NetbookTech

There’s a glimmer of jealousy and envy in my eyes right now and it’s directed at the Ukrainian gadget site gagadget.com. They managed to get their lucky grubby hands on a new Samsung NC20 (grumble) netbook.. err.. ultra-portable notebook.. (or whatever you call this 12.1 inch system these days). The NC20 replaces the Intel Atom processor found in the popular Samsung NC10 netbook with the VIA Nano ULV U2250 processor which also happens to be clocked at 1.6GHz.

Other notable specs to the NC20 includes:

• 1GB of DDR2 667MHz RAM
• 160GB HDD
• Glossy 12.1 inch 1280 x 800 resolution LED backlit display
• VIA Chrome graphics
• Li-Ion rechargeable 5200mAh battery
• Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and USB
• 3 USB ports, VGA port, audio, microphone
• 1.3 megapixel webcam

On the outside – the NC20 looks very much like a bigger NC10. On the inside, things are slightly different thanks to the VIA processor and integrated graphics. Here are interesting tidbits from the review (which is translated into English using Google Translate):

• Samsung plans on having other hard drive configurations including 80GB and 120GB models- as well as a 16GB SSD model
• The keyboard is larger than the 10 inch NC10 – we’re talking about a 97 percent keyboard vs the 93 percent found on the NC10
• The NC20 comes with the same (albeit larger) cloth case that the NC10 has
• For some reason, the Windows key has moved to the right side of the keyboard – not sure why
• The display’s viewing angle is about 150-160 degrees horizontally and a little more than 90 degrees verticaly

Wondering how the integrated graphics held up? Well they ran the 3DMarks benchmark and got a measly 138 3DMarks.. but what do you expect? We’re talking about integrated graphics.

Where things got really interesting was in the area of HD video playback. The reviewer found that the NC20 was capable of playing back 720p and 1080p content without maxing out the processor. Not bad at all! The NC20 could very well be the perfect multimedia netbook.. errr.. notebook.

So what do we make of all of this? The system certainly has the makings of a successful product. Staying close to the original NC10 design was probably smart of Samsung. Moving to the VIA Nano appears to have given the system an edge when it comes to multimedia performance. However, at the end of the day, the NC20 won’t necessarily be compared against regular 10 inch netbooks but rather against a range of systems such as the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, the ASUS Eee PC S121, and the upcoming HP Pavilion dv2 which features the Athlon Neo processor. The ultimate differentiator will again be price. If the NC20 is cheap enough (say… under $500 dollars), then it stands to be fairly successful.

[Check it out via LaptopMag]

While we all know (and hopefully agree) that the new Sony VAIO P-Series Lifestyle PC is a work of art, what we really don’t know is how the device performs.

Of course, a quick look at the specs and one could easily surmise this system would be an under-performer – even when compared to standard netbooks available today. Just look at the ingredients of the VAIO P Lifestyle PC – an Atom Z520 processor clocked at 1.33 GHz; a 60GB HDD with a rotational speed of 4200 RPM, Intel integrated graphics powering a 1600 x 768 display, and finally, Windows Vista as the operating system. Yes… all ingredients for a possibly underwhelming system.

Luckily, the folks at Akihabara News managed to get their hands on a new Lifestyle PC, and as a result, have confirmed what we’ve suspected. Quoting the article now – the “the Vaio P sucks… BIG TIME ! And at least with the stock version…”

Ouch!

I’m not kidding – that’s what they said. While they didn’t actually run any formal benchmarks on the system, they arrived to this conclusion simply by using the system.

Their main observation? It takes a long time to boot. The desktop comes up in about 1.02 minutes but it’s far from usable. It takes a minute or so more before the system is actually usable. Of course what we don’t know is how much crapware might be installed on the Lifestyle PC. Sony is notorious for installing loads of crapware.

Now to be fair, Akihabara News does get a few things wrong in their posting.

First off, the most glaring error occurs when the author claims the VAIO P has a dual core CPU. The Atom processor in the VAIO P is in fact a single core processor with hyper-threading enabled which means you get two “logical processors” – not two physical processors. Hyper-threaded enabled processors can perform anywhere between 15 to 30% faster than non-HT enabled processors – but it’s very dependent on your use case scenarios.

Secondly, the reviewer states “ATOM CPUs just sucks big time unless they are properly integrated like on the Ion platform (NVidia)”. Actually the Atom processor performs quite nicely given the energy efficiency of the platform. However this particular system couples a 1.33GHz Atom with the wrong OS – Windows Vista. Vista is a resource hog – plain and simple. If one must run Vista on the Atom, then replace the integrated graphics with a real GPU – say the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M from the Ion platform.

