Samsung's included software is unobtrusive, and even handy. Rather than a ton of I-didn't-ask-for-that apps, you'll find only some Norton trialware, Skype, Cyberlink YouCam, and Samsung's suite of apps. The Eco Mode software from Samsung is worth calling attention to. It gives you control over basic power management features (which wireless features to enable, when to dim the display, when to put the computer to sleep, etc.), but it presents these options with ecologically-minded names. "Nature Conservation" is the low-power mode. "Energy Saving" is sort of the middle ground, and "Work-Nature Balanced" is the least aggressive mode. While this software doesn't present any options you can't configure with Windows' basic power options, it does show you the current total watts used for the system and the total number of grams of CO2 emissions that power represents. I have no idea how Samsung computes this, because actual CO2 emissions from power use vary widely depending on how you get your electricity. Still, it's a neat idea.

There are a few other features worth calling out. I love the Silent Mode toggle on the F11 key, which kills the fans entirely at the expense of the laptop getting a bit warmer. Intel's Wi-Di wireless display tech is supported, making it easy to play content on your TV if you happen to have a Wi-Di enabled set top box or HDTV. While the Series 3 doesn't exhibit the polish and craftsmanship of the Series 9, and doesn't have the sort of really high-quality display we're used to seeing from Samsung, it still reaches above our typical expectations for laptops of this size, weight, and price. If you want a highly portable laptop and don't have a big budget, you could do a lot worse.