Packard Bell EasyNote NS44-HR-033UK review
Packard Bell may appear to concentrate more on style than substance, but the NS44 has a healthy balance of performance and features at a great price
Specifications
14 in 1,366×768 display, 2.4kg, 2.1GHz Intel Core i3-2310M, 3.00GB RAM, 320GB disk, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Fast external disks are catered for by a single USB3 port, and there are two USB2 ports for other peripherals. Video and audio can be output via HDMI, and there’s a single 3.5mm headphone minijack. You’ll want to attach a set of external speakers for watching films, as the internal pair is weak and tinny.
Despite the 14in screen, the NS44 isn’t particularly light at 2.4kg. Plus, its battery life of just over four hours is merely average these days, and some laptops at this price have a 500GB hard disk.
As of this review going online, the NS44-HR-033UK was available from Argos for only £399, though its usual price is £440. However, even at this higher price the NS44 is still great value. It’s stylish, more than fast enough for undemanding users, and has a handy USB3 port which helps to make it future-proof. It wins our Budget Buy award.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | **** |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-2310M |
| Processor clock speed | 2.1GHz |
| Memory | 3.00GB |
| Memory slots | 2 |
| Memory slots free | 0 |
| Maximum memory | 8GB |
| Size | 32x342x245mm |
| Weight | 2.4kg |
| Sound | Realtek HD Audio |
| Pointing device | touchpad |
Display | |
| Viewable size | 14 in |
| Native resolution | 1,366×768 |
| Graphics Processor | Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Graphics/video ports | VGA, HDMI |
| Graphics Memory | 128MB |
Storage | |
| Total storage capacity | 320GB |
| Optical drive type | DVD+/-RW +/-DL |
Ports and Expansion | |
| USB ports | 3 |
| Bluetooth | yes |
| Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
| Wireless networking support | 802.11b/g/n |
| PC Card slots | none |
| Supported memory cards | SDHC, Memory Stick Pro, xD |
| Other ports | minijack audio output, minijack microphone input, 1x USB3 |
Miscellaneous | |
| Carrying case | No |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Operating system restore option | restore partition |
| Software included | Microsoft Office 2010 Starter, Nero 9 Essentials, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 |
| Optional extras | none |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one year RTB |
| Price | £399 |
| Details | www.packardbell.co.uk |
| Supplier | http://www.argos.co.uk |