The Mac Observer: System Shootouts - US$2,000 Laptop System Shootout

CONFIGURED WEEK OF 6/8/03

Must Include 15+" Display, DVD & CD-RW

Note: Read the AAPLTalk System Shootout FAQ before proceeding!!!
All images and logos are copyright to the respective companies listed.

Total must be within $25 of $2,000 INCLUDING SHIPPING!

Company

Apple

Dell

HP/Compaq

Gateway

Sony

Toshiba

Best of Field

PowerBook G4

Inspiron 8500

Pavilion ze5300

450XL

VAIO GRT Series

Satellite Pro M10

Dimensions:

127 cubic in.
1" x 13.4" x 9.5"

235 cubic in.
1.52" x 14.2" x 10.9"

285 cubic in.
1.75" x 13.8" x 11.8"

182 cubic in.
13.2” x 10.6” x 1.3”

319 cubic in.
1.9" X 14.1" X 11.9"

241 cubic in.
13.1: x 11.5" x 1.6"

Weight:
(all bays filled)

5.4 lbs.

7.9 lbs.

7.5 lbs.

6.2 lbs.

8.6 lbs.

6.8 lbs.

Battery Life:

up to 5 hrs.

up to 3 hrs.

up to 2.5 hrs. (?)

up to 5 hrs.

up to 2.5 hrs. (?)

up to 5 hrs.

Processor:
Rating Notes

867 MHz PowerPC G4
1.3 GHz Pent. 4

2.2 GHz Pentium 4-M
1.8 GHz Pent. 4

2.66 GHz Pentium 4-M
2.1 GHz Pent. 4

1.6 GHz Pentium M
1.8 GHz Pent. 4

2.2 GHz Pentium 4-M
1.8 GHz Pent. 4

1.4 GHz Pentium M
1.5 GHz Pent. 4

L1 Cache:

64k

32k

L2 Cache:

256K

512K

1 MB

512K

1 MB

L3 Cache:

1 MB DDR

RAM Type:

SDRAM PC133

DDR PC2100

Front Side Bus:

133 MHz

400 MHz

RAM Amount:

256 MB (1 DIMM)

512 MB (2 DIMM)

768 MB (DIMM)

512 MB (2 DIMM)

512 MB (2 DIMMs)

512 MB (2 DIMM)

Max. RAM:

1.0 GB (2 slots)

2.0 GB (2 slots)

1.0 GB (2 slots)

Hard Drive
Capacity:

40 GB

60 GB

80 GB

40 GB

60 GB

40 GB

Hard Drive Type:

Ultra ATA 66

Ultra ATA 100

Ultra ATA ???

Ultra ATA 100

Hard Drive Speed:

4200 RPM

5400 RPM

4200 RPM

5400 RPM

CD-ROM:

24x

CD-RW:

8x8x CD-RW

24x10x CD-RW

8x8x CD-RW

24x10x CD-RW

DVD-ROM:

DVD-RW:

Floppy Drive:

Other Drive:

Memory stick port

PC Card Slot?

Yes

Bay Type:

Fixed

Swappable

Fixed

Swappable

USB Ports:

2 USB 1.1 ports

3 USB 2.0 ports

2 USB 2.0 ports

3 USB 2.0 ports

2 USB 2.0 ports

FireWire Ports:

1 port @ 400 Mbps

Legacy Ports:

Legacy-free

1 Par, 1 Ser, 1 PS/2

1 Par, 1 PS/2

1 Par, 1 Ser, 1 PS/2

1 Par.

Video Card:

ATI Mobility
Radeon 9000

ATI Mobility
Radeon

ATI Mobility
Radeon 7500

NVIDIA GeForce4
FX Go 5600

NVIDIA
GeForce4 420 Go

Video RAM:

32 MB DDR

"up to" 32 MB (shared)

32 MB DDR

64 MB DDR

32 MB DDR

Dual Display?

Mirror or Span

VGA Out:

Yes

DVI Out:

Yes

S-Video Out:

Yes

RCA Out:

Yes

Display Size:

15.2" TFT WXGA

15.4" WSXGA

15" TFT SXGA+

16.1" TFT SXGA

15" TFT XGA

Native Res:

1280x854

1680x1050

1400x1050

1280x1024

1024x768

Audio In:

Line-in port
Built-in microphone

Line-in port
Microphone port

Audio Out:

Speaker/HP Jack
Line out

Speakers:

Stereo

Ethernet:

10/100/1000

10/100

Internal Modem:

56k V.92

Wi-Fi Card?

optional (802.11b)

optional (802.11b/g)

Yes (802.11b)

Bluetooth Card?

