Amazon.com Product Description

The lightweight HP Pavilion dv1150us notebook PC fuses together the world of mobile computing with a portable home theater. Watch DVDs on the bright, high-definition-ready 14-inch screen, and share the experience with dual headphone jacks. You can also burn your own CDs and DVDs with the multifomat DVD+/-RW and CD-RW combo drive. The dv1130us is powered by a power-saving 1.5 GHz Pentium M (Centrino) processor, which provides up to a 3-hour battery life. Other features include a large 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, 54g wireless connectivity, and a multiformat memory card reader for easy access to pictures captured on your digital camera.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 80 GB hard drive (4200 RPM) is one of the larger sizes you'll find in a notebook, and it's befitting of such an entertainment-centric PC. It offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors. You'll also be able to store a good-sized digital audio library.
• Processor: The 1.5 GHz speed sits in the upper-middle spectrum of currently available Pentium M (Centrino) processors, and will be fast enough for multimedia applications. The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. The dv1150us has a large 2 MB L2 cache and a 400 MHz front-side bus. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance.)
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (2 x 256 MB, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users, though it is a little slower (266 MHz) than RAM found in other entertainment-centric laptops. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 2 GB (2 x 1024 MB), and you'll want to maximize the RAM within your budget to take advantage of this notebook's multimedia capabilities.
• CD/DVD Drive: The combo DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive is compatible with a wide variety disc formats, including DVD+, DVD-, VCD, and SVCD discs. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 1x write/rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 2x write/rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 5x). For CDs, it has a 16x write/10x rewrite/40x read speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 101-key keyboard and two-button touchpad with on/off button and dedictated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The dv1150us has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. You get a limited offering of connectivity options, but it does include super-fast USB 2.0:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 S-Video out
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 2 headphone jacks
• 1 microphone jack
• Multiformat memory card reader, compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, and XD cards

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 operating system with Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. It also comes preloaded with Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents), Symantec Norton Antivirus 2005 (with 60 days of LiveUpdate), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Sonic RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD, InterVideo Home Theater, Apple iTunes and Apple iTunes Music Store, Adobe PhotoShop Album STE, Muvee autoProducer, Microsoft Money, MSN Encarta Plus, and Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition (60 Day Trial Version).

The included HP Image Zone Plus photo and imaging software makes it easy to organize, edit, share, print, protect, and store your photos and video clips. Organize and find your photos easily by timeline, keywords, and/or location using the unique photo-globe mapping tool. Remove red eye and fix other common problems. Share your photos quickly via e-mails that include thumbnails with links to the full-sized images--without downloading time-consuming attachments.

Dimensions and Weight
At 5.33 pounds, the dv1130us is highly portable. It measures a slender 13.15 x 9.24 x 1.18 inches (LxWxH).

Power
This notebook is powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which offers up to 3 hours of battery life (dependent upon computing conditions).

What's in the Box
This package contains the dv1150us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty and 30-day free software support. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics
Founded in 1998 and acquired by Gateway in early 2004, eMachines today is one of the largest vendors of PCs sold through U.S. retailers. With the T2984 Desktop PC, eMachines targets budget-conscious buyers who can't afford or justify a top-rung unit but desire more power and perks than a low-end machine can provide. Similar in stature and design to eMachines entry-level T2862 but with moderate enhancements to many critical components, the T2984 is suitable for anyone who doesn't foresee themselves taxing their computer with sophisticated business-oriented applications, high-end graphics packages or the latest 3D games.

Processor
At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massive collection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. Many entry-level desktops utilize "budget" processors such as an Intel Celeron, and that is indeed the case with this model. But this particular processor is a new and recently enhanced version of the venerable Celeron, nicknamed the Celeron D and carrying 256 KB of Level 2 cache and a 533 MHz system bus for perceptibly faster performance than Celerons manufactured prior to 2004. This is the fastest Celeron currently on the market, a 2.93 GHz version that doesn't quite approach the raw data-churning speed of a high-end Pentium 4 but more than holds its own against even midlevel Pentiums and AMD Athlons.

Memory
Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM) for faster retrieval. More RAM means more efficient computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. eMachines has partnered this unit's processor with 512 MB of PC2700 DDR SDRAM main memory, the standard allotment for a modern PC. Thusly, the eMachines T2984 is ready to speed you through medium-duty multitasking sessions and many of today's complex applications. Moreover, users may upgrade the memory (at additional cost) to a whopping 2 GB.

Video
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (or graphics controller). A graphics controller with "dedicated" video memory is preferable to a controller that "shares" the system's main memory, as it better handles complex procedures. The eMachines T2984 is equipped with an Intel Extreme Graphics 3D video controller that is integrated on the motherboard and shares 64 MB of the system's main memory. Thusly, the unit will efficiently display 2D and many 3D applications but is not recommended for demanding 3D animations such as those found in the latest high-end games unless its graphics controller is first upgraded. A display screen is not enclosed, thus allowing you to continue using your current monitor or select from today's many alternatives.

Sound
Audio is generated via an AC 97-compatible chip integrated on the motherboard. AC-97 is today's most accepted midlevel PC audio standard. Though not as sophisticated as most standalone audio cards (its audio specs aren't as good and it supports limited speaker configurations), this integrated chipset is perfectly adequate for most stereo applications. eMachines will also enclose a pair of small desktop speakers for your listening enjoyment.

Hard Drive
The unit's 80 GB hard drive is considered average in today's desktop market, offering enough space for a typical roster of applications, files and multimedia or music content. However, if you foresee yourself gathering copious quantities of space-gobbling video footage or ultra-high resolution images, you may need to transfer files to a compact disc to free up room, upgrade this drive, or add another.

Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today's computing world. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can enjoy all of the above plus watch the same big budget DVD movies you watch on your home entertainment system. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can also "write" home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more than seven times the storage capacity of CDs).

The eMachines T2984 features dual optical drives -- a CD/RW drive for playing and burning CDs and a DVD-ROM drive for playing DVD movies and the like. DVD burning is not supported in this stock configuration.

