I'm surprised it hasn't been said already (maybe because of budget) but if you can find one in your budget range, Fuji is currently making an unbeatable range of mirrorless cameras.
If it's not in the picture, then I'd go with Sony (who makes some of the best lenses available).
I, for one, applaud the decision to forgo the DSLR for something a little different and something that is really a lot more well suited to most people's needs. Whatever you choose, choose the highest quality build with what "feels right" to you. If it were me, I would avoid Samsung and stick with the Fuji/Sony/Olympus field of things, but if you think the Samsung meets all your needs then I can't personally fault you on it.
I have an X-Pro, and the wife has a high end Sony point-and-shoot. It's a great combo together. Look at the images produced by each camera with similar lenses, and see how you like the quality and colouring of the images. Regardless, it sounds like you're going to pick up a great camera.
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