Reviewed By Darius Chang
(16/11/2005)
Without a doubt this notebook pushes the boundary of design. Samsung cleverly chose a top-loading optical drive in order to keep the laptop thickness no wider than a thumb. The remote control and ability to play CDs and multimedia files off the harddisk without having to boot into the OS would make this a perfect entertainment system if not for the lack of an S-video port.
Design
The Samsung X1 is the supermodel of the notebook world. Not because it has an attitude, though with its bold design and unusual keyboard placement it practically screams for attention, but because you cannot believe such thinness is actually possible. No thicker than a thumb, the laws of physic remain unbroken as most of the mass is distributed by making it wider and longer.
The screen and body are held together by the stiffness of the hinge as there is no latch. This is most likely due to the trackstick which is placed on the front edge of the unit. The keyboard is set forward to accommodate the top-loading optical drive, which leaves a rather large empty space on the left side. We felt that this space could have been better utilized if volume control or Wi-Fi buttons were placed. Unfortunately, there are no dedicated buttons on this machine.
The remote control is engineered to be stored in the PC Card slot. The cylindrical battery is as unique as the notebook, with a one-touch button and row of LEDs to display remaining battery power. As the battery takes up the back of the machine, all the connectivity ports are found on the front and sides.
Features
Three USB 2.0 and FireWire ports are relatively standard for notebooks in this category. Network connectivity is available through the ethernet port, built-in modem and integrated wireless card which can connect to the older 802.11b or faster 802.11g standards. There is neither Bluetooth or infrared features available for this unit.
The display is a 14-inch transflective LCD in a widescreen aspect. Though the transflective technology is used because of its superior brightness and readability in bright conditions, the Samsung X1 display is, unfortunately, not as bright as other displays we have seen. Coupled with only a monitor-out port, the lack of an S-video connection does not allow hooking up to a TV or projector requiring composite input.
Which is a pity, since the nice pair of speakers and remote control definitely make the Samsung X1 an adequate home entertainment system. Besides being able to play DVDs and CDs without needing to boot up the system, the notebook is also able to access any multimedia files on the harddisk. The remote control is able to start up the systems to the pre-boot player mode and control player functions.
The rather novel placement of the keyboard allows for a more relaxed wrist angle when typing. However, this also means that instead of accommodating your palms on the machine, additional desk space is needed which pushes the screen further from the user. Moreover, the tiny space bar is a serious issue for those with thick thumbs, as we tend to hit the adjoining keys during rapid data input.
The integrated audio chipsets can produce sound out of the speakers, which are located on the sides of the battery and hence usable even with the screen closed, or through the headphone jack that doubles as a high-quality digital output. The position of the speakers optimizes the virtual surround capability of the audio chipset, with the clever software tweaking the sound for different environments such as a music hall or a small room.
The Samsung X1 has adequate ports for most connectivity needs. The extra multimedia features and accessories could have made it a nice home theater replacement, if only an S-video or composite output option was added.
Performance
Normally found in ultraportables, the Samsung X1 runs on a Pentium ULV 753 1.2GHz processor which uses a slower processor for better heat and power management. MobileMark 2002 gave it a decent score of 167, which falls between the Toshiba Portege R200 and NEC Versa S1100 in terms of performance
| BAPCo MobileMark2002 performance rating (longer bars indicate faster performance)
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Samsung X1
(Pentium M ULV processor 753 1.2GHz; 512MB RAM; 533MHz FSB) |
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Perhaps due to its larger 14-inch display, battery life falls far behind the other two comparison units. The Toshiba Portege R200 and NEC Versa S1100 will continue for hours after the Samsung X1 runs out of juice at 180 minutes. Obviously power cell performance is not a strong point of this uniquely design machine.
| BAPCo MobileMark2002 battery life in minutes (longer bars indicate longer battery life) |
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Samsung X1
(Pentium M ULV processor 753 1.2GHz; 14-inch screen) |
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Toshiba Portege R200
(Pentium M ULV processor 753 1.2GHz; 12.1-inch screen) |
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NEC Versa S1100
(Pentium M ULV processor 753 1.2GHz; 12.1-inch screen) |
|
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For future comparison purposes, MobileMark 2005 gave the Samsung X1 a performance score of 93 and a battery rating of 210 minutes.
Service And Support
Samsung notebooks have a one-year international warranty. For a premium-priced notebook, we feel it should have been at least three years, or at least be given upgrading options. On its support Web site, you can download user manuals, drivers and software patches. However, there is no knowledge database nor comprehensive FAQ for self-diagnosis. There is no telephone technical support and only a hotline number is given for basic enquiries. In case of hardware failure, the unit should be brought to a service center for repair. It is unfortunate that the number of service centers, which in Singapore is only one location, is found lacking. Overall, there is much room for improvement when it comes to Samsung's technical support.
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