CTL 2go Convertible Classmate PC NL2 unboxed and reviewed

Intel has officially launched the CTL 2go Convertible Classmate PC NL2, the latest Classmate PC aimed at kids. However, the specs are anything but skimpy. You get a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) resistive touchscreen display powered by a 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor, 1GB RAM and either 32GB flash or a 2.5-inch HDD.

It also comes with a water-resistant keyboard/touchpad, accelerometer, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), two USB ports and SD card slot. WiMAX, 3G or GPS are also optional. As it’s aimed for kids it has HDD protection, Intel says that you can drop it 60cm without damage (70cm for the flash version). The company quotes 4.8 hours for the 4-cell battery and 8.5 hours for the 6-cell.

Both LaptopMag and Liliputing have reviewed the NL2. Laptop Mag liked the accessible tablet controls, the kid-friendly interface, swivelling webcam and rugged build quality. On the negative side, they found that the resistive screen didn’t always register finger input. Performance was below average and battery life wasn’t great either.

Brad from Liliputing equally had mixed feelings about the NL2. He says that it is “probably the best 10 inch convertible tablet” that he’s tested to date. Build quality was felt to be very good (as needed for a kid-targeted product). However, the touchscreen was a bit sluggish and the display did not rotate quickly enough. Lastly, Nicole from NetbookNews managed to get hands on and shot a quick unboxing video. You can check this out below.