Can $1,000 buy you a good desktop replacement notebook? Acer offers up a definite "yes" with the Aspire 9300-5005, a $949 desktop replacement that comes equipped with a 17-inch widescreen, competent processing power, and enough muscle for midrange gaming and graphics tasks. Though it lacks some of the niceties found on higher-end multimedia systems, this notebook delivers outstanding value.
At 15.7 x 11.6 x 1.2 inches, the Aspire 9300-5005 is average sized for a desktop replacement with a 17-inch display. At 8.1 pounds, it's far too heavy for regular travel but light enough to bring into the next room without undue strain. Its black-and-silver coloring and functional design are inoffensive but unremarkable.
The keys are large but spongy and packed together, partly because of the dedicated number pad--a nice feature for spreadsheet jockeys but not much of a value add for anyone else. We're fans of the Aspire 9300-5005's large touchpad, which features both horizontal and vertical scrolling zones. A four-way rocker switch between the large mouse buttons facilitates navigating through long documents and Web pages.
The glossy widescreen display, with a pleasing 1440 x 900-pixel native resolution, isn't the brightest in the desktop replacement class, but it delivers clear, crisp images and a reasonable amount of screen real estate for editing documents side by side and working in multiple windows. The stereo speakers project audio that's clear though not particularly loud; their placement along the front edge of the system lets you listen to music even when the lid is closed.
The Aspire 9300-5005 gives basic users some, though not all, of the features they'll want. Notably absent are dedicated volume controls commonly available on competitive desktop replacement systems; worse is the lack of even one FireWire port. Nevertheless, in addition to a DVD+/-R burner, the Aspire 9300-5005 has four USB 2.0 ports for connecting to peripherals; S-Video and VGA outputs for connecting to an external display; one Type II PC Card slot; and a 5-in-1 media card reader. A built-in webcam is located above the display, handy for videoconferencing, and four programmable quick-launch buttons sit above the keyboard.
The Aspire 9300-5005's built-in networking features include Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi (plus a wireless on/off switch). And though there's a button for it, Acer says Bluetooth is not available on this model. The Aspire 9300-5005's wireless throughput of 11.3 Mbps at 15 feet and 9.4 Mbps at 50 feet was on target for a desktop replacement.
Our test unit was configured with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium as well as a handful of Acer's helpful, homegrown utilities for managing system settings. Our Aspire 9300-5005 also included a robust array of hardware, including a dual-core 1.6-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50 processor, a dedicated Nvidia GeForce Go 7300 graphics card, 1GB of DDR2 RAM (upgradable to 4GB), and a roomy 120GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive.
These components delivered very good results on our benchmark tests, including a score of 2,993 on PCMark05. For less than $1,000, you get a system that will easily shoulder any productivity task and capably handle multiple applications at once. And although it may not run today's most demanding games and graphics applications set to the maximum settings, with a 3DMark03 score of 3,042, you should have no problem using the Aspire 9300-5005 as a midlevel gaming system. The six-cell battery lasted for only 69 minutes on our DVD drain test, but this laptop isn't made to stray far from the wall socket anyway.
If you're looking for a big display and powerful performance for about $1,000, the Acer Aspire 9300-5005 is about as good as it gets.
Specifications:
CPU: 1.6-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50
RAM Included: 1GB
RAM Upgradable To: 4GB
Hard Drive Size: 120GB
Hard Drive Speed: 5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type: SATA Hard Drive
Optical Drive Type: DVD±RW
Optical Drive Speed: 8X
Display Size (inches): 17
Native Resolution: 1440x900
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce Go 7300
Video Memory: 256MB
Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
Bluetooth: ---
Mobile Broadband: ---
Operating System: MS Windows Vista Home Premium
Ports (excluding USB): Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; Modem; S-Video; S/PDIF; VGA
USB Ports: 4
Card Slot(s): 5-1 card reader; Type II
Warranty/Support: Toll-free, Mon-Fri 7AM to 9PM CT, Sat. 8AM-6PM CT, Sun. 8AM to 5PM CT; 24/7 tech support at www.acersupport.com.
Size: 15.7 x 11.6 x 1.2 inches
Weight: 8.1 pounds
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Gateway's latest business notebook, the E-475M, sports an elegant design, strong wireless performance, and a spacious 100GB hard drive for storing all of your documents, photos, and music files. Factor in the lengthy battery life from the default six-cell battery and compatibility with 802.11n, and you have a good all-around performer that just may be worth the $2,106 price tag.
