Mobile Computing News

Photo: Samsung

Samsung, who branched into the netbook market after it was established, has made a notable impression in a computing device that increasingly shares as many similarities with smartphones as it does with laptops. With the smartphone angle, Samsung has managed to prove itself a leader in the field, and looks to do the same with its netbooks.

Specs

The Samsung N210 has a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 matte display. A 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 powers it with memory coming from 1GB of DDR SDRAM running at 800 MHz. The memory is upgradable to 2GB. It has a 250GB SATA hard drive with graphical processing done by Intel GMA 3150 graphics.

A very impressive 11.2 hour battery life is promised, with a 0.3 megapixel webcam all housed in a netbook that runs Windows 7 Starter Edition out the box.

Keyboard and trackpad

Photo: Samsung

The well-spaced, full width keyboard is very well constructed. The keys are quiet, solid, and provide good feedback. Even with these intelligent design implementations, people with large hands are likely to feel cramping after prolonged use – a hazard netbook designers are still attempting to get their heads around.

The multi-touch trackpad is generously sized. The trackpad is sensitive enough, but feedback drops do occur from time to time. The gesturing system for multi-touch use includes the usual pinch-to-zoom functionality, as well as swipes for turning pages and so on.

Design and appearance

Keeping with the recent trend of making netbooks look more like well-built computers than expensive toys in a cheap casing, the Samsung N210 is a well designed, sturdy netbook. Available in either white or black, the all matte inside – which applies to the screen as well, meaning less reflections – looks the part, too. On the outside, however, opting for a smooth finish creates an interesting juxtaposition that is more effective than one would expect.

Performance

Photo: Samsung

Like virtually all the netbooks on the planet, where the Samsung N210 does not shine is in the performance department. Though the SDRAM gives it a boost in RAM over competing netbooks and the Intel Atom N450 chip is a very capable recent addition, the Samsung N210 cannot do what basic laptops can do. Insofar as that issue is left unaddressed, netbooks will always have their detractors, people who think they are more novelty than genuine additions to the computing landscape.

The Samsung N210 is a great machine as far as netbooks go. How you feel about that qualifier, though, will determine whether or not you should be looking into this model.