Galaxy Book (2021) in review: The affordable Samsung notebook for office users
While the Samsung Galaxy Book Ion and the Samsung Galaxy Book S were offered for prices of over 1,000 Euros (~$1182) when they were released, the Samsung Galaxy Book is available for much less depending on the configuration. Our test configuration comes with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 as well as 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD.
However, with a price of around 900 Euros (~$1064), the Galaxy Book also has numerous competitors, of which we have selected the models below for comparison in this review. However, other notebooks from our database can also be added under each section.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2021 | Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.6 kg | 16 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 81.4 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2021 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.9 kg | 18 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 84 % v7 (old) | 10 / 2020 | Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK i5-10310U, UHD Graphics 620 | 1.8 kg | 23 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 83.9 % v7 (old) | 11 / 2020 | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 R7 4700U, Vega 7 | 1.8 kg | 18.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 82.8 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2021 | Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.8 kg | 18.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 |
Case - Sturdy notebook from Samsung
Samsung manufactures the case of the Galaxy Book from aluminum, which makes the device very torsion-resistant and robust. This also applies to the lid, which does not bend even when it is only opened with one hand. The maximum opening angle is 180 degrees.
Thanks to very narrow screen edges, the footprint of the Galaxy Book is smaller than that of the other notebooks in our test field. The weight of 1.6 kg (~3.5 lb) is also the lowest among the comparison devices we chose.
Equipment - Fast Wi-Fi in the office laptop
Samsung's Galaxy Book has a selection of common ports. The two USB-C ports stand out, although one of them is required for connecting the power cord. However, additional connections can be established with a corresponding docking station.
SD card reader
The memory card reader of the Galaxy Book only accepts cards in microSD format. With our reference memory card AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60, only slow speeds of 35 MB/s are achieved when copying and 36.5 MB/s when reading data.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL (AV Pro V60) | |
| Average of class Office (22.7 - 198.5, n=31, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL (AV Pro V60) | |
| Average of class Office (25 - 249, n=27, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
Communication
The Samsung Galaxy Book (2021) can establish wireless connections via Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6. With our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12, very good speeds of 1,462 MBit/s on average are achieved when transmitting data and 1,623 MBit/s when receiving data. This result is enough for one of the upper places in our test field.
The Galaxy Book is also available with LTE in an optional configuration.
Webcam
Like most notebook manufacturers, Samsung only installs a low-resolution 0.9 MP webcam. The picture quality is correspondingly mediocre.
Accessories
The Galaxy Book comes with a matching USB-C power adapter.
Maintenance
Four screws are hidden under the rubber feet on the bottom of the Galaxy Book. However, the latter can be removed easily and are only plugged in, which means that no glue or similar has to be replaced. Once the screws are removed, the bottom can only be removed with a lot of patience. Inside, the WLAN module and the working memory are soldered, but two SSDs can be inserted or the existing SSD can be replaced.
Warranty
Samsung grants a warranty period of 24 months for the Galaxy Book.
Input devices - Large touchpad and number pad
Keyboard
The keyboard of the Samsung notebook offers a very flat stroke and a noticeable pressure point. It takes a short time to get used to typing on the keyboard, but after that typing is easy. The arrow keys are a bit small, and Samsung has included a number pad on the keyboard.
The power button is located on the upper right and is not marked separately. However, it is not possible to accidentally press the button due to the tighter casing. A backlight is not available.
Touchpad
Samsung uses a relatively large clickpad as a mouse replacement. It is well suited for navigating the mouse pointer and responds reliably to inputs triggered via touch. Mouse clicks triggered by mechanical pressure are also registered without problems.
