Finding a netbook with a decent-size screen is almost as difficult as finding one with a full-size keyboard. The Samsung NC20 (21GBK), however, is currently the only netbook that comes with both, and it's one of maybe three netbooks that house a 12-inch screen. Based on past experience with VIA processing parts, I figured those components in the NC20 (used instead of the common Intel Atom ones) were going to rain on its parade, but the system performed better than I expected. The only ostensible bump in the road is whether to spend a considerable premium over smaller netbooks like the ASUS EeePC 1000HE.
A netbook's proportions are usually dictated by the size of its screen. Since most netbooks have a 10-inch widescreen, a 12-inch widescreen will naturally increase the laptop's dimensions. The NC20 measures 11.5 by 8.5 by 1.2 inches (HWD), making it an inch wider and deeper than the ASUS EeePC 1000HE (10.3 by 7.3 by 1.1 inches) and the Samsung N110 (10.3 by 7.4 by 1.2 inches). The Dell Inspiron Mini 12, at 11.8 by 9 by 0.8 inches, sports dimensions similar to those of the NC20 but manages to decrease its thickness to less than an inch; its 2.7-pound chassis is noticeably lighter, too (the NC20 weighs 3.3 pounds). Granted, the Mini 12 was tested with a smaller, three-cell battery, but the lighter chassis is also a result of the design. The HP Pavilion dv2 (1030-us) is the heaviest of the 12-inch netbook bunch, tipping the scales at 3.8 pounds.
The NC20's design lacks imagination: The black shiny top is as bland as the ones on the ASUS 1000HE and the Samsung N110, and it picks up just as many fingerprints and smudges. At least the Mini 12 is available in an assortment of colors (the lighter shades do a better job of masking these imperfections). The dv2, meanwhile, has a similar smudge-magnet top, but it minimizes these effects in its interior by draping the palm rests with its signature pattern imprints.
All the design miscues can be overlooked as soon as you realize what you're getting in terms of screen size and typing experience. The 12-inch widescreen is a rare find on a netbook, and so is the 1,280-by-800 resolution. The Dell 12 and the HP dv2 are the only other netbooks that share these characteristics. In the rest of the netbook population, screen sizes range from 8.9 to 10 inches. A larger netbook screen means being able to view more tabs and scroll less often while Web surfing, fit in more spreadsheet columns, and run high-end programs like Adobe Photoshop (which requires a minimum resolution of 1,024-by-768).
The typing experience is arguably the NC20's most desirable feature, as the NC20 is the only 12-inch netbook that possesses a full-size keyboard. (The Dell 12 and the HP dv2 have 92 percent keyboards.) Two other smaller netbooks—the Samsung N120 (12PBK) and the forthcoming Acer 11.6-inch model—also have full-size boards. In my opinion, the NC20's superb typing experience has made it the 12-inch netbook to beat. Its mouse buttons and touchpad aren't the most responsive in the business, but they won't slow you down.
The NC20's features are the same ones found in most netbooks: three USB ports, VGA-out, Ethernet, and an SD card reader. The HP dv2, on the other hand, has the advantage here with an included HDMI-out port. The NC20 comes with a 160GB hard drive; by contrast, the dv2 features a 320GB hard drive. For wireless connectivity, the NC20 includes Atheros 802.11g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The rarely seen VIA parts may have seemed like a disadvantage, in that the Intel Atom is regarded as the speedier netbook processor, but you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in real-world tasks. I couldn't detect any lag with tasks such as surfing the Web, word processing, and watching videos. The VIA Nano U2250 is rated at 1.3 GHz, and you may see it listed as 1.3 GHz+. The plus sign, according to VIA, means that the processor runs consistently at 1.5 GHz but can throttle all the way down to 800 MHz to keep the system cool or when it's idling. Though SYSmark 2007 Preview tests failed to run, the NC20's video-encoding score fell behind that of the N120 (which runs an Atom N270) by only 26 seconds. The margin was wider, though, against the ASUS 1000HE and the HP dv2, trailing them by more than a minute. But, again, it's hard to notice the performance differences in real-world scenarios.
The differences are more evident in battery life. Even though the NC20's battery (66 Wh) is similar to that of the 1000HE (63 Wh) and the N110 (66 Wh), it didn't score as well on the MobileMark 2007 battery test. The NC20 scored 5 hours 40 minutes, almost an hour less than the 1000HE (6:36) and more than 2 hours less than the N110 (7:54). All signs indicate that the Atom is more energy efficient. Still, over 5 hours of battery life is generally a good thing.
Pricing for the Samsung NC20 (21GBK) falls between that of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 ($500) and the HP Pavilion dv2 ($750), and it's a considerable premium to pay over the ASUS 1000HE ($375). But what you get for this premium is a combination that's near impossible to find on a netbook at this point—a 12-inch widescreen and a full-size keyboard. These two features alone might just compel you to fork over the extra cash.
Check out the Samsung NC20 (21GBK)'s performance test results.
