2. 3D Power-Wolf In Sheep's Clothing: The Visionary XP10

Judging from the silver-blue casing of the Visionary XP10, one would expect to find a run-of-the-mill graphics processor, and not a high-performance GPU inside this notebook. Only the typical ATi sticker on the wrist rest hints at its inner values (ATi Mobility Radeon 9600/ 64 MB).

Another special feature of this notebook is its integrated MP3 player functionality, which allows it to double as an MP3 player without having to boot the system. The audio files only need to be transferred to a disk beforehand. Alternatively, a CD-ROM with MP3 files can be inserted into the optical drive.

The audio controls of the Visionary XP10.

The controls for the MP3 player can be found on the front of the notebook and are accessible even when it is folded shut. An LCD display shows the track number and length. The rather mediocre sound quality of the integrated stereo speakers stands in stark contrast to this well-rounded functionality. As is typical for notebooks, they tend to favor the high to mid-range frequencies, while practically excluding the bass.

The left side of the case houses the PC card slot (1x Type-II), and the FireWire port, as well as the RJ-45 network connector (10/ 100 MBit). Additionally, the Visionary XP10 is also equipped with a WLAN module (802.11b).