NEC COMPUTERS EQUIPS VERSA NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS WITH INTEL'S LATEST PROCESSORS.

NEC Computers Inc., has announced the availability of its Versa(R) LXi and Versa SXi notebook computers with Intel's(R) new 800 and 850 MHz Pentium(R) III SpeedStep(TM) processors. The new notebook systems offer NEC customers an increase in performance and functionality in mobile work environments.

The Versa LXi notebook computer is a desktop replacement system designed to deliver the performance and multi-media features demanded by presenters. Featuring Intel's 850MHz Mobile Pentium III SpeedStep processor, the Versa LXi notebook offers increased processing performance with the latest video capabilities, including the S3 Savage IX8 graphic accelerator with 16MB video RAM, as well as a 14-inch or 15-inch XGA TFT display.

The Versa SXi notebook is NEC Computers' workhorse notebook for mainstream corporate users. With the power to easily manage most applications, the Versa SXi notebook harnesses its modular VersaBay III technology to provide mobile workers with the computing performance and functionality in a lightweight, compact design. Integrating the new 850MHz Pentium III SpeedStep processor, the Versa SXi notebook features a 14.1-inch XGA TFT display, weighs 6.3 pounds, and is just over 1.5-inches thick.

"NEC maintains its position as a market leader by offering our customers some of the latest advancements in mobile computing," said Stacey Wu, director of product management for NEC Computers. "The performance upgrades for both of these notebooks gives our customers the option of choosing the performance and design solutions that suit their computing needs."

Base configurations of the Versa LXi and Versa SXi notebooks included 128MB RAM, upgradeable to 512MB, with 10GB, 20GB or 30GB(1) hard drive options available. Modular drive options include a CD-RW, DVD-ROM(2), LS-120, CD-ROM, or a second HDD through use of NEC Computer's VersaBay(TM) III technology. Commonality of Components Across Versa Product Lines

The Versa SXi and Versa LXi notebooks help manage the total cost of ownership associated with maintaining and deploying these systems across an enterprise by enabling the interchangeability of accessories. The Versa SXi and Versa LXi notebook hard drive and memory components are shared among all current Versa notebook designs, including Versa models VXi and FXi. The VersaBay III in the Versa SXi and Versa LXi notebooks is also engineered to be compatible with future notebook offerings. This consistent and common design lowers maintenance costs, allows IT departments to manage a single set of computing accessories across multiple product designs, and simplifies the replacement purchase process.

The Versa line of notebook computers, aimed at the enterprise environment, are designed to minimize IS management issues and include a number of features to ensure easy set-up and maintenance. All NEC Computer products are equipped with the advanced Mini-PCI architecture, which allows users to choose modem-only or combo modem/LAN built-to-order configurations. Versa notebook computers are ACPI compliant and are shipped with only the operating system and critical software pre-installed. Additional software is shipped on a CD-ROM, allowing users or MIS managers to add only the applications required.