HP's Sub-$2000 Celeron-333 Notebook

Notebook PC

SUMMARY

HP OmniBook XE2 PRO: Speedy, won't break the bank, powerful speakers, external volume controls. CON: Free technical support limited to three years, hands may muffle sound when typing. VALUE: Offers the performance and most of the features that business users need, for under $2000. $1849 Hewlett-Packard 800/322-4772 www.hp.com

With its OmniBook XE series, Hewlett-Packard joins the ranks of major notebook vendors offering sub-$2000 portables for business users. But while the fast performance of the $1849 OmniBook XE2 makes it a fine computer for most business tasks (it's the first Celeron-333­based notebook we've tested), you can find even better deals.

The advent of the sub-$1000 desktop PC has forced notebook makers like IBM, Gateway, and Dell to drop the prices of their portables to below $2000 to stay competitive; even mobile professionals may not be able to justify paying the cost of three desktops for a notebook.

The OmniBook XE2's features typify what you get today at this low price: a Celeron-333 CPU, 64MB of RAM, a 12.1-inch active-matrix screen, internal V.90 modem and CD-ROM drive, a 4GB hard drive, and a one-year parts and labor warranty.

Performance doesn't suffer, either: Our shipping unit ran up a PC WorldBench 98 score of 166, on a level with Pentium II-300PE notebook PCs.

Extras such as external audio controls and robust speakers endow the OmniBook XE2 with a consumerish look and feel reminiscent of IBM's sub-$2000 ThinkPad I series. Too bad HP put the OmniBook XE2's speakers so close to the wrist rest. This juxtaposition can muffle sound slightly when you type and listen to tunes at once. HP also cuts off free technical support after three years; many other vendors offer lifetime support.

Although the OmniBook XE2 is a good deal, it's not the best you can get. For example, Dell's $1979 Inspiron 3500 C333XT includes a bigger screen, a multipurpose bay that accepts a DVD-ROM drive and other optional devices, and a three-year parts and labor warranty. But you can't go wrong selecting either of these budget portables. If you need a notebook primarily for routine word processing and spreadsheet work, about the only mistake you can make these days is paying more than two grand.