m overhead lights, so you end up adjusting to acceptable but not optimal viewing conditions. With its large screen, the 2.3-inch-high 6200MX also won't fit on an airline tray table in coach.
Portable multimedia presentation appears to be the real market for the 8-pound 6200MX. Its large screen, 10X CD-ROM drive, and built-in 3-D stereo sound make it a natural host for tabletop presentations. Also, the built-in external monitor and NTSC/PAL ports provide easy hookup to TV monitors and projection devices. External speakers are a must, however, because the tinny sound squeezed through the quarter-size built-in speakers doesn't cut it for presentations. That's true with most portables.
NEC quotes Intel's claim that the 166-MHz Pentium MMX increases performance 10 percent to 40 percent over a 150-MHz Pentium -- just what you'd expect from the chip's 10 perce
nt faster clock speed, larger 32-KB on-chip L1 cache, and 66-MHz external bus speed. Improvements directly attributable to MMX will remain elusive with current software.
Standard equipment on the 6200MX includes a 2.1-GB hard drive and 32 MB (upgradable to 128 MB) of extended data out (EDO) RAM. A single front-accessible bay accepts a variety of plug-ins; the CD-ROM drive and a 1.44-MB floppy drive are standard. But this 8-pound notebook can't hold both at once. Other optional VersaBay modules include a second 2.1-GB hard drive or a second lithium-ion battery. Two 32-bit PC Card slots provide the ability to add network, video-capture, or modem functions. It supports Zoomed Video, and the optional docking station supports hot docking. Alternatively, the PortBar is a lower-cost alternative that provides a single connection for peripherals only.
A glance at the LCD status panel lets you know how much battery power is left. The display stays visible when you turn off the laptop and it's connected to A
C power -- a nice feature that lets you monitor charging. NEC claims up to 3 hours of computing with a single-battery system; our real-world tests showed a useful life of about 90 minutes. You can completely recharge the battery in about the same time.
The 6200MX combines power and versatility in a package that is clearly aimed at laptop users who want the highest performance -- regardless of cost. If multimedia presentations are part of your job or if you need a single computer for desktop and laptop, the Versa 6200MX is worth a long look.
Where to Find
NEC Versa 6200MX..........................$6399 (estimated street price)
(with a 166-MHz Pentium MMX, 2.1-GB hard drive, 32 MB of RAM, and 10X
CD-ROM drive)
NEC Computer Systems
Mountain View, CA
Phone: (800) 632-8377
Phone: (415) 528-6000
Internet:
http://www.nec.com/
Circle 1086 on Inquiry Card.
Notebook with a View
