Notebook Price Watch
OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS:
BUSINESS NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
| Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Duo processor
(1.8GHz); 1GB RAM; 100GB HDD;
14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows XP Professional Edition | S$2,399 (US$1,766.27) |
MC2/PA Mart |
| Why: |
Lenovo's 14-inch ThinkPad T61 shaves a few millimeters off the company's more mainstream R-series laptops, but still boasts the same solid ThinkPad DNA along with IT-friendly features by way of Intel's new Centrino Pro platform. |
| Wow factor: |
Internal roll cage protects LCD; 802.11n Wi-Fi for faster wireless throughput; very small AC adapter adds little to overall travel weight; Intel's Active Management Technology provides remote support.
|
| Peer pressure: |
Acer's foray into the business notebook scene is a full-featured, magnesium alloy-clad number with a low price tag. Though its lack of a TPM security chip and far from svelte figure may drive some off, the TravelMate 6292 is certainly a value-for-money preposition for the junior executive or student.
It may not be the prettiest model on the market, but the HP nx6320 knows what it does best and goes for it. It has fingerprint sensor, TPM security chip and harddisk protection to ensure that private data stays confidential. The unassuming chassis is laminated with a scratch-resistant coating to prevent disfiguring scars from everyday use. Coupled with its reasonable price and options to use either Intel Core Duo or AMD Turion X2 processors, the nx6330 definitely gives the competition a run for their money.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 business portables chart. |
GAMING NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
|
Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Extreme processor (2.8GHz); 4GB RAM; 200GB (7,200rpm) HDD; 17-inch screen; dual Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Home Premium Edition |
S$7,191.47 (US$5,294.74) (inclusive of tax and delivery) |
Dell online store |
| Why: |
When it comes to gaming, the latest XPS M1730 from Dell seems to be the shoo-in for king of the hill. After all, with a blazing Intel Core 2 Extreme processor and two high-end Nvidia GeForce 8700M graphics cards under the hood, it should cut through most games like a hot knife. Starting at S$3,899 (US$2,870.65) for the base configuration, it has options for the Blu-ray drive as well as a 64GB SSD storage device.
|
| Wow factor: |
Intel Core 2 Extreme processor with dual Nvidia graphics cards; option for 64GB SSD storage; distinctive design. |
| Peer pressure: |
We normally do not expect stellar gaming performance from any notebook under 15.4 inches. However, the 14.1-inch BenQ JoyBook S41 broke these assumptions by posting one of the highest 3DMark gaming benchmark scores we've seen, thanks to its Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa platform and high-end Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card. The best bit? It takes only S$2,099 (US$1,545.39) out of your wallet to own this portable gaming monster.
Designed in collaboration with luxury car maker BMW, the Acer Aspire 5920G has a look you will either love or hate. However, it is possibly the most powerful gaming laptop to pass through our Labs. Based on the Santa Rosa platform coupled with the high-end Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT, it managed to squeeze out an impressive 3,288 on our 3DMark 06 gaming benchmark. Oh, and did we mention it's also DirectX 10-compatible?
You can check out more options in our Top 5 gaming portables chart and the latest DirectX 10 gaming notebooks. |
BUDGET NOTEBOOK
| Model |
Specs |
Price |
Vendor |
|
Pentium Dual-Core processor (1.73GHz);
1GB RAM; 80GB HDD; 14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics
card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Home Basic Edition | S$1,099 (US$809.14) |
MC2/PA Mart |
| Why: |
In addition to a set of features and connections suitable for the small business user, the Lenovo 3000 N100 delivers strong components and performance at a competitive price.
|
| Wow factor: |
High-end components for the price; competent performance; comfortable keyboard; display has very fine resolution; solid assortment of ports and connections, including media card reader; robust system management and help utility. |
| Peer pressure: |
The Acer Aspire 4520 is based on the AMD chipset with decent features like a DVD Super Multi drive. But what is amazing is that, for just over S$1,000 (US$736.25), this machine possesses a discrete Nvidia GeForce Go graphics card. This almost makes up for the fact that this budget system has only a single-core processor under the hood.
Do not look down on its integrated graphics solution (GPU). Though the ASUS A8HE may not have the video performance of the A8SC or A8JR with their discrete GPUs, the tradeoff is that this entry-level 14.1-inch machine should be able to give you significantly more uptime from a single charge. Not to mention it's also much cheaper.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 budget portables chart.
|
|
