Rock Xtreme

It's not often that we can recommend a notebook for 3D gaming. However, improvements in mobile graphics have made notebooks, such as the Rock Xtreme serious considerations when replacing desktop PCs.

With a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512MB of DDR400 Ram and a 60GB hard disk, the Xtreme is no slouch in Windows either and gained a respectable Sysmark 2004 score of 173.

Its 128MB ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 Pro graphics chipset helped it notch up 74fps in Unreal Tournament and churn out an impressive score of 2,880 in 3Dmark03, some of the best results we've seen outside the desktop domain.

With all this technology, something has to give and that is its size. It's an absolute beast, weighing 4.1kg and half as thick as a phone directory. However, its reflective black coating and smooth edges make it attractive. There's also lot of room to rest your hands while typing.

The 15in SXGA TFT screen can cope with resolutions up to 1,400 x 1,050 and looks good when playing DVD movies on the Sony Multi-format DVD-Writer.

On the back are four USB2 ports, mini Firewire and PS/2. There's also 5.1 audio and a digital-out port for connecting to a home theatre system, built-in Bluetooth, 802.11g Wifi and 'audio DJ functions' to control volume and CD/DVD playback.

It runs Windows XP Home and comes with Ability Office, anti-virus software and a three-year collect and return warranty.

Contact: Rock 08709 909 090
www.rockdirect.com

Specifications:

• Windows XP Home
• Pentium 4 3.2GHz
• 512MB of Ram
• 60GB
• Multi-format DVD-RW drive
• 128MB ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 Pro
• 15in TFT
• 802.11g Wifi
• 5.1 audio
• Ability Office, anti-virus software, Bad Boys II game
• 3-yr C&R warranty
• 4.1kg