Every review you read on the Net about the Z1 says much the same thing: that it looks like LG took a page from the LG Chocolate (cell phone) design manual and made a ­notebook. This review is no different. The Z1 really does look like a very big LG chocolate, but unlike the LG chocolate it’s not complete rubbish.

It does, however, look like the design team wasn’t too sure what look they were going for as the outside is all shiny and black and the ­keyboard is white. It looks like a black car fresh from the chop shop: all of it looks right, except for the snow white bonnet.

The Z1 is relatively well endowed in the specs department, with a 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB memory, 120GB hard disk, a mid range video card and a 12.1" TFT LCD screen. It has all the right places to plug things into, including 3 USB ports, firewire, a 5-in-1 card slot and even the older PS2 port. But where the Z1 sets itself apart from other notebooks is by being one of the first notebooks to have the NVIDIA Preface interface, a small auxiliary screen on the lid of the notebook. This display uses Windows Sideshow to show you bits of information (of your choosing), even when the ­notebook is off. You can choose music to listen to or check your schedule or whatever else takes your fancy. We’re not sure about this feature though; does the word gimmick spring to mind? A lot of notebooks in any one price range will do much the same. It’s really in the details that consumer notebooks must be ­measured and if looks is your thing then the Z1 might be the one for you.

Overall this is a fair notebook and far better looking than most of the others you’ll see on the shelves. Get it for R12 299 from Computer Corporation on 08616-08616.