Let's just summarise the things we like best about this machine:

- The first to catch the eye is the magnificent CSV screen. 17 inch of super glossy real estate.
- Matching in width is the full-size keyboard that includes a Num Pad.
- This media machine is able to play your CDs without the need to boot up Windows with all the information you need (plus the time) presented in a nice blue display on the front.
- You don't have to tout along external speakers as the five built-in speakers, with the help of SRS WOW technology, does great justice to your music choice.
- The core brilliance of the ITC METABOX 740u is of course its sheer speed. If you have the need for speed you can now play Need for Speed while you're on the road (but hopefully not driving!)
- Other nice touches are the inbuilt HDTV tuner with remote control, the VGA camera and all the connectivity ever devised for a laptop. That connectivity even extends to the 10-in-1 card reader.

If there are any concerns they fall under the category of "Heavy". The ITC METABOX 740u, not surprisingly, is rather heavy. The industrial-sized power adapter alone weighs 1.39Kg and is perfectly brick-shaped. Playing the latest version of Need for Speed saw the power consumption soar to 224 Watts. This machine, with all the goodies that we could possibly cram in, was also rather heavy on the budget. Expect little change from 6200 Aussie dollars. That includes, however, the bragging rights to the fastest laptop on your block.

Stay tuned for part #2 which will cover extensive benchmarking on the ITC METABOX 740u, using a raft of benchmarking tools, including 3DMark of course and many DirectX 9 game benchmarks.