How we tested
We tested and evaluated each of the notebooks based on the following criteria.• Standard performance and compatibility benchmarks (see Benchmarks).
• Audio including the audio chip used and sound quality, volume level, speaker/s location, I/O, and ease of use.
• Keypad including key size, spacing, layout, travel, feedback, support, and colour differentiation.
• Pointing device including location, button size, travel and feedback, additional features, and functionality.
• Workmanship and design including ergonomics, robustness, and durability.
• System expandability including the number of I/O ports, upgradability of CPU, memory, and hard drive.
We also rated each of the notebooks in the areas of interoperability, futureproofing, return on investment and service.
Interoperability: We looked at the variety of connectors available.
Return on Investment: We looked at the overall cost and performance of the notebook.
Futureproofing: We examined the expansion potential of each notebook, including the maximum RAM capacity, and whether the notebook had provisions for a second battery.
Service: We looked at the duration of the warranty for parts and labour.
Benchmarks
Business Winstone 2002 V1.0
Business Winstone is a system-level, application-based benchmark that measures a notebook's overall performance when running Windows-based 32-bit applications. Business Winstone runs through a series of scripted activities and uses the time a notebook takes to complete those activities to produce its performance scores.
The list of ten business productivity applications includes five Microsoft Office 2000 applications (Access, Excel, FrontPage, PowerPoint, and Word), Microsoft Project 98, an e-mail application (Lotus Notes R5), a compression program (NicoMak WinZip), an anti-virus program (Norton AntiVirus), and a Web browser (Netscape Communicator). Business Winstone continues to focus on the hot spots in its applications—the points that most stress PC performance, and PC users.
Content Creation Winstone 2002 V1.0.1
Content Creation Winstone is a system-level, application-based benchmark that measures a notebook's overall performance when running Windows-based 32-bit content creation applications, including Adobe Photoshop 5.5, Adobe Premiere 5.1, Macromedia Director 8.0, Macromedia Dreamweaver 3.0, Netscape Navigator 4.73, and Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 4.5.
Content Creation Winstone 2001 keeps multiple applications open at once and switches among those applications. Content Creation Winstone 2001 is a single large test that runs the above applications through a series of scripted activities and returns a single score. Those activities focus on what we call “hot spots,” periods of activity that make your PC really work—the times where you're likely to see an hourglass or a progress bar.
WinBench 99 V2.0
WinBench 99 is a subsystem-level benchmark that measures the performance of a notebook's graphics, disk, and video subsystems in a Windows environment.
WinBench 99 returns the following main results that provide an overview of a notebook's graphics, disk, and processor performance:
• Business Graphics WinMark 99
• Business Disk WinMark 99
• High-End Graphics WinMark 99 and
• High-End Disk WinMark 99
Business Winstone 2001 BatteryMark 1.0.1
BatteryMark measures battery life on notebook computers running Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
2%
4%
