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Samsung will launch a new line of consumer notebooks at Best Buy stores March 7.
The R80 series comes in 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch models running Windows 7 Home Premium and a variety of Intel processors and featuring 4GB of DDR3 (double data rate 3) memory and, in the two larger models, Nvidia GeForce graphics cards.
Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n, Blu-ray disc drives and Samsung’s Crystal Wave design are also included, as are Webcams, microphones and an HDMI output port for playing Blu-ray movies or streaming high-definition video to a television.
“Best Buy continues to be an important retail partner for Samsung, and we’re excited to offer a range of notebook and netbook options to our customers that deliver exceptional craftsmanship and performance,” Todd Bouman, Samsung’s director of product marketing, said in a March 4 statement.
“True to Samsung’s unique, customer-focused design aesthetic, these mobile PCs are flexible enough to be used as mobile devices or desktop replacements for all-day use.”
The Samsung R480 has a 14-inch LED screen with, like its cohorts, a resolution of 1,366 by 768 pixels, and features an Intel Core i3 processor, Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics, a 0.3-megapixel Webcam (good luck with that) and a weight of 5.07 pounds. Retail price will be $729.99.
The Samsung R580, priced at $829.99, has a 15.6-inch display, an Intel Core i5 processor, an Nvidia GeForce 310 graphics card, a 1.3-megapixel Webcam and a weight of 5.7 pounds.
The largest of three, the R780, with its 17.3-inch display and 6.29-pound weight, includes an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics, Bluetooth 2.1 and a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. Unlike the others, with their Blu-ray drives, the R780 features a Super Multi Dual Layer drive.
Best Buy currently also sells Samsung’s N210 netbook, a 2.82-pound device with a 10.1-inch WSVGA display, a potential 7 hours of battery life, Instant On capabilities that let users surf the Web without booting up the Window operating system, an Intel Atom N450 processor and 0.3-megapixel Webcam with microphone.
Best Buy Senior Finance Manager Kelley Noreen called the R80 series a fit for customers “looking for a multimedia PC experience.”
Judging by the offerings at CeBIT, held March 2 to 6 in Hannover, Germany, consumers interested in netbooks will soon have additional multimedia-geared devices to choose from.