Packin’ plenty, but not the heat
The Orion series of laptops from Nimantics is now the fastest in town. Featuring the desktop version of Intel’s 166MHz Pentium, 32MB of RAM, a 2.1GB hard-disk drive, and a 6x CD-ROM
drive-all accessible without having to swap components-this $4,848 laptop packs enough power to hang with most desktop systems.
We were curious to discover how Nimantics could pack a 166MHz Pentium into a portable chassis without turning the laptop into the combustible equivalent of a 1978 Ford Pinto. The answer lies in Nimantics’ patented heat-sink-and-fan cooling system. According to Nick Ray, Nimantics’ VP of sales, this design dissipates heat so well that the desktop Pentium never
gets any warmer than Intel’s mobile version.
“We’ve taken care of the heat,”
says Ray. “When [the mobile Pentiums] become
available, we’ll use them because they have a slight battery advantage.” Supplying power to a fast processor, and all those peripherals—all at the same time—sucks juice out of a battery faster than a dehydrated elephant at a watering hole, so Nimantics supplies an optional second battery that attaches to the back of the Orion. And if you can’t get enough gaming in at the office, the Orion features both an Advanced Gravis GamePad (built right into the top deck) and a joystick/MIDI port (on the left side).
The Orion 6X 166 is the fastest laptop you can buy.
If you crave speed and power, the Orion looks like it has it. Look for a hands-on review in the November issue of boot.
— Doug Lombardi
PRICE: $4,848
www.nimantics.com
