Even though we've spent various
previews writing about laptop-tablet hybrids running Windows 8, we've
so far had a limited time actually experiencing with them. In part, that's
because we've been so interested in reviewing convertible Ultrabooks, but it's
also because many of the biggest-name hybrids have only just been in action.
That means, then, that we haven't run any tests on the new Samsung devices:
both of the brand's new Windows 8 offerings take on the hybrid form factor,
with one packing an Atom processor and the other, an Ultrabook-grade CPU.
Samsung
Ativ Smart PC
In this preview, we will not talk about the
Ultrabook-grade CPU, instead of that, let's have a look over the ATIV Smart PC (originally known as the Series 5 Slate), which
has an 11.6-inch wide-screen, a dual-core, 1.8GHz Clover Trail chip and a 4,080 mAh battery lasting up to seven
hours of runtime. Particularly, we tested out an LTE-capable model available on
AT&T for $700 on contract, with the keyboard sold separately. (The tablet
costs $800 off contract, with no dock included. A Wi-Fi-only model has the
commercial price of $750 with the keyboard.)
However, even if you can accept a laptop
without the LTE radio, that's still a huge amount of money: comparing with Wi-Fi-only
tablets cost between $500 and $600 with no dock. Even if you'd prefer having
the whole package, it's not so hard to find a similar model for only $850 with
keyboard included. So is there any reason to pay a premium for this particular
model, let alone sign on AT&T's dotted line? Let's find out.
Look and feel
Samsung
Ativ Smart PC with Windows 8 interface
Samsung might concentrate on developing in
a new OS, but its approach to hardware hasn't changed a lick. The Smart PC
shows everything we've loved and hated about the company's tablet outfit, which
is to say it's comfortable to hold, but feels cheaply made sold with the high
price. Considering its back side, Samsung went not just with plastic, but
plastic painted to pretend brushed metal. It brings back memories of Samsung's
older tablets, for instance the Galaxy Tabs 8.9 and 7.0 Plus, except here
the lid has a slick, shiny finish that makes the whole design just a bit more
prominent
Honestly, we have to say this: we expected
it to be thicker and heavier than the actual design is, because it has to have
enough room to fit in a full-sized USB port and a large 4,080mAh battery. To be
obvious, it is actually bulkier than other tablets, at 1.65 pounds
and 0.39 inch thick. In particular, we can take the HP's Envy x2, another
11.6-inch, Atom-powered Windows 8 tablet, weighs only 1.5 pounds and measures
0.33 inch thick as concrete evidence. However, the difference never bothered us
much. This doesn't feel like a heavy tablet whereas it looks a bit annoying to
operate at some points.
As you can see, the problem isn't that it
measures 1.5 millimeters thicker than other tablets on the market. It's that an
11.6-inch tablet is unwieldy to use than a 10.1-inch one. In landscape mode,
for instance, if your hands are a bit smaller than usual, it might be difficult
to reach the middle of the onscreen keyboard with your thumbs. If you have
really tiny hands you'll get in trouble with typing in portrait mode, too. Even
if you don't, though, the weight distribution is still stacked in such a way that
it can be burdensome to hold up the tablet in portrait mode while you type in
URLs or answer emails. As such, we felt easier to use the Acer Iconia W510,
which has a smaller 10-inch display. The good news, of course, is that almost
all of the touch-based controls in Windows 8 locate along the edges of the
screen, so, at least, are easy to find with your fingers regardless of whether
you're using a 10-inch tablet or a 13-inch convertible.
We noticed that the Smart PC contains a
built-in full-sized USB 2.0 port. It's worth saying that other Windows 8
hybrids such as the x2 also offer this, but it’s usually sit on the keyboard
dock instead of the tablet itself. We actually think that's the clever choice,
since it's less likely the user will want to use the USB port when they're
using the PC in tablet mode. That said, given that AT&T is selling this for
$800 without a contract and with no keyboard included, that USB placement could
be a good thing in that you can save up to $130 just to have a feature that you
won’t usually use it.
We
noticed that the Smart PC contains a built-in full-sized USB 2.0 port.
Looking along the top edge, you'll find the
requisite USIM slot, along with a microSD slot allowing you to expand upon the
device's 64 gigs of built-in storage. Nearby you'll also find the power button
and a switch for entering the sleeping mode. On the left landscape edge is a
micro-HDMI socket, along with the all-important volume rocker. On the bottom
(still in landscape mode here) is where the power port locates, along with
those necessary docking slots. Up front, as you'd expect, you can find a
front-camera for video chatting. There's also a rear camera module, an
8-megapixel unit equipped with an LED flash (more details can be found later
on).
Regardless of whether you purchase the LTE
version from AT&T or the Wi-Fi-only model through some other retailer, the
tablet packs all the sensors you'd expect to find on a modern tablet: an
accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, ambient light sensor, Bluetooth 4.0 and
dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n. It's also DLNA-capable and has an embedded NFC chip.
In the case of the AT&T version, though, it also supports AWS LTE (natch),
HSPA+ and UMTS 3G (850/1900/2100 MHz).
