Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360: A slim and capable OLED 2-in-1, but screen resolution disappoints

Samsung has several Galaxy Book2 laptops in its lineup, including the Galaxy Book2, Galaxy Book2 Pro, and the Galaxy Book2 360 and Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 convertibles.

Available in 13.3 or 15.6-inch screen sizes with 12th Gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors and up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, there are plenty of options with the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360. We take the 15.6-inch Core i7 16GB/512GB model, which costs £1,249 in the UK or $1,349.99 in the US (with a 1TB SSD), for a (360-degree) spin.

If thin, light and minimalist features are a must for you, then despite its 15.6-inch screen, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is definitely one of your favorites. My review unit had a pale magnesium gray chassis, which Samsung calls Silver. There are also Burgundy and Graphite versions.

Either way, the build is very solid: there was no flex in the lid on my review unit, for example, though Samsung doesn’t mention MIL-STD testing. This 15.6-inch laptop measures 354.85mm wide by 227.97mm deep and 11.9mm thick and weighs 1.41kg. This perfectly reasonable weight puts into perspective just how light the 16-inch model is. LG Gram 16 is, at 1,199kg.

If you need to travel with your laptop, there’s good news: The power adapter is a standard phone-charger-style plug with a retractable pin, and the charging cable is USB-C on both ends, adding minimal weight and bulk to your laptop. a backpack

Samsung includes its S Pen stylus, which is useful for taking notes and filling out forms on the touch screen, whether in laptop or tablet mode. However, the stylus is too large to fit in a “garage” in the laptop’s chassis, so it must be carried separately. Do not lose it.

The S Pen attaches magnetically to the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360’s chassis, but the layout is unconventional. The top section of the lid is magnetized, which means you have to reach into the chassis when working in laptop mode to retrieve the stylus. I dropped it on the floor a couple of times, something I don’t want to do when I work in a cafe instead of my home office.

I tried to hold the stylus upright so I could see part of it and retrieve it more safely, but the magnetic system is not designed to hold vertically and the stylus slipped. It also distracted me from the screen. This is all basic ergonomics, and Samsung could do better.

The 15.6-inch screen width allows Samsung to put a separate number pad to the right of the QWERTY keys; notebook designers can do this or use the space on either side of the keyboard for speaker grills. The numpad keys are decently sized and there’s a double-height Enter key that’s a bit thicker at the top. I’ve managed to train myself to hit accurately relatively easily, and the arrangement is better than the one I found on the Huawei MateBook D 16.

Elsewhere, the keys are all large and easy to press accurately, and there’s plenty of travel and good bounce. The keyboard is quiet in use, while the touchpad is large and responsive. There is a fingerprint sensor embedded in the unmarked on/off key, which is located in the upper right corner of the number pad.

A webcam is vital these days and the 1080p resolution on offer here is good for viewing. The webcam supports auto-framing to keep the user in the frame and in focus, and it worked well. However, there is no privacy coverage or IR support.

The screen is an AMOLED panel, which means that it offers bright images with vibrant colors. Touch sensitivity is valuable, and not just in tablet mode: tapping the screen can be more efficient than using the trackpad or a mouse in laptop mode every day. The screen is reflective, which can be distracting for some.

A 15.6-inch screen lets you easily work on two documents side by side, and in tablet mode, the larger screen is ideal for a variety of pen activities. Video looks good in both handheld and tablet mode.

That said, the FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) is relatively low, and the 60Hz refresh rate could be higher.

Samsung’s decision to place the grilles for the two speakers at the bottom of the chassis makes sense in the context of tablet mode, as the grills located on either side of the keyboard would send audio directly to a desktop or user’s lap in that case. orientation. As it is, the sound has a similar strength in both modes. However, it lacks the depth required for serious movie watching or music listening, with treble dominating across different soundscapes.

My Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 review unit was powered by 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P Processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage, a configuration that costs £1249 in the UK. The closest equivalent model in the US has a 1TB SSD and costs $1,349.99. Buyers looking for greater affordability can opt for a Core i5-1240P version.

Our review unit Core i7-1260P with 16 GB of RAM delivered geekbench 5 CPU scores of 1052 (single core) and 7303 (multi core). In contrast, Apple M1-based MacBook Air Late 2020 got 1730 and 7590 respectively (running the benchmark in native M1 mode). On the Compute GPU benchmark using the OpenCL API, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 scored 18842, which is on par with the M1 MacBook Air in this mode.

Regardless of which configuration is selected, there is a modest set of ports with one or two notable absentees. You get a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB-C ports, a MicroSD slot, and a 3.5mm audio in/out jack. Connectors like HDMI, Ethernet, and USB-A will require a hub or docking station. However, Wi-Fi is up to date with WiFi 6Eand Bluetooth 5.1 is also here.

Samsung is big on sharing data between devices. So screen sharing with a Galaxy Tab 8 tablet is integrated, along with software called Samsung Multi Control that enables effective use of both screens in unison. Owners of compatible Samsung phones can share files between devices and can even share access to apps on the phone.

Samsung says the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360’s 68Wh battery will provide 21 hours of video playback, with a 30-minute quick charge offering 8.3 hours of use. I put the laptop to the test with my usual regimen of typing in web apps, streaming video, and listening to music. On a full charge, it lost 37% in three hours, suggesting a battery life of just over 8 hours. That’s far less than Samsung claims, so you’d be wise not to stray too far from an electrical power source for too long.

To test the charging speed, I started when the battery had dropped to 30%. It rose to 41% after 15 minutes, 51% after 30 minutes, and 61% after 45 minutes.

Conclusions

Samsung’s Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is a frustrating mix of great and irritating features: packing the S Pen is a good idea, but it suffers from the unusual magnetic attachment; the OLED touchscreen is sharp and vibrant, but its FHD resolution is disappointing.

Elsewhere, the keyboard is good and the performance of the Core i7 model is solid, and the range of configuration options, including the ability to downgrade to a Core i5 and a 13.3-inch screen, means buyers have a choice. exactly what works best for them.

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Specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360

operating system	Home Windows 11
Processor	Intel Core-i7-1260P
GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Integrated)
RAM	16GB (LPDDR5)
Storage	512GB (NVMe SSD)
Display	15.6-inch AMOLED touch screen
Resolution	1920 x 1080 (16:9, 141 dpi)
Wifi	WiFi 6E (802.11ax; 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz)
Bluetooth	5.1
ports and slots	1x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-C, MicroSD card reader, 3.5mm audio in/out
Input	keyboard (+ numpad), touchscreen, S Pen, trackpad
Audio	stereo speakers (2x 5 W), dual-array microphones
Camera	1080p HD
Security	TPM, fingerprint reader
battery capacity	68Wh
charging	65W USB Type-C Adapter
Dimensions	354.85 mm x 227.97 mm x 11.9 mm (13.97 in x 8.98 in x 0.47 in)
Weight	1.41kg (3.11lbs)
Price	$1,349.99 / £1,249

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Alternatives to consider

2-in-1 convertible laptops come in many shapes and sizes. There are three main contenders here with 14-inch, 15-inch and 16-inch screens.

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