Refine search for Laptops

  1 comment      Email TrustedReviews Newsletters

In use the trackpoint works very well, while the left and right selector buttons are actually placed either side rather than below it. To the right of the trackpoint is a fingerprint scanner for the implementation of biometric security. Now I’ve had masses of email before about the failings of fingerprint recognition as a security measure, and I accept most of the points. However, I maintain that any extra level of security is a good thing, and making it easy for an end user to implement biometric security is better than that user implementing no security at all.

The screen is a 7.2in TFT affair, complete with Toshiba’s Trubrite coating – basically this is the same as Sony’s X-Black or Rock’s X-Glass coating which gives increased contrast and bright, vivid colours. With a native resolution of 1,280 x 768 some may find this screen difficult to work on, but to be honest I’ve never really had a problem with small, high resolution screens – but then maybe that’s why I have to wear glasses now! Of course where a high-contrast, widescreen display usually excels is gaming and movie watching environments, but you’re not going to be able to do either on the Libretto – the integrated graphics aren’t up to game playing and there’s no integrated optical drive, so DVD watching is off the menu too.

Despite its small size, the Libretto has a liberal sprinkling of features around its chassis. On the right you’ll find a modem socket and a network port for the 10/100 Ethernet adapter. Also here are two USB 2.0 ports, a headphone socket, a mic socket and an analogue volume wheel. On the left is the power socket, a hard switch for the 802.11b/g WiFi adapter, a Type II PC Card slot and a proprietary output for connection to an external monitor. The front houses an SD Card reader, an eject switch for the PC Card slot and a four-pin FireWire port. While on the subject of connection options, the Libretto also has integrated Bluetooth – version 2.0 no less.

Add your comment