CD-R King Finally Gives You A Laptop
I went in for a peek on this gadget and I mistaken this computer for a netbook, due to its small size and weight. But with its 11.6-inch LED-backlit LCD screen, I already assumed to be an ultraportable. But processor-wise is this really an ultraportable?
As I looked into the box and the laptop itself, in it was a sticker that let me confirm that it is indeed an ultraportable laptop. It was an Intel Core 2 Solo processor inside this computer. From the specifications at the CD-R King website, they say it's an " Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Solo CPU Penryn ULV 1.4Ghz ".
From what I researched over the Internet via Notebookcheck.net, the Penryn-based SU3500 is a power-efficient single-core Ultra Low-Voltage (ULV) processor for small subnotebooks. This type contains all the advanced features of the microarchitecture, namely Virtualization (VT-x), the C6 power state (first came out from the first-generation Intel Atom, which literally disables the processor, leaving a small part of the Level 1 cache open for wake-up purposes), and Dynamic Acceleration (the precursor of Intel Turbo Boost found in Core i5 and Core i7 processors). It is clocked at 1.4 GHz, has a 3 MB of Level 2 cache, and an 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB). The site says that the performance is at par with a dual-core Intel Atom 330 at 1.6 GHz and a single-core AMD Athlon II Neo K125 at 1.7GHz. What it means is that it can handle all the basic tasks like web-surfing, e-mail, and office applications, and even some light casual gaming. With its advanced features, it can even suffice some light photo-editing such as in GIMP and even light video editing at 480p and below resolutions such as in Windows Movie Maker. In addition, with VT-x technology, it can suffice some OS virtualization work whether via VirtualBox or VMWare so you can run 2 operating systems at the same time. Given a rather average performance, the TDP (the maximum power consumption) of 5.5 W makes this previous-generation mainstream processor one of the most power-efficient out there.
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| CD-R King's banner advertisment of the Fastbook. |
In terms of graphics, I wonder why CD-R King did not really specify the graphics processing unit for the laptop given the chipset (they only say "Intel corporation 256MB"). The GS40 Express chipset usually contains the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 4500M GPU. It can support 720p HD video decoding and can support low-end 3D games. Since it shares some parts of the main memory, it is not really for intensive graphics applications and 1080p HD video playback. The LCD display of this laptop can support a maximum resolution of 1366x768. The screen has a glossy finish so it's not really perfect for outdoor usage under bright sunlight.
When it comes to ports, it contains all the common and necessary ports to connect your most common devices. It has 3 USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone jack, a 10/100 Ethernet jack, a RJ-45 modem jack, a D-sub VGA port, and an HDMI port. This means its your average mobile companion, capable of your most tasks with most peripherals.
For wireless connectivity, the Fastbook has an 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN adapter. Therefore, it supports the faster n WLAN standard for speedier data transfer and extended range, which therefore translates to faster web-surfing and better signal range.
Also in this laptop you get a 3-in-1 card reader that can read SD cards, Memory Stick cards and MMC cards. So, it can do well in transferring photos and other data from your camera or cellphone (with a compatible adapter. It also features a 1.3 megapixel webcam on the display.
The build of this laptop is said to be all-plastic construction. CD-R King specifies the chassis as containing "IML / Aluminum / Plastic / Plastic RHCM." Upon touching this laptop, I say that it feels quite cheaper than a netbook from Neo, which is a Filipino brand selling OEM laptops targeting consumers on a budget. The lid can attract quite a generous amount of smudges and a small amount of flex can be felt especially at the palm rest. But I can still tell from its simplistic design that it doesn't speak loud without cutting a lot of corners. The subtle curves, its thinness and its weight of just around 1.3 kg makes this simple and no-nonsense, in my opinion.
The small 32000 mAh 3-cell battery should suffice one who doesn't really like to use the laptop out from the mains. With its average of 3 hours, they say, I would say that it can belong to people who just want to be mobile at some point in their day. If CD-R King would offer their users with a larger 6-cell battery at a low price then that would be a better option, especially for those students who need to use their laptop the whole day.
At a similar price of Php 15,999,00 (around US$ 367.49), though, you can buy a Neo Basic B3380 netbook with a dual-core Intel Atom N550 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 320 GB hard drive and a larger 6-cell battery which lasts about 5 to 6 hours on a charge. It even features a Bluetooth 2.1 module and has Windows 7 Starter built-in (whereas the Fastbook has only FreeDOS inside; you have to install Windows or Linux by yourself) The caveat is that you only get a 10.1 inch screen with a smaller 1024 X 600 resolution, only a VGA webcam built-in, and there is no HDMI port installed.
While most people would say, "masisira lang yan sa kalaunan." because it's a CD-R King product, I would ask them if they were able to take care of it. And if most of them would say, "pangit ang support," or, "suplada ang mga staff nila," I would ask them if they themselves were accommodating to them. I've been using CD-R King products in the past years and I'm quite satisfied with their items. But I take the utmost care to them. I bought a set of earphones from them last January and it's still functioning today since I took care of it. I bought a Bluetooth headset last December 2010 (the most expensive I've bought so far from them) and I was still satisfied with the quality since I took care of it. I used to buy a set of headphones from them for our new desktop last year. When I tried it, the microphone did not work, so I returned to the branch where I bought it. When it was my turn to be accommodated, I was able to get a replacement and the staff even advised me to offer another model that I could try, just because I was gentle and accommodating to them given that they somewhat lack the technical skills and I do have. It's really a matter of reciprocation with the people who run the business rather than a one-way do-it-as-I-please method of rendering service. 'Ika nga ni Kuya Abe ng YugaTech, "it's a reputation that needs time to rebuild."
I would say the laptop is for the average mobile user who needs a more powerful and feature-rich ultraportable laptop. However, in terms of how one would percieve it as a "throw-away" product, it is a matter of how he would be able to use it in the most proper way.
So, is it time to stretch you budget with this gadget?
KENNETH(Shots of the laptop are courtesy of cdrking.com)
