- By Vikas Yadav
- Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Wings Nuvobook V1 Review: When you have a budget of Rs 35,000 for a laptop, it is natural to have modest expectations. But what if I told you that you can get a thin and light metallic device with a mid-tier Intel processor and USB-C at that price? This was made possible by Wings Lifestyle with their Nuvobook series machines in September this year. We have been testing the offerings for a while and are here with the review of Nuvobook V1.
For the unversed, the V1 gets a 15.6-inch IPS screen, an i5 11th-generation processor, and a high-speed PCIe 4.0 NVMe 512GB SSD. While it seems like a potent machine on paper, there are a few things beyond specs that you should know. So, let's start with the design.
Design and Build:
Straight out of the parcel, the laptop comes in trendy colour options (we received the Blue colour). This machine weighs 1.6 kg and has a thickness of 18.4mm. The body is made of aluminium alloy and offers a matte finish. From the top lid to the bottom frame, the device feels premium from all angles. However, the structure makes minor creaking noises when held from extreme edges. But I would call it a nitpick as it may not bother you.
Considering the price, feedback from the keys while typing is decent. It gets a dedicated numpad which was helpful for calculations. The trackpad supports multi-touch gestures that work like a charm throughout. But, I craved a 180-degree hinge, something offered on the laptop's bigger cousin (Nuvobook Pro), considering I am used to that structure for years.
Display:
Nuvobook V1 features a 15.6-inch FHD IPS LCD 60Hz screen that offers up to 300nits peak brightness, as per the Flipkart listing. The display produces sharp details and good colours. While it does have common traits of LCDs (such as screen bleeding), the quality is much better than I expected. It is well suited for usage indoors and is visible outdoors unless you put it against the sun.
The panel is surrounded by slim bezels which enhances the overall video viewing and casual gaming experience. You can play around with the toggles and the colour filters if the default settings are not what your eyes prefer. In all, considering the price, the display will not disappoint you.
Performance:
The laptop is equipped with an Intel Core i5 11th Gen (1155G7) 2.5GHz CPU with a max turbo frequency of 4.5GHz and Intel Iris Xe graphics. It boasts 8GB of DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 NVMe 512GB SSD. With these specs, the Nuvobook V1 can handle tasks like multiple Chrome tabs, basic video/photo editing for mobile, online video calls and 4K movies without any signs of the CPU's 2+ years of age.
However, when I tried playing 4K videos over the internet in multiple Chrome tabs, the fan kicked in quickly to handle the load. Due to the missing dedicated GPU, you cannot expect the CPU to sail through full-fledged video editing or coding projects. However, making casual graphics in Adobe InDesign was fluid, a plus for students.
Speaking of action-packed racing, while the gameplay in Asphalt 9: Legends was smooth, you cannot expect razor-sharp imagery due to the missing discrete GPU. One thing that deserves an honourable mention is the calm thermals. Despite an hour filled with casual gameplay, 4K HDR playback, and video calls, the heating situation was well under control. To wrap up performance, it can serve students and working professionals who generally engage with basic office and graphical tasks.
It runs on Windows 11 Home and packs all the expected features of the OS you can expect in this budget. Multi-tasking is fine unless you stress the machine with heavy games, HDR videos and more Chrome tabs in one go. Nuvobook V1's HD webcam ships with a Privacy Shutter. The output is average, but this is the story with every laptop in this price range. In terms of connectivity, the machine gets three USB ports (2 x 3.0 and 1 x 2.0), one Type-C port for charging, a headphone jack and an SD card reader for connectivity.
Battery:
The 4,825mAh/55Wh battery can be charged using the 65W USB-C charger. While the company claims a battery life of up to 10 hours, with moderate usage that includes watching movies, YouTube, browsing the internet, casual gaming and more tasks, I was about to clock around seven hours. Recharging the battery pack from 0 to 100 takes more than 2.5 hours with the supplied charger. Considering the cost, I would say the backup is excellent.
Scope Of Improvement:
While you might think this machine deserves a 10/10 in the review, it is not a perfect bet for your cash. Despite the Wings Maxx Signature Audio, the speaker quality is not up to the mark. Plus, while it might seem a nitpick, the company can improve the length and quality of the supplied Type-C. In the current scheme, it feels relatively thin and cheap.
Verdict:
Priced at Rs 34,999 on Flipkart (at the time of filing), you can buy the Wings Nuvobook V1 in four colour options: Blue, Green, Red and Silver. From students to working professionals, the laptop is an entertainment package for binge-watchers and can handle tasks and daily workflow operations like a piece of cake. However, if you are looking for a robust device for gaming or video or photo editing, you might have to shell out more money for an i7 model and a dedicated GPU.
Wings promises a wide network of 350 service centres across 19,000 pin codes, on-site repairs within 48 hours and an online support library to resolve issues. But considering the fresh arrival, time will bear the best testimony for the laptop's long-term success and the company's future plans. Till then you can stay tuned to Jagran English for more reviews.