Mobile Computing: Notebook Buying Tips

We name names, suggest products, and offer advice.

James A. Martin

Feature: Which Notebook Is Right for You?

From easy traveling companion to dazzling multimedia machine to basic business workhorse, there's a new notebook PC out there with your name on it. But how to find the right one?

Figuring out exactly what you need in a notebook is a good place to start. Here's a look at three types of notebooks and the jobs each is best suited for. For each notebook type, I've included pros and cons, typical prices, and product examples. (You'll find more shopping tips in the Notebooks & Accessories section.)

Light Duty on the Go

Thin-and-light notebooks (also called subcompacts and ultraportables) with built-in Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking make ideal second computers for handling business applications such as word processing and spreadsheets, e-mail, and Web surfing when you're on the road.

Pros: At 3 to 5 pounds, thin-and-light notebooks weigh considerably less than other laptops, so they make better traveling companions. Because they're compact, with smaller screens (usually 10.6 to 12.1 inches), they fit more comfortably in a briefcase and on an airplane seat-back tray. Built-in Ethernet and Wi-Fi lets you make high-speed Internet connections, both wired (in, say, a hotel room) and wireless (at a Starbucks or airport lounge). Ultraportables frequently offer a long battery life of 3 to 5 hours, too.

Cons: Subcompacts rarely offer the fastest processors. Their keyboards can feel cramped, and their small screens make them unsuitable for some applications, such as serious spreadsheet crunching.

Examples: Dell, Fujitsu, and IBM each offer thin-and-light models you might want to consider.

• The Dell Latitude X200 (about $1550), at 2.8 pounds and 0.8 inches thick, is one of Dell's slimmest portables yet. You can search for the best prices at the PCWorld.com Product Finder.
• The 3.3-pound Fujitsu LifeBook P2000 (about $1800) is a good choice for consumers and businesspeople who need a lightweight computer they can take just about anywhere. You can use our Product Finder to search for the lowest prices on LifeBook models.
• The IBM ThinkPad X30 (about $1600 to $2584, depending on configuration) weighs 3.5 pounds and boasts a 4.5-hour battery life; a 1-pound wedge attaches to the bottom of the unit and adds another 3.5 hours. For the latest prices on ThinkPad X30 models, check our Product Finder.

Show-Stopping Multimedia

Need a portable to show off your dazzling PowerPoint presentations, spell-binding slide shows, or other multimedia sales and marketing propaganda? Then consider a desktop replacement notebook with powerful graphics capabilities and capacious amounts of memory and hard disk space.

Pros: The "multimedia notebooks" of the mid-to-late nineties have largely been replaced today by desktop replacements. A desktop replacement is a full-featured computer designed for daily use in an office, yet can be toted away on occasion. (I say "on occasion" because desktop replacements tend to be heavy.)

PowerPoint presentations, video, and other multimedia content are notoriously resource-hungry and require a serious presentation machine. For maximum multimedia impact, look for a system with a fast main processor like a 2 GHz Pentium 4-M; a high-speed graphics card, such as the NVidia GeForce4 420 Go or the Mobility Radeon 9000; a 512KB memory cache; tons of graphics and main memory (at least 32MB and 512MB, respectively); at least one FireWire or USB 2.0 port to hook up high-speed peripherals such as a digital video camcorder; CD-quality stereo features; and ports for an external mic, audio in/out, and video out so you can connect the computer to a TV, for example. You'll also want the notebook to have a large monitor, say 15 inches or more. And if you plan to use the portable as your main PC, make sure a docking option is available. In short: You need the works.

Cons: Multimedia desktop replacements tend to be more expensive than other notebooks. Large displays make them bulky, and they can weigh as much as 10 pounds. Battery life is often under 2.5 hours.

Examples: You might want to check out these models from Best Buy, Dell, and Toshiba.

• Electronics retailer Best Buy's multimedia notebook, the VPR Matrix 200A5 ($2400), is a desktop replacement with excellent DVD wide-screen playback.
• The Dell Inspiron 8200 (prices begin around $1350) has the mojo to handle most graphics applications, including digital video editing.
• The Toshiba Satellite 5205-S503 (about $1650 and up) is aimed at high-end consumers who want to use their notebooks for multimedia applications. You can go to our Product Finder for the latest prices.

