Samsung Series 5 NP530U4C-A01US

The Samsung Series 5 14” Ultrabook is an offering of a highly portable and spacious laptop to the range of ultraportables found in the world of the best laptop brands.  The Series 5 model is light and thin and users are happy with what they get for the price, citing good value for money and straight-forward usage.  An unusual feature included is that of WiDi (or wireless display) which makes your laptop even more compatible with your television!

Samsung Series 5 NP530U4C-A01US 14-Inch Ultrabook (Light Titan)

Processing power for this 3.9lb (1.7kg) ultraportable comes from a low-voltage, dual-core Intel 1.7GHz Core i5 – 3317U processor with 4GB DDR3 RAM that you can upgrade to 8GB, depending on your needs.  The LED-backlit 13.3” screen comes with anti-reflective coating to make it more readable outdoors and what is displayed is powered by an Intel HD Graphics 4000 card.

An impressive 500GB hard drive will store the included copy of Windows 7 Home Premium whilst leaving plenty of space for files, photos, films and music;  an 8x speed DVD writer lets you make a hard copy of these files when wanted.  The display also has a 1.3 MPwebcam on top - which isn't too bad as laptop webcams go.

As with most laptop brands, the Samsung Series 5 has Wifi, a gigabyte Ethernet connection and Bluetooth 4.0 functionality.  It also comes with HDMI and VGA out ports, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, audio in/out lines and an SD card reader.  However, where it departs from the norm is the WiDi functionality – better known as Wireless Display.  With the purchase of the external adaptor that connects to your television, you can stream up to 1080p HD video and watch programs to your hearts' content!

User reviews are generally positive for this piece although you may find it isn't the best brand of laptop for you.  They did note a really comfortable user experience – the keyboard is good, the screen displays well and the overall design is robust, formal and attractive.

There were some concerns about how good the performance and battery were but it was noted that if you were reasonably cautious, you could get a decent amount of use from it – even if it wasn't quite the 7 hours' battery life quoted in the documentation!

It was definitely found to be a capable and likeable machine, if not quite the best laptop brand out there.  Despite any complaints, it is very thin and light, has twice as much memory space as you'd expect from an ultraportable, still has a DVD writer despite the thinness, plenty of connectivity and the unusual WiDi feature.

The Samsung Series 5 will be good for workers who need a sensible machine that can plod away and get the job done.  This isn't one for gamers and the price may put it out of reach for students, seniors or other casual users.  However, if you want something mid-range that is exceptionally portable, has standard features and you enjoy the appealing functionality of WiDi, the Series 5 will be a good bet.

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