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Samsung Galaxy Book Flex NP950QCG Review: Very Bright Display Thanks To Outdoor+ Mode

100 % sRGB. Samsung's 15.6-inch convertible offers a compact case, very good battery life, and a very bright display with a brightness of up to 600 nits. Its touchscreen display (QLED, IPS, FHD) does not only support finger but also stylus input using the included S Pen.

Samsung’s Galaxy Book Flex is a thin and compact 15.6-inch convertible equipped with a Core i7-1065G7 and a GeForce MX250. Its main competitors are the HP Envy x360 15, Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FDT, and Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML.

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 (Galaxy Book Flex 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-1065G7 4 x 1.3 - 3.9 GHz, 51 W PL2 / Short Burst, 28 W PL1 / Sustained, Ice Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX250 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1582 MHz, Memory: 1752 MHz, GDDR5, 27.21.14.5671 (Nvidia 456.71), Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, LPDDR4X-3733, dual-channel mode, onboard, no memory banks
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, 10 touchpoints, BOE HF NE156FHM-N51, IPS, QLED, glossy: yes, HDR, 60 Hz
Mainboard
Intel 495 (Ice Lake-U PCH-LP Premium)
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ, 512 GB 
, M.2-2280, 409 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC298 @ Intel Ice Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: audio combo, Card Reader: MicroSD, Sensors: accelerometer, orientation sensor, ambient light sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.9 x 355 x 227.2 ( = 0.59 x 13.98 x 8.94 in)
Battery
69.7 Wh, 4530 mAh Lithium-Ion, 15.4 V
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, USB-C to USB-A dongle, McAfee LiveSafe (trial), MS Office 365 (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.57 kg ( = 55.38 oz / 3.46 pounds), Power Supply: 244 g ( = 8.61 oz / 0.54 pounds)
Price
1800 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
87.3 %
10/2020
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
i7-1065G7, GeForce MX250
1.6 kg14.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.8 %
09/2020
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
R5 4500U, Vega 6
2 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
86.5 %
03/2020
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
i7-10510U, GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
1.9 kg19.9 mm15.60"3840x2160
84.8 %
01/2020
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
i7-10510U, UHD Graphics 620
1.9 kg17.25 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case & Connectivity – Thunderbolt 3 Included

For the Galaxy Flex, Samsung opted for a silver slim metal case with matted surfaces. The gaps are even, and we found no crevices or overhangs anywhere. The base unit could have been more rigid. In order to get to the internal hardware, you need to remove the screws hidden underneath the four rubber feet (clicked into place, not glued). Once undone you can start to carefully pry the delicate bottom cover open.

A total of three USB-C ports are available, two of which are connected to Thunderbolt 3 and the remaining to USB 3.2 Gen 1. A USB-C to USB-A dongle is included in the box. All three USB-C ports support Power Delivery as well as DisplayPort, which can be very beneficial. The latter requires a separate dongle that is not included in the box.

When equipped with our 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC reference card the microSD card reader performed very well and managed maximum transfer speeds of 78.9 MB/s (transferring 250 JPEG files with 5 MB each) and 89.3 MB/s (transferring large files).

Intel’s AX201 Wi-Fi chip supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax. When connected to our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router the device performed exceptionally well under ideal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices nearby, low distance between notebook and server).

