Notebook Price Watch
By Darius Chang
03/08/2007
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050495,62030318,00.htm
 August 3 , 2007
Notebooks seem to be going down a rainbow path. Dell started by revamping its latest Inspiron line with a choice of eight different colors (though its still based on a single chassis design across the different screen sizes). Sony soon followed suit with its new Vaio CR series, which comes in a range of five hues. At an affordable price tag of under S$2,000, you may even be able to afford one of each color to match your wardrobe.
HIGHLIGHTS :
Sony celebratesits 10th anniversary by launching the Vaio CR, Vaio FZ and Vaio TZ series notebooks.
If you are a tertiary student in one of Singapore's university, check out the massive campus discounts in our NUS/NTU and SMU notebook purchase coverage. But if those models are not to your taste, skip over to our top laptop picks for students.
Sick and tired of squinting at your ultraportable's screen? For just a few hundred dollars, you can save your eyesight by hooking on to an external LCD. Check out our top picks for flat-panel displays. For shopping tips, you can also hop over to our monitor buying guide.
If you are not really a fan of Windows OS but a master at Linux, you can get a good discount on Acer notebooks by foregoing the Windows Vista license.
MC2 Pte Ltd is having a special on the Panasonic ToughBook W5. It is an upgraded model using a Core Duo processor and DVD writer drive (instead of the Core Solo chip and DVD/CDRW combo drive). Going for S$2,599, it is over S$1,000 off its retail price and include Mircosoft Office software. Only 10 sets are available.
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BUSINESS NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
| Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Duo processor
(1.8GHz); 1GB RAM; 160GB HDD;
15.4-inch screen; Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows XP Professional Edition | S$1,899.25 (Inclusive of tax, delivery and S$350 cash discount) |
Dell online store |
| Why: |
Business portables need not cost the earth. If you want solid performance in a secure package, Dell's Vostro line is a value-for-money proposition for small businesses. The 15.4-inch Vostro 1500 may not have the strong security features like its more expensive competition, but options like integrated Webcam and powerful Nvidia GeForce 8400M/8600M are available. There is even a choice between the Windows XP and Vista operating system.
|
| Wow factor: |
Solid performance, thanks to the latest Core 2 Duo processor; extremely portable design; excellent keyboard; fingerprint reader; easy-to-use ThinkVantage utility; lengthy battery life with optional extended battery.
|
| Peer pressure: |
Did you say you wanted multiple color options and an avant-garde design? Then look elsewhere. But for the serious professional who demands a reliable and hardy system, yet refuses to be weighed down by the notebook while traveling, there are few which can compete with the ThinkPad X61s.
Combining strong security features in the form of a fingerprint scanner and Trusted Platform Module chip with the user-friendly Toshiba ConfigFree interface, the Toshiba Satellite M200 is an excellant proposition for the budget corporate worker.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 business portables chart. |
GAMING NOTEBOOK
| Model
|
Specs
|
Price |
Vendor |
| Core 2 Duo processor (1.8GHz); 1GB RAM; 120GB HDD; 14.1-inch screen; Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Home Premium Edition |
|
MC2/PA Mart |
| Why: |
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 out of your wallet to own this portable gaming monster.
|
| Wow factor: |
High-end specifications; excellent performance; brilliant screen. |
| Peer pressure: |
The new Dell Inspiron 1720 is descended from the Inspiron 9400 notebook and shares the same affinity for gaming. Based on the fastest Centrino platform to date, it can be configured with the high-end DirectX 10-compatible Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor. And if you need more incentive, this powerful gaming machine is available in eight colors.
Design in collaboration with luxury car maker BMW, the Acer Aspire 5920G has a look which 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 |
|
Core 2 Duo (1.8GHz);
1GB RAM; 80GB HDD; 14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics
card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Home Basic Edition | |
MC2/PA Mart |
| Why: |
At just under S$2,000, the Sony Vaio VGN-CR11GH is possible the most affordable model from the premium notebook manufacturer. Though quite hefty at 2.5kg, we can forgive the weight as it comes in a nice range of five hues. It also helps that the machine runs off the latest Santa Rosa platform as well.
|
| Wow factor: |
Inexpensive; choice of Windows Vista or XP preinstalled; available with single-core AMD Sempron or dual-core Turion X2 processor. |
| Peer pressure: |
The HP Compaq Presario V3000 series delivers a strong set of components plus a choice between AMD and Intel processors, and decent basic features for a competitive price.
An entry-level mobile from Dell, the Turion-based Dell Inspiron 1501 doesn't deliver the bells and whistles present in more expensive models. However, this machine is perfectly adequate if surfing and basic productivity tools are what you normally use.
You can check out more options in our Top 5 budget portables chart.
|
Popular notebooks
Based on our readership statistics and sales figures from Singapore stores AAAs Com Solution and Renova, the following is a list of notebooks which have plucked at readers' purse strings. For an overview of popular models for the month, check out the ranks of our Top 10 chart.
| Model |
Specs |
Notebook
category |
Price |
Vendor |
| Core Solo ULV processor (1.33GHz); 1GB RAM; 100GB HDD; 12.1-inch screen; integrated graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Business Edition | Ultraportable | |
Sony online store |
| Core 2 Duo processor (1.66GHz); 1GB RAM; 120GB HDD; 14.1-inch screen; integrated graphics card; DVD writer drive; Windows Vista Business Edition |
Thin-and-light |
|
AAAs; MC2/PA Mart; Renova ; Ultimate Laptop Shop |
| Core Duo (1.73GHz);
512MB RAM; 80GB HDD; 15.4-inch screen; integrated graphics
card; DVD writer drive; Linux OS |
Mainstream |
|
Renova |
|
Core 2 Duo processor (2.0GHz);
2GB RAM; 320GB HDD; 17-inch screen; Nvidia GeForce Go 8600M GS graphics
card; DVD Super Multi drive; Windows Vista Home Premium Edition
|
Desktop
replacement | |
Active Foto and Electronics; Matrix IT Gallery; MC2/PA Mart |
|
|
