Imagine a PC notebook that’s a little over an inch thick and about the dimensions of a piece of letter-size paper – but with the power and features of a full-sized portable – and you have the remarkable Averatec 1150-EW1.

Weighing in at a mere 3.6 pounds, this laptop is ideal for students or on-the-go professionals who prefer their computers not require a weekly trip to the chiropractor. And while it may not pack the performance for graphically-intensive applications like gaming, it’s more than fast enough for mainstream use and even the occasional Photoshop session.

Features. Ultra-portable notebooks have often lacked the specs of larger, heftier models – and users have paid a premium for that miniaturization. But the gap between the big guys and little guys – in both performance and price – is steadily narrowing.

The Averatec 1150-EW1 sports 1 GB of RAM and an 80 GB hard drive, and uses Intel Centrino mobile technology, featuring an Intel Pentium M Processor 733 (1.1 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache). It has fully integrated wireless LAN capability and a crisp 10.6-inch wide WXGA LCD screen, which, though cheerfully bright, may be smaller than some users prefer. It supports up to 1280 x 768 pixel resolution.

Beware the chubby-fingered: The proportionally downsized keyboard is bound to prove challenging for those with large hands (Note from Andy: I’ve got big hands and using the 1150’s keyboard proved to be an exercise in typos.) Even for users with slender digits, some adjustment is required.

Also somewhat challenging is the scaled-down touchpad. It lacks sensitivity of larger pads and makes it harder for even adept users to mouse over tiny links on the smaller screen. In The Geek Beat Labs, we noticed a tendency for the cursor to drift on its own. We thought at first it might be the two-way virtual scroll bars on the touchpad itself, so we disabled that feature. But the runaway cursor persisted – until we limited the Smart Edges feature as well, which allows the cursor to continue past the touchpad edges. We changed the Smart Edges feature from “always” to “only when dragging,” and voila, the cursor stopped taking off on its own.

The Averatec 1150-EW1 includes a dual-layer DVD burner, two 2.0 USB ports, a Type II PC card slot, an IEEE 1394 FireWire port and a 4-in-1 media card reader. It comes loaded with Microsoft Windows XP Professional, and Cyberlink DVD and Norton Anti-Virus software (90-day trial).

Performance. For the most part, this is a zippy little notebook. It boots up quickly, handles Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop CS2 with relative ease. Gamers may be disappointed, however: This is not a platform for playing graphically intensive applications. In fact, several we tested did not work at all. But more forgiving titles, such as Galactic Civilizations II, performed acceptably.

Averatec boasts up to 5.5 hours of usage on lithium-ion battery power; we ran out of juice after 2 hours and 22 minutes of continuous DVD play, and it’s likely that even under normal conditions, the company’s estimate is more than a bit generous.

The integrated wireless LAN 802.11b/g capability works smoothly and picks up strong signals from the two wireless networks running on opposite sides of The Geek Beat offices. It far outshines the wireless connectivity of the Apple Powerbook G4s on desks nearby, grabbing and holding the signals with consistently greater reliability.

Built-in stereo speakers pump out surprisingly full-bodied sound. Headphone users will find a standard 3.5 mm jack.

The Competition. Considering all that the Averatec 1150-EW1 offers for $1,200, it leaves most competitors in the dust.

The Sony VAIO VGN-TX750P/B notebook sports similar specs but has half the RAM. In the plus column the VAIO offers better native resolution on a slightly bigger screen and is nearly a pound lighter. And for that Sony charges a $1,000 premium over the Averatec.

Dell’s XPS M1210 notebook is a step up, using Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology (1.66 GHz, 2 MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB). It features a 12.1=inch widescreen display, comes packaged with equivalent RAM and hard drive capacity. But it weighs nearly a pound more, and Dell’s price is $1,806.

You might come close with Toshiba’s Satellite U205-S5002 notebook. For $1,200, you get Intel Centrino Core Duo Technology, comparable memory size, a bigger (100 GB) hard drive, a 12.1-inch widescreen display — but half a pound of extra weight.

Geek-o-Meter: We give it an “8.” Despite its gaming limitations, the Averatec 1150-EW1 offers reasonably high-performance for most mainstream tasks, such as office suite applications, Web site development, and image editing. We just wish it had a Core Duo, as so many of its competitors now offer standard.

Some users might find the keyboard and screen a tad tiny. But its features and portability for the price make this one very nice little package.

