Samsung's ATIV Smart PC 500T: An Atom-Based Windows 8 Tablet

Features
By Andrew Ku
published

Samsung takes Intel's Atom Z2760 SoC, the full version of Windows 8, and builds a tablet that begs to stay connected to its docking station. Is this the combination of freedom, performance, and battery life we've been waiting for, or are we left wanting?

LCD Performance Analyzed

Subpixels on Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T

Between the thick LCD glass and the digitizer layer, we can't get a clear look at the screen's subpixels. However, there's enough definition for us to identify this as an IPS panel.

It's not just any IPS panel, though. Samsung uses the same SuperBright Plus Technology (SPT) that originally debuted on its Series 9 notebooks, and then the Series 7 11.6” Slate. Most IPS screens deliver around 300 nits of luminance, but SPT-enabled displays are purportedly capable of 400 nits without sacrificing 170o viewing angles.

Rendering ~48% of the AdobeRGB 1998 and ~67% of sRGB gamuts, Samsung's ATIV Smart PC 500T trails the company's Series 7 11.6” Slate, which is surprising considering that they both employ 11.6” SPT screens. Some improvements are apparent, though; we’re finally able to hit ~400 cd/m2 brightness, something the Series 7 11.6” Slate wasn't able to do.

Overall, the 500T's display is really crisp, due in large part to its ability to achieve a high brightness spec. Unfortunately, high-luminance IPS displays are usually handicapped when it comes to contrast ratio. As with most things though, you cannot generalize. The 13.3” Series 9 notebook's contrast ratio was a relatively weak ~689:1, whereas the Series 7 11.6” boasts ~1,136:1. Fortunately, the ATIV Smart PC 500T doesn't seem to have those issues, achieving a 1,220:1 contrast ratio, even besting Samsung’s previous Windows-based tablet.

Andrew Ku
42 Comments Comment from the forums
  • knowom
    Way overpriced would much rather just get a laptop.
    Reply
  • tanjo
    Too bad tablets can't get drunk and hook up; we'd love to see what the kids of Samsung's ATIV Smart PC 500T and Microsoft's Surface would look like.
    Don't know about the looks but they'd name it Samsoft.
    Reply
  • mayankleoboy1
    i wonder what a Surface with a Quad core Krait S4 would look like.
    Reply
  • DjEaZy
    ... An Atom-Based Windows 8 Tablet... two terrible things put together...
    Reply
  • hp79
    I got one of these from Staples for $600 when they first released it.
    The battery life is amazing for me. Probably due to that fact that I never blast the brightness because it'll hurt my eyes. I usually recharge the battery overnight, once in 1-3 days. It's like a cell phone (I actually charge my Galaxy Note every night), where it stays connected. Press the power button or standby in the Windows menu, and the screen turns off, but everything else is still going on in the background. I can listen to music and press the power button, and it's just like a smartphone. All this while sipping very little power.
    I can play movies on my 1080p TV using cheap hdmi cable, and after watching 4 hours of movies, it still has 60% battery left.

    I really like the digitizer too since I also use OneNote 2010 on my x230t, which gets synched on the xe500t's OneNote 2010.

    Because I don't have to worry about the battery life at all, sometimes I just keep it on, running a movie or something while working on my desktop or laptop.

    Now the bad things are obviously the slower CPU, and everywhere-glassy plastic feel.
    There are also bugs in the drivers where the touch interface often stops working, especially in Skype. There were several updates on the drivers and bios, but I think they better keep working on it.
    Reply
  • jonjonjon
    this is so ridiculous how bad ms screwed this up. windows 8 could not be more a disaster. why would you release a arm and intel x86 version of the same tablet? with that said why use arm at all. maybe i don't see ms's infinite wisdom. if i buy a windows tablet i'm expecting that i can run all my x86 programs on it. i would love to be in some ms management meetings i'm sure you could get some good laughs. poor ms i almost feel bad for them.
    Reply
  • demirci
    "72% of Nvidia's Tegra 3, and 92% of Qualcomm's S4 Pro"
    This is not correct according to the graph.
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    Talk to me when a tablet can run Crysis 3 on its highest settings. Then, I'll buy one. Then, the Desktop PC will be dead.
    Reply
  • killerclick
    Windows Vista had 2.2% after two months on the market.
    Windows 8 market share after two months - 1.65%, meaning it gained only 0.6% Nov 26 - Dec 26
    At the same time Windows 7 gained 0.4% to just over 45%.

    Metro is dead, it should be obvious even to Microsoft now.

    Reply
  • killerclick
    JOSHSKORNTalk to me when a tablet can run Crysis 3 on its highest settings. Then, I'll buy one. Then, the Desktop PC will be dead.
    No problem, they'll make Crysis 3 for Windows tablets, so it'll run exactly the same on the PC. It's what Microsoft is expecting devs to do with their apps.
    Reply