Toshiba Portege R400 Tablet PC

The Toshiba Portege R400 has been getting a lot of attention recently. The only problem is all the attention it is attracting isn't always positive. The R400 has an innovative design, but lacks some key features. Many users don't see why the Tablet is so expensive when it does not have an internal optical drive and only has two USB ports. Thankfully it does have some unique features though like the Windows SideShow display, Windows Vista Ultimate, an LED backlit screen and its unique and secure hinge, which make it stand out above lower priced Tablets.

The Toshiba Portege R400 specs as reviewed (tested price $3,079)

Display

The 12.1" screen on the R400 is LED backlit, so it looks more like a notebook screen instead of a grainy Tablet screen. The only problem with the screen is that it's glossy and therefore means you get a lot of reflection in bright light, especially when the screen is displaying dark colors. On the other hand, having the glossy screen ensures that the colors presented are bright and bold. Watching DVDs on the widescreen are great. I almost thought I was watching movies on my Toshiba television.

Processor and System Performance

Performance is lacking for such an expensive machine with base prices starting at $2,599. The 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor and 4200RPM 80GB hard drive don't do justice to the killer fast looks of this machine. While the Ultra Low Voltage 1.2GHz processor and integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics do ensure the system runs cool, it struggles to run Vista well. The 2GB of RAM certainly helps out with performance, but multi-tasking using several applications at once can really bog things down. It may have been wise to offer a regular clock speed processor, such as the HP tx1000 tablet offers, and not gone with something that seems more fit for a UMPC device in terms of speed. Simply a low voltage processor such as the Lenovo X60 Tablet uses would have been better than an Ultra Low Voltage processor.

HP Compaq nw9440

Overview and Introduction
Recently my office purchased for me a HP Compaq nw9440 mobile workstation. I was charged with the task of researching what notebook computers would be acceptable by me, so the decision of what to acquire fell squarely on my shoulders. I’m an attorney, working mainly with office and internet research applications, but I’m also a computer enthusiast and gamer in my private time. Therefore, I needed something that looked all business, but had a core that could satisfy my off-time personal uses.


The specs of the nw9440 purchased are as follows:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.0 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB)
• Screen: 17" WSXGA Matte Widescreen (1680 x 1050) wide viewing angle
• Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M, 256 MB
• RAM: 1 GB (667 MHz) DDR2 SDRAM (1 x 1 GB, expandable to 4 GB)
• Hard Drive: 80 GB (7200 rpm) SATA
• Optical Drive: LightScribe DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
• Audio: ADI High Definition CODEC, Integrated 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro compatible audio,
• Integrated stereo speakers, Integrated directional microphone, External volume up and down,and mute buttons, Stereo headphone/line out, Stereo microphone in
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
• Battery: 8-cell lithium ion
• Weight: 7.5 lbs.
• Integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
• Dimensions: 1.3” (H) x 15.5” (W) x 10.8” (L)
• Ports: 4 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394(a), RJ-45, RJ-11, VGA, S-video, docking connector, battery connector, AC power Power Connector, Type I/II PC Card slot, Integrated Smart Card Reader, 7-in-1 Media Reader, Biometric Fingerprint Scanner
  

Reasons for Buying

When starting my research on a laptop that fit my bill of particulars, I first looked for the internal components. After a little research on current notebook components (my last laptop was purchased back in the Spring of 2002), I decided that I did not want to get something that would be left in the dust in a few months. My former Sony Vaio FX Series had been purchased with all top-of-the-line-at-the-time components, and worked fine for over four years. In fact, it’s still working fine as a college computer for my sister-in-law now. Therefore, I started looking for the best components available within a reasonable price range of less than $2,500.

My search first led me to Alienware computers, which I later found out were rebranded Clevo shells. I looked hard at the AW m7700 mobile workstation (also, Hypersonic Aviator EX7) before deciding that I wanted a notebook processor and not a desktop processor. Staying with a new Core 2 Duo in mind, I also looked at an AW m5750, a Dell XPS, and a Hypersonic Aviator CX7. I hadn’t considered HP at all. I have had bad dealings with the consumer line Pavilions, but was pressured into trying out a business class notebook by my office’s computer hardware & service provider, a local tech shop. The sales guy had a 17” nx series notebook in his office that he offered to let me play with so I could see for myself the difference in design, stability and structure. I took him up on his offer, and was amazed at the difference in the business class notebooks. A little more research and configuring, and I ended up selecting the nw9440 because I could get a high end Core 2 Duo, a very capable nVidia Quadro FX 1500M (7900 GS core), a dual-layer DVD-RW super multi drive and 1 GB of system memory all in a sleek, 17” widescreen businesslike appearance package. The icing on the cake was that this notebook features a full numeric keypad, which is very helpful for entering loads of numeric information during the tax return season.

Dell XPS M1730

The XPS M1730 is Dell's new 17-inch high-performance gaming notebook, the replacement for the aging M1710. It is based on the latest Intel Santa Rosa platform and features cutting-edge Nvidia GeForce SLI graphics.

Our test unit specifications are as follows:

• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Intel Core 2 Extreme X7900 (2.8GHz/4MB L2/ 800MHz FSB)
• 17-inch WUXGA display
• Dual Nvidia GeForce 8700M-GT in SLI (256MB each)
• Dual 200GB 7200RPM Hitachi drives in RAID 0 (striped data)
• 2GB DDR2-667 RAM in dual-channel
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN wireless
• Integrated Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband
• 8X DVD Burner
• 9-cell battery

Build & Design

A simple glance at the M1730 establishes that this notebook is not for those who do not want to show off. There is no other notebook like this on the market. For starters, the M1730 is absolutely enormous; its weight starts at 10.6 pounds and is two inches thick.

Dell chose an intimidating design scheme for their flagship notebook. The visible exterior has a deep glossy black surface with a 'hydrographic' design pattern. The intricacy of the design can best be seen in a well-lit room. The back of the lid deserves special attention – two clear plastic windowed areas on the sides have a color background that is illuminated by the LED lights; our test unit has the Smoke Grey panels. The XPS M1730 is also available with Sapphire Blue, Crimson Blue, and Bone White. In the center of the lid is a large shiny Dell logo illuminated by a bright white LED backlight. The lid is an instant attention-grabber and the most visually striking part of the M1730 in this reviewer's opinion. The speakers in the front of the machine are illuminated by LED lights as is the touchpad and its buttons. While the LED lights on the back of the lid do not change colors, the ones on the front can. All the colors in the rainbow are available (more or less) and each speaker as well as the touchpad can be individually controlled via the Dell QuickSet software. The keyboard is LED backlit and visually impressive. This is the first machine I have ever tested with a backlit keyboard and I would like to see more notebooks implement this feature. It is useful in low light scenarios and for those late-night gaming sessions.