If there’s one thing we’ve slowly come to terms with, it’s that you still need a laptop to get the job done. We flirted with tablets like the iPad and realised that they’re great for Content consumption but don’t quite cut it for a complex spreadsheet or that killer PowerPoint deck. Apple launched a new iPad Pro but also refreshed its MacBook Air knocking off the bezels and beefing up the internals.
The Air has remained the ‘go to’ laptop for frequent fliers seeking the perfect blend of productivity and portability with a light as air form factor and a solid battery. It’s the same space that other Ultra-light notebooks like the Dell XPS 13 and the new, impressive ASUS ZenBook series occupy. Hong-Kong based Nexstgo is the newest entrant in this segment with its PRIMUS range of light-weight laptops. We put the spotlight on the 14-inch PRIMUS NX101 that weighs just 1.3 kg.
It’s not just the lightweight form, this device also looks good. We dig the brushed metal look – the PRIMUS NX101 is crafted with a durable magnesium alloy and has been put through multiple hardware tests including 12 US military-grade tests that test its ‘all-weather’ creds. The design features clean lines but the wide bezels don’t compare favourably with competing devices like the ASUS ZenBook or the all-new MacBook Air. The 14-inch FHD display (1920 x 1080 pixels) display is quite vivid ‘s and is backed by solid speakers. It’s perfect for video-conferencing and also works for all those times you need to catch up on Netflix on a business trip. It’s lightweight and yet not slim enough for your slinkiest messenger bag. The keyboard is fun to use and is well spaced out. There’s a conveniently placed fingerprint sensor below the keyboard. But you still need the power key to fire up the laptop.
There are multiple connectivity options that include two USB type-A 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone slot and a USB Type-C port. This is a big change from a MacBook Air. This Windows 10 powered laptop has Cortana (Microsoft’s voice assistant) baked in and offers a facial unlock option aside from the fingerprint sensor that is very responsive.
The NX101 comes in a variety of hardware configurations that are powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. Our review unit featured 16GB of RAM (there’s also a 32GB RAM version) and a 512GB SSD storage option. It’s certainly power-packed and aced most of our day-to-day tests and multi-tasking challenges. Nexstgo claims a 12-hour battery life, our actual usage numbers were a tad lower.
Nexstgo’s PRIMUS NX101 ticks most boxes. It boasts of a formidable spec sheet that is future proof and a premium build. The wide range of hardware variants allows you to choose the configuration that matches your needs. Battery life is acceptable and it flits quite effortlessly from work mode to entertainment mode. We would have like to see a more immersive display minus the thick bezels, given the premium price tag.
The Nexstgo PRIMUS NX 101 is available in multiple hardware variants and two sizes (14 and 15.6-inch versions) and costs Rs 80, 990 – 109,990
