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Experience the Google Chrome OS Powered Samsung Chromebook Series 5
Samsung Chromebook Series 5 is the first ever laptop from Samsung that runs on Google’s brand new Chrome OS.
by Mark Brown - June 15, 2011 - comments
The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 looks beautiful, works extremely fast due to the Chrome OS and the built quality is excellent at below $500 price point. There are two versions of this laptop. One supports Wi-Fi only and the other supports 3G. The Wi-Fi model is priced at $429 and the 3G enabled one comes with a price tag of $499.
Hardware and Design
The Chromebook Series 5 has a great compact sturdy body. On the lid of the laptop you can see the embossed logo of Chrome OS and Samsung’s brand name. It instantly gives an elite feeling. The lid is white and glossy while the logos are metal built. The chassis is built using soft, rubberized plastic. The corners are rounded to give it a playful look. The hardware in this laptop has some premium features and some disappointments as well. It has 1.66GHz Intel Atom dual-core N570 processor, 2GB 1,333MHz DDR3 RAM, NM10 integrated Graphics Chipset. The display size is 12.1-inch that offers 1280 x 800 resolution. On top of the screen there is a 1 megapixel camera for video calls. It comes with two USB 2.0 port, one headphone / mic combo port, a SIM card slot, a video out socket and a non removable battery. It weighs 3.26-pounds. The major disadvantage in this laptop is its hard disc. The device comes with merely 16GB hard drive.
Keyboard/Display/Sound
The keyboard is well spaced and sturdy. Even if you type at a fast pace it can withstand the harsh typing without any problem. There are dedicated keys for backward, forward, and refresh functions. The volume, mute, and multimedia keys are there as well. The touchpad works smoothly but sometimes it recognizes clicks wrongly and confuses left clicks with right clicks.
The 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 resolution display is bright and crystal clear. Viewing angles are absolutely brilliant in this laptop. Only some very expensive laptops offer such a bright and beautiful display. The display has a matte finish and thus offers excellent readability under the bright sun.
The sound quality is decent as you can expect from such a small laptop. You can listen to your favorite YouTube video without any problem inside the house but it can’t replace your home theater yet.
Chrome OS
The Chrome OS is the main highlight of this portable device. If you have used Chrome browser then you can instantly link to the functions of Chrome OS. To use the computer you need to sign into your Google account. The Chrome OS comes with some default apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, and YouTube. The booting time is very fast. The Web Store has special apps made for Chrome OS. The negative point in this Chrome OS is it does not support Netflix yet.
Performance
The laptop works perfectly even when you multitask heavily. The 3G on Verizon network gives good upload and download speed. But most importantly the battery life of Samsung Chromebook Series 5 is outstanding. With this laptop you can charge and enjoy long hours of entertainment. Samsung claims it can last upto 8 hour 30 min and their claim is almost spot on.
Final verdict
The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 has its own share of positive and negative things. The hard disc space is not enough and the OS needs to grow with time. You won’t find enough apps right now to suit every user. But on the brighter side, it has many good things to offer at $499. The display and battery life is great. The design and looks are stunning. So, if hard disc space is not a matter of concern for you then go for it because Chrome OS has a bright future and as soon as the updates start coming it will be a gadget to own.