Samsung Series 5 Chromebook hit stores Tuesday, selling U.S. $ 500 for a 3G version and $ 430 for a WiFi-only model.
Disassembly conducted by iSuppli senior analyst Wayne Lam IHS found that the 5 Series Chromebook has the attributes of hardware commonly found in a notebook with all features.
Chromebook Series 5 is “an interesting device because it is priced like a netbook, but if you look at the building, which is very similar to what Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) trying to do with the MacBook Air,” Lam told TechNewsWorld .
The 5 Series Chromebook may initially have difficulty gaining acceptance among users because they can not see how you can use, Lam suggested.
“It’s a product waiting for the creation of a use case,” said Lam.
This is similar to a criticism often launched by pill, although some models have proven to be better than other vendors.
What the 5 series is made of
Series 5 Measures of about 0. 8 inches tall – roughly the same height as a currency was on the edge. It has a 12.1 inch anti-glare and anti-glare bright 300nit SuperBright. SuperBright Samsung is the name for its bright screen.
A “nit” is a measure of luminance, ie the amount of light that passes through or is emitted from a particular area within a given solid angle. It is used to characterize the brightness of the screens. A typical computer screen is estimated at 50 to 300 nits and lice.
The 5 Series Chromebook weighs 3.3 pounds. It has a battery life of up to 8.5 hours and has an Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) dual-core Atom N570.
It has 2 GB of memory and a disk of 16 GB solid state.
The device comes with a full-size keyboard and a Chrome oversized multi-touch trackpad. It starts in less than 10 seconds, and immediately resume the standby mode. It has two USB ports.
Connectivity is provided through 3G, WLAN, and a reader of four in a single card.
The Samsung comes with Chromebook up to 100 MB per month for broadband service from Verizon for two years.
IHS removal ISuppli
The total cost of hardware Chromebook 5 Series is just over $ 334, iSuppli said.
In terms of features and connectivity, the device most resembles a notebook or netbook 3G value, said iSuppli.
However, the Samsung Chromebook includes advanced hardware features not normally found in low-cost laptops, said iSuppli.
The motherboard is the most expensive single subsystem device, reaching more than $ 86, or 26 percent of the total bill of materials cost.
The 5 Series has a Infineon Technologies Chromebook Trusted Platform Module, more usually seen on computers at company level at an affordable price that computing devices, iSuppli said.
Bright lights, big Touchpad
LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, iSuppli found. This costs $ 58, and is the second most expensive subsystem in the device.
The Chromebook “to some extent, follows the design of the MacBook Air, with its large touchscreen 300nit, large keyboard and a big,” Lam said iSuppli.
The 5 Series Experience Chromebook
While many netbooks comparisons can be made, the Chromebook should not be compared with a tablet, Lam said iSuppli.
“First, it is based on contact, too, that lets you do things more conventional content creation, while the tablet is basically content consumption,” said Lam.
“Think of it as ideal for people who like the idea of a tablet for use in the home, but want an integrated keyboard instead of a touch screen,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group, TechNewsWorld.
“This device anticipates a world that still exists,” said Enderle. “Think of it as the equivalent of DOS in the late 1980 – will know more of what will become of what is,” he added.
However, the need for connectivity and access to the site may count against Chromebooks in general.
“Chromebooks are going to fight seriously, regardless of who does,” said Bob O’Donnell, IDC program vice president, TechNewsWorld.
“Price levels are high, people do not necessarily have connectivity, 3G data plans are very expensive, and with 3G, people have a limited amount of bandwidth per month, and is likely to go through it in a couple of days, “O’Donnell made.
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