Samsung Series 3 (NP300V5A-S06IN) Laptop Unboxing & Review

[MyGeekTips]

Introduction: My name is Himanshu Jain, I’m a 14 year old tech geek & this is my first ever review, so treat me generously. This laptop is for my father’s office work. After little research this laptop suited best in our budget.

Laptop: We all know Samsung is not a big Laptop Brand but they’re known for HDD & DVD Writer Manufacturer for Laptops. This model is of Samsung SERIES 3, which is a very stylish & portable series.

Decision & Pricing: First i was leaning towards Laptop Z570 i5 (DOS + 520MX) which was for 40K, then Asus Lappy with i7 (DOS & 2GB Graphics), then i decided to go with Samsung NP300V5A-S06IN because it come with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium & Microsoft Office Starter Installed. It is available for 38.5K INR + Samsung Laptop Bag + Norton Antivirus with antispyware (One Year) + Adata 4GB Pendrive. I added Discount Coupon to get 1K INR Discount on Letsbuy. I paid 37.5K total for the Lappy with all the goodies on Letsbuy.

Specs:
Intel Core i5 2430M
4GB 1333mhz Ram X 1
640 GB 5400RPM HDD
15.6" HD LED Display
Nvidia 520MX 1GB GPU
1.3 HD Megapixels Camera
Chick let Keyboard

Unboxing: I order Laptop on 10th November Night & Letsbuy dispatched the package to courier company Aramex after 7 Days. Letsbuy Sucks. Aramex Delivered the Package in Just 3 Days from Delhi. Excellent Service.

So Much Packaging & Tapes:
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HuDVVQBPukw/TsjYAZDuAiI/AAAAAAAAAC4/Ba_3oC9wI9U/s640/P1050375.jpg

Samsung Laptop Box:
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Xu_mnVk4Ucc/TsjYIIGBvJI/AAAAAAAAADA/OrYagZty-7E/s640/P1050377.jpg

The Laptop Looks Super Cool.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uoFwbGVYldA/TsjYbbtU-rI/AAAAAAAAADY/j4QXplBdq9Q/s640/P1050386.jpg

I wasn't expecting bag but it's good that it came with the laptop:
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9V8oEktk9mU/TsjXkUkx1xI/AAAAAAAAACY/MJLyvsgkATg/s512/P1050360.jpg

Norton Antivirus 1 Year Free.
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Je4bq64p440/TsjXw53AsgI/AAAAAAAAACg/Kx6H95oJg0w/s640/P1050370.jpg

Free 4GB Adata Pendrive.
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OEpcN3nEV0c/TsjX7g2Eu5I/AAAAAAAAACw/MY_jAYaqK-s/s640/P1050371.jpg

Documentation & Warranty Papers.
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iX8iAMBdT-8/TsjXi_DrfmI/AAAAAAAAACQ/nwfeQ9yenjM/s640/P1050365.jpg

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium DVD.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-glm0mStmh30/TsjXyz3CyWI/AAAAAAAAACo/FPQz9rqfkG4/s640/P1050366.jpg

The Triangular Sticker that came sticked on Laptop Screen, I removed it & sticked elsewhere.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VjB5DHFNn-g/TsjYd35W4iI/AAAAAAAAADg/CHXVCp_YxaM/s640/P1050389.jpg

I can see my face on the shiny body.
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3VgRZZdarRw/TsjXADbHw9I/AAAAAAAAABg/n2KxPLXwjEI/s640/P1050347.jpg

Samsung Logo looks cool on the shiny body.
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RRuTA29cVAM/TsjXEIobddI/AAAAAAAAABw/rJCmn19N860/s640/P1050348.jpg

Design & Finish is excellent too. Super Simple & Super Hot too. Display is 15.6inch HD Led with the resolution 1366 x 768. Display is bright & Looks good.
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lcs5ZfRhr88/TsjWbBcfScI/AAAAAAAAAAw/XXmax3-ZcXQ/s640/P1050333.jpg

Stickers Inside. NVIDIA Optimus is good in saving power.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-McEsWOEOPcU/TsjWgUVwb1I/AAAAAAAAAA4/fgmuxBKkJmE/s640/P1050338.jpg

