2022 Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 13.3 and 15.6

Windows Convertibles
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Samsung just announced their latest devices, including new 360 degree convertibles. The Pro line comes in two sizes: 13.3" and 15.6".

image

13-inch model and 15-inch models
Screen: super AMOLED FHD.
Weight: 1.04 kg (13.3") and 1.41 kg (15.6")
CPU Intel Evo 12th Gen i7 or i5 with Intel Iris X Graphics
8/16/32GB LPDDR5 memory
256/512/1TB SSD storage
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, possibly a 5G option (tbd)
FFC: 1080p
1 Thunderbolt 4 port, 2 USB-C ports, a microSD slot, and a 3.5mm port headphone port
Fingerprint sensor in the power key, backlit keys
S Pen included

Colors: Burgundy, Graphite, Silver
Available for pre-order on March 18, 2022, release date April 1
Starting at $1,249.99

Data from PocketNow

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I think from what Iā€™ve seen, only the non 360 model gets 5G support, not the convertible version. But Iā€™ve seen conflicting specs all over the place so that could be wrong. In one article, the author bemoaned the 1080p screen being only 16:9 while their own siteā€™s specs table claimed it was 1920x1200 (it seems like 16:9 / 1920x1080 is correct though).

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Yeah itā€™s clearly early stages. Samsung doesnā€™t help by posting a bunch of pictures without stating which model weā€™re looking at.

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I found the press release from Samsung which makes it sound like only the 15" non-360 Pro gets 5G, not even the 13" non-360 Pro.

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Only FHD for 15.6" model? Disappointing. Iā€™m glad the Galaxy Book line is still alive, but this seem to be just an incremental upgrade.

I guess those who is concerned about screen shattering in the previous version can wait for reviews on this one. At least the starting price is cheaper than the S22 Ultra.

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With the Book 2 Pro 360 announced the 2021 15" model has some heavy promotions on it.

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$200 instant rebate + $440 Education Advantage program discounts puts the i7 512GB 8GB ram at $660. i7 1TB 16GB ram at $780. Cashback: + 3% Raken + 1% Samsung Advantage. Plus the usual 0% APR 24 month Samsung Financing if you have already financed a Samsung phone or tablet before and got a financing account.

Pretty insane pricing pseduo-firesale after its sequel announcement. Best I have seen on a near fully kitted Wacom EMR convertable.

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If someone just wants the Wacom, then I think itā€™s an excellent buy. But if you want an HD webcam or a screen that gets brighter than 300 nits, then its a pass. I have a 3 year old Galaxy Book Flex, and the model with the sale just wasnt good enough for me to want to upgrade. Only the newest model seems like Iā€™ve finally hit enough incremental improvements to make it worth it. IMO.

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How big of a difference will the new Intel 12th gen laptop processors be over the 11th gen ones in last yearā€™s model? Does the new Big/Little architecture have significant performance or battery improvements vs last gen?

If there isnā€™t that much of a performance gap or if the architecture is still having teething issues I am seriously considering the firesale.

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sigh I wish outside the US got deals like that.

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For me, as an owner of the galaxy book flex, the benefits of the new model are basically ā€“
ā€“ a larger trackpad
ā€“ a full HD WebCam
ā€“ potentially a better keyboard
ā€“ improved battery life compared to three years ago
ā€“ a full-size shift key with the fingerprint reader moved to the power button
-brightness is supposedly improved on this model compared to last yearā€™s, which would make it as bright as my current model (which is important to my used case)

If those things arenā€™t particularly important to you, then I think getting a great sale on last yearā€˜s model is more than adequate. As a pen input device all the models are stellar, and Iā€™m sure the battery life and performance improvements for this yearā€˜s model versus last yearā€˜s model are minimal. For me, since my model is three years old, the improvements are larger.

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The new model (as well as last yearā€˜s model) has a fully accessible microSD slot, which is definitely an improvement from my three year old galaxy book flex. Mine has a slot thatā€™s only accessible if you use a pin to open a little case. Itā€™s a real pain abs so I never use it.

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A question: On several sites a maxed out version with 32gb/1TB SSD and Intel Arc graphics is mentioned.

At the same time, listed as available in central Europe is only the 16gb/1TB and Intel Xe graphics version.

Anyone know if the specced out version will actually be available, and if so, where?

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Does anyone remember the thread on the old TPR forums about how to disable air command viaā€¦ I think registry? I tried clicking on archive but it takes me to the internet wayback machine, and none of the forum posts work, or none that Iā€™ve tried.

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Yeah looks like the archiving was not quite as successful as we hoped.