Size Comparison

358 mm / 14.1 inch 230 mm / 9.06 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs357.8 mm / 14.1 inch 235.35 mm / 9.27 inch 17.25 mm / 0.679 inch 1.9 kg4.11 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 227.2 mm / 8.94 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.6 kg3.46 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left side: audio combo, USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-C, Power Delivery, DisplayPort), microSD card reader
Left side: audio combo, USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-C, Power Delivery, DisplayPort), microSD card reader
Right side: power button, 2x Thunderbolt 3, S Pen
Right side: power button, 2x Thunderbolt 3, S Pen
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
78.9 MB/s
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.6 MB/s 0%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76.6 MB/s -3%
Average of class Convertible
  (17.7 - 177.7, n=36, last 2 years)
73.8 MB/s -6%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Convertible
  (22.6 - 263, n=34, last 2 years)
95.1 MB/s +6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
89.3 MB/s
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86 MB/s -4%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1380 MBit/s +6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1298 (1152min - 1444max) MBit/s
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s -11%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
650 (378min - 680max) MBit/s -50%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Realtek 8822CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
650 (602min - 662max) MBit/s -50%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1420 MBit/s +13%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s 0%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1259 (917min - 1377max) MBit/s
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
888 (626min - 939max) MBit/s -29%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Realtek 8822CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
635 (619min - 645max) MBit/s -50%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1258 (917-1377)
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000); iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø634 (619-645)
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø888 (626-939)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1298 (1152-1444)
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000); iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø650 (602-662)
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø650 (378-680)
ColorChecker
26.6 ∆E
27.6 ∆E
28.4 ∆E
23 ∆E
27.7 ∆E
18.6 ∆E
26.1 ∆E
33.7 ∆E
22.4 ∆E
25.9 ∆E
16.3 ∆E
20.5 ∆E
30.9 ∆E
21.4 ∆E
25.9 ∆E
11.1 ∆E
24.7 ∆E
24.3 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
23.2 ∆E
26.3 ∆E
23.5 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950: 22.23 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 33.71 ∆E
ColorChecker
22 ∆E
21 ∆E
24.6 ∆E
20.4 ∆E
25.5 ∆E
19 ∆E
16.3 ∆E
32.2 ∆E
20.4 ∆E
25.7 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
17.8 ∆E
33.2 ∆E
21.5 ∆E
25.1 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
24.9 ∆E
25.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
22.2 ∆E
20.3 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T: 20.37 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 33.17 ∆E
ColorChecker
17.3 ∆E
16.3 ∆E
21.1 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
21.2 ∆E
17.7 ∆E
10.4 ∆E
29.1 ∆E
14.5 ∆E
14 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
25.3 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
12.8 ∆E
4.4 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
22.9 ∆E
2.9 ∆E
12 ∆E
15.3 ∆E
14.9 ∆E
16 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
ColorChecker HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng: 15.55 ∆E min: 2.9 - max: 29.14 ∆E

Input Devices – Galax Book Supports Wireless Smartphone Charging

The backlit chiclet keyboard features rather shallow key travel but a very well-defined accentuation point in return. Key resistance was good. The keyboard does not flex while typing. The cursor keys are fairly small. The writing on the silver key caps is hard to read with the keyboard backlit enabled at normal brightness conditions. All in all, the keyboard turned out to be usable.

The large (4.8 x 3.1 inches) multitouch-capable clickpad features short key travel and a well-defined accentuation point. Not only is it a way to control the cursor but it can also charge Qi-enabled smartphones wirelessly. The charging feature is enabled and disabled via a keypress (FN + F11) and referred to as “Wireless Power Share” by Samsung.

The touchscreen (10-point multitouch) is fast and did not cause any issues during our review period. It supports input via fingers or the included S Pen. The latter is charged wirelessly.

Galaxy Book input devices
Galaxy Book input devices
The S Pen is stored inside the case
The S Pen is stored inside the case

Display – QLED with High Maximum Brightness

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The 15.6-inch touchscreen display runs at a native resolution of 1920 x 1080. Its contrast ratio of 1,282:1 is decent and its brightness of 405 nits very good. The latter can be boosted to up to 600 nits by activating the so-called Outdoor+ mode. A big plus: the display did not show any signs of PWN flickering.

