CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/01/2009
- Updated on: 04/03/2009
- Released on: 04/30/2009
Editors' note: The U.S. version of the Samsung NC20 is now available through online retailers for $549.
Samsung's NC20 stands out from the crowd in two very important ways. First, it's one of only a handful of 12-inch Netbooks (the best-known example being Dell's Vista-addled Mini 12); secondly, it's the first laptop we've tested with Via's Nano CPU, intended as an alternative to Intel's popular Atom processor.
The Atom is found in virtually every other Netbook, so it's always good to see some competition, and the new Nano managed to fight Intel to a tie, beating it in some benchmarks and falling behind in others--but keep in mind the Nano was powering a larger screen with a higher resolution. We look forward to seeing the Nano in other systems, especially if it can undercut Intel's Atom pricing and bring Netbook costs down even more.
We're more concerned about the NC20's 12-inch size, which blurs the line between typical Netbooks (and we're even hesitant to use the term in reference to a 12-inch display) and more full-featured ultraportable laptops. The key to Netbook satisfaction is keeping one's expectations realistic, and with a larger screen and keyboard, the NC20 looks and feels more like a traditional laptop, but still struggles, as all Netbooks do, with multitasking and video streaming.
Our test unit was an imported Korean version of the NC20, but when it's available in the U.S., we expect it to sell for between $500 and $600, based on prices in other markets and current exchange rates. We'll update this review when we get our hands on the American version of the NC20.
| Price as reviewed | $549 |
| Processor | 1.3GHz Via Nano |
| Memory | 1GB, 533MHz DDR2 |
| Hard drive | 160GB 5,400rpm |
| Chipset | VIA VX800 |
| Graphics | VIA Chrome9 HC3 IGP (integrated) |
| Operating system | Windows XP |
| Dimensions (WD) | 11.5x8.5 inches |
| Height | 1.2 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 12.1 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 3.3/4.1 pounds |
| Category | Netbook |
As most 12-inch laptops are high-end ultraportables built around expensive ultralow voltage processors, you may be expecting a slim, highly designed system along the lines of Lenovo's U110 and Toshiba's Portege R600. But at about a third of the price, you instead get a thicker, heavier system with a plastic chassis that looks and feels like a grown-up version of the Samsung NC10.
The no-frills chassis contains a reasonably comfortable keyboard with slightly tapered keys and a shortened space bar. The large touch pad is a big improvement over the ones we've seen on smaller 10-inch Netbooks, but the single wide rocker switch that takes the place of left and right mouse buttons feels cheap. There are no media-control or quick-launch buttons, which, while we wouldn't expect them on a Netbook, are common on more traditional 12-inch laptops.
The 12.1-inch wide-screen LCD display offers a 1,280x800 native resolution, which is the same as you'd typically find on a 13- or 15-inch laptop. That lets you view more of a Web page than the 1,024x600 resolution we've seen on most 10-inch Netbooks. Even though it's the right resolution for watching 720p HD video, the system showed typical Netbook-style stuttering when trying to stream HD content. Via's integrated graphics chip also includes an app called Screen Toys for monitor management, screen rotation, and other option tweaks.
| Samsung NC20 | Average for category [Netbook] | |
| Video | VGA-out | VGA |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | 3 USB 2.0, SD card reader | 2 USB 2.0, SD card reader |
| Expansion | None | None |
| Networking | Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical drive | None | None |
Netbooks in general are starting to add higher-end extras such as HDMI ports or ExpressCard slots, but the Samsung NC20 has a standard no-frills selection.
More important is the 1.3GHz Via Nano CPU, which is this system's main selling point. As described by CNET blogger Brooke Crothers: "Formerly referred to by the code name Isaiah, Nano is based on the x86 architecture, meaning it can run the same software as chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices...One of the principal differences between Nano and Atom is that Intel's chip uses a more simple 'in-order execution' design compared to Nano's superscalar, out-of-order design. Because of this more sophisticated design, Nano may deliver better performance than Atom in some cases."
This is not the first time we've seen a Via CPU in a Netbook. HP's Mini-Note 2133, one of the very first pre-Atom Netbooks, used Via's C7-M ULV to disappointing results. But the new Nano, specifically designed for small, low-power laptops, was a different story.
In our benchmark tests, the Via Nano held its own against the Intel Atom, beating both the N270 and N280 versions in our iTunes encoding test, and coming in between them in our JAlbum image-processing test. Only in our multitasking test--which has never treated single-core Netbooks kindly--did the Atom perform notably faster than the Nano.
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