Introduction:
Netbooks seem to be all the rage now days.I remember reading about how they were going to be the end of computing a year ago,but today they seem to be the hottest gadgets on the market.
Personally I've never liked laptops. The weight,low battery life,the frequent recharging and mainly the high cost. But netbooks seem to be perfect to me. Light,long battery life,easy portability and of course the low cost. They would make a perfect system for my college work,presentations and browsing needs. Being my first laptop/notebook/netbook ill try my best to give a comprehensive impression and review of the Samsung NC20..
Due to the so many models of netbooks to choose from,the only distinguishing feature I wanted was higher resolution.I found the 1024x600 res of the 10†netbooks to be too small and uncomfortable to work on for long periods.So the only option was to move upto 12†or get the insanly expensive Sony Vaio P.So the netbooks I was considering was the Dell Mini 12 and Samsung NC20.But I was able to find only the 3 Cell battery version which I read gives only about 3 hours of battery life.So I was set on the NC20.
Specifications:
Processor-Via Nano ULV U2250 1.3GHz with 800MHz FSB
Memory-1GB DDR2-667 (1 DIMM)
Chipset-Via VX800
Graphics-Via Chrome9 HC3 IGP
Display-12.1" TFT with WVGA (1280x800) resolution and LED backlight
Storage-Samsung Spinpoint M HM160HI 160GB 2.5" 5400RPM hard drive
Audio-Stereo HD audio via Realtek codec
Ports-
3xUSB 2.0
1 VGA
1 RJ45 10/100 Ethernet
1 analog headphone output
1 analog microphone input
Expansion slots-1 SD/SDHC/MMC
Communications-802.11b/g Wi-Fi Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
Input devices-Keyboard (97% of full size) Trackpad Internal* microphone
Camera-1.3 megapixel webcam
Dimensions-11.5" x 8.5" x 1.2" (292 mm x 216 mm x 30 mm) Weight 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)
Battery-6-cell Li-Ion 5200 mAh
A few points about the Hardware:
Processor:
Samsung has gone the other way with choosing a VIA Nano processor.Its been about 10 years since I owned a VIA processor and iv lost track about their processor lineup.What I read is that the previous architecture wasnt all that good,so I was a bit iffy about this one.But after reading a few reviews and benchmarks,it turns out the Nano can match the Atom in most apps and beat it in some.
The 1.3+ marking means the Processor works at 1.3-1.6ghz in normal mode,1.6Ghz in Performance mode,and at 800Mhz in Battery mode.For me the proc runs at 1.5Ghz normally in the default Normal mode.
But generally,in day to day use,i dont find any difference between the NC20 and my friend's ASUS 1000HE performance/speed wise.
Graphics:
The NC20 uses the Via Chrome9 video chip supporting Dx9.No experience with S3 video cards but I do remember they were a notable player in the graphics market,along with TNT2 and ATI Rage.
But the chip seems more than capable to handle some light games and games about 3-5 years old and 720p HD video.1080p video is watchable but stutters in places.
Memory:
The NC20 has only one RAM slot so if u wanna upgrade ull have to ditch ur 1GB stick for a 2GB one.Im holding back upgrading till I check out Win7 performance on 1gb.
Also the VRAM is dependent on ur system RAM.If u have 1GB,then the VRAM is 128mb,If you have 2GB main RAM u have 256MB VRAM.
Physical Appearance:
My model was bought in Saudi hence it has the Arabic charecters on the keyboard which I find distracting but tats the price u pay for lower costs.The white version sells for ~Rs27,000 here and black version for ~Rs.25,000.This is the white version.I think finger prints and scratches show up less on white than on black.And the 12†size makes it more of a “grown upâ€netbook.Trading in the Cute looks of other 9-10†netbooks for a more serious look(Some might call it bland/boring)
The outside is a nice glossy white finish completely of Plastic but feels really solid without any bending or creaking anywhere.There is a chrome strip which extends from the left to right hinge joints via the front.It adds a touch of class and makes it look expensive than it really is.
The frontplate is bare with the Samsung logo in silver.Nice area to work with(skins,stickers)
The NC20 is pretty sleek and slips into my shoulder bag along 2-3 books without any trouble.It measures about 1.5inches near the hinge and 1inch at the palm rest.
On the left is the LAN port,Vent outlet,1 USB,VGA Out and the Audio Jacks(Mic and Headphone)
On the Right is the Power button which glows Blue when on,Kensington Lock slot,AC In and 2 USB.
