Portable One UXM520

Portable One packs a 1.66-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a DVD burner, and a 7-in-1 memory card reader into the moderately priced UXM520. We had some issues with the touchpad and noisy fan, but otherwise the UXM520 is a solid entry into the ultraportable space.
 
Featuring an attractive all-silver body with black highlights, the UXM520 is portable enough to take anywhere. The system sports a solid keyboard with keys that have just the right amount of springiness without feeling too bouncy or hollow. The layout is a bit cramped, but that's to be expected from a notebook with an 11.4 x 8.5-inch footprint. We're less forgiving of the tiny touchpad, which was unresponsive at times.

 

To the upper-right of the keyboard are three quick-launch buttons that offer one-touch access to your e-mail client, Web browser, and integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam that takes grainy photos and shoots murky video.
 
Movies looked great on the 12.1-inch, 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display, however. Colors were rich; visuals were crisp; and we enjoyed a wide viewing angle with minimum image degradation. Road warriors wanting to maintain visibility in the field should invest in the optional TrioView Transflective display ($369), which is optimized for indoor and outdoor viewing. Audio was typical notebook fare: tinny, with a weak low end.
 
The 1.66-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 delivered slightly above-average performance for an ultraportable, with a 185 MobileMark 2005 score. Graphics were even better, with a 3DMark03 score of 1,263. On our wireless test, the UXM520 returned a throughput of 9.3 Mbps from 15 feet and 8.4 Mbps from 50 feet, which is above average for this class of machine.
 
The eight-cell battery (the UXM520 also comes with a four-cell battery to lighten your travel load) lasted more than four hours. That runtime isn't spectacular, but it's nearly an hour longer than that of the similarly priced Micro Express NP6260.
 
The UXM520 comes with a 7,200-rpm, 60GB hard drive. Conveniently, all of the ports and jacks-three USB, S-Video, 7-in-1 memory card reader, FireWire, Ethernet, S/PDIF, headphone, and mic-are sprinkled about the front and sides of the notebook. Bluetooth is included for wirelessly synching with compatible devices, such as the UXM520's Bluetooth Optical Mouse ($49).
 
Preinstalled software includes Adobe Acrobat, Mozilla's Firefox Web browser, Nero Express 6, PowerDVD, and VCOM System Suite 7. The standard warranty is one year, but you can upgrade to three years for $100. Unfortunately, the toll-free tech support is offered only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PST) from Monday through Friday. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
Those looking for a travel-friendly notebook with dual-core power at a decent price should take a look at the Portable One UXM520. It's not the longest-lasting ultraportable, but it has enough speed and features to keep cash-strapped road warriors and students happy.

 

Editors' Note: Since this review was published, Portable One has updated the BIOS to start the fan when the system reaches 50 degrees Celsius and to increase the fan to full speed once the system reaches 75 degrees Celsius. This should cut down on fan noise and still keep the system cool enough to run on your lap.