The 6.5-pound E-475M is housed in a textured black body, with the Gateway logo emblazoned across the top and a silver strip outlining the bottom half of the machine. Flip the lid and you'll find a crisp, 15.4-inch LCD with a 1680 x 1050-pixel resolution, although it could be brighter. The widescreen display offers enough real estate for engaging in a host of productivity tasks including editing documents side by side and working in multiple windows. We tested the LCD with a movie and discovered that our Finding Nemo DVD looked colorful and detailed. Viewing angles were excellent from all but the most extreme angles (view photo gallery).
The 14.3 x 10.1 x 1.4-inch body accommodates a roomy and functional--if unspectacular--keyboard, a large touchpad, and a biometric fingerprint reader nestled between two mouse buttons. To the upper left of the keyboard rests a configurable button that launches the control panel or any other application a user selects. We also liked the illuminated indicator buttons that glow a rich shade of blue when the notebook is powered up.
In addition to the dual-layer 8X DVD-RW burner, the Gateway E-475M has four USB 2.0 ports scattered along the left and right sides of the machine, and FireWire for connecting accessories. S-Video and VGA outputs are available for feeding visuals to an external monitor, and a Type II PC Card slot, Bluetooth, and a 7-in-1 memory card slot round out the connectivity options.
The Gateway E-475M packs a speedy 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a new 800-MHz FSB, part of the new Santa Rosa platform, and a solid 2GB of RAM under the hood, which translated into an impressive MobileMark 2005 score of 256. On our F.E.A.R. test, the ATI Mobility Radeon X2300 graphics (with 256MB of shared memory) performed at a decent clip, maintaining a semi-smooth 50 fps on the autodetect settings (640 x 480 pixel-resolution). When we bumped the game's visuals to maximum resolution (1024 x 768 pixels), the notebook choked and dropped the frame rate to an unplayable 12 fps.
Even more potent was the machine's battery life; the 8-cell battery included with our configuration cranked out 4 hours and 16 minutes of productivity. If you need more runtime, the optional 12-cell battery ($60) will give you a rated 6 hours of power. Users who need even more juice can opt for an additional 6-cell modular battery ($109) that swaps out with the optical drive, which, when partnered with the 12-cell, provides more than 8 rated hours of computing.
On our wireless tests, we saw strong throughput performance of 17.4 Mbps from 15 feet away from our access point and 16.1 Mbps from 50 feet. Early adopters will be happy to learn that the E-475M is 802.11n-ready (also attributable to the new Centrino platform. The notebook became quite warm after a few hours of use, but the internal fan was one of the quietest we've heard.
The E-475M comes with a basic software bundle that includes Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0, Google Toolbar, Microsoft Works 8.5, and Norton AntiVirus. Windows XP Professional runs under the hood, but we would have liked see Vista included, as the system certainly has enough graphics muscle to support the Aero interface. The E-475M also comes with a three-year limited parts and labor warranty.
If you're looking for a reasonably priced notebook that can handle most of your work and play functions, the Gateway E-475M is an excellent, all-purpose choice.
Specifications:
CPU: 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500
RAM Included: 2GB
RAM Upgradable To: 4GB
Hard Drive Size: 100GB
Hard Drive Speed: 7,200rpm
Optical Drive Speed: 8X
Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon X2300
Video Memory: 256MB
Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/pre-n
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0
Operating System: MS Windows XP Pro
USB Ports: 4
Size: 14.3 x 10.1 x 1.4 inches
Weight: 6.5 pounds
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It's like a bionic Q. Although the latest version for Verizon was more of a multimedia makeover, the Moto Q 9h global ($199 through the holidays, $299 after that) has been rebuilt from the ground up to make it one of the most compelling Windows Mobile phones yet. We're not just talking about a new processor and extra RAM. Motorola has replaced Mobile IE with Opera as the default browser (faster and better formatting), kicked Office Mobile to the curb in favor of Documents to Go (for editing and creating documents) and added GPS. You also get a sharper two-megapixel camera and one of the best keyboards we've used. It's a bit large, but when you add in fast HSDPA data and very good call quality, the Moto Q global looks like a steal.
