Samsung Series 5 14in (530U4B) review
Is a slightly bigger screen and a DVD drive worth £100? We don’t think so, but the 14in Series 5 is still a great mid-range Ultrabook
Specifications
14 in 1,366×768 display, 1.8kg, 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M, 4.00GB RAM, 500GB disk, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
In everyday use, we quickly noticed how responsive the keyboard was. It uses Chiclet-style keys that spring back instantly once pressed, and its comfortable layout meant that we never felt cramped. Its touchpad was equally impressive, having proper buttons instead of an all-in-one design, and support for multi-touch gestures.
Considering its size, connectivity was still very good, offering three USB ports, a 3.5mm headset jack and a multiformat card reader, as well as an Ethernet port. Only one of its three USB ports supports the faster USB3 standard, but you should still be able to connect enough peripherals without having to resort to a USB hub.
The extra inch of screen space and internal DVD drive add around £100 to the price of the 14in Series 5 over that of the 13in model. If you can live without an optical drive, we think the smaller laptop is better value for money, but if you want everything in one unit, the 530U4B is still a fantastic ultra-portable machine.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | **** |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2467M |
| Processor clock speed | 1.6GHz |
| Memory | 4.00GB |
| Memory slots | 1 |
| Memory slots free | 0 |
| Maximum memory | 8GB |
| Size | 20x333x230mm |
| Weight | 1.8kg |
| Sound | Realtek HD Audio |
| Pointing device | touchpad |
Display | |
| Viewable size | 14 in |
| Native resolution | 1,366×768 |
| Graphics Processor | Intel HD 3000 Graphics |
| Graphics/video ports | VGA, HDMI |
| Graphics Memory | 384MB |
Storage | |
| Total storage capacity | 500GB |
| Optical drive type | DVD+/-RW +/-DL |
Ports and Expansion | |
| USB ports | 3 |
| Bluetooth | yes |
| Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
| Wireless networking support | 802.11n |
| PC Card slots | none |
| Supported memory cards | SDXC, MMC |
| Other ports | minijack headset port, 1x USB 3.0 |
Miscellaneous | |
| Carrying case | No |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Operating system restore option | restore partition |
| Software included | Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition |
| Optional extras | none |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one year international |
| Price | £850 |
| Details | www.samsung.co.uk |
| Supplier | http://www.currys.co.uk |