Display - low contrast, but bright
The screen of the Galaxy Book consists of a 15.6-inch IPS panel and offers a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The maximum brightness is on a comparatively high level with an average of 297 cd/m², which also applies to the illumination of 86 percent. Furthermore, no PWM is used.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 325 cd/m²
Contrast: 730:1 (Black: 0.445 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.48 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.87
ΔE Greyscale 5.27 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
70% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
44% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.41
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA CEC PANDA LM156LF5L03, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A LG Philips LGD065A, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK BOE0869, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 B156HAN02.1, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | |||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 38.32 | 38.74 | 38.42 | 40.36 | |
| sRGB Coverage | 57.5 | 56.6 | 57.8 | 60.4 | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 39.6 | 40.02 | 39.69 | 41.72 | |
| Response Times | -28% | -54% | -52% | -38% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 29 ? | 37 ? -28% | 44 ? -52% | 46.8 ? -61% | 40 ? -38% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 22 ? | 28 ? -27% | 34 ? -55% | 31.2 ? -42% | 30.4 ? -38% |
| PWM Frequency | 1000 ? | ||||
| Screen | 1% | -6% | -21% | -12% | |
| Brightness middle | 325 | 285 -12% | 258 -21% | 249 -23% | 288 -11% |
| Brightness | 297 | 255 -14% | 229 -23% | 239 -20% | 276 -7% |
| Brightness Distribution | 86 | 84 -2% | 74 -14% | 87 1% | 87 1% |
| Black Level * | 0.445 | 0.325 27% | 0.16 64% | 0.22 51% | 0.26 42% |
| Contrast | 730 | 877 20% | 1613 121% | 1132 55% | 1108 52% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.48 | 4.23 -22% | 5.61 -61% | 6.7 -93% | 5.9 -70% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 8.07 | 7.94 2% | 19 -135% | 19.7 -144% | 18.4 -128% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.27 | 2.51 52% | 2.77 47% | 5.1 3% | 3.8 28% |
| Gamma | 2.41 91% | 2.57 86% | 2.27 97% | 2.48 89% | 2.34 94% |
| CCT | 7769 84% | 6626 98% | 6198 105% | 7277 89% | 6856 95% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 44 | 36 -18% | 36 -18% | 36.6 -17% | 38.1 -13% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 70 | 57 -19% | 56 -20% | 57.7 -18% | 60 -14% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 3.75 | 4.4 | 4.9 | ||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -14% /
-3% | -30% /
-14% | -37% /
-26% | -25% /
-16% |
* ... smaller is better
According to our measurements, the contrast ratio of the Galaxy Book is a bit low at 730:1 and the black value is a bit high at 0.445 cd/m². As a result, colors do not appear very well delineated and black image content gets a gray haze.
The CalMAN analysis also shows that colors are displayed with too high a blue content.
The Samsung Galaxy Book can be used well outdoors as long as shady places are preferred. In direct sunlight, the brightness is not sufficient to display image content legibly.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 12 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 10 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 13 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 16 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 36 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.5 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8492 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
The IPS panel of the Galaxy Book is very viewing-angle stable. Content can be displayed even from flat angles without being distorted or displayed with incorrect colors.
Performance - Stable performance even over longer periods of time
Samsung offers the Galaxy Book with different hardware configurations. All of them are suitable for office use and rely on a modern Intel Tiger Lake CPU and its internal graphics unit for displaying image content. There are also differences in the installed mass storage. The working memory is limited to 8 GB and is only 16 GB in the LTE version.
Processor
The Intel Core i5-1135G7 used here is a quad-core processor that can process up to eight tasks simultaneously. The clock rates are between 2.4 and 4.2 GHz, whereby the cooling system and the set TDP value are largely responsible for the performance. The latter is set generously with a short-term value (PL1) of 32 watts and a long-term value (PL2) of 31.5 watts.
As our Cinebench R15 continuous load test shows, the CPU in the Samsung notebook can maintain its performance evenly over a long period. Both here and in the individual benchmarks, results in the upper midfield are achieved among the competing devices we chose. Here, especially the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 shows a similar, but always slightly better performance.
