Ultraportables

ThinkPad X200

2009-03-02T20:21:00.007+01:00

Okay, so it has been a very long time since I last posted something. My apologies. Been so caught up in the rat race that I lost track of time and other things. But I am back now. At least for a while.

So I recently purchased a ThinkPad X200. One word... Wow!

This machine is seriously fast. The one I got is with the P8600 2.4GHz processor and PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM. This is by far the fastest laptop I've owned and the GMA4500 graphics is actually pretty fast as well. Obviously not a gamer graphics card but definitely fast enough for some light gaming. For general productive stuff such as Office applications, the Internet and more hardware crunching tasks such as video editing, photoshopping and misc compression, the ThinkPad X200 absolutely shines!

The best thing of it all? It offers amazing battery life. With the mid-sized 6-cell I am pulling 4+ hours with a mix of different tasks such as Office applications, web surfing, with about 30% brightness. With the 9-cell I have hit 7 hours with the same type of use and I am sure if I was a bit more energy saving, I would be able to hit more than eight hours. This is simply amazing for such a powerful laptop.

In addition, this laptop is by far the coolest (as in not hot) laptop I have had. It never gets hot anywhere on the laptop. So no burnt thighs or sweaty palms.

What can I say, I can't help loving the X200.

But don't just take my word for it.

Check out out the review at notebookreview.com

Fujitsu Lifebook P7230

2008-01-06T22:37:00.001+01:00

A new year has begun, yet today we will be taking a look at the Fujitsu Lifebook P7230 which was introduced last year. For quite some time the Lifebook P-series aka the Loox T-series (Japanese version) has been Fujitsu’s weapon against the likes of Sony’s Vaio T-series, Panasonic’s Let’s Note series and other ultraportables in the 10”-11” segment.

The P7230 which was launched almost a year ago, comes with a 10.6” LED backlit widescreen, fingerprint reader, webcam and weighs less than 3 lbs. To appeal to a broader crowd it is available in 3 colors – Black, White and a limited Pink Edition. In addition, the Japanese version comes with the option of many different colors for the lid. While most business people will probably choose the black version due to its more professional and subtle looks, I’m sure the white version makes the P7230 more attractive to the non-professionals. And the likely target group for the limited Pink Edition? I’ll leave that up to your imagination.

Despite the size, just like the Sony Vaio TX and TZ, the Lifebook P7230 also features a built-in DVD burner. Having a built-in optical drive in a notebook this size is an achievement in itself, but what is truly remarkable, not to mention useful, is the fact that the drive sits in a modular bay. This is usually only featured in larger business type notebooks. So what does this mean in practical terms? It means that you at will can swap the DVD burner with an extra battery instead and hence enjoy significantly longer battery life. Or, should you just want to make the notebook as light as possible, you can simply remove the extra battery or the optical drive, and instead slot in a blank plastic insert in the modular bay.

Even with some impressive features, the P7230 is a bit of a let down when it comes to performance. Naturally, depending on the need of the user, performance is not necessarily a vital point when it comes to ultraportables. However, compared to many of its competitors, the P7230 is not quite on the same level. It originally came with a Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz processor and even with the latest CPU refresh for the P7230, the Core Duo U2500 1.2 GHz is still no match for the U7600 Core 2 Duo found in the Sony Vaio TZ and Panasonic Let’s Note R7. Interestingly, the aforementioned U7600 is available in the Japanese version of the Lifebook P7230, called Fujitsu Loox T70X. This levels the playing field, but unfortunately the Japanese version is only available in Japan.

Setting CPU speed aside, the real Achilles heel is the 1.8” 4.200 RPM hard drives offered. Even if this notebook is not meant for major multimedia tasks or heavy use, the combination of a slow hard drive and Windows Vista can be annoying at times.

However, depending on your needs, the P7230 may be just right for you. All in all it is a nice, small and light ultraportable notebook which offers a lot of useful features such as the LED lit screen and modular bay.

More on the Fujitsu Lifebook P7230:
Notebookreview review
Laptopmag review
ZDNet review
Geek review

Sony Vaio X505

2007-12-31T13:03:00.000+01:00

So I’m sitting on a long flight while writing this, and I’m rolling dices with myself about which ultraportable to feature next. But after a good meal and a few soothing drinks (compliments of Thai Airways), the choice suddenly seems easy. Since the last post was about the Sony Vaio TZ, I thought I might as well continue the Sony saga. Hence, today’s guest of honor is the very light and extremely slim Sony Vaio X505. Much like the previously featured IBM ThinkPad S30, the X505 is quite a rare sight today and equally an attention grabber.

