Laptop Reviews

Not content to just add the latest Santa Rosa specs to its current lineup, Lenovo rolled out two new ThinkPad models, including the ThinkPad R61 (the other is the T61 in the higher-end ThinkPad T series). The 14.1-inch R61 includes all the important parts of Intel’s revamped Centrino platform, including the new Core 2 Duo T7500 CPU, extra onboard Turbo Memory (for boosting access times), and 802.11n Wi-Fi. It’s still the same black, boxy ThinkPad you’ve come to know and perhaps love, but Lenovo has started to add consumer-friendly features such as Webcams and optional Blu-ray drives for those who want one laptop for work and play. It’s still pricey when configured for power users, but the typically excellent ThinkPad build quality makes this a system that will have a long lifespan. Read full Lenovo ThinkPad R61 Review »

Toshiba’s new line of mainstream laptops manages to add just enough sizzle to keep things interesting, despite being released just weeks before Intel’s Santa Rosa platform (and its new CPUs and chipsets) debut. The most interesting feature here is the laptop’s built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi antenna. The tipping point may be fast approaching when it will be time to trade in that old 54g router for an 802.11n model. The $1,349 Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617, one of several preconfigured A205 models, also includes Harman Kardon speakers and a Labelflash DVD burner that can burn text and images onto your optical media. These high-end perks help the system stand out from the mainstream crowd and make it worth a look if you’re specifically interested in any of them. Read full Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617 Review »

In a world of $4,000 gaming laptops, the $1,743 iBuyPower Battalion 101 LX750 is certainly inexpensive; but is it a bargain? On the one hand, it has a lovely 17-inch display and a lightweight, compact case, and its gaming performance, though not top of the line, should be enough for casual gamers. On the other hand, it has a cramped keyboard, its disc drive (at least on our review unit) spins noisily, and its scores on our CNET Labs Photoshop performance test were rather abysmal. Ideally, we’d all have $2,899 to purchase a more well-rounded desktop replacement, such as the Toshiba Satellite P100-ST9722. But in the real world, the iBuyPower Battalion 101 LX750 should satisfy users who are looking for a very inexpensive, entry-level gaming laptop. Read full iBuyPower Battalion 101 LX750 Review »

The ultramobile PC, or UMPC, has certainly attracted plenty of attention over its short lifespan. Despite good looks and sleek industrial designs, however, these pocket-sized PCs have left us disappointed, thanks to clunky interfaces, high prices, and poor battery life. The $1,849 OQO model 02 (configurations start $1,499) is a solid step forward, but it’s still less than practical in most real-world situations. It shares a general design aesthetic with the Sony VAIO UX390–although the underpowered VIA processor in the OQO means the VAIO offers better performance, to say nothing of battery life. In the end, each UMPC we’ve seen, including the OCO model 02, suffers from one or more fatal flaws. With a better CPU and a longer-lasting battery, the OQO model 02 would be much easier to recommend (we had a similar sentiment about the original OQO from 2004). Read full OQO Model 02 Review »

We just don’t know what happened. When we reviewed a $999 configuration of the Systemax Pursuit 4155 running Windows XP earlier this year (which is still available on TigerDirect), it had a strong set of features and a Core 2 Duo processor that delivered solid performance. But the Windows Vista Ultimate version of the Pursuit 4155 that recently came round our offices is much changed. Gone are the DVD burner, the Core 2 Duo processor, and the competitive performance. Read full Systemax Pursuit 4155 Review »

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