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        Netbook has dual-core Atom, long battery life

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Oct 7, 2010 | Comments: 1


        Samsung released details of a netbook featuring a 1366 x 768 pixel display and a dual-core Atom N550 processor. The NF310 offers a 10.1-inch display, a 250GB hard disk drive, stereo speakers, a 250GB hard disk drive, and more than nine hours of battery life, the company says.

        Samsung's NF310 was first unveiled at last month's IFA2010 show in Berlin, as we reported at the time. Today's announcement, however, brought U.S. pricing -- approximately $400 -- for the device and suggested that the manufacturer believes tablets haven't entirely killed the market for netbooks.

        Samsung's NF310

        The NF310 joins the similarly priced Asus Eee PC 1015PEM as being one of the first netbooks to use the Atom N550, the first dual-core processor from Intel specifically designed for such devices. According to Intel, the 45nm N550 has a 1.5GHz clock speed, 1MB of second-level cache, and an 8.5 Watt TDP. (The latter puts it usefully ahead of one dual-core rival, AMD's Athlon II Neo K325, which has featured in netbooks such as Dell's Inspiron M101z, and is said to have a 12-Watt TDP.)

        While the Eee PC 1015PEM has a 1024 x 600 pixel display, Samsung's NF310 one-ups this by squeezing 1366 x 768 pixels onto its 10.1-inch work area. The Asus netbook is offered with Bluetooth 3.0 and options, and there's no sign of that here, but Samsung does say the NF310's USB ports can charge other devices even when the netbook is turned off.

        Samsung hinted at mobile broadband capabilities when the NF310 was discussed last month, but its U.S. division did not mention any today. However, the device naturally includes 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, with software that allows it to "quickly connect PC-to-PC over ad-hoc WiFi connections, simply and easily."

        According to Samsung, the 2.87-pound NF310 provides more than nine hours of battery life. Also highlighted are a smooth, contoured clamshell exterior in "Titan Silver," plus a spill-resistant keyboard and touchpad with gesture support.

        Samsung says it has also included a "Fast Start" feature that allows the user to put the NF310 in an "advanced state of sleep," reducing power consumption. The user's session may then be restored in as little as three seconds, the company adds.

        The NF310 includes 1GB of RAM (presumably expandable to 2GB, though this wasn't specified) and a 250GB hard disk drive. The operating system is Windows 7 Starter Edition, according to Samsung.

        Todd Bouman, director of product marketing at Samsung's enterprise business division, stated, "In addition to the stylized aesthetic consumers have come to expect from Samsung, the NF310 builds upon the success of previous netbooks and offers a more robust experience through the improved Dual-Core processor and HD display."

        Further information

        According to Samsung, the NF310 will be available in "fall 2010" for approximately $400. Meanwhile, a review of the Atom N550-equipped Asus Eee PC 1015PEM has appeared on the PC website, here.

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