Biting the Apple: Sharp's
sub-$1,000 thin-and-light
Sharp Actius MC24
The product: With the Actius MC24 notebook, Sharp extends its foray into the realm of Apple-esque aesthetics. The white and glossy Actius MC24 bears a distinct likeness to the 12-inch iBook G4, but at 4.3 pounds, it weighs a half pound less and is slightly smaller all around. Slipping in under the $1,000 price mark, the Actius MC24 is one of the least expensive thin-and-lights we've seen, and it comes with a not-bad set of features and components:

• Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M Processor 2400+
• 512MB of DDR SDRAM (upgradable to 768MB)
• 12.1-inch XGA TFT LCD
• 40GB hard drive
• Integrated IEEE 802.11g wireless
• Four USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, a PCMCIA Type II card slot
• CD-RW/DVD combo drive

The price: Available later this month from Sharp, the Actius MC24 will cost $999.

The prospects: The Sharp Actius MC24's AMD Athlon XP-M won't set any performance benchmark records. Still, chips aren't everything (heck, we're big fans of the ultraportable Actius MP30, which is saddled with the endangered Transmeta chip). With the Actius MC24, Sharp contributes to a new and exciting subcategory hybrid--the budget thin-and-light--sure to be popular with PC users who want their laptops lighter and cheaper.

By Justin Jaffe, senior associate editor, CNET Reviews