This rugged laptop has been designed for professional workspaces away from the comfort of office life.

The Durabook S15 is a rugged laptop designed for professionals needing a computer that will work in environments that aren’t always ideal for normally delicate computing equipment, and it can do this without compromising on performance. Its robust construction, complying with MIL-STD-810H standards, ensures reliability in challenging environments, while the high-performance Intel Core processor offers decent computing power. The large 15.6″ FHD DynaVue sunlight-readable display enables easy outdoor screen visibility. Unlike other rugged laptops, the Durabook keeps things lightweight and relatively slimline, making it highly portable, especially with the carry handle. Overall, the S15 is a versatile, durable, and powerful enough computing solution for field and industrial professionals.

Pros

• +High-end performance
• +Durable design
• +Bright display for outdoor use

Cons

• -Not waterproof
• -Average camera
• -Limited processing power

DURABOOK S15: 30-SECOND REVIEW

SPECS:-

• CPU: Intel Core i5 (12th Gen)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe; Optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000
• RAM: 32GB – Up to 64GB (4800 MHz DDR5)
• Storage: 500GB (256GB-2TB NVMe PCIe SSD; Optional 2nd/3rd storage)
• Rear Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 (Type A/C), HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, Serial, Nano-SIM, DC-In
• Front Ports: Audio in/out, microSD card
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth V5.3; Optional GPS, 4G/5G
• Audio: Integrated microphone, High Definition Audio, Speakers
• Camera: Optional 2.0/5.0 MP; IR for Windows Hello
• Size: 375mm x 273mm x 29.5mm; Weight: 2.6kg
• OS installed: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
• Accessories: Various, including SSDs, Docking Stations, Adapters

The Durabook S15 strikes a fine balance between rugged durability and a sleek, slimline design. Its build quality is reassuring and reinforces its capability to withstand challenging conditions; it’s also a reflection of its rugged aesthetics.

WIth plenty of experience testing the best rugged laptops, one aspect that really stands out is how this model is impressively adaptable, offering customisation options, including CPU and GPU variations at the time of purchase. Our test of the base model, equipped with an Intel i5 CPU and Intel Iris XE GPU, demonstrated sufficient flexibility with ample RAM, 32GB, and storage expansion options. Despite not being waterproof, its IP5X rating highlights its resilience in tough environments.

In use, the S15 effortlessly handles office tasks and internet browsing, with Windows operating smoothly across various applications. However, its base GPU does show limitations when pushed with graphically intensive tasks, a gap filled by the optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000 variant for those needing extra power. Durability tests, including repeated drop tests, underscore its robustness, easily surviving falls from typical working heights.

In essence, the Durabook S15 very much feels like that link between the refined style of the best business laptops we’ve tried and the durability of full-on rugged models. While it may struggle with high-end gaming or demanding CAD applications, its core strength lies in its tough build and operational flexibility. Durabook offers enhanced versions if you are looking for additional power, which makes the S15 a versatile choice for professionals who require a durable yet capable laptop.

DURABOOK S15: PRICE & AVAILABILITY

The Durabook S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop is available online from both the official Durabook site and elsewhere. Expect prices of around $2000 / £1800 plus.

Score: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: DESIGN & BUILD

The Durabook S15’s design is instantly recognisable as rugged, with the style highlighting the durable nature of the machine and how it is tailored to demanding field environments. Its exterior is notably tough, featuring a large, easy-to-use lever lock on the lid that ensures the laptop remains closed even when dropped, and it’s designed in such a way that it’s unlikely to be accidentally released.

The laptop’s build quality is reflected in design elements such as the toughened corners and overall sturdy construction. It is designed to withstand a significantly higher degree of physical stress compared to standard laptops, including resistance to knocks, scratches, and bashes, of which it sustained quite a few through the test.

This durability is not just superficial; the attention to detail extends to the protection of vital components. All ports on the S15 are safeguarded by strong plastic doors, ensuring they remain free from dust and damage. This includes the expansion slot, which is versatile enough to accommodate traditional optical drives or a range of other drive types, such as NVMe SSDs. The laptop even supports RAID array configurations, demonstrating Durabook’s commitment to providing flexible and practical solutions for field use.

One user-friendly feature is the inclusion of a convenient carry handle, making the laptop extremely easy to transport. This may seem like a minor addition, but for professionals working in field conditions, such convenience is invaluable. Overall, the Durabook S15’s design and build quality clearly reflect a deep understanding of the challenging environments it is intended for, offering a highly functional and robust computer for on-site professionals.

