Help with buying a Samsung laptop

Hey guys,

There isn't a lot of reviews out there about Samsungs line of notebooks it seems. I'm in the market for a new laptop, don't have a huge budget (under $650CDN). I've looked at a few brands and Samsung caught my eye. I've heard some decent things about them in terms of reliability. I just need a laptop to do basic things on the internet, torrents, stream videos, email, etc.

Which one of these is better?

Samsung 14" Laptop featuring Intel Core i3 330M Processor (R480) - Red - Best Buy Canada

Samsung 14" Laptop featuring Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 (R430L) - White - Best Buy Canada

Samsung 15.6" Laptop featuring Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 (R530L) - Red - Best Buy Canada

Is the extra $50 for the i3 processor worth it?

Thanks!

 

You can compare the relative CPU performance using the notebookcheck CPU benchmark list. However, other components, particularly the HDD, can be the constraint on performance under some situations.

I would be tempted to go for the T6600 which most likely can be undervolted to reduce its maximum power consumption and keep the $50 for putting towards an SSD.

John

 

Hmm, I'm not overly concerned about power consumption, the laptop won't be used on the go too much.

Thanks for the tips. Have there been any major complaints or problems with Samsung's laptops?

 

They are generally quite well built and offer good value for money. 64-bit support was patchy until recently. Support could be better if you do hit a problem, but it is still better than some. Most users seem to be content with their purchases otherwise this forum would be much more active.

John

 

With the discounts at BestBuy you might want to get the laptop now if they have the same discounts in Canada. My Samsung was super reliable. The weak Intel chipset in the current "lower priced" laptops is puzzling when the rest of the parts are good but you don't need graphic speed so it should not be an issue. I saw one reviewer say that the support was poor but if you are not upgrading, you probably will never need support.

 

Get the 15.6" as I have just upgraded to this size from a smaller notebook and I am really enjoying the extra screen size.

 

The display may be physically bigger but the specs suggest it is only 1366 x 768 resolution, which isn't any more pixels than the smaller screens.

John

 

Hi John, yes, that is the same resolution as my RF510. Seems better for watching tv downloads though and the op did mention he will be using it to stream video.