IBM ThinkPad 390X

IBM’s ThinkPad range varies widely in quality. Some, such as the ThinkPad 600, are slim, portable devices. The 390 range is sturdier, but still portable.
The newest addition to the IBM ThinkPad 390 range is a fairly standard, no-frills business machine. The Pioneer Powerbook, the only other notebook reviewed with a 450MHz processor, is an inferior machine despite having twice the RAM of the IBM. The ThinkPad 390X’s processor rated near the bottom of the rank in the CPUmark 99 and FPU WinMark 99 tests, along with the Pioneer.
The ThinkPad 39OX was the weakest performer in the Ziff-Davis High-End Graphics WinMark 99. It was also one of two notebooks that could not be coaxed into producing a 3D Mark 99 Max result, but it should be adequate to cope with the everyday 2D tasks associated with being a business workhorse.
The sturdiness and sensitivity of the trackpoint make it one of the better mouse controllers, but the placement of mouse buttons has never been a strong point with ThinkPads. You can get used to it, but it’s not something you should have to adjust to. A more relaxing and natural arrangement of the buttons is in order.
The notebook lacks any Windows hotkeys, which could be a boon or a curse, depending on your view. It comes with Windows 95, 98 or NT preloaded, and the lack of hotkeys could be extremely annoying for users of these operating systems; however, for the Linux user it’s ideal. The keyboard is set back far enough from the front of the unit to provide a comfortable wrist rest, making it enjoyable to use.
IBM has excelled with the notebook’s batteries. The rated life and test results diverged as much as usual, but this time in the notebook’s favour.
The ThinkPad 390X ran for the longest time of all the notebooks reviewed, clocking in at a hefty four-and-a-half hours. This is about 45 minutes longer than its rated life, making it perfect for the road.