Comparison of Sub-2kg Laptops
A look at the portables at the lighter end of the market

When considering purchasing a laptop today, it is tempting to choose the model with the largest screen, most ports, most accessories and as many bells and whistles attached as possible.  However, in the hectic world of commuting and mobile business, such feature packed laptops can render themselves impractical simply due to their weight.  Manufacturers have observed such problems and have developed lighter models which seek to combine both functionality and practicality.  Such models are never inexpensive though as makers are forced to use more advanced technologies and materials in order to pack the same features into a smaller and lighter casing.  The three lightweight laptops that will be examined in this article are the Sony Vaio TZ11XN/B, the Toshiba Portégé R500-10J and the Samsung NP-Q45.

Beginning with the Sony Vaio TZ11XN/B, it is immediately obvious that Sony has produced a formidable machine.  Its sleek black case measures just 198.2mm deep x 29.8 mm high x 277mm wide.  Contained within this case is an Intel Centrino Duo 1.06Ghz (533Mhz Frontside Bus and 2048KB L2 cache) processor that utilises the Mobile Intel® 945GMS Express Chipset.  It comes with its maximum memory of 2048MB of DDR2 (533Mhz) SDRAM installed.  As far as drives are concerned, the TZ11XN/B contains a 4200RPM, 100GB hard drive and a DVD+-RW/+-R DL/RAM optical drive that is capable of reading and writing all the standard formats of optical disk.  The 11.1 inch X-black LCD with LED technology display boasts a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768 (WXGA) and is driven by an Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with a maximum video memory of 256MB.  The laptop's ports include: 1 4 Pin i.LINK^TM (IEEE1394), 400 Mbps, Docking Station Interface, Memory Stick^TM Slot (supports Memory Stick^TM Duo, Memory Stick^TM PRO Duo, high speed data transfer and MagicGate compatible), Microphone Jack, RJ-11 Direct Port (Modem), RJ-45 Direct Port (Network), 2 USB Ports, VGA Connector for Monitor, Express Card Slot (Type 34mm), SD Card Slot, Audio out (Stereo Headphones/Speakers Jack).  Its networking capabilities include a built in V92/V90 modem, integrated Wireless LAN (max speed 54Mbps), integrated Bluetooth and an Ethernet port that supports 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T.  The multimedia features provide stereo speakers, a built in microphone and a built in 'Motion Eye' Digital Camera/Video Camera (30 Frames per Second, 0.3 Megapixels resolution).  The battery is Lithium-Ion and will provide 425 minutes use from 270 minutes charging.  All this weighs in at just 1.19Kg which makes the TZ11XN/B an extremely versatile and portable laptop.  Its price tag of £1,799 might render it inaccessible to the buyer on a small budget but it is important to remember that this model also comes bundled with software titles including Norton Internet Security 2007 and Easy Media Creator 9.

For those with a more limited budget, the Toshiba Portégé R500-10J might well be a more viable but still lightweight option.  It measures 283mm wide x 215.8mm deep x 19.5 high (front) / 25.5mm (rear) and weighs just 0.979Kg.  The processor is a 1.2Ghz Intel® Centrino® Duo and the laptop comes with 2048MB RAM as standard (2 x 1024MB).  Its hard drive is a capacious 160GB and its DVD Super Multi drive supports CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM.  The backlit 12.1 inch display has a maximum internal resolution of 1280 x 800 and is again driven by the Intel GMA 950 graphics adaptor.  The ports on the R500 include 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 headphone jack (stereo), 1 external microphone jack, 1 SD card slot, 1 IEEE 1394 slot, 1 RJ-45 Ethernet port, 1 expansion bus connector and one external monitor connector.  It also includes one PC Card slot for 1 x Type II card.  Bluetooth and Wireless LAN are built in as standard and the laptop also comes with a plethora of security features, making it ideal for an office environment where data protection is essential.  Its cost of around £1,250 makes it a middle of the road option for individuals not looking to spend over £1,500 but who still want a powerful mobile computing device.

Finally, the Samsung NP-Q45.  This device is the heaviest of the three discussed in this article, weighing 1.86Kg.  It measures 299mm wide x 26.9~36.3mm high x 217mm deep.  Its processor may be customised from 1.8Ghz up to 2.4Ghz and its system memory also ranges from 512MB to 4GB depending on sub-model choice.  It includes a 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) Super Bright Gloss LCD.  The hard drive may be customised from 80GB up to 260GB as user requirements/budgets dictate.  The laptop features similar interface ports and networking options to the other two but Wireless LAN and Bluetooth are both options that must be requested to be included.  It also lacks the docking port of the Vaio.  Although it lacks many of the features that are included as standard with the other lightweight Toshiba and Sony laptops, the NP-Q45 is more customisable and the buyer may choose to include or not to include a range of hard drive, memory and networking options that allow the laptop's price to be kept under £1000 for those with limited budgets.

All of the laptops discussed in this article combine both portability and functionality.  The Vaio, although it is the most expensive does possess features that more than justify its expense.  The Samsung provides a good low-end model at an affordable and customisable price while the Toshiba is placed in between the two as a mid-priced laptop that again includes features that reflect its price.  All three of these laptops are extremely portable and it is ultimately the buyer's budget that must define their choice of laptop.