Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360: a thin and powerful 2-in-1 OLED, but with disappointing definition

Samsung offers several Galaxy Book2 computers in its product line, including the Galaxy Book2, Galaxy Book2 Pro, and Galaxy Book2 360 and Galaxy Book2 Pro 360.

Available with a 13.3 or 15.6-inch screen, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 has a base price of 1,299 euros for the 13-inch model, and 1,399 euros for the 15-inch.

If thinness and lightness are important features for you, then the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 might be right up your alley. In France, the computer is unfortunately only available in anthracite gray or burgundy (for the 13-inch model).

Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 15″ – Best prices:

The Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 has an Intel Core i7 12 processor^e generation with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage. Both models feature a 16:9 Full HD AMOLED touchscreen.

Construction and finish

The construction of the machine is solid. The screen opens and closes without any play. The 15-inch model measures 354.85 mm wide by 227.97 mm deep and 11.9 mm thick for 1.41 kg on the scale. This weight, quite reasonable, is still greater than that of the 16-inch LG Gram 16, which weighs 1.199 kg.

If you’re traveling with your laptop, the good news is that the power supply is a standard phone-charger-style plug and the charging cable is USB-C on both ends, which reduces clutter in a backpack.

Samsung provides its S Pen stylus, which is useful for taking notes and filling out forms on the touchscreen. However, the stylus is too large to be inserted into the computer chassis, so it must be carried separately.

Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet.

The S Pen adheres that said to the chassis of the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 thanks to a magnet, but the position chosen is unconventional. The stylus sits on the back of the screen at the top, meaning you have to rummage behind the computer when you want to retrieve your stylus. In our tests, it fell a few times, which isn’t very encouraging if you’re using the computer away from home.

If you’re wondering, there’s also no way to place the stylus vertically to catch it easier. Question ergonomics, we could have expected better from Samsung.

Keyboard and screen

The 15.6-inch format allows Samsung to place a full numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard. These keys are of a decent size and an Enter key (twice as high as the others) separates the numeric keypad from the keyboard. You quickly get used to the keyboard which allows efficient and precise typing.

The keys have good travel and feedback and the keyboard is quiet in use. A fingerprint sensor is embedded in the power key that sits in the top right corner of the number pad.

Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet.

The webcam, on the top border of the screen, supports automatic framing which keeps the focus on the user and keeps them in the middle of the frame. The tool works well according to our tests. There is no privacy cache or support for Windows Hello authentication, unfortunately.

The screen is an AMOLED panel that displays bright images with vivid colors. Touch sensitivity is useful, and not just in tablet mode. It is often more convenient to tap the screen than to use the touchpad or a mouse. The screen is glossy, which might annoy some users.

The 15.6-inch panel makes it easy to work with two documents side-by-side, and in tablet mode, the larger screen is ideal for drawing or doing other stylus activities. The video rendering is of good quality, whether in laptop or tablet mode.

We only regret that the FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) is a bit low, and that the refresh rate is limited to 60 Hz.

Performance

Samsung’s decision to place the two speaker grilles under the chassis makes sense when using the computer in tablet mode. Placed next to the keyboard, they would have sent the sound directly to a desk or to the user’s lap. The sound rendering does not have the necessary depth to watch movies or listen to music really comfortably, the highs being dominant in the different sound environments.

Our test unit, equipped with a Core i7-1260P with 16 GB of RAM, obtained Geekbench 5 scores of 1,052 (single core) and 7,303 (multi core). Scores a bit lower than Apple’s MacBook Air M1, which scored 1,730 and 7,590 respectively (running the benchmark in native M1 mode). In the Compute GPU benchmark using the OpenCL API, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 scored 18,842, which is roughly equivalent to the MacBook Air M1.

Images: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet.

Regardless of the screen size chosen, the number of ports is relatively small. There is a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB-C ports, a MicroSD card slot, and 3.5mm audio in/out. For HDMI, Ethernet, and USB-A, a hub or docking station will be needed. The wireless modem is Wi-Fi 6E compatible and Bluetooth 5.1 is also included.

Samsung is very committed to sharing data between devices. Thus, screen sharing with a Galaxy Tab 8 tablet is native and software called Samsung Multi Control allows efficient use of both screens at the same time. Owners of compatible Samsung phones can share files between devices and can even share access to phone apps.

Autonomy

According to Samsung, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360’s 68Wh battery provides 21 hours of video playback, with a 30-minute quick charge providing 8.3 hours of use. I put the laptop through its paces with my usual work regimen of web apps, video streaming, and music listening. From a full charge, the machine lost 37% in three hours, which suggests a battery life of just over 8 hours. That’s a lot less than Samsung claims, so it’s best not to stray too far from a power outlet.

To test the charging speed, the computer was plugged in at 30%. The battery reached 41% after 15 minutes, 51% after 30 minutes and 61% after 45 minutes.

Conclusion

Samsung’s Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is a frustrating mix of great and irritating specs: the S Pen integration is a nice touch, but it’s marred by the unconventional magnetic attachment; the OLED touchscreen is crisp and vibrant, but its FHD resolution is disappointing.

Otherwise, the keyboard is good and the performance of the Core i7 model is decent. The availability of the computer in a 13-inch model also means that everyone will find what they are looking for, whatever size they are looking for.

Advantages :

• lightweight and portable:
• OLED screen;
• good performance;
• comfortable keyboard;
• S Pen included.

Disadvantages:

• clumsy S Pen attachment;
• medium speakers;
• no camera cover or infrared sensors;
• medium FHD resolution.

Features

• BONE : Windows 11 Home
• Processor : Intel Core-i7-1260P
• GPUs: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)
• RAM: 16 GB (LPDDR5)
• Storage : 512 GB (NVMe SSD)
• Screen : 15.6-inch AMOLED touchscreen
• Resolution : 1920 x 1080 (16:9, 141ppi)
• Wireless : Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax; 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz)
• Bluetooth: 5.1
• Ports: 1 Thunderbolt 4, 2 USB-C, MicroSD card reader, 3.5mm audio in/out
• Seizure : keyboard (+ numpad), touchscreen, S Pen, touchpad
• Audio: stereo speakers (2x 5W), dual microphones
• Camera: 1080p FHD
• Security : TPM, fingerprint reader
• Battery capacity: 68Wh
• Charge : 65W USB-C adapter
• Dimensions: 354.85mm x 227.97mm x 11.9mm
• Weight : 1.41kg
• Price : €1,299 or €1,399

Alternatives

2-in-1 convertible laptops come in many shapes and sizes. Here are two top competitors with 14-inch and 15-inch screens:

Source: ZDNet.com