Who needs a desktop PC? Powerful and versatile laptops can replace the average workstation.Thinking about buying a new computer, but can't decide whether to buy a laptop or a desktop? For many who would like to make a laptop their primary PC, the main sticking point sticking point n. A point, issue, or situation that causes or is likely to cause an impasse. Noun 1. sticking point - a point at which an impasse arises in progress toward an agreement or a goal has been the laptop's notorious lack of power. Until recently, laptops powered by Intel chips hit the wall at a top speed of 150MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. , while high-end desktop PCs continue to push the envelope, achieving speeds of 300MHz. Now, laptops are available at up to 233MHz with enough power and performance to suit the most demanding road warrior. We put a couple through the paces to let you know what to expect from these workhorses in show pony guise. MICRON TRANSPORT XKE Micron's new TransPort XKE offers excellent performance, continuing in the tradition of the company's first notebook offering last year. However you slice it, the XKE is a heavyweight. It's 9.1 lb., $5,149-unit has the design, performance and construction to put it in a class by itself. Micron didn't skimp skimp v. skimped, skimp·ing, skimps v.tr. 1. To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material: concentrated on reelection, skimping other matters. 2. on the components for this machine. Powered by a 166MHz mobile Intel Pentium with MMX (MultiMedia EXtensions) A set of 57 additional instructions built into the Pentium MMX chip for improved multimedia and modem performance by performing mathematical operations on multiple sets of data at the same time (see SIMD). , the XKE also boasts a 128-bit graphics accelerator with a standard 56k integrated modem. The unit has a 13.3-inch XGA (EXtended Graphics Array) A screen resolution of 1,024x768 pixels. The term stems from IBM's XGA display standard introduced in 1990, which extended VGA to 132-column text and interlaced 1,024x768x256 resolution. XGA-2 later added non-interlaced 1,024x768x64K. TFT (Thin Film Transistor) The term typically refers to active matrix screens on laptop computers. Active matrix LCD provides a sharper screen display and broader viewing angle than does passive matrix. See LCD and thin film. TFT - Thin Film transistor display, which rivals many desktop monitors, and both a pointing stick and a touch pad for the undecided. Users can switch between the devices by pressing a function key. Zoomed Video and CardBus support, S-Video and NTSC (National TV Standards Committee) The committee that developed the television standards for the U.S, which are also used in Canada, Japan, South Korea and several Central and South American countries. Both the committee and the standard are called "NTSC. video capabilities and front-and-back IrDA make the XKE a good choice for presentations The floppy disk and CD-ROM drives are swappable, but you may want to leave the CD-ROM drive in because of its full multimedia controls. Besides, there's more than enough storage space in the unit's 2.9GB hard drive. While the unit we tested had a built-in 33.6-Kbps modem, 56.6-Kbps modems are now standard. Micron's XKE is worth its price and its excellent performance is worth the weight. TransPort XKE, Micron Electronics Inc., Nampa, ID, 888-634-8799i www.micronpc.com. SHARP PC-9800T Sharp Electronics Sharp PC9800T is a more affordable unit featuring a 12.1-inch TFT display and a Pentium/166 MMX CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. . Fully multimedia capable, the PC-9800T has two swappable bays that can accommodate any combination of a hard drive, floppy drive, CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). or second battery (which doubles as an AC adapter). Like the Micron XKE, the PC 9800 T includes both a USB port and CardBus support. In fact, the two notebooks feature many of the same components, including a PC card that holds two type II (or one type III) PCMCIA cards. A 33.6-Kbps modem comes standard on this 7.5-lb. laptop. The system's XGA display has a resolution of 1,024 x 768 dpi and features Sharp's Super High Aperture technology, which the company claims increases screen brightness while offering longer battery life than standard TFT screens permit. The system's video-out port supports both NTSC and PAL. Performance, however, is not this unit's strong suit. It ran noticeably slower than the Micron XKE but, at $1,200 less than the Micron, a drop in speed is understandable. The unit has a three-year warranty with one year of Sharp's SharpFast service, which guarantees 24-hour turnaround on repairs. Fine as a general-purpose notebook, the PC-9800T benefits from good components and comprehensive service coverage. Suggested retail price: $3,999. Sharp PC-9800T, Sharp Electronics Corp., Mahwah, NJ, 800-237-4277; www.sharp-usa.com. |
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