NEC Versa TXi: almost everything I could want in a laptop
Written: Nov 10 '01
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Pros: Light, fast and durable, this machine packs power.
Cons: Included battery doesn't cut it. You'll sacrifice screen size for the lighter weight. No Infrared.
The Bottom Line: The Versa TXi provides a lightweight customizable solution for anyone needing a truly portable computing device. The notebook has enough power and stamina to replace a desktop as well.
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| melleg's Full Review: NEC Versa SXi (VR4FBEF-00B-000) PC Notebook |
First let me apologize for putting this review under SXi, but there's no TXi category and Epinions isn't accepting new product categories at the time of this review.
I've purchased 2 laptops within the last 9 months. I hope these shared experiences help you in selecting the machine that will work best for you.
What you think you want may not be what you really want.
The first one seemed great until I started traveling a lot and got tired of lugging around the beast with the flashy 15" screen (which had been among the key criteria of my first purchase). Since I do some desktop publishing and am spoiled by a large screen at my home office, I figured the screen size wasn't an area I wanted to skimp on. The first machine, a Sager, was well over 7 lbs before power cords, accessories and the oversized bag I had to find to accommodate it. It didn't take but a month or two before my back protested and ads for light, sleek machines caught my eye.
Comparison shopping
I wanted a notebook in the 3lb. range. There actually aren't very many lightweight notebooks out there, and even fewer with the power I needed, a screen size I could live with (a still too small 12.1" XGA), and a price I could afford. The 2nd runner up for me was a Sony Vaio R505 but I'm not crazy about the keyboard and keypad of the Sonys. The keys don't feel very smooth,the keypad isn't comfortable to operate and the right/left mouse buttons feel cheesy. The R505 starts at about $1440 for a 15GB hard-drive, 128MB RAM and a One-Year Warranty. For the same level of upgrade I got on the NEC, the Sony price was to be well over $2500. Most importantly, I read the reviews on Epinions and other sites and they seemed about 50/50 in favor of that make and model.
I ruled out some other brands (like IBM) because I don't like the "stick" or "eraser" mouse. I've had ThinkPads before and find the touchpad to be much more comfortable than the "stick."
The NEC Versa TXi, however, boasts the same performance options, same screen (I think the NEC looks better), comparable weight, much better warranty (3 year), and a less expensive price tag. I visited a local NEC dealer (not easy to find one in St. Louis) and put my hands on the keyboard. I loved it. The keys are quiet and smooth. Though the keyboard is a bit compact, I don't find my long fingers hitting the wrong keys very often. The function keys are in locations that are very intuitive (unlike the backspace, delete and arrow keys of the Sager I owned). More impressively, the keypad is perfect with just the right texture and resistance and the buttons feel good--not plastic-y--and don't have to be pushed too hard.
A really neat feature is a textured button between the left and right mouse buttons that acts as an up/down scroll device for applications and Web browsing. The scroll feature greatly reduces the need for me to plug in an external mouse--something I couldn't live without when using my Sager. Now I seldom use any other mouse and my hands do not become fatigued at all.
Specs and Add-ons
I won't go into repeating the spec sheet which you can find at www.nec.com, but I will talk a bit about options and maybe even regrets.
The Versa TXi comes with your choice of operating system and varying capacities of hard drive and memory. It has one flexible "bay" that can be left empty so the machine weighs only 3.5 lbs. but it is shipped with your choice of CD-ROM drive or a combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. The weight between them is comparable. The price is not. I elected to get the CD-ROM drive because I had DVD in my Sager and never really used it. However, I think the CD-RW alone is well be worth the extra investment if you like that file storage option for graphics or, of course, music.
The bay can also be used for a supplemental 6-cell Li-Ion battery which you probably WILL need unless a 1.5 hour battery life is enough for you. The 6-cell battery runs about $199 and I haven't bought it yet so I cannot tell you how long it lasts. Another battery option, albeit a pricey one at almost $500, is the Maximum Life 15-cell Li-Ion battery that snaps in where the itty-bitty standard 3-cell battery goes. The 15-cell can also be supplemented with the 6-cell in the bay.
The Versa TXi comes with a generous 3 USB ports and an optional USB port replicator. You'll need one USB port to plug in your very compact and lightweight external floppy drive device that comes with the machine. The data transfer is very fast and I have no complaints at all about the external drive. I don't mind carrying it because it is small and a breeze to use.
You'll find an internal modem (PCI v.90) and LAN (10/100) connection as well as PC card slots: 2 Type II or 1 Type III. Other ports include a mini-parallel/mini-serial combo (cable adaptor included), IEEE 1394, external monitor, TV out, stereo headphones, and there's a built in mic.
Ordering, Receiving and Set-up
I bought my NEC from CDW. I researched sellers and prices and was satisfied CDW was the best choice because of reputation and price. I was ordering on-line on a Saturday and had some questions about shipping: I wanted an upgrade, but I needed the notebook to arrive by Wed. because I was heading out of town for a few weeks and I needed to bring it with me to work mobile. So I called CDW and was delighted with the rep who helped me. He set up an account for me very quickly, assured me the upgrades would be completed Mon and that I'd have the product by Wed. He even gave me a $50 discount for calling in the order. The discount more than paid for my memory upgrade. Shipping costs were extremely reasonable considering my "rush."
The machine arrived as promised on Wed morning. The box seemed small, but everything was meticulously packed. Within 10 minutes I was loading software and configuring the system for my needs. It couldn't have been easier. After I adapted to a screen 3" smaller than my other laptop, I quickly found I much preferred using the NEC (I still had the Sager) both for comfort and ease of use. At half the weight and the much smaller size, it is so much less cumbersome that I use it everywhere.
During my trip, I finished installing software, managed to get internet connectivity on the first try (from an RV park in Amarillo, TX) and had my digital camera downloading through a USB port in no time.
Use and Durability
I've had my Versa TXi for 4 months and it's been all over the country. Recently, it fell from an airplane's overhead bin about 6ft to the airplane floor encased in a low-cost, soft-sided business bag with only moderate padding. Though there was no external damage, I was sure it must have been damaged internally, but it booted up just as strong as ever.
The Versa TXi didn't come with much software (fine with me) but it did include the Windows OS of my choice, Norton Anti-Virus, MS Explorer, Netscape, and a couple of other operating or utility type packages. I find Norton Anti-Virus to be cumbersome and elected to purchase another brand of anti-virus software.
To date, I haven't had one single problem with this computer. The case is a silver-colored magnesium that wipes clean and looks stunning. The keypad resists grime and it and the keyboard still respond perfectly. I do miss the Infrared that my Sager had for easy transfer of info to/from my Palm, but I wouldn't trade back for anything.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2389
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 701-800
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
melleg
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Location: St. Louis, MO
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Busy mom, wife and business person. Thorough shopper who performs serious due diligence before buying.
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