Is it a $200 MacBook? The DaySky DK41

If you saw a $200 laptop on the street you would get a sense of illegitimacy and possibly substandard expectations, you might also think to call the cops on the guy as it’s probably stolen. I took this perspective when approaching the new DaySky DK41 and this is what I found. 

With the specs aside how does the DK41 really perform?

• This has a speedy SSD that gives real blazing fast data access times and launches programs just as fast as you phone opens an app.
• The WiFi is also an ‘N’ adapter so is in the middle range of speed.
• Chances are it is faster than your laptop as it makes use of the SSD speeds.
• The battery is rated at 8 hours we used it for about 4 hours just opening apps and taking photos with the screen on and it still was reporting 47% battery at the end of the test, bear in mind this was probably the first charge cycle of the battery so is not the best gauge of battery life.
• Charging took just under 4 hours to complete on the 2500mAh charger.
• The speakers are not that loud and we would use a Bluetooth speaker if using for movies.

The DK41 $200 laptop design.

Straight off the bat, it looks like a MacBook Pro, it’s slim and offers some real compact power, this plastic, not metal but still has the same super-slim look.

What’s included,

In the package DaySky included the power adapter and a manual, it’s in Chinese but it is not necessary to understand the operation.

What’s the catch?

It would be amazing with Linux or if you bought your own OS as there is one fatal assumption you should not make.

What we didn’t like about the DK41 surprised us, but not really.

Windows is a trial version. Once activating you have 2 months to use the system until it expires.

Why is Windows not a full version?

Given the official version of Windows 10 is $100 + we are assuming the reason is to keep the cost down. Be prepared to pay for a license otherwise Linux is a great OS and will thrive with this setup. Take the barebone perspective, it comes with everything you need to get going, except for the operating system.

Other Negs

The internal memory is small. We would love a larger drive inside, you do have the option of putting a micro SD card in the side but that’s more likely to fall out if you are permanently wanting extra space.

Overall?

The specs are not groundbreaking the Bay Trail Z3735F is ok, it does not break any records, but is enough for the average user not looking beyond web browsing, office/study, and watching movies. If you are looking for a Windows system you will need to fork out for a full license, so also include the cost of that when making the decision.

If you are keen to give Linux or another custom OS a whirl it is an awesome deal. Just to be clear, it is not a minicomputer, this is a regular-sized notebook with a normal-sized keyboard but a fraction of the price, no need to call the cops tho, the catch is there is no OS.

It’s a long way from a Macbook but still provides all the specs you need for your daily connection to the digital world, also a great excuse to give Linux a try if you are looking to step away from the Windows net.