Laptops Arena

Samsung notebooks are not something we hear or read about every day. In fact, I am quite curious as to why they are not as promoted as Acer or Toshiba laptops. I’m not sure if the Samsung notebooks category has something new on the market but I can tell you that one of their coolest models is the Samsung R40. This model was released back in 2006 and it runs on a 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2300E processor and 1 GB of RAM. The storage capacity of the hard drive is 80 GB and the graphics card is the ATI Mobility Radeon Xpress 200M with 128 MB of video memory.

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The selection of ports and connections is very good for a 4 year old 15 inch laptop. The unit hosts 4 USB ports, a TV out, a VGA port, an Ethernet port, a modem port, a Kensington lock slot, a 6-in-1 memory card reader slot and the headphones and microphone jacks. Too bad there is no FireWire and no HDMI port. As for the display, the 15.4 inch widescreen on this Samsung notebook it goes with a maximum resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.

The display is matte which is a nice touch compared to all the glossy displays we find on the market these days. The horizontal viewing angles are good which means that watching a movie when you friends some to visit is not a problem with the Samsung R40. The brightness of the display comes in 8 different levels.

The battery does not offer outstanding performance but it is in the category limits. The 6 cell battery can provide 3 hours at almost high settings. The unit comes with a preinstalled version of the Windows XP Professional operating system. There is also a lot of preinstalled software which a lot of laptop users call “bloatware” as it is completely useless to them. Examples of programs would be the Norton AntiVirus, the FirstWare Pro, Update Plus, AVS Viewer and Adobe Reader.

Check out www.samsung.com to see the prices on this configuration and you can also check out some other Samsung notebooks and make a comparison to see if there is a better model that suits both your needs and your wallet.  The design of the unit is quite simple and the combination of black and silver indicate that this is a business laptop. It has a lot of positive aspects as it is cool and quiet, it is capable of running on the Windows Vista operating system, it has a good and quite fast processor, a nice looking display, a high quality keyboard and a good overall built in quality.

There are also some disadvantages to this particular laptop model: it would have been nice to get a webcam with this unit, as well as an integrated Bluetooth. The battery life could have been better but I guess it is better than other 15.4 inch laptops. I guess you could say this makes a good cheap laptop (the specs and the release date allow me to assume that it is cheap).

We all know that Samsung makes some pretty good cell phones. We also know that they make some really nice LCD TVs. Even my good old DVD burner is a Samsung. But how much do we know about Samsung notebooks? In this article we are going to explore some Samsung notebook reviews for three models and see it they offer anything interesting.
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The first one on our list is the Samsung X460. We have the following equation. 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor plus 3 GB of RAM plus 320 GB of disk storage plus the nVidia GeForce 9200M GS discrete graphics equals a big WOW! The looks are definitely something else as well. On the lid you will find a touch of red brushed aluminum which makes this notebook both bold and beautiful. The moment you notice how thin and light it actually is, you are going to have a crush on it. Despite these two characteristics, it still very solid especially if you consider the fact that there is a metal chassis on the bottom and the rest of plastic material used on this notebook shows good signs of durability. The keyboard is very similar to the one found on Sony VAIO models. There is some spacing between the keys but I like it because it actually makes it easier to be cleaned. If you have never used such a keyboard before, it may be awkward at first but you'll get used to it after a few typing exercises.

This notebook comes with a 6-cell battery which will provide about 4 hours (maybe 4 and a half hours) of battery life with the brightness of the screen set at medium level, wireless turned on and doing some basic computer work. For $230 you can buy the 9-cell battery which we believe to be kind of expensive. Besides, 4 hours of usage for a notebook with good components is really not that bad. Above the display you'll notice a 1.3 mega pixel webcam and this notebook has many more cool features like the integrated Bluetooth and the DVD drive (which is not available on the earlier model, the Samsung X360). The X460 has three USB ports, a HDMI and a VGA out, an Ethernet port, a 7-in-1 card reader plus the headphones and microphone jack. The big issue with this 14 inch notebook is the price of approximately $1600.