Pretty standard ports for a netbook.
The front is adorned by 7 LEDs(6 blue,1green/orange depending on the battery charge)and the Multi Card reader.It comes closed with a dummy memory card to keep the slot dust free which I think is a nice touch.
The underside has the HDD and RAM bay the the Vent inlets.There are 2 speaker grills.The speakers dont sound as dedicated but do a good enough job for movies and youtube.
Opening the netbook,you have the 12.1†glossy display,the keyboard and the touch pad.
Display:
The display is brilliantly lit and you need to see it to appreciate how much of a difference 2 inches makes.At the max brightness it is definatly blinding and I usually use it at 40-60% setting.
The native resolution of 1280x800 means u get a lot of workspace without the need to scroll frequently.Im writing this on the NC20 on OpenOffice Writer.
The major negative with the display is the narrow viewing angle.You need to spend a second adjusting the tilt of the display for the best color.As said its a glossy type,and I do have some issues with reflections in bright areas but upping the brightness up a notch fixes that.
Keyboard:
Not being used to laptop keyboards I find the keyboard on the NC20 almost the same as my desktop,but definatly bigger than the 10†netbooks which I tested.The individual keps are almost the same size but the F1-F12 keys are half the height and have different functions in combination with the “Fn†button.
The only difficult adaptation for me had to do with the page-up and page-down keys, which I hit much too often when aiming for an arrow key and the Windows Key which is now on the right on the spacebar.Samsung claims a 97% keyboard,but I donno what to make of that.
Touchpad:
The NC20's touchpad is of the Synaptics variety, with a finely textured surface, adequate (and adjustable) sensitivity, and enough surface area and a vertical scroll area on the right.The mouse buttons are made of a single rocker button.It seems to be boring at first till I found the options for the touchpad which allows 2 finger zoom/resize, gesture,an option which works like kinetic scrolling which make work so easy!
Really happy with the input methods on the NC20.
Also seen on the inside in a 1.3MP webcam mounted on the frame and a Mic hole next to it.They worked well out of the box and of the average quality(more than enough for a Voice Chat on Yahoo!)
On your lap the NC20 is very stable and doesnt tip over.Temperatures arnt anything to worry about but the air coming out of the vent on the left is warm and makes that part of the thigh warm over long periods.
Bundled Software:
The NC20 does come with Windows XP Home SP3.
It also comes with some bloatware but surprisingly most of it is very useful. These are:
-Easy Display Manager:Similar to the Windows display manager.
-Easy Network Manager:For managing WiFi,BT.
-Samsung Battery Manager:For selecting the Power Profiles.Silent,Normal,Performance and one User created.
-Samsung EDS:For managing the Audio(EQ,Effects etc.)
-Samsung Recovery Solution:It made a recovery partition for backing up the Windows partition,around 6GB.I donno if I'll ever use this.Might format it when I run out of the rest 154GB.
-Samsung Update Plus:Checks for hardware/software updates online.Used it just once.
-User Guide:An electronic User Guide since it lacked in the box.
You also get a 3 month free trial of McAfee.This was the first thing I uninstalled :-D
There is also a app for goofing around with the Webcam.
Battery Life:
The asian/european version comes with a 6 cell 5200mah battery,but I hear the US version has a 5900mah one.
Typical battery lifes under the Normal Power profile are:
Browsing over WiFi:5 hours.
Working with WiFi off:6 hours
Gaming:4.5 Hours.
Video:4hours
Not as impressive as 6 cell 10†netbooks but u have to remember that this is a 12†display hence the reduced battery life is justifiable.The Max battery life profile might add another 1-2 hours to these numbers but while the proc runs at 800MHZ.
Benchmark:
Due to lack of any comparative netbook in my hand,i dont think it would mean much if I did do some benchmarks.
But checking the reviews,it shows the VIA platform can stand up against the Intel Atom.
Conclusion:
In the huge sea of netbooks,the NC20 might be a tough pill to swallow since u get a full fledged laptop for around Rs.35,000.I read the NC20 has been released for Rs.30,000 in India.
But a 12†slim light,long battery life weighing just 1.5kg surely goes into Ultraportable territory which cost a lot lot more.
Also if I had the budget for a proper laptop I would have got something for double the price,double the weight and half the battery life.
For me,the NC20 does exactly what I expected from it.A secondary system for college and for presentations,streaming my media over Wifi from the main system,and a few casual games.
Thanks for reading,if iv left left out anything or wanna know about anything specific,do ask.
