Top 15 Notebook PCs

Speedstep. Isn't that the latest aerobic exercise craze? Close: It's Intel's nifty new dual-speed mobile processor, which runs a plugged-in notebook at a heart-pounding 600 or 650 MHz and reduces its speed to 500 MHz when the notebook is unplugged to conserve battery power. This month, the first SpeedStep business notebooks--the big-screened Quantex W-1511 and Dell Inspiron 5000 G650VT--step onto our charts.

What's New

The arrival of notebooks based on Intel's new Pentium III-650/500 and PIII-600/500 SpeedStep processors is forcing Pentium III-500 laptop prices down to more affordable levels. Single-speed PIII-550 notebooks grabbed four of the five spots on our midrange lineup.

Meanwhile, SpeedStep notebooks command the highest prices. Dell's $3727 Inspiron 5000 G650VT, in third place among power notebooks, costs a pretty penny. But others are relatively good deals: The new Quantex W-1511, number four on this month's power chart, lists for a reasonable $2899.

In March's Top of the News story "Double Time: New PIII Notebooks Run at 650 or 500 MHz," however, we reported that a SpeedStep processor only affects performance if you use heavy-duty applications. If you're in the habit of watching a couple of DVD movies every time you make a cross-country flight, for instance, a SpeedStep processor can squeeze up to 14 percent more time out of one battery charge. But Intel's SpeedStep has little effect with more typical business applications.

This month we looked at three notebooks that have similar case designs. Dell's Inspiron 5000 G650VT looks like a heavier, thicker, more decked-out version of the Quantex W-1511. For a lower-cost version of essentially the same case, check out Chem USA's $2399 ChemBook 3015, in third place on our midrange list. Despite being the most modestly equipped of the three, the ChemBook 3015 still sports a Pentium III-500 processor and a 14.1-inch screen. All three units offer a modular bay that can hold a second battery, among other extra-cost add-ins.