Quick Look (Review) at Budget Notebook / Laptop – The Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29

Computer / Business (BBA / MBA) are the most prefer study stream at present in India, which makes it mandatory for students to think for their Personal Computer. Even in everyday life, we can see Internet is now playing a very vital role for managing our credit card bills, Internet banking, ticket booking even ordering movie tickets. Computers are now more important for communication than telephone, where you can have a video chat with your friends, family for free and that too even they are half a word away.

“What to buy ?” is one of the question which I get in large volume, and there with my judgement I found that even though Desktop computers are 30% cheaper than a same configuration Notebook / Laptop PC, but the productivity is better with a portable platform.

I have went through many budget yet performance (Rs. 30,000/- INR) USD 700 range notebook / Laptops to choose few good available options. I am asked many times about a their real world performance, so lets take a look how is Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29 performing, which has won the title for Best budget notebook from my personal verdict.

Product Name

Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29

Product url

The Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29

Product Price

Rs. 29500/- all inclusive and Rs. 660/- for extra 512 MB RAM upgrade

Product Specifications

• Intel Pentium Dual Core T2310

• Intel GM965 Express Chipset

• Intel GMA x3100 upto 224MB video RAM

• 512 MB DDR-II 667 MHz PC2-5300

• 2 RAM Slot supporting upto 4 GB DDR-II 800 Mhz (2 GB on each slot)

• Realtake High Definition Audio

• 120 GB SATA 5400 RPM HDD

• 15.4″ WXGA VibrantView TFT (1280×800)

• 1.3 MP Integrated Web Cam

• Stereo Speakers

• DVD RW Multi Drive

• 56.6 KBPS Internal Modem / Intel wifi supproting 802.11a/b/g/n/ BlueTooth 2.0 / Gigabit LAN / 5 in 1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/XD/MS/MS Pro)

• External I/O Ports  S-Video out, RJ-45, RJ-11, IEEE 1394, Headphone / Line out, External Microphone/Line-In, External Display (VGA), 5-in-1 Multi-card Reader (SD/MMC/XD/MS/MS Pro), 4 USB 2.0

• NO Bundled OS

Read full details at IBM.com

The product at a glance

Other Competition

The closest competition comes from Acer 4720z and the Compaq C707TU !!

Test Setup

Windows XP SP3 RC Refresh
Windows Vista x64 SP1
Windows Vista x86 SP1

Nero 7.10
Orthos Beta
PC Wizard 2008
PhotoShop CS3
Adobe Premiere CS3
720p HD Video
1080p HD Video
VLC Player
k-Lite Codec Pack

ViewSonic VX1945wm
Krrish DVD9 / Hungama DVD9 (Both Movies)
Sony miniDV Handy Cam with Fireware support
USB Mouse / Keyboard (Microsoft)
BSNL Type-IV Wifi Modem / Public Wifi Hotspot
Nokia 6600 / Nokia n91 / Nikon S51C

Looks

When you compare this Model with contemporary Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU, you can say its not as shiny as them. By looks, it is more on robust side rather a shiny and fancy hardware.

Its personal choice, and I have asked and found 60% people would go for Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU due to their shiny glosy look where as rest of 40% is on for this matt finish and robust looking Lenovo.

Hardware Details

This is a part where Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29 would out perform its competitors, the Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU.

Processor 

It comes with Intel Pentium Dual Core T2310, but wait, dont let the name fool you. The new Pentium Dual Core series is nothing but a strip down version of Core 2 Duo with same Merom core and with lesser (1 MB) L2 cache and (533 MHz) FSB. One more major feature which is not present with the new Pentium Dual Core lineup is the absence of Virtualization technology, but then again, even the widelly used mobile Core2 Duomodels upto T5550 doesn’t come with Intel® Virtualization Technology.

It takes 35 Mins with this T2310 to convert a 700 MB (70 mins) xvid to a VCD via Nero 7.10 while as multi tasking you may continue surfing the Internet or work your of office docs. It doesn’t perform bad on Adobe Premiere either but yes, rendering times are higher when compare to a Core 2 Duo T5450.

On real world there wont be any huge noticeable performance difference between this T2310 and base line of Core 2 Duo, the T5450 (1.5 GHz / 2 MB L2 / 667 MHz).

