Samsung Series 9…. Macbook Air, BEWARE!!!

From recent developments, it seems like one of Samsung’s near future goals is to go after Apple and its products. To give credit where it is due, Samsung has so far done a better than expected job to say the least. Take into account the Samsung Galaxy S lineup of Smartphones that was launched as a worthy alternative to the iPhone. With a great features, hardware and software, the Galaxy S lineup outsold the iPhone in many regions of the world. Also consider the Galaxy S tablets that were pitted against the iPad, they didn’t pose as serious a threat to Apple as Samsung would have hoped. 

This time around, Samsung has decided to jump out of the Smartphone and Tablet arenas and go after the premium laptop lineup in which Apple is a highly regarded player. Samsung has always been a player in the laptop segment often churning out decent laptops and netbooks, but this time around they have targeted a specific niche in which Apple right now reigns supreme. This niche is of the ultrathin ultraportable laptops and the leader in this category right now is the Macbook Air. 

 

Ultrathin, ultraportable laptops are nowhere in the same category as regular netbooks. These devices have premium build quality, high performance processors and all the same high end specifications found in regular laptops all packed into super thin and very light bodies. Samsung very recently released two laptops that can be classified into this ultrathin ultraportable category and has decided to call the lineup “Series 9”.

Taking into account the new pattern by Samsung of going after Apple products, it was no surprise to see that the two laptop variants come in 13.3” and 11.6” sizes, which happen to be the exact same as the two variants offered for Macbook Air. Other similarities include an ultrathin design for the Series 9 laptops, which measure 0.64” compared to the Macbook Air’s 0.68” at the thickest point. The body of the Series 9 laptops is also made out entirely of aluminum just like the Macbook Air which gives it a premium look and feel. Samsung refers to the material used as “Duralumin” and claims that it is twice as strong as regular aluminum. It is however noteworthy that the Series 9 body is not a uni-body design like the Macbook Air which has a body carved out of a single block of aluminum. Finally another similarity is in the form of a Solid-State Hard Drive, of which Samsung can support a 64GB or a 128GB model. The Macbook Air in comparison has the option of a 256GB version for a decent chunk of extra cash. 

All similarities apart, there are quite a few differences in the Series 9 models that set it apart as well. This time around, Samsung doesn’t want to play catch-up to Apple; rather it wants to beat Apple and hence has decided to take some considerable steps to raise the desirability of the Series 9. First and foremost, the most notable feature is that Series 9 laptops house the new and faster Intel i3 and i5 series processors compared to the Macbook Air’s Core 2 Duo processors. Additionally, the Series 9 laptops have the latest USB 3.0 ports available whereas the Macbook Air is still carrying the older USB 2.0 ports. This does not seem to be a major concern at the moment as USB 3.0 has only recently started rolling out, but may become an issue when more and more devices with USB 3.0 support come out. Another noteworthy feature is in terms of mobility, since these are ultraportable devices after all. Samsung has included a WiMax 4G option that may enable wireless data support on the go. This feature may seem useless right now in Pakistan as 4G support is not available but would be a feature to help future-proof your significant investment. 

Some other noteworthy features include the ability to expand the RAM to a maximum of 8GB compared to Macbook Air’s 4GB. The battery life tends to last a little longer than the Macbook Air’s, but this difference is negligible at times. The Series 9 laptops come with a built-in Ethernet port whereas you have to use a USB to Ethernet adapter for the Macbook Air. Also out of the box the Series 9 laptops have a faster startup time compared to the Macbook Air, but shutdown and standby recovery time for the Series 9 laptops are much longer. The Series 9 laptops come with Windows 7 preloaded and the OS comparison with OS X is a story for another day completely. The Series 9 laptops have a LED backlit keyboard whereas the Macbook Air does not.

All in all, if you are a hardcore PC enthusiast and scoff at Apple products, this would be a sure shot winner. In contrast, the same could be said about Apple fan boys who would consider this a knockoff without the Apple soul.  But for those in the middle, this should be taken exactly at face value: A worthy competitor to the Macbook Air. With pricing being more or less along the same lines, it becomes a matter of requirements, preference and perception. I would have to state that when it comes to OS choice, the Macbook Air has an advantage, as it is capable of running both the Mac OS and Windows 7 natively.  Also one thing that makes more consumers lean towards Apple products is because their brand resonates more strongly amongst consumers compared to Samsung’s brand.

Official Website: www.Samsung.com
Image Courtesy: www.LaptopMag.com