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Samsung Galaxy Book S Laptop Review: Long battery runtime and under 1 kg

Mobility vs. compatibility. Samsung's Galaxy Book S is an extremely lightweight mobile companion, which is powered by an ARM processor. The latter offers advantages like low power consumption and integrated LTE connectivity, but you cannot use 64-bit apps in return.

Samsung is back on the European notebook market and offers the Galaxy Book S, which is a particularly mobile companion with a 13.3-inch display. Highlights are its low weight of less than 1 kg (~2.2 lb), long battery runtimes, and the integrated LTE module. The manufacturer uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, an ARM processor. This means that you can only use 32-bit apps on the device, an aspect you should definitely know before you purchase the device. We will check if there are any other limitations when you use the Galaxy Book S.

Our test unit retails for 1099 Euros (~$1240) and offers the Snapdragon 8cx processor in combination with 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of UFS storage, and a 13.3-inch touchscreen with the FullHD resolution. The Galaxy Book S will also be available in another configuration with an Intel processor for 1129 Euros (~$1273), which is compatible with 64-bit apps, but does not include an LTE modem in return. According to Samsung, the Intel SKU will also have shorter battery runtimes. We will review this SKU in the near future.

Samsung Galaxy Book S (Galaxy Book Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 8 x 2.8 GHz, Cortex-A76 / A55 (Kryo 495)
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4X
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, Capacitive, BOE, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
256 GB NVMe, 256 GB 
, 196 GB free
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: microSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: Hall Sensor, X24 LTE Modem
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, Qulacomm X24 LTE Modem W-CDMA (3G), FDD-LTE (4G), TDD-LTE (4G), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 11.8 x 305.2 x 203.2 ( = 0.46 x 12.02 x 8 in)
Battery
42 Wh Lithium-Polymer, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 23 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, AKG, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 25W power adapter, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
951 g ( = 33.55 oz / 2.1 pounds), Power Supply: 91 g ( = 3.21 oz / 0.2 pounds)
Price
1099 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
86.2 %
06/2020
Samsung Galaxy Book S
SD 8cx, Adreno 680
951 g11.8 mm13.30"1920x1080
89.6 %
05/2020
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
i3-1000NG4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1.3 kg16.1 mm13.30"2560x1600
88.8 %
03/2020
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
i5-1035G1, UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
1.2 kg14.8 mm13.40"1920x1200
85.9 %
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
84 %
02/2020
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
i5-1035G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.3 kg14.5 mm13.50"2256x1504

Case - Galaxy Book S is extremely lightweight and sturdy

Samsung offers the Galaxy Book S in two colors. In addition to our test unit in Mercury Grey, there is another version in Earthy Gold. Each model has two different colors, because the lid is a bit brighter on both models. This looks very elegant and the design of the compact device definitely leaves a good impression. The two rubber feet at the rear are comparatively high and lift the rear a bit, so the base unit is slightly angled. This was necessary to prevent the lid from scratching the desk. 

Despite the very slim construction in combination with the low weight, the Galaxy Book S does not feel too light or cheap. If you really push it, you can dent the central keyboard area, but this should not be an issue in practice. There is also no problem to lift the device at one side due to the low weight. The stability of the lid is also very good and definitely benefits from the additional glass layer. You can hardly twist it, and it requires a lot of concentrated pressure to provoke ripples on the screen. The hinges have an easy job with the lid and are well adjusted, because we can open the lid with just one hand, but they still prevent bouncing very effectively.

The bezels at the two sides are very slim at 6 mm (~0.24 in). The upper bezel is a bit thicker at 8 mm (~0.31 in), but also accommodates a webcam above the screen in return. Only the lower bezel is pretty thick at 2 cm (~0.79 in), so there probably would have been sufficient room for a 16:10 panel. The overall screen-to-body-ratio is 79%.

The bottom panel quickly attracts fingerprints, ...
The bottom panel quickly attracts fingerprints, ...
... but the palm rests do not have this problem.
... but the palm rests do not have this problem.

The tactile feeling of the bottom panel hardly differs from the lid and the palm rests, but it is much more prone to fingerprints in reality. You also have to clean the palm rests from time to time, but it is not a major issue. There are no visible screws at the bottom, so the end user cannot access the components.