403
cd/m²
428
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
404
cd/m²
436
cd/m²
399
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
396
cd/m²
402
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE HF NE156FHM-N51 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 436 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 405.7 cd/m² Minimum: 27 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 372 cd/m²
Contrast: 1282:1 (Black: 0.34 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.53 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.34 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
78% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
86.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
BOE HF NE156FHM-N51, IPS, QLED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
BOE NV156FHM-N4T, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
BOE HF NE156QUM-N64, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
B156HAN02.5, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-50%
-19%
-52%
Display P3 Coverage
99
40.43
-59%
66.2
-33%
39.04
-61%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
59.6
-40%
97.2
-3%
57.9
-42%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
86.9
41.77
-52%
68.3
-21%
40.33
-54%
Response Times
35%
-11%
2%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
53 ?(27, 26)
34 ?(17, 17)
36%
60 ?(29, 31)
-13%
50.8 ?(24, 26.8)
4%
Response Time Black / White *
32 ?(18, 14)
21 ?(12, 9)
34%
35 ?(21, 14)
-9%
32.4 ?(17.6, 14.8)
-1%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-34%
11%
-41%
Brightness middle
436
314
-28%
351
-19%
286
-34%
Brightness
406
280
-31%
335
-17%
268
-34%
Brightness Distribution
88
72
-18%
87
-1%
83
-6%
Black Level *
0.34
0.275
19%
0.31
9%
0.2
41%
Contrast
1282
1142
-11%
1132
-12%
1430
12%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.53
5.94
-68%
1.74
51%
7.3
-107%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.43
21.71
-158%
2.76
67%
21.7
-157%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.34
2.97
44%
2.22
58%
7
-31%
Gamma
2.4 92%
2.4 92%
2.35 94%
2.35 94%
CCT
7409 88%
6581 99%
6667 97%
5847 111%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
78
38.1
-51%
62
-21%
36.9
-53%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
59.1
-41%
97
-3%
57.5
-42%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
5.15
5.1
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-16% / -28%
-6% / 2%
-30% / -38%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
32 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 14 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 84 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
53 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 27 ms rise
↘ 26 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 88 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Color accuracy was very good out of the box already, and with a DeltaE 2000 deviation of 3.5 it only barely missed the ideal of less than 3. The display did not suffer from a blue tint. It covers sRGB completely (100 %), and AdobeRGB by a decent 73 %.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Viewing angles are as wide as expected of an IPS panel, and it remains readable from all angles. Outdoors, it remains well usable thanks to its high display brightness. Nevertheless, its reflective display coating can be quite a hassle and challenge to overcome.

Galaxy Book Flex outdoors, photo taken on overcast day
Galaxy Book Flex outdoors, photo taken on overcast day

Performance – Enough for Office and Internet

The Galaxy Book Flex offers enough performance for office and internet applications. Our review unit was priced at around 1,800 Euros at the time of writing, with various other SKUs also available.

Normal Mode vs. Silent Mode

The preloaded Samsung Settings applications supports a so-called “Silent Mode”, which can lower noise emissions significantly at the expense of performance. However, the convertible is anything but silent in this mode, and “Quiet Mode” would have been a much better translation and description. We included some benchmark results obtained with activated Silent Mode below.

Processor

The Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake) quad-core CPU runs at a base clock speed of 1.3 GHz and can turbo boost up to 3.4 GHz on all four cores or up to 3.9 GHz on a single core. It supports Hyperthreading (two threads per core).

When running our CineBench multi-thread test the cores boost up to 3.3-3.5 GHz for a short period of time before settling at a slightly lower 2.9-3.1 GHz. In the single-thread test, recorded clock speeds varied between 1.6-3.9 GHz. On battery, clock speeds were throttled to just 1.4 and 1.6 GHz in the multi and single-thread test, respectively.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
HWInfo
HWInfo

