Samsung NF310

One of the best-looking netbooks yet combines sleek lines with a dual-core CPU and a high-res display.

If you're going to shell out $399 for a netbook, it has to be special. The Samsung NF310 makes the case for its premium price with a futuristic-chic design, a dual-core Atom processor, and a high-resolution display (1366 x 768) for a 10-inch screen
. While this mini laptop doesn't offer the longest battery life, it's an excellent choice.

Design

The NF310 is a bold departure from your traditional netbook. With the charcoal gray lid closed, you can see the outline of a wave along the sides. Once open, the curve creates a shallow well on the silver deck where the keyboard sits. This bump makes the 1.2-inch thick system a little bulky, but the rounded corners and tapered edges help give the NF310 an air of sleekness. The chunkier back half and slightly jutting battery make the 2.8-pound netbook comfortable to carry one-handed.

The lid gives off a metallic impression, but the plastic coating collects smudges easily and leaves it looking messy. We wish Samsung would offer more color options. Underneath the lid, a glossy plastic bezel with a dotted pattern surrounds the display. The pattern is cool, but the bezel is a bit larger than we'd like.

Heat

Throughout our hands-on time, the NF310 stayed relatively cool, even when sitting on our lap. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 seconds, we measured the temperature between the G and H keys, on the touchpad, and in the center of the bottom. The keyboard only reached 82 degrees, while the touchpad and bottom measured 81--well within our preferred comfort zone for laptops.

Keyboard and Touchpad

With the NF310, Samsung went with an island-style keyboard. We found the layout just as easy to use as the other N Series models, and were able to reach our normal typing speed right away. Most keys are large enough and well-placed. We just wish the space bar were slightly larger, as we sometimes accidentally hit the left Alt key instead.

The 2.9 x 1.5-inch touchpad is a comfortable size, and we like that it's bordered by a strip of metal so our finger knew when it had strayed from the touch surface. There was no friction to hinder us, and the spun-metal look of the pad is a nice touch.

Display and Audio

You don't typically find a 1366 x 768-pixel display on a netbook, which makes the Samsung NF310 feel more like a regular laptop when surfing the web, working on documents, and performing other tasks. It just feels less claustrophobic. The 10.1-inch matte display has wide viewing angles, too, plus rich, deep colors. The lack of gloss means no reflections and some limited sunlight visibility.

The two speakers sitting above the keyboard supplied great audio, especially for a netbook. Thanks to SRS Premium Sound drivers, we were able to hear the distinct bass line in Superchick's "One Girl Revolution" and rock out to Metallica's "Enter Sandman" on just 50 percent volume. Even when watching The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror, we didn't have to max out the volume to hear it clearly in a room with low-level background noise.

Ports and Webcam

Aside from three USB ports, the NF310 also features VGA, Ethernet, headphone and mic connections. Unfortunately, the 4-in-1 memory card slot still has no spring lock, which means SD cards hang off the side of the netbook. There is one other minor disappointment: Unlike recent N Series netbooks, this model doesn't come with a chargeable USB port, so users can't keep a phone or other bus-powered accessory powered while the NF310 is asleep.

The NF310's 0.3-megapixel webcam won't wow you with its quality, but it does a decent job capturing movement without making users look too blurry. While automatic backlight compensation works well, every little movement was cause for readjustment. When chatting with a friend on Skype, he noted that our skin tone and sweater color were washed-out.