IBM may have named this notebook the ThinkPad A30p, but A-1 would've have been a more appropriate moniker. Using a 1.2GHz Intel Pentium III-M processor, 256MB of SDRAM, a 32MB ATI Rage Mobility GPU, and a 5,400rpm, 48GB hard drive, this AU$7,400 portable turned in a scintillating SysMark 2001 score of 139--the fastest ZDNet has seen to date.
Packed to the rafters
Speed is only part of the A30p's story; the unit we tested is packed to the rafters with state-of-the-art notebook components and technologies. For starters, there's an extraordinarily crisp, luminous, 15.1-inch, 1,600 by 1,200-pixel screen. Then there's a combination DVD/CD-R/CD-RW drive that writes CD-Rs and CD-RWs at 4X (600KB per second), reads DVD-ROMs at 6X (8.3MB per second), and reads CD-ROMs at 24X (3.6MB per second). The drive is housed in one of the ThinkPad A30p's two modular UltraBays, which also accept a number of other storage options, including LS-120, LS-240, and Zip drives, as well as an extra battery for reaching the ThinkPad A30p's maximum of two. The other modular bay is the new UltraBay Plus, which can accept devices such as a numeric keypad and a WorkPad (Palm) docking cradle in addition to the options mentioned above.
Connectivity is a hallmark of the ThinkPad A30p's standard configuration. The notebook integrates both 802.11b (WiFi) and Bluetooth wireless networking. The former will appeal to those in the business world, and the latter should come in handy when Bluetooth short-range wireless devices finally hit the market in decent numbers. But the most unique feature of the ThinkPad A30p is IBM's Embedded Security system. This combination of a cryptographic chip and client software brings encryption and password security down to the hardware level, where it's far harder to defeat than software-only solutions.
Feature-rich design
Measuring 33 by 27.2 by 4.6 centimetres and weighing 3.4 kilograms with AC adapter, the black A30p is about as heavy as you'd expect a desktop replacement to be. The wide-bodied design allows IBM to fit six program-launch keys in a column to the left of the excellent full-sized keyboard. IBM has stuck with its highly accurate, pointing stick, which is situated among the keys.
Optical Mouse
With so much new technology on board, it's a bit of a surprise that IBM retained both serial and parallel legacy ports. Vendors such as Fujitsu are now opting for four USB ports on some models instead. The ThinkPad A30p has two USB ports along with VGA-out, S-Video-in and -out, and the company's proprietary UltraPort, for attaching USB cameras and the like to the top of the screen panel. Rounding out the package are an infrared port, a mike, a speaker, and headphone jack; RJ-11 (for the integrated V.92 modem), RJ-45 (for the integrated 10/100 Ethernet port) and dual Type II PC Card slots are also included.
Impressive stamina
Battery life is surprisingly good for a machine with such a large display. The ThinkPad A30p uses Intel's SpeedStep technology to reduce the processor speed to 800MHz in battery-saving mode. In this mode, the notebook ran for 2hours and 16 minutes on its 3.6Ah lithium-ion battery.
IBM backs the ThinkPad A30p with a solid set of support resources. A three-year pick-up and delivery warranty on parts and labour should ease anxieties about reliability. IBM's print documentation is thorough and well designed, as is its electronic counterpart, the easy-to-use ThinkPad Assistant. IBM also offers intuitive, Web-based support, which includes technical resources, driver and utility downloads.
As good as it gets
The ThinkPad A30p is as good as desktop replacements get; it's fast, capable, and built to handle pretty much anything. But if its price is too high for you, alternatives are available: basic configurations versions of this unit start at AU$3,799 (benchmark scores listed in this article apply to our test configuration only).
IBM ThinkPad A30p
Company: IBM
Price: AU$7,398 as configured for review
Distributor: IBM Australia
Phone: 13 24 26
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