Whether or not a device is capable of maintaining high turbo boost speeds over long periods of time is determined by our CineBench R15 multi-thread loop running for at least 30 minutes. In this case, turbo boost is still applied albeit at medium levels. With Silent Mode enabled we found practically no application of turbo boost at all.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Core i7-1065G7: Ø705 (686.55-765.02)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Core i7-1065G7; Silent Mode: Ø379 (368.79-404.9)
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø667 (629.15-872.09)
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T Intel Core i7-10510U, Intel Core i7-10510U: Ø755 (699.58-835.95)
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML Intel Core i7-10510U, Intel Core i7-10510U: Ø604 (560-752)
CPU clock speeds while running our CB15 loop
CPU clock speeds while running our CB15 loop
CPU clock speeds while running our CB15 loop (Silent Mode)
CPU clock speeds while running our CB15 loop (Silent Mode)
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
175 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
765 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
112.9 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (68.6 - 287, n=64, last 2 years)
229 Points +31%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
197 Points +13%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
195 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
175 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (141 - 190, n=35)
174.2 Points 0%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
173 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Silent Mode)
144 Points -18%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (110.1 - 2889, n=66, last 2 years)
1554 Points +103%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
872 Points +14%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
836 Points +9%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
765 Points
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
756 (560min - 756max) Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (288 - 836, n=36)
648 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Silent Mode)
405 Points -47%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (675 - 1650, n=23)
882 Seconds * -29%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
748 Seconds * -9%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
691 Seconds * -1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
686 Seconds *
Average of class Convertible
  (193 - 3620, n=60, last 2 years)
464 Seconds * +32%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Convertible
  (2046 - 6417, n=62, last 2 years)
5156 MIPS +15%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
4891 MIPS +9%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
4502 MIPS
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4338 MIPS -4%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (3289 - 4589, n=24)
4284 MIPS -5%
7z b 4
Average of class Convertible
  (7703 - 72400, n=63, last 2 years)
39319 MIPS +81%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
24101 MIPS +11%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
21779 MIPS
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
21298 MIPS -2%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (10406 - 22898, n=24)
17024 MIPS -22%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Convertible
  (116.8 - 755, n=64, last 2 years)
602 Points +31%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
496 Points +8%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
465 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
461 Points
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
449 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (358 - 474, n=31)
438 Points -5%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Convertible
  (242 - 6954, n=65, last 2 years)
3478 Points +93%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2016 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
1805 Points
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
1721 Points -5%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
1607 Points -11%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (1081 - 2024, n=31)
1510 Points -16%
Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Average of class Convertible
  (319 - 1981, n=67, last 2 years)
1576 Points +19%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
1325 Points
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
1287 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (948 - 1348, n=18)
1274 Points -4%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1108 Points -16%
Multi-Core
Average of class Convertible
  (663 - 14016, n=67, last 2 years)
7949 Points +65%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
5091 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
4810 Points
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U
4467 Points -7%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (2464 - 4855, n=18)
4215 Points -12%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Average of class Convertible
  (0.61 - 20.1, n=64, last 2 years)
10.3 fps +75%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
5.9 fps
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
5.86 fps -1%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
5.5 fps -7%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (2.2 - 6.38, n=22)
4.58 fps -22%
LibreOffice - 20 Documents To PDF
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
72 s * -23%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (46.9 - 85.3, n=19)
60.3 s * -3%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
58.3 s *
Average of class Convertible
  (42 - 223, n=62, last 2 years)
54.8 s * +6%
R Benchmark 2.5 - Overall mean
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (0.661 - 0.798, n=18)
0.708 sec * -7%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7
0.663 sec *
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
0.614 sec * +7%
Average of class Convertible
  (0.4102 - 1.967, n=62, last 2 years)
0.546 sec * +18%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Overall system performance is smooth and fast. We did not encounter any issues. The CPU was more than capable to run all office and internet applications smoothly. PCMark benchmark results were decent.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3981 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4395 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5249 points
PCMark 10 Score
4673 points
Help
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Convertible
  (1486 - 7963, n=59, last 2 years)
5616 Points +20%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4768 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
4673 Points
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4630 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (4289 - 4673, n=2)
4481 Points -4%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4312 Points -8%
Essentials
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
10546 Points +22%
Average of class Convertible
  (3975 - 12059, n=59, last 2 years)
10504 Points +22%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
8848 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (8615 - 8912, n=2)
8764 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
8615 Points
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
8531 Points -1%
Productivity
Average of class Convertible
  (2764 - 10800, n=59, last 2 years)
7383 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (7270 - 7433, n=2)
7352 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
7270 Points
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7254 Points 0%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7196 Points -1%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
7151 Points -2%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Convertible
  (811 - 12360, n=59, last 2 years)
6335 Points +43%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4791 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
4423 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3233 - 4423, n=2)
3828 Points -13%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3522 Points -20%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3441 Points -22%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (4404 - 5830, n=3, last 2 years)
4890 Points +23%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4245 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
3981 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
3981 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3935 Points -1%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3159 Points -21%

DPC Latencies

Latency Monitor
Latency Monitor
Latency Monitor
Latency Monitor
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
564 μs *
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
506 μs * +10%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

The storage device installed in our review unit was a Samsung M.2-2280 NVMe SSD with a capacity of 512 GB. It performed exceptionally well in our benchmarks. 