Next in line is the Samsung R522. For less than $1000 you can buy this good notebook that has a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, some 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive and Intel's GMA X4500M video card.  Except for the video card I really think we're on to something here. The components are actually very good. The hard drive is big enough to store whatever you like, from documents to games. 4 GB of RAM combined with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor is always a good bargain and if you spice things up by installing the new Windows 7 that you should get some good performance out of this notebook. Unfortunately, you won't be able to play the latest games but some old and mainstream games will work just fine. Above the 15.6 inch display there is a 2.0 mega pixel webcam. It's a nice touch even if you think you don't need a webcam right now, never say never. It may come in handy some day. One thing I don't like is the glossy black lid for obvious fingerprinting reasons. If there is something I appreciated it's the touchpad. It has a stripe surrounding it and it lights up in a beautiful marine blue every time you use it. In conclusion, it looks good, it acts tough, it does not cost very much, so we give this model our thumbs up.



If we have given these two notebooks the chance to "speak up" I think it's fair to do the same thing for a mini notebook (or netbook, call it whatever you like). The Samsung NC10 has a 10.2 inch display and other nice features all wrapped up in 3.7 lbs. Keep in mind that what we are about to show you is a very small ultraportable that does not excel in power as it does in portability. The 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor is very common in mini notebook (can you imagine the heat a Core 2 Duo would produce in such a small machine?). You have 1 GB of RAM, another 250 GB of available disk storage and the Intel GMA950 integrated graphics card. This is an ideal mini notebook for those people that are always travelling but need to stay in touch permanently by surfing the internet and checking their e-mails. It's also a good tool if you have to take your work with you wherever you go because you can also use NC10 for editing documents. Since portability is the key factor of a notebook with this size, then battery life is also a critical aspect for those who choose to buy a mini notebook.



The Samsung NC10 can provide up to 6 hours of battery life while continuously browsing the internet and with the brightness of the display set at a low capacity. This is a neat aspect and we like notebook that we can actually use even if we are away from a power outlet for a couple of hours. Even if it's small, it has a solid construction and an impressive battery life. They keys are not uncomfortable to type on and the number of ports and connections is very satisfying (I mean, 3 USB ports should be enough considering I have the same number on my 15.4 inch laptop). You can get one for yourself for about $470 (price depends on the store you purchase it from).



This is what we have to say about Samsung notebooks. They can be cheap and they can be expensive. They are not very impressive but they do represent some competition for other manufacturers with years of experience in the field. If only the prices were a bit lower...

When we refer to cheap mini laptops, we are talking about those small notebooks with displays that vary between 8.9 inches to a maximum 11 or 12 inches. Anything beyond that can be considered a normal notebook or laptop. The big thing about these mini laptops is that they are cheap by definition (except for some really fancy models made by Sony VAIO and HP which are premium mini laptop material).
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These cheap mini laptops are priced between $250 and $500 but you can find models more expensive than that. Some manufacturers would like you to refer to these products as netbooks because they were mainly designed for internet operations. They have weak components which are cramped in a compact chassis.  An example of a cheap mini laptop is the Samsung N310 which is a small and elegant gadget the slips just fine into your bag and you can take it anywhere because it's light and you never know when you have some spare time to update your Facebook profile.

The size of keyboard is quite ok considering the size of the laptop. Many people will have trouble adjusting to smaller keys especially if they have big hands. One thing we didn't like and you probably won't like either is the fact that instead of two separate left and right mouse buttons, you only have like a big bar (similar to the SPACE key) which you have to press at the edges to perform the appropriate functions. The 10.1 inch display is big enough not to get you frustrated with constant scrolling when you have to read big documents or web pages. Above the display you will find a 1.3 mega pixel web cam which produces of videos if you use with Skype as this is an application that really broadcasts images in real time. The speakers are located above the keyboard and this is a nice touch because the speakers which are usually located at the bottom of the laptop have their sound blocked.



