SYSTEMAX TOURBOOK 5127

As a brand of laptops, Systemax is owned by the same distribution company that trades under the Simply.co.uk name. Systemax machines were originally sold off the page, but are now available over the Internet. The Systemax TourBook 5127 (£1174 inc. VAT) uses the same chassis as the 5107 (reviewed May 2004). There are, however, a number of differences between the two models. The 5127, for example, features a new Pentium M 745 processor, which has a clock speed of 1.8GHz and uses the new 90nm die-size. It’s also supported by 1024MB DDR SDRAM and a Hitachi 80GB hard drive, making this a well-specified and highly usable system. A lower asking price also makes the 5127 a far more compelling buying choice.

The use of the smaller processor, and its accompanying 2MB of Level 2 cache, offers an improved performance over the older chip. This was borne out under test by a MobileMark 2002 score of 174, as opposed to 167 from the 1.7GHz found in the TourBook 5107. The downside to this equation comes in battery life, with the 5127 lasting 260 minutes –
as opposed to the 5107’s 295 minutes – but this is still satisfactory for most mobile users.

The TourBook is fitted with a 15.1-inch TFT display that has a native resolution of 1400 x 1050 pixels, which is quickly becoming the default resolution for most laptop systems. While this offers greater definition on the screen, it also means that icons appear quite small and text needs to be enlarged to make reading documents easier. The display is supported by the ATi Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics adapter, which is fitted with 128MB of on-board VRAM. Under test, this adapter scored a convincing 3DMark 2001 of 9463.

While we were more than satisfied with the performance of the 5127, we found that the overall build quality of this laptop to be its main weakness. Although the screen and keyboard were serviceable, especially at such a price point, we felt that the quality of the laptop would only suit those who intend on using their system in-doors. However, as a cost-effective desktop replacement, this works fine.

The Systemax TourBook 5127 offers outstanding value for money, and those looking for a generous specification and improved performance should consider it.

RATING: 7

PRICE: £999/£1174 (EX/INC. VAT)

PROCESSOR: INTEL PENTIUM M 745
MEMORY: 1024MB DDR SDRAM
HARD DRIVE: HITACHI 80GB
SCREEN SIZE AND TYPE: 15.1-INCH TFT
DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1400 X 1050 PIXELS
GRAPHICS CARD: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600
DIMENSIONS: 330 X 270 X 30MM
WEIGHT: 2.9KG
STANDARD WARRANTY: 2 YR RTB
WARRANTY UPGRADE: N/A
CONTACT: 0870 729 7645 WWW.SYSTEMAX.CO.UK

TEST RESULTS

BATTERY LIFE: 260 MINS
MOBILEMARK 2002: 174
3DMARK 2001: 9463