Averatec N3400 13.3" Ultraportable Notebook Review
Netbooks have quite a few things going for them. They are extremely lightweight and portable, typically affordable, and more recent models come with full size keyboards, larger displays and great battery life. But for all their advantages and evolution in recent years, they still lack in one key category: processing power. I know several people who have steered clear of netbooks for this reason alone, and with just cause. Anything more than basic tasks like word processing, Internet surfing, email, music or standard definition video playback and these systems will quickly begin to feel inadequate.
Fortunately, there is a middle ground for users who want something smaller than a standard 15-inch notebook, but require more processing power than what a netbook can offer. These types of notebooks are commonly referred to as ultraportables. And while they have been around for some time, their ridiculously high price premiums have kept them from making a splash in the marketplace.
Both Intel and AMD acknowledged this void at the beginning of the year and consequently introduced their respective CULV (Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage) and Yukon platforms -- the latter to be replaced by Congo in just a few more days.
Averatec is one out of numerous manufacturers that went the Intel route. Today we'll be taking a look at their affordable N3400 Series Ultraportable Notebook, a 13.3-inch model boasting an Intel dual-core processor and a thin aluminum shell that shares some styling cues from Apple’s MacBook Air.
Weighing in at only 3.8 pounds, the N3400 is powered by an Intel Pentium Dual Core T3400 CPU operating at 2.16 GHz, 3GB of DDR2 (expandable to 8GB), a 250GB hard drive spinning at 5400 RPM, 13.3" WXGA LCD display (1280 x 800), Intel GMA4500 graphics, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a 2-cell 5000mAh battery.
Along with the MSI X-340 (which we will be reviewing soon), we have no doubt Averatec won't mind having the N3400 being compared to the more expensive MacBook Air ($800 vs. $1500). While the N3400 is a bit thicker and heavier, it packs as much processing power, similar screen state, more memory, more storage capacity, and better connectivity. There are other compromises here and there as we will find out, but the pricing proposition for a capable lightweight machine is definitely there.
Averatec N3400 Inside and Out
Inside the box we found the notebook, an external optical drive unit that connects via USB and comes standard as part of the bundle, a suede carrying pouch, quick start guide, power cord and AC adapter. Instead of a printed user manual, Averatec included a digital copy on the desktop in PDF format. Because we received the N3400 weeks before the Windows 7 launch, our review sample shipped with Vista Home Premium 64-bit. A quick check at some of the online retailers offering this unit shows it is eligible for a free Windows 7 upgrade now that it has become available.
The first thing you'll notice about the N3400 is its slim profile and aluminum external shell. At its thickest point, the notebook remains under the 1" mark measuring just .98 inches. The front of the notebook has no buttons or switches to clutter the bezel, while the right side features SPDIF compatible headphone and mic jacks, as well as two USB 2.0 ports, a Kensington lock slot, and a cover that hides the network and VGA-out ports.
The back of the system is totally plain with no connectors in sight. Moving to the left side we find the power connector, fan exhaust vents, a third USB 2.0 port and a 4-in-1 card reader (Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card).
On the bottom there are four cooling vents as well as two circular openings for the integrated speakers. The N3400 uses an internal battery instead of using the traditional lock latch found on most laptops. You may also have noticed there is no quick access the hard drive bay and memory slots.
To access the internals you must first remove the four rubber feet -- I had to use the tip of a knife to pry them out. Under each foot is a single screw. Remove all four and the bottom panel slides off. This design helps Averatec achieve a clean look for the N3400, and also explains why they include an extra set of rubber feet as part of the package.
Inside the laptop we find two memory slots, both of which are populated, as well as the hard drive and battery. The battery is held in place by four tiny screws, so I assume it could be replaced a few years down the road when it loses its capacity to hold a sufficient charge.
Opening the lid we find a very slim but sturdy glossy display. The inner bezel of the screen and keyboard are black -- I half expected the aluminum from the outside to carry over but no such luck. The minimalist approach is applied here as well. Aside from the power button, there are no additional buttons for hotkeys. Instead, Averatec has integrated these features into the touchpad ("Dual Pad").
The touchpad operates normally until you tap the top right corner and switches the device into 'Icon mode'. From here, you can tap any of the seven icons on the outskirts of the touchpad to activate the corresponding program. These include a Windows Media Player key, Internet Key, Email key, Volume key and three programmable hotkeys. The touchpad also features a multi-gesture system that allows you to pinch, flick and swirl your fingers in various programs to flip through pictures, scroll through web pages and many other tasks.
The touchpad itself is big enough but I am not a fan of the buttons used. I prefer a two-button system instead of the solid, single large button Averatec used. I also found it difficult to locate the mouse click button without looking, as there isn’t much distinction between the button and the bezel surrounding it. Perhaps an inset button or more pronounced button of some sort would have worked better.
The keyboard is full sized and uses flat top keys. The keys have a nice feel to them but if you haven’t typed on flat keys before, it may take some time getting used to. Each row of keys is slightly inset as you pull your fingers from the top row down towards the bottom. This helps to keep you from slipping down to the next row accidentally as you type. It somewhat reminded me of stadium seating at the movie theater.
My only complaint with the keyboard layout is the placement of the Function key, in the bottom left corner where the Control key should be.
