Samsung RF710-S03UK

Samsung RF710-S03UK review

The Samsung RF710-S03UK is one of the more expensive Samsung Blu-ray laptops, but the impressive specification offers good value for money. As with the Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G, a quad-core Intel Core i7 720QM processor is used and the power on offer is faultless. The laptop gave the excellent scores in our benchmarking tests and wasn't fazed even when we ran several intensive applications at once. The dedicated Nvidia GT 330M GPU didn't perform as well as some rival laptops, but can still ably handle professional editing software and the latest games. The built-in Blu-ray drive won't allow you to create Blu-ray discs like the Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G and Asus N73J drives will, but you can still watch high-definition (HD) movies. Alternatively, the 1TB of storage offers plenty of space for movies as well as games and music. While the 17.3-inch screen isn't quite as sharp as the HP or Acer's, movies still look crisp on the bright display. The integrated speakers are just as powerful and clear as its rivals, but are no substitute for a dedicated pair. The 3.1kg chassis is fairly portable, although the 162 minutes of battery life is bettered elsewhere and won't keep you entertained for long on the road, especially as it dips to just 75 minutes when watching a DVD or Blu-ray movie.