HP Compaq nw9440

Build quality is far from utilitarian, with the two-tone charcoal/black finish and styling giving it looks matching its price and performance; it has an air of understated authority that we like. The only point we don't like is the unsightly and impractical left-mounted PSU input.

Despite being a bit of a powerhouse, we didn't find the nw9440 was particularly hot or noisy under light use, although firing up the 3D adaptor inevitably made the fans kick in and work harder. Although it clearly isn't designed for a constant life on the road, it's just about within the size limits for use on a train - you'll just get more inquisitive glances than usual. There's enough power in the battery to make a bit of mobile working a practical proposition, with close on three hours' light use in our tests.

Pretty much the only competition HP has in this particular market is from Fujitsu Siemens with its Celsius range and Dell with its Precision M series. Neither company yet has anything to match the nw9440's screen aspect and resolution, though, so if you're looking for a high-resolution workstation that's portable but with good enough ergonomics to work on for long periods the nw9440 is a fine choice.

Author: David Fearon