Samsung Series 9 Proves to Be a Laptop Worth Renting

There’s no doubt that with Death’s chilly hand upon his spine, Steve Jobs feels his end approaching. And no doubt, he recognizes that it may very well be the last time he’ll be able to leave his mark on the world. As such, we’ve seen a glut of innovation – the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad… and then the new, lightweight MacBook Air.

But with great endeavors come great competition – and such is the burden of capitalism.

Samsung, usually considered a television slash mobile device manufacturer, has stepped up to the plate and challenged Apple’s dominance in the lightweight laptop market.

And the laptop rental industry will never be the same.

For the first time, we will need to start stocking Samsung products that aren’t just monitors or digital signage displays. While we can thank Mr. Jobs for this changing landscape, we’ll be carrying his competitors’ models right alongside those manufactured by his own company.

The Samsung Series 9 looks almost comical when you first catch sight of it – like a toy computer missing its guts. My initial reaction was: “Where’s the meat and potatoes?!”

But this fancy-schmancy “ultraportable” laptop isn’t a toy – and it’s certainly not on a diet, at least where performance is concerned.

Laptopmag.com did a full review of the Samsung Series 9 and shared its findings with the blogosphere. K.T. Bradford, the staff writer, made the same comparison to Steve Jobs that I did – but in Bradford’s opinion, the Series 9 is definitely a potential (MacBook) “Air killer.”

Bradford said, “With its sleek and strong design, ultra-bright display, excellent keyboard and touchpad, and fast performance, the Samsung Series 9 is one of the most compelling premium ultra-portables we've tested.”

Engadget’s editors also bestowed some high praise upon the Samsung Series 9, declaring: “Finally! The Series 9 gets right what so many other ultra-thin PCs have repeatedly gotten wrong.”

Between both reviews, it’s easy to determine that the Series 9 is a notebook worth reckoning with. The biggest complaint from each of these publications was the start-up expense. The Series 9 packs a $1,600+ price tag.

That’s why we offer MacBook Airs, Samsung Series 9s and other laptops for businesses to rent. So they can get the technology and the performance they need – but only when they need it.