Iridium Starbook 200

Shopping for a notebook can be tough. The same technology that you find in desktop computers comes at a higher price, as it's been squashed down into portable proportions. But while there are markets for both high-specification, desktop replacement notebooks and streamlined ultra-portable models, the Iridium Starbook 200 plots a less glamorous course. It's an honest reasonably compact notebook, ideal for the average home user.

In an era when processor speeds are measured in gigahertz, the Starbook's 600Mhz Intel Celeron chip looks a bit weedy. Even with 128Mb of memory, it failed to make much of an impression in our system tests. On top of this, the Starbook has a rather average array of connectivity options.

The absence of a FireWire port is further compounded by the system having just a single Type II PC Card slot. However, printer and USB ports are present.

Elsewhere, things are similarly scaled-down. A CDRom drive is featured, rather than a DVDRom. The 12.1in screen is similarly modest. Due to its size, the maximum resolution users can hope for is 800 x 600 pixels. So, if you're used to working on screens bigger than 14in, the Starbook's desktop is going to seem congested.

On a positive note, the modem is built in, the 10Gb hard disk is adequate and a network socket is in place to make connecting to an office network simple. Windows 98 is the operating system that came preloaded, but Me is available as an upgrade. The lithium-ion battery pack will give you about an hour and a half of use.

It's unfair to criticise the Starbook for not being a powerhouse - that's the point. Anyone budgeting for a £2000 desktop replacement notebook could get the Starbook and spend the change on a powerful desktop for the home.

Contact: Iridium
0870 220 2021
www.iridium-uk.com

Also consider: Rock Sigma SI. An excellent choice for those who want the power of a desktop PC in a portable computer. £1644.