New ‘Notebook’ PCs Are Packed With Power
Portable computers, known as laptops, have been around for several years, but now there is an even smaller category called notebooks. Three companies--Toshiba, Texas Instruments and Compaq Computer--have announced new notebook machines.
Toshiba today will unveil a 5.9-pound notebook PC with an excellent keyboard and easy-to-read display. On Monday, Texas Instruments introduced a 6.7-pound notebook machine that uses the powerful Intel 80C286 central processing unit and comes with a 20-megabyte hard disk. These announcements come on the heels of Compaq Computer’s Oct. 12 unveiling of five new notebook-sized PCs, each weighing about six pounds.
If you travel a lot and don’t need the speed and power of the Intel 80C286 and storage capacity of a hard disk, the Toshiba is the best buy. But if you need the power of a hard disk, then I highly recommend the Compaq model.
I was in Tokyo last week for a sneak preview of the new Toshiba T1000SE. The machine, priced at $1,699, is a Westernized version of a popular notebook PC that Toshiba has been selling in Japan for the past few months.
The new machine has an excellent backlit liquid crystal display. It comes with 1 megabyte of main memory, expandable to 3 megabytes, and has a built-in 1.44-megabyte (3 1/2-inch) floppy disk drive. The MS-DOS operating system--the basic software required to use any IBM-compatible computer--is built into the machine’s read only memory chips.
As a result, you don’t need a floppy or hard disk to start the machine. Programs can be run from a floppy, or you can configure part of the machine’s memory to simulate a hard disk to store programs and data. The data and programs remain even while the computer is turned off.
The machine uses an Intel 80C86 CPU, which makes it twice as fast as the original IBM PC. Additional memory is added via credit-card sized integrated circuit cards that slip into the side of the machine. The easy-to-install cards are much more expensive than the regular memory chips used in desktop systems. A card that adds 1 megabyte of random access memory is slated to cost $700. A 2-megabyte card will cost $1,300, according to Toshiba America President Bill Johnson.
The computer can run up to 2 1/2 hours on its removable and rechargeable nickel cadmium battery. It comes with one battery; however, it is possible to carry extra batteries if you plan to be away from an electrical outlet for an extended period. To prolong battery life, the machine can be configured to automatically go into what Toshiba calls “resume mode.” In this mode, the screen is blank and the machine draws very little battery power. You can resume using the machine by pressing any key.
The new computer measures just under 12 1/2 inches from side to side, about 10 1/2 inches from front to back and about 1 3/4 inches in height.
Toshiba will continue to sell its 6.4-pound T1000, which has been on the market for about two years. That machine, which has a suggested retail price of $999, is slightly larger, heavier and less expandable than the new model. It’s a pretty good laptop, but its screen, which is not illuminated, can be very difficult to use in the less-than-ideal lighting conditions frequently encountered when traveling.
Texas Instruments on Tuesday announced three new portable PCs. The notebook version is the TravelMate LT286 Model 12, a 6.7-pound machine that measures 8.2 by 11.7 by 3.2 inches. It has an Intel 80C286 CPU, which is about 20% faster than the CPU in the Toshiba T1000SE notebook. The machine has 1 megabyte of memory, expandable to 4 megabytes, and comes with a 20-megabyte hard disk. The suggested retail price is $4,199.
Like the new Toshiba unit, the TI machine features a backlit LCD display and has MS-DOS 3.3 etched into its read-only memory chips. To conserve the battery, the display can be turned off and the hard disk can be programmed to stop spinning after a specified period.
The machine does not come with a floppy disk drive. Programs and data can be transferred to the hard disk from another PC via cable. Software required to transfer files is built into the machine’s read-only memory. TI will also offer an optional 1.44-megabyte floppy disk drive. The TI unit has an 84-key keyboard with 12 function keys.
I haven’t had a chance to use the TI machine, but Dataquest Vice President Steve Laird, who has worked with the machine, is concerned that it may be too thick to carry in a briefcase. Although he praises the machine’s screen and keyboard, he also questions TI’s ability to successfully market the machine because of the company’s limited experience in the PC marketplace.
