Samsung X360 looks to kneecap the MacBook Air

by Stevie Smith - Aug 29 2008, 09:51

When it comes to the consumer-power of Apple-branded hardware, it seems that rival manufacturers are always striving to release competitive gadgets and computers that will be hailed as a ‘killer’ alternative. Whether it’s an iPod killer, or an iPhone killer, Apple products remain the main target when drumming up anticipation for upcoming arrivals, which is where the Samsung X360 comes in.

While most prospective laptop consumers would likely assess it on specifications and aesthetics (though perhaps not in that order), industry players are suggesting that the new X360 is -- you guessed it -- a MacBook Air ‘killer’.

Unveiled at the IFA Consumer Electronics trade show in Berlin this week, the undoubtedly slick and stylish X360 is described as “lighter than air” by Samsung, which could, at a stretch, be seen as a somewhat tenuous broadside across the bows of Apple’s popular portable computer.

Thinly veiled corporate digs aside, while the Samsung X360 certainly delivers on its lighter than Air claim, weighing in at a MacBook-beating 1.27kg, will it emerge as an authentic MacBook Air killer?

Beyond its attractive selection of colour tones, piano black feature finish, aluminium screen casing and ‘proper’ keyboard design, the X360 hides an Intel Centrino 2 platform built around an Ultra-Low Voltage central processor, 800/1,066MHz FSB, up to 4GBs of DDR3 RAM memory, and a default 120GB HDD (optional 64GB or 128GB SSD storage is also available).

As with the MacBook Air, Samsung’s X360 will arrive complete with a 13.3-inch display screen, which contributes to the computer’s overall thinness thanks to backlit LED technology. Resolution is set at 1200x800 and angled viewing performance is bolstered by a high-contrast gloss coating.

One notable aspect attributed to the X360 is its lack of an onboard optical drive, which is a missing internal element not uncommon in such uber-skinny hardware. However, while opting to drop the optical drive to maintain ultimate aesthetic appeal, Samsung is bundling the X360 with the added out-of-the-box convenience of an external DVD writer.

Wireless connectivity is provided through support for Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g/n, while HSDPA and Wi-Fi successor WiMAX will be offered as optional extras. Other features and functions include a 1.3 mega pixel Web cam, three USB 2.0 ports, memory card support for SD, MMC, xD and MemoryStick, HDMI and D-SUB video outputs, an ExpressCard slot, and an Ethernet port.

According to Samsung, the X360 (which is in no way associated with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games console) is capable of delivering single-charge operation time of up to 10 hours through its six-cell battery -- although six to seven is believed to be more realistic.

Outwardly equipped with all the right accoutrements to pose something of a threat to the MacBook Air, retail price is always a potentially deal-breaking factor when companies ‘big up’ their incoming releases, and Samsung wants to make sure it grabs attention there too.

Prospective buyers looking to snap up the top-tier X360, which comes with 128GBs of SSD storage, should expect to pay around £1,499 GBP for the sexy laptop. To put that into Apple-based perspective, Trusted Reviews notes that a MacBook Air with 64GBs of SSD, an Ethernet adapter and an external DVD writer comes shackled to a price tag of £1,700 GBP.

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