Wal-Mart just doesn’t typically carry the kinds of electronics that drive consumers right to their stores outside of your typical game consoles, but for the first time, they might actually be worth a look. They recently started carrying the Nextbook Flexx 10, and bizarre spelling of Flex aside, the laptop is the strangest I have encountered in awhile. With a 10.1” screen, it’s not exactly appealing to the hardcore gamer crowd, but it does offer a price point and features list that is sure to appeal to a broad range of consumers.
Featuring 2 gigs of ram and a 32 gig hard drive, the Flexx 10 doesn’t immediately stand out as a crowd pleaser, but it features a detachable keyboard turning it into a fully functioning tablet that weights an astonishing 1.5 pounds. Considering the iPad weighs about a full pound by itself, finding a hybrid that costs less than half of what the iPad does with a comparable weight is almost unheard of. Even after you reattach the keyboard, the whole setup weights around 3 pounds, which is light enough to be carried around all day without weighing you down.
Working off the ten inch screen isn’t as straining as one might expect if yore coming from a larger laptop. Even the 1,280×800 resolution doesn’t really subtract from the overall vibrancy of the screen for daily use, which is great considering that Nextbook (formerly E Fun) is trying to market their laptop/tablet hybrid to casual gamers, avid movie watchers, and writers.
So you’ve got this 2 in 1 that performs relatively well, even if it isn’t a powerhouse. Where does the mass appeal come in? It’s price point, which pits this against Chromebooks for price considering that it falls under $200 for a new model (assuming you don’t splurge for the 11” model). Couple an under $200 price and the fact that it comes with a year subscription to Microsoft 365, it makes it a hard laptop to pass up. Even if you already have a dedicated machine, having one like this in your arsenal isn’t a bad idea. If anything, it makes for the ideal road companion on longer trips.
The 10” model is also a bit of a rarity in the world of compact laptops, especially hybrids with 3 USB ports. With two full sized ports and a mini USB port, the Flexx 10 is not shy about flaunting it’s connection capabilities and it certainly makes the case that even Apple with their latest Macbook could have spent a little more time fitting in more than just one USB port.
All in all, I’d have to recommend it as long as you’re not set on only using a Macbook Pro. It works well and although Nextbook isn’t a household name yet, they are a company you should keep your eye on. Chances are they’ll be rolling out other models in the near future that continue to impress, especially when considering their price.
Photo credit: Nextbook
