Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo M x400

Decked out in gunmetal grey and dark blue, the Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo M x400 looks more functional than stylish. And that theme seems to continue through the entire notebook.

With a similar footprint to an average desktop replacement, though a lot thinner and lighter, the x400 is at the upper limit of what we'd call portable.

The Intel Pentium 4 1.4GHz mobile processor is fairly respectable, as is the 512Mb of memory, which can be upgraded to a whopping 2Gb.

Unfortuantely, this is saddled with onboard Intel Extreme 2 graphics, which just don't make the grade. Games are well out of reach of this notebook and we would have preferred something faster on the graphics front.

As a result, the 15in screen, which runs at a resolution of 1024 x 768 and is perfectly suited to more graphical applications, is wasted, leaving the x400 best suited to applications such as email and word processing.

Storage is provided by a 40Gb hard disk, which is pretty much the average for notebook PCs. A slightly larger disk wouldn't have gone amiss, although there's still enough storage for most applications to take advantage of. When it gets full, the DVD/CD-RW combination drive provides a quick and easy way to archive files to a blank CD.

The x400 also has a 3-in-1 memory card reader, which is good news for anyone with a digital camera that wants to get pictures onto a PC.

The rest of the machine is pretty standard. There's the usual set of notebook PC speakers, which provide good enough sound for the occasional Windows beep but nothing more.

There's the usual range of ports and connectors spread out round the x400's case, including a FireWire port. This can be used to download digital video from a video camera, although the size of the hard disk will limit you.

As with all Centrino notebooks, the Amilo has built-in Wi-Fi, allowing you to connect to wireless hotspots, which are gradually becoming more commonplace in airports, hotels and other public places. It also allows easy access to your home wireless network, should you have one.

By far the most attractive aspect of the Amilo package is its software bundle. We're used to systems being bundled with the bare minimum software but the Amilo has an excellent selection, including Adobe Photoshop Elements to fix and improve your photos and Adobe Photoshop Album, which allows you to organise your images and fix further problems.

Next is WinDVD 4 for DVD playback and Ahead Nero 5 for all your CD-writing needs. All this is in addition to Microsoft Work Suite, which contains all the office software you need. This bundle, unlike many others, means that you'll be able realise the full potential of the Amilo out-of-the-box. There is also a pre-installed virus checker.

As we said at the beginning, though, the x400 is functional, not an all-rounder. If you're happy with being limited to work applications then it's a respectable notebook at a good price. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

Contact: Fujitsu-Siemens 0800 004003
www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk