Laptop Thoughts: Samsung SF310 Quick Review

"Samsung's super-sleek Series 9 ultraportable is getting all the attention, but the company has another 13-inch notebook that costs less than half as much and provides comparable performance and battery life. The $729 Samsung SF310 features a muscular Intel Core i5-480M processor, a DVD drive, Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics, and Optimus technology to maximize endurance. Sure, it's not as thin or sexy as the SSD-packing Series 9, but the SF310 successfully shoehorns a lot of power into its attractive 4.6-pound frame."

After seeing the Samsung Series 9, and also seeing the price, the SF310 is looking pretty good, despite being significantly heavier, offering similar performance at about half the price. Reviews are generally positive, with minor negatives being a somewhat temperamental touchpad, the cover is a fingerprint magnet, and battery life (about 5 1/2 hours) could be better. Also a bit disconcerting is that the SF310 streams hot air out the back of the system, but at least it's not directed out the left or right side, directly onto the hands. Not a lot of customizing appears to be possible, but Samsung does actually include some useful software at no extra cost. All in all, a good notebook computer for the money.