Samsung Goes Light with Notebook 9
By George Rosenthal
Samsung has released its 9 series of notebooks and tablets. One of note is the new 15 inch Notebook 9.
The 9 is an extreme “light weight” in its class, coming in at just 2.7 pounds. One of the lightest to date of any 15 inch tablet.
Android fans will find much to like about the device.
The chassis is sleek and thin. The design is simplistic in a silver case. The body is magnesium-alloy, which some may find a bit too bendable for a premium notebook.
Samsung has designed a built-in recliner to set the device down to 180 degrees to share your view.
It does have a slim 0.61 inch edge. Coupled with the lighter frame it makes a nice companion for a business trip or vacation.
Speaking of business, the 9 may be lacking in bulk but still has the work ethic.
The left side includes a USB 2.0 port, a USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, and a power input. Flip to the right and find two USB 3.0 ports, a microSD card reader and an HDMI port. There is plenty of connectivity to help complete most any task.
The display is extremely vibrant. Colors pop on the screen with 1080p resolution. Users will find a high-end clarity whether watching movies or editing work documents.
Keys have been ergonomically designed. The touch pad is glass-coated for a smoother ride.
The finger print reader is a breeze to use. It is placed conveniently on the right side of the keyboard. You should be able to log in to Windows in a few seconds.
Power is a plenty. Samsung has packed an Intel Core “Kaby Lake” i7-7500U CPU with 8 GB of RAM, along with a 256 Solid State Drive to handle a heavy workload.
Solid graphics muscle come from the Intel HD Graphics 520.
The device includes the Windows 10 operating system.
The 9 should also get you through the work day unplugged. Samsung claims you can go up to 12 hours without charging. Re-charging takes about 90 minutes.
Samsung users should be able to generate a lot of performance from the Notebook 9, especially if they already have several Samsung devices.
The machine comes loaded with a handful of Samsung apps, many to sync with a Samsung phone.
SideSync lets you beam your smartphone’s screen to your PC, while PC Gallery and PC Message are useful for quickly accessing your Galaxy phone’s photos and texts. A built-in online support tool provides fast customer service.
On the downside the keyboard can seem to be a bit shallow. The lighter design may also cause some to feel the machine sort of sink as they type a document or answer a bevy of emails.
Pricing for the Notebook 9 starts at $1199.99, which gets you the aforementioned Intel Core i7-7500U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Intel HD 620 graphics.
The extended model adds 16 GB of RAM and a graphics card upgrade for a few hundred dollars more.
While some may be set off by a chassis that seems a little too flimsy and flexible, others will appreciate the high level of performance the Samsung Notebook 9 will deliver. All in a thinner and lighter package.