Samsung Galaxy Book Review

Last Updated on March 29, 2020

There’s a new tablet in town, and its name is the Samsung Galaxy Book. Although it’s a solid combination of what a tablet should incorporate (price, performance and battery life), you might want to check out what the competition has to offer as this tablet will most likely not rise up to your expectations.

The Samsung Galaxy Book comes in 2 variations, the 10-inch display, and a 12-inch one. We will be talking more regarding the later one, as follows.

 

Layout and Looks

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Book looks impressive. At a closer look, however, it inspires cheapness. Its plastic frame is not something to rely on when it comes to durability.

The curved edges from all around the tablet will always give you the feeling that it’s firstly a tablet, and not a laptop.

Some of the buttons layout are nice and offer ease of access, like the power button located on the top, and the volume buttons. The vent is located on the lower side of the tablet, along with the two USB-C ports and a 3.5 mm audio jack input.

Horsepower, Storage & Display

The 12-inch version of the Samsung Galaxy Book comes with an Intel i5 Kaby Lake processor, with a disappointing 4GB of RAM. Luckily, it compensates for that with a 128GB storage capacity, and the possibility of adding more RAM to the table (this is only available for the LTE version).

The display is HDR-capable, with a classic 3:2 ratio and 2160×1440 pixels, making it better suited for landscape orientation. It will offer sharp and vibrant colors.

The tablet also has a MicroSD slot for up to 256GB more storage.

OS, UI and Included Software

The tablet runs Windows 10, and it has the ability to store multiple virtual desktops. When in landscape mode, the tablet acts exactly like a PC, with a taskbar on the lower part, and an interactive Windows button.

The user interface is somewhat awkward when it comes to the portrait orientation, this being due to the screen’s resolution, nevertheless reading is still something that can be easily done on the Samsung Galaxy Book.

Samsung released with this new tablet a Book Settings app that provides additional settings for the stylus, the display and a battery life extender.

Networking and Peripherals

The tablet comes in 2 variations, one with Wi-Fi only, and the other one that has additional LTE.

Both models come, unlike other tablets from this category, with an included pen and keyboard, making the overall price slightly acceptable.

The keyboard also acts as a stand, case and input method for the tablet. Neither of them requires charging, and the stylus is very hard to lose as it has a loop holder on the side of the keyboard.

Performance in the Field

Running multiple programs and doing several tasks will not result in a freeze or a crash for the tablet. This is considered a major win for Samsung, as this tablet’s predecessor was certainly lacking in that field. However, going passed basic photo editing will result in painful lags for the tablet.

The built in processor can give a little more power than its competition, but not longevity, leaving a comparison of this tablet and a laptop nowhere near.

Pros and Cons

Pros: The box contains a pen and a keyboard by default. Has two USB-C connector ports. The keyboard is backlit and quite comfortable when used on a table. Has superior camera power with its built-in 13MP rear camera.

Cons: The 3D Samsung screen-saver doesn’t have an off option. Holding the tablet and the keyboard on your lap feels weird, so it won’t pass as a laptop on this one. The fans are quite loud, and will never stop making noise.

The Ideal Buyer

Everyone who’s a Samsung enthusiast will buy this tablet, especially if they want to benefit from the syncing and biometric login features that come along from pairing the tablet with a phone.

However, for people that want better performance, flexibility and a trusted tablet, I’m afraid that they will be somewhat disappointed when it comes to the new Samsung Galaxy Book.

Buying Options

Samsung Galaxy Book 12 Windows 2-in-1 PC

Buy on Amazon