The lower-cost ultraportables we tested averaged $2100 less than the high-end ultraportables. Four of the systems carry passive-matrix displays, and the other two use dual-scan LCDs. Passive-matrix displays cost less and consume less power than active-matrix displays, but the trade-off is inferior color, lower contrast, and slower video response. Some of the lower-cost ultraportables, however, surprised us when we ran our screen-quality tests.
The
AT&T Globalyst 130
offers the widest viewing angle and plenty of real estate on its 10.4-inch passive-matrix display as measured by NSTL's Heads-Up Range Device (HURD), which determines an ultraportable's maximum viewing angle from left to right and by tilting the screen backward. Both Austin Direct 486 StepLite Notebook models feature 9-1/2-inc
h passive-matrix LCDs with wide viewing angles, which produced strong color scores. The least expensive models, Compaq's Contura Aero 4/33C Model 250 ($1199) and Sceptre Technologies' TS37 Subnotebook ($1695), however, did poorly on the color tests. Also, the Contura Aero's 7.8-inch passive-matrix LCD maxes out at 16 colors.
At $2795, the Zeos Meridian 400C costs more than the other ultraportables in this category, but its 100-MHz 486DX4 processor powers it to the third-best performance scores of all the products. You pay a price for the speed, however; life gets sucked out of the Meridian 400C's nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery (2 hours and 30 minutes) much faster than the other lower-cost ultraportables (which averaged 3 hours and 36 minutes). At the other end of the performance spectrum are the Sceptre TS37 Subnotebook and the Contura Aero, which use 33-MHz 486SX processors. They dragged through our performance benchmarks but had longer battery lives than that of the Meridian 400C.
The AT&T
Globalyst 130, TS37 Subnotebook, Contura Aero, and the two Austin models have trackballs of assorted sizes and placement, while the Meridian 400C has an eraserhead to the right of the handrest with left- and right-click buttons on the front of the chassis. This makes it easy to click with your thumb while keeping a finger on the eraserhead. When it comes to trackballs, we find the bigger, the better.
AT&T Globalyst 130
The AT&T Globalyst 130 looks more like a traditional notebook than an
ultraportable with its integrated floppy drive and wide, 10.4-inch
passive-matrix display. Nevertheless, the $2223 ultraportable weighs
only 6.1 pounds with all its accessories. AT&T picked its components
carefully to make sure its system was affordable, with enough
features to satisfy any traveling businessperson. Its long-lasting
NiMH battery (3 hours and 52 minutes), 340-MB hard drive, and 75-MHz
486DX4 processor give it respectable performance for road work.
PRICE AS BATTERY LIFE
TESTED CPU/SPEED (HR:MIN:SEC)
===================================================================
AT&T Globalyst 130 $2223 486DX4/75 3:52:28
Zeos Meridian 400C $2795 486DX4/100 2:20:39
Austin Direct 486 StepLite $2407 486DX4/75 3:18:33
Austin Direct 486 StepLite $2065 486DX4/50 2:52:15
Sceptre TS37 Subnotebook $1695 486DX/33 3:31:48
OVERALL EASE OF SCREEN
SCORE FEATURES USE QUALITY
==================================================================
AT&T Globalyst 130 ** *** *** ***
Zeos Meridian 400C ** *** *** **
Austin Direct 486 StepLite ** *** *** **
Austin Direct 486 StepLite ** *** *** ***
Sceptre TS37 Subnotebook ** **
*** *
Key:
Ratings from 1 to 4: * is the lowest; **** is the highest.
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Lower-Cost Alternatives