Just like most similar sized notebooks, the Samsung N310 also has an Intel Atom processor with 1.6 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. As expected, the graphics card is an integrated Intel GMA 950 with 128 MB of shared video memory. You can't expect any marvelous speed or performance from this laptop but these types of computers are not meant to be power horses. You can use them for basic internet surfing and operations (like checking the e-mail or uploading pictures on the internet) as well as for reading or editing documents and spreadsheets. You can also watch movies even if the small screen may be a little uncomfortable. You can choose to listen to music but if you do we recommend you buy a good set of headphones because the speakers won't handle a big room.  One very pleasant surprise is the battery life which lasts about 8 hours and 20 minutes which is definitely above average. The price for this unit is approximately $450.



The MSI U123 series is another choice that is worth taking into consideration when you are looking for cheap mini laptops. This elegant silver notebook is also available in other colors like gray, blue and red. You have the same Intel Atom processor which operates at a speed of 1.66 GHz. The nice thing is that you get 2 GB of RAM so this means some more speed for the small beauty. You can use Windows Vista with this netbook but we believe it runs just fine with Windows XP which does not occupy that much free space. You have three choices of disk space (80 GB, 120 GB and the standard 160 GB) and other very cool features. You get an integrated Bluetooth, a 4-in-1 card reader and a 3G mobile broadband support which is only available with the U123H model. As for the ports and connections, you have2 USB 2.0 ports (for the U123T), 3 USB 2.0 ports (for U123 and U123H), D-Sub, microphone in and headphone out.



For $380 you can buy the Dell Latitude 2100 which is a netbook for students. However for $500 you can get your own unit which has a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB RAM (which you can upgrade to 2 GB) plus video card, the Intel 950, with 128 MB of share memory. One of the coolest features of this mini-laptop is the range of colors which have funny names: Blue Ribbon, Ball Field Green, School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black and School House Red. The keyboard is very spacious and it offers positive feedback when you type. An interesting feature is that Dell has developed a special keyboard which has antimicrobial protection and you can buy it for $20. The touchpad is also pleasant to use even if you don't have a mouse nearby. The 10.1 inch display has a 1024x576 native resolution which means you won't be able to enjoy high quality movies but you can still watch some episodes of Dr. House to help you past the time during that boring airplane flight. If you pay an extra $30 you can buy the Dell Latitude 2100 with a touch screen which is user friendly. Above the display, there is a 1.3 Megapixel webcam which produces clear images and videos during the Skype video chat. This mini-laptop will come with 16GB of disk space which is less than we expected since you can upgrade to a maximum of 250GB. If you install Windows XP operating system it will boot in 35 seconds which is far better than other netbooks on the market. We strongly recommend that you upgrade to a bigger hard drive because 16 GB is definitely not enough to store all your school projects and some other applications.



The Dell Latitude 2100 comes with the 6-cell battery which will last for 4 hour and 45 minutes if you continuously surf the internet with the wireless function turned on. You can also buy a 3-cell battery which actually means you will pay $25 less. Since this laptop will be use in many different places and you will not always have a power outlet in handy, we recommend you go with the bigger battery. Even if at first this laptop will seem a bit expensive just remember that Dell will offer some nice discounts for purchasing large quantities.

Even with so many lines, ranges and classes of notebooks, Samsung just had to invent another one. When style meets the HD package (High Definition display, Blu-ray, and Intel Core 2 Duo) you get the new Samsung R6xx line. The high model (until no) is the new R620 notebook. This laptop is all about playing HD games (moderate performances in rest) and watching Blu-ray movies, using a stylish notebook. You even get a pretty big display of 16 inches for the best performances you could ask for this price range (just under $1299).
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Unlike the other Blu-ray laptops, which were unaffordable or were lacking good features for their price range, the Samsung R620 succeeded in creating the perfect balance between price of a Blu-ray laptop and excellent hardware. With a height of 10.2 inches (259 mm), wide of 15 inches (381.4 mm), deep of 1.2 inches to 1.4 inches (from 31 mm to 37.3 mm). Samsung R620 weights about 6.1 lbs. The R620 features a glossy black lid, with black stripe palm rest. The glossy lid is indeed stylish, but it also a fingerprint magnet, and easy to scratch. The only non glossy element is the black matte bezel of the 16 inches display (without any factor glare, or other reflective factor).

