Reviews

Samsung NF210 review

Samsung's first dual core Atom netbook looks luxurious, but we're not convinced it's the best buy for most people. Read our review to find out why.

27 Oct 2010

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These battery life scores are impressive in their own right especially the light usage score which is more than long enough to last a transatlantic flight. However, the N230 lasted nearly 10 hours in our light usage test and seven hours and 17 minutes in our heavy usage test.

This is a shame since the NF210 is otherwise well-suited for working on the go. It's lightweight at just over 1.3kg. It immediately catches the eye thanks to the swooping curves of its cream-white coloured lid and base, chrome lining, glossy black screen bezel and its brushed metal-effect wrist rest. It may sound gaudy, but it actually looks very classy and more expensive than it is. The NF210 doesn't feel quite as rigid as other netbooks we've seen, but it still feels sturdy enough. The underside didn't become noticeably warm either, even when running demanding Windows programs, so it's comfortable use on a lap.

We were also pleased by the keyboard which is large, responsive and comfortable to type on. Some of the punctuation keys, including the important @ key, are smaller than the others which could make them harder to hit accurately. The touchpad is small, but accurate. The single pivoting button feels responsive enough, but we'd still prefer more feedback as well as two separate buttons.

The NF210 has a 10.1in screen with a matt, anti-glare finish instead of a glossy one which is what we'd usually expect. It's a welcome change though, as the matt finish isn't nearly as reflective as a glossy finish. This means less glare is produced when the screen is under overhead light sources, such as office strip lighting. It's not as bright as screens with a glossy finish though, especially when brightness is turned down to conserve battery life, but it's still bright enough for use in most circumstances.