There's a reason why the Moto Q global has a stellar keyboard: It has a lot of room for one. In fact, at 4.7 x 2.6 x 0.5 inches and 4.7 ounces, this smart phone is significantly taller, wider, and heavier than the BlackBerry Curve (4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches and 3.9 ounces). It's also slightly taller than the Verizon Wireless Q music 9m but a hair lighter. The Moto Q global is still thin and relatively pocket-friendly, but you certainly won't forget that it's in your pocket. As soon as we started typing, however, we nearly forgot about those extra ounces and inches. This QWERTY layout has large, raised keys that are easy to press. Plus, Motorola throws in several launch buttons along the bottom (calendar, contacts, music, camera, and voice recognition) to minimize menu digging.
The Moto Q global offers a fairly standard 2.4-inch screen, but an ambient light sensor above it automatically adjusts the brightness. Navigating menus was a cinch using the large D-pad above the keyboard. You can also use the Up and Down controls on the right spine; a selected button is located between them. These same Up and Down keys double as volume controls during phone calls and music playback, but you have to press and hold down that center select button when you're doing anything else to adjust the volume, which was annoying. Plus, doing so emits a loud beep.
The left side of the Moto Q global houses a MicroUSB port for the supplied charger, sync cable, and 3.5mm audio adapter. We like the soft touch feel of this phone's back side, which makes it easy to grip. This is where you'll also find the microSD Card slot and 2-MP camera with flash. There are twin speakers on the back of the device.
Not Your Standard Windows Mobile Fare
Like many of its competitors, the Moto Q global runs Windows Mobile 6, which means you can use this smart phone to sync your contacts, calendar, and more with Outlook and enjoy such perks as the ability to easily search your Inbox. But what Motorola adds to this smart phone is what makes it such a good value.
It starts with Opera Mobile, which is set as the default Web browser instead of Internet Explorer Mobile. It's not only faster than IE Mobile, but it offers tabbed browsing, better formatting of sites, and allows you to easily send links via e-mail or SMS. On our tests, Opera did a superb job leveraging AT&T's HSDPA network, loading the NYTimes.com in 6 seconds, ESPN.com in 11 seconds, and CNN.com Mobile in 7 seconds. The Moto Q global loaded the image-heavy Gizmodo.com homepage in 29 seconds, compared with 48 seconds for IE Mobile. And the latter page was basically unreadable.
The second major value-add is Documents To Go, which is much more versatile than the Office Mobile suite typically included on Windows Mobile 6 Standard devices. You can you view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files and view Adobe PDF files, all while faithfully maintaining the original formatting. You can even unzip files on your device. In general, this suite worked very well with the push-enabled Xpress Mail client, which made setting up our Gmail account easy.
We prefer the bundled Thumbspeed Instant Messaging program, which supports AIM, Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo, to the OZ Communications client found on most Windows Mobile smart phones. Thumbspeed loaded our contacts faster and let us toggle among those clients with ease. Business users will appreciate this device's support for Good Mobile Messaging 5, which adds welcome features like an RSS reader and the ability to prioritize e-mail messages. It's also compatible with Microsoft's upcoming System Center Mobile Device Manager product when that rolls out in the second quarter of 2008.
Other welcome features include GPS for turn-by-turn directions (assuming you're willing to spring for the $9.99 TeleNav GPS Navigator monthly subscription) and My Q Paks. These bundles of applications, which are free to use for one year and can be downloaded over the air, are designed to appeal to the different types of users who might be Moto Q global owners. The Road Warrior Pak, for example, includes WorldMate 2007 for keeping track of flight status and weather forecasts, QuoteStream for stock info management, and Zagat for restaurant ratings.
Meh Multimedia, Stellar Call Quality
The Moto Q global can tap into all sorts of music and video services on the go. When we watched a CNN clip using AT&T's streaming Cellular Video service, we were impressed with the brief buffering time but were annoyed that selecting full-screen mode didn't enlarge the video window. XM Radio Mobile sounded pretty good when we had 3G data, but we experienced frustrating drop-outs when we roamed into EDGE coverage areas. We say skip these services and just have fun with your own content using Windows Media Player Mobile. The Moto Q global's dual speakers delivered good volume when we plugged in a microSD Card filled with tunes; both an AVI Heroes episode and MPEG-4 home video played smoothly.
Don't expect too much from the 2-MP camera. Although it captures sharper images than the Q music's 1.3-MP camera--and did so with very little shutter delay--they're not exactly print-worthy. On the plus side, the short range-flash came in pretty handy when we snapped some photos at a Halloween party. A 176 x 144-pixel video clip we recorded of moving traffic looked grainy and pixelated during playback on the Moto Q global's screen, nevermind a bigger monitor.
