Samsung N120-12GW (NP-N120-KA02US) Netbook
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- Weight: 2.8 lb.
- Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Processor: Atom 1.6 GHz
- Laptop Type: Ultraportable Laptop Netbook
- Installed Memory: 1 GB (DDR2 SDRAM)
- Display: 10.1 in. WSVGA
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Worth the $$$
Pros
KEYBOARD, KEYBOARD, KEYBOARD!!! Did I mention the awesome KEYBOARD?
Cons
Audio is a bit weak on MegaWide and Extreme Settings.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Fantastic Netbook. Performance is incredible, the size is perfect, and the full-size keyboard puts this machine head and shoulders about the rest.
Okay, this is my second computer review in a week. I have to start with the same disclaimer as my previous review--I am not a computer guru or tech geek. I'm just an average guy who knows only a very little about computers, so this review is based upon my impressions as someone who uses a computer basically to browse the internet and engage in video calls via Skype.
I reviewed the Acer Aspire One D150 a few days ago. I've had the Acer for 3 months now, so I'm quite familiar with it, and I love it. But a friend was shopping for a netbook this week, and I tagged along. When I saw the Samsung N120, I had to have it. Having played with it for only 1 day now, its my new favorite toy. Its a bit more expensive than the Acer, but well worth the extra dough. Quick summary--keyboard is amazing (97% full size); performance is way more than expected (surprisingly quick loading internet pages), the screen looks great, weight is less than 3 lbs., battery life exceeds 6 hours, sound is good (could be better), and the 1.3 megapixel built-in camera is terrific.
Okay, now the specifics:
Keyboard: This is what made this machine a must buy for me. The full size (almost) keyboard is fantastic. Although I've gotten used to the smaller keys on my Acer (89% full size), I still make frequent typos on that keyboard. Not so with the Samsung. The extra $$ are well worth it for the keyboard alone.
Performance: Although the processor is the same as that used in the Acer (Atom N270 1.6), in most situations, the Samsung is noticeably faster. With the Acer, there is a considerable lag in loading internet pages with Explorer. The Acer improves dramatically if you switch to Firefox. With the Samsung, although there is a slight lag using Explorer, it is not nearly as annoying and is easily liveable. But I was curious to see if Firefox made a difference here, and let me tell you, it blazes! I highly recommend downloading Firefox and using it as your internet browser.
Memory: The N120 comes with 1gb RAM, and 160gb hard drive (same as the Acer). Works fine for my ordinary use (mostly internet browsing and video calls on Skype). Having only had it one day, I haven't noticed any issues. I have read that you can increase performance by installing another 1gb of RAM for a total of 2 gb--I might try that sometime, but given the excellent performance for my ordinary use as configured out of the box, I don't think it is necessary, and if I decide to do it, it will be out of curiosity only.
Webcam: Definitely an upgrade from the Acer here. THe 1.3 MP built-in webcam works terrific. Much clearer and better colors than the Acer. Video calls on Skype are great on this machine. Also, the Samsung comes with a very cool video program that opens automatically when you make video calls, and allows you to customize the video, adding such things as picture frames, hearts, etc. It is a nice feature--my girlfriend loves it and plays with it endlessly.
Audio: The audio sounds okay. Unlike the Acer, which has speakers underneath the body, the N120 has two forward facing speakers on the outskirts of the screen, with a small subwoofer on the bottom. This creates good sound for a netbook, but the volume is a problem. You are able to appreciate the extra effort Samsung devoted to the speakers only if you are in an absolutely quiet room (and even then, its not great--just better than most other netbooks, which have notoriously poor audio). With the volume turned up all the way, the Samsung is only about half as loud as my Acer is at full volume. The slight increase in sound quality is not noticeable if there is background noise, and I suspect that the sound will be difficult to hear in crowded coffee houses. The low audio might be a big drawback for some users. For me, the only reason I use the audio is with Skype video calls, and it works fine for that.
