The battery life for netbooks saw a significant jump following the introduction of Intel’s energy-efficient Pine Trail platform earlier this year, but nearly 14 hours of juice is still largely virgin territory. Even allowing for the normal amount of marketing bravado and controlled test conditions, it’s an impressive claim. Samsung lists the N230 as tipping the scales at less than 1kg and measuring only 23.2mm at its thickest, but we suspect that’s with the smaller of the two power packs.
Beyond the battery, the N230 packs a choice of Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz) or the slightly faster N470 (1.83GHz), 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard-drive (with the option for a 250GB drive) and Windows 7 Starter. The 10.1in screen features a 1,024x600 resolution that is powered by the standard Intel GMA3150. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of a Broadcom Crystal HD chip to help with video acceleration.
Connectivity options are slightly more interesting than the other specs, with support for Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n and the option of an integrated 3G modem giving users plenty of choices. Samsung is also doing its best to make life easy for customers by including programs designed to seamlessly move files between devices in the home, including phones and TVs.
Previous entries in the N-series garnered very positive reviews from all sectors due to their general design and exceptional usability. The N230 looks to continue on much the same path while upping the ante with fantastic battery life. The netbook should be available globally from today priced at £349.
