CES 2012: Samsung Unveils Series 9 Mobile PCs and Series 5 Ultrabooks

Series 9 Mobile PCs

Samsung states the the Series 9 notebooks are "37 percent thinner and 0.4 pounds lighter" than the previous generation models. To help fit everything in, certain components such as the keyboard, display panel, fans and battery have been re-vamped. The notebooks are encased in a single aluminum shell and are sand-blasted to help fight against fingerprints and smudges. 

Samsung boasts that the display on the Series 9 is "unrivaled;" it's true, most mainstream notebooks in the market today don't have 900p (1600x900 resolution) screens. These notebooks do, though - as well as Samsung's SuperBright Plus technology at 400 nits. Not only that, but the screen surface is matte (non glossy) so you can easily see the screen under bright sunlight and the display offers extreme viewing angles out to roughly 170 degrees without obvious color shift. The displays are available in both the 13.3- and 15-inch sized notebooks. The 15-inch notebook has a .58 inch thickness and weighs 3.5 pounds. The Series 9 laptops can also be configured to have backlit keyboards.

At launch, the new Samsung Series 9 will be equipped with a 128GB solid state drive, an Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core processor at 1.6GHz, USB 3.0 and a multi-card reader. Samsung states that the notebook will boot-up in as little as 9.8 seconds and  wakes up in 1.4 seconds. 

Samsung also mentioned the "Easy Settings" feature, which allows users to connect to a wireless network projectors more easily by using regularly-used PC settings. Another included feature is the Samsung Easy Migration, which allows for the easy transfer of data and files from one PC to the next.

The notebooks' batteries have been tested; the 15-inch models lasted up to ten hours and the 13-inch lasted up to seven. Samsung's included Battery Life Plus technology a battery retainment rate of 80 percent of the original capacity, meaning it'll stay at the rate for up to 1,500 charges.

Pricing & Availability

The Series 9 will be available through Samsung and approved resellers on February 27. The 13.3-inch models will have an MSRP of $1,399.99 and the 15-inch models will retail for $1,499.99.

Samsung Series 9 Spec Sheet

Series 5 Ultrabooks

The all-new Series 5 Ultrabooks have the aforementioned slim form factors and Intel Core i5 dual-core processors. Samsung states that highlights of the Ultrabooks include good performance, multiple USB ports and a wide port selection in general with an SD card slot, and an optical drive in the 14-inch model. Users will have the choice between a 128GB solid state drive or 500 GB hard drive with the option of 16GB ExpressCache memory feature for faster overall performance and boot-up times.

The notebooks weigh under four pounds and Samsung states that they are "thinner than the diameter of a US nickel." The Series 5 is available in 13.3- or 14-inch form factors and have 720p displays (1366 x 768 resolution). Just as the Series 9, they have SuperBright Technology at 300 nits.

When it comes to performance, the notebooks can be configured with up to an Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core processor at 1.5GHz, and the 13-inch models can have either a 128GB SSD or 500GB HD and the option of 16GB ExpressCache memory. Samsung points out that the 14-inch models are the first Ultrabooks to be shipped with a built-in optical drive. Both notebooks have HDMI and USB 3.0.

Just like the Series 9, the Series 5 has Samsung's Easy Settings and Easy Migration features, as well as the Battery Life Plus technology.

Pricing & Availability

The Series 5 Ultrabooks will be available through Samsung and approved resellers on January 30. The notebooks will have a starting price of $899 and will reach $1,099.

Samsung Series 5 Ultrabooks Spec Sheet

 More CES 2012 Product News and Coverage