Screen: The screen is fine, but the screen on the Acer is better. The Acer screen seems to be brighter and more crisp. Not that there is anything wrong with the screen on the Samsung. As I said, it is fine, and unless you were comparing it to something else, it would not get your attention one way or the other.
Trackpad: Huge advantage to the Samsung here. This is the only netbook I've seen that has a scroll function in the trackpad. I typically use a wireless mouse, but I've tried the scroll on the trackpad, and it works terrific--in fact, I'd say it works better than the scroll on the trackpad of my $1,000 HP. Kudos to Samsung for including this very useful feature.
Battery Life: I have only used it one day, so I cannot opine definitively. But after the initial charge, I was on the internet pretty much non-stop, with the brightness turned all the way up, for over 6 hours and still had plenty of juice left. I think I'll easily get 7-8 hours on a single charge from the battery pack. (I can't imagine you would need more, but I notice that Samsung offers a 9 cell battery pack.) Also, although I haven't played with it yet, the N120 has several settings that allow you to manage the method of charging so at to preserve the longevity of the battery.
Size and Weight: The size and weight are fantastic. Although pretty much the same size as the Acer (the width looks to be about 1/2 inch wider), the N120 is much better balanced. The 6 cell battery on the N120 does not protrude so far out the back as does the one in the Acer, and the Samsung does not feel like all the weight is in one place. At 2.8 lbs., the Samsung is only .1 lbs. lighter than the Acer, but it has a better feel due to the more equal distribution of the weight. This is a perfect size and weight for travelling. This size allows you to take a computer with you on all sorts of trips where you ordinarily would not if the only machine you had was a larger full-blown laptop. (One of the reasons they can accomplish this size is the absence of a CD/DVD drive, but most people who buy these machines don't want/need an optical drive).
UPDATE: I have discovered that the audio volume is dramatically affected by different settings in the SRS Audio system. The three settings are Extreme, Megawide, and SRS 3d. If you change the setting to SRS 3d, the volume gets quite loud. On Extreme or Megawide, the volume is only about half as loud-- music sounds better on the latter two settings, but you need a quiet room to appreciate it. ON SRS 3d, the volume is terrific--and since I typically use the volume only for video chats, it suits my needs just fine.
Also, I neglected to mention earlier that the machine also includes bluetooth. I personally don't presently have a need for this feature, but I'm sure many users will, and this is another example of where Samsung has added features that set this apart from the others in the crowded netbook field.
I reviewed the Acer Aspire One D150 a few days ago. I've had the Acer for 3 months now, so I'm quite familiar with it, and I love it. But a friend was shopping for a netbook this week, and I tagged along. When I saw the Samsung N120, I had to have it. Having played with it for only 1 day now, its my new favorite toy. Its a bit more expensive than the Acer, but well worth the extra dough. Quick summary--keyboard is amazing (97% full size); performance is way more than expected (surprisingly quick loading internet pages), the screen looks great, weight is less than 3 lbs., battery life exceeds 6 hours, sound is good (could be better), and the 1.3 megapixel built-in camera is terrific.
Okay, now the specifics:
Keyboard: This is what made this machine a must buy for me. The full size (almost) keyboard is fantastic. Although I've gotten used to the smaller keys on my Acer (89% full size), I still make frequent typos on that keyboard. Not so with the Samsung. The extra $$ are well worth it for the keyboard alone.
Performance: Although the processor is the same as that used in the Acer (Atom N270 1.6), in most situations, the Samsung is noticeably faster. With the Acer, there is a considerable lag in loading internet pages with Explorer. The Acer improves dramatically if you switch to Firefox. With the Samsung, although there is a slight lag using Explorer, it is not nearly as annoying and is easily liveable. But I was curious to see if Firefox made a difference here, and let me tell you, it blazes! I highly recommend downloading Firefox and using it as your internet browser.