The X505 was quite the pioneer when introduced in 2004. In particular it came to serve as inspiration for the current Vaio TZ. First of all it featured carbon fiber in its construction just as its younger sibling does today. As you might know this expensive material is well known for its combination of strength and low weight. Another TZ design feature which was first introduced on the X505, is the untraditional but stylish side-placement of the illuminated power button. Coupled with the cylinder-shaped battery, it is elegant and contemporary at the same time. Worth mentioning also, is the distinct keyboard style which was later also found on the Apple MacBook and, you guessed it… the Sony Vaio TZ. Even users of the mainstream type Sony Vaio CR will enjoy this floating style keyboard.

However, the X505 attribute which created the most stir, was the extremely slim design. Even today you will probably not find a notebook as thin as this soon to be 4 year old ultraportable. So thin in fact that it was often compared to a regular paper notebook.

The design and slim construction of this 10.4” notebook were not without sacrifices however. For instance the location of the keyboard is quite unconventional and awkward. This vital component is placed at the front edge facing the user - eliminating the possibility of a palm rest. This also means that the touchpad buttons are to be found right at the edge as well. All this translates into a rather ergonomically incorrect writing and navigating experience. Fear not too much though. I had the chance to try it out for a few hours and whilst not being the best experience, I could definitely live with it. In general one can get used to a lot when it comes to ultraportables and as some might say: “beauty does not come without pain”.

When I first saw this showcase of visual avant-gardeness, my immediate reaction was “what a cool and extraordinary looking notebook, but couldn’t they have made the screen fit the size of the notebook better?”. It may just be me, but as you will find while browsing through this blog, I am not a fan of fat bezels surrounding the screen. Or as I might also bluntly put it: It makes an otherwise nice looking notebook look a bit “old school Atari video game computer like”. It is my main grip with the X505.

Moreover, for those who are into specifications and numbers, the biggest compromise would probably be the performance, which is far from impressive. Let me rephrase that. Considering the ultraslim form factor it was very impressive. But setting this aside, its power is less than favorable for more than simple web surfing and light applications. And yes, don’t even think about running Vista and its smooth GUI on this ubersleek anorexic runway model.

A lot of woes you might think. However, at the end of the day, cat walk modeling is what the X505 is all about. A design extraordinaire pushing the physical boundaries of what was previously known as impossible. And for those who appreciate this, who cares about boring performance talk and ergonomically misplaced components?

Don’t take my words for it though. Read the following and be further enlightened:
Notebookreview review
MobileTechReview review
ZDNet review
Cnet review

Sony Vaio TZ

2007-12-29T00:24:00.000+01:00

This blog would not be about ultraportables, if it didn’t dedicate a post to the Sony Vaio TZ. It was introduced in Japan about 7 months ago and roughly 3 months later it was introduced to the large US market. It is quite the buzz of the subnotebook community, primarily due to its design. Sure it has some fairly nice features such as a SSD (Solid State Disk) option, but essentially what makes it nice, is the way it looks. It is arguably the best looking ultraportable out there today.

It is the successor to the well known Vaio TX-series, which still to this day is a capable and attractive ultraportable. But the Vaio TZ is just that much more sophisticated with its distinct keyboard and the smooth and stylish looks. Many of its design and material features are inspired by the insanely thin Vaio X505 from 2004 (more on that in a later post). Once again, this is a notebook that gets you noticed.

It does not have the latest Santa Rosa chipset, nor is it the best built sub 2.5 lbs notebook out there. But if you are looking for a sleek and uniquely designed ultraportable with a 11.1” screen, the option of a built-in optical drive or WWAN, a built-in webcam and the possibility of a SSD drive – this is hard to miss.

And with that I will leave you to read the useful reviews listed below.
Notebookreview review 1
Notebookreview review 2
Cnet review

IBM ThinkPad S30

2007-12-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

Staying in the spirit of the last post, today's featured guest is the soon to be 7 years old, IBM ThinkPad S30.

It was first introduced in Japan in 2001 - many years before Lenovo acquired the ThinkPad division from IBM. If you've never heard of it, don't worry - you are not the only one. It was only available in a few Asian markets, such as Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. One of the rarest and most exclusive ThinkPads, the S-series is more or less a collector's item today.

With a screen size of only 10.4 inches and a weight of just over 3 lbs, it is very sleek and nimble, even by today’s standard. In fact, if placed next to my Lenovo ThinkPad X61, I have no doubt that it would make it seem a bit big and masculine.
Needless to say, with an Intel Mobile Pentium III 600 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM and 20GB hard drive, it is however no performer anymore. But at the time it was introduced, it was no slouch – especially considering its size. You could even get it with built-in Wireless LAN which made it truly portable.

