Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!purdue!haven!mimsy!prometheus!media!ka3ovk!raysnec!shwake
From: shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: 386SX notebook makers
Message-ID: <224@raysnec.UUCP>
Date: 22 Jan 91 19:28:11 GMT
References: <1991Jan19.133751.19462@news.cs.indiana.edu>
Organization: IRS/CI - Technical Solutions Branch
Lines: 31

beckman@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Peter Beckman) writes:

>I think if they don't have a 40 Meg version, most companies have one
>in the works.  Are there any others that can be added to the list?  It
>seems most machines are $2300-3000, 6-9 lbs, 20-40Meg HD, 8.5"-10" VGA
>display, 3.5" floppy, and about a 3 hour battery.  Has there been a
>comprehensive review recently of these notebooks?

	Your list could be expanded to include the TI (also sold as the
CompuAdd) and the  Toshiba. Don't know what's currently available, but
your description of the typical configuration is on target, though some
(like the TI and Compaq) are much pricier. I believe TI offers one model
going up to 60 MB, the highest I've heard for 2-1/2" drives.

>Memory seems to be one place that companies can REALLY take your
>money.  Most companies require you to purchase their special
>proprietary memory at $200-$300 for an additional 2 Meg.  AST seems to
>be an exception.  They use standards SIMMs, although their literature
>seemed a little ambiguous as to whether you need to purchase a special
>part for the first upgrade.  Why don't all companies just use SIMMs?

	Memory is another of the hidden costs one must beware of. Some
companies are worse than others in this regard. Another item distinguishing
one from another might be *simultaneous* support for laptop screen and
external VGA monitor; most run one or the other. Another (he said hopefully)
might be support for an *internal* charger allowing one to use a simple
power connection (like we do with our rechargeable shavers) rather than
those awful power cubes.

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