Need a notebook with speed and long life? The new mobile platform from Intel doesn't sacrifice battery life for performance. We test four of the first Centrino notebooks.

From the start, notebook vendors have raced to speed up their notebooks but almost always at the expense of battery life: faster processors meant limited time away from an outlet. Thankfully, times change. Rather than throwing more megahertz at computing tasks, Intel's new Pentium M processor, which makes its long-awaited debut today, significantly increases notebook battery life. One notebook we tested--IBM's ThinkPad T40--hit the seven-hour mark.

Sound like a dream come true? Consider that the Pentium M is like no other processor. Based on a 0.13-micron design, the chip has an astounding 77 million transistors, many of which are taken up by the chip's megabyte of cache for the most-used instructions and data. This chip's real boost comes from its ability to predict what the next task will be and start on it or shut itself down between clock cycles to save power. As a result, it not only handles tasks more efficiently, it also uses less power.

Centrino and the name game
Intel has created a confusing name game with the Pentium M notebooks. You've probably heard the buzz about Centrino--Intel's processor-chipset-wireless triad. But only those systems that use Intel's new processor, the 855 chipset, and a Wireless Pro (802.11b) solution can use the Centrino name and logo. The rest have to settle for plain ol' Pentium M.

We put four of the first Pentium M notebooks to the test. Two were preconfigured as true-blue Centrinos: the Toshiba Tecra M1 and the Acer TravelMate 803LCi. The other two leave you the option of making your notebook a Centrino when you buy, depending on which wireless solution you choose. But don't get hung up on the fancy new name. Our experience--and that of the vendors--is that the wireless radios are roughly equal, with the software being the biggest differentiator among them. In other words, a Centrino by any other name may run just as sweetly.

Look for Intel to up the ante in a few months with a new wireless 802.11a/b adapter design, code-named Calexico. (At present, the upcoming adapter is a/b only. The 802.11g spec hasn't been ratified by the IEEE.)

Much improved battery life
The notebooks that we looked at increased overall performance by an average of about 20 percent, compared to the older Pentium 4 and Pentium 4-M notebooks. Battery-life improvements, meanwhile, were much more impressive. The notebooks achieved battery-life scores up to an astounding seven hours. As a result, not only will Pentium M notebooks run longer, but the new Intel solution will lead to a renaissance in laptop design, from thin-and-light systems that weigh much less than ever to desktop replacements that don't need a second battery.

Intel's progress may sound like a win-win situation for notebook users, but every step forward involves a step back. These systems will cost more than their predecessors, making older systems a better--albeit heavier--value. Nevertheless, whether you call them Centrino or Pentium M, these high-performance notebooks were born to run.

Acer TravelMate 803LCi
A big screen and great performance combine to make this wide body a winner, with top performance and nearly five hours of battery life.

Dell Latitude D600
This thin-and-light for the office makes its mark with exceptional graphics and a unique fold-up docking station that makes it great for travelers and desk jockeys alike.

IBM ThinkPad T40
How does seven hours of battery life, great performance, and a 2.5kg weight sound to you? That's what we thought.

Toshiba Tecra M1/S1
This performance notebook means business, with one of the first mobile DVD burners that can read multiple formats, along with a five-hour battery life.

Acer TravelMate 803LCi

Acer's TravelMate 800 series proves that good things also come in large packages. With a dizzying array of premier components, this wide-body, thin-and-light notebook delivers stellar performance and long battery life but doesn't feel like an anchor when you carry it around. Based on Intel's Centrino technology, which includes a Pentium M (PM) processor, an 855 chipset, and a wireless radio, the flagship TravelMate 803CLi model features a top-speed 1.6GHz PM processor, a 60GB hard drive, and 512MB of memory. For graphics mavens and gamers alike, it boasts a sharp, bright, 15.1-inch screen and a highly rated graphics chip with 64MB of its own memory. Still, the package comes together in a well-integrated design that might be a bit big for its class but doesn't miss a beat.

Don't be fooled by the Acer TravelMate 800's nondescript gray-and-silver case. Armed with the fastest and largest version of every component, this notebook is a computing powerhouse that can go everywhere you go--it's no ordinary machine.

