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Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 Review: Subnotebook with QLED display

Lightweight. The updated 2020 edition of Samsung's Galaxy Book Ion not only features up-to-date hardware but also a modern design, a QLED backlight, and a claim of long battery life. Find out how this refresh performed in our review.
Laptop Windows Comet Lake Thunderbolt
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3

Not too long ago, we had the Galaxy Book S in review, a notebook powered by an ARM processor thanks to which it offered a very long battery life but suffered from 64-bit application incompatibility in return. The Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 features various Intel CPUs that should run the most common Windows applications just fine and without any issues.

Our review model was equipped with an Intel Core i5-10210U including integrated graphics, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256-GB large SSD, and it had to face the competition listed below. Keep in mind that you can add additional laptops from our database for each section.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 (Galaxy Book Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-10210U 4 x 1.6 - 4.2 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Memory
8 GB 
, Dual-Channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 165 PPI, BOE087A, IPS (QLED), glossy: yes, HDR
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ, 256 GB 
, 190 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combo, Card Reader: microSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 12.9 x 305.7 x 199.8 ( = 0.51 x 12.04 x 7.87 in)
Battery
66.9 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo (2x 5W), Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, McAfee Life, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
970 g ( = 34.22 oz / 2.14 pounds), Power Supply: 215 g ( = 7.58 oz / 0.47 pounds)
Price
1400 Euro
Links
Samsung homepage
Samsung notebook section
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
Price
83.8 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2020
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620		970 g12.9 mm13.30"1920x1080
83.7 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2020
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620		900 g15 mm13.30"1920x1080
84 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2020
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
R5 3500U, Vega 8		1.3 kg14.9 mm13.00"2160x1440
84.4 %
v7 (old)
06 / 2020
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620		1.3 kg14.9 mm13.00"2160x1440
85.9 %
v7 (old)
06 / 2020
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)		1.2 kg16.6 mm13.50"2256x1504

Case – Lightweight Galaxy laptop made by Samsung

The Galaxy Book Ion 13.3’s case is made of magnesium and is overall very small. Build quality is superb, and we found no signs of uneven gaps or crevices of any kind. The slim display is held in place firmly by the hinges that offer a somewhat limited maximum opening angle of just 140°.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3

At just 970 g the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 is only the second-lightest notebook in our comparison group. However, at 14 mm it is the thinnest device albeit by a small margin.

Size Comparison

❌
309 mm / 12.2 in 213 mm / 8.39 in 15 mm / 0.591 in 900 g1.984 lbs302 mm / 11.9 in 234 mm / 9.21 in 16.6 mm / 0.654 in 1.2 kg2.62 lbs305.7 mm / 12 in 199.8 mm / 7.87 in 12.9 mm / 0.508 in 970 g2.14 lbs286 mm / 11.3 in 211 mm / 8.31 in 14.9 mm / 0.587 in 1.3 kg2.87 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity – 13-inch laptop with Thunderbolt 3

Basic connectivity includes a port for a display as well as several USB ports. Thanks to Thunderbolt 3, you can easily expand the laptop’s capabilities with adapters and docks. The small laptop supports charging via Thunderbolt 3 as well.

Left: power, HDMI, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 3.5-mm audio combo
Left: power, HDMI, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 3.5-mm audio combo
Right: microSD slot, 2x USB 3.0
Right: microSD slot, 2x USB 3.0

SD Card Reader

The built-in microSD card reader requires the use of the included SIM tool for both installation and removal of a microSD card. Using our 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC reference card we managed write speeds of up to 75.5 MB/s and read speeds of up to 88.6 MB/s. While these results are slightly above average, other laptops such as the Fujitsu Lifebook U939 performed much faster.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
155 MB/s +105%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
75.5 MB/s
Average of class Subnotebook
  (18.4 - 142, n=14, last 2 years)
53.2 MB/s -30%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
183 MB/s +107%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
88.6 MB/s
Average of class Subnotebook
  (22.5 - 207, n=14, last 2 years)
65.4 MB/s -26%

