Samsung N130 Netbook Review
Samsung N130 Netbook Review – 6/7
Samsung released the N130 and the N140 at the same time and the netbooks are remarkably similar, except that the N140 has been positioned as a premium model. We’ve already looked at that model and loved it. Let’s see how it’s poorer cousin, the N130, stacks up.
The N130 is a solidly built netbook and while it may not look as good as the N140, the matte-finish compares very favorably with other netbooks on the market. It means no constant wiping off of dust and fingerprints. The keyboard is exactly the same and a really beaut to boot! The keys are large and tapering, making this our favorite netbook keyboard. The touchpad is great as well. The only place it falls a bit short is the battery life, and again this is only in comparision. 6 hours of battery life is quite decent for any machine.
Samsung N130 Netbook Review – Top Features
- Price Point – The N130 can be picked up on amazon for less than $300. The price becomes one of its strong points.
- Excellent functionality – As we’ve mentioned, they keyboard is totally awesome. The touchpad is large and responsive.
- Screen – The screen exhibits bright colors and rich contrasts.
- Build Quality – The N130 has a got a nice rounded and solid look about it. It’s finished in matte both on the exterior and inside, which makes it look clean and smooth always.
Samsung N130 Netbook N130 Review – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind
- Portruding Battery – If there’s one thing we like less than a portruding battery, it’s all those product pictures that act like it ain’t there in the first place. Shamesung!
- Complaints with video – The fullscreen video playback even at low-res is a bit off.
Samsung N130 Netbook Review -Ratings
- Price and Value for money – 1.0 Star. As we’ve said before, any netbook under $300 floats our boat just fine.
- Speed and Performance – 0.75 Star. The N130 features the Intel N270 processor and 1 GB of RAM. Pretty standard architecture that performs adequately.
- Screen – 0.75 Star. Samsung makes great screens, and this one is no exception. But the brightness leaves a little to be desired.
- Keyboard, Touchpad, Useability – 1.0 Star. We love the keyboard and trackpad.
- Portability and Battery Life – 0.75 Star. Very nice and light at 2.65lbs. The battery life is about 5.5 – 6 hours
- Looks and Design – 1.0 Star. Even though it doesn’t look as snappy as the N140, we’re quite sold on the solid build quality and matte finish (which looks particularly cool in black)
- Connectivity and Extensibility – 0,75 Star. The N130 features all your average ports.
This gives the Samsung N130 an overall rating of 6 out of 7 Stars.
Samsung N130 Netbook Review – Our Recommendation
The N130 is available in blue, white and black. The blue version is the cheapest at under $300, whereas the white model with the same configuration is about $40 more expensive. The black model with a Windows 7 Starter costs about $370. We think the base model is a great buy, and if you’re going to spring for the Windows 7 version, there’s more competitively priced netbooks out there.
Samsung N130 Netbook Review – What have buyers on Amazon said?
Pros:
- “This is a super netbook.”
- “Battery life is as advertised; it took me about 6 hours to run it down from initial full charge.”
- “The N130 is solid, yet light, boasts a 90%ish sized keyboard (works great with my big fingers)”
- “The quality and design of this computer is I believe the best of any computer I’ve ever owned including my desktops.”
Cons:
- “Video isn’t the greatest on here either, YouTube is OK, but video files are slightly choppy especially at full screen.”
The N130 is available on amazon for $294.99
Samsung N130 Netbook Review – Technical Specifications
- OS: Windows XP (SP3) / Windows 7 Starter
- CPU: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor
- RAM: 1GB RAM
- Storage Space: 160GB SATA HDD
- Screen: 10.1 inch WSVGA LED-backlit widescreen display, Integrated IGMA 950
- Connectivity: 3 USB ports, Ethernet jack, Headphone & microphone slot, VGA, 3-in-1 card reader, 802.11b/g/n WLAN
- Battery: 6 cell Li-Ion battery
- Weight: 2.65 lbs
Filed under: Samsung Netbook Review
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