October 13, 2008 9:00 PM PDT

Samsung goes slim with X360, X460 laptops

by Michelle Thatcher

When Samsung announced the X360 earlier this year, we were jealous. Here was a 2.8-pound laptop with a 13.3-inch display, 1.2 inches at its thickest, that we were sure we'd never see in the United States. But with Samsung's entry into the U.S. laptop market, we now have a chance to get our hands on this MacBook Air competitor.

(Credit: Samsung)

Samsung is offering two fixed configurations of the X360: the $1,899 version has a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9300 processor and a 120GB hard drive, while the $2,499 version bumps it up to a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9400 processor and a 128GB solid-state drive. Both models include integrated Intel X4500 graphics, 4GB of 1,066MHz RAM, and an LED-backlit WXGA display.

Like the MacBook Air, the X360 lacks a built-in optical drive. But unlike the Air, the X360 is stocked with connections. In addition to 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, the X360 includes an Ethernet port plus an ExpressCard slot, three USB 2.0 ports, VGA- and HDMI-out, headphone and microphone jacks, a seven-in-one memory card reader, and a connector for a docking station.

Even with all that, it's still amazingly thin and lightweight; when we picked it up, we could hardly believe we were holding a fully functioning computer. If the X360's six-cell battery provides the 10 hours of battery life that Samsung claims, it'll be a winner for frequent-flyers who like to travel light.

Though it's certainly eye-catching, the X360 isn't the only laptop in Samsung's X series. The 14.1-inch X460 offers a slightly larger 14.1-inch screen, discrete graphics, and an optical drive in a 4.0-pound package. As with the X360, there will be two configurations of the X460: a $1,699 version includes a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor and a 250GB hard drive, while a $1,799 version is built on a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor and 320GB hard drive. Both models include 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9200M GS graphics, 4GB of 1,066MHz RAM, and a built-in DVD burner; the X460's ports and connections match those of the X360.

Both the X360 and X460 will be available by mid-November at such online retailers as NewEgg, Buy.com, CDW, and Amazon.

Michelle Thatcher has been reviewing technology products for nearly a decade. Her current focus is laptop reviews, with some kitchen gadgetry and Web 2.0 thrown in for good measure.