Samsung - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished ATIV Book 8 15.6" Touch-Screen Laptop - 8GB Memory - Bare Metal

I want to mention the issue I had with the first model I received and had to return. The battery would not hold a charge or accept a charge from the AC adapter. A glaringly obvious issue like this raises concerns for the quality of testing that earns products a "Geek Squad Certified Refurbished" label. However, the 1 year warranty offered gives me peace of mind for the replacement unit I received, and the return process was fairly straightforward. My decision to buy this notebook was based on months of researching many different options from different websites and PC manufacturers. This Samsung Ativ Book 8 offered the best balance of dedicated graphics, processor performance, RAM, touch screen, features, battery life, and capability to upgrade key components. I wouldn't say this notebook was inexpensive, but by comparison to similarly equipped laptops from Sony, Lenovo, HP, etc. it was an excellent value at $849. Best Buy's option to have 18 months to pay it off without interest played a role in my decision to buy this notebook as well. Key factors that make this an excellent computer for me are: - Backlit Keyboard (a must-have feature) 4 brightness settings, number pad, and key spacing/sensitivity are excellent. - 1080p Screen (very bright, great viewing angles and color accuracy) - Touch Screen (makes using Windows 8 more enjoyable). - Runs relatively cool and quiet under general use (there are many settings that can be changed to make this laptop run as you wish, and it will even run silently if you have a SSD installed). - Touchpad - this is one of the best-reviewed touchpads on a Windows computer, and I agree. - Build quality: Aluminum lid and inside panel, very solid, but with a plastic bottom panel. This computer has a very premium feel to it. By comparison to a similar HP, Dell, or Toshiba, it feels much more solid. - It's thin, but still quite heavy. I don't mind the weight, and it's still comfortable resting on your lap. - Performance: There are many websites that will provide far more detailed and objective information, but in my opinion this laptop is extremely fast, especially with a SSD swapped for the HDD. Cons: Speaker placement (if sitting in your lap, your legs will likely muffle the speakers. They do sound excellent reflected off of my glass desk, however. The status lights are hidden when the lid is closed, so you can't tell if the laptop is in standby or see if it's charging. The Samsung software included is minimal, but there were numerous failed installs of drivers that finally resolved after repeated attempts. Many other users complain about the automatic dimming keyboard and display. I have these features disabled and control their settings manually. Make sure you install all the newest drivers to prevent annoyances. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with this computer, and would definitely recommend it. I can't fully recommend the refurbished model, due to the inconsistency in the testing standards Best Buy Geek Squad employs.

I got this as a replacement for a WinXP netbook which was beginning to show age & limitations. Got a nice deal on a refurb Samsung so can't argue about price, display quality- seems to work well Essentially, the touch screen & Win8 stuff is a bit of a mystery but works well with my wifi, fast, & runs VirtualBoz/MS ofc applications well.

I bought a certified refurbished laptop but it was broken and needed to be repaired from the first day I got it. If it was suppose to be certified refurbished why did it come broken? The backlight key board did not light up which is a known issue with that and other similar models. If your going to back your products with a certified refurbished promise than make sure it works right.

bought it the second time after I had to return the first one as it was defective. But, this time it works great. The screen is very good and responsive. It needs a lot of updates which can take 2 days to complete. It is slim, very nice finish and backlit key board looks very elegant.

I bought this computer for my son , he loves it .Plays games and does homework on it

I just got this computer and I have been extremely impressed with it so far. The graphics during gaming are impeccable and are noticeably better than any of my previous computers. The touchscreen is very responsive and surprisingly accurate. It's great when you're tired of using a mouse and overall a nice feature. The only problem I have with this computer is that the laptop speakers are placed on the bottom of the laptop, thus rendering high quality sound useless when placed on a soft surface like a blanket. I have not been impressed by Windows 8 and I find it hard to maneuver in comparison to Windows 7 but I suppose I have to get used to it. In all, the components work well together and I have been very happy with my purchase.

This computer is very fast. The touch screen works like a tablet which decreases the time it takes to change from page to page.

I did at least an hour of research for our next laptop. This is what we decided to move forward with. We really like the keypad to the right. The speakers on the bottom isn't exciting. I'll place the laptop on the screen so that the bottom of the laptop will be more exposed, in order to project the sound when I want to listen to music. When double tapping the touchpad to move the scrollbar up and down, you have to wait a moment for the scroll bar to no longer be activated. That can be a little annoying. We anticipated it to go back and forth between multiple screens and programs faster than what it does. One thing that's annoying is the constant alerts saying that you have to update a proprietary app. The sound app, in particular, will not update. However, it'll always be one of the needed updates when the alert goes off. The visuals are great. The right click is something else that's annoying. Its not a separate button like in older, traditional laptops. Its essentially the right side of the touchpad. However, that doesn't always prove to be practical. There're many times when clicking on the right side of the touchpad, will not activate the right click function. That's annoying. Getting a screen protector like is a suggestion. That way touching the screen won't damage it. Sort of like getting a screen protector for touch screen smartphones.