Digital Home Thoughts: Laptop Magazine Reviews Samsung R610

"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’ve tested, and with a street price of $999, it’s also one of the cheapest. Its classy black chassis is one of the most attractive we’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."

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. 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? The ability to watch a full movie without hunting for a power plug?