Communication

Supported wireless communication protocols include Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). When connected to our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router we managed to achieve average transfer rates of 857 Mb/s receiving and 625 Mb/s transmitting data. Once again, these numbers are solid and decent but overall below average when compared with other Wi-Fi 6-equipped notebooks.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s +86%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
708 (684min - 720max) MBit/s +13%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
696 (679min - 711max) MBit/s +11%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
659 (334min - 679max) MBit/s +5%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
625 (543min - 707max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s +47%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
870 (832min - 928max) MBit/s +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
857 (782min - 887max) MBit/s
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
653 (615min - 685max) MBit/s -24%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
627 (579min - 673max) MBit/s -27%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø856 (782-887)
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5 Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø653 (615-685)
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5 Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø627 (579-673)
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø870 (832-928)
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø625 (543-707)
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5 Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø648 (334-679)
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5 Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø707 (684-720)
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø696 (679-711)

Webcam

The Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3’s webcam offers the very common resolution of just 0.9 MP. Image quality was somewhat poor in a brightly lit room (bright daylight), and people were captured slightly blurry and too dark. Our test chart photo taken under normalized conditions turned out fairly well but lacked detail when zoomed-in every so slightly already. In addition, the ColorChecker Passport’s captured brightness was significantly too high.

ColorChecker
37.3 ∆E
28 ∆E
37.5 ∆E
35.2 ∆E
36.2 ∆E
29.2 ∆E
37 ∆E
42.8 ∆E
34.9 ∆E
37.2 ∆E
23.3 ∆E
23.8 ∆E
41.5 ∆E
26.3 ∆E
31.9 ∆E
18.5 ∆E
33.7 ∆E
29.2 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
22.8 ∆E
31.5 ∆E
35.5 ∆E
18.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3: 29.41 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 42.76 ∆E
ColorChecker
10.1 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
12 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
19.2 ∆E
9.8 ∆E
12.8 ∆E
16.1 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
8.7 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
19.1 ∆E
5.6 ∆E
16.2 ∆E
17 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
14.7 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
15.3 ∆E
11.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS: 12.44 ∆E min: 2.28 - max: 19.18 ∆E
ColorChecker
9.6 ∆E
13.4 ∆E
16.1 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
13 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
19.1 ∆E
14 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
4.5 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
7 ∆E
10.9 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
8.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5: 10.07 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 19.14 ∆E

Security

Samsung equips the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 with a fast and reliable fingerprint reader. Face detection via Windows Hello is not supported, and the device also lacks a cable lock slot.

Accessories

Included in the box we find a power supply and aforementioned SIM tool. Additional periphery, such as displays, memory cards, and more are available for purchase on Samsung’s website.

Maintenance

At first glance, there seem to be no screws holding the bottom cover in place as they are all hidden underneath the easily removable rubber feet. Once all four screws are removed the bottom plate can be unlatched starting at the rear using a plastic spudger. Users can clean the fans and replace the SSD. All other components, including RAM and Wi-Fi modem, are soldered onto the motherboard.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - screw covers
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - screw covers
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - internal hardware
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - internal hardware

Warranty

Default warranty varies based on country of purchase. Our German review model came with 24 months of warranty.

Input Devices – Decent ClickPad and Soft Keyboard

Keyboard

The keyboard offers large keys and an acceptable layout with a readily available delete key and the page up/down, home and end buttons accessible as secondary functions via FN key and the keyboard’s tiny cursor keys. Due to the keyboard’s soft feedback, the keyboard turned out to be very quiet but also required quite a bit of getting used to in return. The three-stage backlight was uniform and free of glare.

Touchpad

Samsung’s ClickPad of choice turned out to be very smooth, which allowed for very precise cursor placement and navigation. Touch input was also registered reliably. Clicks are triggered via the pad itself, and the integrated buttons offer a nice accentuation point and a soft and pleasant thud.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - input devices
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - input devices
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - ClickPad
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - ClickPad
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - backlight
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - backlight

Display – 13-inch with QLED

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding

The 13.3-inch large IPS display features a QLED backlight and runs at a native resolution of 1920x1080. At 427 nits of average brightness it turned out to be the brightest display in our test group, and it offered a decent brightness distribution on a par with its competitors of 88%.

Sensitive users will rejoice at Samsung’s decision to forgo PWM for brightness regulation. We were unable to calibrate the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3’s display due to the fact that our photospectrometer was not recognized.

442
cd/m²		448
cd/m²		456
cd/m²
424
cd/m²		467
cd/m²		441
cd/m²
409
cd/m²		430
cd/m²		413
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE087A tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 467 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 436.7 cd/m² Minimum: 34.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 470 cd/m²
Contrast: 1610:1 (Black: 0.29 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.73 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.93
ΔE Greyscale 4.33 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.34
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
BOE087A, IPS (QLED), 1920x1080, 13.3"		Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Sharp SHP14BD, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3"		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
CMN8201 P130ZFA-BA1, IPS, 2160x1440, 13"		Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
BOE08BC, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.5"
Display
Display P3 Coverage
65.3
67.9
70.3
sRGB Coverage
95
98.5
99.8
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66
69.6
71.3
Response Times
-10%
14%
-7%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
47 ?(22, 25)
55.2 ?(26.8, 28.4)
-17%
41.6 ?(22.8, 18.8)
11%
50 ?(24, 26)
-6%
Response Time Black / White *
29 ?(18, 11)
29.6 ?(10.8, 18.8)
-2%
24 ?(12, 12)
17%
31 ?(18, 13)
-7%
PWM Frequency
211.9 ?(30)
62500 ?(30)
192 ?(90)
Screen
-21%
-29%
-8%
Brightness middle
467
384
-18%
427
-9%
456
-2%
Brightness
437
362
-17%
415
-5%
432
-1%
Brightness Distribution
88
90
2%
94
7%
88
0%
Black Level *
0.29
0.31
-7%
0.41
-41%
0.32
-10%
Contrast
1610
1239
-23%
1041
-35%
1425
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.73
4.8
-1%
4.4
7%
3.49
26%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.07
9.4
-55%
11
-81%
8.4
-38%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.33
6.6
-52%
7.5
-73%
5.53
-28%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.2 100%
2.16 102%
2.41 91%
CCT
6954 93%
7999 81%
6642 98%
6675 97%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.4
1.1
0.72
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
61.2
64
65
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
95
98.6
100
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-16% / -19%
-8% / -20%
-8% / -8%

* ... smaller is better

Our tests revealed a very good contrast ratio of 1,610:1 at a decent black level of 0.29 nits. Colors are very well delineated from each other, and blacks are comparatively deep.

Our CalMAN analysis further showed that colors exhibited a minor blue tint.

CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Outdoor usability was decent, despite the semi-glossy display coating thanks to the display’s high maximum brightness that helped to minimize reflections when compared to glass-covered displays. Samsung’s extensive settings menu includes a mode referred to as “Outdoor+” that boosted brightness even further, which was also achieved by activating “Video HDR+”.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - outdoors
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - outdoors
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - outdoors
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - outdoors

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 11 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 74 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
47 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 25 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 79 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 17146 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Viewing angles were very wide overall, and screen content remained very well recognizable practically regardless of angle without suffering from distortion or shifts in color.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - viewing angles
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - viewing angles

Performance – Galaxy Book with throttled CPU

The Galaxy Book Ion’s internal hardware is capable of various office tasks as well as running simple graphics applications. Available CPU options include the Core i7-10510U and Core i5-10210U, the latter of which was installed in our review unit, paired with up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of SSD storage. The only GPU available is Intel’s integrated UHD Graphics 620.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - CPUz
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - CPUz
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - CPUz
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - CPUz
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - HWInfo
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - GPUz
 
 

Processor

The Intel Core i5-10210U is a quad-core processor that supports up to eight simultaneous threads and runs at between 1.6 and 4.2 GHz. Its performance is highly dependent on the CPU cooler’s capabilities, and our Cinebench R15 loop showed that Samsung’s cooling solution performed very consistently at the lower end of the spectrum.