Now back to the main issue at hand – the Lifestyle PC’s performance. Yes, it does bite the big one under Windows Vista.. but was it really any surprise? Our first hand use of the VAIO P at CES 2009 convinced us that we were looking at a performance handicapped system. There were response time delays when you clicked on menus, started up applications, or ran video clips. Even that video clip we attempted to launch was choppy at best on the Lifestyle PC (I wish I took a video clip of that).

Of course, things might look slightly different if you couple the VAIO P with a solid state drive – boot times and application launch times might be faster – but so will be the asking price of the system. 

Ahh.. the VAIO P Lifestyle PC – it’s downright young and sexy on the outside but slow and geriatric on the inside.

[Check it out]

Hot on the heels of the introduction of the new HP Mini 2140 business oriented netbook comes the first review of the system by the folks at LaptopMag.com. The reviewed system features an Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), a 160GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD, a 10.1 inch 1024 x 576 resolution display, Intel GMA 950 graphics, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, ExpressCard slot, SD memory card reader, and Windows XP Home OS – all for $529.

So what did LaptopMag think of the new netbook? Well they liked it enough to give it their “Editor’s Choice Award”. Here’s their verdict:

“The $529 HP Mini 2140 (starting at $499) rises above the majority of the netbook competition by incorporating a well-designed keyboard, a durable design, and more than seven hours of battery life. Some may prefer the $499 Samsung NC10 (also a LAPTOP Editors’ Choice winner). It’s $30 less than the similarly configured HP Mini 2140, and its six-cell battery doesn’t bulge from the bottom of the chassis like the Mini 2140. But the extra cash buys a more durable case and more endurance.”

You can read more here at LaptopMag.com.

PC Magazine has a new review out of the ASUS EeePC 1002HA netbook here on their website. The 1002HA has the following specifications:

• Intel Atom Processor N270
• 1GB of RAM
• 2.7 lbs
• 10.2 inch LED backlit display
• Intel GMA 950
• 160GB HDD
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Stereo speakers
• 4 in 1 memory card reader

The real standout with the EeePC 1002HA is the finish – you have to love that “gunmetal” finish on the new system – far nicer looking than the boring white or black colors we’re seeing from many vendors these days.

Here’s the bottom line from PC Magazine:

“Its metallic finish makes the ASUS EeePC 1002HA the most attractive netbook to date, and its performance doesn’t disappoint. However, this netbook could use some help in the features department.”

Hot on the heels of our own un-boxing pictures of the Samsung NC10 come a new review and a new hands-on look at the new netbook. First up, a new review from the folks at PC Advisor UK who had this to say about the NC10:

“Samsung’s netbook offering may tick nearly all the same boxes as the MSI Wind, but its keen pricing and remarkable mains-free longevity make it a worthy addition to the line. The Samsung NC10 may be marginally larger, heavier and lack 802.11n but this could be the new champion of the breed.”

Next up, Mobile Computer UK has a hands-on look at the black colored version of the NC10 and I have to say.. the black version looks way cooler than the white colored version. Here’s a snippet from the hands-on:

“We can confirm that the black model is definitely better looking than the white, with the silver accents looking right at home against the matte black finish. Unsurprisingly, the gloss black lid is a finger print magnet but on the whole the black NC10 looks like it means business.”

Make sure to check out the rest of the hands-on to see several close up shots of the NC10.

As the popularity of netbooks increase, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing more and more netbook reviews appearing on the web. Case in point – NetworkWorld.com has published two new netbook reviews – one for the Acer Aspire One and the other for the Lenovo IdeaPad S10. Unfortunately the reviews are not exactly comprehensive (forget about performance numbers etc) as NetworkWorld gives very brief overviews of the systems. Guess you can’t have it all eh?

In any case, the first review is of the Acer Aspire One netbook which is certainly one of the best deals out there. It’s arguably the best bang for the buck when you consider what you get for around $350 dollars – an Intel Atom processor, a 8.9 inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, and Windows XP Home. Unfortunately the Aspire One suffers from a nutty touchpad design and a somewhat loud internal cooling fan. Although the NetworkWorld review is a bit lacking in content, the site does give the Aspire One four stars and has this to say:

“The device is really meant for basic computing and Web functions – for heavy duty usage and applications I’d probably want a better, faster and slightly larger notebook. But this could be a very useful notebook to keep powered up and running in living areas in the house, for those times when you need to check a quick e-mail, sports score or other such Internet-enabled activity.”

When it comes to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10, the review is just slightly longer with NetworkWorld having this to say about the system.

“Honestly, I like this computer. Screen size aside, it’s a capable little machine, and it was fun to use. If you can deal with a small screen, and aren’t interested in playing too many extreme games, this is definitely worth a look.”

The tested system had your Atom processor, a 10 inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, and Windows XP Home.

