Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch Review

The Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch has a lot to offer those on the market for a mid-range laptop. The laptop offers quite a lot in features for the price, which starts at a fairly modest $800.  It includes Core i3 / i5 processors with a 1,366 x 768 screen and hybrid storage.

At 3.83 pounds, the Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch is heavier than other comparably sized Ultrabooks.  Despite this negative, the UltraTouch gets high marks for design.  The display is an edge to edge to edge panel, which makes it appear larger than the actual size. The lid and bottom are a silvery grey, while the cover and palm rest are a fine brushed texture, which looks nice and helps to hide fingerprints.  It has three USB ports, HDMI, mini VGA, Ethernet, a memory card slot, and a headphone socket.

As with many mid-range Ultrabooks, the touchpad leaves much to be desired.  Single-finger navigation is jumpy and unreliable. However, the keyboard makes up for whatever weaknesses may exist in the touchpad. The keyboard provides users with a great typing experience. With well spaced, half-inch thick keys, you won’t have any problems with comfort.

Also as noted previously, the UltraTouch has the standard 1,366 x 768 resolution.  The LED screen even allows for fairly decent side viewing.  It also has a 300-nit touchscreen. The laptop has a four-cell battery that gives the user up to 5.2 hours of battery life.

The laptop comes with a one-year warranty.  It also comes preloaded with an array of apps and a trial of Norton Internet Security. Samsung apps include S Player, S Gallery, S Camera, Photo Editor, SW Update, Recovery, Support Center and Samsung Signature Store.  Other preloaded apps include Netflix, Kindle, Skype, the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Evernote, StumbleUpon, Jamie Oliver’s Recipes, Music Maker Jam and Fresh Paint. Ultimately, if you are looking for a relatively lightweight machine but don’t want to pay the $1200 it costs for the higher end Ultrabooks, at $800 the Series 5 UltraTouch is a solid mid-range choice.

[Images via pcmag]