Samsung has introduced two new Windows 8 slate computers and an updated notebook. The Series 5 and Series 7 slate PCs, part of the notebook lines of the same name, can switch from being a notebook to a tablet by removing the keyboard dock, and use the full edition of Windows 8, instead of the RT version shown off in its Ativ Tab tablet. The Series 5 Ultra has also been upgraded to have a ten-point touchscreen.
Both the Series 5 and Series 7 slates will have an 11.6-inch display, with the Series 7 having a resolution of 1920×1080 while the Series 5 reaches 1366×768. The Series 7 also comes out on top in terms of specifications, using an Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and a 12GB SSD for storage. The Series 5 gets 2GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD, but benefits from the two-watt Intel Atom processor giving it the ability to do without vents, and gains it a longer battery life of up to nine hours compared to the Series 7 achieving four to five after a full charge. Weight is also an advantage of the Series 5, it weighing 1.65 pounds while its more powerful sibling hits 1.89 pounds. The additional keyboard dock attaches with a metal hinge instead of magnets, decreasing the chance of accidentally separating the two sections.
Although not a slate, the Series 5 Ultra notebook retains its 13-inch screen with a resolution of 1366×768 and using Samsung’s 300-nit SuperBright technology. Weighing in at 3.83 pounds, it has a choice of processors, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard disk with 24GB ExpressCache for storage. All of the Series 5 and 7 releases have a Gigabit Ethernet connection, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. S Pen functionality also makes an appearance on the devices, with its 1,024 levels of sensitivity and built-in holder. All of the Windows 8 installations will contain the same Media Hubs found on Samsung’s Android-based systems, with AllShare, S-Launcher, and S Note all pre-installed.
Both tablets and the notebook will be released on October 26th, the Windows 8 ship date. The Series 5 Ultra will have two versions available, priced at $800 for an Intel Core i3 processor and $850 for a Core i5 instead. The slate version will also have two options, namely $750 for the tablet with the keyboard dock, or $650 without it. The Series 7 will cost $1,200.
