Ultra light, dual-core processor, biometric security; sounds like the specification list of a beautiful machine, doesn’t it? The Hewlett-Packard Compaq nc2400 packs a good litany of technology into its sales sheet, but you would be right for thinking there’s more than a hint of reticence in our introduction. When we first picked up this diminutive laptop we got quite excited at the Centrino Duo moniker on the wrist rest, but on closer inspection things aren’t quite as rosy as we had first hoped.

When you’re talking portability, the HP Compaq ticks nearly all the right boxes. It’s supremely light; weighing in at a paltry 1.3Kg it’s easily the lightest dual-core machine we’ve seen. The optical drive – a writable, multi-format, dual-layer DVD drive – is fully integrated so there’s no messing around with external units. This construction is possible thanks to the Ultra Low Voltage U2500 Core Duo CPU complete with its reduced space requirements for cooling.

Unfortunately, the low-speed 1.2GHz CPUs only manage an average score in the SYSmark 2004 benchmarks, with a final score of just 133. Still, with the 1GB of 533MHz RAM it’s more than capable of dealing with most Windows-based applications you could throw at it. Being aimed at the mobile worker, chances are that it’s just going to be asked to run the usual office-based applications, which isn’t going to stress the processing capabilities of the twin cores to their fullest.

With the ULV processor, and the expectation that the nc2400 is going to see most of its use in transit, you would hope to see an impressive battery life. Actually you expect it, especially for the £1,000 price tag. But the machine just doesn’t deliver. Running a DVD through to test it, we found that hibernation point was reached after only one hour and 42 minutes. Not even enough time for tired commuters to watch a decent story develop on their way home from work. If you’re the type to prefer running your movies from the hard drive then you may well need a separate drive too, because the fairly feeble 60GB device supplied is likely to fill up storing even the humblest movie collection.

On the plus side, the screen is excellent. It’s bright and the 12.1in XGA TFT panel outputs at an impressive native resolution of 1,280x800. The integrated Intel GMA950 graphics chipset is fine for displaying DVDs, bar charts and the like, but is inevitably limited in its performance regarding more demanding 3D applications.

Built to last

The build quality is extremely solid and the keyboard feels reassuringly chunky for a laptop – especially one of such modest proportions. The only slight annoyance in the input stakes is the choice of a trackpoint rather than trackpad. That rubbery nipple makes controlling the on-screen pointer a rather haphazard affair; it’ll take a fair bit of practice before you stop overshooting every button, icon or scrollbar that you aim for.

The keyboard is agreeably responsive and the handy biometric fingerprint scanner makes forgetting your passwords a thing of the past. Of course, it also adds a valuable level of security for the suits that keep leaving their notebooks full of sensitive data in taxis.

The indicator lights sitting just beneath the screen are a nice surprise as well – they’re also switches. The volume slider can be used to power up the almost invisible speakers with just a stroke of your finger along the panel, though don’t expect any resonating bass from them.

Summing up the nc2400 is difficult. It’s tiny, practically silent, can read your fingerprints and is propped up by an Ultra Low Voltage Centrino Duo CPU. This should all come together to make it the first choice for a corporate laptop, but the lack of decent battery life truly hinders this machine. The awkward trackpoint – a personal bugbear of ours – also makes it feel like a budget machine. If it was offered at anything under a grand, we could happily overlook such shortcomings as the battery, pointer and minuscule storage. Instead, paying a premium for the new ULV Centrino Duo is fine, but the expected longevity to accompany it is sadly missing.