Connectivity and Expansion
Though designed for the budget conscious, the eMachines T2984 nevertheless sports all the standard amenities, and then some. Communication options include an Intel PRO 10/100Mbps integrated LAN for high-speed Internet and email access and a standard 56K modem for low-speed dial-up service. For reading memory cards from devices such as digital cameras and PDAs, the system features an 8-in-1 Digital Media Manager. And, with no less than five high-speed USB 2.0 ports at your disposal, you'll have plenty of places to plug your plug and play peripherals. eMachines has not included an IEEE 1394 FireWire port, most commonly used for fast data transfer from digital camcorders.

Operating System and Software
The system features a surprisingly generous software package headed by Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Microsoft's Works 8.0 productivity suite, Microsoft's Money 2004 financial center and several useful multimedia and music utilities.

Keyboard and Mouse
A Standard Multimedia Keyboard and 2-button mouse (with scroll wheel) are enclosed. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Similar to Toshiba's stunning P25 series of high-end notebooks but sporting a smaller profile, marginally downgraded components and a more affordable price point, the Satellite P15 series is a good solution for power-hungry users who just don't want the added weight and expense of a full-blown mobile "desktop replacement". This particular unit, the top-of-the-line Satellite P15-S470, features upscale amenities such as DVD burning, wireless networking, a wide-screen display and more than enough graphics power to handle many of today's most demanding 3D games.

Though not nearly as petite as some of today's ultra-light notebooks, the P15-S470 is nevertheless comfortably portable at 14.2 by 10.8 by 1.7 inches and just 8 lbs. Inside, Toshiba has equipped the unit with a potent 3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor featuring Intel Hyper-Threading Technology for more efficient CPU usage. The system's power section also features a lightning fast 800 MHz bus, 512 MB of PC2100 DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to a full 2048 MB) and an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics controller with a very useful 64 MB of dedicated (not shared) video memory. Even in this stock configuration, the system will handle most anything you can throw at it, be it 2D or 3D in nature.

The P15-S470 sports a sizeable 15.4-inch widescreen display screen capable of dazzling 1280 by 800 resolutions. With this widescreen format, you can watch DVD movies the way they were intended, without black borders or chopped images. The system's 60 GB hard drive is quite large for a portable computer, and its versatile DVD-R/-RW/CD-RW optical drive allows you to listen to and burn audio CDs, archive your data, watch DVD movies, record home videos to DVD format, and utilize both DVD+ and DVD- formats.

Other critical features include an IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, a trio of high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals such as scanners or external drives, an S-Video TV-out, two memory slots (both of which may be simultaneously occupied), and an impressive variety of interior and exterior one-touch controls. Communication facilities include 802.11wireless networking, 10/100 Ethernet LAN and an integrated 56K modem.

Toshiba has loaded the P15-S470 with a solid roster of software that includes Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Intuit Quicken New User's Edition 2004, Microsoft's Works 7.0 productivity suite, and a variety of multimedia and Internet utilities. Maximum battery life expectancy is average at approximately 2 hours. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics
Sony takes mobile computing to new heights with its impressive VAIO VGN-A290 Notebook PC. Much like extra-bulky, battery-draining "desktop replacement" notebooks, the VAIO VGN-A290 offers such amenities as a massive 17-inch widescreen display, a huge 100 GB hard drive and both CD and DVD burning. Yet the unit is far more power efficient than most desktop replacements and comparatively compact at just 8.6 lbs. Though it may cost a bit more than a standard notebook, the VAIO VGN-A290 is perfect for those who crave the next generation of portable computing today.

Sony Series A Display Sizes The VGN-A290 features a 17" screen.

Processor At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massivecollection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power ofthe entire unit. Some of today's notebooks are equipped with high-endCPU's on par with those found in top-of-the-line desktop PCs, while othersare quick enough only for basic duties such as word processing, emailand the like. The VAIO VGN-A250 is equipped with an Intel Pentium M 725processor operating at 1.6 GHz. This is one of three components that compriseIntel's efficient Centrino system (the others being a specialized Intelchipset and integrated wireless support). Centrino-equipped notebooksare generally smaller, easier on the batteries, and more versatile thantheir non-Centrino counterparts. This particular CPU is part of Intel'supgraded Pentium M lineup, featuring an amazing 2 MB of Level 2 cachefor extremely fast access to recently opened data and a fast 400 MHz frontside bus to help reduce data streaming bottlenecks. Though its raw clockspeed is not on par with that of a high-end Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon,this CPU will easily handle most every mobile task while at the same timeimproving battery life. Moreover, Sony has equipped the system with solidgraphics support and adequate memory -- two components vital to overallperformance. Memory Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keepfrequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM) forfaster retrieval. More RAM means more efficient computing, superior multitaskingand less strain on your hard drive. The VAIO VGN-A290 incorporates a startlingone GB of RAM. This is a massive allotment for a notebook and substantiallymore than that of most desktops as well. Thusly, users can expect superbmultitasking and virtually no slowdowns during ultra-complex tasks.

The VGN-A250features a 15.4" screen.

Video
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translatingvisual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (orgraphics controller). This system's graphics controller is an ATI Mobility Radeon9200 with 64 MB of dedicated video RAM. Dedicated video memory is far preferableto "shared" video memory (where the graphics controller appropriatesa portion of the main system memory), and this 64 MB allotment is consideredplenty for 3D graphics, midlevel 3D animation packages and many of the latest3D games.

Display The VAIO VGN-A290 sports a 17-inch WUXGA display. This is a comparativelyenormous screen when compared to other notebook displays, and all themore spectacular given the unit's surprisingly compact size and lightweightmass. It's highly sophisticated too -- sporting Sony's new XBRITE Technologyfor better contrast and a brighter picture, and an exceedingly detailed1920 by 1200 maximum resolution. Furthermore, the widescreen format isperfectly suited to watching the Hollywood blockbusters you'll play onthe system's DVD-compatible optical drive. Hard Disk A 100 GB hard drive in a mobile computer many be a rarity, but that didn'tstop Sony. This level of data storage is a welcome perk indeed for thosewho need to operate a broad range of applications and also keep a generouslibrary of space-gobbling music and/or multimedia files. Audio The unit is equipped with integrated stereo speakers and audio amplifier.	  Dimensions When Closed Other Series A Computers
	SonyVAIO VGN-A290 1.70 GHz Pentium M 1 GB RAM 100 GB HD	SonyVAIO VGN-A250 1.6 GHz Pentium M 512 MB RAM 80 GB HD

Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM"drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW"drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important filesto long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM driveyou can watch DVD movies. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can "write"home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more thanseven times the storage capacity of a CD). Some drives allow you to do a combinationof all of these tasks. This system features a DVD+R Double Layer/DVD±RWDrive, through which you can do all of the above. The drive also supports today'shot new double layer DVD format that effectively doubles the capacity of typicalDVDs.

