Samsung Series 7 Gamer laptop goes on sale in the US for $1,900
Who could forget that marigold yellow gaming laptop sitting around Samsung's booth at CES? Though the Series 7 Gamer has been available in Europe since last fall, the company decided to wait until Intel made its big Ivy Bridge reveal before introducing its first gaming laptop here in the states. Now that those chips are starting to ship, the Series 7 Gamer is at last on sale here in the US, available in a single configuration that'll set you back $1,900. (Sorry, folks, it will only be sold in black.) Though that price is slightly higher than the estimate we heard four months ago, the specs are also beefier than we were expecting. For the money, you'll get a 2.3GHz i7-3610QM Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX675M GPU, a 1.5TB 7,200RPM hard drive and a 400-nit, 17.3-inch, 1080p display. Like that other Series 7 laptop we reviewed recently, that HDD is paired with 8GB of flash memory to help cut start-up and application launch times. At its best, the battery is rated to last 3.7 hours -- not bad for a 13.34 8.39-pound system -- and you can exert some control over the runtime by selecting from one of four power modes using an analog dial. All the major e-tailers like Amazon and NewEgg will carry it, and feel free to revisit our hands-on from CES if you need a few close-up shots to jog your memory.
Update: Though the press material Samsung sent to reporters listed the weight as 13.34 pounds, the product page below says it weighs 8.39 pounds, which sounds far more likely, if you ask us.
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SAMSUNG INTRODUCES SERIES 7 GAMER, THE ULTIMATE GAMING LAPTOP
Unique Mode-Changing Dial, 17-inch Full HD LCD Display and Top-of-the-Line Components Result in the Optimal PC Gaming Experience
RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., May 1, 2012 – Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, today announced the Samsung Series 7 Gamer, the ultimate laptop for gaming enthusiasts. Designed with feedback from passionate PC gamers in mind, the Series 7 Gamer features a 17.3-inch full HD LCD display, high quality Dolby® Home Theater® surround sound, rich NVIDIA® Geforce® graphics and a 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor, as well as a unique dial that allows users to easily transition between four modes for maximum performance at all times.
"The Series 7 Gamer offers all the elements of a high-powered gaming machine with the convenience of the mode-changing dial, which enables you to switch off components in order to save power and have a quieter experience when you're using it as a more traditional laptop," said Todd Bouman, vice president of marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "When the product is in gaming mode, it takes the experience to the next level by optimizing the graphics and sound, turning on a pulsating light in the speakers and highlighting the gaming keys in red, which truly allows users to immerse themselves in a game."
Dial it Up for Optimized Gaming Performance
The Series 7 Gamer features a unique dial enabling users to switch between four modes optimized for the key major use cases:
1. Gaming Mode – When in gaming mode, a distinctive graphic appears on the screen identifying the active mode. The main gaming keys are highlighted on the keyboard in red, and a light is turned on around the speakers, which pulsates to match the game's sounds. The Windows® key and touchpad are disabled when a game is inserted, eliminating the possibility of accidentally hitting the wrong part of the keyboard while playing. The keyboard also features ergonomic u-shaped key caps, a 2.7mm keystroke and separated arrow keys, enabling you to engage in rapid play with minimal errors.
2. General Mode – In this mode, the laptop is optimized for regular computing tasks, such as web surfing, Microsoft® Office computing and photo viewing.
3. Quiet Mode – In quiet mode, sounds are disabled and the fan is turned off to result in a quieter experience.
4. Power Saver Mode – To save battery life, only the most critical parts of the processor are running when the laptop is in this mode.
The four distinctive modes of the Series 7 Gamer ensure that the laptop is easy-to-use and meets users' unique needs in almost all situations.
Rich Audio Visual Experience
The Series 7 Gamer provides a rich, immersive audio and visual experience, enabling users to truly submerge themselves in a game. When in gaming mode, top-of-the-line Dolby® Home Theater®v4 speakers are enabled to provide high quality cinematic surround sound, while the Gamer's subwoofer allows users to turn up the volume as loud as they'd like with minimal distortion. This audio integration results in not only an outstanding gaming experience, but optimal listening for music and movies as well.
The Series 7 Gamer also offers a premium visual experience. The 17.3-inch next-generation full HD (1920x1080) high-resolution LCD display features Samsung SuperBright™ technology, for a brilliant 400-nit screen (up to 50% brighter than traditional PCs) and a stunning range of color (up to 16 million), allowing users to experience all of the vibrant colors and visuals intended by the game developers.
The gaming experience is further enhanced by the inclusion of NVIDIA® Geforce® GTX675M graphics, resulting in unprecedented quality, virtually flawless playback, and supercharged performance, no matter how fast the game's action.
High Performance Computing
Powered by a 3rd generation Intel® core™ i7 processor, the Series 7 Gamer delivers unrivalled speed right from the start, resulting not only in high-performance gaming, but faster multitasking, Internet browsing. Through Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0.1 users can also access an automatic burst of speed whenever they need it.
With 16GB of memory and a 1.5 terabyte 7200RPM hard drive,*** Series 7 Gamer users don't need to compromise when it comes to computing power. While in gaming mode, the laptop's CPU is turbo-cooled to keep it working at full speed, enabling you to play faster without worrying about your computer's ability to keep up.
The Series 7 Gamer also offers rapid start-up times and better overall performance, including faster application launches and web browsing speeds that are up to twice as fast (using Microsoft Internet Explorer), thanks to its innovative ExpressCache™ technology, developed by Diskeeper, which provides 8GB of flash memory on the motherboard. Additionally, the inclusion of Samsung's FastStart technology means that the laptop wakes up from hybrid sleep mode in as little as just two seconds, while Quick Boot has the notebook ready to go – from cold – in as little as just 19 seconds, allowing you to boot up your favorite game nearly instantly.
Signature Samsung Technology
Samsung's Support Center ensures all content stays safe and can help troubleshoot any particular problem. Accessible with a keyboard shortcut, the Support Center helps users manage their system settings or arrange for a tech-support web chat. Samsung's Back-up & Recovery Solution also allows users to create and restore back-ups of system data on the device, or on a network or removable storage device.
The Samsung Series 7 Gamer is available now and will retail for $1,899.99 MSRP. All Samsung mobile PC products are available through Samsung resellers and distribution channels including Amazon, Newegg and TigerDirect. For a full list of retailers, call 1-800-SAMSUNG or visit www.samsung.com.
