Samsung Unveils the ARM-based Galaxy Book S Laptop
At its New York event, besides the galaxy Note 10 seris, Samsung unveiled a new ARM processor-based Windows laptop called the Galaxy Book S.
Developed by Samsung, Microsoft and Qualcomm, the Galaxy Book S, this new Windows 10 PC offers Gigabit LTE connectivity to the cloud, touch-to-wake capabilities, the Snapdragon 8cx compute platform, and a design that that is ultra-slim and light-weight. The Snapdragon 8cx promises performance and battery boosts that is meant to rival an Intel U-series option on speed.
The laptop has only a single USB-C port on the right edge, while another USB-C slot and a headphone jack are all you'll find on the left. Tucked under this pair of ports is a SIM card slot that also has a spot for a microSD card.
Samsung estimates the Galaxy Book S will last 23 hours on a charge. That battery estimate seems reasonable in part because the Book S's 13-inch screen runs at just full HD.
Galaxy Book S’ 13.3-inch display comes with a 10-point multi-touch, allowing you to scroll, zoom and control the device, with a touch of a finger.
The laptop packs 8GB of RAM and runs a 64-bit version of Windows on ARM. This means that you'll find most options you need on Snapdragon PCs, like Adobe's suite of apps or Microsoft Office. But it's the odd obscure app that you might have trouble getting to run smoothly on Windows on ARM.
The Galaxy Book S is always-on, always-connected and always-capable. Gigabit LTE adds a virtually constant connection to the cloud, providing high-speed access to applications and content without relying on Wi-Fi. Booting up is a thing of the past – Galaxy Book S features touch-to-wake capabilities for instant access. Like a smartphone, anything you need is readily available at the touch of your finger.
Galaxy Book S also includes Samsung’s studio quality Sound by AKG stereo speakers, while Dolby Atmos elevates and refines the audio experience with tailored sound modes for movies, music, games and more.
Microsoft’s Your Phone app provides a connection between Galaxy Book S and Galaxy Note10 so you can access your most recent photos, apps and notifications, and instantly respond to calls and texts between device. Galaxy Book S also features Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage.
The Galaxy Book S will cost about $999 when it retails this fall in select markets.
Galaxy Book S | |
OS | Windows 10 Home/Pro *Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device. |
Display | 13.3’’ FHD TFT (16:9) Touch: 10-point multi-touch screen |
Body | 305.2 x 203.2 x 6.2 – 11.8 mm, 0.96 kg *Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. |
AP | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8cx Compute Platform 7nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.84 GHz + 1.8GHz) *Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. *Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. |
Memory | 8GB RAM (LPDDR4X), 256/ 512GB + MicroSD slot (up to 1TB) *May differ by market and mobile operator. *User memory is less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software used to operate the device features. Actual user memory will vary depending on the operator and may change after software upgrades are performed. *MicroSD card sold separately. |
Camera | 720p HD |
Battery | 42Wh (typical) Video playback: Up to 23 hours *Based on results from internal lab tests for local video playback time conducted by Samsung. Test results are estimated values of the battery sample from a pre-release version tested under default settings (audio volume and brightness levels) without connection to Wi-Fi or mobile network. Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage, and other factors. *Wired charging compatible with PD2.0, AFC and QC2.0. *May differ by market and mobile operator. |
Network | LTE Cat.18 Nano SIM *May differ by market and mobile operator. |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac (2.4/ 5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO *May differ by market and mobile operator. Bluetooth® v 5.0, USB Type-C, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*) *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited. |
Sensors | Fingerprint Sensor, Hall Sensor, Light Sensor (Keyboard Backlit on/off) |
Authentication | Windows Hello sign in with fingerprint |
Audio | Stereo speakers: Sound by AKG Immersive sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dynamic, Movie, Music, Game, Voice, and Personalize Modes) |