So You Want a Q1...But Which One?

So after reading my blog and doing other research you decided to get a Q1. Of course you want the latest one, the Ultra, especially since pricing starts at a low $799. But is that really the one you want? Or the best one to meet your needs?

So lets review what is currently available here in the US.

Q1: This is the original device. Its powered by a 900Mhz Intel Celeron M processor, has a 40 gB hard drive and 512 MB of RAM. Even with the announcement of the Ultra it still goes for $970 at Newegg.com.

Q1P: This is the device I have. Currently, at Newegg you can get one for $1149, preloaded with Vista, 1 Gb of RAM, 60 gb hard drive, and powered by a 1 GHz Pentium M processor. This is the UMPC Kevin Tofel of jkOnTheRun.com uses and Steve at UMPC Portal has used. Here is a video review Steve had posted a few weeks ago. It appears some of the Q1Ps have LED backlit displays which give them a brighter display and drains the battery less.

Q1B: This version goes with a VIA C7 1.0 Ghz processor and for $870 at Newegg.com comes with a 40 GB hard drive and 512 MB of RAM. VIAs tend to be less powerful than the Intel Pentium M processors but use less power resulting in extended battery life. To get a feel for the difference in processing power check out this video at UMPCPortal.com. For a feel for the additional battery life check out this post at jkOnTheRun.com.

Q1 Ultra: As I mentioned in a previous post, the look and feel of this device WOW'd me when I first saw it. While the other three are basically the same device on the outside, the Ultra has a whole new look and pricing will start at $799, the lowest of these four devices. So what do you get? First, these devices are powered by Intel's Ultra Mobile A100 and A110 processors with speeds of 600 and 800 Mhz, 1 Gb of RAM, and either 40, 60 or 80 GB hard drive. The device also has a higher native resolution of 1024 x 600. In addition, the device has two cameras (.3 and 1.3 Mp), a fingerprint reader, integrated EVDO, and a mini split keyboard. Its also a bit lighter (.2 lbs) and battery life is rated at about 4.5 hours.

So this should be a no brainer, go with the newest model, the Ultra, right? Well, maybe not. First lets look at the Q1 Ultra that is closest in specs to my Q1P with XP. That would be the Q1U XP which goes for $1150, same price as the Q1P at Newegg. Even though the Ultra has lots of new features, the main concern is how will the Q1 Ultra's A100 and A110 Ultra Mobile processors perform. We will have to wait and see but right now the best comparison done is probably the one by Steve at UMPCPortal.com.

So to answer the questions above, which Q1 should you get; again it depends on your needs. The Q1B has excellent battery life but a less powerful processor, the Q1P has what most would consider the most powerful processor but it also has a higher price tag. So the best advice is to list your needs and intended uses for the device and pick the device that will work the best for you.