1. Testing For The Rest Of Us

This article was revised on 11/04/05

We at TG Publishing have a reputation for extreme testing. For example, our notebook computer tests have focused on systems designed for such applications as 3D gaming, graphics rendering and high end audio manipulation. We will continue testing and reporting on these systems, and have now expanded our coverage to include laptops and notebooks used to run home and office applications.

To that end, we have developed a set of testing methods appropriate for these sorts of computers and present them here. We think you will find that our methodology for evaluating home and office notebooks and laptops follows in the tradition of the tests we have developed for other products.

The terms "laptop" and "notebook" mean different things to different people. Some apply one word or the other to all mobile computers, while others set some sort of size and weight criteria in distinguishing between the two. We prefer to take a more specific approach, identifying five categories of mobile computers (see the table below.)

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) fit in a small shirt or pants pocket. Ultra lightweight and lightweight laptops almost always fit nicely on the lap; size is rarely an issue, but weight definitely is. We classify larger mobile computers as "standard laptops" if they weigh 6.5 pounds or less and are no more than about 13 inches wide and 11 inches deep. That is about as big and heavy a mobile computer as anyone would want on his or her lap. Notebooks, by our definition, are heavier and larger than standard laptops. When we do comparative reviews of mobile computers, we usually include and exclude computers based on the dimensions and weights associated with these five categories.

Toshiba Libretto U105 ultra lightweight laptop (8.27 x 6.5 x 1.31" - 2.1 lbs)	Fujitsu B6110D lightweight laptop (10.5 x 9 x 1.3" - 3.3 lbs)
HP Pavilion ze2000t standard laptop (13 x 10.8 x 1.63" - 6.5 lbs)	Sony Vaio A290 notebook (16 x 11 1.7" - 8.6 lbs)