New laptops can give you a whole lot of power - evaluation

Home Office Computing, Jan, 1991 by Henry F. Beechhold

New Laptops Can Give You a Whole Lot of Power

Following the lead of desktop computers, laptops are playing the power game, offering performance hardly distinguishable from that of many of the current desktop PCs. The color laptop has already made its debut, and 486 machines are on the way.

Function for function, laptops (of any type) are more expensive and less well appointed than desktop PCs because of the design problems that arise in the shrinking process. So unless you really need a traveling computer, you're better off with a desktop system. But if you spend a fair amount of time computing on the road, a 386SX laptop could be your best all-purpose computing choice. Of course, if color--rather than shades of gray (or orange, in the case of the Toshiba)--is a necessity, these particular machines won't cut it, although each provides color VGA output to a standard monitor, allowing the laptop to act as the core of a fully functional system.

What should you look for when buying a 386SX laptop? The Toshiba and Epson street prices and the Dell direct-sales price are all in the same range--roughly $3,500--so price is not the deciding factor. Likewise, the performance specs of these machines are similar. There are differences in three significant areas, however: display, keyboard, and memory expansion.

Display. Toshiba's orange-on-black display, typical of gas-plasma technology, easily takes the video prize. While the Epson and Dell text and graphics are as sharp as Toshiba's, the gas-plasma display is effectively the same as that of a high-quality monochrome VGA monitor with no smears or unevenness of the visual field.

The video refresh rate (rewrite or response time) of the Toshiba gas-plasma display is much faster than that of an LCD, and the contrast is much greater. Yet power consumption is equivalent. Refresh-rate performance is most noticeable when you're working with graphics (as opposed to text).

Keyboard. If I could put the Epson keyboard feel into the Toshiba computer: Wow! The Epson touch is about as close to the classic IBM touch as I've found in a laptop. For me this is what a keyboard should feel like. To be fair, I must say that Toshiba's runs a fairly close second. Dell's keyboard is mushville. If you plan to compute on a desk (as opposed to a lap), the Dell case design was the easiest on my large hands, which tend to rest on the corners of a keyboard. The Dell's low rise from the desk surface and its rounded corners add up to comfort. The Toshiba's keyboard sits just enough higher than the Dell's to be a bit troublesome. Epson's is about the same as Toshiba's--a little worse, in fact, because the sharply angled carrying handle slides into the front left and right corners of the keyboard, and in short order, the result is pretty uncomfortable typing.

Another important keyboard consideration is layout. The Epson's 12 function keys are arranged 10 across, with two more immediately above F9 and F10. The editing keys are in the upper right corner, the wrong place for those of us who spend most of our computing lives working on text files. The Dell and Toshiba layouts are virtually the same and about as close to "normal" as one can hope to get in a laptop-size unit. In all cases, the numeric keypad is an overlay to keys within the QWERTY bank, and toggled by a combination of keys. For example, to get at the Dell keypad you press CTRL Num Lock.

Memory expansion. Here again Toshiba comes out ahead, with its provision for expansion to 13MB. Dell allows for a total of 8MB; Epson, 4MB. Unless the laptop is going to be your main computer, 4MB--which is, after all, a lot of memory--should suffice. Still, there might be a time when you might find this limiting. The likelihood, however, that you'd ever need to cram as much as 13MB into a laptop seems slim.

Despite my enthusiasm for the Toshiba, the Dell and the Epson are well worth a close look. My visual and keyboard tastes may not be yours. Furthermore, the Epson offers one feature that could be of particular value to some users: a pop-out hard drive. Thus, if more than one person will be using the laptop, each can run the computer with a "program-personalized" hard drive on which his or her confidential files can be safety stored. The Dell's big advantages are its lighter weight, its slightly smaller size, and the company's sterling reputation for support--neither Toshiba nor Epson is in the same class when it comes to stroking the customer.

