The Samsung N120 packs a 10.1 inch display, decent speakers, and a nearly full sized keyboard into a 2.8 case that measures less than 1.2 inches thick. The US configuration also gets reasonably good battery life and sells for around $420 or less, making it a pretty good bargain. But if turns out if you live in Hong Kong you can get a little more bang for your buck.
Liliputing reader Anil wrote in to let me know that while the US model comes with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU and a 6 cell, 5200mAh battery, in Hong Kong you can get the computer with a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU and a 5900mAh battery. The Hong Kong version also has 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1, while the US model ships with 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0. Anil says he gets about 9 hours of battery life from the netbook.
I checked with Samsung’s PR office and they say that the Hong Kong model is a regional variation. There are no plans to offer the same specs on the US model, as that would drive the price up over $500. But that decision could change in the future.
The Samsung N120-KA06 sells for 3,990 Hong Kong dollars, which is the equivalent of about $515 US.
thanks Anil!
Does anyone else find the form factor of the N120 on the ugly side? I’ve been researching netbooks for months (I feel like I know the market by heart), and after all that, the N110 seems to be one of the best choices, given the battery life, keyboard, and design. I understand that widening the chassis makes for a better keyboard, but at the expense of crazy bezel or borders that cheapens the design. I guess one could say it looks retro.
On a side note, if Samsung were to partner with Pixel Qi, that would be the ultimate netbook for me.