Although Samsung has stopped selling laptops in Europe since 2014, the company still did so in other parts of the world. The most important news from the laptop announcement at MWC is that the new laptops that Samsung announces today will be for sale again in the Netherlands. Samsung laptops are back and we have already briefly tried the new Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro and Book2 Pro.
After a years of absence from the European laptop market Samsung announced today that they will start supplying laptops in Europe again. Samsung releases various models, including the Galaxy Book2 Pro and the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, which we were able to take a look at briefly.
The Galaxy Book2 Pro is a normal laptop that comes in a 13.3 and 15.6 inch version while the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is a foldable convertible laptop that also comes in a 13.3 and 15.6 inch version on the market comes. Samsung will initially release one configuration of every laptop in the Netherlands and all four of these laptops will have the same configuration. The laptops contain a twelfth-generation Core i7 processor in combination with 16 GB of RAM and an m.2 SSD with a storage capacity of 512 GB. The Galaxy Book2 Pro models will be available in silver/white or anthracite, while the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 models will be available in silver/white, anthracite and burgundy (burgundy).
Galaxy Book2 Pro
Both versions of the Galaxy Book2 Pro are thin and, above all, light laptops. The 13.3 inch model weighs 870 grams while the 15.6 inch model weighs only 1.11 kilograms. Samsung has opted for an aluminum housing. The aluminum looks nice, but the anthracite version is very sensitive to fingerprints, despite the fact that it has a special coating, according to Samsung. The white version did not suffer from fingerprints.
The housing feels firm in the palm area, so the keyboard does not bounce when you tap the laptop. Unfortunately, the screen lid is just a bit too thin for my taste, the screen can easily be twisted. For a thin and light laptop, the Galaxy Book2 Pro has a striking number of connections. Not only do you get twice USB-C (with 1x Thunderbolt 4), but there is also a USB-a port, HDMI, headphone jack and a microSD card slot.
Due to the light weight, both Galaxy Book2 versions seem nice laptops to work on. The keyboard taps excellently and has a nice click, which, as mentioned, does not spring through. Of course, the keyboard is equipped with lighting that you can set in three positions. The touchpads also feel nice with a pleasant click and work excellently. Both laptops have a Full HD AMOLED screen with a maximum brightness of 370 nits, although the maximum brightness for HDR images would be higher and the screens have a DisplayHDR 500 certification according to Samsung. The OLED screens have a beautiful image. Unfortunately, the screens on both the 13.3 and 15.6 inch models have a glossy finish while they are not a touch screen. That is difficult if you want to use the laptop in more difficult lighting conditions.
Galaxy Book2 Pro 360
The Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is also available in a 13.3 and 15.6 inch version. The Book2 Pro 360 is a foldable laptop with a 360 degree hinge. The sturdier hinge construction and thicker screen cover make for a slightly higher weight than the normal Book2 Pro. The 13.3 inch model weighs 1.04 kilograms while the 15.6 inch model comes in at 1.41 kilograms. Samsung only had the 13.3 inch version available for a hands-on. The laptop is made of aluminum and comes across as sturdy. Unlike the normal Book2 Pro, the screen lid also feels solid. Samsung only had anthracite and white models, whereby the dark variant is also sensitive to fingerprints. The burgundy variant could not yet be shown.
The 360 models have fewer connections than their counterparts and are equipped with three times USB-C (with 1x Thunderbolt 4), a microSD card reader and a headphone jack.
The Galaxy Book2 360 is a bit heavier than the normal variant, but it is still a light laptop. The keyboard and touchpad also feel nice on this laptop. The screen resolutions are the same as the regular Galaxy Book2, but it uses a different Super AMOLED panel with a higher brightness of 400 nits. Also with this laptop, the maximum brightness with HDR would be higher and the screen has a DisplayHDR 500 certification. Also in the 360 version, the screen is glossy, just like the normal Book2, but this is of course a touch screen. That touchscreen can also be operated with the active stylus S pen.
Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Book2 and Galaxy Book 2 360 can be pre-ordered from March 18 and actually for sale from April 1.
Galaxy Book2 Pro
13.3 inches (Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD): € 1449
15.6 inches (Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD): € 1499,-
Galaxy Book2 Pro 360
13.3 inch (Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD): € 1499,-
15.6 inches (Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD): € 1599
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