WHAT'S HOT: The ChemBook 4025 comes wrapped in a stylish, surprisingly lightweight 6.9-pound package with a silver-blue lid and black keyboard. At $2099, it includes a 2.2-GHz Pentium 4-M CPU, a 15-inch screen, and a 30GB hard drive. It features a fixed floppy drive on the front; an older PS/2 connection sits on the right side of the case, convenient for users of legacy mice and keyboards. Its DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive, 802.11b (Wi-Fi) readiness, three USB 1.1 ports, and high-speed FireWire port should please buyers looking for cutting-edge features.

The ChemBook 4025 pulled down a PC WorldBench 4 score of 104, about par for a 2.2-GHz P4-M-equipped notebook.

WHAT'S NOT: The ChemBook 4025's battery petered out after just 2.4 hours in our tests. Though it includes an interesting Sound Effects Manager utility that approximates a karaoke machine by canceling out voices, this ChemBook's front-mounted speakers generate so-so audio that is not particularly loud or robust. The notebook has neither a thumbwheel nor even a function-key combination for audio, so to control volume you must use software.

WHAT ELSE: This laptop includes two PC Card slots--a rarity in new notebooks. The combination optical drive sits on the left side, making it less easy to use (for right-handers, anyway). Otherwise, the notebook's design is convenient. Two shortcut buttons allow you to launch your Internet connection and e-mail program, respectively. All of the parts except the battery--which you have to fumble to catch when it's released from a bay on the bottom--are simple to access and handle.

Chem USA's documentation is merely satisfactory overall. The printed material is limited to a quick-start guide that identifies parts and illustrates setup. The user manual, available only on CD-ROM, is easily searchable but could use more details and a more intuitive arrangement. (For instance, under the topic of Speaker, it talks only about volume and then refers you to chapter two of the manual.)

UPSHOT: The ChemBook 4025 is an excellent fit for traditionalists who want to try new technologies--such as downloading digital video via a FireWire port--while enjoying the safety net of legacy connections. All that's missing is decent sound.