Test Results

We picked the best portables based on their usability, features, performance, technology, and price, all on a scale of five stars. We rated the MMX notebooks by testing performance with a suite of application-based benchmarks (including Word, Excel and Access) and Intermark video-component benchmarks. We tested these elements separately and then formulated an overall score by assigning a weight to each element. The Overall category score is weighted 60 percent for performance, 20 percent for features, 10 percent for usability, and 10 percent for price.

We derived the performance rating by averaging the results from our performance tests. First, we measured the s ystem's performance during a series of MMX tests. The second test consisted of a software-ba sed battery test, a Windows application that records the power status of a system once every minute.

Features

To determine features scores, we measured each unit's capabilities in a few key areas. Each vendor completes a lengthy questionnaire providing a detailed description of its system's features and support options. NSTL then weighs certain features and calculates an overall score. The features chart lists the speed of the processor and availability of secondary cache, the display technology used, and maximum internal resolution. Other features items we weigh for the overall score include I/O ports, graphics and sound systems, fax/modem communications, and power supplies.

Warranty and support policies are what frequently separate major system manufacturers from second- and third- tier vendors. The length of the standard warranty is one of a system's most import ant features. We also look for the availability of on-site service, on-line support, and a toll-free help line.

Usability

For usability, we focus on two key areas: system design and documentation. We paid close attention to the quality of each keyboard, concentrating on keyboard placement. If a system offers a comfortable typing position, we award it extra points. Additionally, we rate the ease of use and placement of pointing devices. Top honors were given to systems with recognizable status indicators for low battery and hard disk access. We rate the manuals for their organization, diagrams, and index. Finally, we determine how easy it is to install batteries and upgrade system RAM.

Performance

For our performance tests, we use NSTL's applications-based suite, which consists of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access. These tests portray real-world situations by running macros that execute common functions. For example, the Excel test measures the time it takes to delete a variety of cell ranges and calculate various addition, financial, and statistical functions. The Word benchmark includes subtests that measure search-and-replace functions, changing fonts, scrolling by page and line, checking spelling, print-previewing, and printing to a file. In addition, NSTL's Intermark subsystem-level Windows tests exercise the video/graphics subsystems.

Since these systems use MMX processors, our tests measure multimedia performance. An MMX test, provided by Intel, puts the systems through a gauntlet of multimedia tasks. The automated test suite includes some photo editing with Adobe Photo Deluxe, an Intel multimedia video clip, an MPEG-1 video file, a Direct 3D game, and business photo manipulation with Adobe Photoshop. These are all common tasks that MMX technology is designed to enhance.

Our battery check consists of power consumption and battery-drain tests that are executed by Power Monitor, a simple Windows application that records the power status of a fully charged battery. Sta tus is recorded until the system suspends itself due to low battery power.

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Evaluations in this report represent the judgment of BYTE editors, based on tests conducted by NSTL, Inc., as documented in a recent issue of NSTL's monthly PC Digest

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