The original Series 7 Chronos was very much
a high-end laptop, costing around $1,350 with a quad-core Intel Core i7
processor, a discrete AMD Radeon GPU and impressive 8-hour battery life. This
variation on the theme is a more modest affair, stepping down to an Intel Core
i5 processor. Samsung lists it at $1,198.5, but you might find it for $929
online.
The basic design remains unchanged, with a
15.6m display housed in a sturdy case with a smart brushed-metal finish. It’s
reasonably heavy, weighing in at 2.4kg, and it measures 24mm thick, which isn’t
too bad for a full-size laptop with a built-in DVD drive.
Samsung
Series 7 Chronos - The Thin And Powerful Laptop
The Samsung also retains the decent battery
life that is the watchword of the Chronos range. When streaming video over
Wi-Fi we recorded a full 7 hours, and less power-hungry tasks such as web
browsing and office work may stretch this further.
The keyboard and spacious (105x75mm)
trackpad are well designed. The keys sit proud of the main keyboard panel and
have a smooth action, making the Chronos comfortable to use for long periods.
The
keyboard and spacious trackpad are well designed
Close attention to detail is evident in the
color-coded keys of the slot-loading DVD drive, and in the built-in mic’s
placement close to the user on the keyboard’s front edge.
It’s odd that Samsung has opted for a
micro-VGA port that requires the purchase of a separate adaptor, but HDMI has
also been included, along with gigabit Ethernet.
The screen is something of a mixed bag.
It’s not touch-sensitive, so if you’re sold on Windows 8’s Modern Ul you might
want to look elsewhere. However, it has a matt finish that reduces the glare
and reflections that afflict the majority of modern laptops.
The screen’s viewing angle leaves something
to be desired, and brightness rapidly fades as you move to the side. A screen
this size could also benefit from full-HD (1920x1080) resolution, although its
1600x900 pixels is acceptable at this price.
A
screen this size could also benefit from full-HD (1920x1080) resolution,
although its 1600x900 pixels is acceptable at this price.
Performance from the 2.5GHz Core i5 chip is
somewhat down on that of the previous Core i7. The Samsung is more than
adequate for handling basic tasks, such as running office software, and with
8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive it should cope with photo- and
video-editing, too.
We were concerned about the huge-capacity
but potentially slow 5,400rpm hard drive. However, it’s paired with an 8GB SSD
that helps speed up boot times. We were able to reach the Windows 8 Start
screen and launch Internet Explorer in 25 seconds from hibernation. And in the
lab the Chronos edged just past the 3,000-point mark in PCMark 7.
Casual gaming is possible, but the
integrated HD 4000 chips isn’t up to the likes of Batman: Arkham City at
1600x900 resolution. We were able to get a just-playable 27fps at 1280x720 and
the lowest possible detail settings.
It’s
difficult to fault a laptop that provides useful battery life for less than
$930
Verdict
It’s difficult to fault a laptop that
provides useful battery life for less than $930. The Samsung Series 7 Chronos
provides good performance and features, and will prove itself to be a decent
option if you need an affordable workhorse that can last part of a working day
away from the mains.
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Specs and
price
·
Price: $929
·
2.5GHz Intel Core i5-3210M, dual-core (3.1GHz
Turbo Boost)
·
Windows 8 64bit
·
8GBDDR3 SDRAM
·
1TB HDD (5400rpm) + 8GB SSD ExpressCache
·
15.6in (1600x900) matt TN LCD
·
Intel HD Graphics 4000
·
dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n with 2x2 Mimo
·
Bluetooth 4.0
·
Slot-load DVD ± RW
·
Micro-VGA (adaptor required)
·
HDMI
·
Gigabit Ethernet
·
2x USB 3.0
·
1x USB 2.0
·
SDXC
·
1.3Mp webcam with built-in mic
·
Headphone socket
·
80Wh lithium-in battery
·
362x239x24mm
·
2.4kg
Rating
·
Features: 4/5
·
Performance: 4/5
·
Value: 4/5
·
Average: 4/5
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