Design: 4.5/5

DURABOOK S15: FEATURES

The Durabook S15 is a decent blend of rugged durability and computing power, designed to meet the needs of professionals in demanding field environments. One of the standout features of the S15 is its incredibly thin and light profile, which is unusual for a rugged laptop. Despite weighing just 2.6kg and being only 29.5mm thin, it does not compromise on strength. It can endure a 4-foot drop and is both IP5X and MIL-STD-810H certified, ensuring reliability in challenging field conditions.

When using laptops outside, being able to see the screen clearly is essential, and here, the S15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD DynaVue sunlight-readable display, offering up to 1,000 nits brightness, making it perfect for outdoor use. Inside powering the graphics is Intel Iris Xe graphics, offering the average graphics processing speed that’s required for standard Windows operation. For professionals needing more graphics power, such as in rendering or CAD applications, there’s an option to upgrade to the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 at the time of purchase.

Mobility is a key aspect of the S15’s design, with options for 4G LTE or 5G cellular connections, along with Bluetooth V5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. For remote workers, the optional built-in GPS is a great addition, providing accurate location tracking. The laptop also features a long-life battery, capable of operating up to 12 hours of standard use, and the option of a bridge battery for swapping in the field, which is crucial for many industries.

Beyond just being a laptop, the S15 can transform into a mobile workstation. It can be equipped with up to three storage drives, supporting RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. The flexibility extends to its media bay, which can be converted into an ExpressCard 54 slot, broadening its use.

The connectivity and security features of the S15 include an array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Type-A/-C, HDMI, and VGA, ensuring easy connection in any work setting. Security is paramount, with multi-factor authentication options like Windows Hello webcam, RFID/NFC, smartcard, and fingerprint readers safeguarding sensitive data.

The ergonomic design of the S15 includes a 98-key membrane keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad and optional LED backlight. Finally, the S15 offers expandability, and it can be configured with a dedicated graphics card for specialised tasks like graphics rendering and CAD programs and configured with additional connectivity options like a 2nd RJ-45 and a 2nd RS-232 port, making it an adaptable tool in an evolving mobile work environment. These are all added at the time of purchase and are not additions to the laptop you can make later.

Features: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: PERFORMANCE

BENCHMARKS

• Crystal Disk Read: 3647.40MB/s
• Crystal Disk Write: 2200.13MB/s
• GeekBench CPU Single: 3970
• GeekBench CPU Multi: 1871
• GeekBench Compute: 8727
• PC Mark: 4314
• CineBench CPU Multi: 4147
• CineBench CPU Single: 1374
• Fire Strike Overall: 2581
• Fire Strike Graphics: 3053
• Fire Strike Physics: 9825
• Fire Strike Combined: 791
• Time Spy Overall: 929
• Time Spy Graphics: 830
• Time Spy CPU: 2895
• Wild Life: 5757
• Windows Experience: 8.1

The Durabook S15 delivers a robust performance across various benchmarks, indicative of its capabilities in handling a range of tasks from basic to moderately demanding applications.

In terms of storage performance, the Crystal Disk scores are quite impressive. The read speed of 3647.40MB/s and write speed of 2200.13MB/s suggest that the S15 is more than capable of handling large files and data-intensive operations swiftly, making it suitable for applications that require quick data access and processing.

The Geekbench scores offer a glimpse into the CPU’s capability. A single-core score of 3970 and a multi-core score of 1871 demonstrate that while the S15 is competent in handling everyday tasks efficiently, it might face some limitations in heavily multi-threaded applications. The computed score of 8727 further underscores its adequacy for general computing tasks.

In the CineBench tests, which are more focused on the CPU’s rendering capabilities, the S15 scores 4147 in multi-core and 1374 in single-core tests. These scores reflect its ability to manage moderately demanding rendering tasks, although it may not be the top choice for highly complex rendering work.

The graphics performance, as indicated by the Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmarks, shows a decent capability with overall scores of 2581 and 929, respectively. The laptop seems to handle standard graphical tasks well, but it might not be optimal for high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering. The Wild Life score of 5757 further reinforces this perspective.

Lastly, the Windows Experience score of 8.1 is a good indicator of the laptop’s overall capability to provide a smooth user experience for most typical applications and tasks.

