Samsung N110

The Samsung N110 is an update to the company’s popular and impressive NC10 mini-notebook, which we looked at last year. The eagle-eyed will spot that it also bears a resemblance to the N310 which we reviewed more recently, and which is likewise a replacement for the NC10 netbook.

Oddly enough, despite being cheaper than the N310, the N110 offers a very similar specification, and has a better battery life than the more expensive model.

It has a less interesting look, without the rubberised body of the N310, but we still found its red-tinted gloss black case alluring. The larger battery means it protrudes slightly at the bottom but it’s hardly noticeable.

It has the same 10in widescreen as both previous models and uses the same processor, an Intel Atom N270, with 1GB of memory. It’s capable enough for internet and office tasks as well as editing photos (although the screen is small for this) and listening to music.

The N110, which uses the Windows XP Home operating system, has a 160GB hard disk, which is large for this kind of computer, and, as with all mini-notebooks, there is no CD or DVD drive.

The keyboard, the NC10’s best feature, remains good here. It is large and wide, offering comfortable typing with plenty of room for those with larger fingers. The trackpad has been improved and enlarged too.

In our lab tests, the N110’s battery lasted six hours on a full charge and with weighing 1.3kg this makes it ideal for those who want to spend their days out and about but with access to a computer.

It can connect to wired and wireless networks (though our six hour figure was with the wireless connection switched off), there are three USB ports and a VGA connection for attaching it to an external monitor. It also has headphone and microphone sockets and an SD memory card reader.

The Samsung N110 may lack the looks of its more expensive sibling, but we would take this model over that, purely because of its longer battery life and lower price.

That said, the earlier NC10 is still available for around £300, so if you don’t mind an older model and smaller trackpad and hard disk, that could be the best deal of all.

Our review unit was supplied by PC World.