After a few of laptops, in the form of Galaxy Book Flex and Ion flattering to cheat, Samsung shook things up with a simpler selection of Galaxy Book Pro devices. Both Pro and Pro 360 were machines without frills with a focus on build quality in a thin chassis – and it worked. Now Samsung is back with the follow-up series, including the successor to one of our favorite 2-in-1s, the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360. However, Samsung has not tried to reinvent itself again, with iterative updates that make up much of what is new with this latest model.
The Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is clearly not designed to be stunning, with a fairly standard clamshell look – and this is especially the case with the simple silver model I tested. Instead, it’s the device’s sense of quality, along with its 11.9mm thinness and manageable weight, 3.11 pounds (1.4kg), that are worth appreciating. Although the bordeaux and graphite options half-heartedly try to set things up a bit.
The quality of the device is, unfortunately, betrayed by a key scrubber and a minor nitpick. During my test, the machine recorded some small marks under the display. These marks are not so noticeable, but after only being transferred to and from a bag for a little over a week, it is disappointing to see them show up so easily. You want to take extra, additional Care with this Samsung laptop to ensure that it remains untouched. You should also choose your color setting carefully. The blue version available for last year’s model was something of a fingerprint magnet, so the silver color can be the sure option for a tidy look.
The thinness of the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is a major reason why it works as well as a 2-in-1 machine. When turned around in tablet mode, it does not feel cumbersome to hold and operate, and this is true of the 15.6-inch model I tested for this review, so I would expect the smaller 13.3-inch version offers even more comfort in this regard. The consistently excellent S Pen is included in the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 series, and it works quickly and accurately in tablet mode. You can use it in tent or clamshell mode, but this is not where a stylus performs best.
Evolution not resolution
Photo: Samsung
As with the previous model, the quality of the screen is a big selling point for this laptop. The screen is extremely bright, extremely colorful and brings impressive contrast. Some may be shocked that Samsung is once again sticking to a Full HD panel here, but the lack of pixels does not tell the whole story. This AMOLED screen is amazing. And combined with the 360 hinge, it makes this a great device for watching movies and TV as well as watching your own photos and videos.
The speakers add to the experience with some of the best portable sound available. The sound flourishes in the right places, even for a thin device, as well as keeping its details and accuracy at high volumes. They’re not quite MacBook level, but they’re up there with the excellent Dell XPS speakers.
The 16: 9 screen also helps you see the movie experience, reducing the black bars that frame your favorite movie. Nevertheless, this image format feels outdated along with some pretty hefty frames where the majority of Samsung’s rivals have moved to image formats like 16:10 and 3: 2. As such, you do not get a particularly productivity-friendly screen offered by a higher screen that squeezes in more text.
The usefulness of the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 laptop as a tablet is a saving. It’s not a replacement for a square screen, but placing this device in portrait orientation in tablet mode gives you a very high screen for navigating articles and scrolling on social media.