Rock Pegasus DTS

However, despite the large chassis, it's worth noting that there are no serial or parallel ports, which is a problem if you need to use an elderly peripheral. The ports are well laid out, though, with the infrared port sitting at the front and the S-Video and VGA outputs on the left. There's also a single Type II PC Card slot free, three USB 2 ports split between the side and back, as well as a four-pin FireWire port. As an unusual finale, the Pegasus also includes a camera nestled inconspicuously above the screen, which can take still or moving images at 640 x 480 - great for videoconferencing.

More widescreen notebooks are beginning to hit the market, and a 15.4in widescreen TFT is an excellent compromise between size and portability. This is also shared by HP's Compaq nx7000 (see issue 108, p59), which offers more design verve, better 3D performance and a higher-resolution screen for £1,229, but you'll have to settle for a 40GB hard disk and no DVD burner. That said, you can compromise on the DTS's specification to find a price more suited to your budget - as low as £999. The extra money on the Pegasus is difficult to justify, although - as with all Rock notebooks - it does come with a three-year, collect-and-return warranty. If you've got the money, though, this is a well put-together business notebook that's certainly worth a look.

Author: Ross Burridge