New Samsung Q210 / P210 notebook (12.1")

1. HDD manufacturers measure their disk sizes in decimal but computers count in binary (ie 1k = 1024), so 320GB is actually 298GB. The rest of the missing space is probably allocated to a recovery partition.

2. Is that HDD the Fujitsu MHZ2320BH? Normally Fujitsu HDDs have below average power consumption but I think this model is a bit above average.

John

 

1. Thank for that John +1
2. Yeah the MHZ2320BH G2

Tinderbox,
AS02UK: P8400 with 11n etc
FFS0UK: T5750 with 11g etc

 

Hi.

What`s is max memory of the Q210 is it 4gb or 8gb?

thanks

John.

 

But, assuming it has Intel n-wifi, is it the Intel 5100 or Intel 5300?

 

My AS02UK: P8400 Q210 has an INTEL 5100 WiFi card!

Do you know what the max memory is 4gb or 8gb|

 

Intel datasheet 320122 (page 12) says the PM45 chipset supports 8GB RAM.

However, Samsung doesn't go beyond 4GB in its specs. Judging from past experience, this would be because they couldn't afford any 4GB modules at the time of writing the specs in order to satisfy themselves that the 4GB modules work OK.

John

 

SAME, although it's no suprise

Why are you considering 8GB anyways?

 

Ignore, 10char

 

No, I just like to know this stuff! , 3gb if fine for now!

 

just to answer a previous question..

i got the q210 from UK with t5750.

Although there is the intel proset software in cpanel the actual chip is the atheros AR5007EG

i have reformated and clean installed the xp pro...however i found that the functionality of the realtek cpanel in vista and xp is different...i found that it was far more enhanced on Vista...

 

a bit off topic but could anyone tell me how the p210 compares to the dell latitude e6400, whats best if they are both setup with the same hardware?

Appart from the screen size which i know is 14.1 on the dell.

thanks

 

The E6400 is bigger, heavier and contains a lot more metal. And is more expensive but has more options. The E4300 would be a nearer comparison to the P210. I don't think the P210 has features such as a docking station port.

John

 

Can someone tell me what the running temperature is like on your lap? I have a first series Asus-G1 at the moment and am thinking of replacing this with something smaller.
Main problem with the G1 is that once it's got going it can get quite hot on your lap and feel like it's frying bits it shouldn't
Is the Q210 comfortable to use on your lap rather than a desk? I know it will be an owner who replies so try to give honest unbiased opinion as much as possible - i'll still think the q210 is a good laptop whatever

 

Hi.

Just browsing the net, around 34-36c , it`s one of the coolest running notebooks.

Also never use a notebook on your lap as you will block the air intake vents on the bottom, put it on a tea tray or something first.

Regards

John.

 

The Q210 have poped up here in sweden now but it have the P7350 CPU.
Time to google "P8400 vs P7350"...
And the sad part is that it cost med about 7900 skr to order from UK and 10 000 skr from Sweden.

A lower spec cpu and 2.1k expensive....

 

So Samsung are now selling in Sweden? What about the other Scandinavian countries? Could you put some links into the where to buy Samsung notebooks thread?

John

 

Hi, does anyone here have more detailed information about the screen of the Pro210 ?

It is matt, i know.

But what about the brightness and contrast?

It should be better 200cd/m² and have a good contrast....

 

Hi there.

I bought a brand new Samsung Q210 from Argos and after charging it until the green light appears, I find that the battery only lasts a few hours. If I use Vista's power saving mode, it's pushes it to three hours. I bought this laptop because the battery life was supposed to be around 5 - 6 hours. I only check my email and surf the internet so no DVD use or other power hungry programs. Is this normal? All reviews have stated a few hours for DVD playback so am I missing something?

 

Hi.

Did you get the T5750 processor or the P8400 one as the T5750 uses more power, 35watts verses 25watts
Regards.

Also did my have Wifi or Bluetooth enabled.

What was your screen brightness level

John.

 

The T series CPUs also have higher idle power consumption than the P series. This is what matters when running on battery. Display brightness can make a big difference to the power consumption.

Use the Samsung Battery Manager's Max Battery option as the starting point.

John

 

Hi John.

Thanks so much for your reply.

I have the T5750 processor, which probably explains things.

It turns out my bluetooth is on permanently (although I don't always see it in the taskbar). I'm not sure how to turn it off either.

Jodie

 

Hi.

I have never run on battery power to see how long my battery lasts, but when i run on battery in power saver mode, vista estimates i have between 5 and 6.5 hours of battery life, but i will believe that when i see it.

It is best not to run your battery until it is flat as it can cause premature wear, try not to go below 40% if you can, batterys like to be charged frequently.

Regards

John.

 

Try this Bluetooth on / off utility.

Also read through this thread about power saving on the Q45, which is the Q210's predecessor.

I agree that it is preferable to not drain the battery completely empty more than is necessary. However, it is best to avoid very frequent top-up charging. The manufacturer's normally measure the battery life in charge cycles.

