Samsung N110-12PBK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery (9.5 Hours) Review
paid < 0 from b&h.
pros: xp home (not win7 starter), small, light (compared to regular laptops, even 12"), decent screen, keys (not keyboard) feel nice and responsive (not rickety clickety things)
cons: keyboard feels a touch cramped, touchpad is kinda small (not sure how it could be bigger), and over sensitive at times (but configurable - somewhat), actual desktop (w/icons) display *after* boot+login in is almost as long as boot up
i'm a pro photographer traveling abroad for the first time with pro equipment and need storage/backup for digifiles. i decided against those stand-alone storage drives for the same or more money as a netbook. i'm willing to accept a larger device (netbook) to have more functionality (web, documents, etc.) with a larger footprint over a single function storage drive with a much smaller footprint. heck, i'm even gonna pick up a usb powered drive as double backup for the road. if i wanted double backup with a stand-alone storage drive, i would be spending 0 or more. this way i'm still under 0.
i've wanted a netbook since before they were widely available. i would buy a mac netbook for 0 if they offered one, but pcs are the only thing going at this size. i've waited and waited for apple to respond and they haven't. i saw a review that said that macbook air is apple's netbook. right. it's far too expensive and far too big to compete in the netbook market. ... oh, there is the ipad - just an oversized itouch/iphone. 64GB max? no hdd? no usb port? no thank you.
anyhoo, it's a nice little box anyways. wireless networks should be simplicity these days. this unit won't accept a dhcp address automatically from my wireless router so i have to config it manually. rrrr.. got it working without too many hours down the drain. then i tried samsung's "easy network manager" (enm). after setting up a home and work location, it decided to stop recognizing my available wireless router. saw all the others in my building except mine. rrrr... tinkered with the router and the network is back again - all has the same basic config, but i'm not using the "enm" to mangle my network settings any more.. apple's network manager is clean and intuitive by comparison.
i'm not listing the wireless config probs i had as a "con" because i'm chalking it up to pilot error (all except for that beknighted samsung enm). (see edit below)
the form factor and design is not super great, but like the subject says, it ain't a mac.
top cover is glossy: i guess i will have to be satisfied with a scratch and smudge magnet. i might consider taking super fine steel wool to the cover to "matte" it down.
glossy screen: i have yet to meet anyone that actually likes them, but glossy is the only thing going these days. no steel wool to this sensitive device.
vga out? how quaint! what century are we talking about here? *all* new output devices accept dvi or hdmi. no laptops seem to understand this. gimme a mac.
sd port? cool! but most pro cameras use cf cards, tho my 1d's all have dual cf and sd slots, i only use the sd card as reserve. +1 point for this pc laptop - no mac has a sd slot.
6-cell slide out batt? very cool! slide the thing out and swap in another .. for ~, that's not too bad of an idea. again, mac might start taking notes here.
9.5 hour batt life? i have had it at work for 9+ hours, used it for music/email/ftp/etc. not super hard duty and got 8+ hours out of it. i don't even bring the charger with me. that's not too shabby. will have a better idea after my trip ;-) mac??
no native raw file built-in? sweet lord.. mac's had this for *years*. got me a good solution on this, but c'mon..
EDIT 3/30: still pretty happy with this box
the wireless network connection was definitely pilot error. i made a couple quick mods to the wireless router and now it connects via dhcp just fine in at home and work. gotta try some other locations. other info: i can connect to my mac from xp no problem. not the reverse. it looks like xp home doesn't want you to use the box as a 'server'. researched this backwards and forwards and still cannot find an answer. ok, so i always upload pix from the pc to the mac- not the end of the world.
i'll try to give this an update after my trip..
EDIT 6/22: still mostly satisfied
the wireless network connection was a dicey thing at best on the road in japan. the network was there in several places, but the connection just couldn't be made. in one of the locations, using their hard-wired connection worked just fine. in a couple of others, even the hard-wired connection didn't help. the computer itself thought the connection was there, but no websites, no email, nothing. just had to use a totally different machine to check up on things. hm...
as for other performance: met my expectations. i needed backup space which it worked well for. the external dinky usb drive i used worked flawlessly.
a few times the battery came out of the slot. no fault of the design - just how i was packing it: i pulled it edgewise out of the slot and the battery came out. nice thing about hibernation mode is that this is not a problem. everything powers down, state is stored to disk. it's almost like being turned off. love this feature: mac could learn something from this!
