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Whether or not you are asking for it or not, Chromebooks are getting extra premium, and on the forefront of that push is Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus.This yr, for $699, Samsung is providing one other Plus-branded riff on the standard Chromebook expertise with bolstered specs and a brand new suite of AI instruments meant to make ChromeOS really feel simpler and extra intuitive. It additionally packs nice battery life and a brilliant AMOLED show in a skinny and light-weight chassis.Nonetheless, it’s a bit dear, and whereas it’s fairly transportable, it’s additionally a bit wider than I’d’ve appreciated. However does that preclude it from our greatest Chromebooks listing? And what precisely does the “Plus” moniker add to the Chromebook expertise? Here is what it is advisable know.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: SpecsSwipe to scroll horizontallyPrice$699Row 0 – Cell 2 Row 0 – Cell 3 CPUIntel Core 3 100URow 1 – Cell 2 Row 1 – Cell 3 GPUIntel GraphicsRow 2 – Cell 2 Row 2 – Cell 3 RAM8GBRow 3 – Cell 2 Row 3 – Cell 3 Storage256GBRow 4 – Cell 2 Row 4 – Cell 3 Display1920x1080 AMOLEDRow 5 – Cell 2 Row 5 – Cell 3 Battery68WhRow 6 – Cell 2 Row 6 – Cell 3 Size8.89 x 13.9 inchesRow 7 – Cell 2 Row 7 – Cell 3 Weight2.45 poundsRow 8 – Cell 2 Row 8 – Cell 3 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Worth and configurationsThe Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is available in only one configuration: $699 will get you an Intel Core 3 100U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.If you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing extra inexpensive, take a look at the very best funds laptops.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Design(Picture credit score: Future)The most important factor (or the smallest, I suppose) that you’re going to discover about Samsung’s new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is that it’s totally light-weight. Actually, that is the thinnest and lightest Chromebook ever, clocking in at simply 2.45 kilos and solely 0.46 inches thick. All-in-all it’s 8.89 inches lengthy with a width of 13.9 inches.It additionally is available in a serene Neptune blue shade which I occur to love. On the inside and outside, Samsung opts for a clean, close-to matte-like plastic that I discover good to the contact. Once I say there are not any frills on the design of this laptop computer — inside or out — I imply it. Flipped open, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus is awash in black with a relatively thick backside bezel on the underside facet of the display. On the surface, the laptop computer is roofed within the aforementioned Neptune blue and punctuated solely by Samsung and Chromebook Plus branding.It’s minimalist to make sure, which I don’t notably hate.For comparability, the HP Chromebook Plus 14a is about 0.72 inches thick whereas the equally priced Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is about 0.59 inches thick. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a laptop computer which you can simply toss into your backpack and cart round between lessons, you would be hard-pressed to seek out one with a display this massive on a machine that weighs this little.Here is how the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus compares:Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: PortsSamsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus comes with loads of ports given the scale, together with two USB-C ports so you can cost an exterior gadget that makes use of USB-C whereas additionally charging your laptop computer.Samsung even squeezed in a MicroSD card slot which is a welcome bonus. The ports are as follows:USB-C: Two USB-C ports on the left facet of the deviceUSB-A: One USB-A port on the precise facet of the deviceHDMI: One full-size HDMI port on the left facet of the deviceMicroSD: One microSD slot on the precise facet of the deviceHeadphone/mic jack: One 3.5 mm headphone/mic jack on the precise facet of the deviceSamsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: DisplayWith a 60Hz 1920 x 1080 AMOLED show, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus’ 15.6-inch display is pretty dynamic and lots brilliant, particularly for those who’re utilizing it for what most individuals would possibly use a Chromebook for — basic internet searching and YouTube viewing or possibly the occasional film.You are not going to need to do any tremendous deep pixel peeping however it is a Chromebook in spite of everything and never essentially a machine you need to do heavy modifying on. I watched the trailer for Robert Egger’s upcoming rendition of Nosferatu — a film that, as you may think, is stuffed with darkness — and the Galaxy Chromebook Plus did an admirable job of maintaining with the contrasting black, which is a significant power of OLED shows.And for brighter content material like ring light-assisted YouTube movies, this display had no points.For context, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus covers 108.5% of the colour gamut in keeping with our take a look at. That’s in comparison with the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 which hits simply 76% and the HP Chromebook Plus 14a which hits 42%.This isn’t the brightest display at a median of 377 nits in keeping with our assessments, but it surely ought to be sufficient to get you by.Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook PlusHP Chromebook Plus 14aAsus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M)Acer Chromebook Spin 714DCI-P3108.541.779.876.0Brightness377.2289339389Delta-E0.230.270.230.30Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Keyboard and touchpad(Picture credit score: Future)I am blissful to report that the keys that are not overly mushy, although given the scale of the laptop computer, typing proficiently on the Galaxy Chromebook Plus’ keyboard did require some readjustment on my half.For reference, I took a typing take a look at through 10fastfingers.com and recorded 45 phrases per minute with an accuracy of 89 %. That’s in comparison with my MacBook Professional M2 rating of 71 phrases per minute with 94 % accuracy.If you happen to’re used to keyboards on smaller 13-inch laptops and do not have notably massive fingers like me, the spread-out keyboard geography could also be one thing to bear in mind.Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus is not going to unseat the MacBook for the title of finest touchpad any time quickly, but it surely’s strong and responsive. Measurement-wise it’s pretty massive, measuring 5.2 inches large x 3.5 inches tall and the press is clicky, which I want over mushy.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: AudioI have fairly excessive requirements for exterior audio. My MacBook Professional M2 audio system are pretty loud, dynamic, and shockingly clear for a laptop computer.That is clearly a troublesome comparability; I do not assume anybody is shopping for a Chromebook and anticipating a MacBook Professional expertise. With that stated, it is nonetheless value noting that Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus exterior audio system aren’t going to blow anybody away. I listened to the identical sports activities speak radio program on each my MacBook Professional M2 and the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and seen an enormous drop-off in high quality. Compared to the room-like high quality of my MacBook Professional, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus lacked low finish and made voices sound one-dimensional.Similar goes for listening to music; I tuned into WQXR, New York’s classical radio station, and the audio, whereas loud sufficient, felt lifeless and flat. Mids and excessive frequencies the place you’d hear a guitar are inclined to sound twangy whereas the low-end the place you’ll hear bass and deeper percussion, like a kick drum, really feel nonexistent. At larger volumes, audio distortion tends to grow to be extra obvious — excessive frequencies take over and have a tendency to drown every part else out. My condolences to all of the bass gamers on the market.For probably the most half, this Galaxy Chromebook’s audio system sound fairly tinny and put out respectable quantity however I would not need to use them in a crowded room. If audio playback goes to be a significant exercise for you, I extremely recommend getting an exterior pair of earbuds or headphones to associate with this laptop computer.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Efficiency(Picture credit score: Future)Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus with its Intel Core 3 100U and 8GB of RAM handles easily.I did what most individuals would do on a Chromebook — went straight to Chrome, opened a couple of dozen tabs, and began watching YouTube. Even with my makeshift stress take a look at, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus carried out nicely.In our assessments, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus scored a 1,902 on the single-core Geekbench 6 benchmark and a 6,015 on the multicore take a look at. On the multicore facet that compares nicely to opponents just like the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 which scored a barely higher 6,335 and the HP Dragonfly Professional Chromebook which clocked simply 4,264.The Galaxy Chromebook Plus additionally scored a 268.37 on the Jetstream 2 take a look at that measures how briskly internet pages load — that is notably above the Chromebook common of 211.33 and handily beats out comparable laptops just like the HP Chromebook Plus 14a (Intel Core i3-n305 CPU) which scored a 196.82.Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook PlusHP Chromebook Plus 14aAsus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M)Acer Chromebook Spin 714Geekbench 5 multicore5695Row 0 – Cell 2 Row 0 – Cell 3 6024Geekbench 6 multicore60154087Row 1 – Cell 3 6335Jetstream 2268.3196.82Row 2 – Cell 3 250.18Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: AI featuresAI won’t be the one replace to this yr’s Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, but it surely’s arguably probably the most pervasive.Probably the most instantly noticeable of the entire Chromebook’s new AI upgrades is Fast Insert. The explanation why that is probably the most noticeable is as a result of there’s a completely new, bodily button on the Samsung Chromebook Plus’ keyboard.As a recap: the Fast Insert button does quite a bit — it might probably add hyperlinks to an electronic mail or insert GIFs or emojis. Extra