Mini Laptop Zone » Samsung

WiFi Fix for Samsung Series 9

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:21:11 +0000

Many have experienced poor performance and limited range in the wireless networking component in Samsung’s sleek and compact Series 9. Now the antenna design has been changed for future models.With its Series 9, Samsung came in ahead of the other PC makers when it comes to launching very compact and lightweight machines with good performance for the consumer market. The machine is in direct competition with the brand new so-called Ultrabooks, such as the Acer Aspire S3 and ASUS UX series, which are now starting to appear on the market. It’s also a competitor to Apple’s Macbook Air without being an imitation; the Series 9 has a decidedly unique and great-looking design.

When we tested the first model we could conclude that it is a very good computer but we didn’t notice at the time that it had a problem related to the implementation of wireless networks. However, other users have reported less range and throughput compared to other laptops. Surveys on the Internet have also drawn attention to the fact that many users experience problems with the range. Some have even gone so far as to use a temporary solution in the form of a USB WLAN adapter in places where you could not connect via the built-in WLAN card.

According to Samsung, there is now a new model available where there has been a change made in the antenna design and it also uses another wlan card. Samsung had an unusual antenna design for the 9 series where the WLAN antenna was placed under the keyboard. A more common solution is that the antenna for the WiFi is in the screen bezel, which is what Samsung has done with the new model.

Samsung Series 9 Review

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 19:19:55 +0000

The war for the best premium ultraportable is just getting started as Samsung clearly shows with their new Series 9. Its obvious competitor is Apple’s Macbook Air but Samsung has included a much more powerful processor in the mix.

The Cupertino company has had great success with its smallest notebook since they lowered the price and updated the lineup with an 11-inch model. It has become something of a benchmark for competitors to respond to. Samsung has created a machine that trumps the 13-inch Apple machine’s dimensions and matches its weight.

Before building the Series 9, the discussion over at Samsung’s R&D department must have went something like this: “Build a computer that’s as thin as possible without compromising on performance. Also use some exotic materials and different design that give a sense of luxury. And by the way, don’t worry about the price tag, we’re not targeting the netbook market with this one. ”

Enter the Samsung Series 9, an ultraportable laptop built from an exotic alloy that includes magnesium, copper and manganese, among other things used in the framework of the airship Hindenburg. The good old hard drive is also gone in favor of a much faster 128GB SSD (solid state drive). Its processor is a low-voltage Intel Core i5 2537M from the latest Sandy Bridge Intel’s integrated graphics chip (actually, in this generation the term “integrated” is as accurate as it gets, as the graphics chip is in the same piece of silicon die as the processor).

Great-Looking and Capable

Samsung is perhaps the first Windows PC manufacturer to actually come close to Apple in terms of build quality and design. Dell has tried with the Adamo, as have others, but this one actually succeeds in matching and even surpassing the MacBook Air on some levels. The Series 9 feels solid even though it is exceptionally thin. The computer is fast enough for most tasks thanks to its speedy CPU (relative to MacBook Air); just about anything can be done on the Series 9 save for playing the latest 3D games.

On the whole, it’s a machine with muscle beneath its thin frame. The surprising speed of the computer is much thanks to the flash disk that has replaced the mechanical hard drive. It boots quickly, almost instantly wakes up from sleep mode and takes care of everything related to reading and writing from disk quickly and efficiently.

Great Display, USB 3.0

Samsung’s high-end ultraportable is exactly what one would expect from its rather hefty price tag and then some. Its display is also something that stands out, with bright colors, excellent viewing angles, and also excellent outdoor properties (again thanks to its generous brightness). Another nice touch is the USB 3.0 connector on one side of the Series 9.

There are only a couple of issues where the Samsung misses the Bullseye. The touchpad is large and comes with more or less the same multi-tough gestures as in the MacBooks, but it’s overly sensitive–responding to the slightest touch and sometimes gets in the way of typing. Another nuisance is the automatic brightness adjustments, which is also overly sensitive.

Conclusion

In spite of these minor shortcomings, Samsung has done an admirable job with the Series 9. The price tag puts it squarely in the premium segment, but compared to Apple’s Macbook Air, which is considerably less powerful, this doesn’t seem justified to complain about; you get a faster processor, twice the RAM, USB 3.0 and an Ethernet port.

The crux of the matter for Mac users is of course that you also get Windows 7 instead of Mac OS X. But as a Windows version of the MacBook Air, the Series 9 is the first laptop to pass with flying colors.

Samsung Series 9 13″/11″ Prices:
	$1149.00
	$1599.00

Samsung NF310 – Next-Gen Netbook with Unique Design

admin — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:45:38 +0000

Samsung’s NF310 is one of the latest generation of netbooks with improved hardware. The old integrated Intel graphics – GMA 950 and GMA 500 – have been retired to make room for the new GMA 3150. The same has been done in the CPU department; Intel’s single-core Atom processors are being phased out in favor of a dual-core Atom N550. These changes alone mean a huge boost in overall performance compared to older netbooks.

The display is also an improved model with HD capable resolution at 1366 x 768, which is the same amount of pixels as the average 13- to 15-inch laptop. Moreover, it’s equipped with Bluetooth 3.0 as well as the faster n-standard Wi-Fi. Considering those specifications, a price tag of less than $400 for this 10-inch mini laptop looks quite affordable.

All of these upgrades go a long way to deal with the issues that many users had with older netbooks; the NF310 packs more than enough power to run Office apps and display large websites at an acceptable resolution. The hardware is really only a limiting factor for gaming and streaming HD content.

