After enjoying the Satellite 2800 (reviewed issue 42, p80) so much, the Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600 is a disappointment. This is surprising in that the general belief would be that the more powerful machine would be more appealing to the technically inclined than the Celeron-based Satellite 2800. Theyre both well-built machines, excellent examples of the modern notebook PC, but the Satellite 4600 just didnt seem to offer the same allure.

The spell was broken when the review machine arrived and it was found to have a number of dead pixels. A few can develop over time but confronting them out of the box was not good. Both notebooks rated the same weight but for some reason the 4600 appeared bulkier. An attractive magnesium alloy finish similar to many of the other notebooks going around now gives the 4600 a classic feel. Going around the chassis I found the usual appointments for a full-featured notebook. DVD-ROM, Ethernet, modem and IR ports on the right side as well as the external audio connectors and a volume dial were on the right side; a pair of stereo speakers on the front edge; PC Card slots on the left; and the remaining ports on the back with a TV Out port. No docking option is offered with this model, only port replicators.

As a side note, Toshiba supplied us two of its Bluetooth PC Card adapters. The company is one of the prime movers in the consortium which brought Bluetooth to fruition. For those who are unsure about the technology, basically Bluetooth is a framework which allows wireless communication between devices on a local level. It is similar in some ways to wireless LAN technology but in other respects it is not, and is not designed to carry large loads of data rapidly between connected devices. Up to seven devices can be connected to form a Personal Area Network and they dont necessarily have to be another computer. Phones, fridges, microwaves, PDAs and other white goods are expected to join the Bluetooth throng.

In this case the Toshiba Bluetooth cards will communicate with each other up to 30 metres distant. Toshiba warns that other adapters may not have the range of their cards. I actually tried it at home and found the range could even pass between floors in a multi-storey residence, although the connection was quite flaky. Installing the card is a three-stage process that involves installing the Bluetooth driver software and Bluetooth Neighbourhood client software, inserting the card, which is recognised by the notebook, followed by the installation of the SPANworks (Spontaneous Personal Area Networking) software.

The Bluetooth Neighbourhood is where you govern the way the notebook behaves and interacts with its peers. Basically when a Bluetooth device comes walking into the room (under someones locomotion I hope!) it will poll the other Bluetooth devices in range. Depending on the device and how the owner has set it up, it can either join the PAN or remain isolated. Then security settings will allow it whatever rights and privileges to data on the various devices. Its a simple concept really - you decide whether your machine accepts connections or not. Basic file and folder sharing with drag and drop from within SPANworks is then possible. More is in store as the specifications are still in a state of development. Some of the other models in the Satellite Pro 4600 range are specially marketed with the Toshiba wireless LAN adapter and a wireless antenna built into the notebook, indicating just how serious Toshiba is in developments in mobile wireless technology.

Which brings us back to the notebook. The PIII/700MHz does wonderfully well with a 2D benchmark score of 1.91 and the 3DMark2000 score of 1,670 shames some more powerful notebooks, so the 4600 does well in terms of performance. Viewing DVDs was just the same as Satellite 2800, great picture yet prone to a few glitches. But given the choice, my own preference is for the lighter specified 2800 over the 4600 - and I get to pocket $1,500.