Samsung NP700Z5B-W01UB

The Samsung NP700Z5B-W01UB ($1,019 list at Best Buy) has an attractive chassis that will appeal to designers and fans of the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) ($2,199 direct, 4 stars), but without the premium price tag. Its AMD Radeon GPU and Core i7 CPU have the chops to take on games, day-to-day productivity tasks, and Photoshop editing as well as video manipulation. Wireless features, like Wireless Display 2.0 (WiDi 2.0) and WiMAX 4G broadband, will appeal to entertainment aficionados and road warriors—further adding to its value. But if you place raw horsepower above added features, there are better options.





Specifications

Type Gaming, General Purpose, Media, Desktop Replacement
Processor Name Intel Core i7-2675
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Speed 2.2 GHz
RAM 6 GB
Weight 5.42 lb
Screen Size 15.6 inches
Screen Size Type Widescreen
Graphics Card AMD Radeon HD 6490M
Storage Capacity (as Tested) 750 GB
Networking Options 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
Price Range $929.99


Design
Aluminum is the favorite material for premium laptops, and the NP700Z5B-W01UB is no different. Its silver-gray chassis has a brushed aluminum texture across the lid and palm rest that keeps the chassis cool even during gaming sessions. The entire system weighs 5.22 pounds, and stands on the lighter end of the 15-inch category when compared with its competitors, like the Dell XPS 15z, MacBook Pro (5.5 pounds), and Asus N55SF-A1(6.1 pounds).

Its 15.6-inch widescreen has a super-thin bezel—furthering the design's overall appeal—that can comfortably fit two open windows side-by-side. The display isn't the full 1080p HD you may be expecting: it has a 1,600-by-900 resolution. If you want to see your videos in true HD, then you could hook the computer up to an external display via the HDMI port or wirelessly through WiDi 2.0 (provided you have Netgear Push2TV receiver, a $99 option).

The keyboard is full-sized and has the added benefit of a numeric keypad. The keys are in the chiclet style. Typing felt comfortable enough, but it was nothing compared to the scalloped-shaped keys on the Dell XPS 15z. Samsung's NP700Z5B-W01UB utilizes a clickpad, not unlike the one found on the MacBook Pro. The surface was smooth to navigate on, and the mouse portion of the pad was easy to click, but without defining the right and left click buttons, there were a few errant clicks.

Features
The NP700Z5B-W01UB excels in features, it has included a slew of options to connect you to the Web, like WiMAX 4G broadband, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and an Ethernet jack. There's also a slot-loading dual-layer DVD±RWdrive, digital media card reader (SD/MMC), mini-HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, and one USB 2.0 port.

The included 750GB (5,400rpm) hard drive is larger than the one in the XPS 15z (500GB) and the same size as the one included in the MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, the hard drive is loaded down with a considerable amount of pre-installed software, like Kindle ereader, Skype, Wild Tangent games, and Samsung's proprietary software loaded up on the desktop screen (some of which, if you accidentally delete from the control panel, render the function buttons useless).

Best Buy also has an extended warranty program, which offers customers an extra year of protection beyond the one-year warranty of most system manufacturers. There are two plans in this extended warranty program. The standard plan ($119.99) covers the system against normal wear and tear, power surge damage, and includes a "No Lemon" guarantee in which Best Buy will simply replace the computer if it requires more than 4 repairs during the coverage period. Best Buy's advanced plan ($219.99) offers all this, and also covers the system against accidental damage from drops and spills. Other special offers can be found online or in stores, like discounts on printers, software, and tech support plans which are available with any new consumer PC purchased through Best Buy.