The test unit only weighs just 951 grams (~2.09 lb) and even beats the manufacturer's specification (960 g/~2.11 lb) by a couple of grams. We also have to mention the very light power adapter, which tips the scale at just 91 grams (~3.21 oz) including the cable. The total weight is therefore just above 1 kg (~2.2 lb), while some super light devices come with heavier power adapters. Samsung advertises a chassis height of between 6.2 - 11.8 mm (~0.24 - 0.46 in), but this is just for the case itself. We measure between 11 up to 15 mm (~0.43 - 0.59 in) at the rear including the rubber feet, so the Galaxy Book S is pretty close to the Dell XPS 13. Dell's compact subnotebook also wins in terms of footprint, but all the other comparison devices need more space than the Galaxy Book S.

Size Comparison

308 mm / 12.1 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 14.5 mm / 0.571 inch 1.3 kg2.84 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 16.1 mm / 0.634 inch 1.3 kg2.8 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 16.6 mm / 0.654 inch 1.2 kg2.62 lbs305.2 mm / 12 inch 203.2 mm / 8 inch 11.8 mm / 0.4646 inch 951 g2.1 lbs296 mm / 11.7 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 14.8 mm / 0.583 inch 1.2 kg2.62 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Samsung only uses USB-C

Samsung only uses USB Type-C connectors (3.1 Gen. 1) on both sides due to the slim chassis design. Both ports support data transfer, charging as well as DisplayPort for external monitors. You also get a 3.5 mm stereo jack on the left rear corner, but the location is not ideal if you use wired headphones because cables will quickly hang across the keyboard depending on the length of the cable.

Left side: 3.5 mm stereo jack, USB-C 3.1 Gen.1 (charging & Display-Alt mode)
Left side: 3.5 mm stereo jack, USB-C 3.1 Gen.1 (charging & Display-Alt mode)
Right side: Combo tray for microSD & Nano-SIM, USB-C 3.1 Gen.1 (charging & Display-Alt mode)
Right side: Combo tray for microSD & Nano-SIM, USB-C 3.1 Gen.1 (charging & Display-Alt mode)

SD Card reader - microSD-reader in Samsung's subnotebook

We already know the tray for the microSD and the Nano-SIM from smartphones.
We already know the tray for the microSD and the Nano-SIM from smartphones.

Samsung equips the Galaxy Book S with a combined tray for microSD-cards as well as Nano-SIM cards. We measured a maximum transfer rate of 82 MB/s and about 70 MB/s when we copied pictures from our Toshiba reference card (Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II). Dell's XPS 13 has a faster card reader, but all the other comparison devices waive a card reader completely. 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
157 MB/s +128%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (19.5 - 193.9, n=16, last 2 years)
69.6 MB/s +1%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
68.9 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
195.6 MB/s +137%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (23.6 - 239, n=16, last 2 years)
84.3 MB/s +2%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
82.4 MB/s

Communication - LTE and Wi-Fi 5 in the Galaxy Book S

The integrated LTE module is definitely an advantage of the Snapdragon processor. You will appreciate this feature if you are often on the road and do not want to rely on the smartphone as a hotspot or public Wi-Fi networks. The Galaxy Book S is compatible with regular Nano-SIM cards and our Telecom SIM worked during the review. Wi-Fi 5, including 802.11ac is included for wireless networks and the results in our standardized test with the router Netgear Nighthawk AX12 were average. We did not notice any issues with the connectivity during the review period and the range within the building was inconspicuous as well.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1484 (1342min - 1614max) MBit/s +145%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (606 - 1339, n=3, last 2 years)
1056 MBit/s +74%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650s
906 MBit/s +50%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
696 (679min - 711max) MBit/s +15%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
606 (307min - 618max) MBit/s
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
545 (414min - 604max) MBit/s -10%
Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
  (31.2 - 966, n=478)
358 MBit/s -41%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650s
1460 MBit/s +173%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (623 - 1690, n=3, last 2 years)
1258 MBit/s +135%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1251 (803min - 1358max) MBit/s +134%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
870 (832min - 928max) MBit/s +63%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
641 (554min - 678max) MBit/s +20%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
535 (503min - 564max) MBit/s
Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
  (32.9 - 1065, n=479)
380 MBit/s -29%

Webcam

The webcam is located above the screen and is average in terms of picture quality. There is no mechanical shutter.