John

 

Hi.

I just fitted a Western Digital 500gb SATA HDD, to replace my Hitachi 320gb

I used a free program "EASEUS Disk Copy" to clone the entire HDD including the recovery partition, I later had to re-size the partitions to use the complete 500gb.

The new WD hdd is extremely quiet , and even during defag can only be slightly heard.

I am totally happy with my new purchase

Regards

John.

 

How good is the screen of the Pro210?

Is it bright enough for outdoor-usage?

The Pro200 has a ATI1250 Xpress -card , still better than the X4500 of Intel.
Atleast some frames more in games.

Other than this, has it other flaws?

Is the frame solid?

 

Unless ATI has reworked the 1250 graphics, it is a big power hog compared with the Intel option. You will be lucky to get past 3 hours with a 6 cell battery.

John

 

ok,.....

nowadays you have to decide whether matt or better videocard -.-

 

What exactly is the difference between Q210 and P210? they look exactly the same to me!

 

Hi.

I think the differences are the P210 has a matt screen and a intel x4500 graphics and uses system memory.

And the Q210 has a glossy screen and a Nvidia 9200m GS graphics 256mb gddr3

there maybe more differences than that.

Regards

John.

 

I'm not certain, but I thought that the P series also had matte, not shiny, exteriors. However, the internals are very similar to the corresponding Q series.

John

 

In that case, I reckon P210 might be a better option because I have seen the Q210 in a store and it was just too much glossy (finger print magnet on steroids).

 

What are the maximum output resolutions over the VGA and HDMI outputs? Can the Q210 do 720p and 1080p? Sorry if this has been covered before but I couldn't find it myself.

Also does anyone know if it is possible to overclock the cpu for extra performance or underclock it when extra battery life is needed? Thanks.

 

Well, I finally got the P210 and I think I made the right decision. Here comes a small review after having been playing around with it for a full day:

SPEED: The P8600 processor is lightning fast. Windows XP and the applications load up in a blink of an eye. This is truly desktop-replacement performance.

SCREEN: There is no glossiness on this machine at all. While the Q210's screen and body are wrapped in a very annoying and fingerprint-magnetting coat, the P210's screen and body is totally matte. That makes the screen more readable in outdoors and indoors with multiple lights around. My previous laptop had a glossy screen and sometimes it was hard to read because of the lamp I have on the ceiling would reflect right off it. The P210 screen is sharp and easy to read. No complains here.

BODY DESIGN: Also, the P210 doesnt have the Q210's weird red stripe in the front. I saw both models at the store and I found the red stripe hideous to be honest. The P210 is totally black matte without flashy design elements at all - it's 100% business orientated and it's not intended to be a head turner, which I actually appreciate since this is a work machine for me.

AUDIO: very good considering this is a small device - it's clear and loud. No complains here.

KEYBOARD: overall OK and gets the job done, but I am finding a bit of flex on the bottom-left corner (the area where the "Z" is). Also, the bottom-right keys (right shift key, the cursor keys, etc) are a bit cramped so on occasion I punch the wrong key. I guess it takes time to get used to a 12" keyboard if coming from a 17" one like myself.

MOUSEPAD: The vertical scroll is not very accurate: sometimes it scrolls slowly, sometimes it drives you all the way to the bottom of the page. It's probably the feature I am liking the least from the P210.

BUILD QUALITY: other than that minor flex on the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, it looks pretty solid. This thing seems to be built to last.

BATTERY: I got the 9-cell battery and in power savings mode it lasts around 6 hours and a half with screen brightness down, bluetooth off and WIFI on. This test was done browsing the net, chatting on MSN, writing emails and that kind of stuff. No heavy application was running, just the typical internet usage. The battery does protrude from the back about 1cm (the bottom remains flat though) and it adds a noticeable weight, but it's very worth it in my opinion: 6+ hours on the go is a beautiful thing!

SIZE & WEIGHT: this is not the lightest nor the smallest 12" laptop around. The bezel is quite large (I believe they could have squeezed a 13" screen on it) and, compared to some other 12" laptops (like the Lenovo X200 for example), it's about 1 centimeter wider and longer, and probably thicker too. Also, it probably weights 500 grams more with the battery on. It's pretty small and certainly portable like any other 12", but it's not going to win any portability contest. That being said, 1 cm more or less, or 500 grams more or less doesnt really make that much to me to be honest.

ELECTRICITY BRICK: it's pretty small actually, much smaller and lighter than that of my 17" laptop. This is great as it adds portability.

NOISE: dead quiet, and I am serious. The CD did crank some serious noise levels when installing Windows XP, but once that was done I never heard a whisper again.

HEAT: very cool also. I was chatting for about 2 hours with the P210 on my lap and it never got uncomfortable. Also, the pads where your wrists sit while typing remained cool at all times. My old laptop used to get pretty hot on the left wrist, but not this one.

