If the Efio 2617 looks familiar, it-s because it is almost identical to the Hi-Grade Notino R5400 (December 2002, page 49).
The Efio comes straight from Twinhead, Hi-Grade-s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), and should theoretically pass on some significant savings because of this, but it hasn-t. While it features a Pentium 4-M 1.7GHz with 256MB RAM and a 30GB HDD it-s still one of the more budget-oriented P4 notebooks.
It shares the same key strengths as Hi-Grade-s Notino; a ruggedised design with tough Aluminium alloy casing, a very light carry weight for a P4-M and proven strength with the ability to survive harsh drops.
The Efio 2617 also delivers reasonable performance, but it-s not going to break any speed records. It-s a business notebook pure and simple – if you-re one of the few people who fancy 3D gaming on your portable, then you-d best look elsewhere. The S3 ProSavageDDR graphics chip doesn-t offer enough to run serious 3D apps.
There-s one key area where the Twinhead differs significantly from Hi-Grade-s Notino: warranty. Hi-Grade offers two years accidental damage, which is simply outstanding.
Overall, the Efio doesn-t offer particularly better value for money than its Hi-Grade counterpart. The Efio-s lower specifications explain away most of the savings you make, and moreover, the Hi-Grade-s excellent warranty is almost worth the extra cost in and of itself.