Basic Business Machines

Desktop replacements are ideal for anyone who wants the simplicity of having just one computer for office and occasional travel. But increasingly, many of us are taking our computers down the hall into meetings, in addition to carrying them with us on the road. In those cases, desktop replacements are simply too cumbersome, and thin-and-light notebooks are too, well, lightweight.

Pros: In between thin-and-light and big-and-bright, there's the basic, all-purpose business machine. Basic business notebooks are for those who need a single computer for office and away that is full-featured and comfortable to carry and use. In technology terms, look for notebooks equipped with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections, medium-size screens, and full-size keyboards. These machines usually weigh in at a manageable 5 to 8 pounds.

Cons: Basic business portables are a bit heavier than subcompacts and tend not to be as full-featured as desktop replacements.

Examples: These Compaq, Gateway, and IBM models are designed for business use.

• The Compaq Evo N610c ($1858 and up), an appealing and conservative business notebook, recently hit our Top 15 Notebook PCs chart. For the best prices, go to our Product Finder.
• The Gateway 450X (about $1500) features a strong battery life of about 3 hours, a reasonable weight of 6.3 pounds, and a full set of connections. See our Product Finder for the best prices.
• The IBM ThinkPad T30 ($1900 and up), a medium-weight notebook well-equipped for roaming and everyday computing chores, earned a PC World rating of 3.5 (out of 5) stars. Check out the latest prices at our Product Finder.

Notebooks & Accessories

Tip: Priorities, Priorities

Before buying a notebook, make a list of "must have" and "nice-to have" features, so you won't be tempted to buy more features than really need. For most of us, for instance, a DVD burner would be nice to have because with it we could put videos or data on high-capacity (4.7GB) DVDs. But DVD burners can add several hundred dollars to a system's cost. If you need to back up large files on the road, the extra expense is worth it; otherwise, it goes into the "nice-to have" category.

Tip: Call Ahead

When buying a notebook from a vendor for the first time, test its tech support before you buy. Call tech support with a few questions about the system you're considering: For example, is the FireWire port six-pin or four-pin? At a minimum, you'll get some sense of how knowledgeable and helpful the staff is, and how long you may have to wait for your call to be answered.

Tip: Check Our Buying Advice

What screen size is best for you, and how important a consideration is the display, anyhow? PCWorld.com's notebook buying guide answers these and other questions about hardware specs, along with offering shopping tips and other advice.

Handhelds

News: It's All on the Wrist

This spring Timex will begin shipping an update to its Ironman Data Link watch. Dubbed the Data Link USB, it uses a USB cable to sync data (names, phone numbers, schedules, and such) with Microsoft Outlook on your computer. The new model offers faster two-way data transfers and will sell for about $90.

News: Attention IPod: You Have Competition

E.Digital hopes to talk wannabe IPod owners into buying its slick new Odyssey 1000 MP3 player instead. The $349 device includes 20GB of storage, USB 2.0 connectivity, and voice-recognition technology that lets you request tunes verbally. Along with playing.mp3 and.wma files, the Odyssey features an FM tuner and a digital voice recorder with a built-in microphone.

News: Wi-Fi and Flash Memory, Together at Last

Have you ever connected to the Internet with your PDA using a CompactFlash or Secure Digital Wi-Fi card? Then I bet you ran low on memory, because the Wi-Fi card occupied the slot where your flash memory card would have been.

You can now heave a sigh of relief, thanks to SanDisk. The company has integrated Wi-Fi with memory on new CompactFlash and Secure Digital cards. The CompactFlash version, available in March for $130, combines Wi-Fi and 128MB of memory; the Secure Digital card, available in mid-2003 for $150, integrates Wi-Fi with 256MB of memory. Both include a PC Card adapter so they can be used with notebooks.

Wireless

News: Samsung's Latest Mobile Phones

Samsung Electronics has two new multifunction mobile phones coming up: one Palm OS-based, the other with digital camera functions. The SPH-I500, which runs Palm OS 4.1 on a 66-MHz DragonBall processor, resembles a conventional clamshell-type handset and has a 65,000-color touch display. It has 16MB of RAM, and is compatible with CDMA2000 1x networks. Meanwhile, the SGH-V205 clamshell phone's stand-out feature is the 100,000-pixel digital still camera built into the hinge. Samsung hasn't announced pricing or availability for either model.

Rave Reviews?

Are you particularly pleased with your new notebook, notebook accessory, PDA, or wireless service? If so, talk to me. I'd like to hear what product you're using, what you're using it for, and why you're happy with it. I'll share the best success stories in future newsletter issues.

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