Samsung QX411-W01UB Review

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Samsung QX411-W01UB Review

Posted by The Best Review Saturday, October 15, 2011 0 komentar

With the Samsung QX411-W01UB ($699.99 list at Best Buy) Samsung shows off the third generation of its QX series, which features one of the prettiest and sturdiest aluminum designs in the mainstream laptop category. The last two versions had Nvidia graphics (with switching graphics technology) and the biggest hard drive available—two features you won't find in this revision. Though the QX411-W01UB now runs on integrated graphics only and has a 640GB hard drive (750GB is the largest), Best Buy made the deal really tantalizing by shaving off $200 from the price. But too bad it couldn't replace the moody clickpad with a dedicated touchpad and mouse buttons.

Design

Like the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Thunderbolt) ($1,299 direct, 3.5 stars), Asus U46E-BAL5 ($699.99 List, 4.5 stars), and Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5) ($750 direct, 4 stars), the QX411-W01UB sports an aluminum construction . Not all aluminum frames are created equal, though; some are sturdier than others. The QX411-W01UB is a perfectly good example of an aluminum frame that can withstand a good palm press. Its top is as unyielding as that of the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch. Because of its thick aluminum skin, its 5-pound frame is slightly heavier than that of the 4.5-pound Dell 14z, 4.9-pound Asus U46E-BAL5, and 4.9-pound Sony VAIO VPC-EG16FM ($829.99 list, 4 stars). The 4.4-pound Gateway ID47H02u ($699.99 list, 4 stars) is the lightest mainstream laptop because it packs a 14-inch screen into a 13-inch frame.

Features

Like the Samsung QX411-W01's ($899.99 list, 3.5 stars), the QX411-W01UB offers Wireless Display, or simply, WiDi 2.0. Not only does it stream family slideshows or PowerPoint presentations to an HDTV, wirelessly, but the new improvements include streaming 1080p video (the previous version of WiDi was limited to 720p) and protected content (think DVD movies). You will, however, need to buy Netgear HD Push2TV receiver ($100 option at Best Buy), which has to be tethered to the HDTV at all times. The QX411-W01UB's internal WiMAX adaptor can connect to your city's WiMAX network, where available (as opposed to Wi-Fi, which covers a short range). Best of all, pricing plans are cheaper than many internet packages, and you don't have a dongle hanging off of a USB port.

The QX411-W01UB comes with a tray-ejecting DVD burner but no Blu-ray. In contrast, the pricier Sony VPC-EG16FM comes with a Blu-ray drive. Hidden behind a port cover are an HDMI and two USB 3.0 ports (which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0). While a port cover offers another layer of protection, it's a hassle pulling it off to get to those ports. There is a third USB that is uncovered, and it's the one I used most frequently. The laptop's hard drive capacity has been downgraded to 640GB (the previous one had a 750GB drive), but that's still plenty of storage for the average user. The speakers are right above the keyboard and are better sounding than those of the Asus U46E-BAL5 and Sony VPC-EG16FM.

Best Buy also has an extended warranty program, which offers customers an extra year of protection beyond the one-year warranty of most system manufacturers. There are two plans in this extended warranty program. The standard plan ($119.99) covers the system against normal wear and tear, power surge damage, and includes a "No Lemon" guarantee in which Best Buy will simply replace the computer if it requires more than 4 repairs during the coverage period. Best Buy's advanced plan ($219.99) offers all this, and also covers the system against accidental damage from drops and spills. Other special offers can be found online or in stores, like discounts on printers, software, and tech support plans which are available with any new consumer PC purchased through Best Buy.

Specification

Type General Purpose, Media

Processor Name Intel Core i5-2430M

Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

Processor Speed 2.4 GHz

RAM 6 GB

Weight 5 lb

Screen Size 14 inches

Screen Size Type Widescreen

Native Resolution 1366 x 768

Graphics Card Intel HD Graphics 3000

Graphics Memory 64