X

The hidden Samsung laptops of CES 2012

Samsung's show floor was full of laptops we'd never seen before, and hadn't been told about. Find out what was shown.

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
Scott Stein
3 min read
The Samsung Series 5--not the ultrabook version. Scott Stein/CNET

LAS VEGAS--No matter how much you prepare for a trade show like CES, what you see on the floor never quite matches what news you get beforehand.

In the case of Samsung, we had a chance to look at the new Samsung Series 9 and Series 5 Ultra ultrabook, but were surprised by quite a few intriguing laptops at Samsung's booth, which we should expect to see later this year.

The Series 7 Gamer. Scott Stein/CNET

The Series 7 Gamer is a big-boned, lights-and-flash gaming laptop, the antidote to ultrabooks. Units on the show floor came in bright yellow and red candy colors, and bright LED lights and strobing effects graced a number of the stylized controls. The Series 7 has a tuning wheel for game settings and a "gaming mode" button that transforms the system into an optimized gaming machine, complete with over-the-top sound effects. The LED-backlit keyboard changes color, too, highlighting the standard gaming keys in red.

Samsung Series 7 Gamer laptop (photos)

See all photos

Samsung promises a top-of-the-line screen on the Series 7 Gamer. Specs are a bit of a mystery, but plaques on the show floor claimed a second-gen Intel Quad-Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon HD6970M graphics (Samsung's reps asked us not to report this, but the information was clearly visible on the plaque; perhaps these graphics are subject to change), a 400-nit 1,920x1,080-pixel LED display, and Dolby Home Theater Surround v4.

Samsung Series 7 17-inch (photos)

See all photos

The Series 7 Chronos, a laptop I reviewed positively last year, has a 17-inch version in the works. The looks are nearly identical to the Chronos of last year, but the speakers have been revamped to a JBL-branded sound bar.

The 15-inch Series 9. Scott Stein/CNET

The second-generation Samsung Series 9 has already captured our eye in its 13-inch version, but there's also a 15-inch Series 9 in the works. The floor model of the larger but still razor-thin laptop looks to be the thinnest 15-incher I've ever seen.

Scott Stein/CNET

Speaking of the 13-inch Series 9, I also spotted a dusty-rose-colored model bedazzled with crystals.

The Samsung Series 5 Scott Stein/CNET

Samsung's Series 5 Ultra ultrabook has a non-ultrabook cousin known simply as the Series 5, and these mainstream laptops will replace the QX and RF series of laptops that often populated retailers like Best Buy. The clean look of the Series 5 is attractive, and like the Series 7, JBL speakers have been added.

The Series 5 Chromebook. Scott Stein/CNET

Undaunted by the prospects of irrelevance, Samsung also had new Series 5 Chromebooks (the Series 5 moniker is used here, too, confusingly) on display. Unlike last year's Chromebooks, these will be using Celeron processors instead of Atom. These versions might not be as overpriced as last year's models, but the idea of a Web-only OS like Chromebook still seems pointless in a landscape of tablets and ultrabooks.

Samsung's solar-powered Netbook. Scott Stein/CNET

Finally, tucked off to the side of Samsung's booth, I spied a solar-powered Atom Netbook. The solar panel's embedded on the laptop's back lid. The Netbook was lumped together with other eco-friendly gadgets, a concept device; but it's actually a good idea, though. The solar lid looks attractive, and the back lid of most laptops amounts to wasted space.

Click above for close-up looks of all the laptops we saw on the show floor.