Boasting an all-new design, the TravelMate 800 is squared off with an inlaid oval Acer emblem that imparts a sophisticated and inviting look. At 33cm by 27.2cm, its footprint is similar to that of other notebooks of its class, but it's a tad thinner at 3.56cm. Our only design qualm is that the bezel around the screen could be slimmer, either to create a narrower notebook or to accommodate a larger screen. Weighing in at 2.77kg, the system feels heavy, although it's on a par with Toshiba's Tecra M1, which carries a smaller screen. Add in the 240gm AC adapter, and the Acer's travel weight comes to 3.13kg, just less than the Tecra's. If you don't need the optical drive, leave it behind and drop 2.5kg from the system's weight.

When you open the TravelMate 800, you'll immediately notice its unique keyboard, which you'll either love or hate. With keys that curve away from your hands, the keyboard takes some getting used to, but it's easy to touch-type once you have the feel. The keys measure a scant 18mm across--the least of its peers--and actually feel smaller due to the layout but have an abundant 2.5mm of depth. Below the TravelMate's trapezoidal touchpad, you'll find an oval four-way navigation button. It doesn't let you control the scrolling of your cursor, but this button instantly highlights objects or text.

A single modular bay can hold optical drives or a second battery (Acer doesn't sell a hard drive for the bay). Our test system came with a capable CD-ROM/DVD that tops out at 24X, 10X, 8X, and 8X for CD reading, CD-R and CD-RW writing, and DVD reading, respectively. Acer plans to introduce a DVD-burning module in the coming months, although there's no word on which standard it will use.

With a RealTek audio chip and speakers under the keyboard, the TravelMate 800 produces surprisingly good, realistic sound that's only a little light on bass. Between the speakers are switches to turn on the system's Intel-made Wi-Fi and optional Bluetooth data radio. Underneath is a single fan that almost never kicked in during our tests, making for quiet computing. (The left side of the wrist rest grew warm to the touch after some use, however.) Acer also includes a one-of-a-kind shock absorber underneath the notebook to protect its hard drive.

The TravelMate 800 uses only the latest mobile technology. With a 1.6GHz processor; a 60GB, 5,400rpm drive; and 512MB of 266MHz memory, the high-end TravelMate 803LCi configuration we tested is a screamer. The 15.1-inch SXGA+ screen and ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 with 64MB of its own memory are every bit as impressive, pumping out clear and rich video. Unfortunately, there's one exception to this top-notch lineup. While most of the Pentium M notebooks we've reviewed can hold up to 2GB of memory (the limit of the 855 chipset), the TravelMate 800 can accommodate only half as much. Fortunately, this shouldn't cause problems for most of us.

With a quartet of USB 2.0 ports, the TravelMate 800 is connection central, and southpaws will love the fact that all ports live on the left side. Around the rest of its edge, the system has a Type II PC Card, a smart-card reader, and audio connections, including an S/PDIF plug that plugs into a high-end amplifier or set of speakers. There're also slots for S-Video, an external monitor, parallel, and FireWire. Acer covers communications well with a 100Mbps Ethernet V.92 modem and Intel's Wireless Pro 802.11b mini-PCI card, which makes this notebook a true Centrino. (You can substitute Bluetooth for Wi-Fi, if desired.) On the downside, all the ports are open to the environment, as Acer doesn't provide port covers or plugs.

Acer provides options galore for the TravelMate 800, from batteries to chargers, but two accessories caught our eye. With the AU$249.70 port replicator, you can quick and easily connect the Acer to a desktop, and the four-in-one PC Card flash reader makes it a cinch to shuffle data to and from a digital camera, a music player, or other personal device.

Mobile application performance
The Acer TravelMate 803LCi is in a class all its own when it comes to mobile performance. It has the highest score of any PM-based system we've tested to date, and it even compares favourably to top-performing desktop replacements with faster Pentium 4-M and desktop Pentium 4 processors. The TravelMate 803LCi is truly the new high-water mark when it comes to mobile performance.

SysMark2002 performance
The TravelMate 803LCi comes in first place in maximum performance, five points ahead of its closest competitor, the Dell Latitude D600. This is great performance for a 1.6GHz system--the best we've yet seen with PM-based systems. Powered by its fast 5,400rpm Toshiba hard drive, the TravelMate 803LCi scores very high in office productivity. Its Internet-content-creation total is impressive, as well, though not dramatically higher than the Latitude D600's. Overall, the TravelMate 803LCi delivers formidable results.

