TechRadar Verdict
Although this is not the fastest or longest to stay awake away from the power, the cost and build quality of this machine make it very appealing indeed
Pros
- +
Excellent keyboard
- +
Good portability
- +
Connectivity
- +
Build quality
Cons
- -
Limited performance
- -
Reflective screen coating
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ViewSonic is best known for producing LCD screens and projectors, but has been increasing its laptop range of late with a variety of high-quality portables. The latest is the ViewBook 130, a stylish CULV machine that offers a stunning screen and great usability.
While ViewSonic's ViewBook Pro seemingly lifted its design from Toshiba, this model has a unique look of its own. The combination of matt-silver and glossy-black plastics looks great, adding a degree of high-end style without increasing the cost.
Excellent keyboard
The keyboard continues this level of quality. The large matt-finish keys are raised slightly above the chassis, but are fitted close enough together to make it comfortable and easy to type at speed. All keys also move quietly and smoothly.
Designed for regular mobile use, the laptop weighs just 1.6kg and is slim enough to carry in hand luggage. The 207-minute battery life isn't the best we've seen, but ably suffices for semi-frequent travel use.
This mobility is enabled by the use of a CULV Intel processor, running at just 10w. While this dual-core chip minimises power usage, it provides limited performance, so this machine is only suitable for basic office tasks and multimedia consumption rather than creation.
Built around a 13.3-inch widescreen panel, image quality is outstanding. The bright LED screen is impressively sharp and delivers vivid colour reproduction, although the glossy Super-TFT coating is one of the more reflective we've seen.
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Graphics are provided by an integrated Intel GPU, so only basic performance is on offer. This is to be expected from a slim CULV machine, however, and there is still more than enough power for watching videos, editing photos and even running basic or older 3D games.
Since this laptop is designed to be used on the move, high-speed wireless network connectivity is provided by an 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter. Fixed connectivity is equally capable, with Gigabit Ethernet providing the fastest connections when back at home or in the office.
Adding to the overall value of this laptop is the inclusion of Windows 7 Professional software, with features such as a Windows XP Mode – which allows you to run the older operating system as a virtual PC.
ViewSonic also includes a two-year warranty as standard. Continuing its successful run of recent releases, ViewSonic's ViewBook 130 is a highly stylish and usable machine.
While the battery life is bettered by rival CULV machines, such as the Asus UL20A, this is still a well-made laptop and one that's very easy to like.
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