No-one does thin like Toshiba, and the Z930
also looks impressively well-specced. Will its comparatively high price count
against it?
Strip an Ultrabook down to the basics and
it’s really just a very thin laptop. In which case Toshiba’s new Z930 may well
be the ultimate example of the form: it weighs in at 1.12kg and tapers down to
a barely there 8.3mm.
Toshiba
Portégé Z930-10X
That means it has the same dimensions as
its predecessor, the flawed Z830, but otherwise it's had a much-needed overhaul
over its 3-star sibling. The trackpad has lost its metal bezel and fingerprint
reader, so it feels more pleasant to use, it's now proudly sporting an Ivy Bridge
processor and upgraded internal graphics, and its screen is one of the better
ones on test.
It's a bit of a shame that, as with the
Sony, the Tosh comes with a ridiculous amount of software preinstalled. Some of
it is quite useful, like the power monitor that will feed back exactly how many
Watts you're using at any one time, but most of it is just wasting space. All
those ‘utilities' reinforce a suspicion that if it weren't for the almost
improbable dimensions, the all-grey mag alloy and plastic Toshiba would be in
danger of feeling a little corporate.
As it is, however, that design keeps it in
the fun zone. If you don't mind pruning some software, it's comfortably the
machine to own.
Most of the ports are round the back in
order to keep the size down, though Tosh has kindly put a single USB on the
side for ease of access while you're working. (We'd prefer more.)
The Z930 has a matte rather than glossy
screen - so you won't suffer awkward reflections if
you're using it outdoors or under bright office lights.
The keyboard is solid and well supported
given the Z930's lack of girth, but the button design makes keys strangely thin,
while the space bar is unresponsive. You'll get used to it though.
Suitable screen
The screen came out bottom in our colour
tests, but it's still one of the better ones here. Brightness and contrast are
good, and viewing angles are reasonable.
A bigger battery
The slimmer the notebook, the smaller the
battery must be, but the Toshiba's life of over five and a half hours isn't the
worst in this test, and it's not far behind the best.
|
Info
·
Price: $1,280
·
Website: www.toshiba.com
·
Display: 13.3in, 1366x768
·
CPU: Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5 3317U @ 1.7GHz
·
GPU: Intel HD4000
·
Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB SSD
·
Connectivity: USB2.0 (x2), USB3.0, HDMI, SD
reader, Ethernet, 3.5mm, mic, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Pros
·
Thin and elegant
·
Decent screen
·
Plenty of ports
Cons
·
Small SSD
·
Oddly sized keys
Verdict
·
The Toshiba is so thin it's hardly there, but
little is sacrificed to achieve such a small size
·
Ratings: 5/5
|
Acer Aspire TimelineUltra M5-581TG
Higher-powered graphics makes the Timeline
U a good games machine, but this 15-incher pushes the definition of an
Ultrabook.
Thanks largely to its 15.6in screen, this
Acer pushes the limits of Ultrabook decency. It’s admirably thin and light for
a panel that size, and knocks 200g off even Apple’s new Retina MacBook Pro -
but it’s also still near enough double the weight of the Toshiba Z930.
Acer
Aspire TimelineUltra M5-581TG
One thing that is easy to bear, however, is
the price at under $1,500 this is phenomenally good value for money. It looks
and feels as good as notebooks costing twice as much, and although it's more
plastic than metal in design, it doesn't feel cheap.
It feels like even more of a bargain when
you consider that it's also got a DVD drive and is the only Ultrabook so far to
come with a discrete Nvidia graphics card. That makes it the best laptop here
for games, but don't get too excited - the likes of Diablo III may be a
bit smoother, but you won't be playing Battlefield 3 on maximum detail.
Still, the M5 would be the ultimate
all-rounder if it weren't for one thing: its 1366x768 resolution. Really, a
spec that's disappointing on a 13in screen should be illegal on a 15in device.
Yes, the HP has the same problem, but that's $400 cheaper. The M5 suffers from
ridiculous, giant typefaces and it loses a star as a result.
The M5’s solid keyboard is a joy to type
on, with one frustrating exception: the peculiar split shift/slash key on the
left. It’s far too easy to mishit and we hate booby-trapped capitalisation.
An Ultrabook with an optical drive? They'll be putting gramophones on Segways next. Does anyone still
use them? We reckon Acer could have ditched it and made it a little slimmer.
Given the extra chassis depth Acer has to
play around with, it seems odd that all the ports are round the back of the M5.
It's frustrating if you need to quickly plug in a USB key, for example.
Funny fans
The M5 generally runs very quietly, but
bizarrely the fan vents underneath the laptop. This makes it easy to block and
cause it to spin faster.
GeForce geewhiz
The headline fact about the M5 is that it
has an GeForce graphics chip on board. That's better than standard Intel
graphics, but not by enough to make this a games machine.
|
Info
·
Price: $1,195
·
Website: www.acer.com
·
Display: 15.6in, 1366x768
·
CPU: Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5 3317U @ 1.7GHz
·
GPU: Intel HD4000 + Nvidia GeForce GT640M
·
Memory: 6GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 20GB SSD
·
Connectivity: DVD-RW, USB3.0 (x2), USB2.0, SD,
Ethernet, HDMI, Wi-Fi
Pros
·
Dedicated graphics
·
Bigger screen
·
Good value for money
Cons
·
Low-res display
·
Heavy
Verdict
·
Almost the perfect 15-inch model, but the Acer
M5's low-res screen costs it the win
Ratings: 4/5
|
Specburst
We expected big things from the
great-looking Lenovo, but a poor keyboard lets it down. Similarly, the scream
of the Sony's fans are enough to cost it a star, while the almost-exceptional Acer
lacks only a better screen. HP's AMD-powered Envy 6 might be technically slower
than the rest, but it's great value and keeps up when it matters - but it's the
fast, powerful and iPhone-baitingly thin Toshiba that takes the win.
Winning team
Acme Made The Clutch
Price: $150
Website: www.acmemade.com
Acme
Made The Clutch
Designed for a certain other 13in Thin Book,
The Clutch is the ideal way to haul your Z930 around. It's almost as
beautifully svelte as the laptop itself.
Braven 650
Price: $250
Website: www.braven.eu
Braven
650
Laptop audio is rubbish, and we might as
well accept it always will be. But help is at hand: team the Tosh with Braven's
new Bluetooth speaker and you'll never look back.
Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse
Price: $110
Website: www.microsoft.com
Microsoft
Wedge Touch Mouse
Touchpads are great, but they're in the
wrong place for general use. This tiny, touchsensitive, mouse is the perfect portable pointer to carry around with you.
Toshiba Portege Z930-10X
Price: $1,280
Website: www.toshiba.com
Toshiba
Portege Z930-10X
Thin enough to slice bread you'll hardly
notice the Z930 until you turn it on then you'll revel in its Ivy Bridge
processor and 6hr battery life.
