Samsung has returned to the patron laptop computer market within the UK with a sequence of recent machines led by the Galaxy E book Flex.
Not like a lot of the PC market, the E book Flex is refreshingly solely obtainable in a single model within the UK with a selection of silver or blue, costing £1,349.
The royal blue model reviewed right here is just gorgeous, with a deep blue aluminium physique, lid and backside, trimmed with silver sides. It actually stands out in opposition to the group. The silver one is way more normal.
The Flex bit refers back to the display, which folds all the best way over to the again, making it a laptop computer that turns right into a pill. Nevertheless, this isn’t removable, which means you’ll have the keyboard dealing with outward when folded into pill mode. Weighing 1.16kg, it’s fairly gentle for a laptop computer, however not for a pill.
It’s solely 12.9mm thick, which implies slipping it right into a bag is straightforward, whereas construct high quality is top-notch, making it really feel very strong. It compares favourably to the 13in laptop computer competitors, together with the Floor Laptop computer 3, Dell XPS 13 and Apple MacBook Professional.
The keyboard is nice. The great-sized keys are remoted and well-spaced with an inexpensive quantity of journey and really feel. The trackpad is superb – giant sufficient, responsive and correct, with a superb click on to it. The ability button is on the facet of the machine, fairly than the deck, as are the speaker grilles.
A fingerprint sensor handles biometric login with Home windows Whats up. It’s pretty huge, quick and correct, however its placement takes some getting used to because it takes up half the area often devoted to the fitting shift key.
The display is each a energy and a weak point. It’s a 13.3in LCD (QLED) full HD display with a real widescreen (16:9) ratio, much like a TV. It’s vivid, lovely and vibrant with 100% DCI-P3 protection. It even has a super-bright “out of doors mode” that reinforces the display quickly so you may see it extra simply in direct daylight on the contact of a button however this does drain the battery extra shortly.
Nevertheless, it’s noticeably much less crisp than higher-resolution screens of the same measurement fitted to similarly-priced rivals such because the Floor Laptop computer 3, Apple’s machines and Dell’s 4K XPS 13.
Having a 16:9 ratio makes it glorious for watching widescreen movies and flicks, however it’s much less good for engaged on, just because the display isn’t that tall. Meaning you find yourself doing lots of vertical scrolling as websites and paperwork don’t match in addition to on laptops that use a taller ratio comparable to 16:10 or 3:2.
S-Pen
The E book Flex’s different trick is a hid S-Pen stylus, which is similar one shipped with Samsung’s Galaxy Observe sequence of large-screen smartphones. The stylus slides right into a slot subsequent to the Thunderbolt 3 ports and is saved neatly away till you want it. You push it in to launch the stylus after which write on the display. Just like the latest Observe 20 Extremely, you should utilize it like a magic wand by urgent a button and swiping it within the air in varied instructions to regulate apps for duties comparable to skipping a monitor or adjusting quantity.
Specs
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Display: 13.3in FHD (1080p) QLED touchscreen (LCD, 166PPI)
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Processor: Tenth-generation Intel Core i5
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RAM: 8GB
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Storage: 512GB
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Graphics: Intel Iris Plus
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Working system: Home windows 10 Dwelling
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Digital camera: 720p HD
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Connectivity: Wifi 6, Bluetooth 5, 2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB-C, microSD/UFS, headphone
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Dimensions: 202.9 x 302.6 x 12.9mm
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Weight: 1.16kg
High chips, lengthy battery life
The E book Flex ships in a single configuration within the UK, with a Tenth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD, that are kind of the minimal necessities for top-end laptops in 2020.
As such, it’s a highly effective, succesful machine that may deal with most issues apart from graphically intense gaming {and professional} video modifying, which might require a better decision show.
The E book Flex sailed by way of the whole lot I threw at it, together with pretty complicated picture manipulation in Affinity Photograph on an exterior 4K monitor. It was typically cool-running too, with the followers often audible at a low degree, and the deck of the laptop computer changing into solely barely heat to the touch. The toes on the underside don’t give it a lot floor clearance, which means it was cooler when used on a tough floor fairly than a delicate desk.
The laptop computer additionally has a wide selection of ports. It has two full Thunderbolt 3 ports on the fitting facet and one USB-C solely port on the left, which implies you will have extra flexibility in your connection choices when you will have one port for energy and one other for a monitor. A microSD card reader, which may additionally take the sooner UFS reminiscence, is within the left facet however not like most rivals is contained in a sim-tray-like mechanism. You want a sim-ejector instrument or lengthy paperclip to entry it, which lends itself extra to storage enlargement utilizing a card you don’t take away, fairly than as a conventional reader you simply use briefly with a card you are taking out of your digital camera or comparable.
