Samsung Q1 Ultra $899 at Best Buy
Paul Prawdiuk found the Samsung Q1 Ultra is now only $899 at Best Buy. The Q1 Ultra is the latest model of the Q1 from Samsung and has some pretty decent specs for that price:
40GB hard drive (4200 rpm) - Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with 128MB shared video memory; dual array microphone, HD audio and 2 built-in 1.5W stereo speakers
- Point stick controls for easy navigation; AVStation Now 5.0 Multimedia Instant-On to enjoy music and video
- 2 high-speed USB 2.0 ports for fast digital video, audio and data transfer; also supports CompactFlash Type II
- Built-in high-speed wireless LAN (802.11b/g); built-in Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
- Weighs only 1.5 lbs. and measures just 0.9" thin for lightweight portability; lithium-ion battery; Q1 Ultra split-QWERTY keyboard utilizes the touch-screen feature for quick and easy typing (stylus included); optional keyboard attachment (not included)
- Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition operating system preinstalled; software package included with Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Easy Battery Manager, Adobe Acrobat Reader and more
Unless Samsung downgrades from Vista to XP, as your following article references, the Q1 is a waste of time, for most mainstream users.
A couple of problems/notes with this:
1) This is the Q1U EL model, which can be had for less elsewhere (and has no bluetooth or sd slot)
2) None of the Q1Us have a CF slot, I have no idea where that tidbit came from (maybe from the Q1 description)
3) The AVS software on the Q1U is not instant on – unlike the Q1, it just launches the OS, then the AVS application (which is pretty worthless).
With other A110 UMPCs coming out sub-1000 mark with decent feature sets, the heavily stripped EL is no longer much of a value (and my hands-on experience with one showed me that in never really was, due to other problems which are still being worked out).
That feature list came straight from the Best Buy page.
I found one other retailer that I would feel comfortable buying something expensive online that is selling this model for the same price.
This is not heavily stripped, it ships with the same or faster Intel processor and 1 GB of RAM that is as good as other devices. It may not have an SD slot nor BT (and it doesn’t claim to) but it’s not heavily stripped at that price.
I think the best thing is simply that a UMPC is being sold at a major retailer. One of the biggest complaints that many of us have is that there are very few places where one can go and SEE these devices.
Wasnt it always 899?
The original version was 600Mhz @ 799 I think.
This one doesnt have the Bluetooth.
Steve.
James: I realize, I wasn’t correcting you so much as Best Buy.
Compared to the other Q1U models, this one is really stripped. It doesn’t even have the volume buttons on the front or the cheap little slip case, which is just a senseless move, because it isn’t a cost saver. This is the kind of tactic typically intended to push you to the more expensive unit while claiming they have a cheap model. Also, because of the smaller HD you don’t get the backup software (for those who care).
Also, the wireless performance is miserable on 802.11g (at least some networks) – though that could be fixed with future Atheros drivers, it doesn’t work with any of the currently available drivers. There is also a chronic problem with the touchscreens malfunctioning, though that is something Samsung has supposedly found a fix for now. If you buy one now just be prepared that you may have to send it in for repairs in short order.
My suggestion, if you are going to get a Q1U, get the midrange XP model. You get a lot more in hardware features for the price and a smoother running machine.
Personally after my dealings with them I don’t trust Samsung any more, which is why I have a U810 on the way.
One last comment – as far as having a UMPC sold by a retailer goes, Best Buy has been selling Q1s for a while now. When I found out, I wondered why I had never seen one in the store with the laptops and desktops. So I decided to hunt around to find where the Q1 was sold in the store, and found it in the back of accessory area – under glass in a corner, and turned off (not even plugged in). It isn’t the sort of display that sells UMPCS, because it just looks like a chunky black brick. I think it will still be sometime before you see legitimate marketing of these units.
Best Buy has had this for months at this price you’ve been had.
This is the cheaper version with smaller hard drive, no bluetooth, no biometrics and no SD slot.
To follow up- It does have the 110 version chip at 800mhz and I’d buy it if it were $200 cheaper. I’ve been watching it for 2 months now waiting for a price opportunity but it hasn’t happened. I wouldn’t run Vista on it obviously but with XP and a SSD drive in it it would be quite an acceptable handheld.
Now all we need is a Leave JK Alone video.
It’s down to $749. I’m going to Best Buy tonight to check it out.
I was disappointed that it doesn’t have features that are shown on the Samsung site, such as camera, fingerprint reader, data cable, Sd slot. This is so misleading. I’ve had mine for 12 hours and will be Returning the unit this afternoon. I definitely is too slow running Windows Vista.
I know this is a little old, but I am happy to share that I picked up a cosmetically-perfect open-box Q1 Ultra @ Best Buy for $500. It would have been $570, but they had some leaks in their ceiling from hail damage, and I rushed to move some computer equipment when a new leak opened up. That was appreciated all around.
I thought long and hard about this model versus the BT+webcam one, and the price point was too good to pass up.