After my laptop suddenly died recently, I needed a new portable computer, and fast. I did some pretty extensive online research and decided to take the risk on a Netbook (risk because it's so different and so small!) I have never looked back. I've had it for 2 months now, and am nothing but ecstatic with my little Samsung. Always had Dell or HP in the past, but Samsung is starting to make me a believer. Though they seem to be new to the computer world, I think this Netbook is the best one out there, and here's why:
1. The keyboard is almost full size. One of the (big) drawbacks to netbooks is the tiny keyboards, which make it difficult to type. Can be very annoying if you use it for an extended period of time. After I brought my Samsung on vacation with my family recently, they all loved it so much that my dad and my niece went out and bought netbooks. However, they made the mistake of going with the Acer -- a much smaller keyboard. My dad is becoming quite frustrated with it. And supposedly the Samsung has an antibacterial coating on the keyboard. Not sure if it actually does anything, but nice to know it's there...
2. Upgrading the RAM is so easy a caveman could do it. haha Seriously, though, it seems like all netbooks come with 1GB of RAM. If you can find one with 2GB you probably pay through the nose. You can buy a 2GB card for between $20-$30. There are lots of guides online, but in 2min you can basically pop out the old and pop in the new, simply using a regular screwdriver. It's that easy and you now have 2GB RAM. I did it soon after buying it, though, so I'm not sure if there's a big difference or not. It is fast though!
3. It has Win XP. If you're like me and find Vista to be way too unstable for an OS, there are few choices out there. Hopefully Samsung doesn't decide to "upgrade" their OS.
4. Built in webcam. I don't use it much, but when I'm traveling (which is why I bought it) it's nice to be able to video chat with the family.
5. Lots of peripheral plug ins. Unlike the Mac Air (which I had strongly considered despite it's ridiculous price tag) this has 3 USB ports, a VGA (for a monitor/TV), ethernet, headphone, speaker, and of course power cord.
6. In addition it also has a card reader! I think it only takes SD but that works for me!
7. Extremely long battery life. I can go about 8hrs on one charge. Haven't really had to try it (have always been near an outlet), but there are NO WORRIES about the battery on this thing. Better performance than my Dell laptop! There are several settings so you can easily change from a power save mode (turn off wifi, screen dimmer) to high performance mode. I usually just leave it in high performance and can still leave it unplugged for much of the day.
With all those pros, there were a couple of cons:
1. No optical drive. However, if you're shopping for netbooks, you've realized that none of them have an optical drive. That's how they make it so small. You can either buy an external one or, what I did, network your netbook to your home computer and use IT'S optical drive. A nice solution!
2. When I was shopping the biggest con I saw was the mouse. Yes it's small, but it's not that big of a deal. I've quickly adjusted. Every once in a while my finger runs off the top or something, but it's really not that big of a deal. There's still a scrollbar on the side, a big mouse button across the bottom (press on the right or left for different buttons), and I think it's just the right amount of flush-ness with the case (looks nice!). There's even some feature that I keep finding (still not exactly sure what the combo is to get it) that will change the text size of the page you're reading with just some swiping of fingers on the mousepad. Kinda fun if you know how to do it...
3. Price. As netbooks go this might be a little up there. I paid just under $500 for the netbook, other decent ones go for as little as $200. I think this one was worth the money though if you plan on using it a significant amt.
4. Size. I initially was looking for a really tiny computer that I could stick in my purse and take with me, but would still be big enough to use. Though this is the biggest of the netbooks out there, it still fits in one of my purses (a slightly oversized purse, but not a shoulder bag). I just throw it in the little case it comes with (really just to protect from scratches -- it's a felt cover) and stick it in my purse. Came in EXTREMELY handy while on vacation recently, and even just going around town to coffee shops etc. Now that I have it, I can't imagine having a smaller computer. The screen would probably be unbearable, not to mention the keyboard.
5. The case it comes with isn't very durable. I thought this would be a drawback, but really it's not a big deal. I found that sticking it in my purse without the felt cover left some little black scratches on the cover (I think from my keys rubbing on it). But what kind of damage are you trying to protect it from? I thought about buying a more substantial case, but realized i can just stick it in my purse or shoulder bag, and not much would happen to it. Not a big drawback...
I hope this thorough review is helpful to someone out there. I was very grateful for all the reviews I read when I was shopping. It was a tough choice between the Acer, Wind, and ASUS. In the end, I am EXTREMELY happy with the Samsung and would highly recommend the Samsung. I've played around with my dad's Acer a little, and find my Samsung to be quieter (fan almost never turns on and it's always cool!), bigger keyboard, and faster. Slightly bigger screen is a little nicer too. And if you're debating about color (like I was) seriously consider the white. I was a little nervous about the white (just didn't seem like a white computer would look right) but it looks very sharp. It's a matte finish and looks very new age and high tech. Every time I pull it out (in class, in a coffee shop, or even in a restaurant once) I get tons of compliments and questions. A very handy machine that I would buy again in a heartbeat!
I don't work for Samsung or get a kickback or anything (though I wish I did!) but just love this computer and had a tough time shopping around and making a decision. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it.
PS -- if you're a new shopper to Amazon, I highly recommend ordering from Amazon. Free shipping, and with the "5-9 day" option, I got it in 3 days, like most of my amazon purchases. Great shipping and easy shopping!Get more detail about Samsung NC10-14GB 10.2-Inch Blue Netbook - 6 Cell Battery.
