Samsung Series 7 11.6" Slate: Breathing New Life Into Tablet PCs

By Andrew Ku
published

Tablet PCs are a dying breed, and Windows 8 is still at least a year away. Until we see what Microsoft's next operating system has to offer, one tablet PC shows us why this form factor is still a winner. Samsung's Series 7 11.6" Slate breaks the mold.

Docking Station: Forget Your Desktop

Slate Dock/Cradle

The Series 7 11.6" Slate only comes with a single USB port, making it impossible to simultaneously use a wireless mouse while transferring files from your thumb drive.

Samsung's minimalistic approach really emphasizes a more mobile approach, though. So, if your purpose is to replace a desktop, you also need the company's docking station ($100). Its connectivity package is fairly minimalistic, including a headphone jack, a power port, Ethernet, HDMI output, and a single USB 2.0 port. However, it offers a simple and convenient way to expand connectivity and prop up the screen without imposing a mess of cables.

Andrew Ku
49 Comments Comment from the forums
  • g-unit1111
    Do. Want. Finally - a tablet that doesn't require a proprietary operating system that needs 1,000,000,000 apps for every website on the internet in order to function properly. It has an SSD and not flash memory. It has a real working version of Windows - with a great interface on top of it. This looks like a tablet I can get behind.
    Reply
  • A very nice tablet! Hoping that ivy bridge will allow faster processers without creating too much heat and saving battery. I'm really looking into getting a tablet in the future to replace my notebook and this looks is very reassuring that things are improving :P.
    Reply
  • friskiest
    A5 vs SB,. hehehe (grinning :D)
    Reply
  • sereng3ti
    The first sentence of this article told me all I needed to know.
    Reply
  • What about the digitizer? I appreciate the comparisons to the Asus EEE Slate, but that has a 256-level pressure sensitive wacom digitizer on top of the screen. And no mention of it or what is on this device?
    Reply
  • joytech22
    Yay finally, I saw this in shops around a month ago and wonder when tom's would cover it. :p
    Reply
  • Gamer-girl
    The UI makes it seem like a smartphone. You keep mentioning the pen but there is no comparison? Does it have palm rejection?
    Reply
  • theuniquegamer
    Instead of current sandybridge (i.e hd 3000) the should give an amd llano which has a better gpu or the ivy bridge mobile cpus (which is with hd 4000 gpu) and a lower TDP.
    Reply
  • alyoshka
    Isn't it a little steep for a 1000$....??? After all it's a Samsung, 11.6Inch Tab.......
    I think it'd be a lot more wiser to buy a laptop for that price and get a much more efficient and powerful piece of tech.
    Reply
  • alyoshka
    I would have given the Note from Samsung a thought had it had 7.5 installed on it..... but again..... it's a samsung.....
    Reply