« Return to: Top 15 Notebook PCs
| Rank | Power notebook | Overall rating | Street price (3/22/02) | PC WorldBench 4 Performance Score1 | Comments | Base config:CPU2 | Base config: Screen (inches) | Base config: RAM (MB) | Base config: Hard drive3 &; | Base config: Pointing device | Base config: Multi-purpose bays | Extra features4 | Overall design | Battery life (hours:min)5 | Average weight (pounds)6 | Vendor's reliability/service |
| 1 | Best Buy IBM ThinkPad A30p | 89 | Expensive $3099 | Windows 2000Outstanding 113 | Desktop replacement has dual modular bays, an ergonomic sloping case, and a huge hard drive. PDA syncing bay device is optional. (Feb 02) | 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M | 15 | 256 | 48 | Eraserhead | 2 | Very good: 6X DVD-ROM and 4X/4X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Lotus SmartSuite | Outstanding | Average/2:19 | Heavy/8.5 | Good/Fair |
| 2 | Dell Inspiron 4100 | 89 | Average $2149 | Windows 2000Very good 107 | Accommodates lots of add-ins; has dual pointing devices. Optional color palm rests and screen backs cost $20. (Jan 02) | 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 20 | Touchpad, eraserhead | 2 | Very good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combo drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Microsoft Office XP SBE 2002 | Very good | Average/2:58 | Heavy/8.1 | Good/Fair |
| 3 | New Gateway Solo 9550xl | 88 | Average $2299 | Windows 2000Very good 111 | Comes equipped with a large screen and high-end multimedia connections, including an IEEE 1394 port, but it's big and heavy. | 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M | 15.7 | 512 | 40 | Touchpad | 1 | Very good: 6X DVD-ROM and 4X/4X/24X CD-RW combo drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Microsoft Works Suite 2002 | Very good | Good/3:29 | Heavy/9.3 | Fair/Fair |
| 4 | Dell Latitude C810 | 87 | Average $2625 | Windows XP ProfessionalVery good 101 | All-in-one has dual optical drive design but is unavailable with both standard and wireless networking connections built-in. (Apr 02) | 1.13-GHz Pentium III-M | 15 | 256 | 30 | Touchpad, eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Very good | Good/3:00 | Heavy/9.1 | Good/Fair |
| 5 | HP Omnibook 6100 | 86 | Expensive $2828 | Windows 2000Very good 106 | Corporate speedster has wireless-ready design and a handsome, thin case with a modular bay. (Jan 02) | 1.13-GHz Pentium III-M | 15 | 256 | 30 | Touchpad, eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Outstanding | Very good/3:58 | Average/7.8 | Good/Fair |
| 6 | New Compaq Evo N600c | 84 | Average $2799 | Windows XP ProfessionalGood 97 | Dual pointing devices and an optional funky, silver wireless module in lid highlight square black laptop. | 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 30 | Touchpad, eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Very good | Good/3:05 | Light/6.7 | Fair/Poor |
| 7 | Toshiba Tecra 9000 | 83 | Expensive $2999 | Windows 2000Good 101 | Slim, all-silver unit with sloping front includes both 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless antennas. (Mar 02) | 1.13-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 30 | Eraserhead | 1 | Very good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/4X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Very good | Good/3:04 | Average/7.1 | Good/Fair |
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| Rank | Value notebook | Overall rating | Street price (3/22/02) | PC WorldBench 4 Performance Score1 | Comments | Base config: CPU2 | Base config: Screen (inches) | Base config: RAM (MB) | Base config: Hard drive3 &; | Base config: Pointing device | Base config: Multi-purpose bays | Extra features4 | Overall design | Battery life (hours:min)5 | Average weight (pounds)6 | Vendor's reliability/service |
