Laptop Magazine Reviews Samsung R610

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/samsung-r610.aspx' target='_blank'>http://www.laptopmag.com/review/lap...msung-r610.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The Samsung R610-64G hovers in a strange place between a traditional mainstream notebook and a full-fledged multimedia desktop replacement. A svelte 6 pounds (for its size), the R610 is the lightest 16-inch notebook we&rsquo;ve tested, and with a street price of $999, it&rsquo;s also one of the cheapest. Its classy black chassis is one of the most attractive we&rsquo;ve seen in this form. But to achieve its low price, the R610 skimps on performance and features such as dedicated media controls, a full HD screen, and a Blu-ray drive option."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1227728378.usr20447.jpg" /></p><p>While netbooks are the trend du jour, Samsung has come out with a fairly light 16" notebook. While the price is a tempting $999, Laptop Magazine finds the machine a little weak when it comes to performance. Looking at the spec sheet, it isn't hard to see why. It's hobbled with a 2Ghz Core 2 Duo, a 5,400rpm hard drive and a paltry 1366 x 768 screen.&nbsp; The worst part is the 6-cell battery that gives you an estimated 2.5 hours which means you might be able to watch all of "The Dark Knight." It looks like Samsung cut a few too many corners to meet a sub-$1000 price tag. Wouldn't you expect a bit more if you wanted to go for a 16" screen? A high resolution screen paired with a Blu-Ray drive?&nbsp; The ability to watch a full movie without hunting for a power plug?</p>

[Jason Dunn]

While that screen definitely resolution sucks, I think it's kind of odd how the expectation of battery life has changed when one inch is chopped off the screen - we all expect to see 3-4 hours of battery life from our 15.4" laptops, but when it comes to 17" notebooks, I personally never expect more than two hours - so 2.5 hours seems pretty good to me...except that with a 16" screen, it's closer to a 15.4" laptop than a 17" laptop. I guess when I think of big, entertainment laptops, I think poor battery life comes with the turf.

I LOVE that design though - the black/red combo looks sweeeeeeeeeeet! :D

[Hooch Tan]

I guess I'd have to agree that with larger laptops, one shouldn't really expect great battery life, if it were capable of and designed for HD playback, I would like to see it have a bigger bttery pack so one could enjoy movies without the power tether. You're right though, it does look nice.