Pegasus
DTS - IT Reviews
(Jan '04)
Notebook
PCs are not only a lot more convenient than desktops, they're
also close to being better equipped. There's less scope to add
extras to a notebook yourself, so clever suppliers are adding
in more and more of what you could want to their brand new machines,
as is the case here.
The Pegasus DTS notebook is a smart silver and slate-grey machine,
based around a Pentium M processor running at speeds up to 1.7GHz.
The unit reviewed here runs at a clock rate of 1.4GHz and comes
with 256MB of memory and a 30GB hard drive. So far so good, as
these three core components give a good turn of speed for its
class.
However, the system also uses an Intel 855GM graphics processor,
which nicks 8MB of main memory to use for video. Although widely
used in notebooks, this technique limits the graphics performance
of the system, so it's never going to excel at, for example, 3D
action games.
The
notebook uses a widescreen TFT display with a 15.4-inch diagonal,
offering a maximum resolution of 1,280 by 800 pixels. This is
ideal for viewing DVD movies and the Pegasus DTS comes with a
CD-RW/DVD combo drive, which plays them cleanly and without any
break-up. Unusually, a miniature camera module is fitted just
about the LCD display, so the notebook is also well-equipped for
video-conferencing.
The unit also has all the connectors you would expect, with two
USB 2 ports, a miniature FireWire socket and connectors for modem
and 10/100Mbps Ethernet. There are sockets for an external monitor
and an S-Video port for a TV connection, with Intel-based wireless
LAN as an alternative to a wired link.
The audio system is quite special, as in addition to the small
speakers at the base of the hinged lid, two panels either side
of the keyboard provide extra audio output. The sound is good
for a notebook, but you still shouldn't expect much in the way
of bass output.
Under test, the Pegasus DTS produced an acceptable Windows applications
performance result, given the specification of the laptop. The
result from the 3D graphics test was less inspiring, though. This
could restrict the games you can play, and is a result of the
memory-borrowing graphics controller mentioned above.
Rock rounds the whole system off with a three year collect and
return warranty - well above average cover - and copies of Ability
Office and Panda Anti-Virus. There's a useful, leather-look carrying
case in the box and the laptop has a battery life of up to 4.5
hours, thanks to the Centrino chipset.
Rock
- Pegasus DTS features - Verdict
The Pegasus DTS notebook is a well-appointed machine, suitable
for application work on the move, wireless Internet and video-conferencing
and for some entertainment uses, though not necessarily the latest
games. It's a high value, portable workhorse from an established
supplier.