Overall, the Core i5-10210U showed a fairly good single-core performance but failed to meet our multi-core expectations.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø460 (452.11-479.49)
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5 Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø487 (483.93-509.34)
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U: Ø571 (564.95-646.42)
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5 Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø530 (520.93-665.09)
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Core i5-1035G4: Ø457 (453.59-490.1)
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
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 Subnotebook
  (128 - 790, n=56, last 2 years)
634 Points +52%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
418 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (322 - 428, n=30)
407 Points -3%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
374 Points -11%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
370 Points -11%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
357 Points -15%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
357 Points -15%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (579 - 8541, n=56, last 2 years)
4601 Points +289%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
1355 Points +15%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
1325 Points +12%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (722 - 1820, n=30)
1279 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
1182 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
1127 Points -5%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
892 Points -25%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
892 Points -25%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (72.4 - 307, n=57, last 2 years)
248 Points +51%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
168 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (134 - 174, n=35)
165.6 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
164.1 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
159 Points -3%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
146.4 Points -11%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
144.5 Points -12%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (327 - 3345, n=62, last 2 years)
2009 Points +319%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
665 (520.93min - 665.09max) Points +39%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
646 (564.95min - 646.42max) Points +35%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (320 - 790, n=35)
609 Points +27%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
509 (485.37min - 509.34max) Points +6%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
490.1 (289.98min - 451.62max) Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
480 (452.11min - 479.49max) Points
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
1016 Seconds * -6%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
1016 Seconds * -6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
954 Seconds *
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
925 Seconds * +3%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (585 - 1339, n=24)
859 Seconds * +10%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
826 Seconds * +13%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
796 Seconds * +17%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (159 - 2271, n=60, last 2 years)
355 Seconds * +63%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2669 - 6403, n=55, last 2 years)
5477 MIPS +30%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
4324 MIPS +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
4225 MIPS
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (3504 - 4467, n=24)
4205 MIPS 0%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
4048 MIPS -4%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
4048 MIPS -4%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
4000 MIPS -5%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3502 MIPS -17%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Subnotebook
  (11775 - 77867, n=53, last 2 years)
49673 MIPS +238%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (10920 - 21679, n=24)
16808 MIPS +14%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
16685 MIPS +13%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
15825 MIPS +8%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
15309 MIPS +4%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
14717 MIPS
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
13057 MIPS -11%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
13057 MIPS -11%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Subnotebook
  (621 - 2350, n=56, last 2 years)
1770 Points +64%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
1094 Points +1%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
1081 Points 0%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
1081 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
1078 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (949 - 1133, n=27)
1071 Points -1%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
1047 Points -3%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
894 Points -17%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2557 - 14728, n=56, last 2 years)
10175 Points +157%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
4119 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
3960 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2079 - 4256, n=27)
3570 Points -10%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
3568 Points -10%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
3261 Points -18%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
3261 Points -18%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3076 Points -22%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Subnotebook
  (0.97 - 25.1, n=55, last 2 years)
13.1 fps +263%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
4.37 fps +21%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2.36 - 6.28, n=24)
4.31 fps +19%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
4 fps +11%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
3.61 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
3.37 fps -7%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
3.37 fps -7%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3.35 fps -7%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
91.4 s * -84%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
78.3 s * -58%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
78.3 s * -58%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (49.6 - 80.3, n=18)
61 s * -23%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
60.7 s * -22%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
58.7 s * -18%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (38.5 - 220, n=55, last 2 years)
54.2 s * -9%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
49.58 s *
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
0.825 sec * -14%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4
0.825 sec * -14%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
0.804 sec * -11%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (0.658 - 0.901, n=24)
0.733 sec * -1%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U
0.73 sec * -1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U
0.724 sec *
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U
0.713 sec * +2%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (0.413 - 1.456, n=55, last 2 years)
0.52 sec * +28%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
164.1 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
480 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
43.05 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

The Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 performed fairly poorly in our PCMark 10 benchmark suite. While it achieved the highest score of our test group in the productivity field it landed in last place in the “Digital Content Creation” benchmark. Overall, the notebook performed averagely and can thus be found somewhere in the middle of the pack. We could not help but notice that its components performed well below their theoretical capabilities.

The laptop felt smooth and snappy throughout the entire test period, and we failed to notice any micro lag or other slowdowns. Applications launched quickly, and accessing files was almost instantaneous.

