Samsung intros new Q1 UMPCs, but there’s still one missing

Samsungq1ultrapremiumGottaBeMobile caught the Samsung press release that introduced two new UMPCs in the Q1 line. And by "new" I really mean "old models with slight tweaks". Have a look at what I mean:

  • Samsung took the Q1 Ultra (not Ultra Premium) running XP and added integrated HSDPA for the AT&T network. I thought I read the press release wrong because I can’t see why they would refresh the Ultra line that uses the older Intel A100 and A110 processors. Yet, my eyes aren’t deceiving me since the Samsung press release says "the model boasts the same specifications as the industry standard Q1 Ultra XP model launched in May of 2007". Somehow, I don’t see the $1,499 MSRP justified…
  • The Samsung Q1UP-V is something I believe we reported back in April: it takes the Q1 Ultra Premium that I have, runs with 2 GB of RAM and Vista Business. I took my Q1UP, carefully swapped in a 2 GB RAM module and installed Vista Ultimate for basically the same package; the only difference I see is that I have the Media Center functions. Samsung is expecting to sell these at $1,449, but I’m sure you can find the original Q1 Ultra Premium for less and then upgrade it yourself.

So not much "new" really, is there? And that reminds of the model that we should have seen, but didn’t yet. At CES 2008 back in January, Samsung reps told us that the Q1 Ultra Premium would see a unit with an SSD drive in the first quarter of the year. We’re now in the third quarter and all we’re seeing is minor refreshes that are priced too high. What’s even stranger to me is that Samsung themselves manufacture SSD drives. Am I missing something?

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