14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung has finally made its R430 laptop available in the United States and has given the not-so-small machine a price tag that hovers somewhere between the price of a standard notebook personal computer and that of a low-cost netbook. It seems, however, that, based on the device's size and insides, the R430 is, in fact, a full-fledged notebook, being powered by a Core 2 Duo processor and running the Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating system.
The R430 operates on an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 central processing unit (CPU). This processor runs at a core frequency of 2.2GHz and is paired with 4GB of RAM and the Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics, whose maximum shared memory is of 256MB.
The product also features a 320GB hard disk drive (HDD) and comes with a Super Multi Dual Layer DVD burner for optical storage and playing DVD content. As for connectivity and I/O capabilities, the Samsung R430 notebook PC is equipped with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 Base TX Ethernet, an RJ45 LAN port, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, three USB ports and a 3-in-1 card reader.
The 14-inch laptop is designed with a LED-backlit LCD screen whose maximum resolution is of 1366 x 768 pixels. The display uses the 16:9 aspect ratio. Also, for consumers that want to use an external display device, the laptop is equipped with an HDMI output through which video throughput can be delivered to HDTVs or any other video output device with HDMI connectivity.
The laptop measures 13.5 x 9.4 x 1.45 inches, weighs 4.98 lbs and is EPEAT Gold certified. It comes with HD audio capabilities and two 1.5W integrated speakers, as well as jacks for headphones and a microphone. The device is powered by a six-cell battery and is already listed on Buy.com at a price of $650.