Netbooks seem to be all the rage now days.I remember reading about how they were going to be the end of computing a year ago,but today they seem to be the hottest gadgets on the market.
Personally I've never liked laptops. The weight,low battery life,the frequent recharging and mainly the high cost. But netbooks seem to be perfect to me. Light,long battery life,easy portability and of course the low cost. They would make a perfect system for my college work,presentations and browsing needs. Being my first laptop/notebook/netbook ill try my best to give a comprehensive impression and review of the Samsung NC20..
Due to the so many models of netbooks to choose from,the only distinguishing feature I wanted was higher resolution.I found the 1024x600 res of the 10†netbooks to be too small and uncomfortable to work on for long periods.So the only option was to move upto 12†or get the insanly expensive Sony Vaio P.So the netbooks I was considering was the Dell Mini 12 and Samsung NC20.But I was able to find only the 3 Cell battery version which I read gives only about 3 hours of battery life.So I was set on the NC20.
Specifications:
Processor-Via Nano ULV U2250 1.3GHz with 800MHz FSB
Memory-1GB DDR2-667 (1 DIMM)
Chipset-Via VX800
Graphics-Via Chrome9 HC3 IGP
Display-12.1" TFT with WVGA (1280x800) resolution and LED backlight
Storage-Samsung Spinpoint M HM160HI 160GB 2.5" 5400RPM hard drive
Audio-Stereo HD audio via Realtek codec
Ports-
3xUSB 2.0
1 VGA
1 RJ45 10/100 Ethernet
1 analog headphone output
1 analog microphone input
Expansion slots-1 SD/SDHC/MMC
Communications-802.11b/g Wi-Fi Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
Input devices-Keyboard (97% of full size) Trackpad Internal* microphone
Camera-1.3 megapixel webcam
Dimensions-11.5" x 8.5" x 1.2" (292 mm x 216 mm x 30 mm) Weight 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)
Battery-6-cell Li-Ion 5200 mAh
A few points about the Hardware:
Processor:
Samsung has gone the other way with choosing a VIA Nano processor.Its been about 10 years since I owned a VIA processor and iv lost track about their processor lineup.What I read is that the previous architecture wasnt all that good,so I was a bit iffy about this one.But after reading a few reviews and benchmarks,it turns out the Nano can match the Atom in most apps and beat it in some.
The 1.3+ marking means the Processor works at 1.3-1.6ghz in normal mode,1.6Ghz in Performance mode,and at 800Mhz in Battery mode.For me the proc runs at 1.5Ghz normally in the default Normal mode.
But generally,in day to day use,i dont find any difference between the NC20 and my friend's ASUS 1000HE performance/speed wise.
Graphics:
The NC20 uses the Via Chrome9 video chip supporting Dx9.No experience with S3 video cards but I do remember they were a notable player in the graphics market,along with TNT2 and ATI Rage.
But the chip seems more than capable to handle some light games and games about 3-5 years old and 720p HD video.1080p video is watchable but stutters in places.
Memory:
The NC20 has only one RAM slot so if u wanna upgrade ull have to ditch ur 1GB stick for a 2GB one.Im holding back upgrading till I check out Win7 performance on 1gb.
Also the VRAM is dependent on ur system RAM.If u have 1GB,then the VRAM is 128mb,If you have 2GB main RAM u have 256MB VRAM.
Physical Appearance:
My model was bought in Saudi hence it has the Arabic charecters on the keyboard which I find distracting but tats the price u pay for lower costs.The white version sells for ~Rs27,000 here and black version for ~Rs.25,000.This is the white version.I think finger prints and scratches show up less on white than on black.And the 12†size makes it more of a “grown upâ€netbook.Trading in the Cute looks of other 9-10†netbooks for a more serious look(Some might call it bland/boring)
The outside is a nice glossy white finish completely of Plastic but feels really solid without any bending or creaking anywhere.There is a chrome strip which extends from the left to right hinge joints via the front.It adds a touch of class and makes it look expensive than it really is.
The frontplate is bare with the Samsung logo in silver.Nice area to work with(skins,stickers)
The NC20 is pretty sleek and slips into my shoulder bag along 2-3 books without any trouble.It measures about 1.5inches near the hinge and 1inch at the palm rest.
On the left is the LAN port,Vent outlet,1 USB,VGA Out and the Audio Jacks(Mic and Headphone)
On the Right is the Power button which glows Blue when on,Kensington Lock slot,AC In and 2 USB.
Pretty standard ports for a netbook.
