Zepto Znote 6014W review

Over the past few years, Zepto has established itself as the leading Scandinavian laptop manufacturer, and is branching out into other European countries. The Zepto Znote 6014W boasts modern components, good build quality, and a low weight. Intel's Core Duo T2050 processor is fitted, and is one of the more up-to-date processors. However, running at 1.6GHz and with a 533MHz FSB (Front Side Bus) speed, it's still a budget chip.

The performance on offer is better than expected at this price range, and you'll be able to run most programs with ease. A MobileMark 2005 score of 213 is proof of this, highlighting the Zepto's ability to run multiple applications without major lag.

The widescreen display measures 14.1-inches. While smaller than the other machines on test, this helps to keep weight down to 2.4kg. With a resolution of 1,280 x 768 pixels (WXGA), we found it large enough to work comfortably.

Vibrant display

The Zepto is one of three laptops in the group to feature a glossy finish to the screen. This helps images to appear more vibrant than rival displays. A downside is that the screen has a tendency to reflect in bright conditions.

Images are rendered by Intel's 945GM graphics card, which is the latest integrated solution. You'll be able to carry out general office tasks and watch your favourite movies, but intensive multimedia applications are out of reach. Because it's an integrated solution, battery life benefits, and we regularly managed to get three hours between charges.

Build quality is impressive, with sturdy materials used and a smooth action to all the buttons. The chassis is thin, but is also very rigid. The responsive touchpad is integrated into the palm rest, and the large and well-spaced keyboard has enough travel to ensure typing mistakes are kept to a minimum.

The Zepto is comfortable to use, helped by a chassis that remained cool even after long periods of use. Unfortunately, this was achieved through the use of a noisy fan, which runs almost constantly.

A comprehensive set of features are on offer, making it easy to connect to the internet or networks. A Wi-Fi adapter allows you to connect to the internet without using any wires, and you'll also find the fastest possible solution - a Gigabit Ethernet adapter - for fixed connections. The optical drive is a DVD/CD-RW, which lets you copy files on to CDs, and you'll also be able to watch DVDs. Zepto has managed to keep the price low without compromising the Znote 6014W too much.