The good: Inexpensive for a Core 2 Duo system; discrete graphics card; good connectivity feature set.

The bad: ExpressCard/34 compatibility only; few dedicated buttons; below-average performance.

The bottom line: For the basic user who wants the latest platform in an affordable package, the LG R1 Express can easily fit the bill. Just don't expect too many bells and whistles.

Read full review of the LG R1 Express »

By Darius Chang, CNET Asia
Oct 30, 2006

The LG R1 Express is an affordable 14.1-inch model from the Korean chaebol, with a list price of S$2,299, while the main distinguishing factor is the seldom-used blue hue for its top chassis. The generic nature of this portable is apparent in the lack of any distinctive feature or design. Created as a jack-of-all-trades but master of none, it is nevertheless one of the cheapest ways to hop onto the Core 2 Duo bandwagon with a discrete graphics card platform.

Design
The dark navy blue cover contrasts nicely with the silver insides of the unit. Occupying an area of 335 x 236.5mm, it seems rather thick at 31.7mm. Weighing 2.46kg, it is a borderline case in terms of portability.

Dedicated controls are rather sparse on this system, missing multimedia playback keys but offering buttons for volume control and mute function in return. Connectivity ports are distributed rather equally around the sides, preventing the peripheral cram when several external devices are hooked up simultaneously. The display is held to the body by a set of cheap-looking plastic catches which derail the otherwise sturdy feel of the portable.

Features
If you are looking for the average Joe of notebooks, the LG R1 Express may be the one to go for. Offering a comfortable array of features without too many bells and whistles, it seems a match made for the beginner who might be confused with extraneous buttons and controls.

	The LG R1 may be unremarkable, but its generic nature makes it suitable for beginner. (Click for larger image)

Other than LED status indicators on the front, most of the ports are distributed around the rest of the unit. The left flank holds a VGA output, mini FireWire and USB 2.0 port together with audio jacks. The hot-swappable Super Multi optical drive, ExpressCard/34 slot (which is not compatible with larger ExpressCard/54 devices) and four-in-one memory card slot are found opposite. The latter is compatible with SD/MMC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro flash cards. The rear holds two more USB 2.0 ports and an S-video port.

Network connectivity is possible through the Gigabit Ethernet and modem port, while wirelessly the LG R1 can hook up through the 802.11a/b/g or Bluetooth radio. The full-size keyboard is comfortable for typing long articles. The touchpad is responsive in the same widescreen dimension as the screen, complete with two buttons.

The 14.1-inch transflective widescreen display is lovely for viewing letterbox-format videos. Capable of 1,280 x 768-pixel resolution, the LCD is powered by the midrange Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics chipset complete with 256MB of video RAM. Though it is more than adequate for video playback and most gaming titles, the latest resource-demanding first-person-shooters (FPS) will bring the LG R1 to its knees and cry uncle. A cheaper model without the discrete graphics card is also available for S$2,099 (US$1,493.42).

Audio playback is adequate but weak, as expected from most notebook speakers. However, better sound quality can be achieved through the headphone jack or the discrete S/PDIF port for digital output to superior horns. The full-sized keyboard and touchpad are comfortable to use, making these suitable for those who spend long hours typing documents.

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