The Durabook S15 appears to be a solid performer for everyday professional tasks, including data management and basic graphical applications. It offers quick storage speeds and decent CPU and GPU performance, making it a reliable choice for professionals who require a rugged laptop with balanced performance features. However, for highly demanding graphical or rendering tasks, it might be worth considering models with higher-spec CPUs and GPUs.

As well as the standard computing performance test, this is a tough laptop, and as such, the durability of the S15 also needed to be tested. In the product description, Durabook highlights that the laptop is IP5X rated and drop-proof to 4 feet.

In the first test, the laptop was used in a CNC, laser and 3D print workshop, left between the Bambu Labs A1 and the SnapMaker Artisan with CNC tooling. It was left open to the debris created by the two machines. While most laptops will withstand this amount of dust, it can render keys and ports blocked. Here, due to the design of the keyboard, the dust was not an issue, and a quick shake and vacuum quickly returned the machine to an almost new condition. Likewise, the plastic port covers did their job of keeping dust out.

The next test was to see how the laptop would cope with being used in light rain. It’s worth noting that this is not a waterproof laptop, so time in the rain was kept to five minutes. Here again, the laptop functioned without issue and continued to work after the product shot without issue.

The final test was the drop test here, measuring four feet off the floor. The laptop was dropped, then dropped again, rotated, dropped, etc. and aside from a nasty crack as it hit the stone and then the wooden floor on countless occasions, it seemed to be absolutely fine.

Performance: 3.5/5

SHOULD YOU BUY THE DURABOOK S15?

Deciding whether to purchase the Durabook S15 hinges on your specific needs. Its rugged design, MIL-STD-810H and IP5X certifications make it an ideal if you’re a field professional working in uncontrolled environments, workshops, warehouses and factories.

The inclusion of a 15.6” Full HD DynaVue display and options for Intel Iris Xe or NVIDIA Quadro T1000 graphics make it versatile for a range of professional tasks. Moreover, its lightweight and slim profile defies the typical rugged laptop stereotype, enhancing portability.

However, the S15 might not be the best fit for those requiring a machine for advanced gaming or intensive multimedia tasks like high-end video editing or 3D rendering nor should it be as that’s not it’s key market. While it performs well in standard and moderately demanding applications, its capabilities in handling extremely graphics-intensive tasks are limited. Additionally, the investment cost, which starts relatively high, should be considered, especially if your requirements are more aligned with general computing rather than rugged field use.

Buy it if…

You’re working in the field.

If you’re a professional working in demanding field conditions or rough environments, the Durabook S15 is an excellent choice. Its rugged design, reliable performance, and durable build make it ideal for handling the rigours of outdoor or industrial work.

You have expansive storage needs.

If you require a laptop with versatile storage options, the Durabook S15 is a great choice. It supports up to three storage drives, including options for NVMe PCIe SSDs and traditional SATA SSDs, providing ample space and fast data access.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a machine for advanced gaming and graphics.

The Durabook S15, while robust and efficient for standard tasks, isn’t built for advanced gaming. Its graphics capabilities are limited, making it unsuitable for high-end gaming experiences.

You’re creating complex multimedia projects.

Professionals in fields requiring intensive multimedia creation, like high-resolution video editing or 3D rendering, might find the S15’s performance restrictive. It’s designed more for durability than for high-end creative tasks.

The post Durabook S15 Review appeared first on Review Products.

Dell’s Inspiron range of laptops has long been a popular choice for many buyers thanks to its approachable pricing and features. The company’s new 16-inch series of Inspiron laptops aims to deliver a more premium experience for productivity and entertainment. We have with us today the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 laptop which boasts of a taller 16:10 aspect ratio display, four speakers, and the ability to unfold into a tablet. Dell is pitching it as an entertainment and productivity solution, so let’s see if it achieves that goal.

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 price in India

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 starts at Rs. 1,00,990 in India for the base variant, which has an Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a full-HD resolution display. The other configuration is priced at Rs. 1,40,990 and this gets you an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce MX550 GPU, and a 4K resolution OLED display.

The metal body of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 looks and feels premium

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 design

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 has a minimalistic design and looks slick in the Platinum Silver colour. The back of the metal lid is plain with just a Dell logo etched on the surface. It is a heavy laptop, weighing a little over 2kg, and it takes up a lot of space on a desk or in a backpack. Even so, Dell has managed to keep the thickness under 20mm so it doesn’t feel like you’re carrying a thick slab of metal in the hand.

