BenQ Joybook S32 notebook
» $1599
» Get from authorised BenQ dealers

MY SON'S fractured fingers took me to a children's hospital recently, but having the BenQ S32 notebook made the four-hour ordeal there more bearable, and provided a little comfort to my kid.

The under-2kg compact notebook, about the size of an A4 paper, was easy to carry all around the emergency ward, and laid comfortably on my lap as I sat squeezed between other anxious parents.

At full charge, I was able to hammer out some articles and read up on press briefs during the long waits between consults, getting the X-ray and the treatment.

Working on and off during the four-hour visit, there was still enough juice in it when I left the hospital. But in a straight run, it only lasted some 130 minutes.

The S32 also kept my seven-year-old distracted from pain while he played Purble Place, a pattern recognition game. Soon, a couple other equally bored kids started to gather and 'invited' themselves to the game.

If I had brought along a DVD movie I could have watched it on the small but wide and bright 13.3-inch screen. I found out later that the notebook has speakers fitted with SRS TruSurround XT technology that gives better than average volume and bass levels.

If there was a wireless hotspot nearby I could also have surfed the Net wirelessly with the built-in Wi-Fi.

You might have to skip the gaming bit, though: This machine scored just 242 points on the 3DMark 06 benchtest. Graphics-intensive tasks like desktop publishing are out too.

FINAL SAY

Buy this if you want a compact entertainment notebook for the family, with a gorgeous 3D metallic shading on it that's pleasing on the eye.