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
| Average of class Office (229 - 766, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (375 - 527, n=62) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Average of class Office (590 - 8086, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (979 - 2382, n=62) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Average of class Office (98 - 294, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (141.4 - 205, n=61) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Average of class Office (246 - 3132, n=89, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (431 - 941, n=65) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (499 - 1044, n=60) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Average of class Office (163 - 1956, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
| Average of class Office (2972 - 6687, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (3924 - 4921, n=62) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
| Average of class Office (7532 - 76886, n=89, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (14745 - 24873, n=62) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
| Average of class Office (510 - 2096, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (1147 - 1428, n=58) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
| Average of class Office (1018 - 14192, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (3475 - 5472, n=58) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
| Average of class Office (1.72 - 22.4, n=86, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (3.57 - 7.6, n=57) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Average of class Office (31.3 - 129.6, n=86, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (44.2 - 62.9, n=60) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7 (0.619 - 0.727, n=59) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Average of class Office (0.4098 - 1.135, n=85, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
System performance
In the PCMark 10 test for evaluating the system performance, the Samsung Galaxy Book achieves second place in our test field. The high digital content creation rate is particularly impressive in the individual disciplines. The system always runs smoothly in everyday use and does not exhibit any micro-stutters or the like. However, here again the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 is the somewhat stronger notebook.
The performance of other notebooks in comparison can be seen in our CPU benchmark list.
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Average of class Office (2463 - 7578, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (4026 - 4952, n=53) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Average of class Office (5575 - 20841, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (8149 - 9917, n=53) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Average of class Office (3041 - 10415, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (5040 - 6619, n=53) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Average of class Office (2049 - 11108, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (3548 - 5255, n=53) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 4668 points | |
Help | ||
DPC latencies
In the test with LatencyMon, the Samsung Galaxy Book shows slightly increased interruption times. Thus, it is only suitable for real-time applications to a limited extent.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
* ... smaller is better
Mass storage
Samsung installs a 512 GB SSD in our test configuration of the Galaxy Book. Although it achieves very good read and write rates in the storage benchmarks, it is still outperformed by our test field.
The performance of other mass storage devices can be seen in our HDD/SSD benchmark list.
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA Lite-On CL1-8D512 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD | Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU | Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU | Average Lite-On CL1-8D512 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | 42% | -2% | 17% | 17% | 1% | |
| Write 4K | 102.4 | 86.8 -15% | 121 18% | 104.9 2% | 148.1 45% | 119 ? 16% |
| Read 4K | 36.27 | 66.4 83% | 42.39 17% | 46.54 28% | 47.72 32% | 35.6 ? -2% |
| Write Seq | 1134 | 1851 63% | 1034 -9% | 1333 18% | 1225 8% | 1099 ? -3% |
| Read Seq | 1841 | 1707 -7% | 1063 -42% | 1565 -15% | 1498 -19% | 1806 ? -2% |
| Write 4K Q32T1 | 495.5 | 542 9% | 351.4 -29% | 437.2 -12% | 421.1 -15% | 390 ? -21% |
| Read 4K Q32T1 | 322.6 | 589 83% | 334.3 4% | 498.9 55% | 360.9 12% | 371 ? 15% |
| Write Seq Q32T1 | 930 | 1960 111% | 1059 14% | 1315 41% | 1407 51% | 965 ? 4% |
| Read Seq Q32T1 | 1988 | 2227 12% | 2290 15% | 2340 18% | 2362 19% | 1998 ? 1% |
| AS SSD | 79% | 34% | 49% | 51% | -9% | |
| Seq Read | 1780 | 2023 14% | 1172 -34% | 1934 9% | 1965 10% | 1795 ? 1% |
| Seq Write | 843 | 1781 111% | 678 -20% | 1198 42% | 836 -1% | 706 ? -16% |
| 4K Read | 24.25 | 61.9 155% | 47.35 95% | 47.08 94% | 50.3 107% | 24.8 ? 2% |
| 4K Write | 102.2 | 128.7 26% | 115.7 13% | 132.8 30% | 189.1 85% | 92.6 ? -9% |
| 4K-64 Read | 369 | 904 145% | 786 113% | 866 135% | 870 136% | 379 ? 3% |
| 4K-64 Write | 717 | 976 36% | 718 0% | 872 22% | 871 21% | 472 ? -34% |
| Access Time Read * | 0.076 | 0.049 36% | 0.116 -53% | 0.126 -66% | 0.069 ? 9% | |
| Access Time Write * | 0.124 | 0.031 75% | 0.034 73% | 0.03 76% | 0.02 84% | 0.134 ? -8% |
| Score Read | 571 | 1168 105% | 951 67% | 1106 94% | 1117 96% | 584 ? 2% |
| Score Write | 904 | 1283 42% | 902 0% | 1125 24% | 1144 27% | 635 ? -30% |
| Score Total | 1726 | 3053 77% | 2326 35% | 2771 61% | 2787 61% | 1469 ? -15% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 61% /
63% | 16% /
19% | 33% /
35% | 34% /
36% | -4% /
-5% |
* ... smaller is better
Continuous load read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics card
In the Samsung Galaxy Book (2021) the internal graphics unit Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 EUs is responsible for displaying image content. Its performance depends on the notebook's installed working memory and benefits from fast RAM in a dual-channel configuration, which is the case here.
