But no matter how difficult it is for small businesses to get a foothold in this market, consumers are primarily interested in getting the best value for their money.
Design
Instead of targeting creative professionals, the BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom follows a more conventional design philosophy. A look at the product’s specifications shows that it can weigh 1.4kg. Although it’s still among the best lightweight professional ultrabooks, it’s no longer the king. Other features that stand out include two power supplies, which allow you to leave one plugged in behind the desk at home or at the office and the other in a travel bag or briefcase so that you may leave the house or the office more quickly. The device also includes a convenient USB recovery disc, which makes it much simpler to start again in the event that the user needs to do periodic device resets as part of normal operation. A pretty standard 14-inch Full HD IPS display that has a sRGB color gamut is the next item on the specification sheet, and it’s when things start to seem a little more predictable. 16:9 is still a really common form factor in all sizes, but Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, and MSI have all switched to 4:3, 3:2, or 16:10 aspect ratios on at least their smaller form factor devices. This is despite the fact that 16:9 is still a really common form factor in all sizes. This is due to the fact that 16:9 is a cinematic format, and while it is functional for the playback of media, the typical web page or document is roughly the size of an A4 page, and as a result, it occupies approximately three quarters of the width of a screen such as the one found on the BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom. The awkward width of today’s best laptops is converted into vertical space, making it possible to see more of the web page or document you are working on. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it is something to keep in mind when shopping. The previous iteration’s keyboard and trackpad have been improved, with some of the peculiar layout decisions being eliminated in the process. Both were easy on the shoulders even over extended use and provided all one may require from a tool for labor. Even though there was no fingerprint sensor available, the BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom did come with Windows Hello Facial Recognition. Even while operating at full capacity, the active cooling system is whisper quiet, and any heat that does radiate through the magnesium alloy chassis is contained in the area directly above the keyboard, where it is safe from contact with the user’s palms. A HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a couple of USB Type-A ports were included in addition to the more common USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack ports. These interface options were extensive in comparison to the options available today, which are limited to using only USB-C. Even though having an HDMI port isn’t as as necessary as it was a few years ago, having one is still a good safety net because it allows you to hook into pretty much any monitor and provides you with basic plug and play compatibility.
Performance
The previous model is completely outclassed by this one. The BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom’s battery life is actually quite good, despite the fact that the GPU performance was less than impressive. The 14-inch Ultrabook gets an average of 12 hours and 36 minutes of work benchmarks, while movie playback was approximately 14.5 hours long. Even though it’s a long way off from Apple’s M1 MacBook Air in terms of battery life, it’s one of the best ultrabooks you can get that runs on Windows.
Price and Availability
The 2022 BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom is, at the very least, priced in a reasonable range, 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 a current customer with an older Venom BlackBook that you can trade in for a credit in the amount of $400 and you have access to this offer. This entry unit is still some distance away from the value offered by the more powerful starting configuration of the Apple MacBook Air, which retails for $999. However, considering that no other Windows-based system came close to competing with the 2020 M1 Air, this is not exactly a criticism of Venom. The BlackBook Zero 14 Phantom is available in a variety of configurations, so for $1,699 you can get an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, double the amount of RAM to 16 gigabytes, and switch to a 1 terabyte solid-state drive. For the vast majority of people, a solid-state drive with 1 terabyte of storage capacity will more than meet their needs for a work laptop. However, if you have a specific requirement list, you can increase the SSD or RAM allocations further from this point.
Verdict
If you have no need for editing photos or videos and simply want a lightweight work PC that is convenient and long-lasting, then the Venom BlackBook Zero 14 is an excellent option for you to consider. You will be required to accept a lower screen resolution in comparison to other products currently available on the market, and the model that was put through its paces during our testing revealed some performance issues in certain activities. It is also very late to be launching a laptop with an Intel processor of the 11th generation, which means that you will be able to find a better deal if you look around for discounted ultrabooks. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Maina Wilson
