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Trekstor Primebook C13 (N3350, HD500) Laptop Review

Low price and good design. But what about performance? Everyone is supposed to be able to afford the Trekstor Primebook C13, which should come with a strong hardware configuration. We have reviewed the 13-inch convertible and reveal what you can expect from this bargain-bin device.

With the Primebook C13, the manufacturer Trekstor has a low-priced 13-inch convertible on offer. The price-to-performance ratio is aimed at buyers who pay attention not only to the cost but also to the design, and who can live with low hardware specs. 

With Intel’s Celeron N3350 processor and its integrated graphics unit known as the Intel HD Graphics 500 as well as 4 GB of RAM, the device is suitable only for simple applications. Office work and Internet-browsing should not cause any problems. People for whom 64 GB of internal eMMC storage is enough can upgrade the SSD via the externally-accessible M.2 slot.

We have selected a few other budget convertibles for this review. The devices we chose are powered by Intel’s Celeron or Atom CPUs. These devices include: The Spin 1 from Acer, the Asus Transformer Book, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Miix 320 and the Akoya E2228T from Medion.

Trekstor Primebook C13 (Primebook Series)
Processor
Intel Celeron N3350 2 x 1.1 - 2.4 GHz, Apollo Lake
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, capacitive, 10-point multi-touch, PBTB133F006-A, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Apollo Lake
Storage
SanDisk DF4064, 64 GB 
, 50 GB free
Soundcard
RealTek ALC269 @ Intel Apollo Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: microphone/headphone combo audio jack, Card Reader: MicroSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: gyroscope, Hall-sensor
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 15 x 320 x 210 ( = 0.59 x 12.6 x 8.27 in)
Battery
40.7 Wh, 5500 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2 MP, 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chicklet-style, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.39 kg ( = 49.03 oz / 3.06 pounds), Power Supply: 125 g ( = 4.41 oz / 0.28 pounds)
Price
319 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

Webcam shot
Webcam shot

The Primebook C13 is very well-built. All the joints are level and clean. Nothing creaks or wobbles. The matte silver case looks appealing. Two 360-degree hinges ensure that the display can stay in a set position. The device is usable in both tablet and laptop modes. 

The Primebook C13 offers only a limited set of options for connecting external devices. The convertible can be connected to an external monitor via Micro-HDMI. USB ports are also available. All USB ports use the USB 3.1 standard. One of the ports is a Type-C port. 

To expand the storage capacity of the laptop you can either put in an M.2 SSD (an M.2 slot is located behind a maintenance hatch) or insert an SD card. SD cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB are supported. The read and write speeds are low. The M.2 slot has a length of 42 mm and can be accessed through the maintenance hatch on the underside of the device.

For wireless communication, the Primebook C13 relies on Intel’s Dual Band Wireless-AC 3265. This Wi-Fi module supports the fast Wireless-AC standard. However, it can only achieve transfer speeds of up to 345 Mbit/s because of its simple 1x1 antenna. When compared to the competing devices, this result is still fast and is on the normal level for a device in this price range.

The webcam can only be used as a stop-gap solution. Videos and photos are poorly-resolved and any sort of fast motion causes excessive amounts of blur.

Size Comparison

320 mm / 12.6 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.4 kg3.06 lbs298 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 20.3 mm / 0.799 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs278 mm / 10.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 18.3 mm / 0.72 inch 1.1 kg2.51 lbs259 mm / 10.2 inch 170 mm / 6.69 inch 14 mm / 0.551 inch 770 g1.698 lbs250 mm / 9.84 inch 183 mm / 7.2 inch 17.5 mm / 0.689 inch 1 kg2.31 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Ports

Left side: one USB 3.1 (Type-C) port, MicroHDMI-out, one USB 3.1 port
Left side: one USB 3.1 (Type-C) port, MicroHDMI-out, one USB 3.1 port
Right side: power button, MicroSD card reader, one USB 3.1 port, headphone jack, DC power socket
Right side: power button, MicroSD card reader, one USB 3.1 port, headphone jack, DC power socket
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
57 MB/s +151%
Trekstor Primebook C13
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
22.7 MB/s
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
21.8 MB/s -4%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Trekstor Primebook C13
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
35.2 MB/s
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
30.2 MB/s -14%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Trekstor Primebook C13
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
345 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
272 MBit/s -21%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
271 MBit/s -21%
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
235 MBit/s -32%
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
214 MBit/s -38%
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
338 MBit/s +8%
Trekstor Primebook C13
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
314 MBit/s
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
308 MBit/s -2%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
297 MBit/s -5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
289 MBit/s -8%

Input Devices

The keyboard of the Primebook C13 offers a very short travel distance. However, it does have a firm actuation point. The layout lends itself well to fast typing and does not lead to any misstrokes, which can be attributed to the keyboard, during long typing sessions. The Primebook C13 uses a ClickPad as a replacement for the mouse. The touch inputs and gestures register well and the clickable areas of the pad also respond very well. The fingerprint sensor built into the ClickPad is somewhat obtrusive. That being said, it recognizes fingerprints in a fast and reliable fashion.  