Find out how the other devices performed in our tests in our CPU benchmark list.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4993 - 7788, n=48, last 2 years)
6424 Points +67%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
4067 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3448 - 4353, n=28)
3988 Points +3%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
Vega 8, R5 3500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
3861 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
3855 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
3790 Points -2%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3764 Points -2%
Essentials
Average of class Subnotebook
  (9668 - 11331, n=48, last 2 years)
10529 Points +26%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
8715 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7172 - 10000, n=28)
8499 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
8336 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7966 Points -4%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
7558 Points -9%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
Vega 8, R5 3500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
7548 Points -9%
Productivity
Average of class Subnotebook
  (6440 - 10623, n=48, last 2 years)
8590 Points +26%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
6791 Points
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
6720 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5980 - 7317, n=28)
6663 Points -2%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
6414 Points -6%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6287 Points -7%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
Vega 8, R5 3500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
5900 Points -13%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Subnotebook
  (5305 - 10983, n=48, last 2 years)
8033 Points +195%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
Vega 8, R5 3500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
3509 Points +29%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
3118 Points +14%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2289 - 4463, n=28)
3057 Points +12%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
3048 Points +12%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
2891 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
2727 Points

DPC Latencies

Our review unit showed no evidence of DPC latencies whatsoever. The Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 is thus suited for real-time applications.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - LatencyMon (stats)
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - LatencyMon (stats)
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - LatencyMon (driver)
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - LatencyMon (driver)
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
1997 μs * -71%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
1168 μs *
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
1135 μs * +3%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
Vega 8, R5 3500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
993 μs * +15%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
767 μs * +34%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Device

The SSD chosen by Samsung offered very high write and read transfer rates. While some competitors were even faster, we would still consider the Galaxy Book Ion’s SSD performance to be very good.

Find out more about the built-in SSD and how well it compares to other storage devices in our HDD/SSD benchmark list.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ		Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G		Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG		Average Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-10%
-18%
-6%
-29%
-8%
Write 4K
159.6
159
0%
143.9
-10%
190.5
19%
120.6
-24%
135.2 ?(87.2 - 169.7, n=15)
-15%
Read 4K
48.22
48.12
0%
45.91
-5%
53.7
11%
46.88
-3%
44.6 ?(36 - 58.2, n=15)
-8%
Write Seq
2343
1657
-29%
1307
-44%
1436
-39%
1044
-55%
2091 ?(1761 - 2343, n=14)
-11%
Read Seq
2184
1522
-30%
1435
-34%
1356
-38%
1147
-47%
2097 ?(1359 - 2516, n=14)
-4%
Write 4K Q32T1
342.2
349.2
2%
237.1
-31%
382.5
12%
332.4
-3%
370 ?(208 - 526, n=15)
8%
Read 4K Q32T1
485.4
452.2
-7%
332.7
-31%
502
3%
443.3
-9%
372 ?(149.5 - 514, n=15)
-23%
Write Seq Q32T1
2354
1941
-18%
2698
15%
2114
-10%
1052
-55%
2308 ?(1896 - 2354, n=15)
-2%
Read Seq Q32T1
3555
3510
-1%
3394
-5%
3410
-4%
2171
-39%
3395 ?(2268 - 3569, n=15)
-5%
AS SSD
74%
58%
98%
9%
19%
Seq Read
2980
2677
-10%
2844
-5%
2912
-2%
1370
-54%
2276 ?(992 - 2980, n=15)
-24%
Seq Write
2175
1819
-16%
2316
6%
2190
1%
1019
-53%
1486 ?(391 - 2187, n=15)
-32%
4K Read
52.8
53.7
2%
40.76
-23%
49.52
-6%
50.8
-4%
49.6 ?(40.3 - 60.3, n=15)
-6%
4K Write
147.8
145.8
-1%
96.9
-34%
167.1
13%
111.2
-25%
129.5 ?(78 - 188.4, n=15)
-12%
4K-64 Read
542
1202
122%
1275
135%
1447
167%
770
42%
683 ?(504 - 947, n=15)
26%
4K-64 Write
282.4
1290
357%
1156
309%
1513
436%
713
152%
895 ?(282 - 1970, n=15)
217%
Access Time Read *
0.077
0.044
43%
0.074
4%
0.05
35%
0.06433 ?(0.046 - 0.089, n=15)
16%
Access Time Write *
0.025
0.026
-4%
0.039
-56%
0.023
8%
0.034
-36%
0.04793 ?(0.022 - 0.104, n=15)
-92%
Score Read
893
1523
71%
1600
79%
1787
100%
958
7%
960 ?(733 - 1212, n=15)
8%
Score Write
648
1618
150%
1485
129%
1899
193%
926
43%
1173 ?(593 - 2214, n=15)
81%
Score Total
1974
3887
97%
3879
97%
4569
131%
2370
20%
2598 ?(1649 - 3862, n=15)
32%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
32% / 38%
20% / 26%
46% / 54%
-10% / -8%
6% / 8%

* ... smaller is better

CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
DiskSpd
hddimg
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3555 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2354 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 485.4 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 342.2 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2184 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2343 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.22 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 159.6 MB/s

Sustained Read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

GPU Performance

Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU. Given that it features a shared memory architecture, it tends to benefit immensely from dual-channel memory configurations, such as can be found on our review unit.