Keyboard and Controls
You'll control your notebook via an 82-key keyboard and a standard electro-statictouch pad.

Connectivity and Expansion
The VAIO VGN-A290 features a bevy of connectivity facilities, including a 56Kmodem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TXEthernet port for high-speed wired network and Internet, and an integrated IntelPRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection (802.11b/g) for cord-free e-communicationat home, at the office or on the road via a local public hotspot. Other keyamenities include high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play devices such asexternal drives and digital cameras, an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly usedfor quick data uploads from digital camcorders), and an AV Entertainment Dockwith high-end perks such as a TV Tuner and MPEG Encoder, VGA Monitor port, VHF/UHFTV port, S-Video in/out, DVI-D, Optical out, Line in (RCA Pin), Line out (RCAPin) and more. Suffice to say that no matter what sort of connections you wantto make, you can likely do it with the VAIO VGN-A290.

Operating System and Software
Sony will install Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, a varietyof productivity and business applications, and a broad range of digital photo,audio and video utilities.

Dimensions and Weight
Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten ortwelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuoustraveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements".On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables",super-miniaturized units that are typically less powerful than their largerbrethren but weigh as little as two lbs and will often fit comfortably insidea large purse. Despite its impressively spacious display and cutting-edge capabilities,the VAIO VGN-A290 is not excessively heavy at just 8.6 lbs. It is larger thanaverage at 16 by 11 inches, though not nearly as bulky as most other similarlyequipped portables.
... Read more

Amazon.com product Description

Reasonably priced and equipped with a solid set of features, this HPOmnibook will admirably fulfill the needs of most notebook users. Included is a933 MHz Celeron processor, 128 MB of RAM (expandable to 1,024 MB), and a 10 GBhard disk. Its 8x DVD-ROM drive and 14.1-inch, active-matrix, flat-panel displaymake it great for watching movies while traveling, while the installed WindowsXP Home OS further expands its multimedia capabilities. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A multitasking workhorse, the Compaq Presario R3070us notebook PC delivers fast processor speeds and a comfortable amount of memory and storage right out of the box. The R3070us features a 3.06 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor, 54g built-in wireless LAN, a multi-format memory card reader, 512 MB of installed RAM, and a generous 80 GB hard drive. It also offers a DVD+RW/+R for writing data and multimedia to DVD as well as a bright 15.4-inch WXGA display. For a step down in price, the Compaq Presario R3050us offers a smaller hard drive (60 GB) and a slightly slower--though still quite fast--processor (3.06 GHz).

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 80 GB EIDE hard drive (4200 RPM) is one of the largest hard drives available in a notebook PC.
• Processor: The 3.06 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor is one of the fastest available in a notebook PC, and it will go far in helping you with graphics intensive presentations and burning media to disk. Thanks to its Mobile features, the processor can save power when it's not needed, thus conserving battery life. It also has a 533 MHz FSB (front-side bus).
• Memory: The R3070us comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 1.28 GB (1 x 256 MB, 1 x 1024 MB). It also has an L2 cache of 512 KB.
• CD/DVD Drive: It is equipped with a combo drive that is capable of reading and writing of both DVDs and CDs (4x DVD+R, 2.4x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-ROM, 16x CD-R, 10x CD-RW, 40x CD-ROM). It uses the DVD+RW format, one of two formats for rewriteable DVDs.
• Keyboard & Mouse: The R3070us has a 101-key keyboard and touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The R3070us offers a good variety of external connections, including both USB 2.0 and FireWire.

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 TV-out (S-Video)
• 1 PS/2 port for connecting keyboard or mouse
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II compatible and 32-bit card bus)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• Multi-format memory card reader including compatibility with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro, and SmartMedia cards

Preloaded System and Software
The R3070us comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Norton Antivirus 2003 (with 60 days of complimentary live updates), Quicken, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe, Adobe Acrobat Reader, AOL (with three-month trial membership), InterVideo WinDVD SE (for playing DVD movies) and WinDVD Creator, MusicMatch Jukebox, Muvee AutoProducer, and Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator (Basic).

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 11.18 x 14.25 x 1.8 inches (L x W x H), it's not the thinnest notebook available. It weighs a moderate 7.8 pounds.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery has 8 cells (which refers to the number of charge-storing components within the battery) and offers a standard amount of power for a notebook PC (around 2 hours of typical use).

What's in the Box
This package includes the Compaq Presario R3070us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, phone cord, and operating instructions. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics:
It wasn't more than a couple of years ago that a notebook such as the HP Pavilion ze4335us was considered high-end. Today, however, notebooks of this caliber are viewed as entry-level units, best suited to those who use a portable computer for relatively straightforward tasks such as word processing, email correspondence, personal finances and contact management. The good news comes on two fronts: Firstly, if you're accustomed to the speed and capabilities of your ten-year-old notebook, the Pavilion ze4335us will best it in every respect. Secondly, the price point is perfect for those who need to pinch their pennies. If you don't foresee stockpiling a mountain of multimedia files, playing 3D games or running sophisticated applications, the Pavilion ze4335us is a wise and fiscally responsible choice.

Processor:
At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massive collection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. Some of today's notebooks are equipped with high-end CPU's on par with those found in top-of-the-line desktop PCs, while others are quick enough only for basic duties such as word processing, email and the like. The Pavilion ze4335us is equipped with a cost-effective Intel Celeron running at 1.8 GHz. The Celeron is Intel's entry-level processor, and the 1.8 GHz model resides in the middle of the lineup in terms of speed. Accordingly, the system simply doesn’t have enough muscle for power-hungry applications such as graphic design, games, video editing and high-end business programs. But for light-duty use, it's more than adequate.

