There are times, it’s necessary to cut off distractions. When a writer, for example, is in creative flow, he or she wouldn’t like to check YouTube for the latest cooking videos, visit Twitter to see trolls having a field day and definitely not spend hours playing the latest video game. It’s necessary to focus on writing.
Similarly, school or college students have (or should have) a routine life most of the year, focussing on worksheets and upcoming examinations. Or take the example of a person who simply likes to read on the laptop. All these users don’t need high-end machine. They need a laptop that will help them achieve their goals with minimum distraction. And that’s exactly why I have been enjoying ASUS BR1100 over the last couple of weeks.
It’s an inexpensive, rugged Windows laptop. I know that’s a lot of words that don’t always go well together. But ASUS has managed to pull this one off with ease. Right from the chassis to ports, the laptop has been designed for a focussed group. One of the most durable options in the market, there is military-grade toughness here, ensuring the laptop survives every drop because the main target group is students. There is a rubber bar on the base which gives added support and makes it easy to grip while the sides are super-strong. Though ASUS has said that the laptop can withstand a drop of four feet and the keyboard can take spills, I haven’t messed it up… not yet.
You get an anti-glare display
Weighing only 1.26 kg, expect thick frames around the display but the machine is for work and work alone. Running the show is Intel Celeron N4500, which can go up to 2.80Ghz. What makes the machine actually run smoothly is the combination of SSD and RAM type. There is 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB PCIe 3.0 SSD, and together they make everything appear to run without any hiccup. Will you be able to play a high-end game? Of course, no. Or Photoshop? Not if you keep adding too many layers.
What you get is top-notch experience with Windows 11. Running Chrome with 10 tabs open will not slow the machine down. The 11.6-inch anti-glare HD LED screen is bright enough for most activities. Also important is the full keyboard experience. The keys have good response and so does the touchpad. There is also a dedicated mute key for the microphone. As for the webcam, there is a physical shutter for privacy.
The laptop comes with a full-size keyboard
Since I spend most of my time typing away, I played around with Microsoft Word inside out and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Other apps that I used were Polarr photo editior, which is for basic editing, and Audacity. But like I said, it’s mainly about focus. So I spent most of my time writing and didn’t explore the net as much as I would have on my regular work machine.
The 25-30 second boot time to desktop is fine and so is memory management. Also included are all the ports any student will need. The speakers are loud enough for everyday work.
Frankly, after a long time I got to play with a machine that doesn’t come with any drawbacks as such. Sure, I can always wish for a faster processor but that’s not the point here. For many this machine will make more sense than a Chromebook, offering around seven hours of screen-on time. ASUS BR1100 is a sturdy and no-nonsense laptop meant for anybody who wants a distraction-free workflow
The machine weighs only 1.26kg
At a glance
Device: ASUS BR1100
Price: Rs 24,999
High notes
- Sturdy and spill-proof
- Excellent keyboard experience
- Good battery life
- Allows one to focus on work
Ports
USB 2.0 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C supports power delivery, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm combo audio jack, RJ45 Gigabit ethernet, DC-in