Is thinner better? The ThinkPad X300 challenges the MacBook Air

Computerworld - Its petite size, light weight and silvery skin made the Apple MacBook Air this year's must-have laptop. However, amid all the hoopla and hype, Lenovo has quietly introduced its ThinkPad X300, a travel-friendly notebook that may not be as seductively thin, but provides more of the creature comforts that travelers expect.

Easily the thinnest notebook on the market, the Air has a profile of 0.2 inches, which rises to 0.8 inches at the rear, making it look downright anorexic compared to the typical notebook. By contrast, the X300 has a somewhat thicker silhouette of 0.8 and 0.9 inches -- which is needed to accommodate its built-in DVD drive -- but it still beats almost anything else on the market for slimness.

At 3.1 pounds, the X300 is an ounce heavier than a comparably equipped Air, but its weight rises to 3.3 pounds with its removable DVD drive.

Differences in look and feel

Unlike the Air's rounded aluminum case, Lenovo wraps its X300 in a more conventional black color scheme. To make it more comfortable to use, key areas -- like the wrist rest -- have a soft rubbery coating.

Under the skin, these notebooks both offer Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 2GB of system memory and 13.3-inch screens, although the X300 has a higher resolution display and can hold up to 4GB RAM. On the other hand, Air buyers have the choice of 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz processors, while the X300 uses a sedate 1.2GHz chip.

Both systems come with 64GB of rugged solid-state flash memory for storing files, although the Air can be ordered with a conventional 80GB hard drive that cuts $1,000 from the price.

Lenovo ThinkPad X300

Without a doubt, the X300 is better equipped for life on the road. For example, standard equipment includes an internal DVD drive, a GPS receiver, a fingerprint scanner and stereo speakers -- features that may not be absolutely necessary for some, but make life a lot easier, not to mention more secure. Both notebooks boast full keyboards, but the X300's keys have more depth than the Air's, making for more comfortable typing.

In addition, the X300 has three USB ports and jacks for attaching peripherals such as an external monitor, Ethernet connection, headphone or microphone. By contrast, the Air's ports are minimalist to say the least: one USB, a headphone and a mini-DVI connector. Neither has a slot for a PC Card or flash memory module.