Micro Express have released the NBL60, a well rounded and fairly light 15 inch laptop that is shipping now and wont break the bank. It may not be the sexiest laptop on the block, but the NBL60 comes with an Intel Core i7-620M processor, switchable graphics, and a good all round build quality.
When you first set your eyes on the NBL60 it looks good but ultimately ordinary, with an average thickness of 1 to 1.25 inches and an uninspired black glossy finish. First impressions are saved somewhat by its light weight however, which comes in at just over 5 pounds. The resolution is also fantastic for a 15 inch model at this price point, with a 1920 x 1080p display.
The NBL60 is very good performance wise, with a fast Intel Core i7 leading the way. It features both Intel integrated graphics and the AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5650, with a switchable solution designed especially to improve battery life. This flexibility does have a down side however, with almost 1GB or the system’s 4GB RAM dedicated to graphics performance.
The keyboard and touchpad on the NBL60 perform very well, and the team at Micro Express have somehow even managed to fit an entire numerical keypad into the main body of the unit. The NBL60 also comes with a solid state hard drive, but its small size of only 80GB is sure to turn a lot of people of. Connectivity is pretty much as you would expect, with all the usual suspects accounted for. However, some people are going to miss integrated 3G/4G wireless broadband.
Overall, the NBL60 is a solid but somehow uninspiring laptop – until you turn it on. While it might not look as nice as a new Sony Vaio or as elegant as a MacBook, the utiliterean approach by Micro Express may turn out to be a positive for many users. The NBL60 is a great all round machine, with an impressive build quality, amazing display resolution, and great performance for its asking price of $1199.
Specifications
Intel Core i7 620M
4GB DDR3 RAM
80GB SSD
15 inch display
1920 x 1080 resolution
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5650
802.11n
Ethernet
Bluetooth
2 x USB
1 x USB/eSATA
HDMI
VGA
5-1 card reader