Battery life was excellent. Lasting a median of 11 hours between fees through the work day, together with 90 minutes of picture modifying, a lot of looking and phrase processing, with the display brightness set to 70%. The 2020 MacBook Professional and Microsoft Floor Laptop computer 3 every lasted 7.5 hours underneath comparable circumstances.
A part of that lengthy battery life is the comparatively low-resolution display, which consumes much less energy. A lot of the competitors have the upper decision 3K or 4K screens, that are noticeably crisper than full HD.
The E book Flex has a trick up its sleeve. The trackpad doubles as a wi-fi charger that may energy a Qi-compatible smartphone, watch, headphones or different accent. In fact you may’t use the trackpad when it’s charging one thing, so it’s of restricted use, however might be useful for charging up a set of headphones or comparable with out reaching for a cable.
The E book Flex comes with a 65W USB-C charger and recharges from flat to 100% in two hours, reaching 50% in about 50 minutes.
Sustainability
The E book Flex can typically be repaired by authorised service centres. Samsung charges the battery for not less than 1,000 full cost cycles whereas nonetheless sustaining not less than 80% capability. Samsung additionally has battery lifespan-extending choices on the laptop computer, comparable to people who restrict the utmost cost to 85% to lengthen its helpful life.
The battery might be changed out of guarantee by authorised service suppliers. The laptop computer shouldn’t be constructed from any recycled supplies and whereas Samsung does supply trade-in and recycling schemes for different units, it doesn’t but for laptops.
Home windows 10 Dwelling
The E book Flex ships with Home windows 10 Dwelling within the UK, with a couple of Samsung apps and instruments put in, plus McAfee Livesafe, which I’ve had issues with previously so uninstalled instantly, reverting to the built-in Home windows Defender for anti-virus.
A lot of the Samsung apps are helpful. The Samsung Settings app lets you change a wide range of options, together with battery lifespan-extending settings, booting choices, audio and video results, fast settings and a silent, low-performance mode. Samsung Replace handles drivers and different bits, though so can Home windows Replace. There are instruments for the S-Pen, a Fast Search app, a restoration instrument for if issues go fallacious, and a safety app that lets you use your webcam to watch login makes an attempt to the laptop computer.
Utilizing the laptop computer was typically trouble-free, other than one occasion trying to hitch a WebEx video convention. This brought about the sound card drivers to fail, requiring a full elimination of the sound card software program and drivers to rehabilitate.
Observations
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You will get the laptop computer besides from chilly when the lid opens.
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The audio system are surprisingly loud and clear, however lack any actual bass and vibrate by way of the deck of the laptop computer quite a bit.
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The webcam and microphones are about common for video calls – adequate in vivid gentle and if you happen to converse up at a distance.
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A extremely helpful charging and battery standing display is displayed whenever you cost the laptop computer whereas powered off.
Worth
The Samsung Galaxy E book Flex is obtainable in royal blue or silver for £1,349.
For comparability, Dell’s XPS 13 has a beginning RRP of £1,399, Microsoft’s Floor Laptop computer 3 prices from £999, Huawei’s Matebook X Professional prices £1,400 and Apple’s 13in MacBook Professional prices £1,299.
Verdict
The Galaxy E book Flex marks a strong return to the laptop computer market within the UK for Samsung.
It ticks most packing containers, has a superb quantity of energy on faucet, lengthy battery life, a superb keyboard and strong construct. The display is colour-rich and vivid, however its 16:9 ratio and comparatively low decision let it down in contrast with better-equipped rivals.
The flexibility to fold the display all the best way over shouldn’t be one thing I would normally use, however is beneficial for folding up like an A-frame or for the occasional doc markup utilizing the included S-Pen stylus, which is superb and neatly tucked away till you want it.
The fingerprint sensor is nice, however its placement, changing half the fitting shift key, isn’t unbelievable. It has three USB-C ports, of which two are Thunderbolt 3, which is healthier than some rivals that ship with only one or two. The microSD card reader is nice for including extra storage, however much less good to be used for swapping playing cards out and in of cameras and the like.
I just like the laptop computer, I simply don’t adore it. However if you’d like a strong, versatile and adaptable convertible laptop computer, with lengthy battery life and loads of energy, the Samsung Galaxy E book Flex is among the greatest.
Execs: lengthy battery life, Tenth-gen Intel Core i5, 2x Thunderbolt 3 + 1x USB-C ports, microSD/UFS slot, vivid display, convertible hinge, good keyboard, good trackpad, fingerprint scanner, hide-away stylus
Cons: 16:9 display ratio, decrease decision display, odd fingerprint placement in keyboard
