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If you’re looking for a solid desktop replacement but aren’t ready to use Windows 8, the Samsung Series 5 550P5C-S03 could be for you. It has the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed and is one seriously fast laptop.
With 6GB of RAM and a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-3210M processor, the 550P5C-SO3 powered through our multimedia benchmarks with ease, scoring an impressive 53 overall. This is beyond the performance capabilities of most Ultrabooks, so it’s definitely fast enough for both everyday applications and programs that require multithreading.
Its dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics chip also breezed through our Dirt Showdown benchmarks, averaging a silky smooth 58.5fps on High Quality settings and 720p resolution. You may have to lower the settings for some titles, however. When we put it through our more demanding Crysis 2 test it averaged just 23.41fps on Ultra settings at its maximum resolution of 1,366×768. Even so, this is still a pretty impressive feat for a non-gaming laptop, so you should be able to play a decent amount of 3D games.
Another highlight is the 550P5C-S03’s sound system, which includes two JBL speakers located above the keyboard and a small subwoofer underneath the chassis. It certainly has more bass than we’re used to hearing from laptop speakers, but most of it was directed into the work surface. Higher frequencies sounded a little thin, but overall the speakers are definitely a cut above the rest if you find yourself short of a pair of headphones.
We found the keyboard very comfortable to type on
Its full-sized Chiclet-style keyboard is also very comfortable to type on. The hard edge of the keyboard tray was a little too sharp for our liking, but on the whole its well-spaced and springy keys provided plenty of tactile feedback. Its smooth touchpad was similarly responsive, particularly for multi-touch gestures such as pinch-zooming. Its two dedicated buttons did feel a little flimsy compared to the rest of the laptop, but were accurate in day-to-day use.
The 550P5C-S03 has a good set of I/O ports, including four USB ports (two of which are the newer, faster USB3 type), VGA and HDMI ports for connecting it to an external monitor, and a 4-in-1 card reader. It also has an Ethernet port, Bluetooth, separate headphone and microphone jacks and a DVD rewriter.
There’s a decent range of ports and a built-in optical drive
We were impressed with its battery, too. It lasted an impressive eight hours and seven minutes, which means you should have no problem using it on the move.
The only downside to the 550P5C-S03 is the matt finish on its 15.6in screen. This means it’s not quite as bright as other laptops with glossy displays. As a result, colours looked slightly washed out in our high-contrast image tests. It effectively diffused reflections, but all our solid colours revealed a noticeable set of shadows toward the top and bottom of the screen, making our white images, in particular, look grey around the edge.
The Samsung Series 5 550P5C-S03 is an excellent all-round laptop with the performance levels, battery life and gaming power to suit most people, making it an ideal choice for families who like to work and play away from home. The excellent Best Buy-winning Toshiba Satellite L855-148
costs a little more, but it has a more powerful Core i7-3630QM processor and 8GB of RAM, which makes it a potentially better buy. If, however, you prefer Windows 7 and Samsung’s stylish design, you’ll love the Series 5 550P5C-S03.
