HP COMPAQ nx6110 review

The HP Compaq nx6110 is part of Hewlett-Packard's business notebook range. It's based on Intel's new Sonoma chipset for mobile computing, with a 533MHz front-side bus and built-in wireless networking.

Grey-cased and sombre, its speckled-grey lid and matt-black keyboard surround give the notebook an air of gravitas and durability. Despite the notebook's slimness, the screen and base seem stiff and strong, and the notebook has a solid feel reminiscent of IBM's Thinkpad range.

The standard 15" display has a relatively low resolution of 1,024x768 pixels, which limits its ability to deal with large spreadsheets. However, it is very bright and clear, with good viewing angles and contrast, making it perfect for word processing and browsing the internet.

Despite its small footprint, the nx6110 squeezes in a good-sized keyboard with well-spaced keys that have plenty of travel and feedback. The touch pad is accurate and nicely recessed, while the rubber buttons have a chunky and positive action. Cooling seems to be very efficient, as despite an almost silent fan, the base stays cool to the touch.

At 2.7kg and only 30mm in height, the nx6110 is easy to carry around. The case still finds room for a DVD writer, FireWire and two PC Card slots. Unfortunately, HP has included only two USB2 ports, which are squeezed in at the back of the case. That's hardly enough considering the lack of Bluetooth and IR connectivity for peripherals such as mobile phones and external mice.

With an Intel Pentium M 1.73GHz processor and 512MB of DDR RAM, the nx6110's performance in PCMark04 and the Shopper benchmarks was respectable, if not outstanding, compared with that of similarly priced notebooks, but it was still good for a notebook of this size. The integrated graphics are no good for games, but this is a business PC. It has superb battery life, lasting for over four hours on our minimum workload test, making it possible to work through a plane journey or watch a couple of films. The nx6110's built-in speakers, although small, sound excellent and, while they lack bass, the mid-range and treble are loud and free from distortion.

The HP Compaq nx6110 is easy to transport and offers a clear display, solid performance and excellent battery life. Its build quality is on a par with that of more expensive notebooks, and only the small number of USB2 ports lets it down.