First 700-MHz Notebook: IBM ThinkPad T20

This little powerhouse has all the right bells and whistles for the business traveler.

Clear the passing lane: There's a new speed demon on the road--IBM's ThinkPad T20, a lean, mean, computing machine with Intel's latest mobile CPU, the 700-MHz Pentium III SpeedStep. Set to replace IBM's ThinkPad 600 series, the T20 line sports a new case and more features for busy travelers.

The 700-MHz SpeedStep CPU led a preproduction T20 model 41U to a PC WorldBench 2000 score of 138, the best ever for a Windows 98 laptop, and nearly 7 percent higher than the average score of five PIII-650 notebooks we've tested in the past. Like Intel's other SpeedStep CPUs, the new chip steps down to a battery-saving clock speed (in this case, 550-MHz) when it's not plugged in. However, unless you're doing CPU-intensive tasks, such as watching a DVD movie or crunching serious numbers, you might as well disable the option and enjoy the performance--you won't lose more than a few minutes of battery life. With SpeedStep enabled, the unit lasted a respectable 3 hours, 21 minutes in our battery test.

Hey, Nice Bluetooth

Off the bat, you'll spot the new, Bluetooth-ready UltraPort connector on the T20's screen lid. Bluetooth is a wireless protocol that lets PCs and other Bluetooth-equipped peripherals, such as mobile phones, talk to each other; you'll need a card (the PC Card version is due out in July, and an UltraPort card is due in the fall) to use that functionality. For now, you can use the port with a funky-looking, $99 digital camera (available from IBM) that shoots stills and video. The camera can also connect through the Universal Serial Bus port. Bundled software lets you take snapshots and send video e-mail. I found the package intuitive, and I had the camera running in minutes.

Other welcome changes from the 600 series include a built-in ethernet port beside the modem jack, and a new place for the power switch: It's located above the keyboard rather than on the side, so the unit is less likely to be turned on accidentally. You also get a programmable ThinkPad button: By default, it launches Access ThinkPad, an easy-to-use program with system information, troubleshooting tips, and links to four IBM portals, including one for small businesses and another for the ThinkPad Community.