The sides of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 are very angular but have soft edges so nothing really digs into your skin when using it. The base of the laptop has ports on either side, and these include a full-sized SD card slot, two USB 3.2 (Gen1) Type-A ports, a headphone jack, HDMI 1.4 (up to 1080p 60Hz output), and two Thunderbolt 4.0 ports.

The palm rest area is large and spacious and the same goes for the trackpad. Despite the size of this laptop, you don’t get a full keyboard layout, but the keys are spaced well and the backlighting is easily visible through the grey keycaps.You get two large speaker vents on either side of the keys, similar to Apple’s MacBook Pros. The power button also houses a fingerprint sensor, and the higher-end variant comes with an infrared camera for Windows Hello authentication.

You get a decent number of ports on the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1

The 16-inch display looks massive up-close and is taller than the usual 16:9 aspect ratio. It supports touch input, and has a 60Hz refresh rate and a full-HD (1920×1200) resolution. The display is rated to deliver up to 300 nits of brightness, which seems more than adequate for home use. The display bezels on the left and right are thin but the top and bottom are slightly thicker. There’s a 1080p webcam above the display with a physical privacy shutter. The bottom of the display has a fabric layer which covers the two front-firing speakers.

The base variant of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 which was sent for this review ships with only a 65W power adapter and some documentation. You’ll need to buy Dell’s stylus separately if you wish to use it with this laptop.

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 specifications and software

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 comes with Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs and this base variant has an Intel Core i5-1335U processor with 10 CPU cores. There’s 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. The laptop also features a 6-cell, 86WHr battery, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth.

The laptop ships with Windows 11 Home and comes with some of Dell’s own apps preinstalled such as SupportAssist and MyDell. You also get a full license for Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 and a 15-month subscription to McAfee Antivirus.

Tent mode is convenient if you need to watch content and save some desk space

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 performance and battery life

The performance of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 during this review was very good. The large vents on the bottom and between the two hinges ensure there’s good airflow in and out of the system. The laptop ran silently and cool with most casual tasks, and I only heard the fans when performing intensive tasks such as running benchmarks and gaming. Since this is a convertible laptop, you can use it in a variety of positions. Tent mode is something I used often when watching video content and if I wanted to save some desk space. The only issue I faced was volume control, which required using the touchscreen since there aren’t any physical buttons on any side of this laptop.

Video looks great on the large display, however reflections can sometimes be an issue. The speakers sound very good and produce clean highs and decent bass, although I felt that the maximum volume could have been better. This variant of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 isn’t really designed for gaming since it only has onboard graphics, but you can still play casual games from the Microsoft Store. Webcam quality is decent but the picture gets grainy in low light.

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 posted strong benchmark scores relative to its configuration. Cinebench R20 returned 631 and 3,056 points in its single- and multi-core tests. PCMark 10 returned 4,915 points, while 3DMark Time Spy managed 1,351 points. Results from real-world tests were good too. It took just 56 seconds to encode a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265 MKV, while the BMW test scene in Blender took 7 minutes, 4 seconds to render.

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 runs cool for the most part thanks to good airflow

Battery life of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 was pretty stellar. The laptop conforms to the Intel Evo platform, which guarantees a certain level of performance and all-day battery life. The laptop ran just shy of four hours in the Battery Eater Pro test, which is a solid number and well above average. This translates to very good real-world battery life too, and I was generally able to average a good eight to nine hours of usage, while taking a few short breaks in between.

Verdict

The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is a well-built and good performing convertible laptop which also delivers great battery life. It’s a little too expensive, but it’s a convertible and has a touchscreen display, so if you don’t really need these features then you should look at the standard Inspiron 16. Other 16-inch laptops with a similar configuration are also generally less expensive. I feel that at this price and configuration, Dell should have bundled a stylus along with the laptop. There aren’t many other negative points for the Inspiron 16 2-in-1, other than the fact that it’s a little cumbersome to carry around and perhaps physical volume buttons on the side would have been convenient when using it in other modes.

The post Dell Inspiron 16 | 2 in 1 Review: Keeping It Classy appeared first on Review Products.