NVMe SSD system storage
NVMe SSD system storage
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3551 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2994 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 585 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 520 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1854 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2168 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 50.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 173.4 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Average Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ
 
Average of class Convertible
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-38%
-12%
-4%
-6%
5%
Write 4K
173.4
104.5
-40%
137.8
-21%
142.3
-18%
140.8 ?(82.2 - 203, n=34)
-19%
150.6 ?(45.5 - 349, n=43, last 2 years)
-13%
Read 4K
50.9
49.7
-2%
44.15
-13%
47.56
-7%
48.6 ?(35.8 - 65.5, n=34)
-5%
62.8 ?(27.7 - 95.8, n=43, last 2 years)
23%
Write Seq
2168
981
-55%
2073
-4%
2185
1%
2106 ?(931 - 2896, n=33)
-3%
2333 ?(402 - 4570, n=33, last 2 years)
8%
Read Seq
1854
1517
-18%
2165
17%
2235
21%
2099 ?(1136 - 2754, n=33)
13%
2608 ?(586 - 4763, n=33, last 2 years)
41%
Write 4K Q32T1
520
398.8
-23%
431.9
-17%
515
-1%
451 ?(326 - 640, n=34)
-13%
385 ?(171.6 - 745, n=43, last 2 years)
-26%
Read 4K Q32T1
585
338.4
-42%
427.7
-27%
413.4
-29%
482 ?(332 - 707, n=34)
-18%
490 ?(79.6 - 892, n=43, last 2 years)
-16%
Write Seq Q32T1
2994
982
-67%
2253
-25%
2981
0%
2903 ?(934 - 2994, n=34)
-3%
3058 ?(412 - 5232, n=43, last 2 years)
2%
Read Seq Q32T1
3551
1650
-54%
3480
-2%
3565
0%
3511 ?(3246 - 3568, n=34)
-1%
4342 ?(1974 - 7131, n=43, last 2 years)
22%
AS SSD
-53%
-19%
-8%
-12%
-37%
Seq Read
2453
1587
-35%
2739
12%
2732
11%
2412 ?(1658 - 3078, n=36)
-2%
3285 ?(226 - 5478, n=60, last 2 years)
34%
Seq Write
2339
864
-63%
1307
-44%
1477
-37%
1983 ?(1200 - 2724, n=36)
-15%
1926 ?(162.8 - 4335, n=60, last 2 years)
-18%
4K Read
60.3
51.6
-14%
47.43
-21%
57.7
-4%
53.1 ?(42.1 - 63.1, n=36)
-12%
55.5 ?(7.89 - 82.4, n=60, last 2 years)
-8%
4K Write
142
125.1
-12%
126
-11%
136.3
-4%
131.1 ?(96.5 - 196.7, n=36)
-8%
160.5 ?(14 - 347, n=60, last 2 years)
13%
4K-64 Read
1357
323.1
-76%
1013
-25%
1021
-25%
1201 ?(585 - 1666, n=36)
-11%
918 ?(19.6 - 2446, n=60, last 2 years)
-32%
4K-64 Write
1467
724
-51%
1371
-7%
1651
13%
1726 ?(1311 - 2009, n=36)
18%
1406 ?(15 - 3050, n=60, last 2 years)
-4%
Access Time Read *
0.044
0.101
-130%
0.082
-86%
0.062
-41%
0.05525 ?(0.035 - 0.079, n=36)
-26%
0.08815 ?(0.021 - 0.27, n=59, last 2 years)
-100%
Access Time Write *
0.027
0.046
-70%
0.029
-7%
0.028
-4%
0.05394 ?(0.018 - 0.151, n=36)
-100%
0.1167 ?(0.017 - 0.865, n=60, last 2 years)
-332%
Score Read
1662
533
-68%
1335
-20%
1352
-19%
1495 ?(843 - 2013, n=36)
-10%
1302 ?(54 - 3045, n=60, last 2 years)
-22%
Score Write
1843
935
-49%
1628
-12%
1935
5%
2055 ?(1598 - 2377, n=36)
12%
1761 ?(45 - 3626, n=60, last 2 years)
-4%
Score Total
4361
1725
-60%
3582
-18%
3929
-10%
4303 ?(2927 - 5307, n=36)
-1%
3672 ?(125 - 8167, n=60, last 2 years)
-16%
Copy ISO MB/s
2254
1323
-41%
1931
-14%
1972
-13%
1894 ?(1358 - 2452, n=24)
-16%
1982 ?(103 - 4309, n=51, last 2 years)
-12%
Copy Program MB/s
521
340.8
-35%
457.9
-12%
642
23%
539 ?(72.2 - 920, n=24)
3%
480 ?(108.8 - 1033, n=51, last 2 years)
-8%
Copy Game MB/s
1242
823
-34%
1242
0%
1090
-12%
1193 ?(388 - 1725, n=24)
-4%
1125 ?(88.7 - 2279, n=51, last 2 years)
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-46% / -47%
-16% / -16%
-6% / -7%
-9% / -10%
-16% / -22%