We were most impressed with the Moto Q global's call quality. Other callers said our voice sounded nearly as good as a landline, and conversations on our end were clear and cloud, even in noisy Times Square. And unlike the Q music 9m, travelers can take this phone abroad and get e-mail and data coverage in more than 135 countries and voice coverage in more than 190 countries. However, at least based on our tests in New Jersey and Manhattan, Verizon offers broader 3G coverage. There were several sections of the NJ Turnpike where the Moto Q global dropped back to EDGE.
Overall performance from the 330-MHz processor was strong, as we didn't notice much of a lag when loading apps or multitasking. Just be sure to pack that included extended battery if you're a heavy talker or data user. On our tests this smart phone lasted just over a full day with moderate use. The extended battery is supposed to extend the straight talk time from 5 hours to 9 hours (and standby time to 30 days), but it adds bulk to an already large device.
Verdict
The Motorola Q 9h global is one of the best smart phones money can buy, especially at its limited-time price of $199 with a two-year contract. It offers very solid call quality, and unlike with the BlackBerry Curve, you get 3G data speeds and the ability to edit attachments out of the box. Although we still prefer the Curve for its smaller size and longer battery life, power users will love what this versatile device has to offer.
Specifications:
Carrier: AT&T
Form Factor: Candy Bar
Operating System: Windows Mobile OS
Fast Data Network: HSPDA
CPU: 325-MHz ARM11 TI OMAP 2420
Internal Memory: 128MB ROM/64MB RAM
Memory Expansion Type: TransFlash/MicroSD
Music Player: Yes
Video: Yes
GPS: No
FM Radio: No
Display (main): 2.4 inches (240 x 320 pixels, 65,000 colors)
Talk / Standby Time: 5 hours/19 days
Size: 4.7 x 2.6 x 0.5 inches
Weight: 4.7 ounces
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The Apple MacBook Pro proves that a desktop replacement notebook doesn't have to be a behemoth. Weighing just 6.8 pounds and measuring about an inch thick, this sleek system delivers a 17-inch widescreen and plenty of extras.
The simple brushed-aluminum shell of the MacBook Pro (compare prices) is as pleasing to the touch as it is to the eyes, and the clean look continues inside, with a monochromatic brushed-silver keyboard and deck. The keyboard is exceedingly comfortable and quiet, and we appreciate the oversized touchpad and single mouse button. One casualty of the minimalist aesthetic: The system lacks multimedia control keys, although you can use keyboard shortcuts to control these functions.
The 17-inch, 1680 x 1050-pixel widescreen (your choice of antiglare or glossy) is sharp and bright, with excellent color reproduction for image and video editors. It also has the best viewing-angle performance we've seen, which makes the MacBook Pro an ideal presentation tool. If you need a larger screen, the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics engine can drive an external display up to 2560 x 1600 pixels.
Hardware and software features abound. We love the backlit keyboard that illuminates automatically, thanks to the machine's light sensor. The built-in iSight camera and software enable four-way videoconferencing, and the included remote launches and controls Apple's Front Row interface for playing movies, music, and photos from across the room. You'll find FireWire 400 and 800 ports, and the ExpressCard slot accepts a Verizon Wireless EV-DO wireless broadband card. The newest MacBooks are equipped with the latest 802.11n technology.
Then there are the extras of the Mac OS X 10.4 itself, such as the handy Finder search utility and the Dashboard with dockable Widget applets. The included iLife suite makes it easy to manage and edit photos with iPhoto, manage and expand your music library with iTunes, make your own music with GarageBand, create movies and DVDs with iMovie and iDVD, create a Web site with iWeb, and more. Not enough? Load Apple's Boot Camp utility and set up the MacBook Pro as a dual-boot machine running either Mac OS X or Windows XP. In fact, the only software you're likely to need to add is an office suite.
Performance from the 2.33-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU (married to 3GB of RAM in our test configuration) and ATI graphics was good but not class-leading. The machine scored 4,871 on PCMark05, and 4,996 on 3DMark03 while running Boot Camp (both acceptable, but on the lower end of the range here). Our F.E.A.R. test got a playable frame rate (39 fps) on its autodetect settings with a resolution of 1024 x 768. On the plus side, wireless throughput was excellent at 19.3 Mbps at 15 feet, and 14.6 Mbps at 50 feet. Battery life of 2 hours and 44 minutes was good for a 17-inch model and the best in the roundup.
