Product Reviews

Tiny is the UK's largest PC manufacturer, but just like the rest of Britain's vendors it uses an off-the-shelf OEM notebook rather than manufacturing or designing its own. What Tiny does have control over is the ingredients it adds to the mix. Top of the list is an Intel 700MHz Pentium III processor, but be warned - this isn't the mobile version but a Flip Chip designed for a desktop machine, so you don't get any of the benefits of SpeedStep technology or the compactness of a mobile Pentium III-based notebook. The Flip Chip operates at a commendably low 1.65V, the same as a mobile processor, but the fan is bigger than usual and kicks into action more frequently.

To help your Windows applications run smoothly, Tiny includes 128Mb of RAM by default, but it's disappointing to see that both SODIMM sockets are used, so later upgrades will involve removing at least one 64Mb SODIMM. We've got no complaints about Tiny's choice of a 12Gb hard disk, which formats down to 11.2Gb under Windows 98. This may not be up to the 25Gb some manufacturers are able to supply - such as Dell with its Inspiron 7500 (reviewed Labs, issue 64, p113) - but will meet the needs of almost all notebook users, especially as in the MediaBook's case its target market appears to be the home user. Not only is this indicated by the VAT-inclusive £1,999 asking price and the inclusion of a modem rather than a network adaptor, but also the one-year, collect-and-return warranty. To upgrade this to three years on-site with a 16 working hour response costs an additional £249.

The most likely area for breakage is the MediaBook's screen, which is only protected by the flimsiest of lids. The carry case Tiny bundles is a slight help, but many things suggest the MediaBook would be best left in one place. First, it's bulky, making it feel heavier than its actual 3.3kg. Second, its battery life is unimpressive - despite its size, it could only manage 89

The four anti-slip feet on the bottom of the machine also suggest that the MediaBook would be more at home on a desk than a lap, but it's disappointing that greater effort wasn't put into making the keyboard more pleasant to type on - the keys have little travel before hitting the bouncy backplate. There's a PS/2 port if the keyboard becomes too frustrating, plus the usual collection of ports: VGA-out, parallel, serial, infrared, USB and two Type II PC Card slots, along with an S-Video port. There's also a floppy drive integrated into the machine.

It's always good to see a DVD-ROM included with a notebook, and Tiny duly obliges with the six-speed Toshiba SD-C2302. Thanks to the fast processor, and with the help of ATi's Rage LT Pro graphics, the MediaBook is a decent movie-playing machine: there were no noticeable dropped frames, and the picture remained sharp at all times.

The 8Mb of video memory means that the MediaBook can comfortably run higher resolutions if necessary, and the ATi Rage LT Pro is also a good choice for 2D use. It has a worthy partner in the 14.1in TFT screen, which is brightly lit, sharp and easy to read thanks to its unchallenging 1,024 x 768 resolution. Where the combination of screen and graphics chipset suffers is in 3D. We're yet to see a decent notebook graphics solution for 3D acceleration, and the Tiny's score of 696 in 3DMark2000 (in 16-bit XGA) is poor compared to any modern desktop. In the same resolution, it managed only 4.2fps in Quake III. To reach a reasonable 17.3fps we had to drop the detail to minimum and the resolution to 640 x 480. The MediaBook was far more impressive in our 2D benchmarks, where it romped home with a 1.87 score, the fastest we've ever seen from a notebook.

Tiny is hoping that this level of performance and the MediaBook's competitive price - which includes delivery - will be enough to sway buyers, and as a final sweetener it bundles the Home Edition of Works Suite 2000, which includes Word 2000, Works 2000 and Money 2000. By including a Flip Chip version of the Pentium III, Tiny is able to pack more in for the price - the 700MHz Flip Chip is currently $246 (£156) less per unit than the mobile version - but you do lose the small form factor and battery-saving capabilities of a mobile processor. However, if value and performance are more important to you than style and portability, then the MediaBook is well worth considering.