Maybe this helps?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/how-to-disable-air-command.3602575/

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My memory is that I uninstalled Air Command (and maybe something else from the listā€¦? thinkingā€¦) from the list of installed apps. It ā€œmutedā€ the button. Then I used the Tablet Pro Pen Tool app to customize what the button does.

I made a whole thread about this on the last forum, going step by step into what I did (so I wouldnā€™t forget! LOL). Is there a way to search for this now?

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Someone else on a different forum kindly quoted the old tabletpcreview forum. I now complete the circle by quoting them quoting us. LOL.

Solved: Is there any way to change the functionality of thā€¦ - Samsung Community - 361102

Basically, uninstall two Samsung services-
-samsung pen service
-samsung firmware interface service

Then you install something to control the button instead. Or donā€™t. But atleast you wont have the pop-up ruining your life. Hahhaha. I use the aforementioned Tablet Pro Pen Tool.

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Thank you all kindly~!

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Flagging this topic.

For now Iā€™m possibly very interested in the 13.3" at ~1kg, being only ~1kg and a convertible with S-Pen as a (lighter) replacement for my laptop (well, my two laptopsā€¦ :/) with S-Pen as a bonus! ---- A bright enough screen (that i need) plus reasonable connectivy/a decent number of ports.

Still i would have prefered a 16/10 display for this screen sizeā€¦

What were those ā€œscreen shatteringā€ issues tho? :pleading_face:

Both models are listed on Samsung French website at least but without any preorder available or price displayed. I doubt that every configuration they mention (i5/i7 8/16/32gb etc) will be available in FR as usual but iā€™ll see.
[Edit 2: Today both 15" and 13" are listed as i7/16gb on Samsung website. The previous 13" model was only available in i5/8gb/256 in FR. Although available in i7/16gb for Italy and Germany i just sawā€¦]

Guess iā€™ll wait for some review/s (notebookcheck?), iā€™ll want to know if it doesnā€™t have any bad or too bad thermal/CPU/fan issues/throttling aaaaand hopefully this display wonā€™t have PWMā€¦

Edit: Notebookcheck has a review of the 15 inch model

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Although the date on the article is yesterday, I think thatā€™s for the old model. For example, it says the brightness is max 300 nits, but the new model is 500 I think. Also, the new model has an HD webcam. ???

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Oh, youā€™re right, itā€™s the 11th Intel i5 too.
It was a little early for a review i guess.

I saw the review mentioned the 300 nits display but thought/hoped that with an Amoled display it could be enough.

BTW after older checks online, i saw my old early 2015 retina MBP 13"s display listed at 300 nits and now i see the Surface Go 2 i own listed at 400 nits. Weird? Are these display not the same technology?

Because my Go 2 doesnā€™t really look much brighter than my ā€˜oldā€™ 2015 MBP. Itā€™s the contrary actually?

(i know sometimes for a single model/reference, different panels/displays with different specs can be used butā€¦)

Recently I was using the brightness of my old 2015 rMBP 13" (i thought it was 300 nits?) as a mental reference as I know i can use this old MBP outside.

ā€¦ whereas i also use a Thinkpad T480s 14" and its display is absolutely unusable outside, even during the evening when the sun has already started to set (so basically in the shade, no direct light on the screen).
250 nits, canā€™t even read anything. (It was a summerā€™s sun butā€¦)

(Yeah the big downside of this laptop for me is the display, itā€™s 16/9 which isnā€™t great for my taste but it could do. But the 250 nits/brightness ā€” :confused: ā€” of its FHD display is really bad/not good enough for outside light. I didnā€™t expect it to be that terrible. ā€” The speakers are also really terrible but thatā€™s less a problem for me, the colours on its display are surely not great/i have no idea but not a problem eitherā€¦ Really i could do with not great colours/terrible speakers for a laptop with as many ports it has + upgradable RAM and SSD especially/given the very low price i got it for (i added RAM & replaced the SSD). I was perfectly happy with the way the thermal/fans work too, silent/no fan noise for casual tasks, etc. ANYWAYā€¦ I wish it had a brighter display usable outside. Not the place for a reviewā€¦ Sigh)

Hm OK on notebookcheck the brightness level of my rMBP is actually reported as
ā€œThe maximum brightness of the panel is roughly identical to our last review with 342 cd/mĀ²ā€

And the S. Go 2 at ā€œAverage: 402.4 cd/mĀ²ā€. (Weird)

I suppose iā€™ll have to pay more attention to contrast and so onā€¦ If i want to be sure i can get something iā€™ll be able to use outsideā€¦ or i donā€™t know.

iā€™ll probably use the Go 2 outside some times in the coming months (or at least iā€™ll try!). Guess iā€™ll compare the old MBP and the Go 2ā€¦

Iā€™ll definitively wait for a review of the Samsungs! :stuck_out_tongue:
(And read it carefully.)