The Specs:

List Price: $1,200

General Features

• Intel Pentium M Processor Ultra Low Voltage 733 with Intel Centrino Mobile Technology
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Built-in Wireless LAN (802.11b/g)
• Built-in Dual Layer DVD Burner
• Brilliant 10.6″ WXGA Wide Screen LCD with AveraBrite

Processor and Core Logic

• Intel Pentium M Processor Ultra Low Voltage 733 CPU (1.1GHz)
• 400 MHz Processor System Bus
• Intel 855GME + Intel ICH4-M

Memory and Cache

• System RAM: DDR333 SO-DIMM PC2700 x 2 slots
• Memory expandable to 2GB (1GB x 2 slot)
• Intel Pentium M Processor ULV 733, 2MB L2 Cache

Imaging and Multimedia

• 10.6″ WXGA with 1280 x 768 maximum LCD resolution
• Intel 855 GM Graphics Controller
• DVMT technology for maximum video performance
• Microsoft DirectX and OpenGL Compliant
• Intel Extreme Graphics 2 Technology with 64MB of shared system memory
• Supports Multiple Display (LCD and external monitor)
• AC ‘97 V2.1 Compliant Audio Controller
• Built-in Stereo Speakers
• Windows Media Player quick launch button

Storage

• 9.5mm, 80GB Hard Disk Drive (UDMA Mode 5)
• Built-in Dual Layer DVD Burner Drive

Communications

• Built-in 54 Mb/s Wireless LAN (802.11b/g Compliant)
• Built-in 10/100 Mb/s LAN (802.3, 802.3x Compliant)
• Built-in Full Duplex 56Kb/s2 Data+Fax Modem
• TAPI & TAM Telephony Service
• Data Modem Compliance - V.90, V.92, V.42, V.34, V.32, V.22, V.21
• Fax Modem Compliance –V.29, V.27ter, V.17

Input

• Standard keyboard, 17mm pitch
• Touch Pad with 2-way virtual scroll

Ports

• (2) Two High Speed USB 2.0 Ports (supports 1.1 & 2.0 USB devices)
• IEEE 1394 FireWire port
• Type II PCMCIA/CardBus Slot
• Microphone Input Jack
• Headphone Output Jack
• 15-pin Standard External VGA Display Output Port
• Modem Port
• LAN (Network) Port
• 4-in-1 memory card reader (MS/MS Pro/MMC/SD)

Warranty

• Limited 1 year Parts and Labor (excluding battery)
• Limited 6 months on Battery (Valid Proof of Purchase Required)

Software

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2
• Cyberlink DVD Solution™ 4
• Phoenix Firstware Recover Pro (30 day full version trial)
• Norton Anti-Virus (90 day trial)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• NetZero Platinum
• Windows Media Player

Physical Characteristics

• Notebook Dimension - 10.47″ x 7.97″ x 1.16″ - 1.36″
• Notebook Weight - ~3.6 lbs
• AC Adapter Dimension - 4.1″ x 1.8″ x 1.1″ (W x D x H)
• AC Adapter and Power Cord Weight - 0.7 lbs.

Power

• AC Adapter Output = 19V, 3.42A (65W)
• AC Adapter Nominal Input = 100-240V (50-60Hz)
• Smart Li-Ion Battery Capacity = 6 cell, 2000 mAh
• Charging Time System OFF = 3 Hours
• Charging Time System ON = 4-5 Hours
• Battery Discharge Time = 2.5 – 5.5 Hours (depending on usage)

Power Management

• ACPI 1.0b (Advanced Configuration Power Interface)
• Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology Security
• Kensington Lock Slot and BIOS System Password Protection Optional Accessories
• Spare AC Adapter and Power Cord (p/n SA20072-01)
• Spare Smart Li-Ion Battery (p/n SA20107-01)

Part Numbers

• AV1150-EW1: ULV Intel Pentium M 733 (1.1GHz), 1GB DDR, 80GB HDD, DVD-RW Burner, Windows XP Professional, 10.6″ WXGA LCD with AveraBrite
• AV1150-AW1: ULV Intel Pentium M 733 (1.1GHz), 1GB DDR, 80GB HDD, DVD-RW Burner, Windows XP Professional French, 10.6″ WXGA LCD with AveraBrite

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006 at 12:47 pm and is filed under HOME, TECH, PORTABLES, KGO RADIO, BACK-TO-SCHOOL 2006. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.