Chronos vs. MacBook. I own both. Let me first share some background on these systems. I am not comparing Windows to OSX, or Apple and Microsoft. You can read about that elsewhere. I am simply providing my observations on these two computers, specifically how they are built and how well they run Windows 7. And there's a big difference between the two when it comes to Windows 7 performance.
I use SSDs in all my computers. The first thing I did was to remove the hard drive from both of these systems and replace it with a SATA III 6 Gb/s SSD--Specifically a Samsung 830 Series SSD. The hardware of both systems supports SATA III speeds for the main drive.
The MacBook boots OSX in about 15 seconds. Here's where it gets interesting though-it takes 1 minute and 24 seconds for the same MacBook Pro to boot Windows 7. That's a big difference-but I'll explain in a moment why it is not Window's fault.
But first, for comparison, the Samsung Chronos boots a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate in 10 seconds. Yes, you heard correctly. From cold and powerless to Windows desktop in 10 seconds. Yes, my computer boots less time than it takes your computer to wake from sleep. (You know you want one). That time includes the time it takes for the Samsung BIOS to post, which the fastest I've ever seen. With all the software and drivers installed it adds a few seconds to the boot time. Even still, I get the Windows desktop 13.9 seconds after pressing the power button.
Both computers support SATA III interface speeds. However, the MacBook via Boot Camp cannot support SATA III (or Trim) since it does not allow Windows to use AHCI (AHCI=faster; you could hack the MacBook to force AHCI in Boot Camp, but then Windows will not go to sleep, plus other problems). MacBooks will run Windows, but they're not designed to do so. MacBooks do not have the same type of BIOS as PCs, so it takes a Macbook a long time to "warm up" before it will start booting Windows. I suspect that Apple also adds some delay in the Windows boot process just for kicks. That's what I'd do if I were Apple. It gives them (unfair) ammunition to say, "Look, we're better. The most advanced blah blah blah in the world."
On the other hand, Samsung has "optimized" their system so that BIOS posts very quickly. It seems that everything about the Samsung is designed for speed. While the Samsung includes an 8 GB solid state drive on the motherboard, that drive only operates at SATA II 3Gb/s speeds--which I'm sure will help tremendously when using the supplied 750GB hard drive. I've disabled the features that utilize this secondary SSD and it still has "instant on" capability when waking from sleep. I was able to format and mount this drive so that it appears as a drive letter in Windows. If you're using the supplied 750 GB hard drive instead of a SATA III SSD, you'll still get some of the benefits of having an SSD by using this integrated solution. In fact, the built-in SSD, in combination with the standard hard drive, will easily make everyday performance of the Samsung exceed the Macbook/Hard Drive option.
If you run Windows (exclusively) like I do, the Samsung is significantly faster in every way compared to the Macbook Pro. Everything in Windows is very responsive and quick. My purchase of the Samsung was prompted by my growing frustrations with how slow the Macbook runs Windows-even using the SSD drive-plus the quirks that constantly plagued me while running Windows on Apple hardware (which, let's face it, is not what it was designed for). In fact, the Samsung laptop is faster than my desktop computer (which is less than 1 year old) and which cost me more than twice as much. The Macbook really isn't designed to run Windows-even with Boot Camp, which is evident by the raw numbers. So the speed comparison for running Windows goes to Samsung. Samsung 1, Macbook 0. It's not even close on this one.
Build quality is the second area we'll consider. I've owned two MacBooks because, until recently, the PC makers just were not able to put together the build quality of the Apple machines. In this regard, you could still argue that the exterior of the Macbook is slightly better than the Samsung. The bottom of the Samsung is made of plastic and is not a unibody design like the Macbook, however, the plastic bottom is strong, light, and looks practically the same as the stainless finish. It also appears to be less susceptible to dings and scrapes. But on the Samsung, there is a slight ridge on the armrests, as other reviewers have mentioned, that can cause discomfort. The discomfort comes from the lack of a smooth surface right on the edge. I see a few possible solutions. You could use a very fine sandpaper to carefully smooth away the ridge, or cover it with a piece of tape. Or you may not even notice it. Either way, this point goes to the Macbook, but only slightly. Samsung 1, Macbook 1. Game on.
Next up: Under the Hood. Virtually identical. Same processor. Same graphics option as the 15 inch Macbook Pro. Overall very equal (in fact, Samsung makes some of the components inside the Macbook, including the RAM in my Macbook). Taking all things into consideration, you could say the two are pretty equal in this category--except for the fact that the identically configured Macbook (same RAM, hard drive, etc.) runs $1000 more than the Samsung. Yes, that's one thousand with 3 zeros. I know this because I checked. So Samsung gets the award for under the hood performance. Samsung 2, Macbook 1.
