Gigabyte M912V

Price in U$D 699

Price in Pak 61000

Specification

CPU	1.6-GHz Intel Atom
Operating System	MS Windows Vista Basic
RAM	1GB
RAM Upgradable to	2GB
Hard Drive Size	160GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	8.9
Native Resolution	1280×768
Graphics Card	Mobile Intel 945GSE
Video Memory	64MB
Wi-Fi	802.11b/g
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	3-1 card reader; ExpressCard
Size	9.2 x 7.1 x 1.7 inches
Weight	3.0 pounds

Pros

---

• Responsive touchscreen
• Stylish glossy lid
• ExpressCard slot
• Good productivity punch

Cons

---

• Poor battery life
• Cramped keyboard
• No dedicated screen-orientation button
• No preloaded touch software

Bottom Line

---

This mini-notebook’s swiveling touchscreen turns heads, but a few weaknesses diminish its appeal.

Snazzy Lid, Comparably Larger Footprint

The Gigabyte M912V’s glossy black lid, complete with a modern silver-square inlay pattern, looks like a kind of sci-fi circuit board and is fetching both up close and from afar. Unlike the black shiny lid on the Eee PC 1000H, the silver imprint hides fingerprints well. Measuring 9.2 x 7.1 x 1.1–1.7 inches, the system is nearly an inch thicker than the 10-inch MSI Wind; and at 3 pounds, it’s 6.4 ounces heavier than the Eee PC 901. Nonetheless, the M912V slid nicely into a backpack and didn’t weigh us down. Gigabyte has also kept the power brick slim, bringing the total travel weight to a manageable 3.4 pounds.

Cramped Keyboard, Smooth Touchpad

In a market where recent mini-notebooks have keyboards friendly to touch typists (we’re particularly fond of those on the Acer Aspire one and the HP 2133 Mini-Note), the Gigabyte M912V takes a step back. The keyboard has a nearly identical look and feel to that of the original Eee PC 701 or the Everex CloudBook. Our hands felt cramped and we frequently made typos. Nevertheless, the keys provided decent feedback with little flex.

The touchpad has a metallic surface that matches the M912V’s wrist rest, and it offered a nice textured feel as we navigated around the desktop. Unlike the rock-hard buttons on the Eee PC 1000 and 901, the two mouse buttons, located below the touchpad, were easy to click.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

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BenQ Joybook Lite U101

Price in U$D 499

Price in Pak 41000

Specification

CPU	1.6-GHz Intel Atom N270
Operating System	MS Windows XP Home
RAM	1.5GB
RAM Upgradable to	1 GB
Hard Drive Size	160GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	10
Native Resolution	1024×576
Graphics Card	Intel GMA 950
Video Memory	Shared
Wi-Fi	802.11b/g
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.0
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	4-1 card reader
Warranty/Support	One-year Overseas Regional Warranty/ N/A
Size	10.2 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
Weight	2.6 pounds

Pros

---

• Unique lid design
• Compact build
• Bright, glossy display
• Loud speakers

Cons

---

• Cramped keyboard
• Short battery life
• Loud mouse button

Bottom Line

---

The Joybook Lite has a compact and unique chassis, but this netbook’s battery life and keyboard don’t stand up to its peers.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

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Samsung RF510

Samsung RF510-S01 15.6-Inch HD LED Laptop (Graphite Radiant Burst)
From Samsung

List Price:	$939.00
Price:	$849.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

Price in U$D 849

Price in Pak 69500

Specification

CPU	2.53-GHz Intel Core i5-460M
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM	4GB
RAM Upgradable to	4GB
Hard Drive Size	500GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	15.6
Native Resolution	1366×768
Optical Drive	DVD+/-RW DL
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Nvidia GeForce GT 330M
Video Memory	1GB
Wi-Fi	802.11b/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Broadcom 802.11n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	3.5 x 2.25 inches
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; HDMI; Headphone; Microphone; USB 3.0; VGA
USB Ports	4
Card Slots	4-1 card reader
Warranty/Support	1 year parts and labor
Size	14.9″ x 10.1 X 1.5 inches
Weight	5.6 pounds

Design

At 14.9 x 10.1 X 1.5 inches and 5.6 pounds, the RF510 is too bulky to carry around all day but light enough to move from the living room to the bedroom and then the kids’ room in a flash. It’s also noticeably lighter than the Dell XPS 15 (6.1 pounds, 15 x 10.4 x 1.5 inches).

