Samsung Series 9 laptop hands on

The Gadget Show  Wednesday 31 August 2011

Samsung have launched quite a few new products over the past day or two, but we’ve been getting to grips with one of the slightly older ones – the Samsung Series 9 laptop. This super skinny laptop has been out for quite a while now, but what’s it like to live with on a daily basis? Read on to find out our first impressions.

The first thing you’ll notice when taking the Series 9 out of its box is just how thin it is. Sure, it’s not as thin as a MacBook Air, and the latest tablets are also more anorexic, but it’s still a lot slimmer and lighter than the majority of laptops.

The slimline feel is enhanced by sculpted sides, which make it feel thinner than it is, and overall it’s a very attractive design. Build quality is good, too, with a classy brushed aluminium lid and brushed aluminium palm rests. It’s a shame that Samsung has finished the bottom of the machine in plastic – rather than using metal throughout – but at least the bits you touch in day to day use are tactile and high quality.

As with Apple’s MacBook range, there’s a rubber seal that runs all the way around the screen, preventing the keys from rubbing in transit, and that’s not the only similarity the Series 9 shares. The isolated keyboard looks very similar in design, and it’s equally comfortable to use. There’s backlighting, which is a boon when typing in poor lighting, and the large touchpad is also comfortable, responsive and free from fussy details.

The 13.3-inch screen on the Series 9 is one of the best we’ve seen. At 1366×768 pixels, there are displays with higher resolutions, but it’s still more than sharp enough, and offers excellent colour reproduction. It’s also incredibly bright, at 400-nit, and we love the fact it features a matt finish. It’s so good that you won’t even notice at first, until you find yourself working in sunlight and wondering where the usual reflections are!

Power comes from a 1.4GHz Core i5 processor and 4GB of memory, and although it’s not the last word in performance, it’s more than enough to keep the Series 9 ticking along nicely. It’s certainly enough to keep up with Apple’s MacBook Air, and is aided by a 128GB Solid State Drive.

We’ve yet to test battery life or put the Series 9 through some more serious paces, but it’s definitely a likeable laptop. It’s quick, seriously thin and seriously light, and looks great. The only real issue is the price – at around £1000 it faces some serious competition, including Apple’s MacBook Air. You’d have to be a brave person to choose it over the Air, but we doubt you’d be disappointed if you did.

Tags:

Samsung Series 9, Samsung, laptops