Product Listing

Samsung RF510 - A Fleeting Workhorse

By Andy Sim & Aloysius Low - 1 Feb 2011
Launch SRP: S$1999

Simply Dark

Stylishly Simple But Amply Endowed 

Gazing at the RF510, we experienced an unexpected sense of dejavu since it reminds us somewhat of the LG R590 we've reviewed recently. At first sight, Samsung's RF510 might appear to wear an unassuming and glossy lid. But on closer inspection, however, a subtle black radial pattern becomes visible in the middle of the notebook's shell. If fingerprint magnets aren't your thing, you might want to cast your cross-hairs on the Dell XPS 15 instead which sports a matte metallic cover. The RF510's lid exhibits little flex, meaning it can take a decent amount of stress handling. Like its predecessors, Samsung's signature silver logo is placed at the side, as opposed to central placements typical of notebook brands such as HP and Acer.

With a black outfit and chrome hinges, Samsung's RF510 striking resemblance to the LG R590 is rather uncanny. Something to do with their Korean lineage perhaps? On the other hand, Samsung's notebook does sport a faint radial pattern on its lid to distinguish itself from its competitor.

As a business or multimedia machine, the RF510 offers more than the average horde with a total of four USB ports and a single HDMI connection. The dual-layer optical drive can be found on the notebook's right, along with two USB 3.0 ports characterized by blue plastic 'strips'.  Theoretically, transfer speed for the new USB iteration is approximately ten times faster than USB 2.0. On the flip side, users of the ExpressCard slot will not find any on the RF510. Noticeably, the laptop's side profile is nowhere as skinny as Samsung's upcoming "9 Series". Its 37mm girth is slim enough to fit into your notebook bag, but thankfully, not fat enough to embarrass you. Also noted was a front-facing SD card slot which makes it easy for quick access. The remaining IO ports are aligned on the left, such as the Ethernet, HDMI and audio jacks. Packing a solid heft, the RF510 tips the scales at 2.6kg although we would appreciate the machine a little more if it was a few hundred grams lighter. 

 Although USB 3.0 peripherals aren't too widespread at this stage, it's good to know that Samsung has future-proofed its hardware with two USB 3.0 slots apart from its USB 2.0 offerings. Unfortunately, the RF510 does not feature a Blu-ray drive despite its industrious components.

 The RF510 features all the basic connectivity you need on its left flank, including a HDMI slot if you prefer to enjoy HD content on a larger screen. Its Gigabit Ethernet port is powered by the Marvell Yukon network driver, while the USB 2.0 port (closer to the audio jacks) allows for "sleep charging" of USB devices.

The four status LEDs remain visible with the lid closed. Right below them sits a 4-in-1 card reader, protected by a slot-in dust cover. Operationally, this notebook is as quiet as a mouse.

 Behold! Two RAM modules (4GB+2GB) which gives you a glorious 6GB memory in total. That shiny thing hides the laptop's 500GB hard drive, which sadly, offers a slower 5400rpm spin rate compared to 7200rpm iterations often found on desktop systems.

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7.5
  • Design 7.5
  • Features 8
  • Performance 8
  • Value 7.5
  • Mobility 7
The Good
Decent Performance
Spacious & Responsive Touchpad
Excellent Keyboard
The Bad
Poor Battery Life
Expensive For Its Class
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