Back to Basic with Viewsonic VPC100

The Viewsonic VPC100 is pitched as a no-frills all-in-one (AIO) PC, suitable for users who are happy with a basic set of features.

Like other AIOs with netbook components, the VPC100 comes with Intel Atom processor and 1GB RAM. That is good enough for light-duty tasks like Web surfing, e-mail and word processing, though I found the computer sluggish for duties like raw photo processing. Exporting 27 Adobe digital negative files of 12 megapixel resolution to JPEG took more than seven minutes.

Nevertheless, this AIO was powerful enough to play back 720-pixel clips on its 18.5-inch screen. I tried playing some 1,280 X 720 pixel DivX 6 files and the video was smooth without stuttering. I did wish there were control buttons to adjust setting like brightness and contrast.

The screen bezel does extend quite a bit from the screen at the bottom; presumably that contains the innards of the computer. As a result, the VPC100 is pleasingly slim, at less than 4cm thick.

However, as the bezel is rather large, black and glossy, I tend to notice the reflections on it. That, combined with an even more reflective sliver strip going across the whole bezel, can be distracting at times. Perhaps an all-black, matt design would have been better.

For peripherals, there is the optical drive which can also write DVDs and a four-in-one card reader which would be useful for transferring images shot with your compact camera. There are four USB ports, which would be quite adequate if you need to connect just a printer.

There is also gigabit Ethernet and 802.11g wireless connectivity for hooking up to networks, as well as a built-in webcam for Skyping and video conferencing.

One note about the supplied keyboard – I was a little surprised to find some Backspace key; hopefully this is restricted to just the review set.

Final Say
Not the most powerful or exciting computer around but performs lightweight duties decently.

By Mike Lee

Related Articles

• Sony Vaio X mobile PC