NEC's LaVie Light Netbook Packs HDD And SSD

Currently, there aren't very man netbooks (or notebooks, for that matter) out there with both an HDD and an SSD within, but those systems just got a tiny bit less rare. NEC has today announced its LaVie Light line of machines, making it the first Japanese PC maker to craft a netbook with an SSD + HDD system.


A grand total of three machines will be launched in the LaCie Light line: the BL350/TA is the big winner, with the operating system loaded onto the SSD (for speed) and the HDD left empty for applications, media and other things that are less urgent. The BL300/TA and the BL310/TA both have a 160GB hard drive and no SSD. Currently, there are no prices listed for any of the three, though they should go on sale later this month.


If you're curious, the BL350/TA adds a 16GB to the 160GB HDD, providing plenty of space for the average netbook user. NEC asserts that the SSD enables Windows XP Home Edition SP3 to boot up around 40% faster, which is certainly worth noting. We've had the pleasure of testing netbooks with both an SSD and HDD, and we can say without question that the SSD makes a huge difference in enjoyability. Also, this model ships with a battery that is rated for 7.4 hours of use, while the other two will pass out after 4.2 hours.