Though sized like a family PC, the Samsung RF510 has a sleek, black aesthetic that looks equally at home in the living room and the conference room. The glossy black lid, which resists most fingerprints, is emblazoned with a chrome Samsung logo and accented by chrome hinges and chrome lines on the left and right sides. Though we like the ivory design and curved shape of the less expensive Samsung SF510, the RF510’s sleek aethetic looks more professional.

Once opened, the notebook looks even classier. A comfortable matte black palmrest sits below an island-style keyboard with tastefully rounded keys and a chrome-colored background. Above the keyboard is a chrome button area with volume controls, Wi-Fi on/off, and power buttons with sci-fi blue lighting behind them. The subtle speaker holes that run across the entire width of the upper deck add to the high-tech aesthetic. Even the screen bezel has a subtle dotted pattern that matches the speaker holes.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The RF510’s island-style keyboard sports a numeric keypad and offers solid tactile feedback and a smooth key surface, though it lacks a backlight. We scored our typical rate of 80 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, with a modest 2 percent error rate.

The 3.5 x 2.3-inch touchpad has a pleasant matte surface that allowed us to navigate around the desktop with great accuracy and execute pinch-to-zoom gestures smoothly. The notebook’s discrete touchpad buttons offered just the right amount of feedback; that’s a welcome improvement over the SF510’s jerky clickpad.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

Video

 

Samsung SF510

Price in U$D 629

Price in Pak 55000

Specification

CPU	2.4-GHz Intel Core i3 370M
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM	4GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size	500GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	15.6
Native Resolution	1366×768
Optical Drive	DVD+/-RW/+R DL
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Intel Integrated Graphics
Video Memory	512MB
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6250
Bluetooth
Mobile Broadband	WiMax
Touchpad Size	3.8 x 2.4 inches
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; HDMI; Headphone; Kensington Lock; Microphone; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	4-1 card reader
Warranty/Support	1 Year Parts and Labor
Size	13.7 x 9.7 x 1.1 inches
Weight	5.4 pounds

Design

Not many ivory notebooks come through our labs, but the SF510 wears the color well. Although the lid is glossy, it looks pretty elegant and it doesn’t pick up fingerprints. The sides and bottom are also ivory, but they have a matte finish. Wavy chrome accents line the right and left edges of the SF510, lending a bit of an edge to the machine when closed.

Open this laptop up and you’ll see that the raised edges of the wave create a shallow well for the keyboard on the chocolate-covered deck. We like that the deck is minimal–just a few silver buttons above the keyboard for controlling volume and Wi-Fi on the left and the power button on the right.

The 13.7 x 9.7 x 1.1-inch chassis is svelte for a 15-inch notebook. At 5.4 pounds, the SF510 is a little too heavy to carry around often, but it’s easy to shuttle from room to room.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The SF510 features an island-style keyboard that’s spacious and flex-free. Although the key feel wasn’t the best we’ve experienced, we were able to get to our normal typing speed right away. The only real trade-off for having a full keypad on the right side of the layout is a slightly shrunken right Shift key.

The generous 3.8 x 2.4-inch clickpad on the SF510 took some getting used to. It’s not as finicky or difficult to use as HP’s clickpads from last year, but it’s not as effortless to use as those found on Apple’s MacBooks. The left and right mouse button require a fair amount of precision, and you’ll have to be more mindful of your finger placement to avoid clicks that don’t register.

Despite these drawbacks, multitouch gestures were easy to execute, and cursor control was nice and smooth.