Memory:
Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM) for faster retrieval. More RAM means more efficient computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. The Pavilion ze4335us incorporates 256 MB of 266 MHz RAM. This is a minimal RAM allotment for modern mobile computing. Therefore, the system will slow noticeably during periods of intensive multitasking or when called upon to operate complex applications.

Video:
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need assistance translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (or graphics controller). The best graphics controllers feature on-board "dedicated" video memory rather than "sharing" portions of the system's all-important main memory. This unit features an ATI Mobility Radeon with 64 MB of "shared" video RAM, and thusly is unable to smoothly display high-end 3D applications such as games and animation. It is, however, perfectly sufficient for most 2D tasks and some minor 3D work.

Display:
The Pavilion ze4335us is equipped with a generous 15-inch display - equivalent to the viewable screen area of a 17-inch CRT desktop monitor. This is the average size for a modern notebook computer. The system's maximum resolution is 1024 by 768, which again is typical of today's midlevel notebooks.

Hard Disk:
With the enclosed 40 GB hard drive, users can store a typical range of mobile applications, an adequate number of data files and even a few music or multimedia files. However, the system will not readily handle a full library of music and video files, digital photos and games.

Optical Drive:
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can watch DVD movies. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can "write" home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more than seven times the storage capacity of a CD). Some drives allow you to do a combination of all of these tasks. This unit includes a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive through which it can play and burn CDs and play DVDs. In its stock form, DVD burning is not supported.

Audio:
The unit is equipped with two miniature stereo speakers, a mini microphone jack and a stereo mini headphone jack.

Keyboard and Controls:
You'll control your notebook via an 88-key keyboard with touchpad and five convenient one-touch controls.

Connectivity and Expansion:
Being an entry-level machine, the Pavilion ze4335us is not fitted with state-of-the-art connections. It features substantially slower USB 1.1 plug and play ports rather than the much faster USB 2.0. It does not include an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders), a memory card reader, or wireless Bluetooth or Infrared. Nor does it offer wireless communication. It does feature a 56K modem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet port for high-speed wired network and Internet, an S-Video TV-out for high-quality video output to a television set, and parallel and serial ports.

Operating System and Software:
The bundled software package is headed by today's most accepted operating system, Windows XP Home Edition. Other applications include the Corel Productivity Pack (WordPerfect and Quattro Pro), the Quicken New User's Edition 2002 financial suite, and a selection of music and multimedia utilities.

Dimensions and Weight:
Notebook computers are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and weights. Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten or twelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuous traveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements". On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables", super-miniaturized units that typically aren't as powerful as their larger brethren but weigh as little as two lbs and will often fit comfortably inside a large purse. At 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.62 inches and 7.25 lbs, the Pavilion ze4335us is of average size.

Power:
Power is delivered via an 8-cell 4.4A PM Lithium battery. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Being on a budget doesn't mean you have to sacrifice key features or solid performance. Toshiba's Satellite 1405-S151 notebook PC delivers the built-in connectivity, storage, and speed you need for home or work. Those who need leading-edge 3-D game performance should look elsewhere, but this bargain notebook is sure to meet the needs of most everyone else.

Measuring 12.8 by 11.2 by 1.7 inches and weighing 7.4 pounds, this system falls firmly in the desktop replacement category. Though a bit heavy for frequent travelers, the 1405-S151 uses an all-in-one design that offers everything you need in a single package. Those features include a built-in floppy drive, built-in DVD/CD-RW drive for playing movies and burning your own CDs, and a very large 30 GB hard drive. The integrated 56K modem and 10/100 network adapter will keep you connected at home or on the road.

Intel's 1.2 GHz Celeron CPU and 256 MB of PC133 memory offer speed for office applications, Web browsing, or multimedia creation. The large, clear 14.1-inch TFT display shows a 1,024 x 768 desktop, large enough that you'll be happy to abandon your bulky monitor for good. Trident's CyberAladdin-T graphics controller, which accesses 16 MB of external UMA video memory, isn't ideal for leading-edge 3-D games, but offers enough 2-D and 3-D power to handle practically any other application. It can also drive an external monitor at up to 800 x 600 resolution or even your TV through the video-out connector.

Built-in stereo speakers plus microphone and headphone ports will let you enjoy your favorite music or do voice conferencing. Two PC Card slots, three USB ports, an infrared port, and a parallel printer port offer plenty of options for expanding the system or connecting peripherals.

The system's keyboard section features a standard 85-key layout and a touch pad for cursor control. Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Lotus SmartSuite Millennium Edition office applications, Intuit Quicken Basic 2001 finance software, and Norton AntiVirus 2002 virus protection, along with Toshiba's custom utilities and online documentation.

... Read more

Reviews (9)

terrible tech support
Toshiba may make good products, but their support is the worst i have ever come across. They have lost my laptop for over a month now and do not care a lick about it. They're tech support team is in Turkey and they dont care a thing about anybody. They kept hanging up on me and refused to help me saying it will take some time. When i called back- no one knew anything and had zero updates. DO NOT BUY TOSHIBA PRODUCTS! Get a Gateway or Dell instead...two companies that actually care about their customers.

Very Slow
It is a very nice portable, the screen is quite large so your eyes are going to be quite comfortable, BUT it is very slow. It isn't worth the money that you save. For most applications 1.2 GHZ is nothing and the processor gets very hot and noisy. The hard drive gets very noisy as well. I've had mine for 5 months now and I really need to replace it. In short, I don't really recommend it.

Best value in a notebook
When I researched the market for the best notebook/laptop that fit into my budget, this model stood out. With the a combo DVD/CDRW drive, no other computer offered as much for the price. If you are a power user, or are bothered that Windows XP is incorporated into the Toshiba package (you don't get a stand-alone Windows CD), this model is not for you. However if you are an average user looking to buy a complete, up-to-date laptop at a budget price, take a serious look at this one. I've owned it for six months and am happy with its performance and utility in every respect. I packed up and stored my desk-top; I'm not sure I will ever use a desktop again at home...

