It is hard not to notice the heft of the Eurocom
desktop replacement notebook. According to marketing materials from the Ottawa-based computer manufacturer, the Eurocom Mobile Workstation with Penryn CPU is 12 pounds, but it feels heavier.
However, what users have to understand when operating this notebook is that it’s not a laptop.
You have to be in another state of mind with the Eurocom. First of all the screen is big. It’s a 17-inch screen that looks bigger. The keyboard is roomy. It’s comfortable to operate this computer.
This is what Eurocom is trying to accomplish with its products. It is not a laptop, but a desktop replacement computer.
Eurocom has been trying to create this niche since 1989. The Eurocom Mobile Workstation is an alternative to a desktop computer. The fully upgradeable notebook is capable of running 3D modeling software and other more sophisticated engineering software.
These systems are made for professionals, and not home users who want to move their laptop from room-to-room. There are many retail notebooks costing $1,000 and under that can accomplish that.
The Eurocom desktop replacement notebook is more than $4,000 and can run many other operating systems than just Windows Vista.
The key to these machines is their portability. Professionals on occasion have to take work home with them and these computers are portable. They are not meant for road warriors who take their laptops everywhere and anywhere.
Also, if you compare it to a regular desktop tower PC with monitor, the Eurocom unit is a space saver and users do not have to deal with cables.
The other thing to consider is that if you decide to buy a Eurocom you basically eliminate the desktop and an additional laptop purchase for those times you need portability because the Mobile Workstation does both.
Eurocom is trying to establish this niche and the company may be on to something. The marketplace for computing is mobile and companies today are looking for more mobile solutions for their staff. This computer can be a part of that mobile strategy. Now I did not take the Eurocom notebook on a plane. I am sure you could, but I can only see it as being a cumbersome experience.
Eurocom has also made these mobile workstations powerful with 64-bit technology, dual core processors form Intel and AMD, more than 4GB of memory and hard drives with RAID with up to 320GB of storage. Some systems have 20-inch displays. The wireless system with built-in WLAN 802.11 a/b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 was excellent.The notebook felt solid, like it was built to last, and for more than $4,000 per unit these machines have to last to deliver the return on investment Eurocom is preaching. Eurocom claims that their notebooks outlast the average notebook lifespan of 18 months.
I was really impressed with the unit because it made me extremely comfortable working on many different applications. I can’t say that with any other notebook I have tested during my career.
I understand that I am not the ideal user for the Eurocom Mobile Workstation. A slim-and-light model would be better for what I do for a living. Having said that, I can definitely see the Eurocom Mobile Workstation as a good fit with many professionals in many vertical markets.
With this model, Eurocom has taken desktop replacement notebooks to another level.
