Trigem Averatec N1200

Trigem Averatec N1200

Trigem doesn’t come out with laptops all that often, and when it does, they’re usually inexpensive and stylish, but just miss the mark in one aspect or another. The company’s latest effort, the Averatec N1200, continues this pattern. While this $349 netbook sports a gorgeous aluminum lid and is considerably lighter than the competition, its wimpy two-cell battery just doesn’t cut the mustard. Don’t even think about buying the N1200 without the six-cell battery (bringing the cost to $379). Yet even with that necessity there are other weaknesses that will cause many netbook shoppers to pass. Reminiscent of the HP Mini 5102, the Averatec N1200 has a brushed magnesium alloy lid that not only repels fingerprints, but also makes the system more rugged than the typical all-plastic netbook. It adds a touch of class, too, and we like the subtle Averatec logo. In fact, the N1200 looks cooler and sleeker than most systems in its class. The bottom of the system is a matte black plastic, as is the keyboard. Netbooks are known for their small size and weight, but at 10.7 x 6.5 x 0.9 inches and 2.2 pounds the N1200 is thinner and lighter than most. Of course, this is partially due to the fact that the configuration we tested has a two-cell battery—smaller than on most netbooks these days.