The money saved is not worth it
Well, while it is a good value based pc it isnt reliable or recommendable. The pc was owned for 3 months before it started exhibiting unreliable behaviour. Then at the 5 month mark it started shutting itself down. I thought it to be a power management problem and since I had just installed a wireless network card I assumed that I just needed to go back through the settings and make sure nothing had changed. 3 weeks later before I got around to finding the problem the machine died in the middle of the night. Now, upon trying to boot it makes a horrible popping sound and shuts itself back off again. From all research materials I have found this make and model is plagued with overheating and shorting problems. My recommendation would be to go with a little more expensive better quality machine. This one just isnt worth the trouble.

Be warned in advance !
This is another poor model from Toshiba made for first time buyers.

Let me give 12 reasons to buy it,
1. You want a laptop.
2. You don't have much money to spend.
3. You don't care about its 45 mins battery life.
4. You don't want or don't care for performance.
5. You have never heard of USB 2.0 or Firewire or Bluetooth.
6. You don't care for the noise or heat it will generate.
7. You don't care about system instability and overheating problems.
8. You don't care for graphics performance.
9. You don't want to play any PC games.
10. You don't care about its 8 pound weight or big size.
11. You don't care about irritating and nosiy Hard Disk.
12. You are a student and will install Linux on it anyways !

Let me give you 12 reasons NOT to buy it,
1. Uses a desktop Celeron processor (very cheap), not Mobile Celeron or Mobile Pentium. This means laptop will get very hot, its fan will be very noisy, will use too much power and have much lower performance.
2. No USB 2.0, firewire or wirless access. What use is 1.5 GHz processor if you can't connect it to any other device at any reasonably fast speed ? Will you wait for an hour to burn a CD on a external CD-RW connected to an old USB 1.1 port on this ?
3. It bigger and bulkier than previous models. Again this is partly because of a desktop Celeron being used in this. Desktop CPU means more space for cooling it down etc.
4. Uses a slower memory speed, way below today's standard. Again this notebook won't have any fast performance with mp3 or multimedia stuff because of this. You will even have trouble finding the memory at this low speed when upgrading !
5. The keyboard isn't same a desktop, so keys are placed at different positions, some missing. But this might a case with most laptops though.
6. The touchpad isn't very great. You will end up buying a USB mouse.
7. Doesn't have older serial port, PS2 ports etc. Nor does it have any thing like Bluetooth or Firewire or USB 2. Yes you can buy a PCMCIA card for say wireless access or USB 2 or Bluetooth. But there's only on PCMCIA slot in it !
8. Because desktop Celeron runs so hot, you won't be able to use it a "lap"-top to avoid burning your skin. Beleive it gets very very hot !
9. The hard disk is much slower rpm and smaller in size. And it makes just too much noise.
10. Toshiba doesn't even include a Windows XP CD. All it has is a recovery CD to reformat the whole disk and re-install everything all over again & deleting all your data. Its horrible SW bundle, nothing worth a penny in it. Norton is only trial offer. Not even XP is included properly.
11. The new battery lasts around 45 mins on full charge. Who knows how much will it last for when it becomes old. Again cheap desktop Celeron has a major part to play in this.
12. Finally Toshiba doesn't make or design this laptop. Its designed/made by a cheap contractor in Taiwan and then sold as Toshiba brand. This is the truth, you can do some google search to verify this !

If you don't have lots of cash or urgent need for mobility you might wanna reconsider having the good old PC for now. Don't be mislead by Intel 1.2GHz label on it. There are reasons why Toshiba can sell it for so cheap and hopefully you enough not to regret later on. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

HP designed its Pavilion zv5000 series notebooks to be fast and utilitarian for today's mobile worker, and the zv5030us lives up to that description. With a fast 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, the zv5030us features a 40 GB hard drive and 512 MB of installed RAM. It also offers such bonuses as a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, 5-in-1 digital media card reader, and integrated 54g wireless LAN card.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 40 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) offers plenty of space for most users, and is more than enough for typical data--from spreadsheets and word processing files to your digital snapshots.
• Processor: The 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor is quick and nimble, and it will be more than fast enough for everyday computing tasks, multimedia, and processor intensive spreadsheet work. It has an FSB (front-side bus) of 533 MHz.
• Memory: The zv5030us comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 1 GB (2 x 512 MB). It also has an L2 cache of 512 KB.
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs (at 24x speed).
• Keyboard & Mouse: The zv5030us has a 101-key keyboard and touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad.

The installed ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP video/graphics card is a relatively strong 3-D graphics renderer, and it has 64 MB of shared video memory. The 15.4-inch WXGA WVA TFT active matrix LCD has a native 1280 x 800 pixel display.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
You get a good offering of connectivity options with the zv5030us, including both high-speed USB 2.0 and FireWire:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 TV-out (S-Video)
• 1 PS/2 port for connecting keyboard or mouse
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II compatible)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack

Preloaded System and Software
The zv5030us comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Norton Antivirus 2003 (with 60 days of complimentary live updates), Quicken, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta Online Deluxe, Adobe Acrobat Reader, InterVideo WinDVD SE (for playing DVD movies), MusicMatch Jukebox, Muvee AutoProducer, and Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator (Basic).

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 11.6 x 14.25 x 1.8 inches (L x W x H), it's not the thinnest notebook available. It weighs a moderate 7.9 pounds.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery has 8 cells (which refers to the number of charge-storing components within the battery) and offers a standard amount of power for a notebook PC (around 2 hours of typical use).

What's in the Box
This package includes the HP Pavilion zv5030us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Deal, Has Everything, but Battery Life
...I have enjoyed this laptop except for the short battery life. The only flip side to this is that the computer can be recharged within two hours. However, for someone that travels a lot by air this fact is very limiting to how much I can use it. And, I am not going to pay $250 for an extra battery. Sony must think me as being deranged to even consider that. Now that I have vented about the short battery life I shall focus on what the laptop does have: just about everything else. It has all the ports that I need such as two USBs, serial, printer, and your audio and video ports. It has managed to meet most of my business needs. I would buy another Sony.

