HP Business Notebook Nc4010 (Pentium M 735 1.7 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HDD)

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Reviewed by: Stephanie Bruzzese
Edited by: Justin Jaffe

Reviewed on 10/8/04    Release date: 2/27/04    HP Compaq's Business Notebook nc4010, one of the company's two ultraportable business laptops, demonstrates the utmost efficiency in case design. The nc4010, which starts at $1,685 as of October 2004, crams a nearly full-size keyboard, a 12.1-inch display, a touch pad and a pointing stick, plus plenty of ports into a petite and lightweight case. The system made quick work of some stiff competition in CNET Labs' mobile benchmarks, besting other prime-time corporate ultraportable laptops, including the Dell Latitude D400 and the IBM ThinkPad X31. The nc4010's fatal flaw, however, is a skimpy battery life: it lasted just 168 minutes in our Labs' drain tests. As a result, despite its many virtues, we can't easily recommend the nc4010 to corporate travelers who need a laptop that'll go the distance on the road.

Minimalism dominates the nc4010's design. The case weighs 3.7 pounds and measures a modest 1.1 inches high, 11 inches wide, and 9.2 inches deep--roughly the same size and weight as both the Dell Latitude D400 and the IBM ThinkPad X31. Yet the sturdily built nc4010 somehow squeezes in a comfortably wide keyboard in addition to a touch pad and a pointing stick, each with its own dedicated pair of mouse buttons. Also featured are a decently sized, 12.1-inch XGA screen and six handy buttons that control the volume and quickly launch applications. Port-and-slot highlights include S-Video out, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, and a Secure Digital card slot.

The nc4010 is somewhat configurable. Among the fairly average components you can choose are a Pentium M processor running from 1.4GHz to 1.7GHz, 256MB to 1GB of average-caliber 266MHz SDRAM, and a slower, 4,200rpm 30GB hard drive or a faster 5,400rpm drive with a capacity of 40GB, 60GB, or 80GB. This laptop also features a choice of Wi-Fi flavors and Bluetooth; the slightly less expensive nc4000, on the other hand, lacks a built-in wireless option altogether and offers slightly lower-end components. Like most laptops in this class, the nc4010 lacks an internal optical drive, but you can choose from a long list of external drives (though there's no multiformat DVD drive available). Some of the system's parts remain nonnegotiable, including the cost-cutting ATI Mobility Radeon IGP graphics chip, which borrows up to 32MB of video RAM from main memory, and the 12.1-inch display. The laptop comes preloaded with Microsoft Windows XP Professional.

We tested the nc4010 configured with a mixed bag of components: a 1.7GHz PM processor, 512MB of memory, and a 4,200rpm 40GB hard drive. It ran through CNET Labs' test suite much faster than the Dell Latitude D400 or the IBM ThinkPad X31. But the underdog systems got the last laugh in our Labs' battery-drain tests: while the nc4010 endured a mere 168 minutes--barely long enough to watch a movie on a plane--the Latitude D400 and the ThinkPad X31 lasted a respective 220 and 277 minutes.

Like most corporate notebook manufacturers, HP backs the nc4010 with a long, three-year warranty on parts and labor. Toll-free telephone support is available around-the-clock. HP provides big corporations with its Intelligent Manageability application, which helps IS managers remotely track and upgrade countless computers, as well as dozens of other optional support benefits, including onsite, next-business-day coverage both in the United States and abroad and accidental damage protection. Customers can get a tech rep online anytime by initiating a Web chat through the company's support Web site, and the site's customer forums are another excellent resource.

Mobile application performance  (Longer bars indicate better performance)

BAPCo MobileMark 2002 performance rating

HP Compaq Business Notebook nc4010

190 

Dell Latitude D600

176 

IBM ThinkPad X31

170 

Battery life  (Longer bars indicate better performance)

BAPCo MobileMark 2002 battery life in minutes

IBM ThinkPad X31

277 

Dell Latitude D600

242 

HP Compaq Business Notebook nc4010

168 

System configurations:

Dell Latitude D600
Windows XP Professional; 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 266MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB; IBM Travelstar 40GNX 40GB 5,400rpm

HP Compaq Business Notebook nc4010
Windows XP Professional; 1.7GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 266MHz; ATI Radeon IGP 350M 32MB (shared); Hitachi Travelstar 5K80 40GB 4,200rpm

IBM ThinkPad X31
Windows XP Professional; 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M; 512MB DDR SDRAM 266MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 16MB; IBM Travelstar 40GN 40GB 5,400rpm

Basic Specs

Product Specifications:
Product Description: HP Compaq Business Notebook Nc4010 - Pentium M 735 1.7 GHz - 12.1 in TFT active matrix
Recommended Use: Small business , Corporate business
Dimensions (WxDxH): 11 in x 9.2 in x 1.1 in
Weight: 3.5 lbs
Localization: English / United States
Platform Technology: Intel Centrino
System Type: Notebook
Built-in Devices: Speaker , Bluetooth antenna , Wireless LAN antenna
Processor: Intel Pentium M 735 / 1.7 GHz
Cache Memory: 2 MB - L2 cache
RAM: 512 MB (installed) / 1 GB (max) - DDR SDRAM - 266 MHz - DDR266/PC2100
Flash Memory: - AGP
Card Reader: Card reader
Floppy Drive: None
Hard Drive: 40 GB - 5400 rpm
Optical Storage: None
Optical Storage (2nd): None
Storage Removable: None - None
Display: 12.1 in TFT active matrix 1024 x 768 ( XGA ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors)
Graphics Controller: ATI Radeon IGP350M - 64 MB
Audio Output: Sound card
Telecom: Fax / modem - MDC - 56 Kbps
Networking: Network adapter - Ethernet , - Bluetooth , - IEEE 802.11b , - IEEE 802.11g , - Fast Ethernet , - Gigabit Ethernet
Wireless NIC: Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG
Input Device: Keyboard , Touchpad , Pointing stick
Voltage Required: AC 120/230 V AC 90/264 V
Battery: Lithium ion
Run Time (Up To): 3.5 hour(s)
OS Provided: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Manufacturer Warranty: 3 years warranty