Should you be lucky enough to get a hold of one today, upgrade it to its maximum 256 MB RAM for more smooth operation in Windows 2000 or even XP, if so desired. That is if you are going to use it. I’d probably just carry it around with me, so it could make me look cool.

You might ask why one would get this outdated grandfather of a ThinkPad. Well for starters, it is very pretty. So pretty in fact, that quite a few people to this day are trying to source them from Japan. Secondly, for simple tasks such as a bit of web surfing and office applications, it is still quite capable. Just don’t try and install Vista on it. And third, it is very rare.

If you ask me, it is by far the coolest ultraportable to wear the ThinkPad badge. Heck, I would go so far as to call it the all time coolest ThinkPad, period. So Lenovo if you are reading this, please revive the S-series. And this time, make sure to sell it worldwide. It would probably be your new bestseller.

Sony Vaio TR5

2007-12-26T19:18:00.002+01:00

This blog is not just about the latest and newest ultraportables. Although the models featured thus far are all quite recent, do not be too surprised if some of the future articles might be hopelessly late, when considering the introduction date of the particular notebook. The theme of this blog is ultraportables and that includes all shapes, models, versions and sizes in the category. Consequently, unlike many other sites, here you will bump in to the occasional oldie, but goodie.

Hence, with the aforementioned in mind, I bring you the Sony Vaio TR5. It was announced in 2004 as a successor to the TR3. The main difference between the TR3 and the TR5 was the addition of the DVD burner (DVD-RW). Incorporating any type of optical drive in such a small package was impressive enough - so a DVD burner was just amazing. In fact, at the time it was introduced it was the first ultraportable to boast this feature.

The first time I saw the 10.6" TR5, I was head over heels amazed by it, and to this day I still think it is a small work of art. Needless to say, back in 2004 it was quite an attention grabber, and despite ultraportables being much more common nowadays, the TR5 will still turn heads.

Compared to a ThinkPad X-series it was nowhere near a match when it came to durability, but for such a small designer “thing” it was much better built than I initially expected. A major highlight was the incredibly bright and vibrant glossy screen. Even today, the tiny widescreen could easily put quite a few current notebooks to shame. The built-in webcam was quite a nice feature as well. Though, the swivel function was more "party piece fancy", than practical.

What struck me the most about the TR5 was the futuristic and simplistic design. It seemed like it was sent back in time from a sterile space station in the year 2030 and the general look and finish was just spectacular. It had that intangible “good tingly feeling” to it. No other notebook has given me the same sensation. But then again I am not so easily impressed anymore. Regardless... Sony Vaio TR5 you are missed.

For more about this ancestor of the Sony Vaio TZ, here is an excellent review:

Notebookreview review

Panasonic Let's Note R7

2007-12-25T22:51:00.000+01:00

The Panasonic Let's Note R-series notebooks are very popular in Japan. In the past, whenever I went on a business trip to Tokyo, I would see lots of business people with their Panasonic R3s, R4s and R5s. Not strange considering the fact that Japanese people embrace small and nimble things.

Not long ago the R6 was introduced and recently the R7 was announced. Both are offered in a special Jet Black edition, as shown in the picture. Since the beginning the Let's Note notebooks were always offered in a silver design. Hence, the Jet Black color was a welcomed change for many.

So what is so special about the R7? Nothing much. At least, not if you compare it to the previous models. It has essentially the same form factor. And battery life, which is still great, has not changed much. But the R-series is all about evolution, rather than revolution. Much like the ThinkPads. And much like ThinkPads they are sturdy due to their magnesium casing and spill proof keyboards. In addition, the stress tests these notebooks are put through are quite impressive.

What I like about the R7 is it's size and weight. It's comes with a 10.4" standard XGA screen and only weighs 2.05 lbs. While thicker, the footprint is so small that it make my ThinkPad X61 (even with the small battery) seem a bit bloated. The latest hardware includes a Core 2 Duo U7600 1.2 GHz CPU, up to 2GB 533 MHz RAM, Intel 965 Express chipset and up to 250GB of HDD capacity. Dimensions are 9.0" x 7.2" x 0.9-1.6" or 229 x 183.5 x 24.2-41.6mm. Only the thickness is above average in the ultraportable category - the rest is tiny.

Apart from Japan, the R-series notebooks are still quite unknown in most parts of the world, including Europe and the US. Hopefully this will change with time. A business ultraportable like this, deserves a larger crowd.