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The screen of the Primebook C13 has a resolution of 1920x1080. Above all, our measurements show that the display has a low brightness. However, this also applies to other low-priced convertibles. Because of a reflective screen surface, it can be difficult to read the screen content in brightly-lit environments. The contrast ratio is on the normal level for a device with this price tag.

215
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
208
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
193
cd/m²
205
cd/m²
204
cd/m²
213
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
PBTB133F006-A tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 220 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 206.7 cd/m² Minimum: 11.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 201 cd/m²
Contrast: 914:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.73 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
61% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
93.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.46
Trekstor Primebook C13
PBTB133F006-A, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
AU Optronics B116HAN05.0, , 1920x1080, 11.60
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
YF102, MS_9003, , 1920x1200, 10.10
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
AU Optronics AUO20D4, , 1280x800, 10.10
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Chi Mei N116HSE-EJ1, , 1920x1080, 11.60
Display
-23%
-15%
-18%
-14%
Display P3 Coverage
65.4
49.67
-24%
54.2
-17%
53.4
-18%
59.3
-9%
sRGB Coverage
93.3
72.6
-22%
81.4
-13%
76.9
-18%
77.3
-17%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.9
51.4
-23%
56
-16%
55.3
-17%
56.5
-16%
Response Times
14%
619%
-12%
-10%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39 ?(19, 20)
36 ?(19, 17)
8%
32 ?(14, 18)
18%
29 ?(16, 13)
26%
30 ?(15, 15)
23%
Response Time Black / White *
30 ?(17, 13)
24 ?(14, 10)
20%
24 ?(13, 11)
20%
28 ?(15, 13)
7%
22 ?(12, 10)
27%
PWM Frequency
990 ?(20)
19000 ?(90)
1819%
294 ?(80)
-70%
200 ?(90)
-80%
Screen
13%
-0%
31%
26%
Brightness middle
201
251
25%
251
25%
530
164%
504
151%
Brightness
207
247
19%
244
18%
491
137%
497
140%
Brightness Distribution
88
86
-2%
79
-10%
88
0%
86
-2%
Black Level *
0.22
0.21
5%
0.33
-50%
0.46
-109%
0.52
-136%
Contrast
914
1195
31%
761
-17%
1152
26%
969
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.6
4.27
35%
5.34
19%
4.33
34%
4.48
32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.39
11
11%
9.91
20%
7.32
41%
9.38
24%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.73
3.77
51%
6.04
22%
3.51
55%
1.63
79%
Gamma
2.46 89%
2.26 97%
3.23 68%
2.36 93%
2.41 91%
CCT
7864 83%
6524 100%
7491 87%
7007 93%
6715 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
61
47
-23%
51
-16%
50
-18%
51
-16%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
93
72
-23%
81
-13%
77
-17%
77
-17%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
1% / 6%
201% / 113%
0% / 14%
1% / 12%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 77 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
39 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 990 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 990 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 990 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

sRGB color space - 93%
sRGB color space - 93%
Adobe RGB color space - 61%
Adobe RGB color space - 61%

The Primebook C13 is not usable outside. The environment is reflected by the display to such an extent that it is nearly impossible to make out anything on the screen. The display of our review device is plagued by reflections not only outdoors but also indoors. No other device in this price range covers 90% of the sRGB color space.

CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Screenshot - LatencyMonitor
Screenshot - LatencyMonitor

Our review device uses the Celeron N3350 as the CPU and Intel’s HD Graphics 500 as the GPU. With 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage space, this is the only hardware configuration in which the Trekstor Primebook C13 is available (there is also an LTE variant of this laptop). However, the manufacturer did provide a comfortable way to expand the storage capacity.

You can increase the amount of available storage space by up to 128 GB by means of a MicroSD card. Besides this, there is also a maintenance hatch on the underside of the device behind which lies an M.2 SSD slot with a length of 42 mm. You can find appropriate SSDs with a storage capacity of up to 256 GB in Trekstor’s online store.

An M.2 slot...
An M.2 slot...
...on the underside of the device
...on the underside of the device

Processor

The Celeron N3350 is a dual-core processor with a Turbo frequency of 2.4 GHz. However, this clock rate can only be achieved with appropriate cooling. Passively cooled devices drop the clock speed down to 1.1 GHz. Our review device is passively cooled. This is why it can only run at its maximum clock speed for a short time. When the CPU is not taxed, the clock rate is relatively constant at 1.7 GHz.

