Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro Review: Power-Packed With Performance

For review, I have the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 15.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro costs ₹1,24,990 in India and comes with a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 15.6-inch Super AMOLED FHD (1920 x 1080) display. Since it is the only upgrade available, this is currently the top of the line.

Other variants available:

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 13.3 (Core i5 12th Gen/16 GB/512 GB SSD/Windows 11) for ₹1,06,990

You can purchase the laptop via Samsung exclusive online and offline stores, Croma, Flipkart, and Amazon.

Before we talk in detail about the laptop in the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro review, let’s see what the on-paper specifications look like:

• Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080-pixels FHD OLED
• Processor: Intel Core i7
• RAM & ROM: 16GB DDR4 | 512GB SSD
• Software: Windows
• Weight: 1.11Kg
• Dimensions: 3554 x 2258 x 117mm

Samsung’s commercial design skills are on full display here. Their newer products have attempted to unify a consistent design across the portfolio, which explains why the Galaxy Book 2  appears sleek and minimalist. It borrows some design elements from the MacBook Air, such as the modest lean to the side, but adds its distinctive accents.

The embossed reliefs near the hinges on the chassis are the first thing you notice. It’s a bold design decision that gives the impression that the screen isn’t flush with the surface, yet it is. It’s a subtle indication that the device is more than simply a laptop, making sense for a 2-in-1 convertible. The hinges are also robust; I noted no visible yields or creaks while twisting and turning the display on its head. The hinge allows you to utilize the screen as a tablet by flipping it over and folding it over the rear. To avoid any unwanted inputs, this disables the keyboard.

Also read: HP Victus 16 Review – A Valuable Gaming Choice

The metal chassis is smooth and robust to the touch. If I had to pick a flaw, I’d say the trackpad and keyboard plastics have a bit more give to them; it feels like a good push would be enough to fracture them, but you’d have to go out of your way do so. The indents supplied where the two halves of the laptop meet, as well as a relief in the centre, allow you to flip open the screen one-handed with some practice. However, when you try it, there’s a strong probability the laptop will slip and slide all over the place.

Even when the two halves are linked together in tablet mode, the Galaxy Book 2 maintains a compact appearance. During the review, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro felt incredibly light in the hands compared to the competitors, making it easy to transport. Three USB Type-C ports, Thunderbolt 4, a MicroSD reader, and one headphone out/mic-in connector are available for I/O. Professionals interested in the device may need to invest in a dock due to the lack of a USB Type-A port. On the top of the screen is a 1080p webcam.

When it comes to the display of the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro, there are some good and some terrible. The good news is that OLED is now standard, and I prefer FHD, particularly in the 13-inch size. It doesn’t deplete the battery as quickly as a 4K OLED display does. Remember that instead of making OLED mainstream, most premium laptops only offer 4K OLED as a top-tier option.

The issue is that there are no other options, particularly on a 15.6-inch panel where 1080p can appear pixellated. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro is available in two sizes: 13.3 inches and 15.6 inches. I only used the 15.6-inch model and will be concentrating on it. I preferred the larger laptop because I thought I could work with numerous tabs open at once without feeling cramped.

Also read: Acer Predator Helios 300 Review: Most Recommended Gaming Laptop at Solid Price.

The laptop sports an AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Although that is not the maximum resolution available for current laptops, the AMOLED did a fantastic job of bringing out the colours on the screen when I was watching YouTube videos. I wasn’t able to watch a full movie on the laptop to put the screen to the test, but my initial thoughts were positive because everything appeared to be crisp and clear.

This display produces excellent test results. 100 per cent sRGB, 95 per cent NTSC, 98 per cent Adobe RGB, and 100 per cent P3 are all supported. That is incredible. The maximum brightness was 393.8 nits. The page didn’t have a brightness specification, but I assumed the aim was 400 nits. When the brightness was increased to 50 per cent, the black level really increased slightly, but not enough to be noticeable. It’s merely worth mentioning because OLED panels are completely black. In other words, you won’t be able to tell where a black screen ends and the bezel begins in a dark room.

Intel’s 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor features ten physical cores, two of which are performance cores and the remaining eight are efficiency cores, with a clock range of 1.7 GHz to 4.7 GHz. The processor comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of inbuilt PCIe 3.0 SSD storage.

The processor is built on Intel’s Evo platform, which means it’s optimized for thin and light laptops, convertibles, and tablets. It’s a fast and strong CPU that breezes through most chores – browsing, office, conference calls, and so on – and performs admirably as an office computer. However, as a professional workstation or gaming tablet, its lack of a dedicated GPU hampers it. The device also has thermal concerns, and when stressed, it gets hot, especially around the middle, where it would normally sit on your lap.

On the other hand, the Intel processor is extremely energy-efficient, performing nearly as quickly as some professional machines without wasting excessive power. This device is ideal for light office work, entertainment, and artwork.

Next, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro keyboard and trackpad review shows that the Galaxy Book 2 Pro’s keyboard is well-designed and easy to read, with a lovely white illumination. The typing experience isn’t as good as on a Dell XPS or a MacBook Air, though. The keys have a lot of travel, but I wouldn’t say it is excellent – they’re too soft. As a result, typing for lengthy periods on this keyboard gets difficult. The power key houses a fingerprint reader, which works well to open the laptop quickly. On the other hand, the trackpad is excellent, with excellent responsiveness and precision.

Also read: HP Pavilion 15 Review: Mid-Range Laptop with Great Performance.

During the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro review, the 63W battery could only last up to 7 hours at a time. With auto-brightness turned on and a continual connection to Wi-Fi networks, this was possible. Perhaps Samsung could have packed a larger 90Wh battery inside the laptop to get over 10 hours of real-world endurance; no one would mind a thicker notebook with better battery life. A complete charge of the 65W USB-C charging adaptor takes over an hour and a half.

Also read: Asus Zenbook 14 Flip Review: Classy And Powerful But Priced High

The two AKG-tuned stereo speakers on the Galaxy Book 2 Pro offer enough volume to fill my 18 by 12-foot listening room, but don’t expect much depth; there’s almost no low-end. You’ll be better off investing in a pair of wireless headphones for anything other than casual listening or watching short movies.

The 1080p webcam on the Galaxy Book 2 Pro has been updated from the previous version, and Samsung claims it is 2x sharper than last year’s model, but my results were disappointing.

I noticed a lot of noise in the image, even in my brightly lighted home office, and as I dimmed the lights, all the colours came apart. There are only so many things you can do with a webcam that is crammed into the compact form factor of this laptop, so it’ll suffice if you’re in a pinch. Still, if you’re video conferencing or video chatting from home on a daily basis, an external webcam is a worthwhile investment.

The Book 2 Pro relies only on USB-C connectors for connectivity: Three of them, one on the right and two on the left. Thunderbolt 4 is supported by one of the left-side ports, and any of the three can charge the laptop with the included AC adapter. A headphone connector and a microSD card slot are also included. However, there are no USB Type-A or HDMI interfaces. The Samsung has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth capabilities, and its front-facing webcam has a 1080p resolution rather than the standard 720p.