NECPC held a presentation on May 14th and released a summer model PC. Of particular note is the fully remodeled ultralight mobile notebook "LAVIE Pro Mobile."
The retail model of LAVIE Pro Mobile, which has already been shipped from May 16th, starts at about 200,000 yen.
In the 6th year, there is a slight turn from pursuing the lightest weight to focusing on performance
Since launching the first-generation LAVIE Z in 2012, NEC has constantly upgraded with the aim of being the "world's lightest" I have been to Thanks to this, the composition ratio of ultralight models in the mobile PC market increased from 12% to 19% in six years, and the number of units increased from about 200,000 units to 600,000 units per year. Even as rivals, Fujitsu and Toshiba have introduced ultra-lightweight models, but here NEC has reconsidered.
In other words, if you only pursue weight reduction, you will lose battery life, design, and rigidity. Therefore, we have completely reviewed the previous LAVIE Hybrid ZERO and developed "LAVIE Pro Mobile". Of course, the concept is "a mobile notebook for professionals."
At 837 grams, it runs for 20 hours and above all, the surface paint feels good.
First of all, we pursued ultra-light weight, long-lasting battery, and excellent design as usual in terms of mobility. The material is also reviewed, and it is stronger against the pressure on a crowded train.
The weight of attention is 837 grams, which is 6 grams more than the conventional machine, and it is light even though it no longer aims to be the lightest in the world. The feeling of "Ah, it's light" when you hold it in your hand is exactly the same.
These are the three new colors lined up at the recital.
Equipped with a 49Wh battery capacity, the continuous drive time reaches 20 hours as measured by JEITA 2.0, which is about twice as long as the previous model (Hybrid ZERO). Since the 2018 model of ZERO had a battery capacity of 46Wh, the increase was only a little less than 7%, so it means that the energy saving capacity was improved.
It has a surface pressure resistance of 150kgf, passed a drop test of 76 cm, and has double the point pressure resistance. This is largely due to the change of the material of the top plate from the conventional magnesium/lithium to carbon. Carbon is somewhat throwback, but the material used this time is the highest grade, lightweight, resistant to point pressure and twisting, and easy to maintain flatness. ZERO's Mg-Li top plate was 1.3 mm thick, but this time it is nearly half as thin as 0.7 mm, but it is said that the dent resistance is twice as strong.
As for the design, the top board is fully flat and the antenna line is not visible. The keyboard surface is made of die-cast magnesium and aluminum, which is also completely flat. In the previous model, there was no recess around the key top, so it is very refreshing.
The surface of the top plate has a rough finish, and although it looks like a ThinkPad at first glance, it has a pleasant finish that hardly adheres fingerprints or hand oil.
It has a rough matte finish, and fingerprints and hand oil don't easily stick to it.
There are rod-shaped rubber feet and air intakes at the four corners on the bottom.
Pressing force and key pitch have been changed. Clicks are quiet and a sample mobile notebook.
The layout and pitch of the keyboard have also changed. As for the arrangement, the cursor keys, which were arranged in a raised shape in the lower right corner of the main keyboard, are incorporated into the main keys.
The key spacing has increased from 18mm to 18.5mm, and the size of the key top has increased by 10%. In other words, the space between the keys has become narrower, from the conventional 3 mm to 2.2 mm, and the feeling of "squeaky" has disappeared.
The keyboard on the left is the previous model ZERO and the keyboard on the right is the new ProMobile. You can clearly see the changes in spacing and key top size.
The key touch has also been changed, and by increasing the difference between the pressing force at the beginning and end of pressing, it is said that the feeling of clicking and typing has been increased.
The key surface coating has also been changed to make it more wear-resistant and to give it a smoother feel.
The key tops are also painted in a "smooth" finish, giving it a luxurious feel.
I actually input characters, but the keys that felt sticky with ZERO became heavy, and the keystroke feeling improved. The Enter has become larger and easier to hit with a click, and the BS has become a size that makes it difficult to make a mistake. The "premium UV coating" on the key tops is not as smooth as I expected, but it feels "smooth" and feels very good. I used ZERO for two generations before, but I was not particularly dissatisfied with the key touch in the first place, so it's good that it's gotten better.
Bordeaux (left) has a subdued printing color on the key tops, giving it a calm atmosphere.
Once you get used to the cursor keys, this position near the home position is easy to type. However, the right shift key has become smaller due to the movement of the cursor keys, so it may be a little difficult for people who use Coco a lot.
The touchpad is 9 cm wide and 6 cm deep, which is larger than the ZERO, but the buttons are integrated. Since both Fujitsu and NEC have pushed for the independent button type, as a "professional", it is a point that I would like you to return to the original.
As an uncle, I like the touchpad and separate buttons.
Both the keyboard and touchpad clicks are very quiet and elegant. I want everyone to feel that it is very cool to make a loud input sound like "bachibachi" on a train or in a cafe.
The liquid crystal is the same as the 13.3-inch IPS, but the brightness is 1.5 times brighter, making it easier to see outdoors. Of course, it is non-glare and has a wide viewing angle.
In addition to Meteor Gray (so-called black) and Flare Gold, Classic Bordeaux is added to the coloring. The color of the key top and the printing color are also different, especially in Bordeaux, the printing is not conspicuous and has a chic finish. Even in the black model, the letters on the key tops are not pure white, and the engraving like a certain company is too much, but I would like to give it a chic look.
The power button on the upper right of the keyboard has a built-in fingerprint sensor. Isn't it the first time for a domestic PC? Anyway, the PC can be used immediately with fingerprint authentication as soon as the power is turned on, so other companies should imitate it (it was originally a smartphone, but Huawei brought it to the PC).