Unfortunately, the GPU failed to meet our expectations and only managed to secure last place in our test group in 3DMark. Find out how other GPUs perform in our GPU benchmark list.

3DMark 11 | 3DMark
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (968 - 16904, n=52, last 2 years)
9784 Points +484%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3486 Points +108%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), Intel Core i5-1035G4
2809 Points +68%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1852 Points +11%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +4%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1731 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1674 Points
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (832 - 12349, n=56, last 2 years)
6992 Points +540%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
2335 Points +114%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), Intel Core i5-1035G4
1995 Points +83%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1280 Points +17%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1092 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (999 - 4773, n=57, last 2 years)
2554 Points +624%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
790 Points +124%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
353 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1858 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1004 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
404 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Unsurprisingly, the Intel UHD Graphics 620 is only capable of running simple or older games smoothly, as can be seen in our benchmark results. Find out what performance to expect in various games in our GPU gaming benchmark list.

The Witcher 3 | Dota 2 Reborn | X-Plane 11.11
The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Subnotebook
  (48 - 249, n=50, last 2 years)
120.9 fps +648%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
24.5 (21min - 29max) fps +52%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
18.8 fps +16%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.8 - 50.9, n=64)
16.4 fps +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
16.16 fps
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12.2 fps -25%
Dota 2 Reborn
1280x720 min (0/3) fastest
Average of class Subnotebook
  (33.7 - 171.8, n=60, last 2 years)
109.5 fps +80%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
81.3 (69.5min) fps +33%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (42.4 - 90, n=92)
71.9 fps +18%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
70 (59.5min) fps +15%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
69.3 (60.5min) fps +14%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
69.3 (60.5min) fps +14%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
69.2 (61.2min) fps +14%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
60.9 (53.4min) fps
1366x768 med (1/3)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (25 - 137.8, n=60, last 2 years)
87.3 fps +151%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
63.2 (49.1min) fps +82%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
47.8 (42.7min) fps +37%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.6 - 57.1, n=92)
43.5 fps +25%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
42.6 (37.9min) fps +22%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
41.6 (34.2min) fps +20%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
41.6 (34.2min) fps +20%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
34.8 (31.1min) fps
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (14.8 - 114.4, n=60, last 2 years)
68.4 fps +307%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
38.9 (34.8min) fps +132%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
22.1 (20.5min) fps +32%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.8 (18.5min) fps +18%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5.6 - 23.8, n=92)
19.7 fps +17%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
16.8 (15.5min) fps
X-Plane 11.11
1280x720 low (fps_test=1)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (25.9 - 144.7, n=59, last 2 years)
52.2 fps +260%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
26.9 fps +86%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
26.3 fps +81%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
26.3 fps +81%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
20.4 fps +41%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.45 - 31.1, n=83)
18.3 fps +26%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
14.5 fps
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
13.2 fps -9%
1920x1080 med (fps_test=2)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (24.2 - 116.2, n=54, last 2 years)
42.3 fps +315%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
21 fps +106%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
14.2 fps +39%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
14.2 fps +39%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
13.8 fps +35%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7.45 - 22.7, n=82)
13.5 fps +32%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
10.9 fps +7%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
10.2 fps
1920x1080 high (fps_test=3)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (22.1 - 97.1, n=54, last 2 years)
35.4 fps +275%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
18.4 fps +95%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
13.2 fps +40%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
13.2 fps +40%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7.91 - 19.1, n=79)
12.4 fps +31%
Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12.3 fps +30%
Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
10.5 fps +11%
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
9.45 fps
lowmed.highultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 16.16
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 60.9 34.8 16.8 15.3
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 14.5 10.2 9.45
Far Cry 5 (2018) 11

Emissions – Fans are Always On

Noise Emissions

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - system noise
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - system noise

Our review unit’s fans were practically on all the time and produced an audible and somewhat high-pitched soundscape. Even in Quiet mode the fans were fairly audible albeit slightly quieter than before. The only time Samsung’s notebook was silent was immediately after powering up.

