Gadget Review: Zed Air Ultra

Like the rest in the affordable technology field, iLife is doing its best to carve its way into the consciousness of consumers - particularly, younger students, who may need a computing buddy that is light, both economically and literally.
At this point, they'd like you to look at one of their latest netbooks, the Zed Air Ultra, which they are billing as a modern take on a classic style. And, of course, a budget-friendly option.
It's fairly light, made with an aluminium finish. And for its price point, it does offer a good host of ports around it: USB-B, microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack to the right, another mini-HDMI charging port on the left and - most importantly - USB-C. It's definitely welcome news to see that last one here. There's also a camera on top for your video chat needs.
To be honest, it has quite a solid build and, from afar, you may even mistake it for a MacBook or an HP Spectre.
Its screen, at 11.6 inches, is bright enough not to strain your eyes. That will, however, have certain limitations, particularly in seeing less on what you're working on.
The keyboard is your typical netbook type, with keys that are big enough yet aren't really that squished together. For those more used to 13-inch or bigger devices, it may take some time to get accustomed to this layout. Nevertheless, they respond well, though it has a clunkier sound - especially when you start hitting them in frustration for some reason (avoid keyboard rage, folks).
The trackpad, meanwhile, is a mixed bag. While it does respond well to taps and single-finger navigation, it tends to be slow when responding to Windows 10 trackpad gestures (for example, with three fingers on the 'pad, switching between open windows or showing the desktop by swiping sideways or towards you, respectively).
On the inside is where it gets a bit stingy. It runs on a dual-core Intel Celeron processor and only has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of flash storage, which reflects in the way it performs: you will encounter lags most of the time, especially when several apps have been fired up. There isn't an additional drive on it, so you'll have to be very picky with what you're saving in it. It's best to have an external HDD for that matter.
In the battery department, we also subjected it to our standard one-hour YouTube test, but on two different scenarios: on best battery life mode, it posted a 23 per cent drain, while on best performance mode, it got zapped by an eye-watering 49 per cent. It did, though, last below five hours while doing a little bit of everything on it on the middle-of-the-pack battery setting, so that's something good.
AND SO.
The iLife Zed Air Ultra fits the mould of what it's meant to be: an affordable yet can-do-it-all machine. Search the web? Check. Watch movies? Gotcha. Get some assignments or office work done? On it. It's small enough to fit even in a small bag and light enough to carry around, which would be a delight, especially for students who are already having strain with all their other school duties.
Processor
Intel Celeron, dual-core 2.4GHz
OS
Windows 10 Home
RAM
2GB LPDDR III
Storage
32GB flash, microSD up to 64GB
Display
11.6" FHD IPS, 1920 x 1080
Connectivity
WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0; USB-B (2), USB-C, mini-HDMI, 3.5mm audio
Camera
0.3MP
Battery
4,000mAh
Price
Dh693
Pros
Good build; affordable; easy to carry
Cons
Very limited storage; lags a lot; battery drains fast with video
Author's Rating
3/5

alvin@khaleejtimes.com