Display, Audio, Multimedia

The glossy 15.6-inch, LED-backlit display’s 1366 x 768 resolution is expected in this price range. Overall, colors were bright, blacks deep, and pixels smooth in HD content, making for an enjoyable experience when watching videos or working in Word. We just wish we didn’t have to tilt the lid back to keep the image from washing out.

Thanks to SRS Premium Sound, the SF510 produces excellent audio. The speakers at the top of the deck pumped volume enough to fill a large living room at just 50 percent. We appreciated the decent bass when listening to “Telephone” by Lady Gaga, and the SF510 even captured the cello’s resonance in tracks from Zoe Keating’s “Into the Trees.”

Streaming media is in this notebook’s DNA, as the SF510 includes a couple of easy ways to play or send content to other devices. The DNLA-backed Easy Content Share utility makes it simple to set up file sharing and media streaming between devices–including Galaxy S phones. Intel’s Wireless Display is also built in, which allows users to stream content from the notebook to an HDTV. However, you’ll need to buy Netgear’s Push2TV adapter ($79) to enjoy this feature.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

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Samsung QX410

Samsung QX410-J01 14in Notebook Aluminum
From Samsung

Price:

$969.95

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by ADVANCITY

Price in U$D 969.95

Price in Pak 85000

Specification

CPU	2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-460M
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM	4GB
RAM Upgradable to	8GB
Hard Drive Size	640GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	14
Native Resolution	1366×768
Optical Drive	DVD SuperMultiDrive
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Nvidia GeForce 310M/Intel HD
Video Memory	512MB
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Model
Bluetooth	Stereo Bluetooth
Mobile Broadband	WiMax
Touchpad Size	3.9 x 2.3 inches
Ports (excluding USB)	HDMI; Headphone/Mic; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	4-1 card reader
Warranty/Support	1 year limited covering parts and labor
Size	13.7 x 9.7 x 1.1 inches
Weight	5 pounds

Design

Encased in silvery aluminum with a sophisticated brushed metal treatment, the Samsung QX410’s lid and deck have an upscale feel. A raised logo crafted in reflective metallic letters tastefully proclaims Samsung’s handiwork. Tipping the scales at a modest 5 pounds, the laptop measures 13.7 x 9.7 x 1.1 inches. The notebook fits into standard laptop bags without much effort and shouldn’t weigh you down.

Unlike other fashionable notebooks carved from a single block of metal (such as the MacBook Pro), the QX410’s aluminum style doesn’t carry over to the undercarriage. Even so, the laptop’s black plastic underside is smooth and keeps the eye-jarring edges and vents to a minimum.

Above the keyboard, you’ll find a circular power button with a subtle blue LED, dedicated volume and mute controls, and a wireless on/off button. The overall look is minimalist, in a good way.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Samsung QX410’s island-style keyboard was a pleasure to use. Framed in silver aluminum to match the notebook’s lid, the keyboard features chiclet keys that are well-spaced and offer plenty of travel. The only thing missing is a keyboard backlight, which you’ll find on more expensive notebooks such as the Sony VAIO F Series and the MacBook Pro.

Beneath the keyboard is a wide 3.9 x 2.3-inch touchpad. As is the trend for laptop’s these days, the touchpad integrates the mouse buttons. Gestures worked without a hitch, including pinch-to-zoom and two-finger scrolling. Navigating the desktop and opening apps were a breeze.