final thought: ------------
recommended. i keep the 4-star rating (minus one star for klunky design and not being a mac ;-)
this is a nice machine to have around regardless of my issues with it. pick one up while they are still available. new netbooks all have windows 7 installed. have yet to hear a good review about 7. whose idea was *that* =)
Samsung N110-12PBK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery (9.5 Hours) Feature
- 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor
- 1GB RAM (memory)
- 160GB Hard Drive
- Microsoft XP Home with Service Pack 3, 6 Cell Battery (up to 9.5 hours of battery life)
Samsung N110-12PBK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery (9.5 Hours) Overview
Staying connected 24/7. It's what matters to you. That's why Samsung introduced the new N110 mini notebook. Weighing a mere 2.8 pounds, it's designed to keep you online and on the go. Experience the freedom to surf the Web, shop and chat on IM with the very latest wireless technology. Zip through your online applications with the speedy Intel Atom processor. Store all your favorite videos, music, images and more with 160GB of storage, and enjoy them on a SuperBright 10.2-inch LCD. A larger touch pad area, using the touch pad is now easier and more comfortable. And with up to 9.5 hours of battery life, the N110 brings you all kinds of staying power.
Samsung N110-12PBK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery (9.5 Hours) Specifications
Weighing just 2.8 pounds, the Samsung N110-12PBK improves on its predecessors with a sleeker, curvier design, a glossy LCD screen, a larger touchpad, and a 6-cell lithium rechargeable battery that provides up to 9 hours of continuous use. An affordable mobile PC that's ideal for all your online needs, the N110 is designed to go almost anywhere--from kitchen and living room at home to Wi-Fi hotspots at coffee shops, airports and more. It sports a 10.1-inch LED-backlit SuperBright screen and a 93-percent full-size keyboard that's easy to use.
It's powered by the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, which is designed especially for mobile devices and features an innovative hafnium-infused circuitry that reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy. The integrated 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) will keep you connected to email and all your social networks, while the Bluetooth 2.0+EDR technology enables you to use handsfree communication headsets while video chatting via the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam.
Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, built-in speakers and microphone, SD/SDHC/MMC memory card reader, three USB ports, and a VGA output to an external monitor. It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
See larger image. | 
See larger image. |
Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).
The 93-percent full-size keyboard makes it easy to type no matter where you are (see larger image). |
Storage & Memory There's plenty of room for everything you download from the web with 160 GB of hard disk drive storage. Plus, you'll enjoy a quick system boot-up and fast access to stored information. The N110 offers 1 GB of installed RAM, delivering maximum netbook performance for accessing the Internet and enjoying streaming multimedia.
Screen, Video & Audio
With its LED-backlit SuperBright 10.1-inch wide LCD, you can view the Internet or any application in full-screen mode (at a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution) without compromise and in a clear and comfortable display. Video is powered by Intel's integrated, power-efficient 945GSE Express chipset, which features a 32-bit 3D graphics engine based on the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950. This mini-notebook includes two stereo speakers that provide a total of 3 watts of power (1.5W x 2) and an integrated audio chip that's compatible with HD Audio.
Integrated Webcam
An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging. The camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera.
Connectivity
This Samsung N110 mini-notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networks, as well as an Ethernet jack for plugging into a wired network. With the integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as use Bluetooth-enabled headsets for VoIP phone calls and handsfree video chats. To increase your storage capabilities, you can access optional memory cards (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, and MultiMediaCard).Here's the full list of connectivity options:
- 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- SD/SDHC/MMC memory card reader
- 1 headphone out/microphone in
- RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection
- VGA video output for external monitors
Operating System & Software
Pre-installed with Windows XP, the Samsung N110 includes the following software: Samsung Recovery Solution III, Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update Plus Easy Display Manager, Easy Battery Manager, Easy Network Manager, Easy SpeedUp Manager McAfee Virus Scan, Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Dimensions & Weight
This netbook measures 10.27 x 7.3 x 1.19 inches and weighs 2.8 pounds.
Power
This mini-notebook includes a six-cell (5900mAh) lithium-ion battery for up to 9 hours of use.
What's in the Box
This package includes the Samsung N110-12PBK, rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and printed operating instructions. It's backed by a one-year warranty.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 10, 2010 12:51:03
