Just got an Averatec/Sotec 3150H laptop (Review)

[jimmyl930]

I just got a Averatec 3150H from Staples for $700+tax after rebates.

Specs:
Athlon XP-M 1600+ (@1.4GHz) Low-Volage Chip
256mb RAM
DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive
56k + 10/100 LAN
Integrated S3 ProSavage8 (up to 32mb)
12.1" XGA TFT
Windows XP Home
4.3 lbs.
10.6" x 9.6" x 1.2"

Pics from cnet review

3*USB 2.0
1*VGA port
1*Type II PC Card slot

Design:
-The casing is very durable, also the front of the LCD is cut at an angle to reveal the indicator lights in the front. Overall it looks pretty good.
-The only bad parts are the small backspace key and lack of a Ctrl key on the right side of the keyboard.
-All the letter keys are about full size. Typing is pretty easy.
-There are two scrolling mouse buttons on the touchpad.
- The short space bar didn't bother me.

Software:
- It came with Roxio CD Creator, MS Works, Norton Antivirus, and Power DVD.
- No bundled junk programs.
- Restore disks.

Battery life:
- Haven't tried it myself, but the cnet review gets about 2.5 hours with BAPCo MobileMark2002.

Misc.:
- So far it's great. It's fast enough for doing homework/Internet use with.
- Very quiet and the fan only seems to come on after CD accessing.

 

[Pandaren]

The Averatec 3150 series is a really great system for the money. I don't think it's possible to find a fully featured thin-and-light that small for any less.

I liked the build quality and the compactness of the system. The only things I didn't like were the mushy feel of the keyboard and the small size of some of the keys.

Overall an excellent buy at Staples.

 

[dnuggett]

Looks to be a decent machine for homework and internet use. Definately has a small footprint and is light weight. What other models did you consider before going with this one?

 

[jimmyl930]

I didn't look at any exact models. I mainly just kept watching xpbargains.com for good laptop deals. My main requirements for the laptop were small size, dvd-rom/cd-rw drive, and good durability.

 

[alexruiz]

How is it performing in everyday usage?

 

[jimmyl930]

Very good. It's quiet and fast. I installed a program called SpeedStepXP to throttle the CPU down (less heat, more battery life) and it's still very responsive.

 

[jimmyl930]

Here's some pictures I took, including the keyboard.