3 Different but Appealing Laptops
Laptop computers continue to offer shoppers the most diverse hardware choices. Precisely because every model must compromise on some aspect or another of desktop computers, each manufacturer comes up with a different formula in hopes of striking the perfect balance.
This is readily apparent in comparing the NEC MultiSpeed, the Data General One (Model 2) and Grid Systems’ GridCase Plus. Although all three run IBM PC-compatible software, each is sized differently, has a different keyboard layout and different display screens. (All three can be plugged into external, standard PC-compatible color graphics monitors.)
There are other obvious differences. The Data General and GridCase models that were tested have 10-megabyte internal disk drives; the NEC MultiSpeed has two built-in 3 1/2-inch diskette drives.
The three machines run at different speeds. Based on the Norton Utilities SysInfo test, the Data General is slowest, executing programs 80% as fast as a standard IBM PC. The GridCase Plus runs 10% faster than a PC. The NEC is the fastest, running 3.6 times faster than a PC by virtue of its 9.54-megahertz microprocessor. The GridCase hard disk tested on average about 28% faster than the Data General, based on tests from the PC Magazine Laboratory series. Both were several times faster than the floppy disk drives of the NEC.
The most obvious differences among the three is in their display screens. The Data General liquid crystal display has the most pleasing size, slightly rectangular at 6 1/2 by 8 inches, and it folds flat to get it out of the way when using an external monitor. It needs good overhead lighting; if you’ve got that, the resolution is quite good, but the characters seem to appear rather slowly, like a photo image being developed.
The DG’s keyboard places the 10 PC function keys in a row across the top and the four cursor arrow keys in a row at the bottom right. Some keys are given additional functions with a key marked “Spcl,” and the “NumLock” key turns normal alphanumeric keys in the middle of the keyboard into a numeric keypad.
A well-placed carrying handle and a superb two-compartment shoulder bag complete the package.
The NEC MultiSpeed also uses an LCD screen, measuring 9 by 5 inches, which exaggerates images along the horizontal axis. The screen has good contrast and is more forgiving of light placement than the Data General. Characters also appear to develop on the screen, but faster than on the DG.
One thing the NEC offers that the others don’t is built-in software, stored on a memory chip inside the computer. It is quite complete, simple to use and includes Notepad, a basic text editor with a spelling checker; Outliner for writing topic and sentence outlines; Filer, which creates database files compatible with dBase II; Dialer, which stores telephone numbers and dials them through a modem, and Telcom, a telecommunications program with emulation for VT-100 and other ASCII terminals. The software isn’t really a substitute for more sophisticated PC-compatible programs, but it is adequate for on-the-road use.
The NEC keyboard is the purest copy of the original IBM PC keyboard that I have encountered on a laptop. All the keys are there, and except for the numeric keypad-cursor arrow grouping, all are in normal PC positions. NEC moved the latter key group to the upper right, above the alphanumeric keys. It’s a long stretch for the cursor keys but otherwise a good design.
NEC’s MultiSpeed also sports a good carrying handle. The unit I tested had no carrying case.
The GridCase Plus, which has no handle, has the most expensive display screen, both in price and power consumption. It uses gas plasma technology, which produces orange images against a black background, as in bank teller machines. Since it provides its own light, the GridCase can be used in total darkness.
But you’ll have to be quick. The combination of lighted screen and hard disk drive gobbles up electricity. The interchangeable, rechargeable battery packs for the machine lasted no more than an hour. (A lower-priced GridCase is available with an LCD screen, which would extend battery life.)
I tested the battery life on all three with a program that updated the screen every minute and wrote the time to the disk every two minutes. The GridCase Plus died after 57 minutes; the Data General ran for 3 hours, 12 minutes with its hard disk, while the NEC, with floppy disks, lasted for 5 hours, 47 minutes.
The GridCase Plus keyboard places the 10 function keys in a row across the top and lets the adjacent “Ins” and “Del” keys do double duty as F11 and F12 for compatibility with the latest IBM keyboard. The function keys are arranged in a diamond pattern to the right of the “Return” key. A numeric keypad is superimposed on the alphanumeric keys by pressing a special combination of keys.
Unlike the other two computers, the GridCase Plus can house only one disk drive, which was a hard disk on this machine. You must buy an external floppy drive and plug it into a special connector with a short cable.
With its satin black magnesium case, the GridCase Plus is the costliest of the three with a price of $4,855. The unit I tested, equipped with internal modem, external drive, two rechargeable battery packs, battery charger, AC power unit and uselessly tiny carrying case, has a total list price of $6,095.
Data General puts a price tag of $1,995 on the basic Model 2 with 256 kilobytes of RAM and two floppy disk drives. Upgrading to 640K costs $640, and adding the 10-MB hard disk is $1,300. The carrying case is $99.
At press time, Data General officials were seeking a clarification from the Reagan Administration on whether its portable, which is made in Japan by the company’s subsidiary, Nippon Data General, is subject to the 100% trade tariff on laptop computers.
NEC’s MultiSpeed with two floppy drives has a suggested retail price of $1,995. An internal 1200-baud modem adds $399; extra battery packs are $99.
The NEC portable is definitely subject to the 100% import tariff, but an NEC spokeswoman said the company already has a 60-day supply of MultiSpeeds in its U.S. inventory, which is not subject to the tariff. Meanwhile, NEC said it will not abandon the American marketplace.
So, which is best? None is perfect, but each has combinations of features that are sure to please some users. The best advice is to shop and see for yourself. Happily, the portable market has progressed to the point that there are good machines to choose among.