3D graphics performance
As always, performance on 3D graphics and gaming comes down to the quality of the graphics adapter as well as the speed of the CPU. In the case of the TravelMate 803LCi, its ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 64MB graphics adapter is enough to put it over the top. Although both the IBM ThinkPad T40 and the Latitude D600 have the same graphics adapter, the TravelMate 803LCi has twice the video memory, and it shows on our tests.

All of the early Pentium M systems we tested exhibited excellent battery life. The Acer TravelMate 803LCi approached the five-hour mark, thanks to its 14.8V, 4,400mAh battery. This score vaulted the TravelMate 803CLi into second place behind the IBM ThinkPad T40, which pulled away from the field with its more powerful 10.8V, 6,800mAh cell. But the TravelMate 803CLi's performance was even more impressive when you consider its top-of-the-class performance and bright, 14.1-inch display, which take a heavy toll on battery life.

Acer TravelMate 803LCi
Company: Acer
Price: AU$6088.50

Dell Latitude D600

The thin-and-light Latitude D600 series, based on the new Pentium M processor, marks the start of an ambitious new corporate look for Dell. Not only has the company redesigned all of its popular Latitude laptops, it has also reworked its docking stations, port replicators, and media modules. The notebooks carry the very latest components, including Pentium M processors and Intel's new 855 chipset. The D600 series isn't always a true-blue Centrino, but it can be. The company offers either the Centrino-completing Intel Pro wireless mini-PCI card, known as Calexico, or Dell Computer's own TrueMobile Wi-Fi mini-PCI cards, supporting 802.11a/b/g. If your corporate budget includes money for a new laptop line, the Latitude D series is a wise way to spend it.

If the old Latitude C600 was the comfort food of corporate computing, then the new Latitude D600 series would be the dessert. The silver D600 is a smaller, sleeker version of the gray C600, measuring 3.05cm by 31.5cm by 25.65cm and weighing an easy-to-tote 2.4kg. It still includes an internal swappable bay that houses a second battery or one of various drives: CD, DVD, CD-RW, DVD/CD-RW, floppy, or a second 40GB hard drive.

Like the C600, the Latitude D600 series includes both a pointing stick in the middle of the spacious, comfortable keyboard and a touchpad centered in the wrist rest. There are four mouse buttons: two below the spacebar (you're supposed to use these with the pointing stick) and two below the touchpad. Three handy buttons for volume--Up, Down, and Mute--are located in the upper-left corner above the keyboard.

If you'd rather rely on an external keyboard and mouse, Dell's new D/View monitor stand and port replicator make it easy to connect them. And in a unique twist, the monitor stand lets you use the notebook's screen as your main monitor, though setting it up takes some getting used to. First, attach the notebook to the monitor stand, place that on the port replicator, then lift up the back of the port replicator (there's a hinge in front). Open your notebook and slide the system up or down until the display reaches eye level. Next, connect an external monitor and mouse, and voilà--you have a desktop-PC-like setup. The two downsides to this setup: you might tire of looking at the laptop's keyboard propped up in front of you, and you might find the whole setup difficult to use.

The Latitude D600 has all of the standard ports and slots required for everyday business applications. Headphone and microphone jacks, an IrDA port, and one Type II PC Card slot line the left edge. The slot includes an embedded smart-card reader that lets employees store and read their passwords and other info on optional smart cards (the cards are available in a number of sizes and prices from various third-party manufacturers). Two speakers with middling sound occupy the front-edge corners. Two USB 2.0, S-Video-out, 56Kbps modem, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, parallel, VGA, and serial ports stretch out across the rear edge.

The Pentium M on which this series is based comes in 1.3GHz, 1.4GHz, and 1.6GHz speeds--all paired with Intel's new 855PM chipset. You can order your Latitude with anywhere from 128MB to 2GB of fast 266MHz DDR SDRAM; a 40GB hard drive spinning at a speedy 5,400rpm or 20GB, 30GB, and 60GB drives running at 4,200rpm; a 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics chip; and a number of swappable modules for the single internal bay, including CD, DVD, CD-RW, DVD/CD-RW, floppy, a second hard drive, or a second battery. The average-sized, 14.1-inch screen isn't as impressive as some of the other components; fortunately for those who deal with detailed graphics, it comes in a fine 1,400x1,050 native resolution. (You can save a little money by dropping back to a 1,024x768 display instead.) The configuration we tested included the 1.6GHz PM processor; 512MB of DDR memory; the fast 40GB hard drive; and the ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 with 32MB of video memory.