importantly, nonetheless, Fast Insert additionally acts as an categorical monitor to generative AI options powered by Google’s Gemini.Assist me write, for instance, can generate textual content that is based mostly on a immediate, and may be helpful when writing emails and so forth. The flexibility to make use of Gemini to generate textual content is not novel, however as I wrote beforehand, its prominence because of Fast Insert is.Whether or not you get within the cadence of utilizing Fast Insert is as much as you, however having a devoted button does make Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus really feel genuinely AI-centric.Your expertise utilizing these options, and due to this fact your appreciation of them, could differ relying on what precisely you utilize your laptop computer for, however in my testing, they do add as much as a novel ChromeOS expertise which you can both select to benefit from or not.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Battery lifeSamsung’s Chromebook Plus is not going to blow you away with its battery life however given the scale of this display, and the thinness of the laptop computer, I would say that it excels within the longevity division.In our assessments, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus lasted 11 hours and 12 minutes, which is longer than the typical Chromebook 9 hours and 56 minutes. Evaluate that to Chromebooks just like the HP Chromebook Plus 14a (8:50), the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (8:21), and the Asus Chromebook CM14 Flip (10:14), and we have got a winner.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: WebcamSwipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook PlusHP Chromebook Plus 14aAsus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M)Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023)Battery life (internet browsing hh:mm)11:128:5015:5212:43(Picture credit score: Future)Similar to the trackpad or keyboard, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus will not be profitable any awards for “webcam of the yr,” however contemplating how skinny this laptop computer is, I will say that it errs on the facet if spectacular.It is 1080p and never hi-fi in any sense, however serviceable sufficient for work conferences. It isn’t nice in low-light conditions however then once more, what inventory webcam actually is? If you happen to’re simply trying to be seen and presentable on a video name for work or college, then I am prepared to wager that Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus will suffice.Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: HeatNot a lot to report on the warmth entrance, which on this case, is an effective factor. My lap by no means bought sweaty whereas chugging down Chrome tabs and in keeping with our warmth take a look at, the most well liked level of the laptop computer is above the F10 button.Suffice it to say that Samsung does a superb job of warmth dispersion. The total extent of our warmth benchmarks are as follows:Touchpad: 77.5 degreesG/H: 82.5 degreesUnderside: 82.5 degreesHottest: 84.5 levels above F10 button on the keyboardSwipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook PlusHP Chromebook Plus 14aAsus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M)Acer Chromebook Spin 714Hottest floor and temperature84.582.092.0Row 0 – Cell 4 Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Software program and warrantyWhile ChromeOS could not have the identical nuance as Home windows, which now features a host of latest AI options like Recall and Microsoft’s do-it-all chatbot, Copilot, it thrives with simplicityYou, as regular, have deep integration with the entire host of Google’s apps (Gmail, Google Pictures, Chrome) and a smattering of AI options to avail your self of as I discussed above.I personally discover utilizing ChromeOS to be a nice expertise particularly for those who’re identical to most individuals and simply utilizing your Chromebook for fundamental internet browsing-level duties. Typically much less is extra and ChromeOS proves it.This laptop computer comes with a one-year guarantee for elements and labor.Backside lineIt’s clear Chromebooks are coming into new territory. Whereas Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus is not the primary premium Chromebook, it is most likely the bestThis yr’s addition avoids the $1,000 price ticket and delivers a greater than serviceable laptop computer for internet searching and basic computing wants with some perks to actually love — being skinny and light-weight with a display that is massive and brilliant.If you wish to avoid wasting cash, you would choose up the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 for $299 at Finest Purchase or the HP Chromebook Plus 14a for round $400 however simply know that you simply’ll be sacrificing some efficiency and likewise gained’t have the ability to benefit from the Galaxy Chromebook Plus’ class-beating weight and thinness.If you happen to want a conveyable machine that is light-weight and versatile for internet searching, phrase processing, and what most would possibly think about on a regular basis web utilization, then the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a strong choice.
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