| 1 | Best Buy, New MicronPC TransPort XT2 | 83 | Average $1999 | Windows XP HomeVery good 96 | Has a reasonably light weight, yet is flush with every feature you could want, including a good keyboard and extra audio controls. | 1-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 20 | Touchpad | 1 | Very good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/4X/24X CD-RW combo drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Office XP SBE 2002 | Outstanding | Good/3:05 | Average/7.4 | Fair/7 |
| 2 | Dell Latitude C610 | 82 | Expensive $2286 | Windows XP ProfessionalVery good 99 | Revamp of older model allows both wireless and standard networking connections to be built in, eliminating need for PC Cards. Price falls $100. (Apr 02) | 1-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 20 | Touchpad, eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Very good | Very good/3:56 | Average/7.8 | Good/Fair |
| 3 | New Gateway Solo 5350ls | 82 | Average $1899 | Windows XP ProfessionalVery good 95 | Fairly light two-spindle model has a removable hard drive and handsome black-and-silver case, but no big extras. | 1.13-GHz Pentium III-M | 14 | 256 | 30 | Touchpad | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combo drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Microsoft Works Suite 2002 | Very good | Very good/4:01 | Average/7.4 | Fair/Fair |
| 4 | IBM ThinkPad R30 | 82 | Average $1699 | Windows 2000Good 88 | Unit has most standard connections, a light at the top of the screen, and built-in 802.11b support. (Jan 02) | 1-GHz Pentium III | 14.1 | 256 | 30 | Eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Lotus SmartSuite | Outstanding | Average/2:22 | Light/6.7 | Good/Fair |
| 5 | New Toshiba Satellite Pro 6000 | 81 | Expensive $2199 | Windows 2000Very good 99 | Conservative all-black box includes built-in wireless capability; modular bay accommodates optical drive or second battery. | 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M | 15 | 256 | 40 | Eraserhead | 1 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/4X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Very good | Good/3:04 | Average/7.7 | Good/Fair |
| 6 | Compaq Presario 1720 | 80 | Average $1599 | Windows XP HomeVery good 95 | Lightweight, well-equipped consumer laptop comes with DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive and IEEE 1394 port. (Mar 02) | 1-GHz Pentium III-M | 14.1 | 256 | 20 | Touchpad | 1 | Good: 6X DVD-ROM and 4X/4X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Average | Good/3:13 | Average/6.8 | Fair/Poor |
| 7 | Toshiba Satellite 5005-S504 | 80 | Average $1799 | Windows XP HomeVery good 95 | Fantastic sound and dedicated audio controls will delight music lovers; also includes SD and SmartMedia slots. (Mar 02) | 1.1-GHz Pentium III8 | 15 | 512 | 30 | Touchpad | 0 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/4X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter, Lotus SmartSuite | Very good | Poor/1:47 | Heavy/8.7 | Good/Fair |
| 8 | Fujitsu LifeBook C Series | 80 | Inexpensive $1399 | Windows 2000Good 88 | Offers four USB ports; DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive is a pleasant find in a low-cost notebook. (Jan 02) | 1-GHz Pentium III | 14.1 | 128 | 30 | Touchpad | 0 | Good: 8X DVD-ROM and 8X/8X/24X CD-RW combination drive, built-in modem and network adapter | Average | Good/3:18 | Average/7.7 | Good/7 |
| Percent of overall rating | 20 percent | 15 percent | 5 percent | 10 percent | 10 percent | 5 percent | 10 percent | 25 percent |
For more details, see "A Guide to PC World's Star Ratings."
1 Performance word scores reflect comparisons of PCs in the same category (power or value) running the same operating system. See "Your Guide to the Top 100." for more details.
2 Except where noted, all CPUs are SpeedStep chips, which run at a slower speed when on battery power.
3 In gigabytes.
4 Word score reflects both listed and unlisted features.
5 Unless otherwise noted, all notebooks come with a lithium ion battery.
6 Includes computer, AC adapter, power cord, floppy drive, and optical drive.
7 Insufficient data to give a rating.
8 Single-speed desktop CPU.