As computing becomes more focussed on smartphones and tablets, a good functional laptop, which allows one to make the occasional presentation, offers a few entertainment options as well as help with official work is bound to be popular in the boardroom. It is with this in mind that Hong Kong-based Nexstgo has launched the Primus NX101. Does it tick all the boxes? Let’s jump right in.
For starters, the laptop looks really good and sleek, with sharp and clean edges, ultimately appearing durable. The prominent N logo on the lid and the metallic sheen and finish also offer a professional touch to the device. We also felt that it was easy to carry.
Bezel bytes
If you, like me, are someone who has become accustomed to screens with a slim bezel display, the display screen could leave you a little underwhelmed. It is surrounded by thick bezels on all sides. The display, on the whole, works well, featuring an IPS panel on a 14-inch screen with a matte finish and full HD resolution. The display is perfect for regular day-to-day work and catching the occasional show on streaming platforms.
A charging port, Ethernet port, USB Type-A 3.0 port, HDMI port, and a USB Type-C port are placed on the left of the device, with the headphone, AUX jack and card reader placed on the right.
- Dimensions: 335 (W) x 232 (D) x 20.5 (Front H), 215 (Rear H) mm
- Weight: 1.35 kg
- Processor brand and type: Intel Core i7
- Screen size and graphics: 14” screen with 1920x1080 max display and Intel® UHD 620 graphics card
- Storage: 256GB or 512GB SSD
- Memory: 8GB/16GB (32 GB max) 2400MHz DDR4, dual-channel capable
- Integrated camera: HD 720p (standard) or FHD 1080p, low light, IR (optional for Windows Hello)
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro/Windows 10 Home
- Audio: Stereo top firing speakers 4W total, Dolby Audio™ Premium, dual microphones
The keys on the keyboard are ergonomically spaced out, and this makes typing on the device very comfortable. The fingerprint sensor and the trackpad do their tasks well.
‘Does its job’
In terms of performance, the laptop is packed with an 8th-generation Core i7 8550U processor and 16GB of RAM. The Windows Pro version means that users can get access to BitLocker, Hyper-V, and Remote Desktop feature as well. This ensures that it has enough to cover basic tasks and more, without breaking into a sweat. We managed to work with multiple open tabs, stream the occasional YouTube video and play the random game without any major lags. The laptop also has Intel UHD 620 graphics, which essentially means that though basic gaming is okay, a graphics-heavy game might not work as well.
Another key feature of a good business laptop would be a good camera system for web conferences and meetings. On this issue, the integrated camera does its job.
The Dolby Audio™ Premium-equipped speakers not only make the laptop look good, but ensure that the device offers crisp sound quality. No more ‘can you repeat that’ or ‘can you hear me now’ dialogues hopefully. We did not have the need to use any external speakers on the review device.
On the battery front, our review device offered a mixed bag. It was fairly quick in charging up, but the full battery did not last for more than two-and-a-half hours, even with moderate usage, working on a couple of documents, occasionally checking social media streams and so on. The user manual claims 12 hours of battery life, and this aspect might be an issue, if one has a long presentation at work or a business meeting without a charging unit.
Worth it?
As a business laptop, the Primus NX101 — being a pared-down version of its big brother the NX201 — gets most things right, even in its price range. Short battery life and thick bezels notwithstanding, it is a device that makes the cut on almost all other metrics.
The NX101 laptop has two MRPs of ₹94,490 for the i5 model and ₹1,03,990 for the i7.
