Samsung rolls out stylish new "shark" SF laptop series for the ladies

Samsung continues to design laptops with the ladies in mind, with the company's new SF series offering a fin-like design, ivory-colored exterior, and the usual press shots of the notebooks being clutched by an attractive young woman.

That doesn't mean the three systems in the series (the 13.3-inch SF310, 14-inch SF410 and 15.6-inch SF510) have completely ignored performance for style. All come with Intel Core i3 or Core i5 processors and a switchable GPU solution that sounds an awful lot like Nvidia's Optimus technology, but isn't named as such. Everyday graphics tasks are handled by Intel's integrated graphics, while more taxing chores are covered by an Nvidia discrete card.

The SF series comes with a button on its "island" keyboard that Samsung claims will instantly connect you to an available wireless network, and you can charge portable devices using the USB ports without needing to turn the laptop on.

The new notebooks will be available "globally" in October, though there isn't official word on US availability and pricing. Engadget has confirmed that the SF510, with a Core i3 processor and 500GB hard drive, will be a Best Buy exclusive at $749.