Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 in Laptops

Although bright and of a decent size at 15.4in, the resolution of 1,280 x 800 is limited and doesn't give you much elbow room when it comes to arranging applications on-screen. On the subject of size, the SL500 isn't the lightest 15.4in laptop around, weighing in at a hefty 2.9kg without the charger, and it's a bulky beast as well at 42mm thick.

Things look up, though, with the inclusion of a fingerprint reader and TPM 1.2 module, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet, an integrated HSDPA modem for potential download speeds of up to 7.2Mbits/sec and draft-n wireless in the shape of Intel's WiFi Link 5100 AGN adapter. The selection of inputs and outputs is comprehensive too, with the highlights an HDMI socket, a generous four USB ports and an ExpressCard/54 slot.

All told, the SL500 is a very good laptop. It trumps its main rival the Dell Vostro 1510 on all-round solidity and includes a 3G modem which the Dell does not.

You don't get the same flexibility, of course - you can add a higher resolution screen on the Dell and boost the 160GB hard disk while dropping the fingerprint reader and TPM, for instance - but for £434 exc VAT we'd take the superior build and greater attention to detail of the ThinkPad every time.

Author: Jonathan Bray