Cosmetics cover standard spec
The trackpad is the same colour but textureless, and that's the only differentiation between the two. Actually, there's no real boundary at all. The only way you know your finger has slipped off the trackpad, without looking, is that the cursor stops moving.
The US edition - seen here - applies a different texture to the trackpad. It's missing from the UK NF210
The trackpad's buttons, formed from a single piece of chrome-look plastic, have a notch to separate one from t'other and a pleasingly light action for a netbook.
Outside, you have a standard netbook port array. There's no USB 3.0 here - though the machine does have Bluetooth 3.0 - and the Ethernet is 10/100Mb/s not Gigabit. The memory card slot can take SDXC cards.
The NF210 is Samsung's first netbook with Intel's new Atom N550 dual-core processor for netbooks - Asus' Eee PC 1215N, also a dual-core netbook, uses a desktop CPU. The N550 may have two cores, virtually doubled again with HyperThreading technology, but it runs at 1.5GHz, less than the 1.6GHz of the first Atoms.
Next page: Benchmark Results
COMMENTS
Netbook makers, are you listening....
This is the spec that will sell.
A minimum of 1024x768 screen, 10.1". (Hopefully 1366x768). No bigger than 11" or might as well buy a full blown laptop.
A GPU that will allow hardware acceleration for 1080p playback, ION good enough.
HDMI and VGA outputs.
Dual core atom, or ARM for Linux fans. In the case of Linux it MUST play higher quality flash video without stuttering. (Flash on windows can use GPU acceleration, this is NOT coming to Linux, DIE FLASH DIE!)
3 USB ports is plenty, and if USB3.0 is so much more expensive than 2.0, then 2.0 is fine.
Bluetooth, again 3.0 is not needed unless it is not much more expensive than 2.x
SD card slot
Wireless N (G if it keeps cost down, but since my EEPC901 has N then it can not be much more)
Gigabit Ethernet. (100Mb OK if much cheaper)
How hard can it be?
Not sure
Personally, not sure that getting rid of the trackpad would help. I use my netbook mostly when travelling, and its a bit of a b*****d trying to use a mouse with the thing balanced on your knees in a departures lounge, or on the tray table on the back of a Virgin train's seat! Plus, you have to carry it around with you, and i suspect a lot of people for whom the 'pick up and go' appeal of a netbook is key would not go for this.
@ Stuart Archer
I agree completely. Part of my netbook usage is in bed (I like to watch cartoons before going to sleep) and a mouse on linen? No ta.
Re: Something I'd like to see in these lappie/netbook reviews.
It isn't easy. The Ram is the only component accessible through a hatch.
Of course, if you're willing to take the entire base off, this won't matter. But then you'll also be able to upgrade it no matter how tricky Samsung makes it.
Something I'd like to see in these lappie/netbook reviews.
Don't take this the wrong way - this is constructive criticism. I can't speak for all but some of us must wonder how upgradeable the things you review are.
You mentioned the single ram slot. Good. Forewarned. What sized sodimm are we limited to? I'm guessing 2 gigs but I well may be wrong.
What about other internal options? How easy is it to open this thing up and change the HDD for example ? Some of us might like to know.
