Samsung Q210 review

It isn't often we find ourselves genuinely excited by the prospect of a budget laptop, but Samsung's Q210 is one decidedly cute exception to the rule.

It's a 12.1in model, so is dwarfed by every single one of its opponents, and even with its power supply it weighs less than any of its rivals - a very reasonable 2.38kg. Leave the power brick at home, however, and despite its chubby 37mm-thick frame the Samsung weighs in at a portable 1.95kg.

Its portability is matched with good battery life. Just short of five hours of light usage is a fine result, although heavy usage saw the Q210 last only 1hr 16mins.

What's more, the Samsung has one of the fastest processors in the group. The Intel Pentium Dual-Core T3400 is partnered with 2GB of memory, and managed the best overall benchmark result of 0.97. That's blisteringly quick for such a compact laptop. The Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics disappoint, though, with a mere five frames per second.

The Q210 is very comfortable to use, and especially so given its compact dimensions. The 12.1in display opts for the commonplace 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution, but its ample brightness and good contrast make for decent image quality. Colours are a little under-saturated and have a slightly blue tinge, but it's nowhere near as wayward as the HP's screen.

The keyboard is noticeably tinier than its rivals - in fact, it's almost identical to its netbook stablemate, the Samsung NC10. Only a slightly bizarre Windows key placement to the right of the spacebar sets it apart.

That aside, the Q210's keyboard is very usable. The keys don't have a great deal of travel, but their positive action and otherwise sensible layout make up for it.

You do pay a small price for the Q210's performance and portable size, however. Gigabit Ethernet is present and correct, but there's no sign of draft-n wireless or Bluetooth.

When it comes down to it, Samsung's Q210 is a bona fide bargain. When you're getting a good-quality portable for just £417, it's easy to overlook the odd minor flaw.

Author: Sasha Muller