7. Faster RAM Helps Ensure High Performance

One unique characteristic of the LW60 Express is its very fast DDR2 533 SO-DIMMs. These report CAS latency values of only 4.0, whereas the rule for other notebook memory modules is a CAS value of 5.0.

Fast memory modules keep the LW60 ahead of the notebook pack.

As results from our performance measurements will show later on in this article, the fast memory modules used in the LW60 Express deliver a performance advantage on par with what you'd ordinarily expect from a faster CPU. More to the point, perhaps, the LW60 Express with its Pentium M 760 runs faster than a Dell Latitude D610, which sports a higher-speed Pentium M 770.

The LW60 comes equipped either with 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM, depending on how it's configured when ordered. Because the chipset in this notebook uses a dual-channel memory interface, a unit with 512 MB of RAM comes with two 256 MB DIMMs installed. But this means that if you want to increase the memory capacity in an LW60 Express, both modules must be replaced, which means higher cost.

One memory module is accessible on the notebook's underside by opening a small panel, making it easy to swap for something larger.

One of these two modules is relatively easy to access through a panel on the case underside. The socket for the other SO-DIMM, however, lies beneath the keyboard on the motherboard's other side.

The second memory module sits beneath the keyboard, which must be removed to gain access.

To remove the keyboard from the notebook, it's necessary to loosen two screws on the back side of the notebook.

The screws for the keyboard have a very narrow slot.

Four small nipples provide a standoff between the keyboard and the case.