One of the best laptops I’ve tested for work and play isn’t made by Apple or Dell

I’ve largely ignored Samsung’s Galaxy Guide laptop computer collection, however not too long ago I realized that was a mistake. I ought to’ve been paying nearer consideration to the lineup as a result of the tech big presents some spectacular tech. The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a convertible laptop computer with a stellar design, has opened my eyes.

Additionally: I tested Samsung’s flagship laptop and it gave my MacBook Pro a run for its money

It sports activities a 16-inch 3K touchscreen working at a 120Hz refresh fee and covers 120% of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut. Colours are vibrant, shadows are deep black, and on-screen animations are velvety clean. This laptop computer has one of many nicest shows I’ve checked out shortly.

Samsung’s gadget even passes the one-finger check, the place you carry the display up along with your index finger, signifying even weight distribution. In brief, the laptop computer will not wobble round while you work on it.

I am additionally a fan of the massive trackpad. It is clean to the contact, and its giant dimension permits me to maneuver the cursor throughout the display with out lifting my hand off.

Alternatively, I can use the accompanying Galaxy S Pen. Navigating the web with the S Pen appears like a dream. Leaping from webpage to webpage is seamless. Not too way back, I examined the HP Omnibook Ultra Flip, which got here with its personal stylus. I discovered the Omnibook’s pen irritating to make use of. The responsiveness of Samsung’s S Pen, however, is sort of a breath of recent air.

Additionally: This work laptop with one of the best displays is not a ThinkPad or MacBook (and it’s $300 off)

As a lot as I just like the design of the Galaxy Book5 Professional 360, it is not excellent. I do not just like the keyboard very a lot. It is mushy and would not really feel good on my fingers. I favor laptop computer keyboards with lengthy journey distances as they really feel extra responsive when typing.

I’m additionally not a fan of the location of the stylus magnet. Skinny, 2-in-1 laptops typically have robust magnets on the facet. The Galaxy Book5 Professional’s magnet feels much less highly effective and safe. The S Pen even fell off just a few instances once I took the pc out of my bag.

The Galaxy Book5 Professional is powered by an Intel Core Extremely 7 256V processor, an built-in Intel Arc 140V graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. The laptop computer’s total efficiency is stable; I had a blast utilizing it.

Additionally: This 13-inch laptop I recommend for business travel is not a Lenovo ThinkPad or MacBook

Benchmark exams present that the Galaxy Book5 is quick and might simply deal with productiveness workloads reminiscent of internet searching and video conferencing. I examined 50 tabs open with browser video games, movies, and a livestream, all taking part in concurrently alongside a number of open apps. The laptop computer dealt with every thing properly. There wasn’t a single drop in efficiency, though I did discover the machine turned heat to the contact.

The battery life is absurdly good. Samsung’s mannequin ran for about 16 hours earlier than I wanted to run for the charger. I started testing very first thing within the morning at 8 a.m. and ran nonstop previous midnight. I attribute this longevity to the energy-efficient Intel Core Extremely 7 Sequence 2 chipset.

Whereas my total expertise testing the Galaxy Book5 was nice, I did run right into a bug. I left the machine in pill mode for a number of hours, and it turned caught in that orientation. No quantity of opening or closing the laptop computer fastened the difficulty till I restarted the machine.

After wanting on-line, it appears I am the one particular person to have encountered this bug. It is attainable this is not a widespread challenge and was unique to my overview unit. Nonetheless, I could not assist however surprise if different bugs are lingering within the system.

Additionally: I tested the M4 MacBook Pro for a week – and even the base model beat my $3,000 laptop

To make use of the Galaxy Book5 Professional to its fullest potential, you have to a Galaxy smartphone. Options like turning your cellphone right into a webcam, Fast Share, and Transcript Help can solely be accessed with a supporting cellular gadget. Based on the product itemizing’s high quality print, you should personal not less than a mannequin from the Galaxy S22 series working Samsung One UI 6.1.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Samsung’s Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 sells for $1,700 on Samsung’s web site. I like to recommend this laptop computer to skilled customers who need a well-performing work laptop computer and who personal a Galaxy smartphone to allow them to entry the mannequin’s full vary of options. After all, non-Galaxy smartphone house owners will nonetheless get lots from this machine. The {hardware}, battery life, and OLED touchscreen are all top-notch.

In order for you an alternate, I like to recommend the Lenovo Yoga 7i Aura Edition. It is not as giant, nevertheless it does provide the same expertise at a less expensive value.