PRICE: 860 euros tax included (about 1,080 dollars). I was originally looking for a Lenovo x200 (or x200s) or a Sony Vaio Z, but those systems were costing twice as much here in Europe (around the $2000 mark). In fact, the P210 comes with the HDMI and DVD-RW bay built-in which the Lenovos don't (unless you plug them to a dock base that costs extra $200), so yeah I can safely say that this system has cost me almost half of what I was going to spend on either of those two other systems. Granted, their are in another league, but I could not justify doubling the budget for minor benefits. All in all, I feel that the P210 sure offers the best value in the 12" market right now.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS: I like the P210 a lot. It's powerful, portable and light (alas not the most portable of the 12" crowd), wonderful matte screen, good battery life, very subtle and humble exterior without glossy, colorful or fashionable stuff (it almost looks like a laptop from three or four years ago: dark matte plastic all around). Also, it comes fully featured with VGA+HDMI, 3xUSB, built in webcam and mic, DVD-RW bay, SD cards, Bluetooth, WIFI 5100 agn, PCI, etc.

I reckon that this is not the laptop for those who want to show it off because it's not really pretty, stylish or razor-thin. Nop, the P210 won't get your a girlfriend... But for me it's perfect: I just wanted a powerful, portable, long-battery, non-glossy and non ridiculously expensive laptop to work both on the road and on my desktop (connecting an external 24" monitor and a USB keyboard), and after searching around for a long while finally the P210 seemed to fit the bill.

I am happy with my purchase

 

Thank you for this very helpful summary.

Am I right in thinking the P210 has the Intel graphics? If so, you should be able to get up to 8 or 9 hours on the 9 cell battery with the display on low brightness and no internet or Bluetooth.

john

 

Yes John, it comes with the X4500 graph card. I will run another test and report the battery life.

 

i heard that the X4500 has bad drivers, otherwise it would be much faster...

 

I love the notebook forums! Bought my R20 after reading the extensive thread 18 months ago. I've just sold that and the q210 is likely my next machine.

Thanks to everyone for their advice and comments. Special thanks to you John for helping me last time as well. You really are a star!

 

I agree Ravmania, these forums have helped me a great deal nailing my perfect little laptop. Thanks guys

 

You've just gotta love the community aspect, everyone helps each other.

And thats a great review there, glad your happy with your puurchase

 

Maybe Intel could tweak their drivers for slightly better performance but they are also less buggy than the drivers for some other GPUs. I recall there being hardware features in the 965GM which Intel never got working properly, but i haven't read this about the X4500.

Happy to hear that some of my thoughts have been useful (assuming you meant me and not one of the other Johns).

John

 

Lol. I did mean you John.

I'm just deciding whether to go for the q210 or the q310. The q210 looks nice but the keyboard looks a bit cramped. The layout of the q310 looks nicer with no compromises. Also for £10 more the q310 has 4GB of RAM. Would this make any difference as I know Vista can't see all of it.

Need to go and have a hands on on both of them to decide. I'm waiting till January to buy to hopefully get a little more knocked off.

 

This thread discusses the relative merits of the Q210 and Q310.

John

 

Cheers John. Think I will have to see them both to decide. Just wish I could have the 210 with the 310 keyboard!

 

If the keyboard in the Q210 is the same as in the P210, then I can confirm that it's a bit cramped, specially the bunch at the bottom-right corner. Shame because this laptop has a bezel large enough to host a roomier keyboard (and screen!).

 

Ok I ran another battery test on my P210 from 100% to 5% on the 9-cell battery using the power-saving mode (processor throttled down, screen dimmed down, bluetooth off, wifi on though). It lasted again 6:30 hours, browsing internet, answering emails and MSN chatting.

 

That's not a good as I would expect. Something is using a bit of power. Possibly the HDD (which model) or maybe it's the display (CCFL not LED backlight). What is the power rating of the 9 cell battery?

John

 

The HDD is a Fujitsu MHZ2160BH G2 with 160 gb at 5400 rpm. The screen is not LED backlight and the 9-cell battery is DC 11.1V, 7800 mAh (whatever that means LOL).

I don't think 6:30 hours constantly browsing the net is that bad...

 

Thanks for the additional info. The battery capacity is about 85WHrs, so it is a full 50% bigger than a standard battery (some aren't).

I have the 320GB version of that Fujitsu HDD. Power consumption is a bit worse than the current average so that might cost you up to 1W. The CCFL backlight probably costs another 1W relatively to an LED backlight and web browsing could cost several Watts, particularly if the pages use flash and you aren't using FlashBlock or similar.

So what do those Watts mean? 6.5 hours represents an average power drain of 12.6W. If you could get that down to 10W then you could run for over 8 hours. You can see the current power drain on the battery info page of RMClock or, if you are running XP, the MobileMeter draws a nice graph of power consumption.

John

 

John, could you please let me know how to access that "MobileMeter" within my win XP? thank you!

 

Assuming you have unzipped it to a folder, go to that folder and double-click on mobmeter.exe. That's just the way I like my programs: No putting gunge in the registry or scatting components around the HDD.

John