Realme has only released two tablet computers since its 2018 debut. The Realme Pad 2, the company’s second tablet, has some performance and aesthetic upgrades over its predecessor. It also includes cellular connectivity, distinguishing it as a unique product in the sub-Rs—20,000 tablet market, dominated by inexpensive tablets deficient in this capability. Faster charging and a display with a 120Hz refresh rate are also included. More significantly, the software has been optimized for a wide-screen experience, and the base model also includes 6GB of RAM. But to produce a tablet at such a low cost, did Realme make any compromises? Can it genuinely outperform the recently released Redmi Pad in terms of value? Let’s investigate.

Indian Realme Pad 2 cost

The Realme Pad 2’s base model costs Rs. 19,999 in India and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The most expensive model costs Rs. 22,999 and has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Since LTE connectivity is an essential feature on both models, the older model’s more excellent price is more than justified, especially considering the additional improvements it provides.

Realme Pad 2’s look

There are two finishes for the tablet: Inspiration Green and Imagination Grey. As one can see, Realme is aiming both of these products at young consumers. The unit we received for evaluation in a brilliant green color looks pretty appealing, even though I found its design and material selection somewhat reminiscent of Oppo’s Pad Air.

The Realme Pad 2 has a chassis with a polycarbonate insert that occupies about a quarter of the back surface and a metal frame with flat sides. The considerable camera module is attached to one end of the plastic band, which spans the whole top half of the gadget (when held horizontally) and includes the frame.

All antennas required for radio transmission are conveniently concealed beneath the insert. Although noticeable, the camera bump does not protrude very far and does not cause the tablet to wiggle when placed on a flat surface.

Due to the basic design approach, there are no joints or antenna gaps. Thus, it feels rather premium and relatively compact (7.2mm). The four-speaker grilles’ perforations, which likewise seem understated and understated, are another feature I appreciated. Realme’s software interface blends beautifully with the enormous 11.5-inch LCD screen’s thin bezel all around and rounded corner cuts.

The Realme Pad 2 lacks additional accessories, just like the previous version. It’s still being determined why the Pad doesn’t even sell a simple kickstand folio cover, but this does suggest that the company only intends for its tablet to be used as a media consumption tool. I always had to hold the tablet at an angle to watch the content or navigate via its interface because there wasn’t an available case or stand. With a weight of 518g, holding this tablet at the necessary angle gets tiresome, especially when viewing movies or television.

Software and specifications for the Realme Pad 2

For some time, various low-cost devices have been using the 6nm MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, which powers the Realme Pad 2. The Redmi Pad, which is this device’s main rival, is also on the list of gadgets. Wi-Fi AC, Bluetooth 5.2, support for several LTE bands, and the typical satellite global positioning systems are among the communication technologies.

To plug in headphones, there is no headphone jack available. However, you receive a SIM card tray with slots for a SIM and a microSD card that can hold up to 1TB of data. The tablet’s 8,360mAh battery may be topped with the included 33W charger.

I was also taken aback that there was no secure biometric authentication on a tablet priced less than Rs. 20,000. Like the previous version, the Realme Pad 2 lacks a fingerprint reader, making 2D face unlock the only way to access the tablet without entering a passcode. While this isn’t a safe way to open a personal device, it did function well in all but complete darkness.

Three apps can be displayed at once on the Realme Pad 2.

The software interface of the Realme Pad is an enhancement over the earlier model. It is not a ‘light’ or simplified version of the conventional Realme UI interface that can be found on its entry-level devices, including the prior design.

The brand-new Realme Pad 2 receives the complete treatment with all the customization options one would anticipate from its smartphones and a few more. This features a bottom dock that displays recently launched and pinned apps running in the background. Although this dock isn’t available anywhere in the interface or can be called up over third-party programs, its utility is restricted to the home screen.

The Realme Pad 2 included just one preinstalled third-party program (Facebook), which can be removed, in contrast to most other Realme devices and tablets in this price range.

This tablet-optimized version of Realme UI has full touchpad functionality (under Additional Settings) with full support for gestures one would do on a standard trackpad despite no officially authorized peripherals. There are also the standard features, such as the ability to run two apps in split-screen mode while another app is launched in a pop-up window, allowing for the simultaneous display of three apps.

Realme Pad 2 functionality

This tablet allows for effective multitasking. I ran five Chrome tabs concurrently while the YouTube app was split-screening clips side by side. The system handles opening a floating window while executing all of this fine, with some slowness when drawing lengthy web pages.

I liked the aspect ratio of this large display regardless of the tablet’s software performance, which was suitable for a cheap tablet. It is excellent for content consumption and has enough space to run two split-screen apps simultaneously.

