Finally. The first ever Google Chromebook laptop has just been officially outed: say hello to the Samsung Series 5, the first laptop designed entirely around Google’s cloud-based Chome OS.
Electricpig was invited to Google’s London HQ earlier this year to preview Chrome OS and can report that, essentially, it looks very much like the Chrome web browser – a series of tabbed windows.
The Samsung Series 5 laptop has a 12.1-inch screen, boots up in under 10 seconds, has an 8.5-hour battery life. Incidently, the battery keeps 80% of its original capacity for 1,000 charges, meaning it should last three times longer than conventional rivals.
Google was at pains to point out the beauty of using its Chrome cloud OS: namely that the hardware doesn’t need mega-storage and doesn’t require the latest, fancy-pants processor. For those reasons, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook has a mere 16GB of SSD flash storage and an Intel N570 chip – almost unheard of in terms of modern laptop spec.
Plus, because your data is stored in a cloud and the software is app-based (i.e. no more installing-from-a-CD nonsense) the Samsung Series 5 is much less prone to attacks by trojans or spyware. And, your data is always safe – lose the laptop, for instance, and all is not lost. The whole lot is stored in the ‘cloud’ anyway.
In terms of connectivity, there’s no USB 3.0 – instead you get two USb 2.0 ports and a 4-in-1 memory card reader. HDMI? Forget it, sunshine – think cheap and cheerful.
Is it any good? Well, yes if you want an easy-to-use laptop that in many ways competes with Apple’s iPad in terms of boot-up, simplicity and sleep mode (open the lid and you’re back to where you were). However, in terms of functions for the businessman it’s a bit limited. Still, at £349 it would churlish to complain, right…
Here are those rampantly-strong specs in full:
· CPU: Intel® N570 1.66Ghz Dual Core
· Operating System: Chrome OS
· Storage: SSD 16GB
· Memory: 2GB DDR3
· Screen: 12.1-inch WXGA LCD (1280×800), SuperBright (300 nit)
· Resolution: 1280×800
· Security: TPM
· Battery: Li-Ion Polymer 61 Wh, Up to 8.5Hrs
· Weight: 3.2 lbs.
· I/O Ports: 2 x USB, SIM Card Slot, 4-In-1 (SD, SDHC, MMC), VGA Dongle, DC-in
