Samsung continues the trend of making lower-end versions of its flagship devices that started from smartphones (Galaxy S3 Mini and S4 Mini) and now to ultrabooks. We previously heard both Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus and its downgraded sibling, Book 9 Lite,back in June during Samsung’s Premiere 2013 event. Today, we’re going to have a closer look on the ATIVBook 9 Lite’s features and compare it with the high-end Book 9 Plus.
Besides the glaring difference in price tag, the Book 9 Lite has a much cheaper build than the Plus version. The former is made of plastic while the Plus has aluminum exterior. Both devices have similar appearances down to weight and exterior measurements which probably provide Lite owners a sense of pride to carry this gizmo around.
However, specifications can’t lie. The Book 9 Lite utilizes AMD processor (quad-core 1.4GHz chip) instead of Haswell chips found on Book 9 Plus. The Lite version has a 13.3-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 4GB RAM (instead of 8GB), AMD Radeon 8250, 128GB SSD storage, USB 2.0/3.0 ports, HDMI, audio jack, mini-VGA, 5,880mAh battery and a bunch of Samsung-branded apps.
One obvious issue is battery life. Book 9 Lite’s power hungry system cuts down battery life after just over 4 hours of use unlike the Book 9 Plus with 8 hours. On the plus side, you get a gorgeous-looking (even though its made from plastic), affordable machine; but on the negative, you have sluggish performance and poor battery life. The Book 9 Lite will be available in several different colors with either a touch / non-touch version for $800. The Book 9 Plus is priced at $1400.
Budget consumers searching for affordable ultrabook-like device can certainly go for the ATIV Book 9 Plus but don’t be surprised if you are not satisfied with its overall performance. Of course, since Black Friday shopping spree is just around the corner, you may opt for other models providing good performance at a better price.
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