Dell offers two wireless networking options: the Intel Pro wireless 802.11b mini-PCI card--the third part of the Centrino puzzle--or Dell's own TrueMobile 1300 802.11b/g and TrueMobile 1400 802.11a/b/g mini-PCI cards instead of Intel's. No matter which wireless card you choose, your Latitude D600 will conveniently include internal, dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) wireless antennae. The Latitude D600's Type II PC Card slot also supports wireless cards. Built-in Bluetooth is another option.

Dell shines in the software department, offering businesses the manageability apps they need to continue running smoothly. The company includes its long-standing OpenManage remote-manageability software for managing assets (that is, your laptop and its associated hardware), doing remote BIOS updates, and more. Dell also preloads QuickSet, its new GUI (graphical user interface), for easy access to your power-management settings and other controls. Dell doesn't offer office suites to its large enterprise customers, as most already have licenses in place. For small businesses, the company provides Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition and Pro. Operating-system options span the range of business options: Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 3; Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1; and Windows XP Home Service Pack 1.

Mobile application performance
Compared to other Pentium M thin-and-lights, the Latitude D600 demonstrates fairly fast application performance. It scored a 174 on our Labs test, ahead of the IBM ThinkPad T40 and significantly higher than older Penitum 4-M notebooks. Neverthless, the Acer TravelMate 803LCi blew the Latitude D600 out of the water, beating it by 35 points.

SysMark2002 performance
Overall, the Latitude D600 delivered very impressive maximum-performance numbers. It finished second in maximum performance, just behind the Acer TravelMate 803LCi, which leads the pack. The Latitude D600 demonstrates great performance for a 1.6GHz system; it received one of the highest scores we've seen among Pentium M-based systems. Although its office-productivity score could have been a bit faster--especially when compared to that of the TravelMate 803LCi--the Dell did very well in Internet-content-creation tasks, finishing just behind the Acer.

3D graphics performance
The Latitude D600 offers above-average 3D performance, scoring just a few points behind the IBM ThinkPad T40 in our 3D graphics test. Its 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics adapter proved fast enough to earn the system a high score. But the adapter didn't have enough oomph to beat the Acer TravelMate 803LCi's 64MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 chip.

The Latitude D600 makes it beyond the four-hour battery-life barrier, which is impressive when compared to older, non-Pentium M systems. However, most of the new Pentium M notebooks we've tested last at least four hours; one, the IBM ThinkPad T40, lasted nearly seven hours--an astonishing feat. The Latitude D600's 11.1V, 4,320mAh is mostly to blame for its middling score. That battery is just not large enough to compete with the IBM's power source.

Dell Latitude D600
Company: Dell
Price: From AU$3,925
Phone: 1800 812 392

IBM ThinkPad T40

IBM's long-lasting ThinkPad T40 series combines a svelte, thin-and-light chassis with Intel's new Pentium M processor, the 855PM chipset, and a choice of wireless adapters. (Choosing Intel's Pro wireless adapter would make your T40 a true Centrino notebook.) The ThinkPad T40 also offers a dual-band, 802.11a/b antenna; an excellent keyboard; and wafer-thin swappable modules. It's not the fastest Pentium M notebook we tested, but it's a business traveler's dream nonetheless: an extrathin, loaded laptop with superb battery life if you buy the bigger of the two batteries. Those who crave more speed should consider another Pentium M notebook, the Acer TravelMate 803LCi, but businesses who add the ThinkPad T40 to their lineup can rest assured that they're getting an exceptional notebook.

Other thin-and-light manufacturers would do well to mimic the ThinkPad T40 series' exceptionally solid design. At 31cm by 28cm by 2.5cm and 2.54kg, the T40 is very svelte by thin-and-light standards--most of its rivals weigh more than 2.7kg. Configurations such as the system we tested that include a large, more-expensive battery aren't as compact, as the battery extends almost two and a half centimeters off the back.

The ThinkPad T40's case contains an internal, swappable bay for very thin, 9.5mm-tall drives and modules including DVD and DVD/CD-RW. Fortunately, you can use these drives in the bays of other ThinkPads, such as the R40, but you'll also have to buy an adapter for the bay . The smooth, black-rubber coating on the ThinkPad T40's lid makes it easy to get a grip on the system.

