Inexpensive widescreen semi-rugged notebook
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Founded in 2002, Averatec initially concentrated on offering stylish notebook computers at low prices and has recently branched out into new form factor desktops, ultra-mobile PCs, GPS devices and other handheld electronics. In April of 2008, Averatec announced its entry into the semi-rugged notebook market.

The Averatec Voya 6400 Series is a fairly compact semi-rugged notebook with a 15.4-inch wide-format display that weighs a reasonable 6.4 pounds. It runs Windows Vista Home Premium on a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor. Base RAM is 2GB of DDR2 RAM, expandable to 4GB. The machine has good connectivity with three USB 2.0 ports on the right side, FireWire, a PCI Express slot, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, a Smart Card reader and even a SIM card slot for cellular communication. There is a 250GB Serial ATA hard disk and a SuperMulti dual layer DVD burner that opens toward the front. For video conferencing, the machine has an integrated 1.3 megapixel vidcam.

The handsomeluy designed 6400 Series has a magnesium alloy outer case, a spill-resistant keyboard and touchpad, and a shock-mounted hard drive. Averatec claims "military grade drop and vibration resistance" but we have not seen detailed specs yet.

Pricing starts at US$1,599, a fair price for a notebook that has a 1280 x 800 pixel wide-format display, a good deal more power than Averatec's basic 4400 Series and provides some extra protection against bumps, spills and bruises. The addition of a Smart Card reader and a SIM card slot offer security and communication options not universally available.