Even so, if you are careful with the R620 (so that it will not slip through your fingers) the Samsung 16 inches high definition laptop will offer a premium experience. At first glance you might not realize that Samsung R620 with its compact size and light weight features not only exceptional usability in terms of design elements but also features a solid construction leaving no space to flexes or disturbing noises. The style and design of a laptop are, however, subjective elements, while the hardware construction is the most solid argument for any product released on the market. Samsung R620 sports an excellent build quality and great ergonomic chassis. Because of these features, the laptop will function smoothly and quietly keeping the overall laptop heat at a low level. Also the R620 will keep a low noise profile because of the Samsung Noise Reduction system (with the only purpose to absorb noises from the hard drive).

The Samsung R620 also sports a new cooling system with improved performances for less noise. If you are interested in more detailed facts about this laptop then you should know that the Samsung R620 full name is R620 63 G, and its part number is NP R620 FS 02 US. Samsung R620 brings almost a full package of communication to its user. It lacks modem and mobile internet, but it sports a Wired Ethernet LAN with 10 / 100 / 1000 Base TX, Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g/n profile, 1.3 megapixel web camera, and Bluetooth version 2.1 with enhanced data rate. The connectivity department is very good featured in the R620. You get a total of four USB 2.0 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, can easily be used, while the forth has a double function as an eSATA port.

Also one of these ports can still charge devices connected to it even when the laptop is turned off. You also get a 54 mm Express Card, VGA port, HDMI port, three in one memory card slot for compatible memory cards (such as SD memory card, Multimedia memory card, SDHC memory card), microphone in jack, headphone in jack, and Ethernet port. It might lack the second audio out jack but that should not worry, R620 come packed with excellent audio technology and speakers. Samsung R620 includes High Definition audio, Mic noise suppression SRS sound effect with two speakers with a total of 3 W (1.5 W x 2). The R620 keyboard boasts an excellent layout. Samsung names this keyboard, Magic keyboard, because it includes a full number pad, and because of the Fn function keys (they provide easy access to volume controls and brightness settings).

The keys work well, no flex when pressed. Overall, the keypad is not only excellent designed but also built. This is a great keyboard for everyone that types more than two hours daily, because it makes the overall experience with the R620 unique. Samsung ships the R620 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6500 with the maximum CPU clock speed 2.10 GHz, CPU front side bus speed of 800 MHz, with 2 MB L2 cache. You also get an Intel PM 45 Express Chipset, up to 4 GB 800 MHz DDR2 (2 x 2048 MB). The maximum hard drive storage is about 320 GB with 5400 rotations per minute. A nice feature in this laptop is the Blu-ray ROM and DVD + / - RW Combo Drive.

Samsung included in the R620 the ATI Mobility Radeon High Definition 4330 graphic processor with 512 MB GDDR3. Even if you can find a better graphic processor, the HD 4330 performs good, allowing users to smoothly play games (at medium settings) such as World of War craft, The Sims 2, and even The Sims 3.

The R620 offers an excellent display for this price range, a 16 inches High Definition display with a resolution of 1366 x 769 pixels, aspect rotation of 16 to 9, up to 16 million colors. However this is not the best display on the market, since it lacks the full high definition experience at 1080p. Samsung ships the R620 with Windows Vista Home Premium, but you can upgrade to Windows 7.

The R620 also packs software such as easy display manager, Samsung magic doctor, easy network manager, Samsung update plus, adobe acrobat reader 8, cyberpunk DVD suite, easy speed up manager, and others. However, the important software, Microsoft Office Professional 2007 and McAfee Internet Security are free only for 60 days.

R620 offers a mediocre battery life because of the small six cell Lithium Ion battery with only 4000 mAh (44 Watt hours). Fortunately you can choose from other two batteries, the six cell battery 5200 mAh and nine six battery with 7800 mAh. Samsung provides several accessories for the R620 63 G, the two battery packs from which you can choose, p dock notebook PC docking station, 90 W AC adapter (included is the 60 W), and vehicle power adapter.

Overall, the Samsung R620 provides good balance between style and High Definition features. However, the R620 is not going to be a market success, because it lacks a good niche for potential customers. Even so, Samsung succeeded in providing a great product, again.

