Toshiba's
Tecra 750CDT
is a fully loaded notebook with some impressive features, including a color video camera, S
-video output, dual Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, a 4.7-GB hard drive, and an S3 Virge/MX video adapter with 4 MB of RAM. With those specs, you would expect solid design and performance. But that wasn't the case in my tests.
I ran the Intel Media Benchmark 1.0 and found that the Toshiba's video speed lags far behind the other systems in this review. In fact, my 166-MHz Micron Transport XKE outperformed the 233-MHz Tecra 750CDT in the media benchmark except in the floating point-intensive 3-D test. Though it has extra video RAM, it may be of limited use. For resolutions above 1024 by 768, the 750CDT's noninterlaced refresh rate is 60Hz.
The 750CDT's inconsistent design bodes both well and poorly for travelers. The LCD panel casing is wonderfully rigid; Toshiba uses hinged port covers, even at the back of the machine. However, I found it too easy to brake the hinge when putting the notebook into its carrying case.
It's difficult to extract the CD-ROM drive from its swappable bay, but you m
ay not need to since the floppy comes with a self-powered external enclosure. Conversely, I found it too easy to release the battery. Unlock its compartment and the battery falls (not slides) out of the bottom of the machine.
The 750CDT's performance places it at the bottom of this pack. Add to that its design shortcomings and its $5099 price and it's easy to see why its nifty video camera wasn't enough to win me over.
NEC Versa 6230
NEC's
Versa 6230
has most of the basics down, but in the fit-and-finish category it comes up shy of its competitors. Its keyboard is likeable, with sufficiently deep travel, good feedback, and quiet clicks.
The Versa's device bay holds a floppy drive, a CD-ROM drive, a battery, a hard drive, a Zip drive, or a 120-MB optical drive. However, the battery and its dedicated bay are the worst design I've seen in a notebook. The flimsy, unhinged cover comes off after you release a simple latch. The awkwardly shaped battery snaps into the
bay through a row of sharp, skinny pins. There are no guide rails to keep you from bending the pins. This would be a fair design for an industrial device that needs its battery changed yearly. One hurried in-flight swap, however, might be enough to ruin this machine.
The Versa 6230 performed respectably. It solidly led the field in Intel's Media Benchmark and scored consistently high in the BYTEmark tests. At $4999, there is enough right about the Versa 6230 to make me wish NEC had built it better.
Compaq Armada 7770
Although this notebook shares price range ($4999) and 233-MHz CPU with HP's and NEC's, the Compaq
Armada 7770
isn't quite in their league. The LCD panel is a 12.1-inch, 800 by 600 TFT. The case's lid is smaller than the base, giving the Armada 7770 an underbite when it is closed. Indicator LEDs are few.
Compaq breaks with modern notebook design by moving the keyboard toward the front of the chassis. To use it on your lap or on an airplane seat tra
y, you'll have to place your hands in a most unnatural position to type.
There is no room for a touchpad, so Compaq supplies a pointing stick. The pointing stick's buttons are as stiff as the keyboard. They have too much travel, their feedback feels weak, and they're too close to the stick. They're also only about half an inch below the spacebar.
The Armada's swappable bay accommodates a floppy drive, CD-ROM drive, or battery. Unfortunately, the CD-ROM doesn't mount flush with the rest of the case. It takes too much effort to dislodge it from its bay. The battery and the 3-GB hard drive slide out easily, however.
In performance, the Armada turned in solid CPU numbers (roughly even with the HP and NEC units reviewed), but its S3 Aurora 64V+ display controller lagged badly in Intel's Media Benchmark. Considering this, the lack of a 13.3-inch display, a poor keyboard design, and an overall lack of attention to factors that matter to traveling computer users, only a radical price drop would move
me to take the Compaq Armada 7770 seriously in such a crowded field.
HP OmniBook 3000
Hewlett-Packard's
OmniBook 3000
proves you don't have to trade weight for features. It's only 1-3/4 inches tall when closed, yet the unit weighs just 6.8 pounds with battery. And it performed well in both CPU and graphics benchmarks.
One of my few complaints is the blinking in the display. An arrow flashes constantly to show you which battery is in use. Another blinking indicator shows you AC power is connected. It cries wolf so often it's hard to tell when you really need to check something out.
Virtually everything else about this notebook is right on target. It
performs well
both in media and CPU tests, and its battery life (2:35 at maximum drain) is at least average. The keyboard is a little stiff, but the touchpad is responsive and the buttons are well placed. The floppy, CD-ROM, and battery slide easily in and out of the swappable bay. The battery
has charge-level LEDs that you can activate whether the battery is installed or not.
Of the units tested, the HP OmniBook 3000 makes the best showing. Though it lacks video output (which its Neomagic display controller supports), it is otherwise a good design in a sturdy, lightweight package. The NEC Versa has worthwhile features the OmniBook lacks (including a better keyboard), but serious design issues prevent me from recommending it. The Toshiba is simply overpriced and underpowered, while the Compaq Armada 7770's smaller display and poor multimedia performance knock it out of the running.
Product Information
Toshiba Tecra 750CDT.................................$5099
Toshiba America Information Systems
Irvine, CA
Phone: 800-334-3445
Phone: 714-583-3000
Internet:
http://www.computers.toshiba.com
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