The T40 series also includes another ThinkPad staple: a great keyboard with a familiar desktoplike layout and springy keys but, unfortunately, no handy Windows key. IBM's signature red pointing stick sits above the B key, with corresponding mouse buttons and a third scroll button under the spacebar. You can put one of three texturised caps on the pointing stick depending on the feel you prefer, or you can skip the stick altogether and use the touchpad; some less-expensive models in the T40 series include the pointing stick only, however. Unfortunately, the touchpad's own set of mouse buttons might be a little too thin for some people. Additional buttons include three volume-adjustment buttons--up, down, and mute--above the keyboard, plus an Access IBM button, which takes you directly to the company's support software. A tiny light above the screen beams down on the keyboard when you need it.

The ThinkPad T40 features a fairly standard selection of ports and slots. You'll find two Type II PC Card slots; headphone and microphone jacks; 56Kbps modem and 10/100/1000 Ethernet; S-Video out; and two USB 2.0 ports on the left edge. The battery bay and a parallel port occupy the back edge. The VGA port and a swappable media bay sit on the right, while an IrDA port and two hollow-sounding speakers lie embedded in the front edge.

In true IBM style, the ThinkPad T40 series comes with a dizzying array of choices. Whether you go with a preset system or a customised one, you get a decent variety of component choices, including Intel's new Pentium M processor in 1.3GHz, 1.5GHz, and 1.6GHz speeds; the new Intel 855PM chipset; anywhere from 256MB to a big 2GHz of speedy 266MHz DDR SDRAM; either a 30GB, 4,200rpm hard drive or a 40GB, 5,400rpm drive; 32MB of dedicated video RAM attached to an ATI Mobility 7500 or Mobility 9000 graphics chip; a swappable DVD or DVD/CD-RW combo drive; and a choice of batteries. The bigger of the two batteries, which is what we tested in our Labs, costs extra; we did not test the smaller battery. (Some configurations of the T40 include only the bigger battery.)

The only display choice is 14.1 inches, but it comes in two native resolutions: the cheaper 1,024x768 or 1,400x1,050, which captures fine graphics detail but makes text extremely small. For especially intense mobile users, IBM offers a version of the T40 with a workstation-class, 64MB ATI Mobility FireGL graphics chip and a giant 80GB, 4,200rpm hard drive.

Whether the T40 is an official Centrino depends on your choice of wireless hardware. If you opt for an Intel Pro wireless 802.11b mini-PCI card, you can count yourself among the Centrino crowd. But it's not a Centrino if you choose one of the other mini-PCI options: Philips Agere 802.11a/b or Cisco Aironet 802.11b. What to choose depends on a couple of factors, namely, if you want to use the faster (though currently less pervasive) 802.11a Wi-Fi standard; so far, the Intel wireless radio is 802.11b-only. Want 802.11a in an Intel Wi-Fi chip? You'll have to wait until later this year.

Whichever wireless solution you choose, the built-in, dual-band antenna on the side of the ThinkPad T40's display will help you maintain your wireless connection. In addition to a Philips Agere 802.11b/a chip, our evaluation unit included a 1.6GHz PM processor, 512MB of memory, a 32MB ATI Mobility 9000 chip, and a 14.1-inch display at 1,400x1,050 pixels.

The ThinkPad T40's corporate bent comes through in its software. A host of operating systems serves businesses that use both old and new OSs: You'll get your choice of Windows XP Professional, XP Home, 2000, 98 Gold, 98 SE, or NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 6a). Microsoft Office XP Professional and Small Business Edition are options for smaller companies that don't already own software licenses; licenses for Lotus SmartSuite Millennium and Notes are also available. Optional titles in finance, education/entertainment, graphics/Web design, and utilities/security can be bought at varying prices. IBM's hardware-and software-based Embedded Security System comes with all but a few of the lowest-priced T40s; the notebook offers an extra layer of security to prevent the pilfering of important info in PKI (public key infrastructure), VPN (virtual private network), and other secure environments. Finally, the T40 ships with InterVideo WinDVD for DVD play, as well as Norton AntiVirus 2003 and PC-Doctor for antiviral duties.

