Lenovo 3000 N100 (0768-A31)

The Lenovo 3000 N100 notebook is available in a number of configurations. Lenovo sent us two versions for testing: the 0768-A27 and the 0768-A31. The N100 0768- A31 has a slower processor, a lower quality display and less hard drive space than the 3000 N100 (0768-A27). Other than those differences, A27 and the A31 are the same.

The N100 A31 has an Intel Core Duo T2300 processor running at 1.66GHz, a 60GB hard disk and 512MB of DDR2 RAM. We tested performance using World Bench 5 where it earned a score of 86. This is good result for a T2300 processor and shows the notebook will easily run most office related software without any problems.

Even though both notebooks have the same graphics chip, the different CPU speeds effect graphics performance. We ran the notebook which includes NVIDIA GeForce GO 7300 graphics through its paces with 3D Mark 2001 where is scored 10607. We also ran 3D Mark 2006 where is earned a score of 626. These results show that for most games more than a year or two old, this machine will perform quite well, however it will struggle with the demands of more modern titles. Of course, since this notebook is primarily for business use, gaming performance is far from critical.

We tested the battery life using MobileMark 2005 which rated the battery at 152 minutes under normal productivity use and 139 minutes when watching a DVD. This is markedly higher than the N100 A27 and is a big selling point of this unit.

Lastly, the display of the 0768-A31 is quite different than the A27. The reflective coating is gone and the maximum resolution is only 1280x800 pixels. It still looks good, there is no backlight bleeding and the viewing angle is quite respectable, but it isn't quite as good as its more expensive sibling.

The 0768-A31 iteration of the Lenovo 3000 N100 series is the more affordable version of the 0768-A27. It still performs quite well, offers longer life when not connected to mains power and has similar graphics capabilities.