Samsung Series 5 Slim – Trinity-flavored Portability

Design And Features

Not Exactly An Ultrabook...

There are Ultrabooks, and then there are notebooks in ultra-slim and ultra-light designs borne out of the dawn of the Ultrabook. The Samsung Series 5 Slim is one of them, bearing dimensions that approximate that of an Ultrabook, but hosting internals based on the mobile flavor of the fancied AMD Trinity platform. Oh, and it’s much more affordable, coming with a sub-PhP 30,000 price tag, which makes it more accessible to a wider audience. How will the difference in internal specifications and core components make an impact in terms of system performance and overall product value? Let’s find out in this review.

Physically, the Series 5 Slim shares the same aluminum chassis with the 13-inch version of the Samsung Series 5 Ultra, which we have also reviewed here. Unlike the Series 5 Ultra which comes in a more serious dark silver color scheme, the Series 5 Slim is available in mocha and pink color variants, making it appealing to a wider range of user profiles, including ladies and the more individualistic youth.

That said, the Series 5 Slim offers the same comprehensive selection of ports as the Series 5 Ultra, i.e. two USB 2.0, one USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, the nifty protractable Ethernet port, mic-in/headphone-out jack, and a memory card reader. This keeps the Series 5 Slim ready and flexible, connectivity-wise, which is always an advantage whenever productivity is a concern.

Also similar to the earlier Series 5 Ultra, the Series 5 Slim's chiclet keyboard and traditional trackpad designs (as opposed to the clickpad that is becoming more common on new notebook models) have been retained. Both are responsive and pleasant to use. 

Next: Specifications, Performance, and Conclusion