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Novatech X60MV review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £643
inc VAT

Specifications

17 in 1,440×900 display, 3.0kg, 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750, 2.00GB RAM, 160GB disk, Windows Vista Home Premium

http://www.novatech.co.uk

The X60MV may have the same case as the Zoostorm Versa 83-6701, but Novatech has wisely opted for the version with neutral grey plastic on all surfaces.

While this looks minimalist, it’s sure to divide opinion less than the Zoostorm’s black-and-white colour scheme. Don’t make the mistake of assuming the two laptops are otherwise identical; their differences are more than aesthetic.

The Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 inside the X60MV is the oldest processor here, and paired with 2GB of RAM it trailed in last place in our PCMark benchmarks. A Call of Duty 4 score of 7.4fps from the GeForce 9300M GS graphics isn’t the worst here, but it certainly isn’t enough to play the latest titles.

While we welcome the inclusion of an S/PDIF audio output, as well as an ExpressCard/54 slot, the X60MV doesn’t have an HDMI output and has only three USB ports. Networking interfaces are slower than others here, and there’s no support for Gigabit Ethernet or Draft-N wireless. The 160GB hard disk is especially small for a laptop at this price.

There are some good points, though. The 17in screen is clear and bright, and although it has a reflective glossy finish, colours are accurate and contrast is good. The keyboard takes advantage of the width of the case, and has large keys and a numeric keypad. Feedback and travel are adequate, but we found the action a bit spongy. The touch pad is smooth and responsive, though the buttons are stiff and have almost no travel, so you’ll probably want to use an external mouse.

The competition this month is fierce and Novatech’s X60MV looks overpriced for the specifications on offer. Although it’s £57 more expensive, PC Nextday’s laptop has much better performance and more features (although the same network adaptors). Both models are eclipsed by others here, though, especially Asus’s great-value X71SL, which has a Blu-ray drive for just £7 more.

Basic Specifications

Rating **
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo T5750
Processor clock speed 2GHz
Memory 2.00GB
Memory slots 2
Memory slots free 0
Maximum memory 4GB
Size 38x397x280mm
Weight 3.0kg
Sound Azalia HD Audio
Pointing device touchpad
Power consumption standby 2W
Power consumption idle 35W
Power consumption active 62W

Display

Viewable size 17 in
Native resolution 1,440×900
Graphics Processor Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS
Graphics/video ports VGA
Graphics Memory 256MB

Storage

Total storage capacity 160GB
Optical drive model TSSTcorp SN-S083A
Optical drive type DVD+/-RW +/-DL

Ports and Expansion

USB ports 3
Bluetooth yes
Wired network ports 1x 10/100
Wireless networking support 802.11b/g
PC Card slots 1x ExpressCard/54
Modem Yes
Supported memory cards SD, MMC, Memory Stick Pro
Other ports minijack audio output, minijack microphone input, minijack S/PDIF output

Miscellaneous

Carrying case No
Operating system Windows Vista Home Premium
Operating system restore option restore partition
Software included none

Buying Information

Warranty one year RTB
Price £643
Details www.novatech.co.uk
Supplier http://www.novatech.co.uk

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