Gammatech Gammatech Durabook D15TS

Speedwise, the Durabook is no slouch. Equipped with a 2.10-GHz Core 2 Duo T8100 processor and 2GB RAM, the D15TS managed an above-average WorldBench 6 score of 82 in our performance tests. It can handle with aplomb any kind of application except 3D games; it couldn't even leave the gate in our games tests because the D15TS uses Intel's anemic integrated video memory instead of a dedicated graphics card.

The battery life was pretty impressive for a ruggedized notebook, as the D15TS lasted 4 hours, 18 minutes in our tests. It wasn't the top performer in the latest all-purpose pack--that title currently belongs to the Lenovo ThinkPad SL400, which survived a little over 5 hours with a six-cell battery--but it's certainly long-lasting enough.

Typing was a pleasant experience overall. The keyboard's touchpad is on the small side, but the mouse buttons are really comfortable thanks to a neoprene-type finish of some sort that is very soft, almost like velour. A big, can't-miss-it oblong button ringed in the same electric-blue LED as the power button turns Wi-Fi on and off. And, of course, as a ruggedized machine, the D15TS has a spill-resistant keyboard. Don't go dumping a gallon of water on it, but if you accidentally splash the laptop with a couple ounces of coffee, it'll survive. Anything more than 100cc, and you could be in trouble--half a cup of coffee could do it in. Not quite as rugged as we would have liked.

In addition to standard laptop features, such as FireWire, three USB ports, an SD/Memory Stick slot, and an ExpressCard/54 slot, the D15TS has a SmartCard slot for security and a user-accessible SIM card compartment on the front for adding mobile broadband connectivity. The audio, which emanates from speaker outlets in the lower screen frame, is pretty good for a portable. The volume is adequately loud and of a decent enough quality for movies. The only wart on this semitough unit: two ugly little screws in the hinges.

If performance wrapped in extra durability sounds good to you, take a look at the semiruggedized but fully functional--and fairly attractive--D15TS.