Buyers Flock to Better Notebook Displays

Ed Perratore

On this chart, a StoreBoard ranking of the five top-selling portable PCs in units sold over a recent five-month period, a number of points are worth noting. First, it's a surprise that any system with a color active-matrix display would rank here at all, as does the Compaq LTE Lite 4/25C. Second, our survey is a small sign that major system vendors on the PC side are overcoming supply problems. Compaq is among these vendors, and the IBM ThinkPad 720C ranks in the top 10, although it is not listed here. The presence of three PowerBooks in the top five is no surprise, given the runner-up Readers' Choice award BYTE readers gave this line last spring. Infocorp analyst Kim Brown estimates that 2 million notebooks with dual-scan, passive-matrix displays will s hip in the coming year--one of them, the Contura, already leads the pack in sales. Passive-matrix screens should find continued competition from active-matrix screens. A report by Frost & Sullivan, noting that in June 1993 the U.S. Department of Commerce ended tariffs on imported active-matrix screens, predicts lower prices for active-matrix screens and fewer backlogs.

Prices given are estimated street prices. For Apple, they range according to configuration. The "Possible features" column represents BYTE editors' most reasonable presumptions as to what the next generation of these systems might offer, based on established vendor patterns and market pressures. (StoreBoard ranking information courtesy of Computer Intelligence-Infocorp of Santa Clara, California.)

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The Facts

Compaq Contura 4/25
Basic features
486SL-25 CPU, dual-scan monochrome VGA passive-matrix display, 4 MB of RAM, 120- or 209-MB hard disk
Introduction date
3/8/93
Introductory price range
$1999 (120 M
B)
$2299 (209 MB)
Current price range
Same
Notable features
Hibernation, auto-shutdown on low battery, fax modem, cellular data hookup to Motorola or Nokia phones, three-year warranty
Possible features of succeeding-generation model
486SL-33 CPU, EasyPoint built-in trackball, active-matrix display standard, improved docking station capabilities


Apple Macintosh PowerBook 180
Basic features
Motorola 68030-33 CPU, active-matrix gray-scale display, 4 MB of RAM, 80- or 120-MB hard disk
Introduction date
10/19/92
Introductory price range
$4109-$4469
Current price range
$2479-$2969
Notable features
8-bit Apple Sound Chip, security slot for third-party locking devices, two-level keyboard tilt adjust, disability access, 68882-33 math coprocessor
Possible features of succeeding-generation model
Modular system design, PCMCIA slots, rumored low-voltage Motorola 68040 CPU


Apple Macintosh PowerBook 160
Basic features
Motorola 68030-25 CPU; STN gray-scale display; 4 MB of RAM; 40-, 80-, or
 120-MB hard disk
Introduction date
10/19/92
Introductory price range
$2429-$3149
Current price range
Model 165: $1869-$2449
Notable features
Same as Model 180 minus math coprocessor
Possible features of succeeding-generation model
Next-generation model is PowerBook 165, with 33-MHz 68030


Compaq LTE Lite 4/25C
Basic features
486SL-25 CPU, active-matrix color, 209-MB hard disk
Introduction date
11/9/92
Introductory price range
$4099 (120 MB)
$4399 (209 MB)
Current price range
Same
Notable features
Standby up to 80 hours, hardware/software security, hot keys for system functions, three-year warranty
Possible features of succeeding-generation model
Decreased weight, multimedia features, improved APM, greater telecommunication options


Apple Macintosh PowerBook Duo 230
Basic features
Motorola 68030-33 CPU, STN gray-scale display, 4 MB of RAM, 80- or 120-MB hard disk
Introduction date
2/9/93
Introductory price range
$3219
Current price range
$1969-$3179
Notable features

RAM capacity of 24 MB, 4.2-pound weight, Duo MiniDock option, up to 41/2 hours of battery life
Possible features of succeeding-generation model
Modular models, PCMCIA slots, and low-voltage Motorola 68040 CPU, or even PowerPC 603

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Chart: Buyers Flock to Better Notebook Displays