However, we found some issues with this “clickpad.” For instance, while the whole touchpad depresses when you click in the center of it, you still need to double-tap to initiate an action–as with other Windows laptops. Or you can just click once on the left button area. In addition, we found selecting text on a web page to be more of a challenge than on notebooks with discrete mouse buttons.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

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Panasonic Toughbook C1

CF-C1,12.1INCH Wxga MULTI-TOUCH,250GB
From Panasonic

List Price:	$2,725.00
Price:	$2,569.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Availability: Usually ships in 3 to 5 days
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

Price in U$D 2569.99

Price in Pak N/A

Specification

CPU	2.4-GHz Intel Core i5-520M
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
RAM	2GB
RAM Upgradable to	6GB
Hard Drive Size	250GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	12.1
Native Resolution	1200X800
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Speed
Graphics Card	Intel HD Graphics
Video Memory
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	1.8 inches
Ports (excluding USB)	Audio-in; Docking Connector; Dual-array mic; Ethernet; Kensington Lock; Modem; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	2-1 card reader; PC Card
Warranty/Support	3-year limited warranty
Size	11.8 x 8.9 x 1.2-1.7 inches
Weight	3.2 pounds

Pros

---

• Lightest convertible tablet yet
• Very durable design
• Fast performance
• Twin battery bays
• Multitouch display with smooth pen input
• Ergonomic hand strap

Cons

---

• Screen looks a bit washed out
• Relatively small keys and touchpad

Bottom Line

---

The lightest convertible tablet delivers durability, speed, and a display that supports pen and touch input.

Design and Durability

You could try to find a lighter 12-inch convertible, but you won’t. At just 3.2 pounds with a single battery and 3.7 pounds with an optional battery in the second bay, the C1 weighs less than theLenovo ThinkPad X201 (starting at 3.5 pounds), the Dell Latitude XT2 (3.6 pounds) and every other competitor on the market. On the other hand, this Toughbook is on the chunkier side, measuring 1.2 to 1.7 inches thick. The XT2 has a 1.1-inch profile, and the X201 is 1.3 inches.

What you get in return for that extra girth is serious durability. The C1’s magnesium alloy case has been tested to withstand 12-inch drops to any side (non-operating), as well as a 30-inch drop on the base (while operating). We know this Toughbook is tough because we tried the latter torture test during this review. The first time a rubber bumper on the back right of the machine popped off, but we easily put it back on. The second time nothing happened at all; this business rugged machine just kept running. We even dropped the unit a third time from 30 inches to no ill effect. The C1 also survived a 6-ounce water spill and a 180-pound man standing on top of the lid (with a board in between to evenly distribute the weight).

Whether you’re roaming the hospital or you’re out in the field, the C1 is easy to use and carry. That’s because this convertible features an ergonomic hand strap on the bottom of the unit, along with a raised dome underneath that makes the machine easier to grip with one hand. A unique triple-hinge design–two for opening and closing the lid and one for rotating the screen–makes this tablet less susceptible to failure over time. We needed to use more force than we’re accustomed to when switching into tablet mode and back again, but the screen location lock was reassuring.

Heat

The Toughbook C1 is one of the coolest notebooks of any size we’ve tested. After playing a Hulu video for 15 minutes, we measured temperatures between 78 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, between the G and H keys, and on the underside of the system. Most notebooks register in the mid 90s or higher. The C1’s fan got a little loud at times, but it’s definitely working.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Because the C1’s keyboard is flanked by rubber bumpers (designed to protect the screen bezel when the lid is closed), the layout doesn’t extend to the edges of the desk. This results in some undersized keys, especially the space bar. The keys are also shorter than we’re accustomed to, which made typing feel cramped at first.

However, the keys provided solid, springy feedback, and we noticed zero flex. In addition, the two rubber bumpers on the back of the C1 raise the laptop, resulting in a more comfortable angled typing position.

We’ve never been huge fans of the circular touchpads on Toughbooks, but this one gets the job done. Though it’s a somewhat small 1.8 inches in diameter, moving the cursor was easy. You’ll find two dedicated mouse buttons underneath that are easy to activate.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

 

Panasonic Toughbook CF-31

Toughbook CF-31ATAAA2M Notebook – Core i5 i5-520M 2.4GHz – 13.1″ – Centrino 2 vPro – 2GB DDR3 SDRAM – 160GB HDD – Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth – Windows 7 Professional / Windows XP Downgradable
From Panasonic

