Asus/Hi-Grade Notino A1300-800

Notebooks traditionally lag behind desktop PCs when it comes to the latest in technology, not least because it's difficult to shoehorn such things as 3D graphics cards into tiny cases.

With today's small components and greater hardware integration though, users can pick up an ultra-powerful notebook with a specification at least similar to that of its desktop siblings.

The ASUS Hi-Grade Notino A1300-800 is a prime example, implementing the latest computer technology into a shell small enough to fit in your rucksack.

An Intel Mobile Pentium III 800Mhz processor lies at the heart of the Notino and, with 128Mb of memory, it creates a strong partnership. Alongside the whopping 18.6Gb hard disk, these components will allow virtually all software applications to run quickly and smoothly.

The 13.5in TFT screen doesn't offer quite the same viewable diagonal as a 15in monitor but it displays comfortably at 1024 x 768 resolution via the 8Mb graphics card. If you do need a big display, there's a socket at the back of the case for hooking up to a monitor.

The Notino has both a floppy and DVDRom drive, so there's no need to swap drives around when you move from one to the other. This does make the notebook heavier than models that opt for the one-drive-or-the-other approach - it's just over 3kg.

Interestingly, the Notino's design also recognises that people like to use their CD or DVDRom drive for playing audio CDs and there are buttons on the front panel that allow users to control and listen to a CD without first starting Windows.

This is very handy for anyone wanting a quick music fix and also saves battery power while on the move. Built-in speakers will pump out all your tunes and multimedia noises, while a headphone socket is at hand for private listening.

As a portable PC, the Notino is what you'd expect, but its potential as a desktop replacement is also worth mentioning. Two USB ports can be used to connect printers, scanners and digital imaging devices, while a 56K modem is available for internet connection. If you plan to network your old computer to the Notino, the built-in network card proves useful.

Our only criticism is aimed at a the awkwardly placed touch pad. Positioned just below the keyboard, it's susceptible to the slightest touch, which causes problems when typing.

Contact: Hi-Grade
0800 0740 402
www.higrade.com

ALSO CONSIDER: ASUS HI-GRADE ULTINOTE 8400-850F £1560

A top-quality notebook, good enough to compete with a desktop PC.

JARGONBUSTER

AGP: Accelerated Graphics Port. A PC interface used for super-fast 3D graphics facilities. Ideal for handling the 3D worlds depicted in games.

CD-R: Standard for compact disc recordable format, or blank CDs on to which information can be recorded - but only once.

CD-RW: Stands for compact disc rewritable format, or blank compact discs which can be recorded on over and over again.

CompactFlash: Matchbook-sized memory cards with no moving parts. These slot into various devices to store data. Popular with digital cameras and handheld computers.

CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. The glass tube-based technology used to produce an image in most TV sets and computer monitors.

DIMM: Dual Inline Memory Module. A slot-in card used to expand the memory of a desktop PC.

FireWire: A super-fast data link between your PC and devices such as digital camcorders.

LCD: Liquid Crystal Display. Technology used to create low-power, slim display panels.

Network: A way of connecting several computers and printers so that they can share data.

PCI slot: Peripheral Component Interconnect. A high-performance expansion slot for desktop PCs, allowing simple installation of PCI components such as sound cards and modems.

TFT: Thin-Film Transistor. Technology used to create thin, flat-colour screens for such things as computer monitors and digital cameras.

VGA: Video Graphics Array. A very basic standard for graphics output, specifying that the monitor and graphics card should be able to display 16 different colours at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.

WAV: An audio file, used for recording music and other sounds to disk. Because they are uncompressed, WAV files can be very large.