New York – Best Buy has introduced a notebook computer in its in-house vpr Martix line with a 15.2-inch, almost letterbox shape that it is marketing as an entertainment/business tool.
The 200A5 is also the first notebook designed by Best Buy’s vpr Matrix computer manufacturing subdivision. The first few offerings from vpr Matrix introduced earlier this year were simple white boxes bought under an OEM arrangement with the vpr Matrix name slapped on. But the 200A5, and all subsequent vpr products, will be designed by vpr’s engineering team, Steven Lee said, Best Buy’s vice president of strategic development.
The notebook’s a 15.2-inch display with a 15×10 wide-aspect ratio and a new 24-bit audio card developed by the vpr team and is powered by an Intel Pentium 4 2GHz processor, has 512MB of RAM, two USB 2.0 ports and two 1394 ports. Lee said this optimizes the notebook for entertainment and business uses by allowing better wide-screen movie and spreadsheet viewing.
While the 200A5 is somewhat heavy at 6.2 pounds, this extra weight was dedicated, Lee said, to adding a larger battery enabling the notebook to play an entire movie without recharging.
The 200A5 is now shipping with a $2,399 suggested retail price.
