A reliable, fully featured desktop replacement
Written: Jun 14 '00
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Pros: Full-featured desktop in a laptop, powerful video card, integrated drives
Cons: TV-OUT doesn't seem all it should be, port replicator ergonomics
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| Schwinn's Full Review: Micron Transport ZX |
This computer was purchased through my company for my office use. This is now my primary computer at the office, and is accompanied by a separate keyboard/monitor/mouse through the optional port replicator.
The computer was very well setup, and did not include any extra, useless software. Being a power-user, I tend to discard most of the extra software most computers come with these days. I was happy to see that there was very little I had to do to this computer to bring it up to my settings.
This is the first computer I have gotten with Windows 98SE (previous unit has Win95) and although I prefer 95 (for its efficiency and stability - when you know what you are doing) I don't mind the Win98 on this machine. I will admit, I had a few minor issues with sporadic crashes, but an updated Internet Explorer appears to have fixed that.
My configuration includes the DVD drive. I have had no problems with the drive, and am rather impressed with the DVD capability. However, I was very disappointed to see that the TV-OUT is S-VIDEO only, and Micron did not include an adapter for my old composite-jack TV. My previous Micron machine had such an adapter, but it doesn't work on this machine.
I have also been trying to understand why my TV-OUT display shows a color-banding problem, as if it is not displaying full 16.7M colors on that output. Movies appear patchy on the TV-OUT, while they are perfectly fine on the CRT or LCD screens. I have been chasing after this problem for some time, and still have no answers from either Micron or ATI (the video card manufacturer). Hopefully, this can be resolved.
Other than the DVD issue, the only other problem I see is a flickering in the CRT. Every so often, I notice a "jitter" on my CRT. Although it's a minor problem, I hope Micron can fix or explain it to me sooner or later.
The only other criticism I can provide about this computer is the port replicator's design. In order to "plug into" this replicator, you have to place the computer on two small screw-heads, then push a lever to lock the computer in place. The locking mechanism is nice, but getting the laptop to line up its two holes on the screws is rather annoying. Not only that, but since the replicator has a smaller base than the laptop, you can't use it to line up to the right position either. Once plugged in, you must open the screen to access the power-on button - another rather silly "feature". But, if you use any sound, you will want to do this anyway, as the speakers will be covered with the screen closed.
The computer is quite fast, and has all the features any desktop machine would want. The touchpad is the only on-board mouse control (no pointing stick), and it works rather well once you get used to this type of device. The keyboard operates smoothly, and feels like a full-size unit (I don't know if it really is full-size or not). The large 14.1" display screen is excellent - crisp, bright, and clear. The speakers are powerful enough to annoy everyone in a conference room, so be sure to mute your volume if you have a startup-sound! The video card (ATI Rage Pro LT chipset) is an excellent unit, providing great desktop speed, while providing adequate 3D acceleration for many of today's modern games. It's not comparable to a gaming-desktop video system, but it's certainly good enough for those quick game-playing sessions. The integrated floppy and battery allows me to have the CD/DVD installed without having to choose between them - my old computer had only two bays and 3 devices, requiring me to choose 2 of the 3.
I haven't dropped this computer yet, but if it's anything like my last Micron laptop, I expect it won't have any problems with that, either. It's a very rugged design and seems to put up well with life as a laptop. It's not a light laptop by any means, weighing it at about 7.5 lbs, but its a full featured computer that can easily serve as a desktop replacement.
Overall, I have been very happy with this computer, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a desktop replacement. Although I have not used it as a true laptop was designed, I have noticed that the battery life is sufficient for my needs.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2500
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 401-500
Screen Size: 14"
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 9-12
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Epinions.com ID:
Schwinn
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Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 4 members
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