optional

Hardware Extras

Canon i450 Color Bubble Jet Printer

Epson Stylus C42UX

Included OS:

Mac OS X 10.2;
Mac OS 9.2;
BSD Unix;
Apache Web Server

Windows XP
Home Edition

Windows XP Professional

Windows XP
Professional

Windows XP
Home Edition

Windows XP Professional

Windows Support:

DOS/98/ME/2000/XP
(via Virtual PC)

DOS/95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP (Native)

Mac Support:

Mac OS 8,9,X (Native)

Mac OS 8 only (via emulation)

Linux Support:

Various flavors (Native)

Unix Support:

Various flavors (Native)

Java 2 Support:

Native

(must be downloaded)

Zero-Config Networking:

Rendezvous

Save-as PDF:

Native (any file)

(requires 3rd-party app.)

Handwriting Recognition:

Inkwell

Word Processor:

Word XP

WordPerfect 10

Word XP

MSFT Works 7

Spreadsheet:

Excel XP

Quattro Pro 10

MSFT Works 7

Presentation:

Database:

MSFT Works 7

Drawing/Painting:

Art Directors Toolkit
Graphic Converter
PixelNhance
OmniGraffle

Calendar/PIM:

iCal, iSync
Address Book

Outlook XP

MSFT Works 7

Projects/Planning:

OmniOutliner

Publisher XP

Web Browser

IE 5.2, Safari

IE 6

E-Mail/
Address Book:

OS X Mail
OS X Address Book

Outlook XP

Outlook Express 6

Media Players:
*free download

QuickTime 6
DVD Player
WMP 7*, RealOne*

Media Player 8; DVD Player
QuickTime 6 avail.; RealOne* avail.

Financial:

QuickBooks Pro 5

Money 2002

Quicken New Users

Money 2003

Reference:

Encyclopedia Brittanica

Encarta 2003
Streets & Trips

Encarta 2003

Digital
Photography:

iPhoto 2
Graphic Converter
Snapz Pro X

Image Expert 2000

Arcsoft Funhouse
Photo impressions4
Greeting Cards

Picture It!

Photoshop Elements
SmartCapture
Sony PictureGear

Digital Video
Editing:

iMovie 3

MovieMaker 2

Arcsoft Showbiz

MovieMaker 2

Sony MovieShaker
Sony DVgate
Premiere LE

MovieMaker 2

Music:/
CD Burning:

iTunes 4
Disc Burner

MusicMatch
EasyCD Creator

EasyCD Creator

SonicStage
Screenblast Acid

DVD Burning/
Authoring:

Disc Burner

unknown (?)

Sonic MyDVD

unknown (?)

Games
Included:

Chess

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games

Age of Empires,
Asstd. classic games

Mine Sweeper, Asstd. classic games

Additional:

Asstd. system software

Free Services:

1 month Earthlink

6 months Earthlink

1 year AOL

Viruses/
Security:

45 known viruses

over 60,000
viruses
McAfee AntiVirus

over 60,000 viruses

Firewall:

Yes

Warranty:

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
90 days phone

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
1 yr. phone

2 yr. ltd./on-site
2 yrs. phone

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
1 yr. phone

1 yr. ltd./mail-in
90 days phone

Quality of
Products/Service:
Consumer Affairs

"Good Guys"

"Rogues Gallery"

"Poor"

Navigation?

Easy

Fair

Easy

Fair

Poor

Customization?

Some

Full

Very Little

None

Subotal:

$2,098

$2,302

$2,049

$1,999

$2,029

$1,999

- Rebate if any:

- $99 printer rebate

- $300 system rebate

- $100 system rebate

-49 printer rebate

+ Ground Shipping:

No Charge

n/c (ltd. time)

$50

No Charge

$10

Total Price
as configured:
(tax not included)

$1,999
tax not included

$2,002
tax not included

$1,999
tax not included

$1,988
tax not included

$2,009
tax not included

The information above is as accurate as I could make it based on a reasonable time studying the respective companies' Web sites. There is no guarantee that these configurations, prices, and features are the best that one could come up with; assorted bundles, free internet access, free extra memory, and so on can most likely be found for any of the above systems. The point of this chart is to demonstrate that Apple's lineup holds its own against any brand-name computer, even in areas in which it has traditionally had resistance. In short, do not base your purchasing decisions solely on this chart or information. Neither I, nor The Mac Observer will be held responsible or liable for any purchase decisions you make based on this presentation.

Charles Gaba started the AAPLTalk System Shootouts at AAPLTalk.com, and has brought them to TMO. Charles is the creative talent behind Brainwrap Web Design.

AAPLTalk System Shootouts Archives

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