Samsung Series 7 Slate

May 25, 2012
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Tablet PC Reviews
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3 Comments

The Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A02US 11.6-Inch Slate is the best Windows tablet on the market today.

While it’s priced higher than many of its competitors, users are rewarded with the fastest performance and cleanest visuals we’ve ever seen. Today, we’re publishing our long-anticipated Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A02US 11.6-Inch Slate review

PRICE ALERT: Amazon has JUST put the Samsung Series 7 Slate on sale for $949.99 (normally $1100)

Here are just a few of the reasons why we have fallen in love with the Series 7 Slate.

Pros:

Faster than any other Windows tablet on the market
Crisp visuals on a large, high-resolution screen
Good, reliable hardware
Durable
Lots of storage space
Fair price
Can upgrade to Windows 8
Accessories can turn it into a mobile workstation

Cons:

Outside the budget of some consumers

Performance power

If you’re looking for a tablet that can load applications within a fraction of a second and browse the internet with ease, then the Samsung Series 7 Slate will impress you every single day. Before testing out the Slate, I knew it was fast. However, once I actually got my hands on it, it blew past my wildest expectations.

Why is the Samsung Series 7 Slate so fast? Well, powering the whole tablet is an Intel Core i5 Processor 2467M with 1.6GHz of processing power. As you may or may not know, the Core i5 is basically the most popular CPU on the market today. I use it in my gaming PC, but the i5 is particularly good on mobile devices because it uses a minimal amount of battery power while providing superior processing performance.

Another secret to the Slate’s performance is its Solid State Drive, or SSD. This isn’t your traditional data storage device that you can find on an ordinary computer. Instead, an SSD uses magnetic imaging to access data in a fraction of the time it would take any other device. The tablet starts up within a few milliseconds and navigation is so smooth. Oh, and did I mention the SSD is 128GB in size?

samsung slate Samsung Series 7 Slate

Once you click on an application, it starts up right away. There is no delay. Even on other higher-end tablets, there tends to be hiccups and slowdowns when switching between apps. I don’t notice any of these slowdowns on the Series 7 Slate. That’s how tablet computing should be, and it’s one of many reasons why the Samsung Series 7 Slate is so fun to use.

Rounding out the technical specifications of the Samsung Series 7 Slate is an impressive 4GB of RAM. Since many of today’s tablet computers use only 2GB or even 1GB of RAM, this difference gives the Slate a noticeable performance boost.

At these specs, this tablet is very similar to the MacBook Air in terms of performance power. However, unlike the MacBook air, the Slate will actually last for more than a year.

11.6 inch screen at a high resolution

I can’t believe the screen on this thing. It’s larger and crisper than an iPad and has the best visuals I’ve ever seen. It uses something called a “Superbright Plus Display”, which allows colors to be displayed in extremely crisp detail.

It also uses the Intel HD 3000 graphics card to handle visual data, which is a very reliable chipset. If you’ve ever seen or used an iPad screen and were impressed by the visuals, then you’ll be even more amazed at the Slate’s crisp, high-quality 11.6 inch screen. It’s noticeably better.

Stylish exterior

The Samsung Series 7 Slate has one of the most attractive exteriors on the market today. The crisp Samsung logo on the back is very slick looking and the entire case is polished nicely.

The case is also very light. Weighing in at only 1.9 pounds, the Slate is noticeably lighter than most laptops. While there are certainly lighter tablets out there, none of them are as powerful as the Slate.

2649 Samsung Tablet Facing Left Samsung Series 7 Slate

While a tablet’s external appearance is nice, it’s not the most important thing to me. What I really like about the Series 7 Slate’s case is how strong it feels. I’m sick of paying hundreds of dollars for electronics only to find them packaged in cheap plastic. With the Slate, this isn’t a problem. It just feels sturdy. And, because of this durability, very few customers have had problems with their Slate.

Windows 7 software

Windows 7 is the safest operating system in the world. Microsoft is committed to providing frequent security updates and, as such, it’s pretty tough to screw up your Series 7 Slate with malware – even if you’re trying.

On tablets like the Slate, Windows 7 is also very fast and battery friendly. It doesn’t suck up a lot of power, and it handles the download, installation, and customization of apps with ease. If you’ve had trouble with other operating systems, or you simply want to stick to what’s familiar, then Slate’s Windows 7 operating system will keep you happy.

Of course, if you’re not happy with Windows 7, then Windows 8 is very easy to install. The Windows 8 consumer preview is now available for a free download, and installing it on your Slate opens up a whole new world of functionality.

Battery life

Because of its incredibly fast performance, you would be excused for thinking that the Slate has poor battery life. After all, that raw power has to come from somewhere, right? In fact, the Slate has an average charge of 7 hours. Even after using it for several months, my charging power has not yet diminished, which is something I’ve seen happen with other electronics.

Accessories!

samsung series 7 slate 580x348 Samsung Series 7 Slate

Everybody loves accessories. If you want to get the most out of your Slate, then you’ll want to pick up a few accessories before you check out. You should definitely consider getting a dock as well as a wireless Bluetooth keyboard. If you’re going to be doing a lot of typing on your tablet, or if you’re using it as a portable workstations, then these accessories are must-haves.

Buy Samsung Series 7 Slate PC Dock here

Buy Samsung Series 7 Bluetooth Compact Wireless Keyboard here

More affordable than you think

At $1,199.99, the Samsung Slate is on the higher end of the tablet market. This might cause some people to turn towards more affordable solutions, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. However, if you take a closer look at the Slate’s price, you’ll realize it’s not bad at all.

In fact, by spending a few extra dollars on the Slate today, you can actually save money in the long run. Because of the Slate’s incredible performance, massive hard drive, and high-quality manufacturing, it’s not going to break down any time soon. It’s going to be a fast tablet for years into the future.

So, while your friends may go through several lower-end tablet PCs over the next few years, you can stick with your trusty Slate. Would you rather be forced to upgrade your tablet every year and a half? Or would you prefer to spend a little extra today to get a lot more in return?

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A02US 11.6-Inch Slate is the best Windows tablet on the market by a long shot. Due to its attractive mixture of performance, style, and attractive visuals, we highly recommend the Samsung Series 7 Slate.

Whether you’re buying your first tablet PC or your 2^nd or 3^rd, the Series 7 Slate is designed to last.

To order your Samsung Series 7 Slate today, click here. Amazon has it on sale for a limited time for only $1,199.99

Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A02US Slate Technical Specifications: