It is done ! Samsung returns to France with its range of laptops. We were able to approach the most interesting, the Galaxy Book 2 Pro, it is thin, light, compact… with an OLED screen as well as deep integration into the Samsung ecosystem.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro // Source: Frandroid
The title is easy, but it is true. Today, we often take the shortcut that Apple has been flying over the laptop sector since they released the Apple M1 chips. It is true that the MacBook Air and Pro are incredible machines, powerful, with excellent autonomy. But in the PC world, machines have evolved in the right direction in recent months. Precisely, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro is certainly the best example.
First, know that this laptop will be released in France on April 1, 2022. We therefore have plenty of reasons to be interested in it at MWC 2022.
Two diagonal sizes
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro comes in two formats, 13.3 and 15.6 inches. These are the typical sizes on this type of product, such as what is found at Dell, Lenovo, HP, Honor, Huawei and so on. It is an ultrabook, understand by that, a light, compact laptop PC that we assume with good autonomy.
It is a classic clamshell format. Do not try to turn the screen 360 degrees, you will break it, there is also the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 which is precisely designed for that. No, the Galaxy Book 2 Pro is a traditional format with a chiclet keyboard, a biometric reader and a large touchpad.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro in 15.6 inches with the digital pad in addition // Source: Frandroid
The 13.3-inch version we saw is very light: 870 grams and only 1.11 centimeters thick. It’s really compact and slim, yet it makes remarkably little compromise for that portability. It has an HDMI port, Samsung managed to place it despite the thickness, a microSD slot, a full-size USB port, a headphone port and three USB Type-C.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro // Source: Frandroid
On the power side, it is equipped with the 12th Gen Intel Core from i5 to i7 with the Iris Xe iGPU. This Intel chip allows the machine to achieve good autonomy, Samsung announces 21 hours on video. In practice, we must therefore hope to greatly exceed 12 hours in mixed use.
An AMOLED screen that inspires
The AMOLED screen is in Full HD definition, even if OLED screens are more and more common on laptops, it’s nice to find it on new machines. The definition is a bit tight, we can expect 2K on this type of machine, but Samsung announces 120% coverage of the DCI-P3 as well as a very high brightness peak. In any case, this is what we have been able to observe on the models on display.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro // Source: Frandroid
Above the screen is a webcam in Full HD definition, which is also remarkable on laptops.
The Samsung ecosystem to make a difference
The advantage of a Samsung laptop is also the integration into the Korean ecosystem. If you have Galaxy Buds 2, for example, they can be detected automatically, like AirPods with a MacBook.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro // Source: Frandroid
You can also share applications, SMS, notifications… from your Samsung smartphone with the Phone Hub program. This is very convenient, as applications can be controlled remotely, including the camera.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro // Source: Frandroid
So we find the Play Store, for example, on Windows 11. It’s quite ironic when you know that Windows 11 can now run Android applications.
What we appreciated here is to find what makes the charm and the attraction of the Apple ecosystem. The products are connected together, which greatly facilitates the daily life of users. Smart Share, for example, is the equivalent of AirDrop. File sharing is therefore simplified between devices. You can also open your photos with the Samsung Photos application, even on Windows 11, with options similar to those of the smartphone.
A photo taken with a Samsung can be edited easily
We understand that Samsung is trying to seduce its millions of Samsung Galaxy S users with this new range of Galaxy Book.
Prices and availability in France
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro will not be available in all versions and colors in France. It’s a shame, but we are already lucky to be able to buy it with an AZERTY keyboard. Indeed, the Korean manufacturer had stopped selling laptops for a few years in France.
The basic version is sold for 1299 euros in a 13.3-inch version with an Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. For the largest version (Core i7, 16 GB and 512 GB), you will have to pay 1499 euros. It’s not cheap, but Samsung is positioned more against Dell and Apple, than Honor or Asus. You will therefore find cheaper with the same technical sheet, but not necessarily the same finishes and the ecosystem as complete.
For the 15.6-inch version, you have to count 100 euros more on each model. Only the dark color will be marketed in France. Pre-orders start on March 18, Samsung is offering a 27-inch external display for any pre-order. This fundamentally lowers the price of the machine. As for availability, we repeat, it is scheduled for April 1, 2022.