Indian startup Primebook’s first device offers a unique experience. Based on the Android platform, this device is an ultra-portable laptop with a built-in keyboard and touchpad. Other people have tried similar recipes in the past, but they struggled because Android is primarily a smartphone OS. Primebook turned a challenge into an opportunity by tailoring its Android app to keyboard functionality. That effort has translated into devices with an ultraportable laptop form factor and an operating system that most people are familiar with: Android. Is it a winning formula? Let’s find out:
design
Primebook Wi-Fi has a thin, compact form factor and plastic construction. It has a durable feel and has a matte finish that provides a soft touch feeling. There is a rubber grip on the underside of the laptop for added stability. This device has a fanless design, so there are no visible air vents.
Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel
Like a traditional laptop, there are ports on both the left and right side of the bottom of the body. In terms of ports, there are 2 x USB-A, 1 x micro HDMI, 1 x USB-C, 1 x microSD, and 1 x 3.5 mm headphones.
The display has an 11.6-inch panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and thick bezels on all sides. The top bezel area of the laptop houses the front-facing camera for video calling and more. The bottom bezel features the Prime Book insignia, which elevates the profile.
The bottom half of the laptop houses a spacious keypad with good-sized keys and a good-sized trackpad. Above the keypad is a dual microphone setup with a microphone icon for reference. Additionally, there are LED indicators for power, Caps lock, and trackpad lock.
Primebook is an ultra-light device, measuring just 19.3 mm thick and weighing just over 1 kg. However, although the soft-touch top panel feels luxurious, it is slippery and prone to fingerprint smudges, so it requires regular cleaning. Additionally, some users may notice that the front panel is slightly bent. However, this does not compromise the overall durability of the laptop.
display and audio
The Primebook laptop features an 11.6-inch HD IPS LCD panel expanded to a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display provides sufficient brightness to ensure comfortable readability even in outdoor environments. In addition to this, an anti-glare coating minimizes reflections and increases visibility in bright conditions. Running at a standard 60Hz refresh rate, the display remains smooth without any sluggishness.
The display may lack vibrancy, but it reproduces most colors and keeps most content sharp. However, when viewing high-resolution content, some details may be slightly missing.
In the audio department, the Primebook Wi-Fi impresses with its dual speaker setup placed at the bottom near the front. These speakers deliver great sound at appropriate volume levels and are perfect for use in any environment. Despite the clarity, the speakers are prone to picking up reverberation due to their placement, but this is only noticeable during music playback.
camera and microphone
Primebook Wi-Fi has a built-in 2MP camera on top of the display, which allows video recording at 30 frames per second. The picture quality is good enough for video calls in this price range, but we recommend using it only in bright environments. Additionally, due to the compact form factor of the device, users may need to consider elevating the laptop to maintain proper positioning during video calls.
For audio input, dual microphones are better at capturing clear audio even in relatively quiet environments, making them ideal for video calls and meetings. In noisy environments, users can choose an external microphone via the audio jack or his Bluetooth connection to improve performance.
keyboard and trackpad
Primebook Wi-Fi does not have a dedicated numeric keypad, but it does have a standard QWERTY keyboard. The generous size of the keys minimizes the chance of typos. Surprisingly, despite its compact size, the keys are spaced well enough for comfortable typing even at high speeds. Key travel is minimal, but users receive satisfying tactile feedback while typing. In particular, the lack of a backlight is understandable considering the price of the device.
As an Android laptop, certain key features have been reconfigured for easier navigation. For example, the traditional escape button has been replaced with a dedicated back button, reminiscent of the one found on Android smartphones. Similarly, the Windows or Start button has been repurposed to open the app drawer, and the function keys have been replaced with a dedicated browser launch button.
This laptop’s touchpad is made of durable plastic and is surprisingly wide, roughly comparable to a standard 15.6-inch laptop touchpad. It is highly responsive and supports multi-finger gestures such as two-finger swipe for scrolling. Additionally, Primebook offers the flexibility to adjust trackpad sensitivity in settings.
software
Primebook Wi-Fi runs on the Android 11 platform overlaid with the company’s proprietary PrimeOS UI. It harnesses the power of Google’s Android ecosystem, but branches out by featuring its own App Store instead of the traditional Google Play Store. This unique store makes it easy to install compatible Android apps. In particular, popular productivity tools like Google Workspace and Microsoft Office are readily available and well-optimized for laptop interfaces. The company has masterfully adapted all available Android applications to the laptop format, ensuring a consistent user experience.
Plus, you can seamlessly access essential streaming apps like YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix. However, due to the device’s modest 64 GB storage capacity (review unit), users may choose to utilize browser-based versions of certain apps, such as YouTube, and the web versions of these platforms may be the best choice. optimization may not match optimization for dedicated applications.
Importantly, Primebook Wi-Fi stands out with a clean UI free of bloatware and facilitates intuitive navigation reminiscent of Android smartphones. Overall, the device offers a fresh user experience without compromising on ease of use.
performance
The Primebook Wi-Fi laptop is powered by MediaTek MT8183 chip paired with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM. Smoothly handle everyday tasks like working with Google Docs, streaming videos, and browsing the web. App startup isn’t super fast, but it’s fast enough to avoid any inconvenience. However, multitasking poses some challenges to Primebook Wi-Fi. For example, apps start slowly and become unresponsive when multiple browser tabs are open in the background.
In terms of battery performance, the Primebook is impressive. The 4,000mAh battery easily provides 5 hours of usage for document work and web browsing. Demanding activities like video streaming and gaming will consume more battery, but you’ll still get at least 3 hours of use. Charging the device using the included charger takes slightly longer than expected, taking approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes for the battery level to reach full capacity from 5%. Nevertheless, the device’s ability to be charged via the Type-C port further increases its versatility.
verdict
Primebook Wi-Fi offers a unique software experience without sacrificing functionality. Good performance and good battery life make it an attractive choice for those looking for a user-friendly and affordable device. Moreover, its compact and lightweight construction further solidifies its position as a viable alternative to low-cost Android tablets and smartphones.
