Samsung P580 review

The Samsung P580 is aimed at businesses, so it has a rather chunky, plain black appearance compared to the glitzier designs of other Samsung laptops we've seen. It feels more robust though, and the lid has a nice velvety texture.

Although Windows 7 Professional is pre-installed on the smaller-than-expected 320GB hard disk, a Windows XP downgrade disc is included in the box. We don’t see the point of this though, as 7 Professional has an XP virtualisation mode for running older applications anyway. There's a serial port for connecting older peripherals and a socket for connecting a docking station, but there aren't any specialised security features, such as a fingerprint or smart card reader.

One feature which everyone will appreciate is the good-quality 15.6in screen. It has a matte finish, which will please those who dislike reflective, glossy screens. Unlike some matte screens we've seen, this one is reasonably bright with minimal graininess. Colour accuracy and contrast are reasonably good with respectably wide viewing angles.

Unusually for a business laptop, there's a powerful GeForce GT 330M graphics chip which managed 29.1fps in our Call of Duty 4 test. This is great if you want to play games as well as use an application that can take advantage of a powerful GPU, such as the latest version of Photoshop. The Core i3 330M processor and 3GB of RAM scored 74 overall in our benchmarks. This is reasonable, but you can get 4GB of RAM and a faster Core i5 chip for less money.

As we'd expect from a Samsung laptop, the keyboard is large, comfortable and responsive. There's also a numeric keypad with no misplaced or undersized keys for fast data entry. The touchpad is large and accurate, while the buttons feel reasonably responsive.

Battery life was ordinary at three hours and 20 minutes - we've seen cheaper 15in laptops last longer, although not with such quick graphics cards. A series of LEDs on the base allows you check the battery's charge without booting into Windows, which is a nice touch.

The speakers don't distort and sound quite clear, but they're not very loud and the bass is weak. There are four USB ports, one of which doubles as an eSATA port for connecting fast external hard disks. Another can be used to charge smartphones and MP3 players, even when the P580 is shut down. Two of the ports are located right next to the DVD drive; a chunky USB drive could potentially obstruct the tray.

With a great screen, keyboard and touchpad, plus the excellent build quality, the P580 has plenty going for it. Its fast 3D performance is notable, too, but even with all these benefits, it's hard to justify the high cost compared to competing models that are quicker in Windows and have longer-lasting batteries. If you can find it cheaper, though, it's a good buy.