Of Sharif Saqr wrote on June 30, 2011 2: 00 AMD should PM a package of new Llano is a bird of paradise in the next month, specially adapted for desktop computers, rather than laptops. The most powerful of them will be 2.9 GHz A8-3850, which has already caused a stir on the route overview for one simple reason: it pulls off a brutal "one shot, one kill" on Intel integrated graphics in HD 3000. AnandTech raised eyebrows on the fact that all his comparison of the games were played at $ 135 AMD Chip, which almost doubled the frequency of titles like modern warfare 2, Bioshock 2 and World of Warcraft compared to more expensive 2500K i5 Sandy Bridge. TechSpot announced its "new budget AP King" with graphics performance to another level "compared even with the i7.
However, the superlatives evaporates quickly after reviewers have shifted their attention to the processor. TechReport noted that is actually less than what you get from the lowly i3 pure CPU performance per dollar. In addition, he believes, you only have to spend an additional $ 70 to buy the much more powerful CPU and graphics card--version "horribly close k"sdelat' A8-3850 seems no value. Oy. However, if you are available processor with integrated graphics, what you're after, then it is fair to say, this one sets the standard.
If you still have nightmares about the original Wildfire the new version (the Wildfire S) will wipe those right out of your head. This new phone, now available at T-mobile (or at least it will be in August—not too much longer to wait) is a mid-level Gingerbread phone that hass all you r really need packed into a tiny, efficient little package.
The phone runs on a Qualcomm MSM-7227 processor at 600MHz coupled with an Adreno 200 GPU and features 512MB of RAM for your computing pleasure. That’s not to mention the handy 3.2 inch HVGA display sheathed in GorillaGlass (that takes up most of the phone’s real estate). Slap in a 5 megapixel camera (on the rear) and you’ve got a smartphone that isn’t a genius but won’t get stuck with the dunce cap on its head.
That’s a whole lot better than the 528MHz processor and QVGA display in the first model to bear the name Wildfire.
Even better is the price. The handset will cost you $80 (of course with a 2 year contract) (which is also a lot better than the $290 price tag on the original model—what was HTC thinking?)
The handset will be available in either white or black (though you won’t be able to convince your friends that it’s an iPhone) and will fit conveniently in the palm of your hand. In fact, that’s one of the nicest features about this phone—it doesn’t forget that it’s a phone. I have a friend—who shall remain nameless—that’s startled every time his fancy super-smart phone rings because he forgets it’s actually a phone. HTC has done a lot to remind us that the Wildfire is just that—a nice little cell phone with some cool “smart” options. The primary design factor is the less-than-4-inch breadth.
Of course you’ll get the micro-USB port that everybody loves to hate but the Wildfire also grants you physical lock/power, and volume buttons. In addition you can look forward to obligatory WiFi b/g/n, hotspot functionality, Bluetooth 3.0, and an FM tuner—cause who doesn’t want to listen to the radio . . . on their phone?
The 1230mAh battery isn’t the biggest we’ve seen (nor the smallest) but will last long enough if you don‘t overtax it. So with reviewers quoting anywhere from 5 to 30 hours of use, how do you know who to trust. I’d shoot for the lower end of that scale unless you don’t use your portable devices much. Turning off the WiFi functionality and adjusting the screen brightness will help but you’ll most likely find yourself without a charge when you need one at least once or twice with this puppy until you get used to the fickle nature of the juice box.
The camera functionality is a bit wonky. While the sensor is big enough to take some seriously good pictures, the application which runs the camera is slow to respond and taxes the processor heavily. That means what should be a fun and fluid experience (snapping a photo) ends up being jerky, frustrating, and produces lackluster results that are just okay.
And that’s not the only software issue you might run into. As I said above, the phone runs on Gingerbread but it has been skinned with the HTC Cense User Interface. Like the desire, EVO, and Incredible before it, the Wildfire S will look much the same. While that may be a plus for some users, undoubtedly others will be left wishing that HTC would stop pumping out the handsets and work on a better UI.
So as far as final thoughts go, the Wildfire S is a big improvement over its namesake but it’s definitely not the best phone on the market. However, with an $80 price tag it does give those of us the phone companies like to call “bargain minded” an option to get our hands on an Android device that won’t break the bank.
If you want snappy functionality and all the bells and whistle, look elsewhere. If you want a phone that works fine as a phone and has access to the Android Marketplace and all the apps therein, pick this puppy up.
Remember, it’s coming to T-Mobile on August 8th.
If you like the sleek form factor you don’t have to worry–the design hasn’t changed any. They haven’t even added a bulky battery pack to make the thing lopsided (the standard model will last 7 hours on a single charge!) You still get the rigid duraluminum chassis with the minimalist “Samsung” logo screen printed on the back, beveled edges (to create the optical illusion of slimness), and the matte HD LED “SuperBright” display with 400 nits of brightness. And let us not forget the backlit chicklet-style keyboard that is amazingly comfortable in spite of being packed into such a small frame.
All of this in a package that weighs just 2.8 pounds and is a mere .62 inches thick.
No, all of these changes are internal and as such, boost the already mighty power of these little performers to new heights.
Unfortunately, with great changes comes great price increases but the tradeoff between price and performance is still a pretty equal balance with these Samsung laptops.
So what do you get for your money? Let’s start with the 13 inch model.
The 13 inch model has been given a Core i7 processor and double the storage space on a new solid state hard drive (256GB as compared to a meager 128GB which it had at launch.) In addition, the top-of-the-line model is now available with up to 6GB of RAM which is more than you’ll need for doing most anything.
This means that there are now three Series 9 13 inch models to choose from, as opposed to two, so you can find one to fit your price bracket (maybe).
They break down as follows:
NP900X3A-A05US — $2,049 Intel Core i7-2617M processor6GB RAM256GB SSDNP900X3A-B02US — $1,649 Intel Core i5-2467M processor4GB RAM256GB SSDNp900X3A-B01US – $1,349 Intel Core i5-2467 processor4GB RAM128GB SSD
If you’d prefer something even smaller and lighter, Samsung has obliged. The 11 inch model of the Series 9 laptop has the same sleek design and palatable form factor crammed into a smaller package. While the performance does suffer somewhat, the 11 inch model is still a machine to contend with.
Samsung has been kind enough to make two 11 inch models available for consumers so you can pick and choose and weigh performance against price for yourself even if you’re interested in something smaller.
NP900X1B-A01US — $1,249Intel Core i3-2357M processor$GB RAM128GB SSDNP900X1B-A02US — $1,049 Intel Core i3-2357M processor2GB RAM64BG SSD
While the 13 inch models are available now, the updated 11 inch models won’t be available until August of this year (so save your pennies).
No matter which model you choose, you’ll be getting a portable PC that performs with the best of them. However, it’s clear that the Samsung Series 9 laptops weren’t designed with budget-minded individuals in mind. The sleek chassis and high-end touches like aluminum and HD LED displays make these machines geared toward the tech-head who wants more or the fashionista who wants their PC to look every bit as good as they do. In short, Samsung is offering an alternative to the crowd who thinks MacBook Pros and Macbook Airs are the only way to go.
As the company marketing material says, they’ll have you “multitasking like a ninja” and looking good while you’re doing it.
If you’d like to learn more about these machines, check pricing and availability, or tweak the specs of one to your liking, hit up the official Samsung website.