* ... smaller is better

Sustained Read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

GPU Performance

The GPU of Samsung’s choice is a slightly aged GeForce MX250 (Pascal) with access to 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. Its 3DMark benchmark results are at a level expected of this GPU. Given that the notebook supports Nvidia Optimus switching graphics its Intel CPU’s Iris Plus Graphics G7 is active as well.

3D Mark 11 (on mains)
3D Mark 11 (on mains)
3D Mark 11 (on battery)
3D Mark 11 (on battery)
3D Mark 11 (on mains, Silend Mode)
3D Mark 11 (on mains, Silend Mode)
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
DXVAChecker
DXVAChecker
3DMark 11 Performance
5081 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
11929 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3406 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1244 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Convertible
  (471 - 40768, n=64, last 2 years)
7541 Points +60%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10510U
7291 Points +55%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4713 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-1065G7
4700 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3585 - 4942, n=29)
4404 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Silent Mode)
4001 Points -15%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
1999 Points -57%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (365 - 29684, n=64, last 2 years)
5690 Points +54%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10510U
5616 Points +52%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-1065G7
3691 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2939 - 3885, n=29)
3531 Points -4%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3239 Points -12%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
1369 Points -63%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (2965 - 154219, n=50, last 2 years)
31444 Points +128%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10510U
27059 Points +96%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
24163 Points +75%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (13805 - 23863, n=25)
21491 Points +56%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-1065G7
13805 Points
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
10927 Points -21%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (94 - 11749, n=63, last 2 years)
1943 Points +76%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10510U
1634 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-1065G7
1107 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (881 - 1169, n=22)
1070 Points -3%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
932 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
433 Points -61%

Gaming Performance

This particular combination of CPU and GPU is capable of handling quite a few games smoothly, albeit at low resolutions and reduced details. Some more moderate games will even allow for higher settings. In return, current and more demanding games will require even further cutbacks on resolution and/or details.

The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
100.5 fps +62%
Average of class Convertible
  (35 - 354, n=57, last 2 years)
96.2 fps +55%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
62.1 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (47.4 - 70, n=24)
60.8 fps -2%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
60 fps -3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1280x720 Lowest Preset
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
48 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (24 - 56, n=8)
46.6 fps -3%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
44 fps -8%
F1 2020 - 1280x720 Ultra Low Preset
Average of class Convertible
  (last 2 years)
94.8 fps +28%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (74 - 80, n=2)
77 fps +4%
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
74 (64min - 84max) fps
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
60 (31min - 80max) fps -19%
Serious Sam 4 - 1280x720 Lowest (DX12)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
67.2 (7.24min, 34P1 - 194max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
67.2 fps 0%
Star Wars Squadrons - 1920x1080 Medium Preset
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Intel Core i7-1065G7, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
46 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
46 fps 0%

We determine and evaluate sustained GPU performance by running Witcher 3 in FHD with maximum details without moving the avatar for a full hour.

By running this test, we were able to determine that after around 12 minutes the GPU started to throttle below its base clock speed and ran at just 1,519-1,582 MHz. Consequently, we noticed a drop in recorded frame rates. Given that these were significantly too low for smooth gameplay anyway we decided to run the same test with minimum details as well. The behavior was identical.

All in all, we can summarize that while the device is capable of gaming you will have to live with slightly fluctuating frame rates.

