Review

IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452

By Mike Oliveira Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

The IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452 won't bowl you over with its processor.

Its individual components are not special, it's not super light and it isn't the cheapest notebook you can buy. For those who want it all, the IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452 isn't a serious option.

This computer is average in almost every way -- but don't necessarily look at that as a downside. It may not make others jealous but it's a decent notebook that'll get the job done, within the scope of a budget.

The Thinkpad i Series 1452 does have a few nice extras like a large 14.1 inch monitor and a DVD (digital versatile disk) drive for software and movies. It's aimed at the budget-conscious shopper who wants a solid, inexpensive laptop computer, not those who want a bargain-basement item that cuts every corner.

The system is comprised of an Intel Pentium Celeron processor running at 366 megahertz, with 64 megabytes of RAM (random access memory). This sounds slow compared to some of its competition but it completes most tasks without problems.

Word processing and accessing the Internet is a breeze but software with high system requirements will be sluggish. Playback of DVD movies, for example, may be guilty of dropping a frame or two as the computer chugs along.

The battery is good for three hours, which is nothing to brag about. You could do a little better but you could also do worse in this price range.

Similarly, the seven-pound weight of the Thinkpad i Series 1452 is a bit heavier than most of the competition. This compromise means that it is not extremely portable, but it's also not a pain to carry around.
Since it is a budget notebook computer, for which software is often extra, the software bundle has to be graded as a bonus. It's a mixed bag of valuable and trivial software.

Norton AntiVirus is included, and is always great to have. But, at a retail value of almost $350 US ($500 Canadian), one of the best inclusions is Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition -- unless you already have Microsoft's competing Office suite.

Most of the other included titles are dated and not really worth your time. Notebooks aren't designed for keeping up with cutting-edge games but these freebies are so old you'll probably want to skip installing them and stick with Solitaire.

As a whole, it might seem that the IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452 doesn't have a lot going for it. But unless you need major processing power, the IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452 should be able to tackle most of what you throw at it. It's a fine notebook at a decent price. It may just take you a little longer to get some jobs done.

In this price range, everything boils down to comparison shopping and your specific needs. There are many different notebook computers available for less than $2,000 US ($2,700 Canadian) and most have similar configurations.

If you don't need the DVD drive or larger screen, you may want to find another model in the same price range that offers something else. Others will omit these features but add others like a faster processor or more RAM.

Reviewer's rating: 3.75 / 5

Comments: The IBM Thinkpad i Series 1452 is not the best you can buy but its good value for what it is -- a budget-priced notebook. It's a little heavy and has what may be the slowest processor available in this class of notebook but it has a large screen and DVD drive.

Specifications: Intel Celeron 366 MHz, 64 MB RAM, 4.5 GB hard drive, floppy drive, DVD/CDROM, 14.1-inch screen.

Software included: Norton AntiVirus, Lotus SmartSuite Millenium Edition.

More info: http://www.ibm.com

Price: $1,799 US, $2,700 Canadian