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Samsung N210 Netbook Review – 6/7

With a history of solid netbooks in its kitty, Samsung has churned out yet another one – the N210. This latest offering has a sturdy chassis that feels solid and has no flex. It is stylish as well, with a professional looking textured lid outlined with a thin layer of chrome. The lid eschews the norm amongst glossy netbooks of being a fingerprint magnet. The interiors are all matte, including the non gloss screen. The N210′s keyboard is one of the best around with island-style keys that are easy to hit and the mousepad is large and responsive.

Coupled with above-average speakers, the Samsung N210 seems to be one of the better netbooks out there. With a price tag of $379.99 it is a bit on the expensive side. It’s within the range of the ASUS 1005PE high-ends, but the battery life at 7 hours doesn’t compare.

Samsung N210 Review – Top Features

• Great keyboard and large touchpad – The chiclet style keys offer superior tactile feedback and we were able to type at normal speed almost immediately. The touchpad is large and responsive.
• Very good speakers – A nice touch in a sea of sub-par speakers are the N210′s audio output. The sound was loud, full and lacked distortion.
• Great Screen – The non-glossy screen can be used outside, but retains rich colors and brightness. The viewing angles are good too, which means the netbook can be viewed by two people simultaneously.

Samsung N210 Netbook Review – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind

• Small touch buttons – The touchpad may be large but the buttons are a bit small. It’s  not a deal breaker, but something to keep in mind.
• Poor Wi-Fi at a distance – The WiFi within 20 feet catches easily, but at 50 feet away gets quite week and is only half as powerful as other netbooks.

Samsung N210 Netbook Review – Ratings

1. Price and Value for money – 0.75 Star. We like the design and features, but feel that the N210 is about $40 too expensive to be great value, based on what other netbooks out there offer.
2. Speed and Performance – 1.0 Star. The Samsung N210 is amongst the nippier of N450 and IGMA 3150 netbooks. It runs 4 to 5 programs at the same time quite easily.
3. Screen – 1.0 Star. We are really impressed with the screen. Samsung even has a resolution manager which you can use to manipulate the resolution higher. You may lose a bit of display quality  in the bargain.
4. Keyboard, Touchpad, Useability – 1.0 Star. We like the chiclet keyboard and large, responsive touchpad.
5. Portability and Battery Life – 0.75 Star. The battery life is a bit weak at just about 7 hours and the 2.82lbs weight isn’t that sprightly.
6. Looks and Design – 1.0 Star. The N210 has got a classy look with a few nice features – the matte interior, non-glossy lid and chrome lined exterior.
7. Connectivity and Extensibility – 0.5 Star. The N210 has a standard set of ports, but the weak WiFi and lack of Bluetooth (at $380 you better have it) drop some points.

This gives the Samsung N210 an overall rating of 6 out of 7 Stars.

Samsung N210 Netbook Review – Our Recommendation

Samsung have stuck to their age old recipe of providing a netbook with standard specifications but above standard design, build, keyboard and screen. The only problem that we possibly have with the N210 is the fact that its battery life is a few hours less than the comparably priced ASUS 1005PE-PU17. That’s pretty much the only drawback we can find in this very neat little netbook.

Available at $379.99 on Bestbuy.

Samsung N210 Netbook Review – What have buyers said?

Pros:

1. “Oh yeah keyboard is by far awesome. Spaced out keys, and im a big guy and have big hands, and after about 3-5mins of typing I got use to this keyboard.”
2. “This netbook is also the only one I’ve seen with a matte screen, which looks much better than the glossy screens of every other netbook.”
3. “It’s incredibly fast for such a small processor.”

Cons:

1. “The video quality from the in-built webcam is a bit choppy.”
2. “Battery is no where near stated performance.”

Samsung N210 Netbook Review – Technical Specifications

• OS: Windows 7 Starter
• CPU: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor
• Display & Graphics: 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 Non-Gloss Display, Intel GMA 3150
• RAM: 1GB DDR2
• Storage: 250GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
• Connectivity: 3-in-one card reader, 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet LAN (RJ-45), VGA, 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
• Battery: 6-cell Li-ion Battery (7 hours)
• Weight: 2.82 lbs
• Colors: Black, White
• Price: $379.99

Filed under: Samsung Netbook Review