11.6-inch Samsung Series 9 Notebook to Cost $1,199, to Rival the MacBook Air in Pricing Too?

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Samsung launched its Series 9 line of ultra-portable, MacBook Air-like notebooks at CES 2011 and it looks like we now have pricing details for both the 11.6- and the 13.3-inch models. Actually we already knew the bigger laptop will cost you $1,649, but starting today we can tell those of you that will want the smaller device that the 11.6-inch machine is also pretty expensive, at $1,199.

These prices tags certainly go head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air pricing scheme. In fact Apple’s 11.6-inch notebooks cost either $999 or $1,199, while the 13.3-inch Airs are priced starting at $1,299 and $1,599. In light of these numbers the Series 9 seems a little too expensive for our taste. Not to mention that the Air is already more than popular with the crowds and a more expensive rival will not convince consumers to ignore Apple’s slimmest computer.

We’re definitely used to see Apple sell overpriced devices, from iPods to iPhones to Macs, both notebooks and desktops. But the Cupertino-based manufacturer kept lowering its prices, although it kept them pretty high.

On comparison Microsoft tried to counter Apple’s Mac growing popularity by issuing a series of commercials in which it was advertising cheap Windows-powered machines that would offer the same hardware specs, and therefore similar functionality as their Apple-made counterparts.

So where does the Series 9 stand? It’s not a Sony Vaio, another line of computers, also Windows-based, which we’re used to see priced above its competitors and it’s not a Mac. So why should we pay more for a Windows 7 PC that’s going to be just as good as any other Windows 7 laptops? Sure it’s smaller, looks great and I bet it works more than great, but is Samsung really prepared to turn us off with this pricing structure?

The 11.6-inch machine is definitely impressive, we won’t argue against that, but, again, would you pay $1,199 for a machine that’s made of duralumin, is awfully slim and runs Windows? Let’s hear it from you, Apple fans, and Apple haters. What would you choose? The Samsung Series 9 or the Apple MacBook Air?