Given that the measurements taken when idle produced results that were much better than one can achieve in everyday use, we decided to adjust the rating accordingly.

Noise Level

Idle
30.7 / 30.7 / 30.7 dB(A)
Load
36.6 / 36.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.7 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.233.334.135.22537.533.633.637.53136.436.133.536.44032.531.530.832.55032.6333132.66328.528.128.628.58027.627.626.727.610026.227.62526.212525.827.42525.816024.223.723.824.220024.623.323.224.625022.622.623.222.631521.721.421.821.740021.321.320.321.35002121.119.72163020.621.219.720.680020.220.618.520.2100022.323.418.322.3125025.926.918.125.9160025.225.818.125.2200027.227.318.127.2250027.627.61827.6315026.426.518.526.4400023.823.918.523.8500022.522.718.522.5630020.520.518.620.5800019.419.418.619.41000018.718.818.618.71250018.718.71918.71600018.818.719.218.8SPL36.436.630.936.4N2.32.41.52.3median 22.5median 22.7median 18.6median 22.5Delta2.82.81.72.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseSamsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

In our tests, the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 topped out at 43 °C under load. The palm rests remained cool, and surface temperatures remained low enough for the 13-inch notebook to remain lap-compatible even under load.

During our one-hour long stress test CPU temperatures rose to more than 90 °C resulting in clock speeds of less than 1 GHz, and thus significantly below the CPU’s base clock speed. At the end of the test the laptop was no longer smooth and usable but cooled down very quickly once we quit the load-inducing applications. Keep in mind that our stress test is an extreme load scenario that does not occur during everyday use, and users are thus very unlikely to ever encounter these limitations caused by high temperatures.

Max. Load
 39.6 °C
103 F		41.8 °C
107 F		41.6 °C
107 F		 
 37.4 °C
99 F		38.2 °C
101 F		35 °C
95 F		 
 31.5 °C
89 F		30.1 °C
86 F		29.9 °C
86 F		 
Maximum: 41.8 °C = 107 F
Average: 36.1 °C = 97 F
38.8 °C
102 F		43 °C
109 F		42.2 °C
108 F
33.6 °C
92 F		38.1 °C
101 F		39.1 °C
102 F
30.5 °C
87 F		32.6 °C
91 F		32 °C
90 F
Maximum: 43 °C = 109 F
Average: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  37 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 24.1 °C = 75 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.1 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.8 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 36.1 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 281 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.8 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 34.8 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.5 °C / 88.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-3.2 °C / -5.8 F).
Heat map idle (top)
Heat map idle (top)
Heat map idle (bottom)
Heat map idle (bottom)
Heat map load (top)
Heat map load (top)
Heat map load (bottom)
Heat map load (bottom)
Heat map The Witcher 3 (top)
Heat map The Witcher 3 (top)
Heat map The Witcher 3 (bottom)
Heat map The Witcher 3 (bottom)

Speakers

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - speaker soundscape
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - speaker soundscape

The speakers offer an overall low volume and a rather wide spectrum. In other words: The Galaxy Book Ion is well suited for media consumption in quiet environments. However, we still suggest using external speakers or headphones instead.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.734.133.7253633.6363135.233.535.24030.930.830.95033.53133.56332.528.632.58028.426.728.410028.22528.212533.42533.416039.323.839.320043.323.243.325056.523.256.531561.421.861.440062.820.362.850064.119.764.16306319.76380067.918.567.9100069.718.369.7125063.618.163.6160066.418.166.4200067.818.167.8250067.81867.8315065.718.565.7400066.618.566.6500065.118.565.1630064.218.664.2800057.818.657.8100005118.6511250050.81950.81600042.219.242.2SPL77.930.977.9N42.11.542.1median 63median 18.6median 63Delta8.41.78.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 70% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 36% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management – Galaxy Book Ion offers long battery life

Power Consumption

Power supply
Power supply

Overall power consumption was at a level expected of this hardware. The included 65 W power supply is amply dimensioned to ensure proper supply of energy under all circumstances.

Note the lower maximum load power consumption when compared to the average load power consumption caused by the massive CPU throttling that occurred under maximum load during our stress test.