List Price:	$5,003.00
Price:	$3,968.73

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by Computer Brain

Price in U$D 3978.73

Price in Pak N/A

Specification

CPU	2.53-GHz Intel Core i5-540M
Operating System	MS Windows XP Pro
RAM	2GB
RAM Upgradable to	8GB
Hard Drive Size	250GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	13.3
Native Resolution	1024×768
Optical Drive	DVD SuperMultiDrive
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	ATI Radeon HD5650
Video Memory
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Mobile Broadband	Gobi Wireless
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; ExpressCard/34; ExpressCard/54; HDMI; Headphone; Microphone; VGA; serial
USB Ports	4
Card Slots	2-1 card reader
Warranty/Support	3-year limited warranty
Size	11.9 x 11.5 x 2.9 inches
Weight	8.8 pounds

Pros

---

• Top-notch durability
• Strong Core i5 performance
• Very bright, responsive touch display
• Good battery life

Cons

---

• Heavy
• Small, sluggish touchpad

Bottom Line

---

An update to Panasonic’s fully rugged notebook features strong performance protected by a stronger case.

---

CPU: 2.53-GHz Intel Core i5-540M
Operating System: Windows XP Professional
RAM/Upgradable to: 2GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 13.3 inches/1024 x 768
Optical Drive: 8X DVD-RW

Design

The CF-31 looks very similar to its older brother, sporting the same silver-metal and black rubber design. The lid, bezel, and handle are made of a magnesium alloy bordered by a hard black plastic. The lid is supported by a pair of heavy-duty hinges and, when closed, is firmly secured to the base using a spring-loaded latch.

Measuring 11.9 x 11.5 x 2.9 inches, this isn’t a notebook designed to be slipped inside a satchel, and at 8.8 pounds, you probably wouldn’t want to. Still, its handle makes lugging around the CF-31 fairly easy. The top of the handle has a small slot to stow the included stylus.

Durability and Security

While the CF-30 met the MIL-STD-810F durability standard, the CF-31 is made of tougher stuff, and is designed to meet specifications for ingress protection (IP-65) and durability (MIL-STD-810G). That means, among other things, it can withstand operating temperatures from -20 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 to 160 degrees when turned off), and altitudes of up to 15,000 feet. It can survive 31 minutes of 70-mph wind and 5.8 inches per hour of rain blown at it, and 26 drops from 72 inches while turned off (36 inches while turned on and open). It can also withstand up to 310 pounds of pressure on its lid.

To test some of these claims, we dropped the CF-31 several times from 6 feet (turned off and closed) and 3 feet (turned on and open). We also poured 12 ounces of water on the keyboard, and stood on the lid. The machine withstood every challenge, and continued to operate normally. However, we noticed that the latches for the smaller ports would pop open after we dropped the machine.

But Mother Nature isn’t the only thing this notebook is protected against. Security options for the CF-31 include a Smart Card reader, fingerprint reader, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2. Additionally, a concealed mode turns off or dims the screen, all LED lights, and sound at the press of a button, which is a good feature when you’re on a stakeout.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

 

Panasonic Toughbook 19

Price in U$D 4344

Price in Pak N/A

Specification

CPU	1.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9300
Operating System	MS Windows Vista Business
RAM	4GB
RAM Upgradable to	4GB
Hard Drive Size	160GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	10.4
Native Resolution	1024×768
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Speed
Graphics Card	Intel GMA 4500MHD
Video Memory	128MB
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
Mobile Broadband
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; Firewire; Headphone; Microphone; Modem; serial
USB Ports	2
Card Slots	ExpressCard; PC Card; SD memory reader
Warranty/Support	Three-year parts and labor/24/7 toll-free phone
Size	10.7 x 8.5 x 1.9 inches
Weight	5.0 pounds

Pros

---

• Lightweight for a rugged notebook
• Long battery life
• Responsive touchscreen
• Bright display with good viewing angles
• Better graphics performance than other fully rugged notebooks
• Strong wireless scores

