IBM ThinkPad X40 review

There's no integrated optical drive, but you can add one via the left-hand USB port, which is accompanied by a slot to power the drive too. IBM is no doubt hoping most people will buy the X4 UltraBase instead, which adds a further £123 to its coffers even without an optical drive; a combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM costs £176. The UltraBase adds a PS/2 and three USB 2 ports, plus connectors for serial, parallel and a D-SUB.

It's easy to see how the cost of the X40 could mount up, especially if you fall into the trap of buying a non-TopSeller model. TopSeller marks IBM's so-called special offers, but as these provide savings of up to £500 on standard models and the offers can run for months, it makes little sense to choose a standard offering unless your business can negotiate its own discount.

With that proviso in place, we've no hesitation in recommending and A-Listing the ThinkPad X40 - and in particular, the model identified by part number TS079UK (the current TopSeller). It offers a phenomenal level of protection when on the move, provides stunning battery life considering its miniscule size, and using it is an absolute pleasure thanks to the quality screen and keyboard.

Author: Tim Danton