For the price, you could certainly get a faster 17-inch Windows notebook, even one with a high-def DVD drive (which Apple doesn't yet offer). But it won't have all the Apple software and hardware extras, it'll weigh at least two pounds more, and it won't look nearly as good. We recommend opting for the standard 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB, which will bring the price down to $2,799.
Notebook owners: Do you have a great tech-support story? We want to hear all about the good, the bad, and the just plain stupid. Vent, give praise, or tell us how they couldn't help you at all. Our editors will feature the best stories in an upcoming issue of the magazine.
Specifications:
RAM Included: 3GB
RAM Upgradable To: 3GB
Hard Drive Size: 160GB
Hard Drive Speed: 5,400rpm
Optical Drive Type: DVD+R DL;DVD±RW
Optical Drive Speed: 8X
Display Size (inches): 17
Native Resolution: 1680x1050
Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
Video Memory: 256MB
Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
Bluetooth: Stereo Bluetooth
Ports (excluding USB): DVI; Ethernet; Firewire; Headphone; Microphone
USB Ports: 3
Card Slot(s): ExpressCard
Warranty/Support: One-year parts and labor/90-day toll-free 24/7
Size: 15.4x10.4x1
Weight: 6.8lbs
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The
Everex StepNote XT5000T is designed for budget-conscious buyers who want a big screen and not much more. You don't get top-shelf components or a lot of multimedia extras, but considering it costs $899 in a sea of $2,000-and-up fish, some might be eager to overlook its faults.
The black-on-black lid (with a chrome accent strip) gives this machine a rather generic look, and the one-third silver/two-thirds black keyboard deck is not the pinnacle of ergonomics. In fact, the keyboard layout is unacceptable for a machine this size. While the letter keys are full-sized and comfortable, some ancillary keys-including oft-used Enter, Shift, and the period key-are shrunken to accommodate a dedicated number pad (that you'll probably never use). Also, the plastic chrome mouse buttons felt cheap and were very loud.
Another cost-saver comes in the LCD panel: The 17-inch widescreen is bright enough, but the resolution (1440 x 900 pixels) is low for this class. Still, text in applications was crisp and legible, and DVD playback looked fine. Since there is no high-def optical drive option (a dual-layer multi-format DVD burner is standard), you probably won't miss the HD screen. On the plus side, the deck-mounted speakers delivered decent sound quality, and you get a 100GB hard drive.
The XT5000T's selection of ports is fairly basic; a 4-in-1 memory card reader, three USB ports, FireWire, an ExpressCard slot, and S-video and DVI-I connectors for outputting the video signal to a TV or bigger LCD. Everex also includes four application-launch keys below the screen and a volume dial on the front edge. Aside from the features found in Windows Vista Home Premium, the only software included is CyberLink's DVD Suite.
As for performance, the 1.66-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 CPU is fine for typical chores but couldn't keep pace with the Intel Core 2 Duo machines here, posting a score of 3,411 on PCMark05, the lowest of the group. The 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 GPU is good enough for casual gamers and plenty powerful for Vista's Aero interface, but the machine posted a merely okay score of 7,009 on 3DMark03. F.E.A.R. scores were good, but not great, at 41 fps on autodetect. Wireless throughput was slightly below average for this class at 10.9 Mbps at 15 feet, and 7.1 Mbps at 50 feet, as was the XT5000T's battery life of 1 hour and 18 minutes.
All told, the StepNote XT5000T doesn't have the flash or power of the other entries here. But considering you can get two-or three or four-of them for the money you'd spend on one of the others, buyers with modest needs and budgets might not mind.
Specifications:
RAM Included: 1GB
RAM Upgradable To: 4GB
Hard Drive Size: 100GB
Hard Drive Speed: 5,400rpm
Optical Drive Type: DVD±RW Dual Layer
Optical Drive Speed: 8X
Display Size (inches): 17
Native Resolution: 1440x900
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce Go 7600
Video Memory: 256MB
Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
Operating System: MS Windows Vista Home Premium
Ports (excluding USB): DVI; Ethernet; Firewire; Headphone; Microphone; Modem; S-Video
USB Ports: 3
Card Slot(s): 4-1 card reader; ExpressCard
Warranty/Support: One-year parts and labor/one-year toll-free 24/7
Size: 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.6
Weight: 8.5
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