Customer Reviews

Samsung GO N310-13GO 10.1-Inch Sunset Orange Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I should preface this review by stating that before purchasing this netbook, I was not familiar with netbooks nor that familiar with the Windows operating system (I am a Mac nerd). My need for something cheaper and smaller lead me to purchase the Samsung Go. Truth be told, after I pressed the "purchase" button, I panicked! Is the screen going to be too small? Is the keyboard going to feel cramped? I would be using this for taking notes in class, but would I be able to get use to it after all my years of using a 17 inch Macbook Pro? A sigh of relief swept over me as I finished my first full day of classes. 4 hours of typing later and my hands felt as comfortable on the keys as if I had been using the keyboard for years. The screen was more than adequate for viewing (and my eyes are far from perfect). In fact, as I type this review on the Samsung Go, my Macbook Pro is slowly gathering cobwebs! I do miss my Mac OS...but am slowly getting use to Windows. As for the build of the system, it feels INCREDIBLY sturdy compared to other netbooks I have handled in stores. As a side note, I am a Neflix addict and the "Watch Instantly" feature is seamless on this little guy! So far I have yet to hit a snag that has me running back to my full size laptop!

I bought this version of the 310 while on holiday in the US as it is considerably cheaper there than the UK. Apart from price I was attracted by the 6 cell battery which extends the otherwise average battery life to a good 8 hours or so. But .... the larger battery does add to the weight (1.36Kg or 3 lbs) and means that there is a substantial bulge along the underside at the back, making it less sleek and portable than the standard version with the shorter battery life. The screen is clear and bright but quite reflective, making it a bit difficult to see in bright environments. The keyboard is pretty much perfect for me - no problems, but then I have quite small fingers. Performance is pretty much what you would expect as its innards are pretty much netbook standard components. Having said all this, the longer battery life really does make a huge difference to its useability. I find that I am using it far more than a previous notebook because i'm not having to charge it up all the time. So, the longer battery life makes a difference even if you are not taking long flights or train journeys. Am I happy with it? Pretty much, especially for the price. As a closet style victim I do still get a kick out of the lovely orange, slightly rubbery case. But I'm still looking forward to a 1 kg 12" ultra-portable with an SSD drive and decent performance that's under $1000. Or maybe I could get my work to buy me a Sony - don't be silly I work for the NHS!

This is my second netbook and I'm very impressed with this nice little machine. My first was an early ASUS EEE 8.9"- hard for me to type on and the screen was not so easy on my middle-aged eyes. Although this Samsung has similar specs to the ASUS, it is a much better performer. The LED screen is crisp and easy to see. It runs quick and loads web pages nice and fast. The design is both thoughtful, sturdy and of very high quality. Overall, a hassle-free, easy to use and transport netbook. I don't think the battery life is really nine hours- but I had the machine on or in sleep mode all day and didn't come close to running the battery out. While price may be a bit higher than others, it's worth it to have a painless small computer. Also, I got my Samsung last week- the price has already begun to move downwards. So look for your best deal.

If portability is what you're looking for in a netbook, this is what you'll enjoy about the Samsung Go.

True, it's not as powerful as a desktop or most notebooks, but that's the trade-off for having one of the lightest, most long-lasting (battery-life really is about nine hours, from real-life use), and most stylish netbooks out there.

I write my books on this baby, and I also read other people's manuscripts on this machine. As a bonus, even with a whimpy Intel integrated graphics processor, I can still play Quake2 on this computer (I'm old-school that way).

I didn't feel like buying another copy of Microsoft Office, so I downloaded OpenOffice from Suns. It works great with the netbook.

With Google Chrome OS coming out next year, I'm pretty sure that's when I'll upgrade the Windows XP that was pre-installed to Chrome OS.

I've only had my Samsung GO for a couple of weeks, but already I'm in love! This portable computer is surprisingly powerful. The rubberized cover is scratch-resistant, and I love the bright colors. I was worried about typing on this small keyboard, but so far have had few problems; it is certainly more comfortable to type on than other netooks I've tested out. I upgraded the memory to the 2GB which has made a difference when I have multiple programs open. Though I only purchased this machine to make mobile computing possible, I find myself even using it at home because it more than matches my old laptop's performance. If you are looking for a netbook, I highly recommend the Samsung GO!

