Samsung RV520-W01 Laptop - Features and Images ($699.99 list, 4 stars)

Samsung RV520-W01 Laptop - Features and Images ($699.99)

The RV520-W01 inherits the chassis design from its predecessor, the Samsung RV511-A01 ($599.99 list, 4 stars). It's made entirely out of hard plastic, in contrast to the aluminum lids found on the HP dv6-6013cl and Lenovo V570-1066A9U. Still, it isn't as ordinary as the designs found in the Acer Aspire AS5742-6811 ($699.99 list, 4 stars) and Toshiba Satellite L655-S5161RDx ($699.99 list, 3.5 stars); the RV520-W01 sports a textured line pattern that adds depth to its silver lid. Compared with the 5.6-pound HP dv6-6013cl and 5.3-pound Toshiba L655-S5161RDx, the RV520-W01 makes a better travel companion, too, as its 5.2-pound frame is the lightest in this group. Wireless Display 2 (WiDi 2.0) and WiMAX are two of the most notable features, since they're not often found in budget laptops. With WiDi 2.0, you can stream content from the RV520-W01 to a larger flat panel without the use of a physical cable, with a wireless range of up to 50 feet. This is the second iteration of Wireless Display, which means the laptop can now stream 1080p video (without choking), as well as protected content from your DVD collection. A Netgear Push2TV receiver is required and a separate purchase, though. Think of WiMAX (or 4G wireless) as a Wi-Fi connection that blankets an entire city. There are more than 60 cities that have WixMAX towers erected, including New York and San Francisco, and monthly rates are cheaper than many home DSL packages. WiDi 2.0 and WiMAX can also be found in the Lenovo V570-1066A9U.