Compaq has come up with an impressive new line of lightweight PCs. The LTE, which uses the Intel 80C86, and the LTE/286, which uses the more powerful Intel 80C286, all come with 640K of memory and measure 8 1/2 by 11 by 2 inches. The floppy disk units weigh 6.2 pounds; machines with hard disks weigh 6.7 pounds.
All the machines have an excellent illuminated display and a well-engineered keyboard. Rechargeable batteries last up to 3 1/2 hours and, like the Toshiba, can be removed and replaced so that the machine may be used for longer periods when away from electricity.
The LTE has the same CPU (and speed) as the Toshiba T1000SE. It comes with a 1.44-megabyte floppy disk drive and 640K of RAM, expandable to 1 megabyte. Compaq has priced the floppy-only model at $2,399 and the 20-megabyte hard disk model at $2,999.
The Compaq LTE and Toshiba T1000SE are direct competitors. The Compaq is $700 more than the Toshiba and comes with less memory. However, it is slightly smaller and can be expanded to accommodate an internal hard disk without giving up the floppy. Because of its price, memory and the fact that it has MS-DOS in ROM, the Toshiba is a better buy than the floppy-based Compaq LTE. However, Compaq’s 20-megabyte hard disk unit is an excellent value in that it costs the same as the Toshiba model that has been upgraded to 3 megabytes of memory. Of course, actual prices will vary.
Three of the Compaq LTE/286 units have the same Intel 80C286 CPU as the TI model. I am very impressed with the version of Compaq’s LTE/286 with a 40-megabyte hard disk that packs a great deal of computing power into a very small package. The $4,999 price tag is quite competitive, considering its size and weight.
Both Toshiba and Compaq are highly regarded within the computer industry. Compaq is a pioneer in the PC-compatible market, and Toshiba has long been a market leader in the laptop arena. Texas Instruments has long been absent from the personal computer industry after abandoning the low-cost home computer it introduced in the early 1980s.
Before buying any PC, especially a portable unit, be certain to carefully evaluate the keyboard and examine the display from a variety of viewing angles and lighting conditions.
THE NEW NOTEBOOKS
Toshiba T1000SE
Specifications: Intel 80C86 CPU running at 9.54 megahertz; 1-megabyte memory, expandable to 3 megabytes (memory beyond 640K can be used as battery-backed RAM disk); 1.44-megabyte floppy disk drive. Screen: 400-by-600 pixel illuminated monochrome LCD display, compatible with IBM’s color graphics adapter, or CGA.
Manufacturer: Toshiba America Information Systems, Computer Systems Division, 9740 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, Calif. 92718. Phone: (800) 457-7777. Price: $1,699
Texas Instruments Travelmate LT286
Specifications: Intel 80C286 CPU running at 12 megahertz; 20-megabyte internal hard disk; optional 1.44-megabyte (3 1/2-inch) external floppy drive. Screen: Illuminated LCD supertwist CGA display.
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments, Information Technology Group, P.O. Box 202230, Austin, Tex. 78720-2230. Phone: (800) 527-3500. Price: $4,199
Compaq LTE and LTE/286
Specifications: The LTE has an Intel 80C86 CPU running at 9.54 megahertz. The LTE/286 models have an Intel 80C286 CPU running at 12 megahertz. The LTE has an internal 1.44-megabyte floppy and an optional 20-megabyte internal hard disk. There are three models of the LTE/286. Model 1 comes with a floppy drive only, model 20 with a floppy plus a 20-megabyte hard disk, and model 40 with a floppy plus a 40-megabyte hard disk. Screen: Illuminated 600-by-200 pixel LCD (CGA compatible) display.
Manufacturer: Compaq Computer, 20555 FM 149, Houston, Tex. 77070. Phone: (713) 370-0670. Price: $2,399 to $4,999
