JVC Mininote MP-XV841

As they have been catching up on desktops, notebooks have become more powerful but in most cases portability has suffered. The JVC Mininote MP-XV841 reverses this trend with a combination of a small footprint and decent specifications.

The Mininote uses the new Centrino platform from Intel, which adds support for 802.11g. The processor is a 1GHz Pentium M with 256MB of memory. The former is quite respectable but the memory does limit Windows a little. It can be upgraded up to 768MB, as there is a spare memory slot and it would be worth taking up to 512MB as a minimum, especially as the Intel 855ME graphics chipset shares memory with the system. The native resolution is 1,024 x 600 but the graphics support panning over a total of 2,048 x 1,536. This is a little extreme but it does mean you can use software demanding a minimum of 1,024 x 768.

A port replicator is supplied with the Mininote but even without this there is little lacking. There are two USB2 ports, mini Firewire, network, modem, an SD (Secure Digital) card slot and a single Type II PC Card slot.

The battery fits onto the back making the notebook bigger than it first appears. It delivered four hours of battery life.

As a stylish, yet easily transportable notebook the Mininote scores highly. However, the high price and relatively underpowered specifications mean that those who want a bit of oomph should look elsewhere.

Contact: JVC 0870 330 5000
www.jvc.co.uk

Specifications:

• Windows XP Pro
• Intel Pentium M 1GHz
• 256MB DDR (248MB after graphics share)
• Intel 855 motherboard
• DVD/CD-RW drive
• Intel 855 integrated graphics
• 40GB hard disk