ECS Green 732 (Pentium 4 1.7GHz, 256MB RAM)

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By John Lui
Jan 14, 2003

With the Green 732 (don't ask us why it's called Green), Taiwanese firm ECS has again come up with a budget machine the does some things very well but other things less so. It's not what you might call a well-balanced notebook. Our test configuration packs a 2.6GHz desktop Pentium 4 processor and an ATI Radeon 8500 graphics chip to hit great scores in 3D gaming benchmarks. The high-resolution 15-inch LCD panel is just gorgeous. On the downside, the keyboard is squishy, the batteries don't last very long, the fan whine is loud, and it's astoundingly bulky.

Upgradeable Design
Sold equipped with desktop Pentium 4 processors ranging from 1.7GHz to 2.8GHz, this notebook is another of the ECS's desktop-notebook hybrids. It features low-cost memory modules taken from desktop computers, instead of low power-consumption ones made especially for notebooks. The processor is also a desktop model, which gets hotter and uses more power than a true portable chip.

Both parts, however, are upgradeable by the user buying standard desktop components. On the notebook's bottom are panels that open easily with a standard Philips screwdriver, with the components ready to be plugged in or out. The range starts at S$2,299 (US$1,277), with the base configuration including a Pentium 4 1.7GHz, 256MB memory, 20GB hard drive and a DVD-ROM drive. The optical drive sits in a modular bay. Other drives, such as a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo, are available from ECS.

The entire unit weighs 3.4 kg, which is heavy even for a 15-inch notebook, and also thick at nearly 4.5 cm. It's clearly not meant for much mobility. The bulk of the mass comes with the screen. But what a screen it is: For the price, its staggeringly high 1400x1050 pixel resolution offers tremendous value for money. Most 15-inch screens stop at 1280x1024, with a few, such as the Sony VAIO GRZ10, stopping at 1024x768 pixels.

Another unique touch is the audio CD console of the front edge of the machine. It allows the notebook to act like a CD player without the need to boot it up. We're not sure how useful this function is, but it works as advertised when we tested it.

Otherwise, you won't find much other hardware on this machine: No quick launch shortcuts. However, it does have an IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port, four fast USB 2.0 ports and an S-Video TV Out.

The notebook needs a fast fan to cool the desktop processor and the whir of the blades is pretty loud; in a quiet room, it's audible from 3 meters away. However, the power adapter brick found on the power cable is a petite Lite-On model, in contrast with the big, noisy fan-cooled adapters found in earlier desknotes. A huge improvement.

Battery-choked Performance
Our MobileMark 2002 performance test showed pretty poor scores. This benchmark is run with the notebook running on batteries. The mediocre showing is most likely due to ECS's own power-saving scheme constricting the processor speed, so as to conserve battery power. After all, when you have 1400x1050 pixels to light up, every milliamp counts.

When the notebook is plugged into mains power, the 3DMark 2001 SE benchmark, which tests 3D rendering power, shows a staggeringly fast machine at work. But in battery mode, the score drops by about 25% every 10 minutes, again the handiwork of the power-saving scheme.

Battery life at 141 minutes is rather weak, perhaps due to the underpowered 1960mAh Li-Ion battery pack.

The ECS Green 732 is a notebook with tons of power for 3D rendering and a beautiful screen. Execs will probably be irked by its boxy design, poor battery life and squishy keyboard, but students and hardcore gamers looking for a budget gaming notebook will probably overlook these flaws and go for its sheer polygon-pumping appeal.