Samsung ATIV Book 6 Notebook Review
Introduction and Specifications
Despite some fierce competition, Samsung has experienced an impressive level of success in the mobile space and has managed to nurture the Galaxy brand into a household name. Part of that success was due to the company unifying its ultra mobile products (phones, tablets, phablets, etc.) under the Galaxy brand, and thus, Samsung decided to take a similar route on the PC side earlier in the year. The ATIV brand is a relatively new one for Samsung, but it's definitely gaining traction. In addition, Samsung's pouring a ton of resources into industrial design, as evidenced by the ATIV Book 6.
This particular machine is obviously aimed at the masses, and not hardcore gamers or tireless road warriors. The ATIV 6 is hardly thin-and-light, and it doesn't pack a star-studded list of high-end components, but what it does is hit all of the major feature points that your average laptop consumer is after.
At $1,100, the ATIV Book 6 is certainly not cheap. It's billed as a premium machine, and it definitely feels like one. In a lot of ways, the ATIV 6 is a more modern looking and sleek desktop replacement, complete with some powerful components like a Core i7 processor and discrete AMD Radeon graphics. With that said, generally speaking, the public seems to be gravitating towards smaller, lighter, and more portable machines, so out of the gate it seems like the ATIV 6 might get lost in the shuffle of premium "Ultrabook" type designs. Does it strike the right balance or has Samsung made limiting design decisions with the ATIV 6? Those are questions we hope to answer on the pages ahead...
This particular machine is obviously aimed at the masses, and not hardcore gamers or tireless road warriors. The ATIV 6 is hardly thin-and-light, and it doesn't pack a star-studded list of high-end components, but what it does is hit all of the major feature points that your average laptop consumer is after.
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| Operating System: | Windows 8 64-bit |
| Processor: | Intel Core i7-3635QM Quad-Core (2.4GHz, TurboBoost to 3.4GHz) |
| Chipset: | Intel Ivy Bridge/HM76 |
| Graphics: | AMD Radeon HD 8770M |
| Memory: | 8GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) |
| Storage: | 1TB HDD (Seagate-built Spinpoint M8 ST1000LM024 @ 5400RPM) |
| Display: | 15.6-inch (1920x1080) Touch-Enabled Glossy Fisplay with 10-Point Touchscreen; 300 nits |
| Webcam: | 720p HD Webcam |
| Sound: | JBL Stereo Speakers (2W x 2) |
| Interface: | 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, full-size HDMI, SD Card Reader, Mic/Headphone Jack |
| Networking: | Intel Centrino Wireless-N 6235 802.11b/g/n W-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, Ethernet Port |
| Backlit Keyboard: | Yes |
| Battery: | 57Wh (Not User-Replaceable); Rated for up to 4.7 hours of use |
| Dimensions: | 14.75" x 9.84" x 0.90" (WxDxH) |
| Weight: | 5.18 pounds |
| Warranty: | 1-Year Limited |
| Price: | $1099.99 on Amazon |
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At $1,100, the ATIV Book 6 is certainly not cheap. It's billed as a premium machine, and it definitely feels like one. In a lot of ways, the ATIV 6 is a more modern looking and sleek desktop replacement, complete with some powerful components like a Core i7 processor and discrete AMD Radeon graphics. With that said, generally speaking, the public seems to be gravitating towards smaller, lighter, and more portable machines, so out of the gate it seems like the ATIV 6 might get lost in the shuffle of premium "Ultrabook" type designs. Does it strike the right balance or has Samsung made limiting design decisions with the ATIV 6? Those are questions we hope to answer on the pages ahead...
