IBM's IBM ThinkPad X40 laptop gets exceptionally excellent scores. The X40 combines portability and usability in a trim but feature-filled package that is compelling enough to earn the distinction of 'eWeek' Labs Analyst's Choice. The ThinkPad X40 costs $1,499 and has a 1.1- inch by 10.6-inch by 8.3-inch chassis and is 20 percent lighter and 25 percent smaller than the earlier ThinkPad X31, which IBM will still offer. The X40 uses an internal battery that holds four cells instead of six, and the processor is an ultra-low-voltage 1GHz Intel Pentium M or a low-voltage 1.2GHz Pentium. The hard drive is only 1.8 inches, with a capacity of 40GB. Various wireless choices are available, including the 802.11b chip set from Intel or the IBM 802.11b/g or 801.11a/b/g chip sets. Bluetooth abilities are also included. Processing is somewhat slower on the X40, and a proprietary IBM USB 2.0 port is included, with a Secure Digital slot and a PC Card slot. The device can be expanded with a new $199 locking X4 Base Dock that adds three USB 2.0 ports and a swappable bay for a battery or optional drive. With an optional installed $499 DVD/CD-RW combination drive, the dock puts the weight of the X40 about a bit more than 4 pounds. During battery tests, testers obtained about 2.5 hours of run time from a four-cell machine, but an eight- cell battery can be purchased separately to provide more than 7 hours of performance.