The most amazing thing is the keyboard typing is so fluid on this. The gap between keys prevent error in typing.
*lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QChoDSpyWrs/TsjWtQAulhI/AAAAAAAAABA/qU66OTxgIbs/s640/P1050343.jpg

Speaker quality is average but the best compared to my old laptop & pc speakers. Viewing angle is very good too.
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LhlhNHjLASU/TsjXDSLtBnI/AAAAAAAAABo/C1KMeTZeKY4/s640/P1050346.jpg

Left Slots: DC-IN, Lan, VGA, HDMI, USB 2.0, Mic-IN, Headphone Out.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Auccsyj9aDM/TsjXNbGwiyI/AAAAAAAAAB4/DAWZW7_tY8U/s640/P1050352.jpg

Right View: DVD Writer, USB 2.0 X 2, Kensington Lock
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kkujcZ7vbIY/TsjXQh5U54I/AAAAAAAAACA/MomK2ICqM4U/s640/P1050354.jpg

My Old Laptop Purchased in 2004 compared to the new baby. Old laptop just win in one thing; It comes with 5 in 1 Card Reader. New one only comes with 4in1 but i don't care.
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jTdSiGvZGG4/TsjYXWP4ZmI/AAAAAAAAADI/qUtTXT-Xz9k/s640/P1050381.jpg

CPU-Z:
*lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x6MowToHl9Y/TsjzbZAhybI/AAAAAAAAAGA/HisKZLZsFfE/s415/1.png
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LtDkedCa5Lw/TsjzbL9lM4I/AAAAAAAAAF8/gUOUVNCRHqY/s416/2.png

GPU-Z:

Intel HD3000:
*lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZkBsy7POMxc/TsjzgF-wsGI/AAAAAAAAAGM/Pnyl8LdBBCs/s496/1.gif

NVIDIA 520MX:
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OEc98XogLuY/TsjzgV_UUkI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/UmIxtj5PpPE/s496/2.gif

WEI:

Graphics Score was less due to GPU Switching By NVIDIA Optimus technology to save power. Also WEI is only counting my C: drive partition only not D: Drive showing less total storage. Useless Benchmark By Microsoft.

HD3000:
*lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j6mpbk8WgJ8/Tsjzl1px0JI/AAAAAAAAAGc/Ppb2TXBV6kU/s621/HD3000.png

SuperPI:

*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fs1rDp7gFzQ/Tsj1EIExOGI/AAAAAAAAAG0/k47XeW_Srz0/s512/SuperPI.png

Cinebench:

*lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RjDQ0C1gXLY/Tsj0r6xpZ9I/AAAAAAAAAGk/Zkqaq_OgzFA/s800/OpenGL.png

HDD Tune Pro:

*lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XBXo5VC8M6M/Tsj1EoBO_bI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Xn8b_f1wg60/s576/HDTunePro.png

SiSoftware Sandra:

*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-t6GZwHTkzKM/Tsj1Q4_yNGI/AAAAAAAAAHc/OmxENdiqXIQ/s512/Processor.png
*lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bsgPdGwHqLc/Tsj1P_uZbUI/AAAAAAAAAHU/mSHVNL-_O60/s512/MultiCore.png
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_UfqlrM2Yv8/Tsj1NXd4WrI/AAAAAAAAAHE/04LiJHuzaB8/s512/Memory.png
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iJ6X8Y6Nm2U/Tsj1PR6o7CI/AAAAAAAAAHM/RYKe4LJzPaM/s512/GPUAPUCPU.png
*lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kjub12DFIco/Tsj1SNRFZxI/AAAAAAAAAHk/s6-LvBAydq8/s512/Video.png

3D Mark 2011 & Heaven DX11 Benchmark Coming Soon

Pro:
Good Performance
Genuine Windows 7 & Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Installed at the price in the config (Other laptop with same config comes with DOS)
Super Sexy & Sleek Design
Bright Display & Good Viewing Angles
Chicklet Keyboard

Cons:
No USB 3.0
Webcam Quality is average

Conclusion: I'm very much satisfied with the laptop. I found everything in it i was looking for. No other Laptops in same price range beats it. Every penny spent is worth it.

 

[vickybat]

Nice benches used. Overall a nice review.

