Laptops

Laptops from the little guys

If you're looking for a new laptop, far more choices are out there than just Dell, HP, and Sony. But are they worthwhile? We take a look at four laptops from lesser-known vendors to determine whether they can run with the big dogs. By Brian Bennett (March 20, 2006)

Editor's note: This originally appeared in Computer Shopper magazine. (3/20/06) You've heard of HP, Dell, and Sony, but what about ABS, Asus, and Twinhead? At CNET we get a fair amount of e-mail from readers asking whether it's worth considering a laptop from a lesser-known vendor. The answer? A qualified yes. Many laptops from the little guys include configurations remarkably similar to laptops from larger vendors, sometimes at a lower price. To get that low price, though, there are little economies. The CyberPower Xplorer X64, for example, runs on an AMD processor, while the ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution incorporates the previous generation of high-end GPUs. Other trade-offs: you may not enjoy the same warranty terms and 24/7 phone support you would get from the big boys, and in some cases, the quality of construction could be lacking. We looked at four reasonably priced, well-configured notebooks: the ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution, the Asus W2V, the CyberPower Xplorer X64, and the Twinhead Durabook. With the exception of the Xplorer, powered by an AMD Turion 64 CPU, all employ previous-generation Pentium M processors. In addition, all have built-in wireless networking and sufficient RAM, and all but the Durabook have roomy wide-format screens and discrete 3D graphics chips. Only the Twinhead lacks a DVD burner. Two even have some welcome multimedia touches: the Mayhem can play discs and media files without booting up, and the W2V packs the Windows XP Media Center Edition OS and a TV tuner. Design is a mixed bag. The construction on some, such as the Xplorer X64, is questionable, while others, such as the sleek W2V, blend high style with slick creature comforts and impressive multimedia capabilities. One laptop, the Durabook, stands out, with a moderately rugged chassis that's designed to survive the occasional drop or spill. All of these models share one shortcoming: support. The smaller manufacturers can't quite match the warranty and support packages offered by brand-name vendors. Though all of these laptops are backed by an industry-standard one-year mail-in warranty, half have limited phone support hours, and only one offers any kind of warranty upgrade options. CyberPower stands out among the crowd, however, for offering lifetime phone support with the Xplorer X64. Overall, we were pleased with these machines, which range in price from $1,458 to $2,599. All performed well on our benchmark tests, with the standout being the ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution, and all offer pretty competitive features for the money. For more details, check out the full reviews. Read the CNET editor's take ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution Asus W2V CyberPower Xplorer X64 9700 Twinhead Durabook N15RI More resources Editors' top notebooks CNET's notebook buying guide Desktops from vendors you've never heard of Should you buy a cheap laptop?

ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution The ABS Mayhem G4 Revolution offers strong performance, appealing design, and some great features at a relatively affordable price. 6.2 out of 10 CNET editor's take Check prices Asus W2V The elegant Asus W2V's strong performance and gorgeous screen will appeal to media users, but its 3D performance will leave gamers cold. 6.7 out of 10 CNET editor's take Check prices CyberPower Xplorer X64 9700 The colorful CyberPower Xplorer X64 offers respectable performance and a solid feature set for a very reasonable price. 6.4 out of 10 CNET editor's take Check prices Twinhead Durabook N15RI The rugged Twinhead Durabook N15RI delivers a basic set of features and solid application performance but lousy graphics performance. 6.2 out of 10 CNET editor's take Check prices