On the one hand Copilot+ laptops with ARM processors have shown-off fascinating applications while, on the other, new, potential security flaws have been identified. With corporates typically taking an age to embrace any new computer technology and with big-name suppliers updating their laptops’ hardware, it just might be that Australia’s Venom offers the business laptop you’ve been looking for.

First up, it ticks all the core features that vendors have told us their customers expect a business laptop to have: a 14-inch screen; a sub-1.8KG weight (it's nowhere near that!); all-day battery life; non-reflective; matte screen; legacy ports; high-quality web-conferencing; high build quality; on-device security; the ability to connect to external displays; product consistency; and Service Level Agreements.

On top of that, Venom is a very big champion of eliminating e-waste to the point where it regards its customers as suppliers. To this end, it guarantees to buy-back its laptops, for $500, after [checks notes] seven years(!) That’s on top of its three-year-collect-and-return warranty. This computer is built to last and the company walks the walk, more than any rival.

Performance

Performance comes via a full-powered 3.7-5GHz Intel Core i7-1360P processor and our review model had 64GB of RAM. Venom recommends at least 32GB to cater for modern requirements like users using a gazillion Chrome tabs and companies reliance on Microsoft Teams. However, you can make judicious use of Venom’s online configurator to tailor RAM and storage to your own (or you business’) requirements.

Portability

It's very portable too, weighing only 1.22KG. The power supply and cables only add another 309g and you get a hybrid-work-friendly two of them – one for home and one for the office.

There’s also a maximum-sized, 99Wh battery which ran our PCMark 10 Modern Office battery benchmark for an impressive 15 and three-quarter hours. The CNC-milled, magnesium-alloy chassis is very robust and we expect it to last irrespective of the huge warranty.

Usability

So, the BlackBook Zero 14 has got punchy performance, practical portability and positive support, but what’s it like to actually use?

First up, the matte, 14-inch, high-resolution, 2,880 x 1,800 IPS screen displays a bright, crisp and clear Windows Desktop. It has a 90Hz refresh rate which keeps fast-moving objects a smidge-more smudge free than a 60Hz screen but the pixel response time means that fast and frantic gamers will still fret... not that this is a gaming PC. Colours are vibrant, there are no distracting reflections and both colourful and monochromatic transitions exhibit only minor stepping – we’ve seen much worse on other business laptops. Contrast is also impressive with details remaining visible in most light and dark areas and letterbox bars approaching true black. It’s a good laptop screen.

The touch-type, Scrabble-tile keyboard is very comfortable and accurate to use. There’s no number pad at this size and the up-and-down arrow keys are squished, but the latter are isolated and don’t feel limiting. The trackpad is smooth and accurate.

The twin, two-Watt speakers get impressively loud and retain good fidelity at the top end and the bottom end. There’s even a modicum of bass.

Above the screen is a decent Full HD webcam which supports Windows Hello facial recognition. Crisp and clear audio is captured, even in noisy environments.

Connectivity is very good. On the left of the BlackBook are USB-C and USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an SD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the right is a Thunderbolt 4 port, another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port and an HDMI 2.0 port. Inside there’s Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. There are business laptops with more-advanced connectors, but few corporates will bat and eyelid.

Price and Availability

Our review model of Venom’s Phantom BlackBook Zero 14 costs a, not inconsequential, $3,699 but you’ll potentially get $500 back on all purchases. As with all business laptops, multiple MSP partners will offer it under lease agreements and negotiable pricing. If you want one for personal use, other specs range from $2,099 to $6,299 (the latter has a whopping 8TB storage).

Conclusion

Venom’s Phantom BlackBook Zero range is aimed at workers and consumers who don’t want to be distracted by unnecessary features that impact upon work and this 14-inch model succeeds. It ticks all the boxes of a business notebook and is available directly, or through MSPs, internationally in most countries.

The spec is guaranteed to remain the same for three years, which will please all IT admins who don’t want to different builds infesting their environment. Though there are many of big-brand options in the market, Venom’s business laptop is one of few to have no obvious weak points.

As such, we’re please to declare this quasi-hidden Australian gem (which has been operating internationally since 2010) as the recipient of a Best Business Laptop award. We highly recommend it.