The Samsung has a higher resolution screen (perfect resolution in my opinion at 1600x900), although I do prefer the 16:10 ratio the Apple still uses more than the 16:9 ratio that everyone else has gone to. On the other hand, the Macbook screen is glossy, whereas the Samsung is matte, which does make a big difference. But the amazing thing is how Samsung has engineered the bezel around the screen to be so small. By doing so, they are able to use a larger LCD panel in a smaller chassis. Samsung claims to have put a 15.6 inch screen inside a 14" chassis. The Macbook has a good inch of bezel around the monitor, whereas the Samsung has a quarter of an inch of bezel on the sides and about a half inch of bezel on the top and bottom. Point goes to Chronos. Samsung 3, Macbook 1.
The Samsung has 3 USB ports, including 2 USB 3.0 ports. Macbook has two USB 2.0 ports only. I have a USB 3.0 flash drive that reads 120MB/s and writes 70MB/s. The Macbook has the Thunderbolt port. While technically capable of faster speeds, I haven't seen anything yet (other than a few proprietary Apple monitors) that work with it. Are there any Thunderbolt flash drives out there? And if there were, could anyone afford them? And if you could afford them, could you use them on anything except the newest Macs? This point has to go to Samsung. Samsung 4, Macbook 1.
The Samsung has a full-size HDMI port. Most monitors today support HDMI natively, plus it works with TVs. With Apple you have to purchase a 30 dollar adaptor to even use the video out port. Samsung also offers a VGA out option, with optional adapter. Let's call it a tie again, even though the Samsung is slightly better in this regard with the native HDMI port.
The trackpad on the Samsung is virtually identical to the Macbook track pad. For those who complain about the trackpad, it is obvious they have not discovered the track pad settings, which are unfortunately hidden away in a remote location of the Windows Control Panel. Samsung could have made these settings more accessible. Once the settings are tweaked and adjusted for your preferences, it works perfectly. I have not experienced the problem with the space bar on the Samsung that other have talked about. In fact, the keyboard seems as good if not better than the Macbook keyboard. Both are backlit. Numeric keypad on the Samsung is a plus in my book. But just so people don't say I'm an Apple hater, we'll call this one a tie too. Mmmm. Apple pie.
Now on to Internal accessibility. It is a little easier to remove the bottom cover of the Macbook. The Samsung's plastic bottom is snapped into place, so it has to be gently unsnapped all the way around the body before you can access the internal components (however the additional memory bank on the Samsung can be accessed much easier without removing the bottom). On the Macbook, the memory is only accessible if you remove the bottom. No significant difference here, though it will take a little longer to open up the Samsung.
We've already discussed price. However, the price difference between the two is so significant that Samsung gets a point for it. Samsung 5, Macbook 1. We're talking a thousand dollars more. Can you say "Apple tax"? (Don't hate me because I'm right).
Some have said that the Samsung is a clone of the Macbook. Yeah, same Intel processor, same graphics options, same keyboard, same track pad. Beyond that, the Samsung excels and exceeds in virtually every way. Samsung has built a very capable machine that is at least as good if not better than the 2011 MacBooks in virtually every area--especially if you're a Windows user.
This laptop packs an amazing amount of performance in an elegant chasis that is more compact than any other notebook on the market. Feature for feature, the Samsung Chronos notebook outperforms the latest Fall 2011 version of the MacBook Pro at half the price! The vivid 1600X900 display, the superfast ExpressCache to speed up start times, the relatively light weight for a performance laptop all make it hard for the competition to catch up. The only real drawback I can see is the Broadcom wireless n adapter is single band and so is limited in range and speed. But for $40 you can plug in a USB wireless adapter that can get 300 450 Mbps speeds.
The icing on the cake is the long battery life I can work continuously for 6-8 hours without running out of juice!
Pros: Bright display, Durable, Lightweight, long battery life
Cons: poor choice of broadcom wireless card, signal strength deteriorates rapidly after 10 feet, only single band 2.4 GHz wireless n so the 5.8 GHz band is not available
Buy Samsung NP700Z5A-S04US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver) Now
The speed and specs on this computer is great. No problems with setup. Very easy to use and start going. The case is very good quality the small bezel on the screen is very nice. Just makes the computer look awesome. Better than allot of desk tops out there. Very fast with i7 processor and it has 8GB of SSD they call express cash for the extremely fast boot up and start up from wake mode. I highly recommend it. I would buy it again
Cons:
Few and far but cons
Track pad is not the best, good but not the best
Space bar is a hit or miss if you hit it on the edge, Not that bad though
Lastly what I did not a con. During setup I partitioned the backup drive way to big (500GB) mistake. Had to reset system to factory setting to make it allot smaller but that was easy to do.
Pros:
Everything
light keyboard is very nice at night
software to recover works nice and is easy (sadly I found out)
Almost no bloat ware. Just had to uninstall a few programs
Boot up is fast
Read Best Reviews of Samsung NP700Z5A-S04US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver) Here
This is an absolutely fantastic laptop. I've had mine for a weekend now, and I love it. For $1149, you get:
Quad-core i7 processor, 6 GB RAM (easily upgraded to the max 8 GB), high quality discrete ATI graphics card for gaming, slot loading optical drive, FANTASTIC backlit keyboard with a full numeric pad, 8 GB expresse cache for quick starts and better efficiency, and an outstanding 1600 x 900 matte screen which may be my favorite feature overall.
