Over All Rating 3.5/5
Price Starts From â‚ą1,74,990
PROS đź‘Ť
- Battery Life
- OLED Display
- Lightweight Design
CONS đź‘Ž
- Performance
- Heats Up Quite Quickly
Samsung’s flagship 360-hinge laptop makes a return, bringing with it a familiar exterior but promising new power under the hood. With the latest Intel Core Ultra chips, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 aims to enhance its appeal, but does it truly live up to its potential?
Here's an in-depth review of Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360
Design, Keyboard and Trackpad
The Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 retains the sleek design of its predecessor, with only subtle refinements. The keyboard remains a mixed experience, its action is satisfying yet somewhat shallow. However, the expansive trackpad is a standout feature, offering both size and responsiveness that elevate daily use. The all-metal chassis exudes sophistication, although the limited colour options may not appeal to everyone. At just 12.8mm thick and 1.66kg, it’s impressively thin and reasonably light, though the 16-inch display means it requires a larger bag for portability. The 360-degree hinge is smooth and allows for versatile use, particularly in tablet mode, where the included S Pen shines. This stylus is responsive and comfortable, though the sensation of writing on glass may still feel slightly unnatural.
The port selection is solid but not exceptional. It has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack, and it covers most bases. However, a memory card reader would have been a welcome addition for creative professionals. The Full HD webcam does the job but lacks the polish expected from a premium device, especially with no Windows Hello login option—though fingerprint login via the power button is available. Samsung’s emphasis on sustainability is commendable, with the device boasting a Carbon Trust Certification and utilising recycled materials in its construction. The glass touchpad includes at least 40% recycled content, and the chassis uses a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Display and Audio
The 16-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is a highlight, offering a 2.8K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Covering 120% of the DCI-P3 colour space, it delivers deep blacks and vibrant colours, making it a joy for media consumption. With a peak brightness of 500 nits, the screen is readable even in bright environments, though a reduction in bezel size, particularly at the bottom, would be an improvement.
The audio setup, a quad-speaker array, provides good depth and clarity without distortion at higher volumes. The downward-firing speakers on the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 benefit from the laptop’s design, which allows you to flip the base and avoid muffling, a noticeable improvement over the standard Galaxy Book4 Pro.
Performance
The most significant upgrade in the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 is the move to Intel’s Core Ultra chips. My review unit, equipped with the Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, performed admirably in day-to-day tasks. It handled intensive productivity workloads with ease, though occasional stutters and fan noise were noted under heavy strain.
In terms of benchmarks, the laptop holds its own against competitors like the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED but falls short in some areas. The Cinebench R23 rendering test revealed performance slightly below key rivals, though it remains capable of performing creative tasks, particularly when using Samsung’s Studio video editor.
Gaming performance, bolstered by Intel’s Arc graphics, was underwhelming. In Cyberpunk 2077, the laptop managed just 21fps at 1080p and Medium settings, rising to nearly 30fps with XeSS upscaling. This means the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 is more suited to less demanding games, with compromises necessary for AAA titles.
Software and Battery Life
Samsung’s suite of productivity tools, including the Air Command tab for S Pen shortcuts and the Samsung Studio editing app, adds value to the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360. While Samsung Studio isn’t a match for Adobe’s Creative Cloud, it’s useful for quick edits of short-form videos and offers a straightforward interface.
When it comes to battery life, the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 is a standout in the Windows laptop arena. Despite its relatively average 76Wh battery, it manages to deliver an impressive 15 hours of usage, rivalling the endurance of Apple’s MacBook Air. This longevity makes it a reliable companion for a full day’s work and beyond. Recharging is quick, too, with the included 65W USB-C charger restoring the battery to full capacity in just under an hour and a half.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 is priced at â‚ą1,74,990, but deals may bring it down to around â‚ą1.6 lakh. For this price, it offers a sleek design, excellent display, and robust battery life. While its performance lags slightly behind competitors like the HP Spectre x360 and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, it remains a strong contender for those seeking a lightweight convertible with a premium finish.