Like Huawei's MateBook, the power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor cannot be used once.
I want type C power input and one more USB
Interfaces are type C x 1 and micro SD card slot on the right side, headset jack, HDMI and type A x 1 on the right side , type C×1. The type C terminal on the left side can be charged by power delivery, and the attached AC adapter will be connected here.
On the left side of the main unit (above the photo), there is only a type-C USB port for power connection, so it would be great if you could add one more.
By the way, the store model AC adapter has a 45W output, but you can purchase a 65W output adapter directly, and you can charge it up to 80% in an hour.
The front edge of the main unit (on the photo) has a hangover shape, making it easy to put your finger on.
The fact that there is only one type A as a whole feels like a borderline for professionals. One of the type C terminals will be used for power supply, so there will be no free USB on the left side when using at home. As was the case with ZERO, the SD card slot has become micro, and I want to use a wired LAN, so I definitely want you to add another USB to the left.
Since there are no touchpad buttons, it looks neat even from a distance.
The direct model has a touch panel, and 16GB can also incorporate LTE
The storefront model has a core i7-8565U or i5-8265U, that is, the latest 8th generation WhiskeyLake-U. The memory is 8GB, the SSD is 512 and 256GB, and Home & Business 2019 is pre-installed in the office.
In the direct model sold directly on the web, the core i3-8145U can be selected, and the memory is 4GB or 16GB, and the SSD is 128GB and 1TB.
When the liquid crystal is opened, the rear part of the main unit is lifted and the keyboard surface is tilted. Recently, everyone is adopting this form, but it can be a little inconvenient on a narrow desk or on your lap.
For the lift-up mechanism, there are two pockets on the back of the top plate. It's a flat design, so it's a little sad.
In addition to being able to select a built-in LTE modem, you can also select a low capacity (that is, light) M battery (capacity 33Wh), 10Pro for the OS, and "None" and "Personal" for the office. Since the model number is "LAVIE Direct PM", let's not make a mistake.
I also like the fact that the liquid crystal opens up to 180 degrees full-flat. Face-to-face meetings are also easy.
The speed of both the CPU and graphics is of course improved The battery...
As for the change in speed that you are worried about, first of all, it is the rotation of the CPU, but the CPU value of Cinebench is 578. there were. ZERO was 534 with i7-8550U, so it's about 8% faster. The VAIO SX14 with the i7-8565U hit 694, and the XPS13 hit 744, so ProMobile is a bit reserved.
A large fan is installed on the whole body, which is very reliable. There is an SSD slot on the upper left of the battery, a communication card slot on the upper right of the fan, and a mini board is installed here in the LTE model.
However, 3DMark's FireStrike, which displays 3D graphics, has a speed of 1214, which is fully open. The above SX14 was 1199 and XPS13 was 1208, so Pro Mobile is the fastest PC with i7-8565U (without GPU). It doesn't seem to "reduce" the number of revolutions to extend the battery operating time.
The CPU value was normal, but 3DMark's FireStrike ran quite well, and it was a safe MAX performance.
The SSD of the trial machine was 512GB, and SAMSUNG's MZVLB, which was exactly the same as ZERO, was used. Crystal Disc Mark's Multi-Sequential has 3238 read and 1879 write, which is the highest level for a mobile notebook. There is nothing missing in this area.
Between the hinges, the one on the right side of the photo is the exhaust port.
On the battery bench of interest, as usual, the "highest performance" was tested, and the liquid crystal was tested at the highest brightness, and it was 2 hours and 12 minutes. If it works for 2 hours under these conditions, it will last for 4 hours in normal use, so it is acceptable as a mobile notebook. Since the maximum brightness of the liquid crystal is 1.5 times, it will be disadvantageous if the benchmark is taken at 100%.
As a test, when I set the power mode to "battery saving function" and set the liquid crystal to the maximum brightness, it worked for 4 hours and 18 minutes. As a mobile notebook, it is acceptable.
The charging time was 99 minutes to 50%, 152 minutes to 70%, and 253 minutes to 90%, while starting with the same full power as the first time. Even if the AC adapter outputs 45W, it is a bit slow. The brightness of the liquid crystal also has an effect here. If you're impatient, it's a good idea to use the 65W adapter.
Although it's not the lightest in the world, it's an ultra-light mobile notebook with a high level of perfection. When I measured the test machine this time, it was 824 grams, lighter than the catalog value of 837. The AC adapter including the cable is 226 grams, so I am very grateful that the total is 1050 grams, which is exactly 1 kilogram.
The sound isn't great, but the voice is much easier to hear.
Sturdy speaker units are installed on the left and right sides of the bottom of the battery.
Furthermore, the texture of the surface is good and it is resistant to oil, the keyboard is very good, the liquid crystal is very bright, and the usability is greatly improved compared to ZERO. The fact that the keyboard surface is flat is refreshing and feels good.
When you see that the connector part (both left and right) is reinforced with metal, you can feel the conscientiousness of NEC's design.
Zero was a 2in1 type with a 360-degree rotating liquid crystal, but back to basics, ProMobile became a pure clamshell. As an uncle, it is "I saw that ~", but even if it is good, it is a bit lonely that there is no SD card slot, but it is ◎ that you can choose the LTE model. There are still parts around the LCD that I would like to see a little more refreshing, so I would like to ask for a further shape.
Anyway, if you are a pro who is keen on mobile notebooks, I would like you to touch, buy, and try out the new "mobile PC for professionals" released by NEC, the creator of ZERO. be.
