Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 Laptop Review
The Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 is Samsung’s low-end entry into the ultraportables marketplace. With the high-spec end of the market covered by its Series 9 devices, the Series 3 offers affordability in a category that can really hit the wallet hard.
Key Specs For The Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01
- RRP: $749.00
- Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
- Size: 11.8” x 7.7” x 1”
- Weight: 5.49 lbs.
- Display size: 12.5”
- Storage: 500GB HDD
- Processor: Intel Core i5 2.3GHz
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3
- Battery life: 4-5 hours
Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01: The Pros
Battery Longevity: With this model, Samsung has sought to overcome the known battery longevity problem that laptops and ultraportable devices commonly suffer from. The problem, if you aren’t aware of it, is that after a certain number of recharges laptop batteries begin to lose their efficiency and eventually only last for a fraction of their original run time. The reason for this is that when laptops are plugged into a mains outlet, they charge up fully, after which the device runs from the battery alone for a short while. Once the battery charge falls to a certain point it must recharge once again, leading to a recharge cycle for as long as the laptop is directly connected to the mains.
What Samsung have done is to prevent the battery from charging fully whilst mains connected, which in turn prevents the recharge cycle from occurring. In the long-term, this means that the battery retains its efficiency far better than rival products. Two or three years from now, this ultraportable laptop’s battery will be running nearly as well as the day it was bought, whilst many rival product’s batteries will be operating at 30% or less of their original efficiency.
Super-Fast Start Up: Like the more powerful, and more expensive, Samsung Series 9, the Series 3 has innovative technology which allows it to start up from sleep in under 3 seconds. If you’re in a hurry and need to get on your device quickly, the slow start up times which most suffer from can be a serious problem. Being able to start up almost instantly means that whether you’re late for that meeting, or for that bus, your laptop won’t hold you up ever again.
Price: Although ultraportable laptops have lots of advantages, many users are put off by the very high prices. Typical ultraportables range anywhere from $900 to almost $1600, making them simply too expensive for some. One of the best things about the Samsung Series 3 is its incredibly low price. At just $699 it’s very good value whilst remaining a competitive product in its category.
Design: Not unlike the Samsung Series 9, the Series 3 is beautifully designed. The brushed metal casing looks stylish and eye-catching. The trackpad blends with the casing, giving a minimalist feel, while the ultra-thin bezel allows for a proportionally larger screen and adds to the slim designer-finish of the product. With all this and a chiclet keyboard on top, the design is superb and offers an affordably attractive machine.
Size And Weight: Ultraportability means being able to take your device any place at any time. Whether you’re in the car, at a café, on a plane, or up a mountain, the Samsung Series 3 can go with you. At just under 3 lbs., you’ll barely notice it in your bag, and measuring just 11.8” x 7.7” x 1” there’s almost no bag too small for this little machine.
Bloatware: Many users are frustrated when they turn on a new machine to find a number of pre-installed programs taking up their processing power and disk space. This usually results in users having to take time and effort to remove unwanted software from the machine before they feel truly at home when using it. Compared to its rivals, the Samsung Series 3 has relatively little bloatware, helping to make your out-of-the-box experience more enjoyable from the start.
Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01: The Cons
Sound Quality: A cheaper product usually means that sacrifices have been made in quality. In the case of the Samsung Series 3 it’s no different. The speakers are fairly quiet, and give a muffled sound. This could interfere with the enjoyment of music and films unless you are happy to listen through headphones alone.
Battery Life: Although not the worst in the field, the Samsung Series 3 does suffer from relatively short battery life. Typically lasting from 4 – 5 hours, if you’re hoping to use this on long journeys you may be disappointed.
Webcam: For many, portability is important for travel, and this often also means that communicating through the device with loved ones is important. If you’re hoping to chat to your family and friends over webcam, then it’s worth noting that the Samsung Series 3 doesn’t offer great quality.
No USB 3.0: Although many people are satisfied with USB 2.0, USB 3.0 does have distinct advantages. If you’re hoping to use high-speed USB data transfer through USB 3.0 then look elsewhere, as the Samsung Series 3 only offers USB 2.0.
Is The Samsung Series 3 NP350U2B-A01 Worth Buying?
Although there are a number of drawbacks with the Samsung Series 3, the price is incredibly good in a market of products that usually command prices in excess of $1000. If you’re happy to take price and design over sound quality and battery life then this is one of the best products on the market.