To give you context, this is essentially replacing my underwhelming Chromebook. I also have an aging Windows 10 machine that doesn’t meet the specs to upgrade to Windows 11.
I initially set this up by pulling it out of the box, plugging it in, and popping my 42” TV’s HDMI cable into it. It worked right out of the box. It booted up in seconds, only a few more than than Chromebook it replaced (which are legendarily quick bootups for those unfamiliar, single-digit seconds to boot). The usual first-time login/personalization went quickly. Within a couple of minutes, I was doing the Windows updates.
Fun fact: no bloatware. They preinstalled Google Chrome and every free thing Microsoft has, but that’s it--no Morton or NcAfee or Bearsware, oh my! I got rid of a couple of utilities I know that I won’t use (but I suppose others do), installed a couple of things, and…it’s done. No issues updating, installing, Bluetooth pairing, or wifi connections.
I have four external devices linked to this: a wireless USB mouse, a Bluetooth keyboard, Bluetooth headphones, and a portable monitor via HDMI. The monitor is somewhat bigger than the Chromebook this setup replaces, but that’s a good thing for me. The whole package is only slightly larger and bulkier than a laptop, but it has far more flexibility, power, internal storage, and upgradeability than the setup I was using. If you plan to take this thing into public space, just make sure the coffee shops you hit up have outlets nearby.
Technical testing:
I’m pretty boring when it comes to graphics. All my streaming looks beautiful/doesn’t stutter when played on this at full res.
I play a couple of online games. Star Trek Fleet Command is the heaviest graphics user of them and does not give this PC any issues.
I haven’t had any need for multiscreen connections, but I ran it with both my 42” TV and my 16” monitor hooked up. It worked.
In sum: as a machine to do run-of-the-mill productivity, entertainment, web browsing, and gaming, this thing is perfect for me. As a portable machine, it’s a little more complicated than a laptop (no battery), but fits in my same old laptop bag and just needs an outlet.
Standing screen display size | 1 |
---|---|
Processor | 3.6 GHz Intel_Mobile_CPU |
RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
Hard Drive | 512 GB SSD |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Graphics Card Ram Size | 16 GB |
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |