Nice Evolution
Written: Aug 29 '02
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Pros: That screen, thin, reasonably light, and of course, that screen
Cons: About a half pound too heavy
The Bottom Line: A terrific used laptop buy. Excellent ergonomics, fast performance, and a gorgeous 13.3" TFT display. the perfect student computer.
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| lawman67's Full Review: Toshiba Portege 7020 |
First off, I reviewed the Portege 7000CT, which with the exception of one very important aspect, is largely identical. Sure, the 7020 is 100MHz faster, has a faster cache design and comes with 64MB ram and a 6GB drive as opposed to the 32MB and 4GB of the 7000, but what really matters is the screen.
You see, there is little difference between a 266MHz and a 366MHz PII, meaning both are plenty fast for whatever you may want to use them for. While 32MB isn't enough to use anything other than Windows 95 all that well, the maximum 160MB capacity is plenty to run even Windows 2000 well. This of course means that unless you buy one in base configuration AND LEAVE IT THAT WAY, its not much of an issue.
Hard drive as well, 4GB is plenty for most work, and if you need more, chances are you'll be buying at least a 20GB replacement, as that is about the smallest available today.
Ergonomics are almost the same, with the speaker (still whimpy) moved from the base of the screen to the area just beneath the mouse buttons.
Everything else is the same. From the position of the PC card slots to the spacious keyboard and eraserhead mouse, there is almost no real difference between any of the early 7000-series (the scroll buttons on the Pentium III models are a very useful imporvement).
Even the accessories are common to all models of the 7000-series, meaning you can take batteries or docks from the very last 7220CTe and use them on the very first 7000CT. Speaking of batteries, they are dissappointing if you use the standard ones, nice if you opt for the high-capacity accessory cell. While the 266MHz 7000CT with its 12.1" screen can squeeze out 2hrs from the standard battery with aggressive power management, you'll be lucky to get 90 minutes from the 7020 with its larger 13.3" screen and 366MHz processor.
That brings us back to the screen. 13.3" at 1024X768 resolution is a very pleasant size for a laptop screen, and is why the 7020 and later members of the 7000 series still command high prices used. The Pentium III models typically sell for up to $800, while the Pentium II 7020 still fetches about $450. That screen is worth the price, as it is positively gorgeous, with even illumination from end to end, and very warm, saturated colors.
The only downside compared to the older 7000 and 7010 is weight, which has gone up by almost half a pound. Still, this is a 1 inch thick laptop that weighs less than 4.5lbs, with a full-size keyboard, versatile docking options and of course, that large 13.3" screen.
Keeping in mind the single spindle design (no floppy or CD built-in), you could do a lot worse than any of the 7000-series Porteges, with the 7020 a particularly good bargain. Its much cheaper than the similarly useful Pentium III models, while offering the larger screen that the older Pentium II models lack.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 450 avg eBay
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium II
Processor speed: 301-400
Screen Size: 13
RAM: 64
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Epinions.com ID:
lawman67
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 in Computer Hardware |
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Member: Andrew F
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 207
Trusted by: 63 members
About Me:
Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl but she doesn't have a lot to say.
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