Samsung claims that the battery will keep the NF310 alive for up to 9.4 hours, which is conceivable if you let it stay idle. In the real world, with Wi-Fi on and the brightness turned up, you can probably take at least 2 or 3 hours off those 9.4. It’s nevertheless an interesting creation with a decidedly unique design. At this low price, you definitely get your money’s worth from the Samsung NF310.

Samsung NF310 Prices
		$365.81

Samsung N350 – Netbook with 4G Wireless

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:40:23 +0000

Slowly but surely, laptops with built-in mobile broadband are getting more common. This is great as it means that you are basically always online and not have to fiddle with all sorts of ugly dongles. Samsung is now launching a new netbook that’s unusually well equipped in that department – the N350.

This is one of the first laptops that supports both the fourth generation (LTE) and third generation (HSPA) mobile networks. That means you can connect to the Internet and download data at theoretical speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

The Samsung N350 automatically switches between the two networks as needed. Thus, you always get the highest speed in the city, but do not lose coverage when you move out into rural areas without 4G.

Otherwise, the N350 is pretty much a standard small netbook with 10-inch screen. It’s powered by an Atom N445 processor, has 1 GB of RAM and a hard disk of 250 GB. Samsung has also equipped the machine with a memory card reader, camera, 3 USB ports and it runs Windows 7.

It is not entirely clear when the N350 goes on sale. Samsung says it is not profitable to sell 4G machines at full price, and that mobile operators will need to help out with subsidies. In other words, they are probably in negotiations with mobile operators at this time.

Samsung N310 Coupon: Save $170 on a “Rubber” Netbook

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:38:54 +0000

The Samsung Go N310 is one of the most interesting creations in the netbook universe; the components are more or less standard issue–an Intel Atom N270 running at 1.6GHz, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a 6-cell battery that will last you through the day. What’s much more interesting is the design, which is very cool with a sort of rubbery finish instead of the usual plastics.

Whether you like this choice of finish is of course a matter of personal taste, but it sure stands out in a crowd of otherwise nearly identical netbooks.

It is now available in factory refurbished condition for $170 off MSRP ($479.99), resulting in $309.95 from BigOutlet. Also, take 5$ off your purchase of 100$ or more with Coupon Code – AFPR5

Samsung’s N230 Boots Up in 3 Seconds

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:57:55 +0000

One, two, three … that’s the time it takes for the Samsung N230 to boot. Three seconds and then Samsung N230 fully operational in Microsoft Windows 7. This is apparently how this is accomplished: “All settings are automatically saved on the hard disk when you close the screen or press the button. And since the computer does not go on standby, but shuts down entirely, you can even remove the battery without the risk that the information disappears. Once you open the screen again, it takes only three seconds for the computer to boot, and you can now easily continue where you left off. ”

Seven-Hour Battery Life

The N230 weighs just over 2 pounds and the battery life, according to the manufacturer, is seven hours on this 10.1-inch netbook, which sounded like a lot a few years ago. Nowadays it’s about average. The fact that it starts about ten times as fast as the average laptop is however really interesting, and it looks like Samsung will offer the same feature on its older models, the N150, N210 and N220.

Other than the quick-boot feature, the specifications are instantly recognizable: an Intel Atom N450 processor, Windows 7 Starter, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, and a 1024×600 LED-backlit screen (matte).

Nearly 14 Hours of Battery Life in New Samsung Netbook

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:40:05 +0000

Samsung N230 is a new netbook with fairly mundane specifications, but more impressive battery life if the manufacturer’s specifications are to be trusted. The computer comes with either an Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz) or N470 (1.83GHz) and an LED-lit 10.1- screen with 1024 x 600 pixels.

Other features include 1GB of memory, 250 GB hard drive, Intel GMA 3150, Wireless LAN 802.11bgn, and Bluetooth. A 3G modem will also be available as an option. Instead of groundbreaking new hardware, the Korean manufacturer focuses on long battery life. The new laptop comes with two different battery options: one 32 Wh and one 66 Wh. These will provide 7 or 13.8 hours of operating time respectively. The Samsung N230 will be out in July.

Samsung N120 Review – A Well Rounded Netbook with Great Battery Life

admin — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:38:06 +0000

The Samsung N120 netbook has a good screen and a sizeable keyboard, but the most impressive part is the battery life.Just like its predecessor the NC10, the N120 has a 10.1-inch screen and very similar design and ergonomics. The chassis has been given a minor overhaul, and is now slightly slimmer than that on the NC10, but on the other hand the battery now juts out from the back of the laptop, so not much has been gained by this update.

Another difference is that the processor is the ever so slightly faster Atom N280, which ticks away at 1.66MHz instead of 1.6GHz in the more common N270. There’s also a feature in the N120 that allows the USB ports to charge your iPod (or power any other USB device) even when the netbook is turned off, which might be useful. Otherwise the specs compared to the NC10 are identical.

As I mentioned earlier, the battery life is where the Samsung N120 stands out. Although the processor is marginally faster, this netbook knows how to conserve power. By reducing screen brightness and working with none-too demanding applications (office, web browser), we managed to get almost 12 hours out of the 6-cell without resorting to an outlet.

All in all – and especially considering the battery life – this is one of the best netbooks right now. It’s not entirely without flaws though; the N120 would have been even better with a more comfortable track pad. It has that nice “single button” design, and it’s not the smallest one in the segment, but some netbook manufacturers have managed even better solutions in this area. Another issue we had with the N120 is that it’s not the lightest netbook out there.

On the other hand very few netbooks are this well rounded. The positive aspects of the Samsung N120 clearly win out. First and foremost in the battery department, but the keyboard, screen and overall ergonomics makes this a top contender in this highly competitive netbook segment.