Pre-installed Software and Performance
While I’m not a huge fan of running Windows Vista on notebooks, I will say that this particular install surprised me. Once the system booted up, it felt incredibly zippy and after using it for a while I didn’t run into any nuisances. With Windows 7 now available, I suspect most users will take advantage of the free upgrade and perhaps Averatec will offer the system with a Windows 7 configuration right out of the box in the near future. I was glad to find the N3400 came with a very lean software bundle. A trial of Norton Antivirus was installed, which I chose to remove and load my favorite free antivirus suite instead. The only other notable software was a game set from WildTangent. Averatec earns points here for not cluttering up the system with useless junk apps, unlike many top tier manufacturers that seem to enjoy the practice.
Below we have included a set of benchmark numbers and graphs from several tests that were run on the N3400 to give you an idea of how its processor, hard drive and memory system perform under load. (Click to view full versions)
Usage Impressions and Conclusion
Averatec has seemingly nailed their target market with the N3400, delivering a powerful machine that is still small enough to easily take with you at a price point that won’t break the bank. The 1280 x 800 glossy LCD screen looks great. It is plenty bright even at medium settings and viewing angles are above average both horizontally and vertically. The keyboard is good but not great. I personally dislike the placement of the Function key in the bottom left corner. Also some of the secondary Function buttons are oddly placed. For example, the volume controls on the Function row keys have the Down arrow on the right and the Up arrow on the left. The same goes for brightness controls, which can be a little confusing.
Battery life was good for 2 hours and 44 minutes when sitting idle at the desktop, using 50% screen brightness. We didn't expect much from a 2-cell 5000mAh pack, but given how the battery is internal and thus not swappable it was definitely a letdown. If you rely on a notebook for work, you will need to stay near a power source for a good portion of the day with the N3400.
Battery life was good for 2 hours and 44 minutes when sitting idle at the desktop, using 50% screen brightness. We didn't expect much from a 2-cell 5000mAh pack, but given how the battery is internal and thus not swappable it was definitely a letdown. If you rely on a notebook for work, you will need to stay near a power source for a good portion of the day with the N3400.
The downward-firing speaker system is pretty good. Audio is of course louder when using the notebook on a hard flat surface and noticeably quieter when working on a soft surface like a blanket or couch. The overall quality of sound was a bit tinny but didn’t distort at the upper end of the spectrum.
Having worked with a lot of netbooks recently, I really appreciate the additional horsepower from Intel's Dual Core T3400 in this system. Sure, it contributes to the less-than-stellar battery life, but I was able to do everything I wanted without any noticeable slowdown or lag. Playing HD videos from YouTube and Hulu only taxed the CPU about 60% at full screen, leaving plenty of spare cycles for multitasking.
When utilizing the CPU to its maximum capacity, the N3400 is a bit on the noisy side, more so than most portables I have worked with. It is about as loud as a standard optical drive when spinning a disc, but then again the system is having to cool a dual core chip which puts out more heat than weaker single core solutions. The cooling system works efficiently, however, as the keyboard and touchpad are barely warm when under full load. On the bottom of the system, heat is expelled via the ventilated slots on the upper left corner, so naturally that area of the notebook is pretty warm. But the remaining areas are all just slightly warm to the touch, making this a suitable system for lap usage. When not being pushed hard, the N3400 remains nice and quiet.
Having worked with a lot of netbooks recently, I really appreciate the additional horsepower from Intel's Dual Core T3400 in this system. Sure, it contributes to the less-than-stellar battery life, but I was able to do everything I wanted without any noticeable slowdown or lag. Playing HD videos from YouTube and Hulu only taxed the CPU about 60% at full screen, leaving plenty of spare cycles for multitasking.
When utilizing the CPU to its maximum capacity, the N3400 is a bit on the noisy side, more so than most portables I have worked with. It is about as loud as a standard optical drive when spinning a disc, but then again the system is having to cool a dual core chip which puts out more heat than weaker single core solutions. The cooling system works efficiently, however, as the keyboard and touchpad are barely warm when under full load. On the bottom of the system, heat is expelled via the ventilated slots on the upper left corner, so naturally that area of the notebook is pretty warm. But the remaining areas are all just slightly warm to the touch, making this a suitable system for lap usage. When not being pushed hard, the N3400 remains nice and quiet.
I also appreciated the inclusion of the USB optical drive. This is something missing on all netbooks and several smaller notebooks. I even found myself using the drive with a netbook during testing. It is very convenient indeed.
Overall build quality on the N3400 is nice. The lid is solid and doesn't have a lot of free play. The aluminum outer shell adds a touch of class and I can only wonder what the system would look with a full aluminum body.
Cons: Dismal battery life, battery is not easily swappable, confusing keyboard layout, hard to access internals.
Overall build quality on the N3400 is nice. The lid is solid and doesn't have a lot of free play. The aluminum outer shell adds a touch of class and I can only wonder what the system would look with a full aluminum body.
Closing Thoughts
The 13.3" Averatec N3400 Ultraportable Notebook currently retails for $800, making for a nice portable system with plenty of processing power to muscle through any task. If you need something a bit more powerful than a netbook but still want something small enough to carry around, the N3400 is worth checking out, but in the end you'll have to decide if performance and portability make up for its poor battery life. Pros: Slim and stylish design, very capable processor, three USB ports, virtually no junk software bundled, USB optical drive included. Cons: Dismal battery life, battery is not easily swappable, confusing keyboard layout, hard to access internals.
Source : http://www.techspot.com
Averatec N3400 13.3" Ultraportable Notebook Review, notebook, MSI X-340, USB ports, N3400,
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