I've had the GO for about a month now and couldn't be more pleased with it. It does what I want and expect it to do AND it's small enough I can carry it to work in my lunch box if I want.
After clearing out or cleaning up some of the minimal pre-loaded software and downloading a couple of free-ware programs to help keep things in order, it has run flawlessly. At work, I wake it up, it powers up in just a few seconds, instantly recognizes the wireless connection and patiently waits for me to do whatever. Have not had any issues with the smaller keyboard, navigation (although a wireless mouse would probably make it easier for some folks), or the display. Battery life has been phenomenol. Right out of the box I tried to run the battery all the way down but after 2 days still over 20% remaining. Now at the end of the day I usually still have over 80% remaining.
I'm not going to hang a lot of accessories on this netbook because I want it to remain portable to the max. I am however thinking of getting a Bluetooth GPS unit for it to use on trips and such. Right now, for the programs I want installed (my planner, financial, word processing, and a couple of specialized programs), the stock memory is more than enough. I use a USB thumbdrive to transfer stuff to another computer if I need to.
So, overall a great little machine in my opinion. Looks good, solidly built from what I can tell, and it does what it is supposed to do.
I will also add that Amazon has been great through the whole process - ordering, shipping, tracking, etc, so thanks to them.

I've only had this computer for about 2 weeks now but I wanted to give my impressions. First, the computer is as advertised. I've had absolutely no problems with it and I find it super easy to use and very stable. In fact, it's actually more stable than the more powerful computers I have in the house. Here are a couple of comments:

Keyboard: In my opinion this is the best netbook keyboard I've used. I almost never notice the smaller size and never hit a wrong key. Not something I can say about other netbooks. Excellent!

Trackpad: Very good. It takes a little bit of getting used to but I like it. I don't think it as good as on my full size HP laptop but there really isn't anything to complain about.

Webcam: Very good. We've used it with Skype several times with absolutely no problems. Even the cybercam software works well. The picture is very clear and the people I chat with say everything looks good. The only negative is that the camera doesn't handle rapid movement very well at all. That's a bummer when you have small children who want to talk to grandparents. They just won't sit still long and the webcam doesn't handle that well.

Bloatware: This computer ships pretty lean. Yes, there is some Samsung software pre-installed but you can decide if you want any of that. This computer isn't nearly as bloated with junk as many other manufacturers' products.

Stability: I mainly use this for basic office applications (which isn't pre-installed... not even a trial version), surfing the internet, and skype. It's never once crashed or had a problem. This could be because it's still new and doesn't have the registry screwed up from lots of downloads, but I'm happy at this point.

Case: This is the star feature. I love the case. It has a slightly rubbery feeling that makes it easy to grip. It won't show finger prints and the bright orange color will help me remember not to leave it on the table when I pack up at the library or Starbucks, etc. This computer looks cool and the case just plain makes sense to me. Why would anyone want a shiny and slippery laptop/netbook?

Battery: I have it set for standard (not extended battery) and I've found it seems to last forever on one charge. Plus the battery charges quickly. Far and away the best laptop I've ever used for this. Some Asus netbooks may boast better battery life, but this Samsung has been more than adequate.

Overall I'm very happy. I will update this review if anything goes wrong or breaks after a little more time. I recommend this netbook and I don't see XP instead of Windows 7 as a real detractor. XP is well established and familiar.

Have you seen the color in real life? If not, be fully aware of what you'll be receiving!!! I recently ordered the "sunset" orange. I've done extensive research on the color online (not in real life), I've even flickred for people's personal photos to see how the orange looks like, considering the amount of computer-processed images out there. When they say "sunset" orange, they really mean "sunset" orange, it is not a bright, light juicy orange as depicted on the website. It is a deeper, darker orange, with hints of red that reminds me of a brick.

It's still an orange nonetheless, just not as bright and punchy as you'd expect it.

While I'm not crazy about the color, I'm seriously keeping it! It is a very solid and well made machine, impeccably designed Naoto Fukasawa. I'm a die-hard fan of black electronic appliances through and through, but I ordered the orange because I like the great contrast it offers when you open it up, it's completely black inside. Several of my friends are not crazy about the big SAMSUNG logo, but as long as I don't have to look at it while I'm using it, I don't mind it. It's not like I spend my time staring at the case.

Cons:
The power adapter plugs into the upper right hand corner, which I am not used to. I can see it getting in the way with my mouse usage, but it's not a big deal considering how long the charge holds... and I'll probably not be using a mouse.

I have relatively small hands and I find the keyboard rather easy to use. However, I don't like the dip between the track pad and space bar. My thumbs keep bumping into the edge the dip creates, almost preventing me from pushing down completely on the spacebar. It's not that noticeable, but something that you might want to consider.

Despite the shortcomings, I am already in love with this sunset orange machine. It makes my day a little brighter (coming from someone that wears a lot of black). I ordered the machine using amazon prime overnight for an extra 4 bucks and it is worth it! It arrived first thing in the morning.

Great computer. Nice color. After a lot of research, glad I went with the Samsung. Great performance without even upgrading the memory. Have watched movies online with no issues at all. Highly recommend.

Bought this for my daughter for Xmass. Well made, easy to use. She loves it.