BIOS: Technology Means Business

The uninspiringly-named 3000 N100 is Lenovo’s first-branded dual-core laptop. The low-cost system also sports a widescreen display, FireWire, DL DVD burner, built-in camera and easy-to-use management software. The system is pitched at small business customers with a limited IT budget, and we believe it hits the spot very well. The only real disappoints are the lacklustre design and basic pointing devices.

Lenovo’s N100 (from £500) has been designed to simplify owning and operating a Windows PC by automating many routine security and maintenance tasks through a unique suite of productivity tools. ‘Lenovo Care’ tools (essentially a lighter version of ThinkVantage) help alleviate the need for a dedicated IT helpdesk by offering a central location for essential PC tasks such as diagnosing and recovering, managing wireless connections, as well as keeping on top of critical updates and drivers.

While ‘Access Connections’ and ‘Rescue and Recovery’ are present, advanced ‘Client Security’ and ‘Away Manager’ (Automating system tasks) have been dropped. We also missed ‘Whisper Mode’, a system resource manager. And while the inclusion of a fingerprint reader is great for business users - especially considering the cost of the laptop - there’s no TPM chip (added level of security) and no Active Protection, which protects the hard disk drive from sudden drops or bumps. ThinkPads have both, which is why we still rate them above any other business laptop.

Weighing in at just 2.5kg, the N100 comes in 14.1- (up to 1280x800 pixels) and 15.4-inch (up to 1680x1050) widescreen models for viewing 20 per cent more data space in spreadsheet applications or watching DVDs in the optimised format. It’s also available with an Intel Core Duo processor up to 2.0GHz or Intel’s Celeron M processor up to 1.60GHz, the former of which efficiently runs multiple programs simultaneously, such as business applications while conducting virus scans in the background. The N100 offers complete connectivity features such as integrated 802.11a/b/g wireless and 10/100 Ethernet on all models, as well as Bluetooth on select models.

System memory can be configured up to 2GB using DDR2 667MHz, and you can specify up to 100GB of storage space (5400rpm). Graphics are driven by an Intel GMA950 chipset on the 14.1-inch model and nVidia’s GeForce Go 7300 with 64MB or 128MB on the 15.4-inch model. With a host of multimedia capabilities, such as forward facing stereo speakers, an integrated microphone for playing and recording audio, and an integrated combo or DL DVD recordable drive, the N100 is well suited for the growing segment of small business users who rely on the same computer for both business and personal use.

The N100 also incorporates a 4-in-1 multi-card reader for downloading digital pictures from multiple types of memory cards, four USB ports (all side mounted), 4-pin FireWire and S-Video port. There’s even an integrated Web camera for business and personal communications and an integrated fingerprint reader for easier management of passwords. Having said that, both of these features are optional extras. IBM diehards may snub the lack of a TrackPoint pointing device, as well as the noisy mouse buttons (ThinkPad buttons are almost noiseless).

The N100s have a silver exterior, probably similar to the Thinkpad Titanium Cover option, and the same orange highlights as the C100 models (the first laptops to bear the Lenovo name). We’re sorry to say that we thought the design of the system was uninspiring and dated (the pictures above are very flattering).

However, the N100 definitely has a much better layout than the C100: all of the critical ports (USB, FireWire, VGA) are on the sides where they belong, as is the optical drive. And like the C100, the N100 uses the patented ThinkPad keyboard, arguably the best keyboard on the market. On the back side of the N100 you’ll find the S-Video, modem, and power connectors only. There is also a wireless switch on the front face.

The N100 is a better system than the C100, offering good processing power, a nice set of features, and an attractive price tag. It’s no ThinkPad and a battery life of 2h 44m isn’t going to set the world on fire, but Lenovo’s first widescreen laptop will give some other big players (Dell, HP and Toshiba) a run for their money. [7]

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