| NEC Versa S5200 Centrino Duo Notebook Review |
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| Written by Administrator | |
| Monday, 30 January 2006 | |
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Technological advancements to improve our quality of life are always welcomed, which in the case of notebook technology, the unveiling of the new Intel Centrino mobile technology will only bode well for the notebook industry and notebook users. By moving from a single-core to a dual-core design, notebook computers can no longer be seen as products that compromise on performance for mobile computing. Truth be told, the performance disparity between desktop computers and notebook computers is actually getting thinner with each new wave of innovations to better the performance and battery mileage of notebooks. However, as impressive and awe inspiring as the new components in the 'Napa' Centrino platform are, benchmark results for the NEC Versa S5200 were not compelling enough to convince us that 'Napa' notebooks are much more competent than existing crop of notebooks, particularly where office applications and general home usage are concerned.
 Intel DUO core action on a Laptop!
Weighing just 1.9kg and able to operate off its battery for 154 minutes (or 2 hours and 34 minutes), the NEC Versa S5200 is a good testament that the new Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology is every bit as good, if not better, in terms of compact design, performance and battery efficiency. The NEC Versa S5200 is overall more than what most executives and consumers can possibly ask for in a notebook, but at this day and age, the lack of a PCI Express slot, quick WiFi on/off switch, Infrared and an integrated memory card reader, it is unfortunately less than perfect. Looking on the bright side of things, its 14-inch SXGA+ LCD screen was sharp and vibrant, keyboard was a breeze to type on and there were more than enough onboard connectivity options to get us by without ever needing an external USB 2.0 hub whatsoever. With the onboard Bluetooth connection, the Versa S5200 can even be wirelessly paired up with supporting devices such as mobile phones, Pocket PCs/PDAs, notebooks and printers, relieving end-users from having to lug around a variety of data cables just to get things done. However, for a business notebook, the absence of a biometric scanner was rather disappointing. But on the upside, the Versa S5200 does come with a TPM chip for that additional layer of data security. Finally, where storage is concerned, consumers will also be pleased with the combination of a high capacity hard disk drive and a Super-Multi DVD writer. All things considered, the NEC Versa S5200 is a great notebook for office applications, but because the performance gains were not substantially greater than previous Centrino flavors, we recommend that cutting edge notebooks such as the NEC Versa S5200 (which is probably going to retail at more than US$2,100) are best left for those with a fat bank account, that is unless you prefer to be the rare few to have the bragging rights of owning an Intel Centrino Duo notebook in your social circle. For now, it would be wiser to save that sum of Centrino Duo money and invest it in beefing up a decently priced 'Sonoma' Centrino notebook. Direct Link: http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=1&id=1814 |