The Samsung brand is one of the most important brands in South Korea. The Samsung group is composed of many international brands all from different business departments. Samsung Electronics expanded production dramatically to become the world's larger manufacturer of DRAM chips, flash memory, optical storage drives and it aims to double sales and become the top manufacturer of 20 products globally by 2010. Samsung is, also, an international notebook manufacturer. By improving the Samsung branded laptop sales in the USA, Samsung launched the Q line of notebooks based on the Montevina platform.
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The new Samsung Aura Q210 notebook is one of the new launched "weapons". Most parts of the Aura Q210 have a glossy finish, sensitive to fingerprints. There is too much plastic in the case of this notebook. Even so the case is solid and it doesn't look cheap. The inside of the case is decked out to match the glossy black finish of the exterior. A good feature of this notebook is the slim design. On the front side you will discover a red line designed to complement this all black notebook. On the left side you will discover VGA D-Sub port, vent holes, 2 USB 2.0, audio in, audio out and 1 HDMI.

The right side includes: Express Card 34, Card Reader, Optical drive, 2 USB, Kensington Lock. On the back side the notebook sports the power socket, LAN and modem. Samsung allows you to choose from two CPU's for the Aura: Core 2 Duo P7350 and Core 2 Duo P8400. The Core 2 Duo P7350 has low heat emissions - 25 Wand offers good performances. Its frequency clock is 2.0 GHz with FSB at 1066 MHz and the level two caches is 3 MB. The Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 runs at 2.26 GHz with FSB at 1066 MHz. The Samsung Q210 is quite with a value of only 32 dB in standby. If you are using the notebook, than the noise rises up to 33 dB. Even so, these are excellent results.

Aura is equipped with an internal memory of 3072 MB DDR 2 at 800 MHz. because there are only two slots the memory layout is 2048 + 1024 MB. The maximum internal memory is 4 GB with the memory clock speed of 800 MHz. The hard disk interface is the usual SATA. The storage capacity of the hard drive is 320 GB with the hard disk rotation speed at 5400 rpm.

Samsung Q210 has implemented a nVidia GeForce 9200 GS, available in two versions, a slower one with GDDR 2 VRAM and a faster one with GDDR 3 VRAM. The graphic adapter memory reaches 256 MB. Unfortunately this notebook is used to warm up even in light use. Therefore the usability lowers because of the uncomfortable feeling. The Samsung Q210 has a common display format. It sports a 12 inches display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, WXGA and an aspect ratio of 16:10. The brightness of the screen is average with a value of 180 cd / m2 in the center of the screen. The colors could have been more vibrant, offering a real experience to users.

The keyboard of the Aura laptop is not that user friendly. It's solid but small. Even so if you don't type more than a couple of hours a day you should be satisfied. Although the touch pad is flawless in terms of construction and usability, it is still uncomfortable because of its small dimensions. The Samsung Q210 dimensions are excellent. Its height is 36.7 mm, wide of 304 mm and deep of 226 mm it weights a nearly 1950 g; these are great weight and dimensions for any high featured notebook. The battery is reasonable but not impressive for a sub notebook. The Q210 has a 6 cell battery with a capacity of 5200 mAh. If you are going to use it all the time then it will give you an hour and a half before the accumulator will discharge. The medium values offered variety from two to six hours. With normal usage and activated Wi-Fi, it will last for about 3 hours and 30 minutes.



Other features include: SD, SDHC and MMC compatible memory cards, built in microphone, audio system, HDA with two built in speakers (2 x 1.5 W), 1.3 MP camera included, featured software (Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update Plus, Easy Display Manager, Easy Battery Manager, Easy Network Manager, Easy Speed Up Manager, Adobe Acrobat Reader). The Samsung Q210 runs with Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.

The main disadvantages of this notebook, the glossy coating of the lid and the top case, doesn't have a chance against the good battery life, great CPU's, dedicated graphic chip and great portability, all for less than €900. Therefore if you are looking for a great notebook (sub - notebook) you should choose the Samsung Q210 Aura because of the new Intel Montevina platform.