IBM's ThinkPad T43 updates the company's thin-and-light laptop range by adding the Sonoma version of Intel's Centrino mobile technology, as well as new features in IBM's Rescue and Recovery software to help administrators deploy critical updates to users.
The ThinkPad T43, which will be available from March, is broadly similar to last year's T42 model, which was the first IBM laptop to feature a built-in fingerprint swipe sensor. Both models are designed to provide a balance of performance and portability for staff. Like the earlier model, the T43 is available with either a 15in or 14.1in screen, and a choice of dual-band 802.11b/g or triple-band 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN adapters.
We looked at a pre-production T43 with a Pentium M processor 750, which runs at 1.86GHz and has a 533MHz system bus instead of the 400MHz of the original Pentium M. Our review model also had 512MB memory, a 14.1in display, and a combined DVD/CD-RW drive.
Because our evaluation model was not a production-quality unit it fell short of IBM's quoted battery life of four hours, lasting for little more than two hours before needing a recharge. We were unable to benchmark performance, but the system felt responsive enough. At 2.3kg, the T43 is roughly the weight you would expect for a slimline but full specification business laptop.
IBM's fingerprint scanner sits close to the front right of the palm rest and is a small swipe sensor. A Windows tool can enrol one or more fingerprints, allowing a finger swipe to replace a password for the Windows login. We found this worked very well.
The ThinkPad T43 is also the first laptop we have seen with a slot for ExpressCard devices, which are intended to replace PC Cards. IBM has also fitted a PC Card slot to allow flexibility during the transition phase before ExpressCard becomes more common. This is just as well, as there are few ExpressCard devices currently available.
IBM?s Rescue and Recovery tool to let users restore their laptop in the event of a failure has been updated on the T43 with a new feature called Antidote Delivery Manager. This allows administrators to deploy critical antivirus updates to a central server and set a security policy to force every laptop to install the updates as soon as possible. Although introduced on the T43, Rescue and Recovery 2.0 will feature on all new ThinkPads and ThinkCentre desktops, IBM said.
The ThinkPad T43 has a standard printer port as well as two USB ports, a PS/2 mouse connector and VGA out to a monitor, plus docking connectors on its underside.
IBM also provides both a touch-sensitive touch-pad style of pointer controller and a TrackPoint embedded in the middle of the keyboard.
Price: £1,600 + VAT
Contact: IBM 0800 169 1458
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