Samsung presents two new laptops: the Galaxy Book5 Pro and the Book5 360. Unsurprisingly, this manufacturer also markets its devices as AI PCs. Despite the Pro label, it lacks a professional touch.
Samsung is launching two new laptops: the Galaxy Book5 Pro and the Galaxy Book5 360. In fact, Samsung already announced these devices in September, but on the sidelines of CES, the Korean company finds it interesting to revisit the launch without much information additional, with the exception of a recommended retail price.
All devices are still built around Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors. Like all other laptops equipped with these chips, AMD equivalents or even Qualcomm ARM CPUs, these devices also feature an NPU capable of accelerating the (rare) AI workloads. Samsung is trying to differentiate itself by adding some of its own AI capabilities to these devices.
Applications of AI
For example, there is AI Select. It is essentially the Windows version of Circle To Search for Android, where you can select an area of your screen, after which relevant search results appear. The extent to which this solution effectively uses the NPU is not entirely clear. The added value of local processing is low in any case, since it involves an online search.
Photo Remaster can update bad photos, according to Samsung. The tool uses the computing power of local AI. This is convenient because you don’t need to share the photos with the cloud. The feature looks interesting, but it feels more like a gadget than a professional tool. Otherwise, these Galaxy Book5 laptops are compatible with the same AI features as all other Windows laptops.
Not so professional
As for laptops, Samsung offers several variants. The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 has a screen diagonal of 16 inches (16:10, OLED, 2880 x 1800 pixels) and weighs 1.56 kg. Despite the Pro label, Samsung ships this device with Windows 11 Home, which is somewhat misleading. Inside, you can opt for an Intel Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 processor. As for memory, Samsung offers configurations with 16 GB and 32 GB of RAM. The storage capacity is 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB.
The webcam has very limited features, with an image sensor of just 2 MP. Once again, this is not too much for a device marketed as “Pro”. HP, for example, does much better for a lower price with a standard 5 MP sensor. The battery, on the other hand, promises solid endurance, with a capacity of 76.7 Wh. Charging is done via USB Type-C at a power of 65 watts.
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro will be available in the Benelux from this month for €2,099 including VAT. This is not insignificant, making the low resolution of the webcam and Windows 11 Home immediately appear (theoretically) as disadvantages.
Other devices
The Galaxy Book5 360 is also expected to arrive in our market soon. This device has slightly more modest characteristics. For example, the screen has a diagonal of 15.6 inches and a classic 16:9 aspect ratio, ideal for media consumption. The resolution is limited to Full HD. The interior is similar. This laptop will cost 1,599 euros including VAT.
Finally, there’s the 16-inch and 14-inch Galaxy Book5 Pro, with easy-to-guess screen diagonals. These more classic clamshell laptops both have a 16:10 screen ratio and again share similar internals. The devices are offered at a recommended retail price of €2,099 and €1,899 including VAT, but their availability in Belgium is unclear at the moment.
