NEC launches 13.3-inch VersaPro J UltraLite type VG ultrabooks with Comet Lake-U CPUs under 900 grams

We do not hear of NEC too often these days, but when we do, it usually has to involve a new thin and light laptop model launched in Japan. NEC used to be a stand-alone laptop OEM among other things back in the day, but the Japanese company joined forces with Lenovo to consolidate its position in the Japanese market in the early 2010s. The joint venture with Lenovo ensures that at least some of the laptop models can get to the Western market. Speaking of thin and light laptops, NEC’s latest VersaPro J UltraLite type VG was just announced with some of the lightest chassis in the industry combined with Intel Comet Lake-U processors and an impressive battery life.

The new VersaPro J UltraLite type VG ultrabooks can be equipped with either the i5-10210U or the i7-10510U quad-core / octa-thread CPUs integrating Intel’s UHD Graphics GPUs. Users can opt for 8 or 16 GB of soldered LPDDR3 RAM, while the storage options include 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB NVMe SSD solutions. NEC does not offer too many details about the IPS display apart from it being 13.3-inch in diagonal, with FHD resolution and non-glare finish.

For the chassis to be as light as possible, NEC makes use of a special magnesium alloy, which allows for total weights as low as 1.79 lbs (814 g) with an L battery or 1.91 lbs (868 g) with an LL battery, and it is 0.65 inches (16.7 mm) thick. NEC claims that the LL battery can last up to 24 hours, while the L battery can provide 15 h of juice. Both Lithium-Ion batteries come with fast charging function via the USB-C connector, allowing them to charge to 80% in around 1 hour.

Even with a thin and light frame like this, the VersaPro J UltraLite type VG still offers standard features like dual speakers with Yamaha AudioEngine, a fingerprint scanner and a webcam compatible with most authentication software. Additionally, there is support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, plus an optional SIM-free LTE connection. On the port side, we find a USB-C 3.1 connector with charging capabilities and DisplayPort mode and a USB-C 3.0 connector with power delivery, an HDMI output, plus an audio combo jack and a microSD card reader.

These new models are expected to ship on August 24, but prices are a bit high even for the Japanese market. The default i5-10210U model is priced at ~US$1,800, but if you want the best configuration with the i7-10510U CPU, it will set you back ~US$3,250. Hopefully the prices can be adjusted for the Western market, when these models get exported.