Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

Samsung has always been one of my favorite netbook manufacturers. I think it started with the Samsung NC10, then I was fascinated with the Samsung Go ($329.99) and the Samsung N120 ($364.05). The company has churned up very good netbooks and the 10.1″ Samsung N140 is not an exception. Of course it has good points and bad points, but the good outweighs the bad in my opinion so this netbook is definitely one you might want to have. It is available from Amazon. com in Sapphire Blue ($372.99) and in Burgundy ($384.99).

[Rating:6.5/7]

Features and Drawbacks

• Half-glossy/half-matte finish including screen – Plus side: the inside including sreen bezel, keyboard, touchpad and palm rest are matte. This gives the N140 a fingerprint-free zone… inside. Minus side: The outside is glossy and picks up prints like you wouldn’t believe! Urgh!

• Awesome keyboard, awesome touchpad – It has a sturdy, standard-type keyboard (non-chiclet) which I find great. Touch-typing is easy and the keys are well-spaced. I guess being a 93% keyboard, and taking up all the space on the chassis, end to end, it makes for non-cramped typing. The touchpad is also wide, sensitive and responsive. It’s smooth, and very easy to glide your fingers across it. It also supports multi-gestures such as 2-finger scrolling and zooming/pinching.

• It actually has a matte screen – Yes, one of the few netbooks that has a matte screen. It can be a pro or a con. While the display is not as sharp as the ones on a glossy screen, horizontal viewing is better on a matte screen than on a glossy screen. There’s no glare or reflection to contend with. The 1024 x 600 resolution might also be a problem for some sites that are too large for the screen but Samsung has thoughtfully added a resolution app that allows you to increase resolution to 1024 x 768 and gives you a little more space on the screen.

• Sub-standard Battery life – Bummer. Okay, so Samsung says that it can run for 9.5 hours. Amazon says 7.5 Hours of Battery Life. Again, the rule of thumb on battery life is to subtract 2 to 2.5 hours from how long it can run as per the merchants. This is especially true for the N140. It can only run, with bells and whistles blowing, for about 5 hours or less with WiFi on, web browsing and so on. Definitely disappointing as the Asus Eee PC 1005HA can run for a little more than 7 hours on a single charge with it’s 6-cell battery.

• Performance is awesome. For a netbook. – No, no 3D games or HD videos. Just, you know, netbook stuff like email, web browsers, documents, maybe a little (very little) YouTube (no 1080p videos, please). It doesn’t work as long as the Asus Eee PC 1005HA, but it definitely works just as hard.

• Great software package – It comes with a slew of interesting and very useful software such as the Battery Life Extender and Chargeable USB and Recovery Solution. Remember the app that I told you about that allows you to increse the screen res? That comes with the package too.

Rating – 6.5/7

Value for Money – 1
Speed and Performance – 1
Screen – 1
Keyboard – 1
Portability & Battery Life – 0.5
Looks and Design – 1
Extensibility & connectivity – 1

Technical Specs:

• 10.1” 1024 x 600 display
• Intel Atom N280 (1.6GHz) processor
• Intel GMA 950 graphics
• Windows 7 Starter
• 1GB RAM
• 250GB HDD (5400rpm)
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
• 0.3MP Webcam
• 1.5W x 2 stereo speakers
• VGA, 3x USB, Card Reader, mic and headphone ports
• 6-Cell Battery (5,200mAh)
• 2.82 lbs Weight

Bottomline
Samsung has done it again and came up with an really good netbook despite the battery life. If you’re looking for a new netbook, then you definitely can’t go wrong with a Samsung N140. Available from Amazon. com in Sapphire Blue ($372.99) and in Burgundy ($384.99).

Related posts:

1. Samsung N140 Launch in November, $399 with Windows 7
2. Samsung N140 – Now Available, and with Windows 7
3. Samsung N140 Product Page Now Up
4. Samsung N140 Official Photos
5. Samsung N110 Review: Cramped Keyboard, Awesome Battery Life

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