Design

The design of the Toughbook 19 hasn’t changed since we last reviewed it more than a year ago. The silver, magnesium alloy chassis has Panasonic’s logo stamped prominently on the lid and black bumpers on the sides. (Inside, the keyboard, deck, and touch buttons are black, too; the palm rest and bezel are silver.) Because the screen is just 10.4 inches, the notebook weighs a portable 5 pounds (13- and 14-inch ruggeds run in the 7- to 8-pound range), and has a carrying handle, too. Even without the handle, the Toughbook 19 is relatively small, 10.7 x 8.5 x 1.9-inch frame made it easy to carry.

On the sides, all of the ports are sealed, making this rugged notebook dust-resistant, in addition to water- and vibration-resistant. The ports include: two USB 2.0, two external antenna connectors, serial and FireWire, external video, a port replicator, Ethernet and modem jacks, and headphone and mic. The Toughbook 19 also has a PC Card Type II slot, an ExpressCard/54 slot, and an SD Card reader. Our unit had no webcam, although a 2-MP camera with autofocus and dual LED flash is optional ($300). Annoyingly, because of the gasketing, the ports don’t fit on the sides; some key openings, including a USB port, are in the back.

Keyboard and Touchpad

In terms of the layout, the Toughbook 19’s spill-resistant keyboard looks like it was ripped from a first-generation netbook: it’s cramped, and some keys are shrunken or—worse—misplaced. We never got comfortable writing e-mails or anything else longer than a few characters; we typed gingerly so as not to hit the wrong key by mistake. Searching for the undersized tab and question mark keys slowed down typing, and the arrow keys are arranged in a frustrating L shape, with the right and left arrow keys next to each other, and the up and down keys stacked adjacent to them. For $250 you can add backlighting to the keyboard.

As wide as the palm rest is, the touchpad is still small, at 2.3 x 1.5 inches; that’s barely larger than those on netbooks, such as the Samsung N110. Although the touchpad is large enough for dragging the cursor across the screen, we though it had too much friction. To boot, the rubbery touch buttons are too small and stiff.

Display and Sound

The screen on the Toughbook 19 has a brightness level of 500 nits when you use it like a laptop, which doubles to 1,000 nits when in tablet mode. The wide range is meant to accommodate many lighting conditions, from weak natural light to lots of sun glare.

Indeed, the Toughbook 19’s display was stunning. The 10.4-inch screen is so vibrant that even our co-workers stopped by our work area to comment on its brightness. Its matte finish makes for a versatile range of viewing angles, which is precisely what mobile professionals working in the field require. The default resolution (1024 x 768) might be too fine for some viewers; we, at least, didn’t enjoy staring at it for extended periods of time.

The speaker (there’s only one), built into the lower right corner of the bezel, produces surprisingly loud audio, but it’s tinny.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

 

Panasonic Toughbook F8

Price in U$D 2899

Price in Pak N/A

Specification

CPU	2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P9300
Operating System	MS Windows Vista Business
RAM	3GB
RAM Upgradable to	4GB
Hard Drive Size	160GB
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	14.1
Native Resolution	1200X800
Optical Drive	DVD+/-RW DL
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Intel GMA 4500MHD
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/draft-n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Mobile Broadband	EV-DO Rev. A
Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; Modem; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slots	PC Card; SD/SDHC Card reader
Warranty/Support	Three-year standard limited/24/7 toll-free phone
Size	12.8 x 9.9 x 1.9 inches
Weight	3.7 pounds

Pros

---

• Surprisingly light
• Good performance
• Excellent battery life
• Available 3G wireless broadband
• Quiet operation

Cons

---

• Expensive
• No webcam, fingerprint reader, FireWire, or multimedia keys
• Cramped Shift and Enter keys
• Disappointing built-in speakers
• Polarizing design touches

Bottom Line

---

The business-rugged Toughbook F8 delivers more power, outstanding battery life, a 14.1-inch screen, and an onboard optical drive in a 3.7-pound package. But it will cost you.

