NEC's new PowerMate P5000/P5010 ignores
the old portable-versus-stationary dichotomy, carving out a niche for what NEC calls
the "hybrid PC". The P5000/P5010 takes the compact design of a laptop, the
uncompromised interface from a desktop, and rolls them into one. Think "iMac"
with a hefty extra dose of portability thrown in.
With a full 17.1-inch LCD screen and a weight of 8.8 pounds, it's tempting to lump
the P5000/P5010 in with the aforementioned desktop-replacement laptops and call
it day, but the P5000/P5010 packs something extra.
Unlike any laptop, its wireless RF Multimedia keyboard can break away from its screen
to be positioned anywhere around it, and a full-size wireless optical mouse is included
as well. If that seems to edge it a little too close to the likes of a the iMac
or another one-piece PC, the PowerMate still distinguishes itself by folding up
into one compact unit for transport from one place to another with a built-in handle.
In design, at least, it truly does find some middle ground.
Under the hood, the PowerMate�s hardware has more in common with a laptop than a
desktop. Its AMD Turion 64 X2 processor TL-52 running at 1.6GHz is a mobile unit
through-and-through, and the on-board ATI Radeon 1200 graphics processor also pushes
things in that direction. Fortunately, there are still some desktop accoutrements,
such as four-channel audio (rare on a notebook) and four USB ports. Other specs
include a 200GB SATA hard drive, 13-in-1 card reader, built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g,
1GB (P5000) or 2GB (P5010) of DDR2 memory, slot-loading DVD Super Multi DL
+/-R DL burner and High Definition Audio.
The PowerMate wasn't designed to sit in your lap and go anywhere, so users with
a need for true mobility will probably want to stick to real notebook computers.
However, for situations where laptops are used avoid clutter rather than to provide
mobility, the P5000/P5010 may be right at home.