After my Inspiron died (may it rest peacefully), I embarked on a journey to obtain a new laptop to replace my old one.I was in search of a notebook that was able to run tons of software at once without lag and simultaneously browse the web with ease. Also, I had my eyes on various features (which I felt were important), notably an HDMI port, a sleek LED display, and awesome graphics card. After about a month of research and price-checking, I managed to find a really nice laptop in the Samsung Q430-11. What surprised me was that the quality of the notebook outmatched any of the previous laptops I have owned and it wasn't even a top competitor brand in the notebook market (i.e. Lenovo, Asus, Gateway, HP, Dell, etc.) The screen produces crisp images, reminds me of a mini HD screen. I'm able to play many 3D games fluidly, the i5 processor runs incredibly fast. This laptop is the laptop of my dreams (for a great price). The only downside is the lack of more USB ports (only has three), no Bluetooth or blu-ray drive. But that's totally fine with me, it more than makes up for what it lacks in performance and build quality. If you're looking for a solid laptop, this is it. Speed/Performance With an i-5 processor, the laptop runs exceptionally fast for it's line of computers.

ha-T

East Lansing, MI

When I first got my Samsung Q430, I wasn't very happy with the selection I made. The main reason was my internet wouldn't work in a lot of places. On top of that, I thought if I had to pay so much for it, I would at least hope that the internet would work. Even up to this day, I'm not able to use the internet at my girlfriend's house. However, at the time, it seemed like one of the better laptop's out there. However, 6 months later and they have better laptops for cheaper prices. However, its nice because it has a video card, it loads up fast, and is pretty fast overall. I like that its only 14 inches and is semi-light. Some cons: it freezes a lot when I first turn it on. The internet has gotten better but still gives me problems. Battery life isn't very long but I am never really away from a plug for that long. I don't really use it for a lot other than study, take notes, and the occasional video game, which is why I needed a graphics card.

DNIC

Sterling Heights, MI

I work at a large electronics retailer and I see laptop after laptop.  None had intrigued me as much as the Samsung Q430 did, the price point and all of the features inside the laptop were phenomenal.  After constantly playing with it, I finally broke down and bought it after my previous laptop was beginning to die.  I have never been happier with it! **Speed** The Q430 series that I got (the Q430-11) features an Intel i5 processor @ 2.4 GHz.  What does that mean?  It's a fast little bugger.  While it isn't the fastest processor available on the market, it is definitely an impressive one.  It is a quad core processor which means even faster processing power, and the new Intel processors feature something called hyper threading which allows each core to run two processes at a time without impairing performance. So basically, this laptop runs eight (normal) programs at one time without slowing down.  Bam! **Graphics** I love to play video games, and the Q430 has an Nvidia GeForce graphics card with a dedicated 512Mb.  Most gaming desktops have a dedicated 1Gb, so this isn't the best of the best, but most laptops come with integrated graphics or a smaller graphics card.  I am happy with it, and it runs the games I want to run. **Cosmetics** One of my favorite parts about this computer is that it is aluminum.  I will NEVER be able to go back to a plastic computer now.  It keeps the laptop cool and lightweight, and just simply feels better. The computer features a bright LED screen so it saves energy while being extremely clear.  My laptop screen is a better quality than my TV! It is small and sleek.  I'll go ahead and say it.  It is a *sexy* computer.  The island style keyboard is fantastic and the design and feel of the computer is amazing!   **Dislikes** The speakers flat out suck.  Unfortunately, it is aluminum so music often sounds like it is coming out of a tin can.  I'm a little bit of an audiophile so I have external speakers anyways, but on the go, it is headphones or nothing.  The battery case pops out relatively easy when you are handling it.   **Overall** I LOVE this computer.  The sound and the battery case can be annoying, but it doesn't take away from the price for all of this in a tiny package.  Most computers with all of these features come in heavy plastic cases and with a higher price point.  Samsung did this laptop almost perfectly! 

luxxray

Raleigh, NC

This laptop rocks! Everyone in my family has Macbooks. Not that I'm jealous, but they are very sleek sexy computers. For casual use (web browsing/ text editing) I'm always caught borrowing one of their laptops. The two downsides to Macs however is that they cost a fortune, and aren't nearly as powerful as they should be for the price. That's where this laptop comes into play. It's as light and sleek as any Macbook I've ever seen. And I don't have to sacrifice my favorite operating system to use it. My model even came with a backlit keyboard. That was the icing on the cake for me. It's really useful if you are a chronic nighttime worker like me. Right before bed I always get a moment of brilliance where I need to pull out my laptop and finish up a paper. Now I don't have to get out of bed to turn on the lights on! Also it's very pwoerful for what I paid for it. THe processing power and graphics are right on par with my cousin's Macbook pro, and she paid twice as much!

rizjuan1

Berkeley, CA

The Samsung Q430 is one of Samsung's first attempts at a mass market laptop. The laptop was executed very well and comes from a very reputable brand. The laptop is silver in color and it looks beautiful. The laptop is extremely light, which allows it to be portable, pefect for around the home or at the office. The keyboard on this laptop is particulary nice because it is spaced out well and doesn't require a large amount of force to push down on keys. This particular model is also very powerful. It is able to run multiple programs at the same time without running into problems. The webcam is also very nice because it has many editing options and has a crystal clear picture. The battery life is also very solid as it provides hours of enjoyment from the laptop. This model runs Windows 7 which runs very smoothly and doesn't slow the system down at all. Overall, this laptop provides a great value for the price paid.

jsquared8

Pleasanton, CA