0102030405060708090Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

Our review device delivers good results in the Cinebench R15 benchmark. With 88 points in the multi-core benchmark, its score is slightly above average when compared to other devices with Intel’s Celeron N3350. A comparison with the competing devices shows that you can expect even more performance from cheaper convertibles. 

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Intel Celeron N3450
48 Points +7%
Trekstor Primebook C13
Intel Celeron N3350
45 Points
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
31 Points -31%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
28 Points -38%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
28 Points -38%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Intel Celeron N3450
135 Points +53%
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
100 Points +14%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
97 Points +10%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
92 Points +5%
Trekstor Primebook C13
Intel Celeron N3350
88 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
45 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
88 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
13.9 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

In day-to-day use, the Primebook C13 runs very smoothly. Simple tasks are performed quickly, folders open without any delays and even Internet-browsing presents no problems for the convertible. Our benchmark results confirm this impression. In the PCMark 8 benchmark, our review device achieves the best score among the competing devices. 

You can find out what kind of performance other devices with Intel’s Celeron N3350 can achieve on our CPU Benchmarks page.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Trekstor Primebook C13
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
1629 Points
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1587 Points -3%
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3450, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1530 Points -6%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1303 Points -20%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350, SanDisk DF4128
1264 Points -22%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1629 points
Help

Storage Device

The Primebook C13 comes equipped with 64 GB of eMMC flash memory. With its comparatively good write and read rates, it makes a positive contribution to the responsiveness of the system. Other convertibles with eMMC flash memory are at least 15% slower.

You can find out how the Primebook C13’s storage device stacks up against other HDDs and SSDs on our HDD/SSD Benchmarks page.

Trekstor Primebook C13
SanDisk DF4064
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
SanDisk DF4128
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
128 GB eMMC Flash
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
64 GB eMMC Flash
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-71%
-30%
-16%
-20%
Read Seq
265.4
109.1
-59%
92.7
-65%
139
-48%
119.3
-55%
Write Seq
113.8
107.3
-6%
54.5
-52%
54.1
-52%
41.38
-64%
Read 512
207.2
35.89
-83%
68.6
-67%
121
-42%
101.3
-51%
Write 512
85.9
45.28
-47%
39.86
-54%
44.39
-48%
34.28
-60%
Read 4k
5.212
0.482
-91%
6.705
29%
9.935
91%
10.74
106%
Write 4k
9.903
1.037
-90%
8.555
-14%
9.877
0%
11.3
14%
Read 4k QD32
32.26
1.003
-97%
32.71
1%
30.03
-7%
14.76
-54%
Write 4k QD32
13.83
1.043
-92%
11.5
-17%
10.67
-23%
14.57
5%
SanDisk DF4064
Sequential Read: 265.4 MB/s
Sequential Write: 113.8 MB/s
512K Read: 207.2 MB/s
512K Write: 85.9 MB/s
4K Read: 5.212 MB/s
4K Write: 9.903 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 32.26 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 13.83 MB/s

Graphics Card

You cannot expect a whole lot of performance from Intel’s integrated HD Graphics 500. Nevertheless, the performance is quite good when compared to other cheap convertibles. The Primebook C13 delivers the best results when compared to the devices that we have selected for this review.

You can learn what kind of performance you can expect from Intel’s HD Graphics 500 on our GPU Benchmarks page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Trekstor Primebook C13
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
543 Points
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3450
368 Points -32%
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
349 Points -36%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
297 Points -45%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
292 Points -46%
3DMark 11 Performance
599 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Intel’s HD Graphics 500 is a budget graphics adapter that is not fit for running demanding video games. All of the games we tested were unplayable. However, simple, casual games from the Windows Store can be run smoothly.

To learn what kind of gaming experience you can expect from Intel’s HD Graphics 500, visit our Gaming Benchmarks page.


low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 22.5 9.6

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

Because the Primebook C13 has no fan, there is no fan noise to talk about. However, in very quiet environments you can hear a soft buzzing sound coming from the place where the CPU is located. This phenomenon is most pronounced under load.

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

When idle, the fanless Primebook C13 remains very cool. However, it can get quite hot under load. On the underside of the device, we measured temperatures of up to 50 °C (122 °F). Nevertheless, our review device is still able to maintain its performance. 

At the end of our one-hour stress test, the device stopped registering both key strokes and mouse clicks. According to HWiNFO, the CPU clock rate stood at 1.6 GHz at that time and the core temperatures exceeded the 90-degree Celsius mark. Because such extreme loads are very unlikely to occur during normal use, you should not be concerned about crashes on account of high temperatures.