solid system with hidden feature
I bought this laptop because it has a complete set of features including a DVD and CDRW combo drive. On all the sites I looked at, the specs mention 4xRW, but what all of them fail to mention is it also writes 8x for normal writes. Since I use CDR for backups, and only burn full cd's it was a nice surprise. Burning a whole CD of backup files and data only took 14minutes. The size is a bit big for heavy duty travel, but for light travel it is a good size. The only annoying thing about the system is it has windows XP on it, which in my mind is a down grade from win2K. Most of the default settings make the system totally wide open to hacking, viruses and trojans. Although there are new features in XP that have potential productivity enhancements, they are far from critical and really aren't earth shattering.
The system doesn't quite have the battery life of the P3 version, but 30-60 minutes more of computing time per battery doesn't warrant 250 bucks more in my mind.
If one were to put two batteries in it, you would only gain another hour of power, where as a third batter for 250 would get you 2+ hrs. From a financial point of view, getting a third batter is a much better way to go for travelers who compute on the go and take long flights. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Stylish and utterly professional, the Sony Vaio PCG-V505EXP is a lightweight notebook PC--only 4.39 pounds--that's geared for business and mobility. Thanks to the Intel Centrino processor, its enhanced battery life will keep you productive even on long flights. It features a built-in 54g wireless LAN (802.11g), a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive, spacious 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, and a good range of pre-installed Sony digital media software.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: Though not world-beating in size, the 60 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) offers more than enough storage capacity for road warriors.
• Processor: The 1.5 GHz Pentium M processor is near the top of the speed range compared with other Centrino notebooks (with current speed topping out at 1.7 GHz). Because of itsdesign, the Intel Pentium M gets more done per clock tick than a Mobile Intel Pentium 4, thus providing the discrepancy in GHz measurement (i.e., 1.7 versus 3.2). The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It also has a 512 KB L2 cache and a 400 MHz front-side bus (FSB) speed.
• Memory: The PCG-V505EXP comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 2.05 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs. The CD-RW drive has 24x write, 10x rewrite, and 24x read speeds.
• Keyboard & Mouse:

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The PCG-V505EXP has an Intel Pro-Wireless 2200BG integrated wireless LAN that connects using the 802.11g wireless standard (which is compatible with the more widespread 802.11b and offers faster data transmission rates). You get a decent--but not overpowering--offering of connectivity options, including both high-speed USB 2.0 and FireWire:

• 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 Memory Stick slot (Memory Stick Pro compatible)

Preloaded System and Software
The PCG-V505EXP comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). It also is loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: PictureGear Studio (digital photo), DVgate Plus (digital video), and SonicStage (digital music). Other preloaded software includes InterVideo WinDVD and Norton Internet Security Center 7.

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 1.38 x 10.9 x 9.54 inches (H x W x D) and weighing just 4.39 pounds, the PCG-V505EXP is easily portable.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery (PCGA-BP2V) offers between 2.5 and 6.5 hours of life with typical usage.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Sony Vaio PCG-V505EXP notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nice machine except for the erratic random keyboard errors
This is a nice package with wireless and nice compact design and long battery life. The memory and disk are very good, and the processor quite OK for most purposes. The keyboard is a little cramped, and the speakers give sound no better than a mobile phone, which is puzzling for a Sony device.

I am happy with my choice EXCEPT that the keyboard induces random jumps and characters and unfortunately I have to spend about 30% of my typing time correcting the errors and adjusting the cursor.

I searched on the web and found, sadly, that this is a problem experienced by many people with this Sony keyboard. And it appears that trying to get the problem solved is even more frustrating than the problem. So if you need series keying than this machine is quite useless.

Great laptop, but watch out for OS and Software
The V505 is highly portable, and pretty powerful. However, don't believe the specs until you open the box. It does NOT come with Works or Norton! It comes with trial versions of both, and then you'll pay through the nose for the software. Better to load 2002-2004 software if you have it on another computer. Perfectly legit if you're the licensed user.

Then, expect problems with Norton. I like Norton Anti-Virus the best of all such software, but their firewall and security system in the pre-loaded software ties up the computer with warnings, notes, hints, and more warnings.

If you pay no attention to anything else I say, pay attention to this: DO NOT LOAD PRE-2002 SOFTWARE on any system with XP or XP Home. I loaded a Win98 WordPerfect Suite on this; it "crashed" and had to restore the entire system. The same thing happens with Word or Works, but then I still run some pre-SE software. Three days of work down the drain.

My V505EX came with no CD and no books, just a Quick Start booklet. If you've never worked with XP before, get a copy of The Complete Reference (Osborne Books) or the Dummies book along with the computer.

Last, and maybe most important if you're considering any Vaio, Sony's warranty is one year parts, labor, and even software advice. And their service has been great! Better than Dell in Dell's better days (i.e., 1984-2002). I'm so impressed that I think I might replace my desktop with a Sony PC, and that after 8 Dells, and one HP.

Prefect Notebook
This is a great small notebook. I did the research for 3 month & this is the best one I could found. The different between V505EX And V505EXP is Wireless G and OS is Window XP Pro (The spec on Amazon.com is Wrong ,V505EXP is not Window XP home). So u dont have to upgrade any more, and the price is only $100 different.I think is better to pick up V505EXP than V505EX.
This notebook has everything u need. The style is Cool, the Weight is light & Speed is fast(especilly for Gameing....Cuz it has ATI 92oo Graphic Card 32Mb build in,not randeon 16mb). If u have Wiless G router, u can have up to 54mb transfer rate. I used to have Sony TR3A, that is a very nice notebook,too. but the problem is TR3a is too slow , And the Graphic card dont support DirectX 9. a lot game cant play.SO i move to V505EXP. I dont know why the other reviewer (the one review V505EX) has wireless problem. But My V505EXP dont have that problem at all.
When I try to buy the notebook I dont really care about price. However , this one is not expensive( compare to Z Series & TR series) and u will get more than those model. (Ps. Dont buy Z series cus the graphic card only has 16 mb...super slow. and the notebook's body is vry easy to get duty) The only thing I dont really like is this notebook is not silver color( I love Silver ) other wirse, this notebook is prefect for me ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

As the least powerful model in Compaq's midlevel 2100 line of mobile computers, the Presario 2100US notebook PC is designed to appeal to budget-conscious consumers who don't need the power and versatility of a high-end portable.

Measuring 12.96 by 10.72 by 1.57 inches and weighing a mere 6.75 pounds, the Presario 2100US is just as much at home in the den as in the boardroom or on a plane. Compaq has fitted the unit with a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 256 MB of DDR SDRAM, and a 32 MB ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chipset. As such, it will suffice for standard notebook duties such as spreadsheets, contact management, and e-communications, but shouldn't be considered for complex multitasking or intensive 3-D applications.