Should your smartphone support wireless charging you can place it on top of the touchpad in order to use the “Wireless Power Share” feature and charge your smartphone wirelessly. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, doing so will render the ClickPad useless.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.2 / 5.9 / 8.9 Watt
Load midlight 46 / 34 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.
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ, IPS (QLED), 1920x1080, 13.3"		Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3"		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
R5 3500U, Vega 8, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G, IPS, 2160x1440, 13"		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G, IPS, 2160x1440, 13"		Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.5"		Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 		Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
-15%
-36%
-30%
6%
-21%
-52%
Idle Minimum *
2.2
3.1
-41%
4.71
-114%
2.97
-35%
3
-36%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
-73%
4.6 ?(1.4 - 9.3, n=57, last 2 years)
-109%
Idle Average *
5.9
5.9
-0%
8.65
-47%
7.5
-27%
6.1
-3%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
-18%
7.86 ?(4.4 - 16, n=57, last 2 years)
-33%
Idle Maximum *
8.9
9.2
-3%
9.42
-6%
9.6
-8%
8.4
6%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
2%
9.65 ?(4.6 - 16.8, n=57, last 2 years)
-8%
Load Average *
46
35.8
22%
34.23
26%
38.9
15%
25.7
44%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
24%
47.8 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=55, last 2 years)
-4%
Witcher 3 ultra *
25.5
Load Maximum *
34
51.9
-53%
47.1
-39%
66.7
-96%
27.6
19%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
-40%
69.8 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=57, last 2 years)
-105%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 ran for almost 9.5 hours in our real-world Wi-Fi test and thus took full advantage of its large 67 Wh battery. It was only outperformed by the Acer Swift 3 SF313.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
31h 30min
WiFi Websurfing
9h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 26min
Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 66.9 Wh		Fujitsu Lifebook U939 i5
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 AMD
R5 3500U, Vega 8, 41.7 Wh		Huawei MateBook 13 2020 i5
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 41.7 Wh		Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), 54.5 Wh		Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
-13%
-39%
-32%
14%
-4%
Reader / Idle
1890
1599 ?(581 - 2785, n=11, last 2 years)
-15%
WiFi v1.3
568
494
-13%
319
-44%
441
-22%
648
14%
706 ?(389 - 1585, n=58, last 2 years)
24%
Load
146
96
-34%
86
-41%
116.2 ?(57 - 197, n=46, last 2 years)
-20%

Pros

+ appealing design
+ good display
+ Thunderbolt 3
+ low weight
+ long battery life

Cons

- CPU performs worse than it could
- fans are almost always on
- microSD card requires tool for installation / removal

Verdict – Fan Fine-Tuning Required

In review: Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3. Test unit provided by Samsung Germany
In review: Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3. Test unit provided by Samsung Germany

Overall, our feelings after reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 are mixed. The design is modern and pleasing, and so are the available ports that not only include an HDMI port that many others would have sacrificed on the altar of thinness but also Thunderbolt 3. Whether or not the microSD card needs to be installed permanently is arguable at best.

Once Samsung manages to fix the fan noise the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 will become a solid laptop.

In addition to its very good display the Galaxy Book Ion also offers adequate Wi-Fi performance. The ClickPad was a positive surprise but the keyboard was too soft overall. Granted, those are minor issues that are very easy to ignore, as is the fact that the CPU was incapable of utilizing its full potential and needed to be throttled for the sake of battery life and power consumption.

Our real-world experience was dominated by well-running office and internet applications as well as smooth photo-editing workflows. However, the constant annoying fan noise that the Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 emitted is a major no-go. Only immediately after powering up will you be able to enjoy the bliss of sweet silence but as soon as you open even the most modest of applications the fans will ramp up and drive you crazy. Let us hope that Samsung will address this issue in a future update.

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 - 07/13/2020 v7 (old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
78%
Pointing Device
95%
Connectivity
56 / 75 → 74%
Weight
76 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
88%
Display
86%
Games Performance
47 / 78 → 60%
Application Performance
87 / 85 → 100%
Temperature
90%
Noise
75%
Audio
56 / 91 → 62%
Camera
28 / 85 → 32%
Average
73%
84%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3 Review: Subnotebook with QLED display
Mike Wobker, 2020-07-28 (Update: 2020-07-31)