I'm getting used to the touchpad, as I've never had a clickpad type device. It is very customizable, though, so I'm sure it will become second nature after a while.
It is extremely well built. I was initially looking for something more portable, in the 13-14 inch screen range, but the slim bezel and thin build of this machine, combined with the fantastic 15.6 inch screen sold me. The chassis is very solid and sturdy, while providing a sleek, sexy appearance. It runs cool, even while on discrete graphics mode, and I have to strain to hear fan noise.
I simply cannot say enough about this awesome machine. Samsung hit a grand slam with this one. If you are in the market for a medium sized laptop in this price range, your search is over. Buy it...you won't regret it.
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There is a common issue with the space key on this laptop in that pressing it on the edge will often not register even if you press really hard. This is incredibly irritating for a touch typist, but I solved the problem on my laptop! So if you have the same issue see my video on the quick fix over at youtube. Basically you just need to stick a square of paper between the space bar and its pressure sensor.
Also note that this S03US version is functionally exactly the same as the S01US version, with the only difference being that the first 4GB of RAM is permanently attached to the motherboard on the S03US. The S02US and S04US are likewise functionally identical. The Best Buy version (I don't know the product code) is completely different though. I have no idea why anyone would buy that one. Even though the S03US and S01US are functionally identical, I've heard that the S03US version also comes with the Pro instead of Home version of Windows, which could save you some $$.
Among the positives for this laptop are its speedy CPU and GPU, readable resolution on the bright non-reflective 15" display, light weight, stylish form factor, really superb battery life, a great backlit keyboard (once the space key problem is resolved), and a good amount of RAM and hard drive storage.
Because the positives are so great I am giving this laptop 5 stars even though it has several negatives.
First, the space key issue. This is a quality control issue that should have never occurred, and I hope Samsung will send new space bar keys to all the people who bought this laptop. But until then, you can try the quick fix I referenced above.
The choice of DVD instead of blu-ray is odd and perplexing. However, I so rarely use even the DVD and to be honest I would probably never use blu-ray if it were included, so as strange as it is that the feature is missing, I don't mind.
I am not pleased with the choice of the broadcom wifi, which does not support 5ghz wifi. I have opened up this laptop, which is very easy (close the LCD, flip it over, remove the ten screws on bottom, then flip it back over, open the LCD and gently pry the case shell loose along the edges and then close the LCD and flip it over again and gently pull the bottom off), and replacing the broadcom wifi adapter with the Intel 6230 part should be very easy [SEE EDIT BELOW]. There are only 2 antenna wires, so getting the 3 antenna version would be pointless. Also, be sure to get the one with bluetooth if you try this, otherwise you will lose bluetooth since it is provided by the broadcom wifi adapter.
The webcam camera does not work well in low light. Meh. Turn on a light, I guess.
I use the touch pad as little as possible and prefer to use a mouse. It seems to work alright for me when I need it, but I sometimes disable it while typing so I can rest my palms while typing.
Overall the negatives are not a big deal for me.
Edit Dec-2012: It is indeed very easy to replace the broadcom wifi/bluetooth adapter with the Intel 6230 part. Do NOT get the newer Intel 6235 part as it WILL NOT WORK, as I discovered. Some people have also reported issues with getting the 6230 to work, but the trick is to uninstall all Broadcom software related to the wifi/bluetooth BEFORE installing the 6230. This very importantly includes the WIDCOMM Bluetooth SOftware software. You should also download the Intel drivers for the 6230, and install them after you have removed the Broadcom software. Then open up the laptop and swap the parts and reboot. Your mileage may vary, but it worked for me.
I've had this computer for a week and so far, so great!! It took about 15 minutes to set up right out of the box which is amazingly fast compared to some computers I have purchased. What saved a boat load of time was not having to create a back up system restoration CD since it came with one -that right there made me fall in love with Samsung! I love the keyboard because there is a little bit of space between each letter so you can feel if your fingers start to move off the key -I sometimes have problems typing on laptops because the keys butt right up to one another. The "mouse pad" is better than a lot of other laptops I tested at the store but I still bought a wireless mouse. I was able to sync the laptop up to my wireless router and network it to my desktop computer (which is still running XP) pretty effortlessly, and I am by no means an IT person. I can now print from my laptop to the printer that is hooked up to my desktop computer via the router and network. LOVE IT! The battery doesn't seem to be the best out there. It seems to keep my laptop powered for maybe a little more than four hours, which is just fine for me but some other people might want to purchase a longer lasting battery. The battery pack does have a button that you can press to see how much "juice" is left so you can test it without having to turn the computer on. That was something I didn't expect to find but is a really nice feature that I'm glad to have.