To give these computers a proper workout, I loaded them up with my regular software and used them through several cycles of charge/discharge/charge. They all performed like the 16MHz 386SX thorough-breds they are--that is, admirably--exhibiting no software-compatibility problems and no glitches, crashes, or hangups. I could live happily with any one of these computers. Ah, but my heart still belongs to Toshiba. A Survey of Three 386SX Laptops The following 386SX-based laptops all run at 16 MHz (with zero wait states). VGA display is standard, with a maximum resolution of 640 by 480. Also standard are one 3.5-inch floppy-disk drive and a port for an external VGA monitor. Dell System 316LT List Price $3,699 (no discount) Rating * * * Documentation Excellent; well written; separate Getting Started booklet and software tutorial most helpful to newcomers. Value Very good value; direct-sales price not discounted but highly competitive. Memory (Standard/Maximum) 2MB/8MB Display Type/Backlit LCD/Yes Screen Size/Mode Support 8 by 6 in./VGA (16 gray levels) Hard-Disk Drive (Capacity/Speed) 40MB/25 ms Parellel/Serial Ports P, S Claimed Battery Life/Charging Time 2 hr/2 to 6 hr Size and Weight Overall Dimensions, w/Battery 12.7 by 14.3 by 3.4 in. Weight, w/Battery 15 lb Weight, w/Battery & AC Adapter 17 lb Software Included DOS 3.3 Standard Expansion Slot One 1/2-length PC-type Options Additional Battery Pack $79 (two for $129) External Floppy-Disk Drive $349 External Keyboard $130 Carrying Case $79 or $199 2400-bps Internal Modem $399 Memory Upgrade $199 for 2MB Warranty (Months) 12 (On-site) Telephone (512) 338-4401/(800) 283-1450 Other Configurations 20MB model for $3,099 Minireview Dell has opted for the sleek black Art Deco look, its cosmetic designers obviously trying to set the computer apart from the pack--and succeeding. This is a handsome package housing a well made piece of equipment. To squeeze as much image quality as possible out of the LCD, Dell provides a TSR utility called Shade, which enhances renderings of photographic images. There's also a keyboard toggle for video enhancement that darkens the text in relation to the background. Realistic pricing and quiet, reliable, high-speed performance add up to a fine computer-on-the-go. If you can be happy with an LCD, and don't demand clicky, snappy keys, by all means put the Dell on your short list. The customer service is exceptional, and weighs heavily in its favor. Epson Equity LT-386SX List Price $4,998 Rating * * * Documentation Good; well-written manuals with illustrations. Value Good, at discounted prices. Memory (Standard/Maximum) 2MB/4MB Display Type/Backlit LCD/Yes Screen Size/Mode Support 8.5 by 6.4 in./VGA (16 gray levels) Hard-Disk Drive 40MB/25 ms Parallel/Serial Ports P, S Claimed Battery Life/Charging Time 3 hr/6 to 12 hr Size and Weight Overall Dimensions, w/Battery 12.9 by 14 by 3.5 in. Weight, w/Battery 17 lb Weight, w/Battery & AC Adapter 18 lb Software Included DOS 4.01 Standard Expansion Slot One 2/3-length AT-type Options Additional Battery Pack $349 External Floppy-Disk Drive $499 External Keyboard $125 Carrying Case $99 2400-bps Internal Modem $299 Memory Upgrade $799 for 2MB Warranty (Months) 12 Telephone (213) 534-4234 Other Configurations 20MB model for $5,298 Minireview In addition to its light color--Epson's version of computer beige--which contrasts with currently fashionable laptop black, this computer is noticeable for its weight (a hefty 17 pounds), its pop-out hard drive, and its superb keyboard, which includes a "Status Indicator Bar," an LCD panel that keeps you apprised of current events like processor speed, disk access, battery condition, keyboard selections (Scroll Lock, Num Lock, Caps Lock), and so on. Like the other two laptops reviewed here, the Epson beeps if you try to close the cover without turning off the computer, but it does not automatically turn off the display. Look the Epson over--the keyboard feel alone may tempt you to take it home--but make sure you test its weight with the battery pack. Toshiba 3100SX Model 40 List Price $5,999 Rating * * * 1/2 Documentation Excellent; you get both hypertext on-line documentation and well-written, thorough manuals. Value Very good, especially at discounted prices. Memory (Standard/Maximum) 640K/13MB Display Type/Backlit Gas Plasma/Yes Screen Size/Mode Support 8 by 6in./VGA (16 gray levels) Hard-Disk Drive (Capacity/Speed) 40MB/25 ms Parallel/Serial Ports P, 2 S Claimed Battery Life/Charging Time 3 hr/3 hr Size and Weight Overall Dimensions, w/Battery 12.2 by 14.2 by 3.2 in. Weight, w/Battery 14.9 lb (two batteries) Weight, w/Battery & AC Adapter 15.8 lb Software Included DOS 4.01, Multisoft PC-Kwik, Quarterdeck QEMM-386 Standard Expansion Slot None Options Additional Battery Pack $129 External Floppy-Disk Drive $499 External Keyboard $199 Carrying Case $99 2400-bps Internal Modem $349 Memory Upgrade $999 for 2MB; $2,999 for 4MB Warranty (Months) 12 Telephone (714) 583-3000/(800) 334-3445 Other Configurations 80MB model for $6,799 Minireview The Thoshiba line of laptops has emerged as the product line against which all others are measured. In sum, Toshiba's screen is what truly does it for me. Inevitably, the keyboard is component that laptop makers must compromise on in order to achieve the compact size that makes laptops useful as computers for very small spaces. And while the Toshiba keyboard is no exception, it includes all the keys of a full-size keyboard (including 12 function keys). As with other two laptops reviewed, if you really do wish to snap the clamshell shut without powering down, you can do so, and the Toshiba will blank the screen (like the Dell), automatically unblanking it when you re-open, a trick that will extend battery life considerably.