There’s mild, after which there’s mild, and the Dynabook Portege X30L falls into the latter class. Weighing a mere 1.8 kilos, the Portege X30L manages to pack in respectable (if not chart-topping) quad-core Comet Lake efficiency, a shiny 13.3-inch show, fingerprint and facial biometrics, and strong battery life. Productivity-minded customers who wish to journey mild (and have a wholesome price range) will get a kick out of this barely-there laptop computer, though we do want Thunderbolt 3 had been a part of the bundle.
Portege X30L Specs and Features
Dynabook’s 13.3-inch Portege X30L affords many configuration selections. A single off-the-rack mannequin (the Portege X30L-G1331) comes with a quad-core, 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10210U Comet Lake CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive for an inventory value of $1,600 from Dynabook.com. (As of this writing, it was $1,374 with reductions.) Build-to-order choices vary from the Core i5-10210U all the way in which as much as a hex-core i7-10810U CPU. Likewise, you’ll be able to broaden the 8GB of RAM as much as 24GB, or quadruple the SSD storage to 1TB. You might additionally go for a touch-enabled FHD show. No 4K choice is out there, however on a display screen this dimension it is arguably overkill. (A 1440p option would have been nice.)
Our evaluation laptop computer retails for a hefty $2,014 from Dynabook.com as configured, though that value is similar to that of a detailed competitor, the HP Elite Dragonfly. The Portege X30L can also be backed by a three-year guarantee, versus the usual one-year guarantee you’ll get with most mainstream laptops.
Here are the specs on the built-to-order evaluation mannequin we obtained:
- CPU: Quad-core 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10210U
- Memory: 16GB DDR4
- Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 13.3-inch IGZO (470 nits, non-touch), 1920×1080 decision
- Webcam: 720p, twin microphone
- Connectivity: One SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (formerly known as USB 3.2 Gen 2) Type-C port, two SuperSpeed USB (5Gbps, formerly known as USB 3.2 Gen 1) Type-A ports, HDMI, combo audio jack, microSD reminiscence card reader
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit ethernet
- Biometrics: Fingerprint reader and IR facial recognition digital camera
- Battery capability: 42 watt-hour
- Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 1.8 kilos (2.5 kilos with AC adapter)
Overall, that’s a pleasant mixture of mid- and high-end options, notably in relation to the roomy 512GB solid-state drive and the Wi-Fi 6 networking (which suggests you’ll be prepared for bleeding-edge 802.11ax routers). The 16GB of RAM ought to supply loads of headroom for multitasking or having many browser tabs open directly. The quad-core Core i5-10210U ought to ship easy on a regular basis efficiency whereas holding its personal with CPU-intensive actions corresponding to video processing and database crunching. The full-HD show comes with a powerful 470-nit brightness score (in our real-world checks, it scored even increased), nevertheless it isn’t touch-enabled (the elective FHD touchscreen has a considerably decrease 300-nit score).
Of course, the important thing spec to bear in mind right here is weight—a mere 1.8 kilos (that’s our measurement, a tad lighter than the 1.9-pound manufacturing facility specification). That makes the Portege X30L one of many lightest laptops (if not the lightest laptop computer) we’ve ever examined with a full-on U-series Intel processor. The U-series chip permits for increased base clock speeds in comparison with low-power Y-series CPUs, to not point out DDR4 reminiscence assist.
Design
The corporate-focused Dynabook Portege X30L has a few design benefits, however seems isn’t one among them. With its nondescript onyx-blue magnesium chassis, completely flat lid and utilitarian hinge, the X30L jogged my memory of the equally uninteresting (design-wise, anyway) Lenovo ThinkPad sequence, though a minimum of the brand on the ThinkPad sits at a jaunty angle.
The Dynabook Portege X30L isn’t the prettiest laptop computer ever, however boy is it mild.
But the Portege X30L’s finest design characteristic have to be felt somewhat than seen. It feels ridiculously mild, making it a delight to carry in your palms (and even one hand, for that matter). It’s additionally powerful, with Dynabook promising that it exceeds army MIL-STD 810G requirements for drops, shocks, and different environmental hazards.
Display
The Dynabook Portege X30L’s 13.3-inch show is a little bit of a departure from normal show panels in that the TFTs (thin-film transistors) that make up the show include IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) transistors, somewhat than extra typical a-Si (amorphous silicon) transistors. IGZO-TFT shows can obtain the identical brightness as a-Si-TFT screens whereas consuming much less energy, however (as Display Ninja notes) they’re additionally fairly a bit pricier.
