The Rumtuk 16” laptop was sent to me for review. This is a budget computer priced at $399 USD that touts some impressive features so I wondered just how good a computer like this could actually perform against more premium computers. I felt like I had fairly reasonable expectations going into this (meaning low). However, I was pleasantly surprised by this computer’s performance in various tasks. Below is a detailed breakdown of my experience with this laptop, including its design, features, and overall functionality.
Unboxing and First Impressions
Right out of the box, the Rumtuk HL-K710 laptop comes ready to use with Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office 2019 already installed and activated. Just the cost of that software combined is about $230, so that already amounts to pretty good savings. And since it’s ready to go, won’t have to deal with setup.
The computer loads right into the desktop, which could be a pro or con, depending on who you are. For less tech-savvy users, this is nice because it lets you to jump right into using the laptop. However, for those who prefer customizing their setup, this might be a an inconvenience because the computer name, language, and location settings are pre-configured.
In the box, you’ll find the 16” laptop, a mouse, a mouse pad, a power adaptor, and a user manual. One of the standout initial impressions is how lightweight the laptop feels. The purple metallic exterior is also something I didn’t expect to like so much. It has a very stylish look. The rainbow backlit keyboard is also great, providing a colorful and practical typing experience, especially in low-light environments.
Design and Build
The design of the Rumtuk 16” laptop is sleek, but the plastic construction contributes to its lightweight feel, which might not appeal to everyone. While it’s convenient for portability, the flimsy nature of the screen raises concerns about long-term durability.
On the plus side, the keyboard includes a protector, which helps keep crumbs and spills away from the keys. It also gives the keys a completely different look by changing them to black.
The trackpad is large and responsive, and also has a fingerprint sensor built in, so that’s awesome. But pressing the physical buttons requires a lot of force, making it less suitable for precision tasks like video editing or gaming. If you’re comfortable using tap features on the touchpad, you’ll do fine, but if you like to use the clickable touchpad buttons, you’re going to be frustrated here. The buttons are terrible.
Thankfully, the included mouse is responsive and comfortable to use, and offers a far better experience for tasks that require more precision, but that’s not ideal if you plan to use this computer out of the house. The performance of the touchpad is a significant drawback.
Display and Audio Quality
The display features a 16-inch anti-blue light Full HD IPS screen that has a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. I’m very impressed with the vibrant and clear visuals of the screen. It’s been great for office work, watching YouTube, and even playing games.
The speakers are functional but sound tinny, akin to the audio you’d get from a mobile phone. For a more immersive audio experience, external speakers or headphones would be a must.
Performance and Features
This Rumtuk laptop is powered by an Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake N95 quad-core processor. This processor performs surprisingly well, particularly for tasks like web browsing, office work, and casual gaming. The device also features Intel UHD Graphics, capable of supporting 4K/60Hz display output. I think it has great visuals for media playback and moderate gaming. But you need to have proper expectations of this processor and GPU. This is not a gaming machine and this is a low-budget CPU and GPU. While you can game (more on that below), there are limitations.
This laptop includes 12GB of LPDDR5 4800MHz RAM, which is expandable to 16GB, so you get good multitasking ability. And you get a 512GB NVMe SSD, so a decent amount of storage for file, applications, and games. The storage is also expandable up to 4TB.
Connectivity and Ports
In terms of connectivity, it has two USB 3.0 ports, a mini HDMI port, a headphone jack, and a micro SD card slot. While the number of ports is limited, it should meet basic needs for most users. However, lack of USB-C support is a significant drawback in my opinion, as more devices are shifting to this standard, and that also means this computer can only be charged with the included adaptor, rather than a fast-charging USB-C cable. You’re very likely going to end up buying a USB dongle to give yourself more options here.
Wireless connectivity includes support for both 2.4G and 5G WiFi.
This laptop uses Bluetooth 4.2 for pairing with external devices like wireless headphones or speakers. The current standard is Bluetooth 5, so this feature is a bit dated. 4.2 isn’t as fast as Bluetooth 5, it has less range, and uses more power.
Gaming and Resource-Intensive Tasks
The Rumtuk laptop performs surprisingly well for a budget device in light office work and casual gaming. I tested several games, including Destiny 2. While the games I tested ran, the experience wasn’t always smooth, particularly when the screen was crowded with action. The image quality is noticeably lower, but the laptop still manages to offer a playable experience for less demanding games.
Depending on the game you’re trying to play, you’ll likely need to play around with performance settings to get it to run well. Some games look great, and some look bad. I thought Destiny 2 looked quite good. Not PS5 good, but quite decent.
But some games look pretty bad. Here’s what the new Silent Hill 2 remake looks like on a UHD 630 GPU (though it’s worth noting that the UHD 630 came out in 2017 and the GPU in the Rumtuk came out in 2023, so it may look much better).
This laptop also isn’t compatible with DirectX 13, so that puts another limit on some games you’ll be able to play. If you’re into cloud gaming, Xbox Game Pass via the Chrome browser worked great for me, without major issues.
For more resource-intensive tasks, like video editing using DaVinci Resolve, the laptop can handle it, but there is occasional lag. And I sometimes need to close the app and reopen it to solve some of those lag issues. I also find that closing unnecessary programs helps maintain performance. Video editing is certainly doable, and really not all that bad, just don’t expect the smooth performance you’d get from a premium laptop.
Camera and Audio
One of the weaker aspects of the Rumtuk laptop is its camera and microphone. The 0.3MP camera only supports a maximum resolution of 640×480 at 30fps, which is quite low for video calls or recordings. If you’re planning to use this laptop for Zoom meetings or video content creation, you’ll likely need to invest in a higher-quality external webcam and microphone.
The speakers work but don’t sound great. They sound “tinny” like the sounds you’d get from a mobile phone. For a better audio experience, external speakers or headphones are recommended.
Battery Life and Cooling
The Rumtuk laptop has a 5000mAh battery, which is pretty typical. You should be able to get several hours on a full charge. You may want to set some of the energy saving features though. I’ve let the computer sit a couple of days unplugged and it completely drained a fully charged battery while the lid was closed.
The laptop stays relatively cool. I haven’t had any concerns of it getting hot. The fans are also extremely quiet fans, which I love. I have another laptop (a higher-end gaming machine even) that has fans that blow so loudly and so often that I can’t concentrate on work. It drives me crazy. The Rumtuk fans are so quiet and nice though.
Final Thoughts
For its price, the Rumtuk 16” laptop exceeded my expectations. It’s capable of handling a range of tasks, from browsing and office work to light gaming and video editing. While it does have its drawbacks, particularly in terms of build quality, trackpad usability, and audio/video features, it’s still a great option for budget-conscious users. If you need a laptop that’s ready to go straight out of the box and offers decent performance for everyday tasks, the Rumtuk 16” is definitely worth considering. Get it from Amazon for $399.