Notebook Price Watch
OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS:
BUSINESS NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
| Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Duo processor
(2.0GHz); 1GB RAM; 80GB HDD;
14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics card; Windows Vista Business Edition | S$1,979.50 (US$1,457.41) (inclusive of tax and deliveryS$0 (US$0)) |
Dell online store |
| Why: |
Corporate users can't go wrong with the Dell Latitude D630, which integrates Intel's latest mobile platform with a business-friendly feature set and lengthy extended battery.
|
| Wow factor: |
Strong performance; long-lived nine-cell battery; sturdy construction; bright display; comfortable keyboard; corporate-level security, including smart card reader; WWAN available as an option; lengthy three-year warranty. |
| Peer pressure: |
The ThinkPad X300 breaks new ground by packing a broad display, full-size keyboard, and nearly every feature a mobile user needs into a sleek, lightweight case.
The HP Compaq 6720s is a budget business laptop that could fit the bill if you don't need serious CPU or graphics power, and are likely to spend most of your time in the office rather than on the road.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 business portables chart. |
GAMING NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
|
Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Duo processor (2.2GHz); 2GB RAM; 250GB HDD; 15.4-inch screen; Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Home Premium Edition |
S$1,998 (US$1,471.03) |
MC2; PA Mart |
| Why: |
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 3DMark06 gaming benchmark. Oh, and did we mention it's also DirectX 10-compatible?
|
| Wow factor: |
Integrated Webcam; powerful graphics performance; strong multimedia features; unique Plug-and-Charge USB port; 1GB Intel Turbo Memory. |
| Peer pressure: |
Though we have yet to test the system fully, the LG P300 may be the most powerful ultraportable in the market. With dimensions and weight only slightly more than the ThinkPad X300, this baby sports a powerful Penryn 2.5GHz processor with a high-end Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card.
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 a Blu-ray drive as well as a 64GB SSD storage device.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 gaming portables chart. |
BUDGET NOTEBOOK
| Model |
Specs |
Price |
Vendor |
|
Pentium Dual Core processor (1.73GHz);
1GB RAM; 120GB HDD; 14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics
card; Windows Vista Home Basic Edition | S$899 (US$661.89) |
MC2 |
| Why: |
The HP Compaq Presario V3000 series delivers a strong set of components and decent basic features for a competitive price. Optional addons like the HP XB 3000 expansion base further expand the functionality of this series with more connectivity ports and better speaker setup.
|
| Wow factor: |
Good connectivity options; reasonable performance for the size. |
| Peer pressure: |
The Aspire 2920 should suit most people who are on a budget and like to stay portable, but who still need a bit of grunt. In fact, it may be one of the cheapest 12.1-inch portables in the market. If it had an HDMI port, it'd almost be the perfect solution.
Possibly the cheapest laptop in the market, the Eee PC was quickly sold out when first launched in Singapore. Despite its low cost, this petite machine has more than enough horsepower for emails and Internet surfing. More colors will soon be available to complement the current black-and-white units as well.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 budget portables chart.
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