LaptopMag has followed up their first look of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 netbook with a full blown review now up on their website. The Mini 12, in case you already forgot, is the 12 inch big brother to the Inspiron Mini 9 – featuring an Atom Z530 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 92 percent keyboard, a 1.3 megapixel camera, 60GB 4200 RPM HDD, Intel GMA 950 graphics, Wi-Fi, media card reader, and Windows Vista Basic SP1.

Here were some of the pluses identified by LaptopMag:

• Six cell battery provides 5+ hours of battery life
• 92 percent keyboard with full dedicated row of function keys
• 12 inch 1280 x 800 resolution display gives room for two windows side by side

Here were the negatives:

• Built-in speakers were weak
• Max of 1GB of RAM
• PATA/ZIF hard drive interface
• Weak performance under Windows Vista
• Sluggish 4200 RPM HDD

Here’s the verdict:

But while we applaud Dell’s efforts to make Vista easier to use with its flashy dock, the Mini 12 doesn’t have the right hardware to handle this OS. Plus, the 12-inch screen costs a premium; its price of $654 is about $150 more than the 10-inch Samsung NC10 ($499), which offers better performance, a bigger hard drive, and longer battery life. We suggest that buyers hold off until next month when Dell offers the Mini 12 with Windows XP or its customized Ubuntu Linux operating system.

Bummer. I had high hopes for the Inspiron Mini 12 – if only because of the 12 inch display. However the combination of a max of 1GB of RAM, a slow 4200 RPM HDD, and the use of Windows Vista, tells me the Mini 12 might only be appealing when the price drops way below $500 dollars.  Of course, if you like the other of a netbook but want the 12 inch display, then the Inspiron Mini 12 is really your own choice at this time.

[Check it out]

PC Magazine has updated their review of the Acer Aspire One netbook here on their site. Their first look at the Aspire One was more of a preview than a full on review. Acer has since sent them a production unit which had specs such as a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8.9 inch display, and 8GB of storage space. The reviewed system also ran Linpus Linux Lite. Major complaints from PC Mag include the cramped keyboard experience and of course the annoying mouse button placements. They also pointed out that the 3 cell battery will probably be lacking but at least you have the option to get a 6 cell battery for the Wind. Ultimately PC Magazine gave the Aspire One four of five stars and said the following:

“Since it first debuted, the One has added several options like a 10-inch screen, numerous hard drive choices, and a 6-cell battery, while keeping its price competitive with the rest of the field.”

[Check it out]

Right on the heels of the NotebookReview review of the ASUS N10 netbook comes another review of the system by the folks at Techware Labs. Unlike the first review, Techware Labs actually finds the N10’s NVIDIA 9300M GPU useful  – stating the following:

“The addition of dedicated graphics lends itself well to the N10 and buying an N10 without the optional Nvidia 9300M would be like buying a Ferrari with a 4 cylinder engine.”

They also run a large battery of benchmarks against the N10 (great for all of you benchmark crazed computing enthusiasts). Ultimately, Techware Labs had this to say about the ASUS N10 netbook:

“The N10 is currently the best offering for the truely mobile professional who needs more video power than the Intel GMA can offer but who also wants battery life when 3D power is not in demand.”

[Check it out]

NotebookReview has published a review of the ASUS N10 netbook here on their website. As a refresher, here are the major specs to the N10 netbook:

• Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor
• 160GB 5400RPM HDD
• NVIDIA 9300M GS graphics
• 1GB RAM
• Windows XP Home
• 10.2 inch WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI port, VGA, headphone, microphone, Ethernet ports
• ExpressCard/34 slot
• 8 in 1 media card reader
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi

Of course the center of attraction with the N10 is the use of NVIDIA’s 9300M GS graphics in place of the standard Intel integrated graphics you’d normally see in netbook systems. Unfortunately NotebookReview.com found:

“In day to day use the NVIDIA 9300M didn’t do much to improve the overall speed of the N10 compared to standard netbooks which only have Intel integrated graphics. It also didn’t help out much with gaming or video playback since the Intel Atom processor can’t keep up. “

That’s a real bummer of course. It makes you seriously wonder whether you should even bother paying for a discrete graphics option on a netbook system – especially since many of today’s applications still need additional processing horsepower of the CPU in order to keep the GPU happy. Here’s what they ultimately thought of the N10:

“With a price tag nearly 50 percent greater than other netbook models, even more when compared to new HP and Dell offerings, it seems ASUS might have priced themselves out of the consumer market with the N10. Of course, the price tag is still perfectly reasonable as a “corporate netbook” … and some less demanding road warriors may desire the affordable N10 over outrageously priced ultraportables like the Sony VAIO TZ.”

[Check it out]