Mid-sized Dothan Notebook Roundup: Dell, Gateway, and HP/Compaq

We have already taken a look at Dothan, which is basically an update of Banias, and it provides enough benefits and features to keep us happy with the Pentium-M platform. And as previously mentioned, the 2.0GHz Pentium-M 755 is easily the best chip that money can buy for a notebook. The increase performance and lower power consumption of Dothan clock for clock over Banias makes it better for notebook manufacturers seeking that thin and light, ultraportable, or traditional notebook form factor.

While notebooks with wide-aspect ratio displays continue, more or less, to flood the consumer market, there is still nothing like the good ol' 4:3 ratio display that generally marks the traditional notebook format - with which we are comfortable. These notebooks are still the bread and butter of the business, school, and all-purpose buyers. With three Dothan notebooks of the like in the labs, we decided to take a look at what the new Pentium-M is offering as a system, as opposed to the CPU itself.

Dell's Latitude D600

• 2.0GHz Dothan Pentium-M 755
• Intel 855PM chipset
• ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 w/32MB
• 2 x 256MB Hynix PC2100
• 4x DVD+RW/CD-RW (HL-DT-ST DVD+RW GCA-4040N)
• 80GB Hitachi 4200RPM Hard Drive
• 14.1" SXGA+ display (native 1400 x 1050)
• Intel's 2200BG 802.11b/g WiFi card
• Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet
• Dell TrueMobile 300 Bluetooth
• 6 cell primary battery (11.1V, 4.7AH, 53WH)
• 6 cell modular bay battery (11.1V, 4.32AH, 48WH)

Gateway's M320XL

• 1.7GHz Dothan Pentium-M 735
• Intel 855GM chipset (w/32MB UMA memory - max setting)
• 2 x 256MB Samsung PC2700
• 4x DVD±RW/CD-RW (HL-DT-ST DVD+RW GWA-4040N)
• 80GB Hitachi 4200RPM Hard Drive
• 15.0" XGA display (native 024 x 768)
• Intel's 2200BG 802.11b/g WiFi card
• Intel 10/100 Ethernet
• 6 cell primary battery (11.V, 4.4AH, 48WH)

HP/Compaq's Business NC6000 Notebook

• 2.0GHz Dothan Pentium-M 755
• Intel 855PM chipset
• ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 w/64MB
• 2 x 256MB Samsung PC2700
• 4x DVD+RW/CD-RW (HL-DT-ST DVD+RW GCA-4040N)
• 60GB Hitachi 5400RPM Hard Drive
• 14.1" SXGA+ display (native 1400 x 1050)
• Intel's 2200BG 802.11b/g WiFi card
• Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet
• HP's Bluetooth
• 8 cell primary battery (14.4V, 4.4AH, 63WH)
• 8 cell modular bay battery (14.8AH, 3.6AH, 53WH)

While we would have liked to have received a 2.0GHz notebook from Gateway, the selection was limited, and we were unable to stretch uniform specifications across all platforms. Originally, we were planning for the 200XL, but Gateway took that off the market just as they were preparing to send that to us.