Mobile application performance
Compared to other Pentium M-based thin-and-lights, the ThinkPad T40 demonstrates below-average mobile performance. The 1.6GHz PM-based system came in last place in the pure-business notebook category, 12 points behind its nearest competitor, the Dell Latitude D600. This lag is likely due to the T40's 4,200rpm hard drive, which is slower than the 5,400rpm hard drives of the other systems we tested. However, while not the mobile-performance king, the ThinkPad T40 still scored better than most non-Pentium M notebooks we've tested.

SysMark2002 performance
The ThinkPad T40 scored the lowest overall in maximum performance in this Pentium M test group. The T40's bottom-rung office-productivity score was likely due to its relatively slow, 4,200rpm hard drive. Its Internet-content-creation score, which does not depend as much on hard drive speed, proved a more palatable five points lower than the second-place Dell Latitude D600. These differences would not be discernible to an everyday user, but ultimate speed-seekers such as gamers or multimedia pros may not be satisfied with the ThinkPad T40.

3D graphics performance
The ThinkPad T40 edged the Dell Latitude D600 out of the second-place spot in our 3D graphics test. But while the IBM's 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics adapter proved powerful, it wasn't brawny enough to beat the Acer TravelMate 803LCi's Mobility Radeon 9000 chip with twice the amount of video RAM.

All of the Pentium M-based systems we tested showed impressive battery lives of four hours or more. But the IBM ThinkPad T40, which blew everyone away by chugging along for nearly seven hours, had a major advantage: a huge 10.8V, 6,600mAh battery that's so big it sticks out from the back of the notebook. (The battery slot is on the back of the T40.) While our evaluation system included this big battery, most ThinkPad T40 configurations include a smaller, less expensive 10.8V, 4,400mAh battery.

IBM ThinkPad T40
Company: IBM
Price: From AU$3,899

Toshiba Tecra M1

Toshiba always offers a compelling lineup of business notebook features, and the company pulls out all the stops with the Tecra M1. The Tecra M1 series offers the newest and fastest components available. The system we tested included the 1.6GHz Pentium M (PM), Intel's 855 mobile chipset, and the optional Intel wireless 802.11b networking solution, making it a true Centrino system. Throw in a 60GB 5,400rpm hard drive, a DVD burner, and Bluetooth wireless personal-area networking, and you have a fast and capable system designed for the road. Given the Tecra M1's 1.6GHz PM and its relatively high price tag, however, we expected a lighter weight and better than the second-best performance we found in testing.

Despite its good looks, the Tecra M1 is bigger and heavier than the Tecra 9100 series it replaces. At 2cm by 31cm by 27.5cm, the Tecra M1's rounded case is a little pudgy. The Tecra M1 weighs only 2.77kg, but its 450gm AC adapter brings the system's travel weight to 3.2kg. This is a touch more than the Acer TravelMate 803LCi. You can swap the optical drive with a blank module that Toshiba supplies, slimming down the weight to more modest 2.5kg.

With a 14.1-inch screen, the Tecra M1 can show video on an external monitor or projector at 2,048x1,536 resolution in full colour. During our weeklong workout with the Tecra M1, we found that the keyboard screen-brightness adjustment had no effect, but its Brightness Sensor Control, which uses a light-level sensor above the keyboard, worked fine.

The Tecra M1's keyboard doesn't disappoint. While it lacks the firmness of the ThinkPad T40, the 19.5mm springy keys have a generous 2.4mm of depth, making for a comfortable experience. Unfortunately, the G, H, and B keys have pieces cut out of them to make room for the system's pointing stick, making it somewhat hard to hit the keys without also nicking the pointing stick. The pointing stick is flanked by two mouse buttons, and the Tecra M1 also includes a small touchpad, with two more mouse buttons.

Audio plugs on the front of the notebook make it easy to connect headphones or a microphone, but the Tecra M1 has neither external audio CD controls nor an S/PDIF connector to link it with high-end speakers. It does have a handy thumbwheel for adjusting the volume, however. All told, the SoundMax sound chip does well but doesn't really get loud enough, and as with the Evo N620c, the Tecra M1's Andrea noise-reduction microphone doesn't help.

With a single fan on the bottom of the Tecra M1, the system remains cool whether charging or running on battery power. The notebook's elaborate cooling system pushes excess heat through a heat pipe and radiator to the fan. Every bit as functional as a Porsche exhaust system and graceful as a Frank Gehry building, it's a shame that it's hidden from view.

