Specifications and thoughts
Specification
| Novatech Centrino 2 X20mv Pro | |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz, 3MB L2 cache, 1,066MHz FSB, dual-core) |
| Motherboard | Clevo M720T (Intel GM45 + ICH9M) |
| Memory | 2GB (2x 1GB) PC5300 |
| Hard disk(s) | Hitachi 200GB, 5,400RPM, 8MB cache |
| Display/TFT | 12.1in WXGA (1,280x800) |
| Graphics hardware | Intel GM45 IGP X4500MHD (IGP) |
| Optical drive | TSST SN-S083A DVD, including dual-layer support |
| Sound | Realtek HD audio |
| Modem | Motorola SM56 |
| Networking hardware | 1x 10/100/1000, Realtek RTL8168C PCIe Ethernet Realtek RTL8187B 802.11 b/g WiFi |
| Ports and connectors | 3x USB2.0, VGA, ExpressCard54, RJ45
(LAN), modem, Mic-in, headphone-out, S/PDIF-out |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, 32-bit |
| Notable extras | Built-in card-reader (SD, MMC, MS, MSPro, xD) 1.3MP webcam |
| Weight | 1.93kg with supplied battery. |
| Battery | 4-cell, 2,400mAh (35WHr) |
| Dimensions | 299mm x 219mm x 35.7mm (W x D x H) |
| Warranty | One year as standard. |
| Price | £599, including VAT and delivery |
Novatech is better-known as an etailer of computer parts and consequently doesn't have the buying power of, say, Toshiba and Dell. That's why most small system integrators opt for a basic Clevo notebook chassis, complete with innards, and then build up the rest themselves, thereby offering a number of different SKUs based around one design.
The X20mv Pro is a case in point, being a thin-and-light laptop that ships with a 12.1in screen. The underlying technology is mainly Centrino 2, comprising of the newest iteration of Core 2 Duo chips and GM45 motherboard, and with integrated graphics.
The sample machine is equipped with a speedy Mobile Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz, 3MB L2 cache, 1,066MHz FSB) processor but options exist to upgrade this to either a P8600 (2.4GHz, 3MB L2, 1,066MHz FSB) or T9300 (2.5GHz, 6MB L2, 800MHz FSB) for £47 and £82.25, respectively. The base performance is enough for most, we reckon.
The new chipset, GM45, brings with it an upgraded graphics core - X4500MHD - that's capable of helping decode high-definition content and providing DX10-class graphics. It's in direct competition with AMD's mobile Puma offering, of course.
Our first bone of contention comes with the 2GB of DDR2 memory. Ideally, this should be DDR2-800MHz rather than 667MHz, but Novatech charges you £23.50 to upgrade it - about the cost of the RAM itself.
The sub-2kg notebook packs in an industry-standard 12.1in WXGA screen and a reasonable 200GB hard drive from Hitachi. Due to spatial restrictions a smaller-than-normal optical drive is used, and the option exists for substituting it for a Blu-ray-supporting model for an extra £176 - ouch! Blu-ray wouldn't make all that sense here, really, given the native resolution.
A small chassis dictates that the shipping battery provides only 35WHrs, and there's no option to purchase a larger-capacity model at the time of sale.
The quoted price of £599 includes Windows Vista Premium SP1 but one can also buy it without an operating system, saving £70. A full range of options can be found here.
The Novatech X20mv Pro, then, is a thin-and-light notebook that packs in a high-performance CPU and reasonably good integrated graphics. The asking price, too, isn't prohibitive, so let's take a visual look.
