Close To Perfect

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 24, 2008

David Flynn

THINKPAD X300

RRP from $3999

Rating 4/5

www.lenovo.com.au

It's difficult to look at Lenovo's super-thin ThinkPad X300 without comparing it with the MacBook Air. The X300 doesn't quite have the wafer-thin profile, gravity-defying weight or sleek chic of the Air but it avoids the compromises that have cruelled the Air's appeal for the more serious user.

With the X300 you get a CD-DVD drive for loading software, watching movies and burning discs; three USB ports instead of one; an Ethernet plug for connecting to networks via cable rather than relying solely on Wi-Fi; and a 3G HSDPA radio that taps into Vodafone's mobile broadband network for high-speed internet access.

Also welcome is the flexible battery system that lets you pair a main "extended life" battery with a second modular battery in place of the CD-DVD drive to get 10 hours on a single charge. On its own the standard battery is good for about 31/2 hours of solid use.

It would be fairer to compare the X300 with Apple's MacBook Pro series or, indeed, any full-featured Windows laptop. But even then X300 throws a curve ball because it's rare to find such a no-compromise notebook with the X300's 34cm screen, its 1.3kg weight and a profile that gently tapers from 23mm to 19mm.

The X300 uses the same tiny Core 2 Duo processor as the Air, designed by Intel to fit this new generation of super-slim notebooks. However, unlike Apple, Lenovo doesn't give you a choice between a fast, silent but expensive 64GB solid-state drive or a conventional higher capacity hard drive. That's the reason the X300's starting price is so high compared with the Air's $2499. Nonetheless, the ThinkPad's perennially solid-built quality, excellent keyboard and superb bundled software make this an almost perfect ultra-portable for those who can afford it. David Flynn

SLIM 60

RRP $299

Rating 4/5

www.kanzenint.com/pbp

Despite advances in energy-efficient mobile computing, most notebooks still struggle to break the four-hour battery barrier. The Slim 60 from Smart Power Solutions is like fitting a second fuel tank to your car: suddenly you can work (or play) all day without hauling around the AC adaptor and hunting for the nearest powerpoint.

The Slim 60 packs lithium-polymer battery cells into a notepad-sized slab that's both skinny (10 millimetres) and light (550 grams), making it a boon for travel - just slip it into your laptop bag and off you go.

The battery's capacity is rated at 60 watt-hours, which is a dollop more than most notebooks - for instance, Apple's popular MacBook has a 55W/h battery. As such, the Slim 60 will easily double the life of most notebooks. It also has a USB port for recharging your iPod or mobile phone on the go. However, large-screen multimedia and gaming notebooks that draw more than 80 watts will need one of the stronger batteries from the SPS family.

Fast-charge circuitry ensures the Slim 60 goes from empty to full in two hours and a set of LED lights on the battery acts as a "fuel gauge" for charging status and remaining power.

The Slim 60 gets warm in use but it's easy enough to leave on your desk, propped beside your chair or inside your laptop bag. It certainly doesn't approach the hotplate tendencies of some notebooks that sear your thighs.

Best of all, it includes a riot of "Smart Tip" adaptor plugs to suit most laptop makes and models including Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Sony and Toshiba. It also works with Apple iBook and PowerBook notebooks, although not the new models with Apple's MagSafe connector. David Flynn

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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