In terms of size and weight, the LE1700 offers a generous 12.1-inch display in a handy 11.7 x 9.7 inch machine that's barely three quarters of an inch thick and weighs just over three pounds. It's a good-looking piece of equipment, too.

On the processor side, Motion usually offers two options, one geared towards performance and one towards economy. This latest installment of the LE1700 is no different. Motion, though, didn't switch to Centrino 2 just yet, instead sticking with the 1.5GHz low voltage Core 2 Duo L7400 processor, and replacing the former 1.2GHz Core Solo U1400 with a punchier 1.06GHz Core 2 Duo U7500 processor.

On the graphics side, the LE1700 uses the standard Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 945 Express. That's good enough to run Vista capably. Our U7500-equipped machine was very quick and responsive. It was also, thanks to its 64GB Solid State Disk, almost totally silent. There is a fan, and the machine heats up more than we expected.

Vista is quite memory-intensive, and so even the base configuration comes with 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory. You can upgrade that to a maximum of 4GB in two externally accessible slots. Mass storage now comes in the form of an 80GB 4200rpm 1.8-inch hard disk or the aforementioned optional Solid State Disk.

We ran Passmark Software's PerformanceTest 6.1 that runs about 30 tests covering CPU, 2D graphics, 3D graphics, memory, and disk and then computes scores for each category and an overall PassMark score. For comparison, we're listing two machines that use the Core Solo processor available in the first generation LE1700. The DRS ARMOR C12 is a current rugged notebook convertible and had a high performance 5400 rpm SATA disk; the Motion F5 is the original version that used the Core Solo chip instead of the Core 2 Solo.

If you order the SXGA+ version you get almost twice the number of pixels in a razor-sharp, vibrant display that is a total pleasure to use. The 1400x1050 resolution means you can fit more onto the display, and that's a good thing with today's complex websites and the multiple windows many of us like to keep open at any given time.

But high resolution is not all. The SXGA+ display can be ordered with an even better version of Motion's View Anywhere technology. It's called UltraView Anywhere, and it's a definite improvement. Our review unit had the SXGA+ display with UltraView Anywhere, and the display indeed worked perfectly well outdoors. While standard transmissive notebook and tablet displays wash out in daylight, the Motion's UltraView Anywhere display remained very readable even in direct sunlight. It is definitely good enough to do whatever work needs to be done while outdoors, no matter what the lighting conditions are.

How did Motion do it? When it comes to sunlight viewability, RuggedPCReview's technology editor, Geoff Walker, stated the following:

"There are really only two practical methods of making a notebook screen readable outdoors: (a) crank up the brightness (measured in nits, which is display-industry slang for "candela per meter squared", or cd/m²) to the point where the light emitted by the screen is sufficiently greater than the ambient light reflected by the screen, or (b) treat the surface of the screen so it reflects much less light, which again allows the emitted light to exceed the reflected light."

This means that it's the effective contrast ratio of the display that matters. This ratio is computed as 1 + (emitted light / reflected light). Motion already did a good job reducing surface reflections with its standard View Anywhere technology. The new display has a somewhat stronger backlight (180 nits versus the older model's 160 nits), thus increasing the effective contrast ratio and further improving an already excellent outdoor display.

Like all current outdoor screens we've come across, the LE1700's assumes a slight greenish cast when viewed in direct sunlight. However, there is no other discoloration or any of the "rainbow" effect seen on some displays. On the negative side, the screen surface is quite prone to fingerprints and other smudges. Those can impact viewability outdoors, so make sure to liberally use the 3M Scotch Brite shammie Motion ships with every LE1700.

Screen resolution, backlight brightness and a good effective contrast ratio, however, are not the only qualities that make a truly great display. For that you also need a wide viewing angle both horizontally and vertically so that you do not constantly have to hunt for the proper viewing angle when you use the computer. Again, Motion delivers. Whereas the display of the last LE1700 we had in our lab had maximum viewing angles somewhere between 90 and 120 degrees, the new one is rated at 170 degrees from all sides. It's actually even better than that--you can look at it from any angle. That makes a HUGE difference and adds to overall usability, both indoors and out.

