Samsung M40 Review [updated with pics]

[Mod/Admin Please If you wish you can take these pics off my webspace and host them on your site. I think that way this page will load quicker too!]

After playing around with this laptop for a week and seeing there are no reviews as such on the net I thought that I should do my own personal one here. Not to mention this site is picked up on Google too.

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/top.jpg
http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/open.jpg

Screen & Keyboard

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/keypad.jpg

The screen supports 800x600, 1024x768 & 1440x900.
Turning it on full whack gives you the crystal clear viewing and the angles left & right are good to. My old laptop only a year old would give you a kind of "negative" display but a year on it seems Samsung are just as good making laptop screens as they are making TFT monitors.

The Keyboard feels nice and very responsive. The mouse pad is also responsive and does the job well. There are no unnecessary quick keys on this one. There are only 4 on a wheel type button which access your Email, Internet, Wireless On/Off (Why??) and one Custom. There are some helpful function keys integrated into the normal ones like sound volume, screen brightness & battery level which is handy if you want to check while playing a game for example.

Intel Centrino Technology 1.8GHZ

I love this new'ish chip technology from Intel. I first noticed it about a year ago when I brought my first laptop. Wish I brought one then. The heat management for starts is so much better than the Athlon that came with my last laptop. Every now the fan would come on with my last laptop which made a dreadful noise. Its nice and quite with this one. The laptop still gets very warm, I would not call it hot but on a whole its much more efficient.

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/back.jpg

RAM 512MB

This is the minimum amount of RAM that I will accept from any desktop/laptop as Windows XP is so memory hungry. I am just unsure if this memory is shared with the SFX chipset.

HDD 80GB

A nice 80GB thank you! Laptop hard drives are getting bigger and bigger and this should be more than enough on this device. 5400RPM so its not too slow for laptop needs.

CD-DVD Reader/Writer

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/sideopen.jpg

According to Nero the speeds are:

CD-R 16x Max
CD-RW 4x Max
DVD-R 4x Max
DVD-RW 2.4x Max
DVD-RAM (It can read and write this format to, but I have not got the media to test this function)

As writing to CD is the most I do 16x is more than enough and the ablity to copy a DVD in around 20mins at 4x speed is not to bad.

Graphics: Nvidia FX5200 GO 64MB

This the only device I have questions about. Nvidia FX5200 regardless of it being the mobile edition "GO" is the bottom of the pile. I can't hide the fact that the display cards a generation before like the Ti4200/Ti4400/Ti4600 kicks this ass in tearms of performance and rendering ability. The only thing that the chipset has it on its side is that its a DirectX9 chipset as the Geforce 4 Ti range are all DirectX8. Is there a point? Not really as it can't handle the new DirectX9 games out there.

I loaded both Serious Sam SE and Unreal Tourney 2004 hoping for the worse and to be honest the frame rates where not bad at all. OK Unreal Tourney was not a ride in the part but is still very playable. That’s what I was looking for in the chipset. The ability to at least play some of the last generation games. This was one of the reasons why I had to change my laptop. My last laptop's chipset was that IGP range from Ati which not worth the crap it was made with.

Sound: Chipset Crystal WDM Audio

Hmm and chipset that I never heard of but does the job well. The laptop supports 5.1 surround sound though the digital connection from the back which goes into your AMP. Handy if I can find a DIVX film which supports this or if your friend does not have a DVD player LOL!! (Not this day and age)

If you have a program like PowerDVD you have 3 options of sound settings.

1) Quiet Environment: This gives you the full dynamic range of Dolby Digital Sound. Good but is very low.

2) Normal Environment:

3) Nosey Environment: This is the option I use on PowerDVD as it gives me the highest volume.

With games the sound still feels just as good and not so tinny.

Battery Life: Up to 4hrs

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/backoff.jpg

I have not fully tested out the battery life. I've read that while playing a DVD its not even 1:30mins. Thats yet to be seen. But it does seem to go down quick while playing games.

The battery is nice and compact which fits in the back of the laptop. You are also able to get a 6hr battery but is 3 times as big .

Wireless Connection

Does what is says on the box. Supports both B and G technologies. Had no trouble conferring to access the Internet and my home network through my wireless AP Linksys WAP54G. Funny thing is it also detects other networks in my area. I've seen 3 more or less wireless networks around my house LOL!!

Ports/Connections

http://www.timswebspace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/backshut.jpg

3 USB ports = A bit thin 1 more would of be desirable.
PCMIA Adapter
Modem and Lan Connection
Digital Out Put for sound 5.1
Headphone & Mic Jack
Monitor and TV Out
1394 Port

Final Thought

Overall the build, quality (Under 3Kg with 17" Screen WTF!!) and features of this laptop have been put into a nice neat package. I am also pleased that I am able to access both the BIOS and I am able install my own copy of Windows XP Pro. Both good signs as it proves that Samsung wishes you to get the most out of their product. My last laptop would crash if I would use nothing less than use the Restore CD supplied with it.

The minor gripe I have with it at the moment is the SFX chipset. If they put a chipset with a bit more power / middle range Geforce FX GO series then I would had a laptop with All that I needed. “The Total Package”. This includes gaming which its comes short, just.

Its bench Mark on 3DMark2001 SE was 6135 which is respectable score for DirectX8 capability. DirectX9 3D benchmark will be out of the question. I am not going even try.

I think anyone is going to be hard pressed to find a laptop today that can handle anything which desktop computer’s SFX chipsets can do. But the tide is closing year by year!

 

hey this is a great take on the m40, wish it was available in the u.s.

saw your other post and have deleted, thanks for alerting us on that. is there anyway you could snap some pictures so i can host them on this site and post them? email me at [email protected] if that's possible.

 

Sure I'll take some pictures.

Whats the HTML code to display pitures? I am used to using "Forum Code" which you have disabled. [ ]

Ahh no worry its just came to me!

Could you use this pic as an Avatar. So that I am able to use it below my name?

http://www.samsung.co.uk/EC_SEUK/Attachment/20040803/M40x400.jpg

 

hiya all,i got my new m40 from currys in the uk about 2days ago and would like 2 say its the best laptop out hands down.Iam keepin this story stort for now,on till 2morrow (need more sleep[|)]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by TPKing

 

Glad you like the laptop!

I had to make a review... could not find anything on the Internet. Its handy that this will pop up on Google when people want to find out about this laptop.

If you can put in your own review it should make things even more intresting [ ]