I wish I could buy this Japanese laptop with a DVD player and a VGA port, but not for the reason you’d expect
A removable battery makes the NEC VersaPro Type VD stand out when compared to business laptops in the west.
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What you need to know
If you only saw a photo of the front of theNEC VersaPro Type VD , you’d think it was a normal business laptop. In many ways, that is the case. The portable PC features a 13th Gen Intel Core processor, a 15.6-inch FHD display, and a design that would fit into the sea of black business laptops that are all too common. But the NEC VersaPro Type VD also includes some features from decades ago that make it stand out.
The newly announced NEC VersaPro Type VD comes with 4GB of RAM that can be expanded up to 32GB. It also features a 15-pin VGA port and a DVD player — take that modern PC manufacturers.
In addition to the legacy ports that would fit in during a business presentation in the year 2,000, the NEC VersaPro Type VD also has modern ports and connectivity.
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 handle the wireless side of things while the laptop’s five USB ports let you connect wired accessories. Specifically, the NEC VersaPro Type VD has one USB-C port that’s Thunderbolt 4 compatible and four USB 3.2 Gen1 ports. It also has an HDMI port, an SD card slot, an Ethernet port, and an audio jack.
New isn’t always better
While I appreciate that some business users may need a VGA port or a DVD player, that’s not what interests me about the NEC VersaPro Type VD . It’s the battery of the laptop that makes me jealous of those who can buy the PC. The NEC VersaPro Type VD has a removable battery that’s rarely seen on business laptops.
There are some rugged devices with removable batteries, but the feature is often reserved for PCs built for construction sites, like thePanasonic Toughbook 55 Mk3. TheFramework Laptopalso has a replaceable battery, but the feature is still uncommon. I shouldn’t need to get fully modular laptop or a PC built for worksites to get a replaceable battery in 2023.
Joking about VGA ports and DVD players aside, sometimes the old ways are best. Laptop makers raced to make things slim and streamlined over the last decade, resulting in beautiful machines that lack functionality seen in their predecessors. Some manufacturers have made it easier to repair laptops, but they haven’t gone far enough when it comes to swapping out basic components.
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While the port selection is impressive and the removable battery of the NEC VersaPro Type VD stands out, you seem to pay extra for all that connectivity. The NEC VersaPro Type VD starts at ¥313,000/$2,130.28, for the Intel Core i5 model and ¥366,000/$2,491 for the Intel Core i7 model, as highlighted byTechRadar.
As far as I can tell, theNEC VersaPro Type VD is only available in Japan, but if I find a US listing I’ll add it here.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
