Samsung 17-inch Series 7 Chronos (NP700Z7C-S01US)

The Samsung 17-inch Series 7 Chronos (NP700Z7C-S01US) ($1,449.99 list) desktop replacement laptop is just a tad large for most people's laps. It is meant for the graphics power user, with a quad-core processor, enthusiast-level 3D graphics, and a large 1TB hard drive. It has a few shortcomings, including a lack of a Blu-ray drive and an annoying marketing bar that stays on top of your windows, but all in all it's a system that should appear on your short list if creating entertainment is you hobby or might be your vocation.

Design and Features
The NP700Z7C-S01US is a large, yet thin 1-by-16-by-10.5-inch (HWD) desktop replacement laptop. If you plan on using it on your commute, make sure you find a roomy computer case, preferably one with sturdy shoulder straps. The system weighs 6.44 pounds alone and 7.37 pounds with its included AC adapter. Its styling fits the times, with a dark silver finish all over, and darker chiclet keycaps on the 101 key keyboard. The full-size backlit keyboard includes a full set of function, navigation, and numeric keys. The navigation keys are directly below the shift and return keys, so it will take a bit to get used to their placement, but on the whole the keyboard is comfortable to type on. The one-piece touchpad has built in mouse buttons, supports the usual multi-touch swipes, and is also responsive to quick movement.

Like most laptops, the system doesn't come with an external mouse, but you can add one to the two USB 2.0 ports on the right side of the system. The system's slot-loading DVD drive is also on the right hand side. The 4-in-1 SD card reader is on the front of the system, facing you. The right side of the laptop has the connector for the AC adapter, two USB 3.0 ports, full-size Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, headset jack, and Kensington lock port. The two USB 3.0 ports are color-coded blue, so there's little confusion when you connect a speedy USB 3.0-enabled peripheral, like an external hard drive.

Speaking of connections, the NP700Z7C-S01US comes with dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi so you can connect to a variety of hotspots. Connections extend to WiDi support, though you will have to supply your own WiDi receiver, such as the , if you want to stream content from the laptop to your HDTV wirelessly. You can, of course, connect to the full-sized HDMI port for a quicker, less portable solution. The system pumps out a good amount of sound when you're watching a movie or online videos. Music and game sounds should be audible by a crowd in a medium sized room, thanks to the JBL-branded speakers and built-in subwoofer. Be careful not to overdrive the subwoofer however, it can distort at the higher volume levels.

The system comes with a 17.3-inch screen, which is one of the largest screens currently available on a laptop. It has a true 1080p (1,920-by-1,080) native resolution, so most online videos look very good. The brightness is fine for a normally lit room, and the matte finish ensures that distracting reflections are kept to a minimum. We played a variety of trailers and videos, including those for Star Trek and Wreck It Ralph, and all videos played as quickly and smoothly as our Internet connection allowed. That said, it's kind of disappointing that the screen couldn't be a higher resolution. The 15-inch has a much higher 2,880 by 1,800 resolution display, an improvement over its predecessor the 17-inch MacBook Pro, which itself had a 1,920 by 1,200 resolution display. The NP700Z7C-S01US's screen resolution isn't a deal-breaker, since 1080p is the current standard for high-resolution screens, but it's still disappointing for graphics workers who want a portable workstation.

The system comes with a third generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB of memory, and a 1TB hard drive. The hard drive is 5,400rpm, a bit slow for video work, but okay for general use and some graphics work (see performance below). The Nvidia GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics is good for light gaming, plus the system comes with Nvidia's Optimus technology, which automatically toggles between the Nvidia card and the integrated graphics on the CPU.

The 1TB hard drive has lots of free space, but isn't free of clutter. There are several useful pre-loaded utilities, like a utility and software for the DVD burner and webcam. The system also has a few other third-party utilities pre-loaded like Skype, Amazon Kindle, and Wild Tangent games, most of which are really storefronts for added services. Also on this list are packages like the 60-day trial to Norton Internet Security, which become "less useful" after the trial period has ended. The most egregious of the added software is the electronic "shelf talker" insert that Samsung has set to display in the right upper corner of the screen. It covers whatever window you're working on until you dismiss it. Thankfully, the rest of the desktop is free and not cluttered with icons and shortcuts like some retail systems from Acer and HP. The system comes with a standard one-year warranty.

Performance
The NP700Z7C-S01US's Core i7 processor helped it return respectable benchmark numbers. It was able to complete the Handbrake video test in 1 minute, 18 seconds and the Photoshop CS5 test in 3:23. Both scores are a few ticks behind the class leader, the Editors' Choice winning (1:12 Handbrake, 3:03 CS5). No surprise, the Alienware has an i7-3720QM processor that has a faster base clock speed and a faster Turbo clock speed as well. Other high performance systems like the (1:18 Handbrake, 3:24 CS5) were in lock step with the NP700Z7C, thanks to similar processors. The NP700Z7C-S01US produced playable numbers on the game grid, yet it lagged the more gaming-oriented laptops. It was just playable on Crysis at medium quality (54 frames per second or fps) and quite playable on Lost Planet 2 (77 fps), though much slower on the higher quality settings at native resolution. It's a decent laptop for gaming, but hardcore gamers will be best served by a dedicated gaming PC.

The NP700Z7C-S01US returned a very long battery life compared with its rivals. It lasted 6 hours 38 minutes on the MobileMark 2007 test, much longer than the gaming rigs that could barely eke out 3 hours. This is due in part to the Nvidia Optimus switching technology. The system's battery is non-replaceable, but Samsung promises that the batteries will retain 80 percent charging over 1,500 power cycles.

The Samsung 17-inch Series 7 Chronos (NP700Z7C-S01US) is a good multimedia power laptop, with speedy quad-core power, lots of memory, and a large screen. It falls a little short on the 3D performance front, however, particularly compared with more dedicated gaming rigs. The NP700Z7C-S01US also falls short on the media center front, since it lacks a Blu-ray drive. That said, if you're looking for a portable graphics power users machine, the system should be on your short list. Its long battery life will keep field photographers and digital artists happy.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE

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