4. Six Laptops: Specifications Compared

The six laptops have some interesting similarities and differences. The most significant of these lie in the areas of size and weight, CPU speed, standard battery capacity and graphics capability. We consider each of these below.

At 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) or under, the Dell Latitude X1 and Fujitsu's P1510D qualify as ultra lightweight laptops. The others are lightweight laptops, with the 2.84 lb (1.3 kg) Toshiba Portege R200 coming close to ultra lightweight status. But, be careful here. The Averatec AV1050 3.2 lbs (1.5 kg) and Sony VAIO 3.04 lbs (1.4 kg) have built-in DVD/CD R/W drives. The Latitude X1 does not have a built-in drive, but it does have an optional dedicated external DVD/CD R/W drive that weighs 1.1 lbs (.5 kg). If you carry this drive with the X1, you'll be carrying a total of 3.6 lbs (1.6 kg), making the X1 the heaviest of the three laptops with built-in or dedicated external DVD/CD R/W capability.

The laptops in the tables have one of two CPUs: Intel's Pentium M 733 or M 753. The 733 runs at 1.1 GHz; the 753 at 1.2 GHz. The Latitude X1 and Averatec's AV1050 use the slightly slower M 733. The other four laptops use the M 753. As you will see later, the difference in central processors makes for a slight difference in the performance of the six tested computers.

MobilityGuru tests mobile computer battery life using the standard battery, the battery normally supplied with the computer. If the manufacturer also sends us a higher capacity battery, we also run a key battery life test using that battery. A glance at the features table shows an interesting phenomenon: standard battery capacity varies significantly. The Dell X1 and the Fujitsu Lifebook P1510D come with relatively low capacity standard batteries. The Toshiba Portege R200 and Averatec AV1050 come with somewhat higher capacity standard batteries and the Sony VAIO and Fujitsu B6110D feature very high capacity standard batteries.

As will be clear later, the higher the standard battery capacity, the better a laptop does on our battery life tests. Manufacturers might want to take this into account and include higher capacity batteries as standard with their mobile computers. Yes, higher capacity batteries are larger and heavier and the relatively minor difference in weight, 5.7 oz vs. 11 oz in the case of the X1, might move a laptop from the ultra lightweight to the lightweight category. However length of operation on a single battery charge is so important, especially to laptop as opposed to notebook computer buyers, that higher battery capacity might outweigh higher weight for many. For those who want lighter weight, of course, lower as opposed to higher capacity batteries could be sold as options.

Looking at graphics capabilities, of the six computers in the features tables, four are equipped with Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics controller, the other two with Intel's Extreme 1 graphics controller. The GMA 900 controller supports graphics capabilities not available with the Extreme 1 controller, such as advanced 3D functionality. This certainly gives the GMA 900 controller performance advantages over the Extreme 1 controller. The GMA 900 controller is better suited to game playing. However, given their relatively slow CPUs and memory chips, while the four computers with the GMA 900 controller do OK with simple 3D graphics, their complex 3D graphics performance leaves a lot to be desired. With the complex stuff, at best they can deliver 3D frame rates of 1-2 per second, which is way too slow for today's high action games.