In closing, here's an interesting video giving a good impression of the size and sturdiness of the R6 (more or less the same as the R7):

Fujitsu Loox R70Y

2007-12-25T22:02:00.000+01:00

Another recent announcement is the Fujitsu Loox R70Y. Many think this is the replacement for the Loox T-series.

You get a 12.1" LED backlit widescreen, Intel X3100 graphics and up to 4GB RAM. Measuring 274x207x27mm and weighing 1.27 kg, the Loox R70Y has nothing to be ashamed of, when compared to other ultraportables. However, despite the usual variety of different lid colors, the design is quite bland and could need some spicing up.

Luckily it compensates with spectacular battery life, which according to Fujitsu can reach a little more than 11 hours! It will be interesting to see what real life numbers turn out to be.

In my previous post I mentioned the thin bezel technology from Fujitsu - and here you have it.

Look at the sides of the screen. Quite spectacular if you ask me. Now if they would only do the same at the top of the screen, I would be a happy camper. And to the rest of the notebook manufacturers: Start learning from Fujitsu already.

News links and more pictures:
Akihabara News
PC Watch (Japanese)
Fujitsu FMWorld (Japanese)

Asus U2

2007-12-25T21:13:00.000+01:00

Just a quick heads up for those who missed the news. The Asus U2 is now official.

It comes with a 11.1" LED backlit widescreen and features Intel's ULV U7500 CPU, Intel GM965 Chipset, up to 4GB 667 MHz RAM, a 32 GB SSD option, 3 USB ports and starts at 1.25 kg.

Seems Asus is trying to snatch some market share from Sony and the Vaio TZ.

The only disappointing hardware is the 1.8" 4,200RPM hard drives. One more reason to go for the SSD instead, I guess.

As usual, the bezel is a bit too fat for the screen, but of course they need to accommodate the web cam and make it more harmonious looking at the edges of the screen. I however, look forward to the day where they start incorporating the same ultrathin bezel technology that Fujitsu recently introduced on their latest notebooks. More on that later.

News links:
Asus
Gizmodo
Laptoping
Electronista

Toshiba Portegé R500

2007-12-25T19:54:00.000+01:00

Staying in the spirit of 12 inch ultraportables, here is a quick highlight of the Toshiba Portege R500 aka Dynabook SS RX1. Having experienced this nifty notebook quite a few times, here's my quick take on it.

It is extremely thin. With its 2.4 lbs, it is very light as well. It is quite an achievement that they managed to squeeze in a built-in optical drive. The design is pleasing to the eye, yet a bit bland and not as pretty and professional looking as some of the previous R-series models. Unfortunately, I find it to be too fragile, which obviously is a product of the aforementioned thin and light qualities.

All in all it is definitely a true ultraportable. In many ways it is a great display of engineering which will likely impress many people. But for everyday use and being on the go as I often am, this machine is simply not sturdy enough for my needs. I am however sure that many people do not share my expectations with regard to build quality. And for those, the Toshiba R500 is definitely a winner.

For more information, here are some reviews:
Notebookreview review
TrustedReviews review
PCMag review
Geek review
Cnet review

Lenovo ThinkPad X61

2007-12-25T10:33:00.001+01:00

I figured my first post should be about my current ultraportable, which I absolutely love.

It is one of the smallest and most powerful 12.1" standard form factor notebooks out there. Lightweight too. Alongside the Panasonic Let's Note W and T-series, it is also one of the most sturdy and well built 12 inch notebooks you will find.

As you probably know, ThinkPads are well known for their ruggedness and the no frills professional build and look, which have gathered a following unrivaled by any other notebook manufacturer. With the ThinkPad X61 it is no different. From the rubber matte coating to the excellent and legendary (spill proof) keyboard, it is all there.

Yet this little ThinkPad comes in a very small factor (10.5" x 8.3" x .80-1.39"; 268mm x 211mm x 20-35mm) and with a starting weight of 3.11 lbs or 1.41kg. There's even a minimally thinner and slightly lighter version called the X61s, but in essence it is the same form factor. More on that in a different post.

While we are at it, I should also mention that there is a tablet version available in the X-series lineup. It is one of the best tablet notebooks I have experienced, but unfortunately it is noticeably heavier and larger than the regular X61 - which the following size comparison picture also clearly shows.

To better assess the size, here is a short video of the X61 compared to the mainstream sized ThinkPad R61 15.4" notebook.

In any event, if you are looking for a great, sturdy business ultraportable, there really is no excuse not to get the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 - especially considering the ridiculously low prices in the US.

And with that, here are a few reviews about my favorite ThinkPad:
Notebookreview review
TechLoop review
PC World review