X-bit labs

ABS Zensation Z3 Notebook Review (page 6)

Category: Mobile

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 02/25/2004 | 10:08 PM ]

Performance

We tested the ABS Zensation of the above-described configuration in the maximum performance mode. The results are given in the table below:

As you see, this notebook is really fast. In fact, these numbers correspond to a desktop computer with a Pentium 4 2.4-2.53GHz processor and an integrated graphics core. The graphics subsystem is the only weak spot here: the notebook is definitely not for playing 3D games. Well, we didn’t actually expect that from the Intel Extreme Graphics core. If you need high speed in 3D applications, you’d better consider notebooks with integrated graphics chips from NVIDIA and ATI. Sticking to Intel’s graphics core, we win in power consumption, as our tests confirm.

Save the Power

The designers of our today’s hero paid special attention to its power consumption and power saving technologies. ABS Zensation Z3 provides high performance for a long time: that’s an important factor for a notebook. On the one hand, the processor and chipset from the Centrino pack contribute to this. But besides that, the manufacturer also added a special technology for making the batteries last longer. You can control the technology using the Power4Gear utility.

In fact, we have four power consumption profiles and switch between them depending on the power source and your own particular needs. The profiles include:

• Max Performance uses no tricks for saving any power – you get the maximum performance, but only when the notebook receives power from the wall outlet. Otherwise, this profile is unavailable;
• High Performance also gives you enough computational power and you can use it when the notebook works from its own integrated battery. This profile differs from “Max Performance” as it reduces the brightness of the LCD panel by 27% and is more flexible in reducing the processor frequency by SpeedStep technology;
• Medium Performance reduces the screen brightness to 46% of the maximum. Besides that, Windows settings are adjusted so that the notebook could enter the Stand By mode sooner and the LCD panel and the hard disk drive were turned off quicker when the user is inactive. Moreover, the maximum processor frequency in this mode equals 600MHz;
• Max Power Saving features the longest battery life time – over 5 hours on the standard battery. The processor performance and the brightness of the LCD panel are both at the acceptable minimum.