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From: ih@udel.edu (Charlie Ih)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Tandon NB/386SX (was Dataworld laptop)
Message-ID: <51658@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 23 Apr 91 19:19:23 GMT
References: <17296@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
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In article <17296@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> pastor@PRC.Unisys.COM (Jon Pastor) writes:
>Anyone have any direct experience with (or heard anything about) the Data
>NB/320SX?  For $2995, you get:
> ........

I believe this is basically the same as Tandon NB/386SX (even the model
number).  The size, weight, look, and technical specifications are
identical as far as I can see.  The software included are slightly
different.  Tandon is now delivering 60 MB HD. The price is also
comparable. I have had a chance playing around with the Tandon NB/386SX
for about 10 days.  It has 60 MB HD, 8 MB RAM and a Cyrix 83S87 and
came with MS mouse and window (which I have not tried yet) and Tandon
MS DOS 4.01.   It is a quite nice machine and so far everything I tried
worked fine.  On the possitive side, I like the following:

The 60 MB HD, RAM expandible to 16 MB, expansion port, 20 MHz, 2
serial and one parallel port.  You can use D-cell rechargeable
battery (high capacity).  The screen and keyboard are fine (I am
not very critical about these) except it has only 81 keys.
The size (could be thinner) and weight (could be slight lighter)
are among the best in its class (and price).

On the negative side, the
"Resume" is not much use in comparing with Toshibas.  At the turn on,
it draws about 2.5 A and in sleep mode, 1.2 A.  CPU active, screen on
and HD off, it draws 1.8 A.  The screen uses .2 to .5 A (brightness from
low to high).  The HD at stead state uses only .2 A!
The battery last only slightly more than two hours for
"Normal" use.  The most anoying thing is that the low battery warning
light and beep start at about 45 min of use and continue for 1.5
hrs before shutting itself off without special warning.
Beside being anoying, it serve no useful
purpose, since you don't know how much time still left.
The documentation is terrible, in fact, none.  Besides manuals for
Dos and Window, there are only 3 sheets "instruction" to tell you
how to set it up.  If you really want a Notebook now, this is
probably still the best you can get.  The best is to wait for a while and
the 80386SL may become available.