Ben Patterson/IDGThe prime show bezel of the Portege X30L packs in a 720p webcam and an IR facial recognition digital camera.
In any occasion, the Portege X30L’s show is actually shiny, measuring about 550 nits (or candelas) in response to our measurements. That far exceeds our 250-nit normal for comfy indoor viewing (I really dialed down the brightness to 36 % whereas utilizing the laptop computer in my eating room). It’s even shiny sufficient to make use of open air on a sunny day (though I nonetheless needed to squint a bit to make out the textual content on a webpage). BThe show additionally boasts nice viewing angles, dimming solely barely when seen from the perimeters or the highest or backside.
The display screen has comparatively slim aspect bezels however considerably chunkier bezels on the highest and backside. Embedded within the prime bezel are two cameras: a 720p webcam with twin microphones, together with a Windows Hello-enabled IR facial recognition digital camera. I used the IR cam to log into Windows for a lot of my testing, and it usually acknowledged my face inside a second or so.
Keyboard, trackpad, speaker, and extras
The Dynabook Portege X30L’s keyboard feels good, with ample journey (the gap a key travels when it’s pressed) and a satisfying tactile bump and springy rebound with every keystroke. The keyboard felt a tad flimsy in comparison with the sturdy really feel of, say, the HP Elite Dragonfly’s keyboard. Then once more, the Elite Dragonfly weighs half-pound greater than the Portege X30L.
Ben Patterson/IDGThe Dynabook Portege X30-L’s backlit keyboard options loads of hotkeys, whereas the touchpad has an built-in fingerprint reader.
The Portege X30L boasts Function-enabled hotkeys for Windows lock, muting the microphone, disabling the trackpad, biking between energy plans, and Airplane mode, though there aren’t any media playback hotkeys. Unusually, the quantity hotkeys sit on the ‘3’ and ‘4’ keys somewhat than on the highest row of perform keys.
The X30L’s trackpad labored easily and with few hiccups. The cursor resisted false inputs on the touchpad. Even once I dragged my palms alongside the underside corners of the trackpad, the cursor solely jumped sporadically, and it virtually by no means jittered throughout the regular course of typing.
Embedded within the prime left nook of the Dynabook Portege X30L’s touchpad is a Windows-enabled fingerprint reader. I alternated between utilizing the fingerprint reader and the X30-L’s IR facial recognition digital camera for unlocking Windows. As with the IR digital camera, the fingerprint reader labored easily for me, usually recognizing my fingerprint inside a break up second or so.
The Portege X30L’s down-firing stereo audio system sounded truthful so far as laptop computer audio system go, loud and fairly detailed on the excessive finish however delivering little in the way in which of bass response. Obviously, the X30L’s sound high quality received’t impress anybody whilst you’re streaming Spotify playlists (you’d be higher off with headphones or an exterior Bluetooth speaker), however they’ll be fantastic for Zoom calls or audio displays.
Speaking of Zoom, the Portege X30L’s 720p webcam delivers colourful, if usually grainy and considerably blotchy video—in different phrases, par for the course, and ample for Skype, Google Meet, or Zoom.
Ports
The Dynabook Portege X30L comes with a fairly various choice of ports contemplating its dimension. On the left aspect, you get a SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (formerly known as USB 3.2 Gen 2) Type-C port, a full HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and a microSD reminiscence card reader. Our evaluation mannequin got here with a USB-C energy adapter. There’s a barrel-shaped charging port too, with an elective matching 45-watt AC adapter.
Ben Patterson/IDGThe left-side ports on the Dynabook Portege X30L embrace a SuperSpeed USB Type-C port, a microSD card reader, and a full HDMI port.
On the suitable aspect sit a pair of SuperSpeed (5Gbps, previously USB 3.2 Gen 1) Type-A ports, a Gigabit ethernet port (not one thing you often see on a laptop computer this slim and light-weight), and a slot for a laptop computer safety cable.
Ben Patterson/IDGOn the suitable aspect of the Portege X30L, you’ll discover two USB Type-A ports and Gigabit ethernet.
All in all, not dangerous, notably in relation to the ethernet and twin USB-A connectors. We’re disenchanted by the dearth of a Thunderbolt 3 port, which we’d usually count on on a laptop computer this dear.
How does a laptop computer this skinny and light-weight carry out? Find out on the following web page.