To pick the best ultraportables, we first ran a suite of tests using applications-based tests and NSTL's InterMark performance benchmarks to determine the fastest systems. We also measured their endurance with our Thumper II battery run-down tests, examined their screen quality, and decided which ones were easiest to use and had the most important features. The performance scores are weighted most heavily, followed by the screen-quality, battery-life, features, and usability scores.
PERFORMANCE
We assessed the performance of each ultraportable with a suite of applications-based and low-level InterMark tests. Prior to testing, we installed MS-DOS 6.2 and Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 onto formatted hard disks.
NSTL's Windows-based, low-level InterMark tests exercise the Windows Graphical Device Interface
(GDI), as well as low-level graphics, CPU, FPU, memory, graphics, and the hard drive systems. The GDI component determines how well a system executes basic graphics calls within Windows. We ran all the Windows-based tests in 640- by 480-pixel resolution at 256 colors (except the Compaq Contura Aero 4/33C Model 250, which supports only 16 colors) using vendor-supplied graphics drivers. These applications benchmarks employ widely used programs, such as WordPerfect, FoxPro, and Excel, and thus gauge real-world performance.
FEATURES
We asked each vendor to complete a questionnaire to give us a detailed description of each system's features and support options. We then weighted each feature and calculated an overall features score.
We focused on three aspects of screen quality: crispness, intensity/color range, and viewing range. The screen-quality tests measure horizontal and vertical line placement, the color and gray-scale depths, and the frequency of LCD streaking. We used So
nera Technology's DisplayMate Professional 1.0 to analyze a wide range of display capabilities. To determine color quality, we displayed a color bar on each screen and assigned a score ranging from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). After plotting the viewing range using NSTL's Heads-Up Range Device (HURD), we computed the group's viewing-angle scores.
We measured battery performance with BYTE's Thumper II system. Thumper emulates a typical word processing session; robotic arms and optical sensors detect and control each system's power management scheme. Prior to testing, we completely drained and recharged each system's battery according to the manufacturer's instructions. We then configured each notebook's power management features to spin down the hard disk after 2 minutes of inactivity and shut off the backlighting after 1 minute. We let each system enter standby mode during the test cycle. At intervals, Thumper's robotic arms would wake up each system so that it would run until the battery died.
You must
interpret the results of any battery-life test, including our own, with some caution. People use their ultraportables differently, which uniquely affects a system's battery life.
USABILITY
We also assessed the quality of each keyboard, concentrating specifically on key placement. We worked extensively with the ultraportables to see how comfortable they became after extended use, and we rated the response and feel of the keys. We also evaluated pointing devices for both right- and left-handed people and considered the usefulness of the LCD status indicators.
Contributors
Rex Baldazo, Technical Editor/BYTE
Maggi Bender, Tester/NSTL
Stanford Diehl, Director of Product Reviews/BYTE
Siva Kumar, Senior Tester/NSTL
Anthony J. Lennon, Project Manager/NSTL
John McDonough, Technical Editor/NSTL
Tom Thompson, Senior Technical Editor at Large/BYTE
The Lab Repo
How We Tested
