Samsung N510 product manual released, NVIDIA ION LE platform confirmed

Samsung N510 RAM upgrade procedure

The Samsung N510 netbook is expected to begin shipping in a few weeks. And today Netbook Choice discovered that Samsung has posted the user manual for the laptop on its website. You can click this link to download it. For the most part, the manual confirms what we already knew, but it is nice to see that the RAM and hard drive can be easily upgrade. There are also instructions for connecting an HDTV using the computer’s HDMI port.

But there’s a bit of moderately bad news in the product specifications section. It turns out that the laptop will ship with NVIDIA ION LE instead of the ordinary NVIDIA ION platform. What does that mean? Basically, the NVIDIA ION platform bundles an Intel Atom processor with an NVIDIA graphics processor to provide higher quality graphics on low power netbooks. Up until recently, most NVIDIA ION powered devices were nettops that were capable of handling HD video, some modern video games, and tasks that required DirectX 10 support. NVIDIA ION LE, on the other hand, will only support DirectX 9. This probably helps keep the cost down a bit, but that’s small comfort for anyone hoping buy the N510 and then install Windows 7.

Now, the Samsung N510 will ship with Windows XP Home, which doesn’t support DirectX 10 anyway. So if you’re not planning on upgrading the operating system, this shouldn’t be a big deal. But if you were planning on installing Windows 7 on this laptop, you might want to wait until a fture version is released with DirectX 10 support.

Posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009, 11:13 am by Brad Linder

Solarix

The question though is performance. What will I be missing out on by being stuck with DX9? Will there be any compatibility issues with programs in Windows Vista/7 without having that DX10 support?
DougC3

Sometimes it seems as though every netbook has at least one significant drawback. There seems to be an unwritten agreement not to produce a perfect one. Does anybody out there have one they consider “perfect” (without a significant drawback, blight, blemish, etc)?
Weet

Shouldn't have any problems with windows 7 I should think. Vista certainly doesn't have any such requirement.

Lack of DX10 support could also be a good thing. Chances are you're not going to be running DX10 games on a netbook and if you do you would probably want to run in DX9 mode anyway for improved frame rates. By chopping DX10 support they can probably make the chips more power efficient and lower cost without impacting any realistic use which is really a win all around.
jkenny23

I have a feeling the N511 will be sporting the full ION and run Windows 7 after its release.
needa11netbk

amen! I've been waiting three months for this puppy as for my needs it was to be the perfect one… now it sounds like it won't run Win 7 so it won't be so perfect after all…. I didn't even care about the higher than normal price tag… well I'm tired of waiting don't know what I will do now.
SBS

Bit of scaremongering here? Windows 7 runs perfectly on my DirectX 9 netbook.

Direct 10 games are not this generation of netbook's aim, the current Atom just isn't upto it.
dizznizzle

I'm in the same boat … been waiting for some mfg to gather enough balls to circumvent intel's stupid fascist configuration policy.

So finally an ion looks like it's gonna happen, i'm really wondering if the DX9 vs. DX10 really matters … especially considering it's mainly a bit of OpenGL acceleration that I need.

I was all hot for the S12 Ion, but since that never happened and all the new CULV's are integrated too, the only other discrete graphic choice out there is the 10″ ASUS N10J or sub compacts >$1000.
http://liliputing.com Brad Linder

I didn't mean to imply that it wouldn't run Windows 7, just that you
wouldn't get the full benefit of DirectX 10 support if you upgrade to
Windows 7. I wouldn't be surprised if Samsung plans to release another
model a few months from now that will come preloaded with Win7 AND
DirectX 10.
http://www.aaacaricatures.com grapeapester

Why would windows avoid DirectX 10 support?
k0d3

I too m quite pissed with the delays that sumsung n lenovo are making to bring to market a Real NVIDIA ION ( not LE ) netbook.
I am still guessing what price difference would pure NVIDIA ION + win 7 make over LE + xp.
If in case i go ahead n buy N510 n l8r i upgrade it to win7 is thr a possibility that LE powered netbook goes waste.
confusions n confusions n confusions
hope fully aftr the release of win7 i would get to see some real stuff here in sydney by November end.
k0d3

I too m quite pissed with the delays that sumsung n lenovo are making to bring to market a Real NVIDIA ION ( not LE ) netbook.
I am still guessing what price difference would pure NVIDIA ION + win 7 make over LE + xp.
If in case i go ahead n buy N510 n l8r i upgrade it to win7 is thr a possibility that LE powered netbook goes waste.
confusions n confusions n confusions
hope fully aftr the release of win7 i would get to see some real stuff here in sydney by November end.

Samsung N510 product manual released, NVIDIA ION LE platform confirmed

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