Sahara S-NB826431-HK01 laptop

[Gonzo]

IN THE LAPTOP world, there are sprinters that can give some desktops a hard time and these typically cost over Rs 60,000. And then there are the crawlers using antique Celeron M, 256MB RAM and with no OS, costing under Rs 25,000. What we have today is a laptop that is slotted in between at Rs. 36,000.

Performance
POWERING THE RATHER cryptically named Sahara S-NB826431-HK01 is the older generation Core Duo architecture CPU, Tn50 that is clocked at 1.73GHz with a FSB of 533MHz. This generation is older than the current Core 2 Duo architecture, but when paired with 1 GB of RAM, this configuration managed a score of 58 in WorldBench 6.0. This is not the highest score we have seen from notebooks but is not something to belittle. Battery life is a huge disappointment - one of the lowest we have seen so far. MobileMark 2005 's Productivity test ran for a meager 107 minutes.

Features & Design

Specifications

• Processor Intel Core Duo Processor T2250(2 MB L2 Cache, 1.7GHz,
• 533MHz FSB)
• System Compliance Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic
• Core Logic ATI RC410ME + SB450
• Memory 1 GB DDR2 RAM
• LCD Display 39.1 cms (15.4) TFT-LCD WXGA glare type
• VGA & Graphics ATI RC410ME Integrated Graphics
• Hard Drive 120 GB SATA HDD
• Optical Drive DVD Writer
• Pointing Device Built-in touch pad with 2-way scroll function, 2 click buttons
• LED Status Indicator Power on/Suspend, Battery Charging, Wireless, LAN, and HDD
• Access,Quick start buttons: Power button, and Wireless
• Keyboard 86-key with Windows function keys
• Interface Ports 1* CRT port,3* USB ports (v2.0),1* RJ45 connector for
  Ethernet,1* RJ11 connector for Modem,2* Audio jack:Headphone-out, Mic-in
• Audio Built-in High Definition Audio, Built-in two stereo speakers
• AC Adapter Output: 19V DC, 3.42A, 65W,Input: 100~240V AC, 50/60Hz
• Universal
• Battery Li-Ion 8-cells, 2200/2400 mAh/cell,Battery life up to 3 hrs
• Communication 56K S/W Modem, V.90/92 support,Ethernet 10/100M Base T LAN
• on board,Inbuilt Wireless card Support dual band antenna
• Dimension 357(W)x266(D)x18.5~36.3(H)mm
• Weight 2.46Kg (with 39.1cms (15.4) W TFT LCD, Combo Drive,8-cells)
• Warranty One year carry-in warranty

[Gonzo]

FEATURES AND DESIGN
The S-NB826431-HK01 is a machine for those who want portability without draining their wallets or having to make do with tortoise speeds. Add-ons are not a factor here – in fact there are none. There are no media card readers, nor is there a webcam. Similarly, expansion slots are also omitted, but most people would not find it a handicap as almost all notebook peripherals are now USB based. This Sahara includes a DVD writer that can handle all formats and is rated at a maximum read / write speed of 24x.

Connectivity is via a 10/100 LAN and a/b/g Wi-Fi. Sahara has thankfully opted for a 120GB hard disk. It was indeed a pleasant change to see the non glossy display with this Sahara. Most laptops these days have a glossy finish that produces irritating reflections (the display can sometimes double up as a mirror!) unless the lighting in the room is spot-on. A downside to this display is the rather poor viewing angle when compared to other laptops today. The keyboard felt easy on our fingers and won’t be a problem for most users. The disappointment however is with the touch pad that is just not responsive enough.

For long usage periods, we strongly recommend a mouse. The build quality is pretty decent; the exterior does not budge with a finger press (except for the bottom panel of the display).

VERDICT
We find the Sahara’s performance good for its price, while at the same time it is very spartan on features. Combined with a sub par display and touchpad, the price is a tad high. It would have been a far more sensible buy had it been about Rs 4,000 cheaper.