Samsung's N210: Where the Matte Finish Went

Samsung N210: A Touch of Class

At the end of the day, the insides of the Samsung N210 aren't likely to inspire, and they weren't supposed to. Netbooks just aren't exciting kit where hardware and performance are concerned, though their purpose may need to be made more explicitly clear. Samsung loads the N210 with all kinds of irritating bloatware (hello McAfee!) and utilities that it just doesn't need; the hardware inside is already beleagured enough without having to suffer through loading all that extra crap. They also include their own instant-on software and make sure you know about it with a sticker attached to the palm rest that threatens to take the entire palm rest with it if you try to remove it. That software is a cute idea, but doesn't take the place of a full Windows installation.

As an aside, I'd like to mention the N210 was benched with its stock configuration but also tested using Windows 7 Home Premium and 2GB of DDR2. Bumping up to 2GB can definitely improve overall system performance, and the anemic Intel GMA 3150 on board the Atom N450 is able to handle Aero Glass beautifully. There's a convincing case for using Home Premium instead of Starter on netbooks, where the 3150 can handle some of the brunt of the Windows GDI, and at the very least Aero makes it more attractive.

What we're left with as far as the N210 goes is really a matter of aesthetics. After all, battery life is on par with the competition and performance is as expected. But in terms of looks, the N210 really does shine. It sports an excellent (albeit quirky) netbook keyboard that's fairly easy to get accustomed to, and the use of matte plastics across the entire shell is much appreciated. Whether or not a white netbook is your cup of tea or not comes down to personal preference, but Samsung has at least assembled a sleek-looking machine that combines practicality and personality in way where neither overpowers the other. If you're in the market for a netbook and the slightly cheaper-looking, glossier Eee PCs aren't doing it for you, the N210 may be just what you need.