Netbooks continue to survive in the cozy niche of education, being just the right size and in the right price range for schools and families that want an inexpensive way to augment learning with technology. The 2go PC NL3 Classmate PC ($631.49 list), like the recently reviewed DirAction NL3 Classmate PC , is built to Intel's Classmate PC criteria and is outfitted with a swiveling touch screen and educational software. Compared with the DirAction NL3, the 2go PC NL3 cuts a few corners with fewer software offerings and less storage space, but makes up for it elsewhere with faster performance, a speedy solid-state drive (SSD), and a better display.
Design
The 2go NL3 looks nearly identical to the DirAction NL3 because they use the same chassis so as to fit into Intel's Classmate PC specifications. Externally, the only differences are the badges that indicate the brand. The 2go NL3 thus features the same kid friendly (and kid-proof) design with a ruggedized molded plastic chassis, spill-resistant keyboard with antimicrobial coating and scratch resistant touchscreen, and a swiveling screen that allows the small PC to be used as a netbook, tablet, and ereader. An integrated handle makes it easy to carry, and the removable battery can be swapped out by the user.
The 10.1-inch screen boasts 1,366-by-768 resolution, a step up from the lower resolution seen on the DirAction NL3 and similar to the display on the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 (Intel Atom Z690) . The resistive touch screen isn't as responsive as the capacitive touch displays seen on the Kupa X11 Pro Tablet , but it's usable, especially when using the included stylus. And for those worried about students losing the stylus, the 2go NL3 includes both onboard storage and a stylus tether. The icons may need to be scaled up a bit for a more touch-friendly experience, but otherwise, the touch support and handwriting recognition are implemented fairly well.
Features
The differences between the two reside a bit deeper than the chassis, laying instead in the components and software. The 2go NL3 comes with two USB 2.0 ports, VGA and HDMI output, a 10/100 Fast Ethernet port, and mic and headphone jacks. A covered SIM card port also opens up the possibility of 3G connectivity. Even without a SIM card, the 2go NL3 still offers 802.11n Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth 2.1. A swiveling webcam sits atop the screen, ready to be used in either laptop or tablet modes, but it's a 1.3-megapixel camera instead of the 2-megapixel offered by DirAction NL3.
The 2go NL3 is outfitted with a 64GB solid-state drive, which adds some speed to an otherwise sluggish system. On the software side, the system is at a disadvantage, coming with ArtRage 2, Foxit eReader, and NoteTaker preinstalled, along with Microsoft Security Essentials. The 2go PC does not include LabCam or Microsoft Mathematics, two of the more useful educational tools offered on the DirAction.
Performance
The 2go NL3 is available with up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, which is a tad confusing, since the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N2600 dual-core processor will support no more than 2GB. Despite this head-scratcher, the 2go NL3 performed reasonably well for an Atom-powered netbook, scoring 1,138 points in PCMark 7, ahead of the DirAction NL3's 696 points. In Cinebench, the dual-core processor scored 0.51 points, identical to the DirAction NL3, and ahead of the Kupa X11 Pro Tablet as well as the Fujitsu Q550 (Intel Atom Z690), and just ahead of comparable netbooks like the Dell Latitude 2120 and the Acer Aspire One D260-1270 .
Using the Intel Atom's integrated graphics processing, the 2go NL3 supported DirectX 9 (DX9), but was couldn't run Lost Planet 2 or Crysis. In 3DMark 06, the 2go NL3 scored 369 points with medium details and 1,024-by-768 resolution. Despite the higher resolution display, the integrated graphics were still unable to run the test at higher settings.
Battery life on the 2go NL3 is actually improved over that of the DirAction NL3, lasting 9 hours 42 minutes, nearly an hour-and-a-half longer than the DirAction NL3's 8:18 using identical 56Wh 6-cell batteries. This difference in battery life can be attributed to the improved energy efficiency of the 64GB SSD. The 2go NL3's battery life also pulls ahead of the 9:04 of the Acer Aspire One D260-1270 with its 49Wh battery, and other comparable Windows tablets and netbooks, all of which fall in the 7- to 8-hour range.
When stacked against the DirAction NL3, there are differences and trade-offs with the 2go PC NL3 Classmate PC, such as a less robust software selection and lower-resolution camera, but the speedier performance and improved battery life balance it out. While the 2go NL3 Classmate PC may be a bit pricier than your average Atom-based netbook, the touch-screen functionality and convertible form-factor mare than make up for it, and it remains significantly less expensive than comparable Windows tablets. Like the DirAction NL3, the 2go NL3 is a solid teaching tool, both for teaching students about technology and then using that technology to educate them in other areas. The performance may not be impressive, but as an affordable standardized resource for educators, it should be a welcome addition to the classroom. Outside of the classroom, however, the Editors' Choice for budget systems remains the Acer Aspire 5349-2635, which is far more affordable at nearly half the price.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the 2go Convertible NL3 Classmate PC with several other laptops side by side.
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