The front is adorned by 7 LEDs(6 blue,1green/orange depending on the battery charge)and the Multi Card reader.It comes closed with a dummy memory card to keep the slot dust free which I think is a nice touch.
The underside has the HDD and RAM bay the the Vent inlets.There are 2 speaker grills.The speakers dont sound as dedicated but do a good enough job for movies and youtube.
Opening the netbook,you have the 12.1†glossy display,the keyboard and the touch pad.
Display:
The display is brilliantly lit and you need to see it to appreciate how much of a difference 2 inches makes.At the max brightness it is definatly blinding and I usually use it at 40-60% setting.
The native resolution of 1280x800 means u get a lot of workspace without the need to scroll frequently.Im writing this on the NC20 on OpenOffice Writer.
The major negative with the display is the narrow viewing angle.You need to spend a second adjusting the tilt of the display for the best color.As said its a glossy type,and I do have some issues with reflections in bright areas but upping the brightness up a notch fixes that.
Keyboard:
Not being used to laptop keyboards I find the keyboard on the NC20 almost the same as my desktop,but definatly bigger than the 10†netbooks which I tested.The individual keps are almost the same size but the F1-F12 keys are half the height and have different functions in combination with the “Fn†button.
The only difficult adaptation for me had to do with the page-up and page-down keys, which I hit much too often when aiming for an arrow key and the Windows Key which is now on the right on the spacebar.Samsung claims a 97% keyboard,but I donno what to make of that.
Touchpad:
The NC20's touchpad is of the Synaptics variety, with a finely textured surface, adequate (and adjustable) sensitivity, and enough surface area and a vertical scroll area on the right.The mouse buttons are made of a single rocker button.It seems to be boring at first till I found the options for the touchpad which allows 2 finger zoom/resize, gesture,an option which works like kinetic scrolling which make work so easy!
Really happy with the input methods on the NC20.
Also seen on the inside in a 1.3MP webcam mounted on the frame and a Mic hole next to it.They worked well out of the box and of the average quality(more than enough for a Voice Chat on Yahoo!)
On your lap the NC20 is very stable and doesnt tip over.Temperatures arnt anything to worry about but the air coming out of the vent on the left is warm and makes that part of the thigh warm over long periods.
Bundled Software:
The NC20 does come with Windows XP Home SP3.
It also comes with some bloatware but surprisingly most of it is very useful. These are:
-Easy Display Manager:Similar to the Windows display manager.
-Easy Network Manager:For managing WiFi,BT.
-Samsung Battery Manager:For selecting the Power Profiles.Silent,Normal,Performance and one User created.
-Samsung EDS:For managing the Audio(EQ,Effects etc.)
-Samsung Recovery Solution:It made a recovery partition for backing up the Windows partition,around 6GB.I donno if I'll ever use this.Might format it when I run out of the rest 154GB.
-Samsung Update Plus:Checks for hardware/software updates online.Used it just once.
-User Guide:An electronic User Guide since it lacked in the box.
You also get a 3 month free trial of McAfee.This was the first thing I uninstalled :-D
There is also a app for goofing around with the Webcam.
Battery Life:
The asian/european version comes with a 6 cell 5200mah battery,but I hear the US version has a 5900mah one.
Typical battery lifes under the Normal Power profile are:
Browsing over WiFi:5 hours.
Working with WiFi off:6 hours
Gaming:4.5 Hours.
Video:4hours
Not as impressive as 6 cell 10†netbooks but u have to remember that this is a 12†display hence the reduced battery life is justifiable.The Max battery life profile might add another 1-2 hours to these numbers but while the proc runs at 800MHZ.
Benchmark:
Due to lack of any comparative netbook in my hand,i dont think it would mean much if I did do some benchmarks.
But checking the reviews,it shows the VIA platform can stand up against the Intel Atom.
Conclusion:
In the huge sea of netbooks,the NC20 might be a tough pill to swallow since u get a full fledged laptop for around Rs.35,000.I read the NC20 has been released for Rs.30,000 in India.
But a 12†slim light,long battery life weighing just 1.5kg surely goes into Ultraportable territory which cost a lot lot more.
Also if I had the budget for a proper laptop I would have got something for double the price,double the weight and half the battery life.
For me,the NC20 does exactly what I expected from it.A secondary system for college and for presentations,streaming my media over Wifi from the main system,and a few casual games.
Thanks for reading,if iv left left out anything or wanna know about anything specific,do ask.
didnt remove the one on the display either