Because Realme includes Widevine L1 support, I could stream and watch full-HD video content on this tablet. Although the display loses contrast at an angle, outdoor visibility is decent. Given its size and quality, the show isn’t the clearest on the market, and its MEMC high-refresh-rate system occasionally exhibits noticeable choppiness when scrolling or switching between videos and apps.

When it came to benchmarks, the tablet delivered results that were comparable to low-cost smartphones at this price point. The Realme Pad 2 got 726 and 1,975 issues in the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench, respectively, and 4,29,907 points in AnTuTu. In the Manhattan 3.1, T-Rex, and Car Chase test suites of GFXBench, the tablet achieved graphical frame rates of 25, 55, and 15 frames per second, respectively.

Among its rivals, the Realme Pad 2’s display is the largest but could be better.

Although the MediaTek Helio G99 is not a performance powerhouse, it is adequate for daily tasks. Despite boasting a 120Hz refresh rate display, this tablet is better suited for casual gaming than graphics-intensive games. I tried Asphalt 9: Legends, and it played perfectly well, with some little frame skipping and stuttering on the basic settings.

The sound was better than the previous model’s more straightforward dual speaker configuration, which was what I liked about the gaming and video viewing experience. The sound is unquestionably louder and more immersive than the previous generation. Additionally, the tablet supports Dolby Atmos.

A 5-megapixel back camera and an 8-megapixel front camera are both featured on the Realme Pad 2. As predicted, the primary shooter provides essential image quality with below-average detail but closer to natural colors. Even in full daylight, the textures were mainly flat. Thus, you are better off using any smartphone camera offered at this price bracket.

The front-facing camera’s selfies have bland surfaces and trim detail. This camera is better suited for video calling because it handles backdrop exposure well when recording video, which is helpful when making video calls.

A 5-megapixel primary camera is featured on the Realme Pad 2.

For a low-cost tablet, the battery life is quite good. The Realme Pad 2 completed the typical battery loop video test at 26 hours and 13 minutes. It can easily last two days with intensive use and three days with light use, which is suitable for a compact tablet, with or without a SIM card inside.

Because it now has LTE coverage, it is also a dependable road warrior that can offer continuous entertainment (for OTT apps) or connectivity (for video conversations, etc.) while moving. Its larger battery will also last significantly longer than any smartphone in your pocket.

Regarding charging, the tablet received a 33 percent charge in 30 minutes, a 62 percent charge in an hour, and a full charge in 1 hour and 36 minutes, which is decent for a tablet.

Verdict

Overall, the form and functionality of the Realme Pad 2 are identical to those of the first version. It works best when used only as a media consumption tool. Realme should have released a keyboard adapter with the tablet to use it as a portable workstation. It also cannot be used to scribble on because it does not support styluses.

The Realme Pad 2 improves upon the shortcomings of its predecessor and achieves something of an all-rounder status by adding a high-refresh-rate display, an upgraded processor, and cellular connectivity to its feature list. Finding something comparable on the market at Rs. 19,999 can be challenging. Its nearest rivals are the Redmi Pad (Review) and the Oppo Pad Air (Review), which are slightly less expensive but feature smaller displays, batteries, and no cellular connectivity.

The post Realme Pad 2 Review: A Stylish Upgrade That Covers the Basics appeared first on Review Products.

Acer introduced the Swift Go laptop series at CES 2023, powered by both Intel and AMD CPUs. The AMD Ryzen-powered laptop was launched in March of this year in India, and today we’ll be reviewing the base model of the Swift Go 14. It is aimed at the urban youth who would want a stylish and premium looking laptop which is portable and powerful. Let’s find out if the Swift Go 14 checks all the boxes.

Acer Swift Go 14 price in India

The Acer Swift Go 14 is available in Prodigy Pink and Pure Silver colours. On the Acer India online store, the laptop starts at Rs. 59,999 and is the variant we’ll be testing. This comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. For about Rs. 5,000 more, you can get the same configuration but with 16GB of RAM.

Acer Swift Go 14 design and features

The Acer Swift Go 14 features a metal chassis which is what gives it a premium look and feel. It’s also quite compact and lightweight measuring just 15.9mm in thickness and 1.25kg in weight. The pink variant actually looks nice and grows on you after a while. You get a good variety of ports for a 14-inch laptop and these include two USB 3.2 (Gen1) Type-C ports for charging, HDMI, USB 3.2 (Gen1) Type-A port, USB 2.0 Type-A port, headphone jack, and a Kensington lock. There’s no SD card reader of any kind, which I don’t think is a total loss. The right side of the laptop also has two LEDs for the power and activity status.