ColorChecker
22.1 ∆E
15.3 ∆E
18.4 ∆E
17.5 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
16.8 ∆E
22.3 ∆E
15.4 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
18.4 ∆E
17.2 ∆E
16.4 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
14 ∆E
17.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
10.2 ∆E
14.7 ∆E
14.4 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Book S: 13.88 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 22.33 ∆E

Accessories - USB-C adapter is included

The box of the Galaxy Book S only includes the laptop, the very compact and modular power adapter (25W), a small USB adapter (USB Type-A to USB Type-C) as well as warranty information. Samsung also offers a sleeve (80 Euros/~$90) as well as a small docking station (USB-C with charging up to 45W, USB-A, and HDMI up to 4K 30 Hz) for around 70 Euros (~$79) in its online store.

Samsung offers a sleeve and a port replicator.
Samsung offers a sleeve and a port replicator.

Input Devices - Galaxy Book S with dim keyboard illumination

Keyboard

The black chiclet keyboard of the Galaxy Book S has a very shallow key travel, but this is not uncommon for very slim devices. The feedback of the individual keys is still okay and except for the large space bar (which tends to clatter), the typing noise is pretty quiet and also quieter compared to the old Butterfly keyboard on the MacBook Air, for example. The power button is integrated into the keyboard in the upper right corner and also includes a fingerprint scanner. Depending on your previous device, you will have to get used to the location when you want to press the Del key. All in all, an average keyboard, which is also suitable for longer texts.

The drawback of the keyboard is definitely the background illumination, because the green light is basically only visible in complete darkness, even on the brightest level. If there is some light left or the display brightness is not at the dimmest settings, you can hardly notice the illumination. We initially suspected a brightness sensor, which should be included into the SoC, but we could not locate it (neither on the device itself, nor in the settings). The illumination is also quickly turned off when you don't use the keyboard and it takes about a second before it turns back on after you hit a key. We also noticed that the status LED for Fn-Lock is blue and therefore does not really fit the green keyboard illumination.

Input Devices
Input Devices
Keyboard illumination (maximum brightness level)
Keyboard illumination (maximum brightness level)

Touchpad & Touchscreen

The touchpad (11.5 x 6 cm/~4.53 x 2.36 in) meets the Microsoft Precision standard and supports all common gestures with up to four fingers. This works really well, just like standard cursor movements, but the gliding capabilities of the glass surface are not ideal. Compared to other devices, the resistance is a bit too high. You can also press down the lower part of the pad, which results in a uniform, but also quite loud clicking sound on both sides.

You can also use the capacitive touchscreen for inputs. It works fine, just as you would expect for a modern touchscreen.

Display - Galaxy Book S with 1080p touchscreen

Subpixel array with touch layer
Subpixel array with touch layer

Samsung only offers one 13.3-inch touchscreen with the 1080p resolution (1920x1080 pixels) for the Galaxy Book S. The panel of our test unit is provided by BOE and the subjective picture quality is very good. Colors appear rich and there is no visible color cast.

We determine an average brightness of 355 cd/m² and the contrast ratio surpasses 1000:1. These results are not bad, but all the rivals manage better results. Also interesting: The Galaxy Book S with the Intel processor has a special outdoor mode, which is supposed to increase the brightness up to 600 cd/m². We did not notice any backlight bleeding, but there is PWM at a brightness of 20% (~80 cd/m²) or lower. The frequency, however, is pretty high at 9.5 kHz and should not cause any problems.