051015Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ: Ø10.7 (9-12)
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng Vega 6, R5 4500U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø8.19 (1-13)
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, i7-10510U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR: Ø18.4 (16-20)
05101520253035404550556065Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 GeForce MX250, i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ: Ø56.9 (52-65)
GPU data while running our Witcher 3 test
GPU data while running our Witcher 3 test
GPU data while running our Witcher 3 test (minimum settings)
GPU data while running our Witcher 3 test (minimum settings)
low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 62.1 34.9 20.4 11
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 48 17 13 9
Gears Tactics (2020) 65.7 19.9 15.8 11.5
F1 2020 (2020) 74 35 22
Death Stranding (2020) 31.8 15.2 13.8
Horizon Zero Dawn (2020) 28 13 11
Flight Simulator 2020 (2020) 26 11 6.6
Serious Sam 4 (2020) 67.2 9.79 6.75
Mafia Definitive Edition (2020) 36 15 13.8
Star Wars Squadrons (2020) 103.3 46 36.6 33.4
FIFA 21 (2020) 131.3 76.1 70.9 54.4

Emissions & Energy – Samsung Convertible with Stamina

Noise Emissions

When idle both fans are off regularly, and the device thus completely silent. They did not speed up too aggressively under load either and peaked at just 38.5 dB(A) while running our stress test. You can further lower noise emissions at the expense of performance by enabling Silent Mode.

Noise Level

Idle
24.9 / 24.9 / 24.9 dB(A)
Load
38.4 / 38.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 24.9 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2022.423.630.222.42524.329.434.324.33125.33131.325.34022.123.724.622.15025.226.923.925.26321.619.42021.68020.62119.120.61001718.516.31712518.418.820.218.416018.919.314.718.92002020.614.2202502020.312.52031522.121.611.922.140021.221.811.121.250025.124.61125.163024.724.710.524.780025.124.910.825.110002726.911.127125028.627.911.328.616002828.511.628200028.528.611.928.5250027.727.912.527.7315028.428.612.728.4400026.82713.426.8500025.125.213.625.1630022.622.713.922.6800018.218.114.218.21000016.215.914.616.21250015.214.814.815.21600015.114.614.715.1SPL38.438.524.838.4N2.82.80.62.8median 22.6median 22.7median 12.7median 22.6Delta4.84.21.74.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseSamsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950

Temperature

Galaxy Book stress test
Galaxy Book stress test

When running our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously for at least one hour) CPU and GPU ran at 1.0-1.5 GHz and 900-1,000 MHz, respectively. Keep in mind that our stress test is an extreme load scenario that does not occur during everyday use. We use this test to determine potential throttling and stability issues.

The convertible remained fairly cool overall. While we did encounter various spots with more than 40 °C while running our stress test the device remained significantly cooler during our Witcher 3 loop. In everyday use cases temperatures remained unobtrusive and inconspicuous.

Max. Load
 41.4 °C
107 F
45.5 °C
114 F
41.2 °C
106 F
 
 34.2 °C
94 F
39.7 °C
103 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 30.9 °C
88 F
30.3 °C
87 F
32.8 °C
91 F
 
Maximum: 45.5 °C = 114 F
Average: 37.2 °C = 99 F
39.5 °C
103 F
45.5 °C
114 F
42.4 °C
108 F
38.4 °C
101 F
35.8 °C
96 F
33.6 °C
92 F
34.2 °C
94 F
34 °C
93 F
32 °C
90 F
Maximum: 45.5 °C = 114 F
Average: 37.3 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.8 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 25.2 °C = 77 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.5 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.5 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.7 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.8 °C / 91 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-4.7 °C / -8.4 F).
Heatmap top (load)
Heatmap top (load)
Heatmap top (idle)
Heatmap top (idle)
Heatmap top (Witcher 3)
Heatmap top (Witcher 3)
Heatmap bottom (load)
Heatmap bottom (load)
Heatmap bottom (idle)
Heatmap bottom (idle)
Heatmap bottom (Witcher 3)
Heatmap bottom (Witcher 3)

Speakers

When idle we were able to record a maximum power consumption of 11.3 W, which shot up to 67 W when running our stress test. When gaming (Witcher 3 loop) we recorded a much more moderate 40.8 W on average. The USB-C power supply is rated at 65 W.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2021.730.221.72525.634.325.63123.931.323.94020.324.620.35019.323.919.36315.92015.98015.819.115.810022.416.322.412533.220.233.216038.114.738.120040.814.240.825052.712.552.731560.711.960.740065.311.165.350062.71162.763062.810.562.88006810.868100065.911.165.9125064.311.364.3160063.711.663.7200064.811.964.8250059.912.559.931506112.761400065.813.465.8500067.913.667.9630068.113.968.1800063.214.263.2100005314.6531250054.214.854.21600045.114.745.1SPL76.824.876.8N40.50.640.5median 62.7median 12.7median 62.7Delta8.31.78.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.4% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 56% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 38% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