Beneath the plastic skin of the Tecra M1 beats the heart of a true-blue Centrino notebook. It's one of the most up-to-date available, with features galore. The Tecra M1's top-of-the-line, 1.6GHz Pentium M processor is matched with a 5,400rpm hard drive that can hold 60GB of data and 512MB of 266MHz RAM. Like most of its peers, the system accommodates up to 2GB of RAM, for data hogs.

Based on a 14.1-inch SXGA+ screen, and a Trident Cyber-XP4 graphics accelerator with 32MB of dedicated memory, the Tecra M1 lags behind more advanced Pentium M video systems. The Dell Inspiron 600m and the Acer TravelMate 803LCi, for example, both include the ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 chip and twice as much video memory, making them much more suitable for graphics-intensive tasks or games.

Wireless is front and center, as with all new members of the Centrino family, with an on/off switch for air travel and sensitive locations. The Tecra M1 includes both Wi-Fi (via Intel's wireless/Pro 2100 802.11b wireless data radio) and Bluetooth data radios, so you'll probably be able to communicate but will have to choose between the two. Around the edges of the system lies an impressive complement of ports that will prove useful for workers on the road, including legacy parallel and serial ports, one FireWire connection, a trio of USB 2.0 slots, and external monitor and S-Video ports. You also get two Type II PC Card slots and the bonus of a Secure Digital slot for tiny postage stamp-sized flash cards. The notebook includes modem and LAN connectors as well as an infrared data window.

The Tecra M1 features a single modular bay and can hit the road with a variety of optical drives as well as a second battery or hard drive. Unlike most notebooks, Pentium M or otherwise, our test model included a mobile DVD burner, which can write up to 4.7GB of data to DVD-RW media at 1X speed and twice as fast for DVD- RAMs; it can also read CDs and DVDs at 24X and 8X, respectively, and write to CD-R or DVD-R at 16X and CD-RW or DVD-RW at 8X. It conforms to the DVD MultiFormat specification, making its compatibility a mixed bag: It can read and write DVD-R/RW media and read DVD-ROMs, DVD Audio and Video discs, and DVD-RAMs. The drive can't deal with DVD+RW media, however. The system includes a handy external USB floppy drive.

Outfitted for corporations who like to load their own software, the Tecra M1 includes Windows XP Professional and little more. However, additional standouts include Toshiba's excellent array of utilities for power management and for updating the system's software. Our favourite is ConfigFree, a nice program for changing communications settings and getting online wirelessly, although we could have done without the program's annoying ringing bell and doorbell tones.

Mobile application performance
Compared to the other thin-and-light Pentium M systems we tested, the Toshiba Tecra M1 is at the shallow end of the mobile-performance pool. The 1.6GHz Pentium M-based system tied for third place. It was 12 points behind the Dell Latitude D600 and scored the same as the IBM ThinkPad T40, which has a slower hard drive.

SysMark2002 performance
After a disappointing result in mobile performance, the Tecra M1 redeemed itself in maximum performance. Although it came in third place, the system still kept up with the Dell Latitude D600. Its Internet-content-creation score tied the Latitude's and came just two points behind the Acer TravelMate 803LCi's. Office productivity was not as impressive as that of other Pentium M systems, but it was still high compared to most other systems we've tested.

3D graphics performance
The Tecra M1 delivered surprising results in our 3D graphics test. The system's graphics adapter, the Trident Cyber-XP4 32MB, allowed it to place second and to beat the two systems with the higher-profile ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB graphics adapter by a significant amount. While the system did not have the power to beat the Acer TravelMate 803LCi, which houses the ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 64MB, it was only a few hundred points off--not bad for a graphics chip manufacturer that usually causes systems to place last in our 3D tests. The Tecra M1 boasts 3D power that will disappoint only the hardest of hard-core gamers.

All of the thin-and-light Pentium M systems we tested had impressive battery life: each system lasted at least four hours. The Toshiba Tecra M1 actually lasted more than five hours, a stellar showing considering how highly the system scored in performance. The Tecra M1's score of five hours, five minutes was good enough for second place, and it came in almost two hours behind that of the IBM ThinkPad T40. In battery life, achieving four hours is impressive, so performance of more than five hours is extraordinary.

Toshiba Tecra S1
Company: Toshiba
Price: AU$5,720

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