The Presario 2100US features an adequate 30 GB hard disk on which to store your programs and files, and a convenient DVD/CD-RW combo drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs, archive data, and play your favorite movies. You'll monitor your activities on a 14.1-inch XGA TFT display screen and listen to audio on an integrated set of stereo speakers. The system does not allow you to record to DVD media.

Compaq has equipped the unit with several other perks, including a full-size 88-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad, an RJ-45 Ethernet jack for fast network and Internet interaction, and a built-in 56K modem for low-speed e-communication. Other standard amenities include two USB 1.1 ports for plug-and-play peripherals, an S-Video and VGA-out for external displays and television links, a headphone-out, and a microphone-in. Camcorder owners and anyone else who requires fast data transfer with external peripherals should note the system does not support high-speed USB 2.0 or IEEE 1394 formats.

Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Intuit's Quicken Financial Center, and Microsoft Money 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

For a couple of hundred dollars more, get something else
I agree with the others who complain that this laptop has more cons than pros. It comes loaded with too many software programs that you'll never use. The floppy drive and cd drive are very flimsy. (The cd drive makes an uncomfortable grinding sound.)The touchpad is extremely difficult to use. And, sadly, I must join the list of owners who had one just die--completely die--on them soon after the warranty expired. I was livid. For a couple of hundred dollars more, I could easily have purchased a more durable and reliable laptop.

Extremely Unreliable and undurable product
Although on paper, this computer seems to be a powerful computer with a great deal of features, in practice, the gains of these features are destroyed when you consider the computer's unreliability. In the first 4 months that I owned this machine, the sound card speaker outlet became loose internally and ceased to function. The CD-RW drive refuses to fixate any CDs, despite the fact that I have used multiple pieces of software. I have attempted to update the firmwire on this drive, but it does not solve the problem. The battery also failed, and ran for only 20 minutes. I brought my computer in for repairs, but after waiting 3 days, I was told that the sound card problem could not be fixed, and I would have to pay to replace the entire motherboard. They insunuated that I had caused the breakage, alluding to an abstract concept they invented called "physical damage". The only physical damage that occured was due to the poor and unacceptable design of the sound card outlet. Regarding my CDRW drive, they told me it was working perfectly. At the time, I assumed that meant they fixed it for me, however, it still refuses to write. I'm very upset that they lied to me regarding the CDRW drive. The did however, replace the battery. In the end, I ended up spending 60 dollars on a USB sound card that is also unreliable. Instead of having a convinent and easy to use laptop, I've ended up with a laptop that requires 3 wires at all time to keep it running, and is useless at burning CDs. I'm very dissapointed at the Customer Service Centre. It has been of almost no use to me, and has not taken responsibility for the shortcomings of this computer.

I urge anyone considering this product to look to another brand that does not use cheap low-quality parts and cuts corners with its customer service department. I will never buy another compaq.

BEWARE: This notebook has power problems
I was VERY happy with this computer for the first 7 months until it crashed. Come to find out that out of 300 students at my law school, 7-8 have had power failures on their Compaq laptops (and very few students have Compaqs in the first place). Please ask around before you purchase this computer because unbeknownst to me Compaq (now HP) has apparently tried to reduce costs on notebooks and it shows!
I will give it 2 stars because luckily it crashed within its warranty (unluckily 2 weeks before exams!) and the tech support people were helpful and I can send it for repairs for free. However, many of my classmates have not been so lucky...

Great Laptop at a good price
I have had my 2100US for more than a year now and I love it, I am quite happy with it. Ofcourse there are some cons like the battery time but I got a free battery from best buy when I bought it, so works fine for me. It is fast, pretty quick and very easy to use.

Pretty good but with some glitches
It is a pretty good laptop for this price. However, it does contain some down sides. First of all, the battery only lasts about 2 hours (if you're lucky), even though it says three. Also, the time often gets screwed up (it gets behind) and you have to reset it constantly. This laptop, however, runs fairly fast and basically everything else about it is positive. ... Read more

Features

• Distortion free pictures!
• 1800x1440 @ 72Hz
• .25mm aperture grille

Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring embedded wireless support, reduced power consumption and enough Level 2 cache to noticeably accelerate your day-to-day multitasking, Intel’s innovative Centrino technology is the sophisticated centerpiece of Gateway’s 200 Series Notebook. A fast and capable machine that houses an impressive number of upscale amenities in its tiny 12.4 by 10.2 by .94-inch, 4.35 pound frame, the Gateway 200 will appeal to anyone prioritizes portability yet needs a full-service notebook.

Driven by a 1.6 GHz Pentium M processor incorporating Centrino technology, a whopping 512 MB of Random Access Memory and an integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 graphics chipset with shared (not dedicated) video memory, the Gateway 200 Series isn’t ready for high-end 3-D animation or taxing 3-D games, but it will make quick work of most common desktop applications. Furthermore, Gateway hasn’t allowed the system’s subcompact frame to limit data handling options, equipping it with a surprisingly spacious 60 GB hard disk and a convenient CD-RW drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs and archive data.

The unit features an impressively generous 14.1-inch XGA TFT active matrix display screen (1024 by 768 resolution) and stereo speakers. User controls include a full-size keyboard and EZ Pad pointing device. Other helpful amenities include two high-speed USB 2.0 ports for external devices such as scanners and optical drives, one FireWire port (commonly used for fast data transfer to and form digital camcorders), and S-Video port for feeding your display to a TV and an S/PDIF high-quality digital audio output. When you need to communicate, you can do so via high-speed LAN, low-speed modem or through the integrated 802.11b Wireless Networking card.

Your Gateway 200 Series will ship with pre-installed copies of Windows XP Professional Edition and Microsoft Works 7.0. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Crashes if volume control used after waking up from standby
I bought a Gateway 200E (200 ARC series) 2 days ago from another online store (I'm still posting it here, so that other potential buyers may find out about this before making a buying decision). The quality, features and speed are good. The reason I'm giving 1 star is because Gateway doesnt accept responsibility for their bugs, and doesn't want to fix them.

