--------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from CNET Asia.
--------------------------------------------------------------
With PC Show 2008 hitting the scene in June, May is typically a time for the acid test of necessity. Do we really need a laptop now, or should we wait for bargains? More often than not, most consumers will hold off their purchases till the next month for some major deals.
On the other hand, based on the fact that there are still laptops being sold in May, there is a group whose needs are immediate. Unsurprisingly, models on the budget end are the ones really moving along, though the ThinkPad X300 made a surprising appearance. Touted as the MacBook Air killer, the X300 may cost a little more than the entry-level configuration of the former, but its full range of ports and integrated optical drive certainly make it a more appropriate work machine.
So which were the heavy hitters in May? We polled what readers searched for on our site, as well as sales
figures from Singapore stores AAAs Com Solution and MC2
for our latest chart-busters.
Outlook
The HP Compaq Presario V3000 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 a better speaker setup.
First take
After buying over IBM's PC department, Lenovo expanded its range of notebooks to reflect the needs of those who do not require the premium support of the ThinkPad series. The Lenovo 3000 C, N and V series are portables targeting small and medium business (SMB) users, while the Lenovo Y range is aimed at the consumer market. For a portable entertainment notebook, the Y410 is certainly attractive at a starting price of S$1,599, one which only models like Acer Aspire 4710 and Dell Inspiron 1420 with far less features can compete against.
The good: Extremely thin and light; sleekest ThinkPad yet; built-in DVD burner.
The bad: Solid-state drive comes at a high premium; touchpad's location makes it easy to accidentally graze while typing.
The bottom line: 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.
Outlook
The Aspire 4920G may be cheap, but it's definitely not boring with its Gemstone design. Billed as a portable entertainment notebook, it sports a dedicated ATI graphics card for additional video performance. Users who frequently edit videos or produce presentations will appreciate this affordable Acer PC.
The good: High-end specifications; excellent performance; brilliant screen.
The bad: Grey coloring; misplaced USB port; overall design.
The bottom line: The Aspire 5920 is a candidate for the ugliest laptop of the year. It's smeared in enough grey to put British skies to shame, and has had some absolutely awful design touches. But the rest of the laptop is a very good one. It's fast, feature-packed and is excellent value for money.
Outlook
Sure, the processor is last generation and it's also missing Bluetooth connectivity. However, the Extensa 4620Z hits pay dirt with its wallet-friendly price tag and enough features to satisfy most consumers. It doesn't even stinge on the operating system by going with Linux, as you'll be getting the midrange Windows Vista Home Premium software with this system.
The good: Multitouch mouse trackpad; 8.9-inch display; decent storage.
The bad: Tiny keyboard; no integrated optical drive.
The bottom line: The Asus Eee PC 900 is a likeable update to the Eee PC 701. We're disappointed its keyboard is still so difficult to use, but the addition of a larger, high-resolution screen, multitouch mouse trackpad and better storage gives it the edge over just about all of its rivals.
The good: Attractive new "special edition" bronze theme; includes a media remote control and an HDMI port; available dedicated graphics.
The bad: Heavier than it should be; tinny speakers, unimpressive battery life.
The bottom line: The 14-inch HP Pavilion dv2700 Special Edition packs plenty of extra features and a cool new paint job into a slightly too-heavy package with an uninspiring battery.
Outlook
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$636.21), this machine possesses a discrete Nvidia GeForce Go graphics card. At this price it offers one of the best price-to-performance ratios in the market, even among budget portables.
Click here for a feature comparison table.