As far as the display surface goes, we've seen various treatments over the years. For a while, slate displays had a very matte finish that sought to recreate the look and feel of paper. Today, the best sunlight viewable displays have a glass-like finish that is neither matte nor high-gloss. Anti-reflective coatings in strategic places of the various layers that make up a modern LCD cut down the sunlight reflected by the display.

Could Motion have done even better? Not by much. The optical display treatment is very effective. If anything, I'd consider including an ultrabright backlight that can be turned on and off via hardware button so as not to be a drain on the battery when it is not needed. We've seen this solution on the rugged Getac B300 notebook and it works like a charm.

The picture below shows the computers in the shade at around 3PM on a bright and sunny day. The Motion LE1700 screen is very vibrant and totally readable.

Below, the computers are facing directly into the sun. This is the worst case scenario where no amount of backlight brightness can match the sun. As you can see, the optical coatings of the LE1700's UltraView facilitate retain enough readability to keep the computer usable (much more so than it looks on the picture). Here you can also see that it's a good idea to keep the display clear of fingerprints!

Below, the computers are placed in partial shade withe the sun hitting them from the side. The comparison screen becomes milky as it reflects the sky whereas the UltraView display very effectively eliminates glare.

Finally, an angle shot where a yellow object reflects on the comparison screen, but the UltraView display can handle that and remains perfectly readable.

The LE1700 also has a standard Type I/II PC Card slot, an SD Card slot, and even a SIM card slot you can use for 3G/HSDPA mobile broadband service.

One of the reasons why Motion's tablets can handle significantly more punishment than one might expect is the company's intelligent attention to details. The 64GB 1.8-inch Samsung Solid State Disk in our review unit is already substantially more rugged than any hard disk, but Motion went even farther and embedded the SSD in its own neoprene-cushioned subframe.

Units equipped with conventional hard drives are protected by Motion's "DataGuard" that uses a shock sensor to detect drops or harsh vibration that could damage the hard drive. It then instantly moves the read/write heads to areas that do not contain data and may also stop spinning as hard drives are less vulnerable to damage when they are not in operation. DataGuard has its own control panel where you can configure things to your liking (see image).

As is, the LE1700 does not carry an ingress protection rating. That's because the machine was not initially designed to be sealed against dust and water. From what we can tell, Motion may well intend to add sealing specs.

The picture on the right shows the LE1700 with the optional Motion Convertible Keyboard. Thanks to its clever design, the keyboard does triple duty. It is first and foremost a 95%-scale keyboard with standard keys and good tactile feedback. It has left and right mouseclick tabs and a touchstick. There is a power jack and an additional USB port. The convertible keyboard is also a deskstand that lets you set the LE1700 anywhere from 90 to 140 degrees. Finally, the keyboard also snaps onto the computer, protecting the display. A smart, albeit not terribly stable, solution.

The Motion Flexdock is larger and sturdier, and meant to be used in office situations. It can accommodate the tablet even with the extended battery installed, and you can rotate from landscape to portrait orientation. The Flexdock replicates most of the LE1700's ports and adds an additional USB port.

There are also a number of third party solutions available for the LE1700. RAM Mounts offers, from left to right, a holder with a credit card reader, one with the mag card reader to the right, one with a keyboard adapter, a flat surface mount, and a double suction cup mount. For more detail on the RAM Mount solutions, click here.

Acceptable sunlight viewability is tantamount in many vertical and industrial applications where the tablet is primarily used outdoors. Motion's new UtraView Anywhere technology is a significant improvement over prior display treatments and makes the new LE1700 fully usable even in direct sunlight. The incredible sharpness of the high-res 1400 x 1050 pixel display is additionally augmented by a nearly 180 degree viewing angle from all directions.

For maximum ruggedness and reliability, Motion now offers a 64GB Solid State Disk that provides superb performance as well as quicker startup and lower power consumption.

As before, there are two processor options. The existing Core 2 Duo L7400 is now joined by an ultra-low voltage U7500 Core 2 Duo, providing power efficiency at significantly improved performance.