Max. Load
 41 °C
106 F
32 °C
90 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
 40.5 °C
105 F
32 °C
90 F
27.2 °C
81 F
 
 36.4 °C
98 F
31 °C
88 F
27.3 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 41 °C = 106 F
Average: 32.8 °C = 91 F
28.4 °C
83 F
32.6 °C
91 F
35.8 °C
96 F
28.2 °C
83 F
31.7 °C
89 F
35 °C
95 F
28 °C
82 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31.8 °C
89 F
Maximum: 35.8 °C = 96 F
Average: 31.4 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  47.6 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 22.5 °C = 73 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.8 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 35.8 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.4 °C / 97.5 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-8.3 °C / -14.9 F).
Heat distribution at idle - upper side
Heat distribution at idle - upper side
Heat distribution at idle - underside
Heat distribution at idle - underside
Heat distribution under load - upper side
Heat distribution under load - upper side
Heat distribution under load - underside
Heat distribution under load - underside

Speakers

You can play back audio content, with a few limitations. Even though the Primebook C13 lacks when it comes to bass, the mids and the highs are reproduced quite well. Naturally, you are not going to get a clean and saturated sound with a device like this. But, the sound you do get is neither tinny nor hollow.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.941.242.92541.539.941.53135.231.835.24036.831.736.85035.42935.46337.231.137.28037.528.737.510037.63037.612538.325.538.316039.525.439.52004224.4422504223.24231546.122.446.140049.421.549.450053.620.253.663057.919.957.980061.21961.2100067.418.567.4125063.617.963.6160063.817.263.8200063.91763.9250063.716.863.7315061.616.861.6400063.716.763.750006516.665630065.416.765.480006516.8651000060.516.760.51250053.216.753.21600045.616.845.6SPL75.630.175.6N35.61.435.6median 60.5median 17.9median 60.5Delta8.92.38.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseTrekstor Primebook C13Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Trekstor Primebook C13 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 64% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 61% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked!) 

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Primebook C13 exhibits a moderate power draw. Sure, there are more energy-efficient devices out there, but when taking the screen size and the hardware configuration into consideration the power draw of our review device appears to be quite acceptable. Under load, the energy consumption of our review device rises to over 20 watts. This is why the included 24-watt AC adapter might struggle to reliably supply the device with enough energy.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.07 / 0.18 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.4 / 7.6 / 8.2 Watt
Load midlight 17.9 / 20.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

With more than 4 hours, the battery life of the Primebook C13 is not that short. However, most competing devices have a longer battery life. In our practically-oriented Wi-Fi test, we simulate activities associated with surfing the web. During this test, the display brightness is set to 150 cd/m² (or 80% in this case).

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Asus Transformer Book T102HA-GR022T
Z8350, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 32 Wh
658 min +156%
Acer Spin 1 SP111-31-C79E
Celeron N3450, HD Graphics 500, 48.9 Wh
564 min +119%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Z8350, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 37 Wh
472 min +84%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320-10ICR Pro LTE
Z8350, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 33.3 Wh
461 min +79%
Trekstor Primebook C13
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 40.7 Wh
257 min
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
4h 17min

Pros

+ slim design
+ easy-to-upgrade SSD
+ USB Type-C port

Cons

- glossy screen
- not a lot of storage space
- poor connectivity

Verdict

Our review device was provided to us courtesy of: Trekstor
Our review device was provided to us courtesy of: Trekstor

With the Primebook C13, Trekstor brings a 13-inch convertible to the market that shines, above all, with its display size and its expandability. The system performance is sufficient for simple office work and Internet-browsing. Because there is not a lot of storage space straight out of the box, the inclusion of an empty M.2 slot, which is located behind a maintenance hatch, is especially welcome. Therefore, the storage capacity can be expanded without any hassle. 

The Primebook C13 from Trekstor is a simple convertible that can replace a notebook, thanks to its size. Buyers should not expect too much in terms of performance. The convertible is only suitable for Internet-surfing and office work.

With the Trekstor Primebook C13, buyers will not be able to do much more than the above-mentioned activities (i.e., Internet-browsing and office work). The device can run very simple video games, but it is not suitable for such tasks as image-editing, for example. We are very satisfied with the design and build quality of our review device. The device benefits from its thin body, above all, in tablet mode. The highly reflective screen surface can be blamed on the touch interface. The display is plagued by reflections even indoors.

Trekstor Primebook C13 - 02/22/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
89 / 98 → 91%
Keyboard
71%
Pointing Device
58%
Connectivity
38 / 80 → 48%
Weight
70 / 35-78 → 82%
Battery
77%
Display
78%
Games Performance
41 / 68 → 60%
Application Performance
47 / 87 → 54%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
44 / 91 → 48%
Camera
33 / 85 → 39%
Average
64%
74%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Trekstor Primebook C13 (N3350, HD500) Laptop Review
Mike Wobker, 2018-03- 1 (Update: 2018-03- 3)