Our Samsung R530 Review

Design and Screen

It’s hard to make a decision on which laptop to buy these days. The main source of confusion, of course, comes with the wide range of options and features out there. When reviewing the Samsung R530, it seemed like we have finally found a great balance between performance, price, and features. What’s our final verdict on the Samsung R530? Let us start by exploring the different aspects that make the Samsung R530 a good choice.

Designed with an eye for detail, the Samsung R530 is nothing short of a masterpiece. From its fashionable design, scratch and fingerprint-proof resistant casing, and smooth curves, the Samsung R530 captured our heart.

Carrying the Samsung R530 around gave us a sense of distinction. The Samsung R530 comes in a black diamond or vibrant red gradient pattern thus standing out from average matt-black laptops designs.

While we initially thought the Samsung R530’s high-end design will come at the expense of durability, the Samsung R530 turned out to be both beautiful and durable. Its solid casing protected our files and library from a rough fall – accidents do happen.

Looking at the Samsung R530’s 15.6” HD LED screen, we were glad to find a vibrant, clear display both in dim settings and under direct sunlight. Equipped with a 16:9 aspect ratio mode, the Samsung R530’s video playback is outstanding. The colors are sharply contrasted offering a pleasant viewing experience.

Keypad and Trackpad

Looking at the Samsung R530’s keypad, we felt unprecedented comfort. The spacious keys come with a great feature: a 17-key numeric keypad. This of course meant our life was easier crunching numbers on excel and checking invoices. The keys provide great feedback and don’t stain with sweat.

Performance and Battery Life

The Samsung R530 comes as a drastic improvement from its predecessor the R430. In the performance tests, we exerted several pressures on the system hoping it will crash. We were glad to find out that the Samsung R530’s processer is as stable as its pre-installed Windows 7.

The Samsung R530 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor is not as powerful as other high-end laptops in the market. However, it does a splendid job running the programs and features embedded.

For multimedia, the Samsung R530 is given an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M. This of course does not mesh well with the average core speed, thus resulting in lack of full Blu-Ray support and average gaming performance.

In the battery life department, Samsung R530 disappointed us without prior warning. We expected to watch a long movie before resorting to a power outlet. Alas, the Samsung R530 gave us no choice but to rush to the nearest power source before it dies on us. Samsung should’ve definitely improved battery life as it is not one of this laptop’s strengths.

On the other hand, connectivity is Samsung R530’s forte. Ready with a built-in webcam, microphone, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, the Samsung R530 offers decent connectivity for average to experienced users. We could not resist traveling around with the Samsung R530 as we were able to access Wi-Fi hotspots with ease.

What We Liked

We liked Samsung R530’s stylish design, 17-key numerical pad, and great connectivity.

What We Disliked

We disliked Samsung R530’s battery life and average gaming performance.

Our Final Verdict

Samsung R530 is a winner hands-down. We loved working with its spacious numerical pad and agreeable connectivity options. The Samsung R530’s price is a true surprise given all the features it brings into a user’s life. While the Samsung R530 does not fare well with Blu-Ray and games, we recommend this laptop to users who are regular surfers, spreadsheet users, and DiVx movie watchers.

Compare Laptop Features

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	Samsung R530
General
Dimensions	38 x 25.6 x 3.6 cm
Processor
Processor	Pentium Dual Core T4400
Processor Speed	2.2Ghz
Processor FSB	800Mhz
Memory
RAM	4 GB
Storage
Hard Drive Size	500 GB
Hard Drive Type	SATA
Hard Drive Speed	5400
Optical Drive	DVD SuperMulti dual layer
Graphics
Graphics Adaptor	Intel GMA X4500M DVMT
Screen Type	Widescreen LED HD Display
Screen Size	15.60 in
Screen Max. Resolution	1366 x 768 (WXGA) pixels
Connectivity
Wi-Fi	Yes
Ethernet	10Base-T/100Base-TX
HDMI Ports	1
Multi Card Slot	3 in 1 - SD Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, SDHC Memory Card
No. of USB Slots	3
Power
Battery Type	6-cell Lithium Ion
AC Power Adaptor	60.0 watts
Web Cam	0.3 MP
Speakers	3W Stereo Speaker (1.5W x 2)
Input
Pointing Device	Touchpad
Software
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Cost
Typical Cost (£)	400

Samsung R530 Full Specification

General

Processor

Memory

Storage

Graphics

Connectivity

Power

Input

Software

Cost