Memory: The N120 comes with 1gb RAM, and 160gb hard drive (same as the Acer). Works fine for my ordinary use (mostly internet browsing and video calls on Skype). Having only had it one day, I haven't noticed any issues. I have read that you can increase performance by installing another 1gb of RAM for a total of 2 gb--I might try that sometime, but given the excellent performance for my ordinary use as configured out of the box, I don't think it is necessary, and if I decide to do it, it will be out of curiosity only.
Webcam: Definitely an upgrade from the Acer here. THe 1.3 MP built-in webcam works terrific. Much clearer and better colors than the Acer. Video calls on Skype are great on this machine. Also, the Samsung comes with a very cool video program that opens automatically when you make video calls, and allows you to customize the video, adding such things as picture frames, hearts, etc. It is a nice feature--my girlfriend loves it and plays with it endlessly.
Audio: The audio sounds okay. Unlike the Acer, which has speakers underneath the body, the N120 has two forward facing speakers on the outskirts of the screen, with a small subwoofer on the bottom. This creates good sound for a netbook, but the volume is a problem. You are able to appreciate the extra effort Samsung devoted to the speakers only if you are in an absolutely quiet room (and even then, its not great--just better than most other netbooks, which have notoriously poor audio). With the volume turned up all the way, the Samsung is only about half as loud as my Acer is at full volume. The slight increase in sound quality is not noticeable if there is background noise, and I suspect that the sound will be difficult to hear in crowded coffee houses. The low audio might be a big drawback for some users. For me, the only reason I use the audio is with Skype video calls, and it works fine for that.
Screen: The screen is fine, but the screen on the Acer is better. The Acer screen seems to be brighter and more crisp. Not that there is anything wrong with the screen on the Samsung. As I said, it is fine, and unless you were comparing it to something else, it would not get your attention one way or the other.
Trackpad: Huge advantage to the Samsung here. This is the only netbook I've seen that has a scroll function in the trackpad. I typically use a wireless mouse, but I've tried the scroll on the trackpad, and it works terrific--in fact, I'd say it works better than the scroll on the trackpad of my $1,000 HP. Kudos to Samsung for including this very useful feature.
Battery Life: I have only used it one day, so I cannot opine definitively. But after the initial charge, I was on the internet pretty much non-stop, with the brightness turned all the way up, for over 6 hours and still had plenty of juice left. I think I'll easily get 7-8 hours on a single charge from the battery pack. (I can't imagine you would need more, but I notice that Samsung offers a 9 cell battery pack.) Also, although I haven't played with it yet, the N120 has several settings that allow you to manage the method of charging so at to preserve the longevity of the battery.
Size and Weight: The size and weight are fantastic. Although pretty much the same size as the Acer (the width looks to be about 1/2 inch wider), the N120 is much better balanced. The 6 cell battery on the N120 does not protrude so far out the back as does the one in the Acer, and the Samsung does not feel like all the weight is in one place. At 2.8 lbs., the Samsung is only .1 lbs. lighter than the Acer, but it has a better feel due to the more equal distribution of the weight. This is a perfect size and weight for travelling. This size allows you to take a computer with you on all sorts of trips where you ordinarily would not if the only machine you had was a larger full-blown laptop. (One of the reasons they can accomplish this size is the absence of a CD/DVD drive, but most people who buy these machines don't want/need an optical drive).
UPDATE: I have discovered that the audio volume is dramatically affected by different settings in the SRS Audio system. The three settings are Extreme, Megawide, and SRS 3d. If you change the setting to SRS 3d, the volume gets quite loud. On Extreme or Megawide, the volume is only about half as loud-- music sounds better on the latter two settings, but you need a quiet room to appreciate it. ON SRS 3d, the volume is terrific--and since I typically use the volume only for video chats, it suits my needs just fine.
Also, I neglected to mention earlier that the machine also includes bluetooth. I personally don't presently have a need for this feature, but I'm sure many users will, and this is another example of where Samsung has added features that set this apart from the others in the crowded netbook field.