The results of the 3DMark benchmarks are correspondingly good. Samsung's notebook can place itself ahead of our test field in every single discipline. For everyday use, this means that even simple image and video editing can be performed without problems. Our GPU benchmark list shows how other graphics cards compare to this.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 6494 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 18772 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 4262 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1578 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming performance
The performance of the Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 is only sufficient for games that are a bit older or only have low demands on the graphics performance. Therefore, both the detail levels and the resolution have to be reduced, sometimes significantly, for smooth frame rates.
What kind of gaming performance can be expected in different titles can be seen in our GPU games list.
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off) | |
| Average of class Office (8.38 - 59.1, n=51, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (9.3 - 33.5, n=101) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 High Preset AA:T | |
| Average of class Office (9 - 54, n=42, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (8 - 29, n=39) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL | |
| GTA V - 1920x1080 High/On (Advanced Graphics Off) AA:2xMSAA + FX AF:8x | |
| Average of class Office (6.19 - 97.5, n=77, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (7.81 - 32, n=84) | |
| Strange Brigade - 1920x1080 high AA:high AF:8 | |
| Average of class Office (12 - 73.2, n=71, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (11.4 - 34, n=81) | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 High Quality | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA | |
| Average of class Office (4.18 - 36.4, n=82, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (4.01 - 22, n=89) | |
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (2015) | 98.4 | 84.3 | 28.2 | 11.6 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 65 | 51.2 | 26.4 | 13.4 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 81.1 | 78.1 | 47.9 | 44.3 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 39.7 | 22 | 22 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 25.2 | 32.4 | 28.9 | |
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 51 | 24 | 22 | 20 |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 78.7 | 34.7 | 27.9 |
Emissions - No disturbing background noise
Noise emissions
In simple operation with office applications and browser tasks, the Samsung Galaxy Book is mostly silent. However, the fan can reach a noise level of up to 45.7 dB(A) under load. Thus, the notebook is clearly audible, but usually only emits a steady noise. We rarely noticed a somewhat high-frequency fan noise. We did not notice any other background noise, such as coil whine or similar.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 26 / 26 / 26 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 43.3 / 45.7 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 26 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
According to our measurements, the surfaces of the Galaxy Book heat up to 44.8 °C (112.64 °F). The warmest point is at the lower left corner in the rear area of the Samsung laptop. The temperatures of the palm rests, on the other hand, remain moderate, so there are no restrictions due to excessive heat development.
The temperatures inside the Galaxy Book rose to up to 81 °C (177.8 °F) during our approximately one-hour long-term stress test. The clock rates dropped to an average of about 2 GHz, which is just below the base clock. However, the system could be used smoothly at all times, which is why we do not have to reckon with restrictions due to excessive heat development.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.5 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.8 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.5 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.9 °C / 85.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-2.3 °C / -4.1 F).
Speaker
The speakers in Samsung's Galaxy Book offer a medium volume and a sound spectrum that is pronounced on the higher tones. Thus, they are well suited for the reproduction of speech, for example. However, external speakers or headphones should be preferred for consuming media content or music.
Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 48% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 43% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 56% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 90% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 13% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 83% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Power management - Over ten hours of battery life
Energy consumption
With an average power consumption of 8 watts in idle mode, the Samsung Galaxy Book is an economical notebook and can place itself in the middle of our test field. This also applies to the maximum energy consumption of 45 watts under load.
The included charger offers an output power of 65 watts and is thus sufficiently large.
| Off / Standby | 0.5 / 1.1 Watt |
| Idle | 3.5 / 8 / 9.4 Watt |
| Load |
37.8 / 45 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Lite-On CL1-8D512, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK i5-10310U, UHD Graphics 620, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 R7 4700U, Vega 7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.6" | Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 5% | 6% | -13% | -22% | -10% | -15% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 3.5 | 3.3 6% | 3.6 -3% | 4.2 -20% | 5.1 -46% | 4.46 ? -27% | 4.57 ? -31% |
| Idle Average * | 8 | 8.4 -5% | 6.9 14% | 7.8 2% | 9.1 -14% | 7.38 ? 8% | 7.57 ? 5% |
| Idle Maximum * | 9.4 | 8.9 5% | 9.4 -0% | 10.7 -14% | 11.7 -24% | 9.24 ? 2% | 9.01 ? 4% |
| Load Average * | 37.8 | 30.1 20% | 34.7 8% | 45.6 -21% | 33.3 12% | 36.6 ? 3% | 42.4 ? -12% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 36.7 | 41.2 -12% | 39.2 -7% | ||||
| Load Maximum * | 45 | 45.4 -1% | 41 9% | 51.5 -14% | 69.3 -54% | 61.7 ? -37% | 62.7 ? -39% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption - The Witcher 3 (continuous load)
Battery life
Samsung's notebook achieves a runtime of over ten hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. Thus, it makes good use of its 54 Wh battery and can secure second place in our test field.
The included charger and battery support fast charging, which means the notebook is fully recharged after about one and a half hours.
| Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 54 Wh | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 48.85 Wh | Dell Latitude 15 5510-D90XK i5-10310U, UHD Graphics 620, 51 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 R7 4700U, Vega 7, 45 Wh | Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 45 Wh | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -3% | 32% | -36% | -44% | 5% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1365 | 1410 3% | 1254 ? -8% | |||
| WiFi v1.3 | 607 | 416 -31% | 637 5% | 411 -32% | 335 -45% | 646 ? 6% |
| Load | 97 | 122 26% | 181 87% | 59 -39% | 55 -43% | 114.2 ? 18% |
| H.264 | 541 | 755 ? |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Samsung's Galaxy Book proves strong against the competition
The Samsung Galaxy Book is a good office notebook that can provide its performance even during longer use. Thanks to good input devices and a bright display, it is not inferior to its rivals. It even offers a significantly sustained battery life and can be recharged quickly with the included charger. Even though the graphics performance is not sufficient for demanding tasks, the performance of the integrated GPU is also on a comparatively high level.
Samsung delivers a good and competitive office notebook with the Galaxy Book (2021).
We like the fact that Samsung has installed two USB-C ports. The fact that one of them is needed for the charger is also acceptable. However, the fact that there is no Thunderbolt port is a bit incomprehensible. We would also have liked more options in terms of maintenance options. Although the available space is used for a second SSD, a RAM slot would have been desirable as well, especially since only the LTE version comes with 16 GB of working memory, all other models are limited to a fixed 8 GB of RAM. However, if this circumstance does not bother you, the Samsung Galaxy Book is a good alternative to devices like the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 and the Acer Aspire 5 A515.
Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Book is available now and can be purchased in the configuration tested here for 850 Euros (~$1005) directly from Samsung (DE) or for about 750 Euros (~$887) with a 256 GB SSD at Amazon (DE).
Samsung Galaxy Book NP750XDA
- 07/01/2021 v7 (old)
Mike Wobker
Price comparison