If I put the computer into standby and then wake it up, and use the volume control by pressing Fn + left or right arrow keys, the system crashes. It freezes completely. Even ctrl + alt + del doesn't work.

I called Gateway, and this is what they said:

"It's an already documented problem with this model.

Gateway doesn't have a solution for this problem, they only have two workarounds:

1. Don't use the Fn + key combo for volume control, use the volume control icon on the system tray with your mouse.

2. Don't use the Fn + key combo for a while after waking up from
stand by"

My reply to #1, I dont want to look for the icon and click it, I want a shortcut whenever I want to control the volume. That's what it is there for. Besides, I press ctrl + arrow to tab through my text documents. It's very easy to press Fn instead of ctrl, and this is more possible in this model especially since Fn is the outermost key on the left side, and ctrl is to the right side of it, unlike most other laptop keyboards where ctrl is the outermost key. I dont want my laptop to crash when I'm browsing through my text documents or writing code.

#2. I even tried doing this after an hour, and it still crashes.

I have the latest BIOS (v 42.01.02), and Gateway doesnt have a newer BIOS update of fix for this. I use Win XP Pro, by the way. This crash is reproducible every single time I do what I described above (use volume control after waking up from standby).

Gateway said they just wont fix it or replace this laptop. If I send it for service, they won't give me a time estimate of how long it will take to fix it. They are just trying to deter me from sending it for service I guess.

The tech who answered my second call was so rude and yelling on the phone telling me not to use the key combo, rather than focusing on how to fix it. He even said he won't let me talk to Level 2 tech people when I asked. I had to give him a piece of my mind before he would let me talk to Level 2.

The level 2 guy was even more ridiculous. He suggested that I use the screensaver instead of standby. Moron, he doesnt even know the difference between the use of a screensaver and a standby mode.

Perhaps, he thinks people who buy their laptops are starfishes who they can push around and deny service for their defective product.

How many of you have had this problem replicable with the Gateway 200 ARC series? Can you try this on your laptop and see if it happens?

Does anyone know a fix for it? I badly need it. If you have the same problem, or know how to fix it, please email me at sen@stanmed.net

If there are enough number of people with this problem, without
proper service being provided by Gateway, I think a class action
lawsuit would be feasible.

Thanks.

Sen.

Extremely pleased!
I've had this computer for 3 months now, taking advantage of all of its many features. I spent a long time looking for the right model, with the requirements being: wireless, good portability, computing power, good connectability (variety of outputs/inputs for interfacing with accessories, other computers, etc.), XP Pro, etc. This one has all that and more -- I love it! Even better, I had originally looked into getting it directly from Gateway, but delivery would have taken a relatively long time. I looked into Amazon to see if they had the same model, and coincidentally they did -- except no DVD burner, but $400 less! ($500 less with the $100 rebate!) Perfect for me -- I don't need a DVD burner, and if I did, I'd be reluctant to pay an extra $400 or $500 for it!

So why 4 stars instead of 5? The battery it comes with is simply unacceptable. You'll get 90 minutes if you're lucky; probably closer to 1 hour. I knew this ahead of time and purchased the bigger battery from Gateway. (Amazon should have it but they don't!) It took well over 1 month to receive it. In the end, the battery life with the new battery is acceptable, but not great. It's double the other, so if you're using it for low-consuming tasks, maybe you'll get 3 hours. If you're playing a DVD, you *may* just squeak out the full DVD with 1 charge. That is, if the DVD is <2 hours.

I would say that this is really the only criticism, and for me, this ain't bad. (Well, that and the fact that Prince of Persia wouldn't work on it. But in all fairness, you need a gaming computer for that app. Still ... with a brand new computer, you expect that it should be able to run virtually any app that you can pick up at Costco... The game wouldn't work on my friend's new Toshiba either. If you want a laptop for gaming, you'll need something very special. But i digress.) The computer works perfectly on my home wireless network, and has worked perfectly on other wireless networks (airports, hotels, etc). It's fast. It has a firewire port, which I've used for transferring files between computers -- excellent! I use it for work: I do training courses, so I use the computer for Powerpoint presentations, and I also burn CDs for the participants at the end of the course. The keyboard is great, and the scrolling wheel is an excellent touch! AND it has a stylish look -- very chic! All in all, I'm very pleased with this product -- I'd recommend it to friends, and if I could do it all over again, I would definitely select it again.

Very Pleased
I have had the computer for about 2 weeks. I especially like the speed, keyboard (like desktop) and wireless connection. My only problem would be that I can't adjust the contrast on the desktop. Since this is my first laptop, I don't know if I could do it with a different one. Very light to carry, especially since the CD/DVD is internal. Also like the scroll button near the touch pad.

Great notebook with minor issues!
This notebook is great for someone that travels. After comparing many notebooks in it's class. Going to stores annd physcially playing with them I found this notebook to be most portable and have some of the more powerful features. This is the lightest I found in the 14.1 in screen size notebook. This notebook looks great and is powerful enough to satisfy most users. I guess I can list all the problems that way buyers can pay attention to those things when purchasing this notebook. The most noticeable draw back was the battery life. It comes with a 3 cell battery which amounts to about a 2 hours max battery life. I suggest buying the 6 cell battery which will double you battery life. I did have some issues with the 802.11b card which signal faded alot. I had them put in the 802.11g instead and it works great. The next problem I found was the notebook gets really hot after a while (1/2 hour). But not to where it might burn you just a bit unconfortable. Finally I the cd-rom drive to be a bit loud. Aside from these minor issues which can be easyly fixed, I found this notebook to be a great buy. After rebates and discounts I think this was the best bang for my buck.

Not as advertised
Gateway 200 series notebooks have been advertised as less than 1 inch thick. The technical specifications says it is 0.95 inches thick. I bought the Gateway (instead of a Dell, which is 1.33 inches thick)and measured it. It is 1.3 inches. It is 0.95 inches only when the top (the screen) is open and you don't include the screen in your measurement. And this is measuring from the thin end of the labtop. The rear end is even thicker! Someone should tell Gateway to stop such false advertisement. A corret way to measure the thickness of a laptop is to lay it on a flat surface, put one end of a ruler on the same flat surface, and note the highest point the laptop reaches on the ruler. ... Read more