Galaxy Book Tablets – The Second Wave of Hybrids from Samsung
Samsung launched the Galaxy TabPro S last year. It was a Windows 10 tablet that borrowed and improved upon many of the ideas brought by Microsoft’s Surface line. Now Samsung is launching two new tablets that feature even more improvements on the productivity tablet idea.
The Galaxy Book
Samsung may not have made any announcements regarding the Galaxy S8 smartphone just yet, but it still has some fancy new hardware for you at MWC 2017. In addition to the Tab S3, the company is showing off two new hybrids. They are calling them the Galaxy Book. They’re both 10- and 12-inch Windows 10 tablets that support new S Pen features. Both the hybrids come with keyboards and are light enough to carry around.
Two Versions
The new 12-inch Samsung Galaxy Book is the latest tablet. It’s 10-inch version offers lesser specs but is nice enough. In terms of characteristics, the closest match to the Samsung Galaxy Book is Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4. You could argue both tablets were designed to be laptops first. Their screens come with 3:2 aspect ratios. They can accommodate documents and browser windows when you use them in landscape mode with a keyboard.
Comes with a Stylus
Samsung’s Galaxy Book weighs around 1.6 pounds. It runs Windows 10 and sports a redesigned S Pen stylus. It has a surprisingly good keyboard cover. The backlit keys offer plenty of travel. That gives you sufficient spacing to feel like you’re typing on a 13-inch laptop. The touchpad provides plenty of space to do your thing and comes with a pair of USB-C 3.1 ports.
A Bit Heavy
The larger Galaxy Book is the more full-featured and more compelling option of the two new hybrids. Despite its relatively elegant 7.4mm profile, the 12-incher comes with Intel’s latest Kaby Lake Core i5 processor, an LTE radio, 4GB or 8GB of RAM and a 128GB or 256GB SSD. When bundled with its included keyboard, the 12-inch Book still feels somewhat heavy when you pick it up.
10 Hours of Battery Life
The Book 12 is clearly the higher-end of the two tablets. It includes a better camera to go along with its faster processor and screen. But both tablets have two USB Type-C ports, up to 10 hours of battery life, and come with fast charging features. Samsung has definitely made some improvement with its keyboard case from last year. The new one has improved key travel, island-style keycaps, and backlighting.
The S Pen Stylus
The S Pen comes in the box with either tablet. The pen supports over 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity. It has a rubber 0.7mm tip and never needs to be charged. It can be used to take notes, draw something, or simply capture screen shots on the tablet. Unluckily, there’s nowhere to put the S Pen when you’re not using it, so there is a possibility of it being easily lost.
HDR AMOLED Display
The Book 12’s HDR AMOLED display is very rich and colorful. It is sure to make quite an impression. Performance on the Book 12 is also quick with 8GB of RAM. Unlike other two-in-one Windows 10 tablet-hybrids, the Galaxy Book’s elegant dimensions make it look and feel more like an Android tablet. Most tablet-hybrids have thicker designs that accommodate built-in stands, powerful processors and a variety of ports.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Book is pretty impressive. It packs full PC-like potential inside of an ultra-compact build. The included keyboard and S-Pen definitely add to its productivity appeal. The pricing and availability have not been confirmed by Samsung.
Keval Padia is the founder & CEO of Nimblechapps, a fast-growing mobile app development company. The current innovation and updates of the field lures him to express his views and thoughts on certain topics.