Armored Core
Tough and tight all around
"They don't make things like they used to" is an adage often said by old folks when describing the quality of almost everything new. From clothes to cameras and from food to footwear, a lot of mass produced items today are meant to last for less than three years, tops... that is unless, if you own something like the Red Fox Duranote.
From its simple dark blue shell you can't say or see anything striking about the Duranote. Ports are standard as with the non-widescreen LCD and the keyboard. The touchpad and speakers are also nonchalantly placed on the surface. In simple speak, the overall look of this laptop is generic: words to the wise though, don't judge this notebook by its cover.
The AMD Sempron processor makes for incredibly zippy performance. Commonly used apps like Windows Media Player and Limewire open in a snap, giving the illusion that it's running on more than the paltry 512MB RAM. We also ran several video conversion software simultaneously without slowing down.
For multimedia applications, the Duranote proves to be a little tepid. The built-in speakers, as expected, aren't up to snuff and are barely audible, the screen lacked brightness and the 2.5kg weight just isn't right for traveling.
However, the real deal with this lappy is in testing its drop, shock, and spill resistant claims. We poured a quarter of a glassful of water on the keyboard, touchpad, and the speakers – no sparks. We dropped the unit five times from a height of six inches to a solid wooden table – ok! We shook it violently as we encoded megs and megs of video files – no hang-ups. We even let at 150lb. man stand on the lid for 10 seconds – no cracks. The Duranote was able to withstand every torture test without a scratch, literally.
Looking for a laptop that'll last you for a good century or so? This is it - if you're not too eager to ride the Vista train, that is. Joey Tuazon
RED FOX DURANOTE | P37,000
www.asiantech.com
TECH Mobile AMD Sempron 1.6Ghz. 512MB RAM. 40GB Anti-shock mounted HDD. Combo Drive. Wi-Fi g. 14.1-inch XGA LCD. VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP video card. 313x257x36mm. 2.5kg
LOVE Tough as nails build with a lower-than-Barry-White’s-voice price.
HATE Pound for pound the heaviest laptop we’ve reviewed.
WE SAY Budget consciousness meets build quality and power performance.
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T3 Magazine Philippines - July 2007 Issue
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 REDFOX DURANOTE
Sizing up
The magnesium alloy case makes this laptop one tough son of a gun. With its weight though, it feels like a bazooka.
257mm x 313mm x 36mm
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