The Acer Swift Go 14 features an all-metal chassis and is fairly light

The backlit keyboard on the Acer Swift Go 14 is nicely laid out, and the keys themselves are responsive and not noisy. There’s a fingerprint sensor in the power button which wobbles when pressed, unlike the rest of the keys, but it works fine when it comes to authentication. The trackpad does a good job of tracking and you get a decent amount of room to rest your palms.

The 14-inch display has a 16:9 aspect ratio, making it ideal for watching most video content. The Acer Swift Go 14 uses an IPS display panel with a full-HD (1920×1080) resolution and comes with a matte, anti-glare finish. The display has a rated maximum brightness of 300 nits which I found to be more than adequate. The 1080p webcam is quite inconspicuous and is located just above the display. The Acer Swift Go 14 ships with just a 65W USB Type-C charger in the box.

Acer Swift Go 14 specifications and software

The Acer Swift Go 14 features an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U CPU featuring six CPU cores. It’s part of AMD’s mobile CPU refresh which was announced during CES this year. However, this model is based on a refreshed Zen 3 architecture, unlike the 7040 series which uses the latest Zen 4 architecture. This is currently the only CPU configuration that Acer offers in India for the Swift Go 14 series. Storage is taken care of by a 512GB NVMe PCIe Gen3 SSD, and there’s 8GB of RAM. The laptop also features Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, and a 3-cell 50WHr battery.

The Acer Swift Go 14 features a good number of ports for a 14-inch laptop

The Acer Swift Go 14 ships with Windows 11 Home, along with the usual preinstalled programs such as Microsoft Office Home and Student, McAfee antivirus, and bunch of softwares by Acer for system diagnostics and keeping drivers up to date.

Acer Swift Go 14 performance and battery life

General performance of the Acer Swift Go 14 is very good. It runs cool and the fans are not audible when performing simple tasks, but you can hear them faintly during gaming. I found the typing angle to be quite ergonomic as the base is propped up a bit when the lid is open. The keyboard backlighting is also soothing and the display gets sufficiently bright even for daytime outdoor use. Applications are quick to load and I never really felt any lack of power.

The stereo speakers get loud but don’t sound all that great. Games run decently well with the onboard Radeon graphics. I was able to get smooth framerates in Fortnite with medium graphics and running at the display’s native resolution. In synthetic gaming tests such as 3DMark, the Acer Swift Go 14 returned a score of 1,268 in the Time Spy test suite, and 13,570 in Night Raid. CPU and SSD performance was also very good. The laptop scored 566 and 3,664 points in Cinebench R20, and returned an average read speed of over 1.5GB/s for both sequential and random tests in SiSoft Sandra. Write speeds were lower coming in under 900MB/s.

Video rendering and encoding performance was also quite good. The Acer Swift Go 14 took 45 seconds to encode a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265 MKV, while the BMW test scene in Blender took 6 minutes, 18 seconds to render. These were lower (better) times compared to something like the Intel Core i5-1335U CPU which we recently tested in the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1.

The keyboard on the Acer Swift Go 14 is comfortable to type on

Battery life is another highlight of the Acer Swift Go 14. Considering its size, it ran for an impressive 3 hours, 26 minutes in the Battery Eater Pro benchmark. With my daily workflow, I was able to get roughly 7-8 hours of non-stop use before the battery went below 10 percent. By these estimates, it should be possible to get even up to 10 hours of use on one charge (or more), if you don’t use it non-stop. The laptop can be charged fairly quickly using the bundled charger. You get roughly a 70 percent charge in an hour.

Verdict

It’s really hard to find fault with the Acer Swift Go 14 as it does everything you’d expect from a thin and light laptop, and this is before you even consider the price. At Rs. 59,999 (less during sales), you get a well-designed compact laptop with good performance and long battery life. The speakers are possibly the only thing that’s a little underwhelming, and the wobbly power button feels a little out of place in an otherwise well put-together laptop (or it could just be our unit). The Swift Go 14 is definitely worth recommending if you’re looking for a compact Windows laptop under Rs. 60,000 that doesn’t compromise on battery life.

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