IBM ThinkPad T21 2647-57U

WHAT'S HOT: If you liked the IBM ThinkPad T20, a bantam-weight powerhouse that included just about everything you would want in a 5-pound portable, you will like the T21 even more--especially if graphics is your game. This upgrade sports a 14.1-inch screen capable of a native resolution of 1400 by 1050, the latest Intel processors, and beefed up UltraBay options, including a 2X SuperDisk drive and a 32GB second hard drive. The T21, like its older sibling, also includes all legacy connections, great built-in audio with handy control buttons, the ThinkLight for illuminating the keyboard in dark rooms, and innovative electronic documentation. It is Bluetooth ready and offers a digital camera connection on the top edge of the screen. Minus the AC adapter, the T21 weighs only 5.3 pounds; With the DVD-ROM drive removed and a hollow travel bezel ($19.95 from Compu-Lock) in the bay, it weighs only 4.9 pounds.

WHAT'S NOT: There is no printed documentation except for a slim start-up manual. At $3699, the T21 is expensive, even for a laptop equipped with the latest Intel SpeedStep processor, a Pentium III 850/700. A parallel port cable for attaching the floppy drive externally costs $49 more, and free support ends after three years.

WHAT ELSE: Identical in appearance to the T20, the T21 boasts the same beveled black case, the solid keyboard and soft mouse buttons that are an IBM trademark, and a fire-engine red eraserhead pointing device. This configuration includes an 8X DVD-ROM drive; other bay options, in addition to a second hard drive and 2X SuperDisk drive, include a CD-RW drive and supplementary battery. An S-Video port lets you watch DVD movies on a television set. You can upgrade the memory and storage yourself; However, the hard drive sits behind the battery and is not meant for everyday removal. The T21 earned a fairly average PC WorldBench 2000 score--160--for a Windows 2000 Professional laptop equipped with a Pentium III-850/700 processor. It is a hair faster than Compaq and HP laptops but a little slower than the Dell machines we have tested. Battery life is above average, at 3.5 hours on one charge.

BEST USE: Although the 5.3-pound Apple PowerBook G4 now claims the prize for more display area per laptop pound with a whopping 15.2-inch screen, the T notebooks from IBM still rule the Windows world. For companies and luxury-loving individuals who can afford a first-class, lightweight laptop, the T21 is worth every penny.

SUMMARY

IBM ThinkPad T21 2647-57U PC WorldBench 2000 score of 160, Pentium III-850/700, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB of L2 cache, Windows 2000 Professional, 14.1-inch active-matrix screen, S3 Savage/IX with 8MBof SDRAM, 32GB hard drive, 8X DVD-ROM drive, built-in V.90 modem and network interface, eraserhead pointing device, 6.2-pound weight (including AC adapter and phone cord), Lotus SmartSuite Millennium Edition. 3-year parts and labor warranty; free, toll-free 24/7support during warranty period ($35 per incident thereafter). $3699 800/746-7426 www.ibm.com/thinkpad