Review Summary
Expert Rating
The Pro Series by Zebronics Z NBC 5S, priced at Rs 41,990 on Flipkart, has high-end specs like as the Intel Core i7 12th generation CPU and a 1TB SSD. We have tested this laptop to see if it lives up to its promise of combining price and performance. Here is a full analysis of its design, display, performance, features, and battery life.
Table of Contents
Design
The Zebronics NBC 5S sports a sleek, modern design that is available in three colour options: Blue, Space Grey, and Midnight Blue. We have the Midnight Blue version, and it’s certainly a head-turner with its metallic finish.
At 1.76kg, it’s fairly lightweight, making it easy to carry around for work or travel. The build, however, leaves something to be desired. While it looks premium from afar, a closer look reveals that the material feels slightly plasticky and doesn’t offer the same sturdiness as metal-built competitors in this price range. It’s prone to flexing, especially around the keyboard area, which may raise concerns about its durability in the long run.
The laptop also comes with a Kensington lock slot for added security, which is a nice touch. The design allows for a 180-degree hinge a feature that makes it versatile for different usage scenarios. Overall, we are satisfied with what the laptop provides for the price tag it offers.
Display
The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display on the Z NBC 5S provides good viewing angles and decent quality, making it suitable for a bit of light media consumption. The 1,920 x 1,080 resolution helps make text sharp and provides reasonably accurate colours. However, in brightly lit rooms or outdoors, we found ourselves squinting a bit, as the brightness maxes out at levels that may not always be ideal.
This is not so much of a dealbreaker as most laptops in the sub-Rs 50,000 category have to contend with a low-brightness panel.
As such, while it does a decent job for general use, those who need a vibrant, punchy display for creative work or content consumption might be left wanting more.
Keyboard, Trackpad, and I/O
The Zebronics NBC 5S is equipped with a full-size keyboard featuring scissor keycaps. Typing is generally comfortable, and the keys offer decent travel. Even so, we feel that the lack of a backlit keyboard is a drawback.
In low-light environments, it’s quite difficult to type without external lighting, which is something many users in this price bracket have come to expect as standard. The keys themselves are decent enough to make typing for extended periods a comfortable experience.
The trackpad, on the other hand, performs admirably. It’s large, responsive, and supports multi-touch gestures with Windows 11. The clicking mechanism is tactile enough, but the plastic finish does feel less premium than we’d like.
In terms of connectivity, the laptop impresses with its multiple ports. There are three USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports (one for charging and the other for data and display output), an HDMI port, an RJ45 Ethernet jack, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The inclusion of a microSD card slot is also a useful feature for users needing quick access to portable storage devices. There are no Thunderbolt ports on the laptop, not surprising given the device’s price point.
Performance
Performance is where the Z NBC 5S shines, considering its budget pricing. The 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor, with its 10 cores and 12 threads, ensures smooth multitasking. Whether it’s browsing the web with multiple tabs open, using productivity apps like Microsoft Office, or editing photos on Photoshop, the laptop handled it without too much of a hitch.
We have attached some benchmark scores and it seems the laptop does perform pretty well compared to some of its competitors. It has 5,666 multi-core score on Geekbench 6 and 6,246 on Cinebench R23, so you can expect to get work done efficiently given the pricing.
We also tested the laptop with a few games, and while it’s not designed for high-end gaming, casual gaming or older titles like CS run decently on medium settings, thanks to the integrated Intel UHD Graphics. That being said, this is not a gaming laptop by any means, and performance will significantly dip on newer or graphically demanding games.
With 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 1TB SSD, load times are swift, and boot-up is snappy. The laptop supports up to 64GB of expandable memory, which is a huge plus for power users who may want to upgrade down the line.
Features and Audio
The Zebronics NBC 5S packs some impressive features for its price. It comes with a fingerprint sensor and also supports Dolby Atmos, which we think is a nice addition to a budget laptop. We tested the audio while streaming videos and found the sound quality, when paired with a Dolby Atmos-compatible earphone, quite good.
However, the built-in speakers, while adequate for personal use, lack the depth and volume for an enjoyable experience. If you’re a frequent video conference user, the 2MP webcam does a fair job for casual calls, but it isn’t the sharpest, and we noticed some graininess in low-light settings.
Battery and Charging
Battery life on the Z NBC 5S is decent but not amazing. With moderate usage, including browsing, document editing, and occasional media consumption, we got about 5 hours of battery life, which is hardly close to the 10 hours claimed by the manufacturer. As far as benchmarking the device goes, the PCMark 10 Battery test saw the laptop dip by about 20 percent while running a 1-hour video.
For users constantly on the move, this might necessitate carrying the 65W Type-C charger. The good news is that the laptop charges relatively quickly, going from 0 to full in about 3 hours.
It is hard to expect an all-day battery life in this segment of the laptop world and it might be a slight disappointment to users who are expecting this. We can say, however, the Z NBC 5S’s battery life is on par with its competitors.
Verdict
The Zebronics Pro Series Z NBC 5S is an appealing option for budget-conscious users looking for decent performance without breaking the bank. It excels in areas like multitasking, connectivity, and audio, making it a good choice for students, professionals, and casual users.
However, it’s not without its flaws. The lack of a backlit keyboard, somewhat underwhelming build quality, and average display brightness might deter some potential buyers. Additionally, while it performs well in day-to-day tasks, the webcam quality leaves room for improvement.
Even so, at Rs 41,990, it’s a solid choice for users who need a capable machine for general productivity, media consumption, and light gaming. If you can overlook its minor shortcomings, the Z NBC 5S delivers strong value for its price, making it a worthwhile contender in the budget laptop market.
Editor’s rating: 7.5 / 10
Pros:
- Affordable for i7 processor
- Good multitasking performance
- Ample connectivity options
- Fingerprint sensor and Dolby Atmos
Cons:
- Keyboard not backlit
- Average display brightness
- Underwhelming webcam quality