When idle we were able to record a maximum power consumption of 11.3 W, which shot up to 67 W when running our stress test. When gaming (Witcher 3 loop) we recorded a much more moderate 40.8 W on average. The USB-C power supply is rated at 65 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.75 / 1.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 8.7 / 11.3 Watt
Load midlight 58 / 67 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

When subjected to our real-world Wi-Fi test, the Galaxy Book Flex shut off after 11:42 hours. We run this test to simulate average load when browsing the web by running a script to access and load various websites with display brightness normalized at 150 nits. With maximum brightness (Outdoor+ enabled, around 600 nits; FN+F10) this runtime was sliced in half. Enabling Silent Mode did not have any noticeable impact on battery life.

70 Wh battery
70 Wh battery
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 86)
11h 42min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge 86; outdoor+ mode, about 600 nits)
5h 49min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950
i7-1065G7, GeForce MX250, 69.7 Wh
702 min
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
i7-10510U, UHD Graphics 620, 60.3 Wh
622 min -11%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T
i7-10510U, GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, 71 Wh
566 min -19%
HP Envy x360 15-ee0257ng
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 51 Wh
564 min -20%
Average of class Convertible
  (329 - 876, n=63, last 2 years)
557 min -21%

Pros

+ very bright touchscreen display
+ QLED panel
+ 100 % sRGB coverage
+ slim metal case
+ NVMe SSD
+ Qi-capable clickpad
+ excellent battery life
+ moderate noise and heat emissions
+ fast Wi-Fi transfer speeds
+ fast microSD card reader
+ 2x Thunderbolt 3
+ S Pen included

Cons

- expensive
- reflective display
- thin case material
- base unit could have been more rigid
- RAM soldered (no slots)
- microSD card require a SIM tool or paper clip to be installed or removed
- slippery rubber feet

Verdict

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15 (NP950QCG-X01DE). Review unit provided by Cyberport
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15 (NP950QCG-X01DE). Review unit provided by Cyberport

Samsung’s Galaxy Book Flex is a fairly portable 15.6-inch convertible. At just 1.6 kg it is comparatively lightweight and runs for almost 12 hours in our Wi-Fi test. Given that it remained very quiet to even dead silent sometimes it is well usable in quiet environments.

Its Core i7-1065G7 quad-core CPU paired with a MX250 GPU offer more than enough oomph for all expected convertible use cases. GPU-intensive applications benefit from its MX250 GPU that is significantly more powerful than Intel’s integrated GPUs.

The Galaxy Book Flex NP950QCG features a very bright QLED touchscreen display.

The touchscreen display (FHD, IPS, QLED) offers very high color space coverage levels (100 % sRGB) as well as a very high maximum brightness. With Outdoor+ mode enabled (FN+F10) it can get up to 600 nits. Without Outdoor+ mode it peaks at a still very respectable 400 nits. The touchscreen supports finger and stylus input using the included S Pen. Those with a Galaxy Note smartphone will already be familiar with this particular stylus input device.

The device features three USB-C ports (2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1), all three of which support DisplayPort via USB-C and Power Delivery. This means that you won’t have to plug the power supply into one of the two Thunderbolt 3 ports but can use those for other things, such as a docking station or an external GPU.

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 - 10/26/2020 v7
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
95%
Connectivity
69 / 75 → 92%
Weight
68 / 20-75 → 88%
Battery
89%
Display
86%
Games Performance
63 / 78 → 80%
Application Performance
88 / 85 → 100%
Temperature
90%
Noise
94%
Audio
57 / 91 → 62%
Camera
37 / 85 → 43%
Average
77%
87%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy Book Flex NP950QCG Review: Very Bright Display Thanks To Outdoor+ Mode
Sascha Mölck, 2020-10-27 (Update: 2020-10-27)