In the forthcoming remake of the classic gold-heist movie The Italian Job, the thieves hatch their plot on a Dell laptop. But the problem with Dells is they are not glamorous in design and hardly the sort of thing a Hollywood thief would use as his first choice. So Dell built a custom case for the model used in the movie. It is an elaborate way of saying the main attraction of Dell computers has never been their fancy features. People buy Dells because they are conservative computers. They are plain, straightforward, unpretentious and reliable. The Latitude D600 is precisely that. It is a powerful notebook with just enough features to satisfy the wireless worker but not quite enough for the machine to qualify as a desktop replacement. As with any Dell, a wide range of tempting options are available, ranging from hard drive to extra batteries, docking stations and international service and maintenance plans, all of which quickly add to the price. Ours was a mid-range system, but you can buy the entry-level 1.3-gigahertz system with minimal features for HK$12,988, or the full 1.6GHz system for HK$50,052. Oddly, the price is the same whether you select Windows 2000, XP Home or XP Professional, English or Chinese. The Latitude we tested was an Intel Centrino-based system, packing a 1.4GHz Mobile Pentium, although there are also 1.3GHz and 1.6GHz models. It had 512 megabytes of Ram and a 40-gigabyte Travelstar hard drive. Memory can be upgraded to 2GB but the price difference might turn your hair grey. On the graphics side, the D600 runs ATI's Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics chip with 32MB of memory, and uses a 14.1 XGA display with a 1024x768 resolution. For an extra HK$500, you can upgrade the display to SXGA with 1400x1050. Ports include two USB 2.0, S-video for TV or projector connections, audio, PC Card, video and the usual parallel and serial ports that most Asian manufacturers have long abandoned. As a Centrino, there is also Wi-Fi, a V.92 modem and Ethernet and optional Bluetooth, which costs an extra HK$390. The silver and grey aluminium case is not the lightest or the slimmest we have seen, but it does have a sturdy feel. Battery power is healthy, even for a Centrino. We managed to get four hours of typical use out of a single charge. The lifespan can be doubled by removing the DVD drive and replacing it with a second battery. There are a few nice but minor ergonomic touches. The AC adaptor is designed so the cables can be wrapped around it and secured with a rubber tie. The power and volume controls are illuminated, as are the indicators for battery, hard drive and Bluetooth. An LED on the battery indicates how much power is left. The keyboard has a springy feel, and users have the choice of trackpad or trackpoint. Overall, the D600 is a hardy, reliable machine with a broad range of options. It is good value for money, unless you fancy yourself as a power-user. Dell Latitude D600 Specifications Processor: Intel Pentium 1.4GHz Memory: 512MB 266MHz DDR SDRam Graphics: 32MB 64-bit DDR ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 AGP 4X Graphics Drives: 40GB Ultra ATA-100, DVD/24x10x24 CD-RW Pros: Powerful workhorse, ideal for the travelling worker Cons: Outdated choice of ports, large for a 'slim' laptop Price: HK$16,657
