HP Compaq nw8240

At work, a PC with a capable CPU, a relatively speedy hard drive, a fair dose of memory, and any old graphics processor will get you through the day. If your job involves sophisticated video or image editing, animation, or CAD, then you need a high-powered workstation. If you’re in the latter group, you’re looking for something like HP’s new Compaq nw8240.

We’ve seen plenty of laptops billed as mobile workstations, but the nw8240 truly delivers in every respect, combining the speediest Pentium M processor with the fastest mobile hard drive, the fastest graphics processor for content creation, and the highest notebook screen resolution.

Impressively, HP has managed to shoehorn all of this into a package that’s definitely travel-worthy. This laptop is remarkably slim at only 1.1 inches and certainly portable at 5.8 pounds. Despite its professional-class performance, the nw8240 looks cool wrapped in a dark metallic gray shell.

Coupled with a full gigabyte of 533-MHz DDR2 memory and a 7,200-rpm 60GB hard drive, the nw8240’s 2-GHz Intel Pentium M 760 processor flew through every task we threw its way, from image editing to audio encoding to file encryption. The gigabyte of RAM ensured multitasking wouldn’t be a problem. The system didn’t seem to slow down when we edited an image and ripped a CD track into an MP3 file. MobileMark agreed with our assessment of the nw8240’s performance, giving it a remarkable score of 229.

The ATI Mobility Fire GL V5000 graphics processor at the heart of the video subsystem is designed for creating 3D images rather than merely rendering them in games, but it made short work of Far Cry and Unreal. With 128MB of dedicated video memory and more processing power than the CPUs found in most laptops, it generated incredibly smooth motion in 3D games, even at high detail settings.

The 15.4-inch widescreen display is a terrific complement to the Fire GL V5000, offering the extremely high WUXGA resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. That resolution is too high for word processing on a 15.4-inch display, but it’s perfect for working with photos, editing video, or performing any other type of digital content creation. Even the speakers get in on the act, outputting sound that’s noticeably louder and fuller than typical laptops.

In most cases, the nw8240 will likely be used while next to an outlet, but it offers more than respectable battery life given the amount of power under the hood. In our tests it lasted nearly four hours on a charge.

Regardless of whether or not you’re plugged in, you’ll enjoy the Compaq nw8240’s very roomy, comfortable keyboard, smooth three-button touchpad, and pointing stick. The system’s preloaded software includes Norton AntiVirus to fend off worms and viruses and HP Local Recovery to help you restore and back up data.

Business users will appreciate the optional embedded TPM Security Chip, as well as the HP Drivelock technology that provides password protection. A Smart Card reader is integrated into the left side of the nw8240, below the PC Card slot and above the SD Card reader. The system features three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, VGA, S-Video, and a serial port.

If you’d like even more options, pick up the $279 port replicator. When installed into the $79 monitor stand, you have the ability to instantly turn your mobile workstation into a high-powered desktop PC replete with all the external peripherals you’d like.

The docking station adds six more USB 2.0 ports, a DVI port, S-Video, composite video outputs, a parallel port, and two PS/2 ports. It features an ExpressCard slot, plus a drive bay that can house an optional secondary optical drive or hard disk. If you can use these additional interfaces and would like to connect the nw8240 to an external monitor at your desk, then the docking station and monitor stand are well worth the expense.

Aside from the nw8240’s very high $3,599 price ($3,878 with the docking station and monitor stand), the only criticism we have of the system is its slow 2X DVD burner. Even at its lofty price, we like the nw8240’s standard warranty, which offers three years of onsite service. If you need the finest mobile workstation available and you’re willing to pay for it, then pick up the HP Compaq nw8240.