Psion series 5mx (Psion Series 5mx Pro)

Member Name: Madasawomble

Product:	Psion Series 5mx Pro
Date:	03/10/00 (1135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's good

Disadvantages: very few

The Psion 5mx is the progidy of the Series 5 - Psion took the Series 5, ironed out the initial problems, improved a few things, and released it with a jumped up spec and some new software. So, the question has to be, is this release worth it, and, now that the Series 7 is out, should you be buying one?

The answer is a resounding yes. The Psion 5mx is a major improvement over the Series 5, and is pitched slightly differently to the Series 7.

Firstly, the differences between the 5 and 5mx. The first Psion 5 had a rubberised casing, which had a tendency to flake off, and a stylus which had problems with sticking in its housing. These problems have been rectified in the 5mx; it now has metallic casing - not completely sure about the stylus, but I'm assured that it has been modified to be more reliable.

The original Series 5 keyboard was hailed as a wonder on a machine that small - the keyboard on the 5mx has improved on this, with better tactile response and, in my mind, more secure keys. Bundled with the EPOC operating system, as well as all the basic software, come Jotter - a note-taking program - a better cardfile and an e-mail client, all accessed through the silk screen below the main LCD. It comes bundled with the latest release of PsiWin for connecting to your desktop PC - I have always found this software excellent, with few conversion difficulties.

The touchscreen is still responsive, and battery life is probably about 8-10 hours, dramatically cut short if you use the backlight. I would recommend investing in the mains adaptor - I leave my Psion constantly plugged in at home to keep the memory intact and the batteries for travelling.

With the release of the Series 7, the 5mx has become a little cheaper, with many offers on if you shp around. If you really need a colour screen, or do *very* intensive typing, opt for the Series 7 - with a larger keyboard it is easier to type. However, the Series 7 is not as portabl
e, and I can do no better than to recommend the 5mx - certainly, as a student who needs to work on documents at home and in lessons, it is invaluable, and easy to carry around.

Summary: