keypad is large and comfortable to use. Seven different one touch buttons are provided for functions like WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Due to its smart design and lighter weight, this notebook is perfect for individuals that are perennially on the move.

Acer TravelMate 5720

The is a large notebook, with a 15” screen, ideally suited for working professionals looking for a desktop replacement. The laptop has all the features required for this kind of a requirement, including seven one-touch keys, Wifi, Bluetooth, multimedia jacks on the front, memory slot, and a fingerprint scanner between the touchpad buttons. It also has a webcam that's optimized for video conferencing. Plus, it also has FireWire, S-Video and four USB ports. The laptop's performance is second highest in its category. This is primarily due to the whopping 3 hrs 30 min battery backup that it provides. For a laptop this size, the backup time is quite commendable. Its keyboard is really interesting, as its slightly curved. But since it's a full-sized keyboard, the curves don't reduce the usability.

Overall, a great machine for desktop replacement, with all the bells and whistles you could ask for.

LG XNOTE E200

E200 is a beautiful notebook, and you could easily fall for it purely for its looks and sturdy design. The laptop sports a 12.1” screen, and is quite compact. In fact, it's quite portable, as it weighs just 2 kg. This is also one of the few machines to come with a 'HDMI' port for high definition output. Even the configuration is decent--Core2Duo processor, ATI Radeon graphics, 1 GB RAM, and Windows Vista. Unfortunately, it couldn't outperform the other laptops in its category, which is strange given this config.

The E200 has a decent sized keypad with optimally placed keys and a nice touchpad that is comfortable to work with.

Due to its small form factor and compact feel, this notebook is perfect for professionals on the move. One can also enjoy music while working as sound quality of speakers is good. Plus, it has a battery backup of 2 hrs and 20 mins.

Standard : DELL VOSTRO 1200

The Vostro 1200 has been designed keeping in mind the needs of people working in small to mid-sized businesses. It's powered by a Core 2 Duo processor coupled with 2 GB RAM that is upgradable to 4 GB. The laptop gave the best performance amongst all laptops in its class. The laptop has a host of good features--12.1” widescreen, lightweight at 2.1 kg, fingerprint scanner, a webcam, and even a card reader. It has a DVD writer, but that's standard across all laptops these days. It also has all the basic I/O ports, except FireWire, S-Video out, and quick launch keys. But these are not something that a user can't live without. Even WiFi and Bluetooth are also a part of the laptop, which take care of your wireless connectivity needs.Wired connectivity is taken care of by a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Vostro's design is very neat and compact, making it easy to carry around. Couple that with the 3 hours battery backup it provides, which is the highest in this category. Its keyboard is a little small though, which takes time getting used to. Even the touchpad keys are a little hard to press.

Overall, a good laptop for frequent travellers given its performance and portability.

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