Chipset

Unlike Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU which comes with GL960, the Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29 comes with Intel GM965 express chipset which allows is for a 4 GB RAM support with 2 GB max on each slot.

On Board Graphics

The Intel GMA x3100 is more than enough for vista to run at its full glory and its known provide support for low end gaming !! Refer to the bellow Windows Vista Rating with 1 GB RAM.

x3100 is perfectly capable enough to drive a vx1945wm (HD @ 1440×900) panel via its VGA Out put,

I have played HD 720p and 1080p on both external and internal display and have found x3100 is driving quite well (Note you need to have 1 GB RAM for HD play back)..

Hard Disk

One let down though is the 120 GB hard drive, but not in terms of space, as for mobile computing and with presence of Portable solutions, 120 GB onboard is more than enough, where as what lets it down is the access speeds. Among Acer 4720z, Compaq C707TU and Lenovo 3000 N200 0769-A29 its the Lenovo which comes with a hard drive which is slowest of them all.

Bluetooth 

The Bluetooth is though real fun as unlike Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU it seems to be fully compatible with Nokia / SAMSUNG PC Suite.

Display

The 15.4″ WideScreen (1280×800) display of Lenovo stands in between of Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU as the 14.1″ display of Acer is slightly better where as Compaq C707TU display is a complete mess. The only advantage of Lenovo over acer is the bigger size of 15.4″ !!

WLAN

Lenovo is the only which comes with 802.11n where as rest is upto 802.11a/b/g !! Unfortunately I don’t have any option to test the WLAN at 802.11n !! One more thing I have observed between these models that the wifi of Lenovo is definitely power-fuller than Acer 4720z as on same distance while testing its the Acer which seems to come with the weakest Wifi !!

The Standard touch pad is seems bit rough in surface compare to Acer of Compaq and feels little comfortable while using.

Web Cam

All these 3 models comes with same quality 1.3 MP web cam, there is nothing much to write about it !!! 

The Card Reader

Once again another standard feature of all these models, much much to write about.

The Battery Life

One major plus point over any other same budget notebook would be the battery life.

I have tested while playing (full screen) movie Krrish which I have encoded to 1400 MB xvid RIP using AutoGK from a DVD and burnt as DATA DVD at 8x and with all Wireless devices are turned off and running Vista x64 SP1 with power settings are balanced (Default)

While running the same test on Acer 4720z provided a running time of 98 mins after which system forced the Hibernation (Battery at 5%).

How ever on the Lenovo, I started the test at 11.45 PM,

WoW, 135mins and I fould my, still left with 26% Battery life where as the movie was over.

 

I ran to find another DVD, this time, it was Sicko and I continued playing, till it was 165mins when I 1st got the Low Battery warning at 10% battery life and farther on 178 mins the system forced hibernation (Battery at 5%)

178 Mins of Battery on playback of full screen 15.4″ via DVD media is certainly some thing to boost about !!!

The Software issue

The Lenovo do have an edge on this front as Compaq comes with very poor support for Windows XP drivers where as some hardware of Acer 4720z such as Bluetooth may give an issue with Windows XP, where as I have found Lenovo has great support for both Windows Xp and Vista.

All of the hardwares of the notebook is fully functional with Windows XP x86 SP2 / Windows XP x64 SP2 / Windows Vista x86 SP1 / Windows Vista x64 SP1.

One major let down would be, the fact of no Driver or software CD provided. For Windows XP, it is 285 MB download for all of its drivers, where as for Vista X64 is 315 MB download, that too one has to do file by file, no single download source is provided.

The Cons

Definitely this one has its own problems, few which I would like to high lite.

• Looks, Lenovo really need to give this a thought

• Heavy, heavier than Acer 4720z or Compaq C707TU

• Really slow Hard Drive, which is a major down side I would say.

• No driver or software CD provided

The Pros

Though there are Cons but which can be left a side because of its Pros.

• Best Performance in its class

• Chipset is GM965 over GL960

• Super Battery Life, which is a real advantage

• 15.4″ Screen

• Best Support in its class

• 802.11n Wifi (WLAN)

• Full support for many OSes, WinXP / Vista / x86 / x64

Verdict

Solid battery life, good and large 15.4″ screen, best performance between Acer 4720z or Compaq c707TU, best after sales support makes it a recomended only if one can stay happy with the looks.

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