Review If you’re left confused by the extraordinary popularity of netbooks, but still want a decent laptop without spending a fortune, Samsung’s Q310 has you squarely in its sights. At under £700, it’s fast, packed with features and the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen – at least that’s what Samsung would have you believe.

Samsung appears totally obsessed with looks these days. Admittedly, the Q310’s shiny black chassis is eye-catching, but we have to disagree with Samsung when it comes to the nasty splatter of red along the bottom lip. Apparently, it’s a “deep rose red infusion” that helps gives the laptop “an aura of excellence and sophistication”.

Of course it is. When we first picked the laptop up we detected aura of cheap plastic that creaks all too easily in the hands.

Samsung's Q310: more kinda-portable than ultra-portable

It’s something of a miracle, then, that Samsung has opted for functionality over style with the keyboard – we half expected the keys to be made of the same glossy black plastic as the chassis. Thankfully, they have a textured finish and a good amount of travel. Our only complaint with the keyboard is that it flexes a little too much under pressure.

Port placement on the Q310 could be better. Two of the three USB ports are stuck round the back, making them difficult to access. They’re also stacked, so if you plug a bulky TV tuner into one, the other will be obstructed. On the plus side, the power and Gigabit Ethernet ports are also on the back, which helps keep wires out of the way.

The keyboard demonstrates functionality over style