The Venom BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom: Review
Venom Computers designs laptops from
the ground up to compete with Apple and Microsoft, yet they're also rather
unique. Building a computer is a difficult task requiring a thorough
understanding of current PC components and a large budget to get started.
Still, regardless of how difficult it is for small businesses to break into
this market, consumers are primarily concerned with getting the best value for
their money.
Design
The BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom has a
more traditional design philosophy than the BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom, aimed at
creative professionals. According to the product's specs, it may weigh up to
1.4kg. It's still one of the finest lightweight professional Ultrabooks, but
it's not the king anymore.
Other notable features include two
power supplies, one of which may be left plugged in behind the desk at home or
the office, and the other is a travel bag or briefcase so you can leave the
house or the office faster. The device also comes with a handy USB recovery
disc, making it much easier to get back up and running if the user has to do
periodic machine resets as part of normal usage.
The next item on the feature list is a
very conventional 14-inch Full HD IPS display with an sRGB color gamut, and
this is where things start to seem a bit more predictable. Although 16:9
remains a popular aspect ratio in all sizes, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo,
and MSI have shifted to 4:3, 3:2, or 16:10 on their smaller form factor
devices; This is the case even though 16:9 is still a prevalent form factor in
all sizes.
This is because 16:9 is a cinematic
format, and although it is helpful for video playback, the average web page or
document is around the size of an A4 page. As a result, it takes up nearly
three-quarters of the width of a screen like the BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom's.
Today's greatest laptops' uncomfortable width is turned into vertical space,
allowing you to view more of the web page or document you're working on; This
isn't a deal-breaker, but it's something to think about when you're buying.
The keyboard and trackpad from the
previous edition have been enhanced, and some of the odd layout decisions have
been removed. Both were easy on the shoulders even after prolonged usage and
supplied all a labor tool should. Despite the lack of a fingerprint sensor, the
BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom had Windows Hello Facial Recognition.
The active cooling system is
whisper-quiet even when working at total capacity, and any heat radiating
through the magnesium alloy chassis is confined in the area right above the
keyboard, away from the user's hands.
In addition to the more ubiquitous
USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack interfaces, an HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and
a pair of USB Type-A ports were added. These interface possibilities were vast
compared to today's alternatives, which are limited to using only USB-C. Even
while an HDMI connection isn't as important as once, having one is still a
helpful safety net because it allows you to connect to almost any display and provides
essential plug-and-play compatibility.
Performance
This model completely outperforms the
previous one. Although the GPU performance was less than stellar, the BlackBook
Zero 14 Phantom's battery life is relatively decent. Work benchmarks took an
average of 12 hours and 36 minutes on the 14-inch Ultrabook, while movie
playback took about 14.5 hours. Even though it doesn't compare to Apple's M1
MacBook Air in terms of battery life, it's one of the finest Windows
Ultrabooks.
Price
and availability information for the Venom BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom
With a
starting price of $1,199 for a configuration that includes an 11th-generation
Intel i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 250GB SSD... especially if you are an existing
client with an earlier Venom BlackBook that you can trade in for a $400 credit,
and you have access to this deal.
This basic
model is still a long way from the bargain given by the Apple MacBook Air's
more powerful starting configuration, which costs $999; This isn't precisely a
critique of Venom, given that no other Windows-based system came close to
competing with the 2020 M1 Air.
The
BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom is available in various configurations, including an
11th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a one terabyte
solid-state drive for 1,699 USD. A
solid-state drive with one terabyte of storage space will more than fulfill the
demands of the great majority of individuals for a business laptop. You can
raise the SSD or RAM allocations further from this point if you have a
specified need list.
Verdict
The Venom BlackBook Zero 14 is a fantastic option for you to consider if you don't need to edit photographs or movies and want a lightweight work PC that is handy and long-lasting. You'll have to tolerate a lower screen resolution than comparable items currently on the market, and the model we tested indicated some performance concerns in some activities. It's also a little late to be releasing a laptop with an Intel 11th-generation CPU, which means you'll be able to get a better value if you shop around for discounted Ultrabooks.