Design

With its angular two-tone chassis, the Toughbook F8 looks bulky for a thin-and-light, an impression confirmed by the machine’s 1.9-inch thickness at its rear (the case tapers to 1.3 inches at its front). But Panasonic assures us that the Toughbook F8 is the lightest 14.1-inch widescreen machine with built-in 3G wireless broadband and an onboard optical drive. Indeed, lifting it by the integrated handle, which cleverly folds flush against the front edge of the notebook, we were surprised by how light it is—a scant 3.7 pounds to be precise, a welcome reprieve from the 4- to 5-pound heft of many other 14.1-inch thin-and-lights. Credit the magnesium alloy case, which shaves weight while adding more rigidity to protect the screen and other components.

That said, the design might not be to everyone’s liking. Seeing the chic-sleek direction of models, like the new Apple MacBook and HP EliteBook lines, the chunky Panasonic seems a bit Transformer-esque. We’re also not sold on the circular touchpad. In addition to being visually distracting in your peripheral vision—circles scream “Look at me,” which is why advertising and packaging designers love them—it delivers annoyingly little usable mousing surface, especially when you take into account the scroll area.

Keyboard and Ports

The unique placement of the optical drive under the palm rest gives Panasonic more room for ports on the side of the machine, but also pushes the keyboard much closer to the screen, which takes getting used to. The keyboard itself offers full-size letter keys and provided good tactile and audible feedback while typing, though the smallish right Shift and Enter keys may take some adjustment. We’re also disappointed that Panasonic failed to include dedicated multimedia or even volume controls; you’ll have to use the controls provided in the application for the former and Function-key combos for the latter.

Panasonic included just the basic ports: three USB, headphone, mic, VGA, Ethernet, modem, and a mini port replicator connector. You won’t find FireWire, HDMI, or eSATA here, nor did our configuration have a webcam or fingerprint reader—two essential items for business computing these days. (Panasonic said a fingerprint reader will be available in future models.) The Toughbook F8 does include a PC Card II slot and an SD/SDHC Card reader, though.

Display and Audio

The 14.1-inch widescreen has a resolution of 1280 x 800, which is comfortable to work on without squinting. The panel is bright, and while the satin-finish anti-glare coating seems unobtrusive, we did notice that color display type (such as the story links on CNN’s homepage) was not as crisp as on other 1280 x 800 panels we’ve seen. Viewing angle performance was acceptable side to side, but abysmal in the vertical plane; the screen needs to be open to just the right angle to get the best view, which could be an issue on an airplane tray table. On the plus side, color reproduction in DVD titles such as Pirates of the Caribbean was natural, though scenes were a bit dark even with the panel’s brightness cranked up all the way.

Audio from the up-firing stereo speakers was disappointing. The sound was thin and tinny, and downright grating at peak volumes. The speakers are fine for personal Web use, but not for music. If audio is an important element in your presentation, bring along a set of powered speakers.

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.

 

Acer Staying in the Netbook Game, Sandy Bridge Tablets “Not Foreseen”

An unidentified sales manager told Computer World yesterday that, in light of the popularity of tablets, the company planned to transition out of the netbook game. The source also implied that the switch could begin this year when the company launched its new slate devices, some which were said to feature Intel’s next-generation Sandy Bridge processors and the Android mobile operating system.

Wrong.

“Acer Inc. confirms that the company will not phase out netbooks in favor of tablets,” Acer said today in an official announcement. Those tablets with Intel CPUs were a miscommunication as well. The last line of the release reads “For the moment devices based on Sandy Bridge are not yet foreseen. ”

So there you have it. The Acer Aspire One isn’t going anywhere, Acer isn’t prematurely bowing to early market assessments that say tablets are cannibalizing netbooks out of existence, and those Acer tablets will not be rocking Core i3 or i5 processing power. Here’s to hoping they’ll have Tegra 2 and AMD power, as was promised before yesterday.

Source