PC Magazine - 2009 11.pdf - Libertad Zero

FIRST looks hardwareGetac 9213A Laptop With RuggedGood LooksGetac has deep roots in theruggedized space, a companyoriginally geared towardmilitary- and governmentorientedcomputing products.But the Getac 9213 purges the notion thata ruggedized ultraportable should have arough-and-tumble appearance; its stylishmetallic frame looks more like a mainstreamproduct with business-rugged features.With the help of Intel’s low-powered parts,this featherweight delivered more than 5hours of battery life, but the 9213’s toughnessand energy efficiency may not beenough to warrant its bloated price tag.In design, the 9213 is reminiscent of theAcer Aspire 3935, measuring just 12.5 by9 by 1 inches, and weighing 3.6 pounds. Its13.3-inch widescreen clings to the old-schoolaspect ratio (16:10), whereas most consumerlaptops are moving to 16:9. And the 9213’sclassification as “business rugged” means itcan survive 1.5-foot drops, water spills, andshock to its hard drive, but it’s not nearly astough as a fully ruggedized laptop.The 9213 Ultralow Voltage (ULV) processoreliminates clunky fans and has huge benefitsin power savings, but it trails many ofGetac 9213$1,800 streetl l l h mPROS Feathery light. Can sustain drops, spills,and shakes. Efficient battery. Excellent navigatingexperience. Very stylish.Cons Expensive. Mislaid forward-slash key.No HDMI or DisplayPort technologies.its consumer counterparts in performance.Luckily, the 9213’s 3GB of memory can helpoffset some of its performance woes. If youwork with resource-intensive apps, this laptopis probably not for you.Overall, the sleek metallic frame and morethan 5 hours of battery life can competewith the best of them, but until the pricecomes down, I would carefully consider theLenovo ThinkPad X301 or the Acer Aspire3935.—Cisco Cheng>>CLICK HERE FOR MOREISPECS 1.4-GHz Intel Pentium SU9400 processor; 3GB DDR3 SDRAM; 160GB hard drive ; 13.3-inch display; IntelWi-Fi Link 5300 AGN; 3.6 pounds (4.4 travel); 3 USB ports; 58-Wh battery; Windows Vista Business (32 bit).NOVEMBER 2009 PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION 25