Review: Samsung Series 9 All-In-One PC
By Branko Miletic
When you are asleep, what do you dream of? Personally , I dream of a desktop (since I spend so much of my life writing) with a 27-inch monitor, a 1080p 2D / 3D display, an Intel Core i7 processor and a Radeon HD6730M graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video RAM.
On top of that, I’d like to be able to use my new PC as a full entertainment unit (since I seem to be chained to my desk) so that I can watch Blu-ray movies in both 2D and 3D, that I can use this PC as not just my work station, but also my play station and when I want to contact people on Skype, I’ll have a camera ready to go.
Oh wait, something like that has been delivered to my front door. Am I still dreaming? Nope- it’s the Samsung series 9 all in one PC and it is real- in fact, I am writing its review on it right now!
I wrote a couple of years ago that Samsung is the new Apple, a comment for which I was panned, but this sleek piece of desktop tech that really should have the Apples 27-inch iMac looking over its shoulder.
Starting with the really cool 1080p display that lets users flip to 3D whenever they want, it is also has a sleek-as-a-sci-fi movie design, and enough USB, Antenna, Ethernet, HDMI and other ports to keep even the most hardened audiophile as happy as a pig in swill.
Under the hood, you’ll find a Quadcore Intel i7 chipset purring away with 2.8GHz processor running on a healthy 8GB of RAM. Nice – no, dare I say hot!
This PC does give the iMac a serious run for its money and ok the iMac’s screen resolution specs are a bit better, but the price is way higher, so there is some justice there.
In terms of watching movies, I plugged the PC into my antenna at home and managed to watch TV whilst also listening to it in what is called HD sound. With its in-built TV tuner, your PC can now become your TV, which can also be your PVR and your overall home entertainment system.
I watched Avatar on the unit and I was impressed ( yes, this PC comes with the pair of 3D glasses, so no need to buy a pair).
It also comes with a remote control, which allows you to do all sorts of things such as being able to switch from 3D movie to 3D computing. I haven’t tried looking at Windows 7 (Home Premium) which is installed with this PC, but I would say, this is not something anyone would really care about.
So, after being enthralled by this PC, did anything annoy me? Well I am sorry to say, the answer is yes. First, when I tried to Skype I found that I needed to install the external camera. Oh dear, what were they thinking over at Samsung? They go off and design the hottest looking desktop PC of 2012 and decide it needs an external camera? Haven’t these guys heard of in-built cameras? Imagine a brand new smartphone with an external antenna!
Second, my other biggest gripe was the price. It retails for just under $3,000 in Australia and about $1200 in the US. Yes, you read that correctly- the Samsung series 9 all in one PC is less than half the price in the US than here. I am sure that I am not the only one who is peed off by this.
If it wasn’t for that over-inflated price (along with that silly external camera), I would have given this PC the highest rating that I have ever given any tech product. Too bad, as the Samsung series 9 all-in-one PC is one totally hot piece of consumer tech and if it only weren’t for those pesky sales directors who think we here in Australia are sheep that are looking to get fleeced, this would go down as one of my Top 10 all-time favourite tech products.
Pros: great design, quiet running, HD screen and can watch 3D movies on it as well
Cons: the external camera and the outrageous over-inflated Australian-only price tag
4 Shacks Out Of 5
