Samsung launches new laptops, cameras, monitors for 2011

This week, Samsung has given Australia a taste of what it plans to launch locally, increasing the amount of products on offer in the computer, camera, and monitor range.

If you haven’t seen Samsung’s Series 9 laptop, it’s set to be one of the thinnest, lightest, and most eye-catching Sandy Bridge powered laptops released all year. We originally saw it at CES and we’re proud to say that it’s still as sexy as we remember, the high-grade duralumin body providing a really solid feel while a sleek design really leads the eye into believing that this is as thin as it gets. Under the hood, it’s got an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB solid state drive, and a battery rated for just under eight hours.

Samsung also showed us its QX412 laptop, a 13 inch computer that somehow manages to fit a 14 inch screen into a 13 inch chassis. Aside for the feat-of-engineering that is the slightly bigger screen, Samsung is also packing a new Intel Core i5 processor, USB 3.0 support, Bluetooth 3.0, Nvidia GeForce GT520 graphics, and a long-lasting battery, capable of up to 10 hours of life.

Over in the camera department, last year’s NX10 gets an upgrade to the NX11, now featuring an iFunction ring and a couple of design changes.

We got to play with the NX11 (above) and found that while the body felt good in the hand, the changes from the NX10 and NX100 before it seemed minor. Autofocus in video was fairly fast, but we only found 720p capture on a 14.6 megapixel shooter, practically identical to the Samsung NX10 launched in 2010.

Feel like flying? We took the Samsung NX11 to the skies to get an early hands-on.

 

It was in Samsung’s monitor section that we found something to admire. Somewhere along the way, it looks as though a design team has decided to be fun and create a new range of computer monitors, now supporting 3D just like Samsung’s 3DTV range.

The TA9 monitor features one of the more interesting designs we've seen in a while.

 

Samsung’s TA 9 series monitor will be available in a 27 inch size and feature Full HD resolution (1920×1080), 3D playback, and an automatic 2D to 3D conversion. Support for TV is included out of the box, as well as Samsung’s Smart TV system, enabling you to jump online and get YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter streamed to the TV. There’s also a very unique design in the TA9, with a stand that really makes the monitor seem like it was purpose built and not just another monitor stand.

We liked that Samsung was bringing more 3D to people’s computers, especially since it’s in a way that doesn’t require NVidia’s 3D card or 3D Vision glasses.

There is a downside though, and one that honestly surprises us. From what we were told today, Samsung’s 3D glasses for its monitors are different from the ones used with its 3D TVs, meaning not only do you have to buy different glasses for each appliance – monitor and TV – you also won’t be able to share the usage. With active shutter 3D glasses costing a hundred bucks a pair, we can’t help but think this separation of technologies is a rather odd move.