 

[MyGeekTips]

Nice benches used. Overall a nice review.

Thanks Vicky this is my first ever review.

 

[dashing.sujay]

Good going MyGeekTips, nicely done. Congos

Few points-

*Firstly update your HD3000 driver. Yours is very old, it'll your increase you WEP score from 4.7 to 5.2, and DirectCompute 4.1 to 5.0.

*The Keyboard looks very good on first glance

*Is the touchpad multi-touch enabled? Pinching, rotating?

*In Cinebench, your openGL score is staggering (it shows nVidia are far ahead than ATI in OpenGL performance), but very low CPU score, don't know why.

*Your SuperPiM scores are better than me

*Good clicking

 

[ico]

Do turn off Hardware Acceleration in Flash player otherwise Optimus bugs a lot.

Good review.

 

[MyGeekTips]

Good going MyGeekTips, nicely done. Congos

Few points-

*Firstly update your HD3000 driver. Yours is very old, it'll your increase you WEP score from 4.7 to 5.2, and DirectCompute 4.1 to 5.0.

*The Keyboard looks very good on first glance

*Is the touchpad multi-touch enabled? Pinching, rotating?

*In Cinebench, your openGL score is staggering (it shows nVidia are far ahead than ATI in OpenGL performance), but very low CPU score, don't know why.

*Your SuperPiM scores are better than me

*Good clicking

1. Okay I will download the latest drivers & Update the score here.

2. Thanks it's very good for typing.

3. Yes

4. I think that's because of Samsung Power Saving Mode. I'll look into this.

5.

6. Used Panasonic DMC-TZ10

Sujay, Do you know how to disable Nvidia Optimus to get 520MX score in WEI ?

Do turn off Hardware Acceleration in Flash player otherwise Optimus bugs a lot.

Good review.

Thanks for telling me i will surely disable this feature.

 

[dashing.sujay]

I don't know about optimus, but in ATI, they do give manual option of assigning programs, of which graphics mode to use. Also on the basis of power source. For WPE, I wasn't able to assign it as an "application" as it was not showing up in the list, but after I changed the setting to "Use discrete when at AC", WPE scores jumped .

 

[MyGeekTips]

I don't know about optimus, but in ATI, they do give manual option of assigning programs, of which graphics mode to use. Also on the basis of power source. For WPE, I wasn't able to assign it as an "application" as it was not showing up in the list, but after I changed the setting to "Use discrete when at AC", WPE scores jumped .

Thanks that's what i need once again a big thanks.

 

[KDroid]

Nice Brief review!

 

[ramanuj]

Nice review !!
Samsung is unbeatable on features at super cool price.

Only concern being the build quality of laptops.Better plastics on the keyboard panel can be used

 

[MyGeekTips]

Nice review !!
Samsung is unbeatable on features at super cool price.

Only concern being the build quality of laptops.Better plastics on the keyboard panel can be used

I can vouch for the build quality. It's too good.

 

[Tech&ME]

Nice review.

at this price point the laptop is okay.

 

[clmlbx]

really nice review and Images you shared. Keyboard really looks good

 

[vandervagos]

Do you have the choice to disable nVidia from BIOS? Can you please post some screens if it is possible?
Also it is easy enough to access the HD and the RAM?

 

[aroraanant]

At the age for 14 you have did this,all I can say is "ou have done a nice job".
I was also planning to post a review but I don't get much time.

 

[MyGeekTips]

Do you have the choice to disable nVidia from BIOS? Can you please post some screens if it is possible?
Also it is easy enough to access the HD and the RAM?

Regarding disabling from bios, I didn't tried it. I'll check it.

Yes it is easy as I've upgraded ram to 8gb & checked the hdd.

At the age for 14 you have did this,all I can say is "ou have done a nice job".
I was also planning to post a review but I don't get much time.

I'm 15 now. Thank you for the nice comments.

 

[fundoomaster]

Hello,

I am planning to buy one laptop. Liked this model. Can you please tell me how it is performing now w.r.t to Display, Gaming, Camera & Battery Backup?

Any cons ??

I have zeroed in to these three models

- SONY VAIO VPCEH38FN
- HP Pavillion DV6 6155TX
- And Samsung NP300V5A

Please suggest. Need for home use only.