359
cd/m²
336
cd/m²
359
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
383
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
364
cd/m²
350
cd/m²
357
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 383 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 355.3 cd/m² Minimum: 3.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 380 cd/m²
Contrast: 1064:1 (Black: 0.36 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2
Samsung Galaxy Book S
BOE, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
APPA042, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
SHP14CB, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.40
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
BOE08BC, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Sharp LQ135P1JX51, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Display
Display P3 Coverage
70.3
71.5
70.3
65.7
sRGB Coverage
98
99.4
99.8
98.6
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
71.6
73.5
71.3
67.8
Response Times
390%
-38%
-36%
20%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48.8 ?(22, 26.8)
38.4 ?(20.4, 18)
21%
60 ?(28.4, 31.6)
-23%
50 ?(24, 26)
-2%
59.2 ?(28.4, 30.8)
-21%
Response Time Black / White *
28.4 ?(16.4, 12)
28.4 ?(16, 12.4)
-0%
33.2 ?(16.4, 16.8)
-17%
31 ?(18, 13)
-9%
41.6 ?(23.6, 18)
-46%
PWM Frequency
9524 ?(20)
119000 ?(75)
1149%
2500 ?(20)
-74%
192 ?(90)
-98%
21740 ?(51)
128%
Screen
34%
13%
-5%
28%
Brightness middle
383
416
9%
619
62%
456
19%
403.4
5%
Brightness
355
403
14%
591
66%
432
22%
397
12%
Brightness Distribution
88
95
8%
91
3%
88
0%
89
1%
Black Level *
0.36
0.34
6%
0.35
3%
0.32
11%
0.34
6%
Contrast
1064
1224
15%
1769
66%
1425
34%
1186
11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.1
0.9
71%
3
3%
3.49
-13%
0.94
70%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.3
1.4
74%
8.2
-55%
8.4
-58%
2.92
45%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.6
1
72%
5.2
-44%
5.53
-54%
0.9
75%
Gamma
2 110%
2.2 100%
2.14 103%
2.41 91%
2.13 103%
CCT
6743 96%
6629 98%
6340 103%
6675 97%
6620 98%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.6
1
0.72
0.99
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.9
66.9
65
62.3
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
97.6
99.3
100
98.7
Total Average (Program / Settings)
212% / 131%
-13% / -1%
-21% / -13%
24% / 26%

* ... smaller is better

We use the professional CalMAN software in combination with the X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer for our display analysis. The screen calibration is decent out of the box and the deviations both for the grayscale as well as the colors (vs. sRGB) are not too big. We cannot offer a calibrated display profile this time because the Galaxy Book S did not recognize our measurement device. According to CalMAN (2 comparison), the small sRGB standard is covered almost completely (96.9 %); AdobeRGB by 74.4 %.

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker

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
28.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 12 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. » 71 % 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
48.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 26.8 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. » 82 % 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 detected 9524 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 9524 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 9524 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

The brightness is not sufficient to compensate for the reflections on the glossy screen. You have to make sure to avoid direct light sources. There is no criticism for the viewing angle stability.

In the sun (with reflections)
In the sun (with reflections)
In the sun (without reflections)
In the sun (without reflections)
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - Fast enough for daily stuff

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx processor has eight cores, consisting of four fast Cortex A76 cores (up to 2.84 GHz) and four slower Cortex A55 cores (up to 1.8 GHz). You also get 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Many of our usual benchmarks do not work due to the limitation to 32-bit applications.

We start with the subjective performance impression, which is very good and has improved noticeably since the first Windows on ARM devices. Inputs are quickly executed and you will hardly notice a difference to a regular x86 device. The single-core performance is also better, which is noticeable when you install Windows updates, for example. The biggest limitation is obviously the incompatibility with 64-bit applications. You should definitely check if there are compatible versions of the apps you plan to use (either 32-bit or available in the Windows store). The Qualcomm SoC is equipped with the Adreno 680 GPU, which can easily handle all daily tasks including the playback of high-resolution videos.

4K YouTube video playback is no problem
4K YouTube video playback is no problem
64-bit apps are not supported
64-bit apps are not supported

The benchmark results show that the single-core performance is still a bit behind the competition, but the Snapdragon clearly beats the 2020 MacBook Air with the Intel Core i3 processor in the multi-core tests. The graphics performance in 3DMark 11 is roughly comparable to the Intel UHD Graphics 620, but slower than the current Ice Lake chips. The performance is not reduced on battery power.

Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
Geekbench 4.4: 64 Bit Single-Core Score | 64 Bit Multi-Core Score
3DMark 11: 1280x720 Performance GPU
Jetstream 2: Total Score
JetStream 1.1: Total Score
WebXPRT 3: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
Octane V2: Total Score
Speedometer 2.0: Result
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Subnotebook
  (672 - 2350, n=66, last 2 years)
1677 Points +140%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
1229 Points +76%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1096 Points +57%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1081 Points +54%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1081 Points +54%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
700 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
700 Points 0%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4213 - 12580, n=66, last 2 years)
8762 Points +217%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
4372 Points +58%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
3261 Points +18%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
3261 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
2760 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
2760 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
2028 Points -27%
Geekbench 4.4 / 64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (3460 - 7522, n=11, last 2 years)
6551 Points +98%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
5481 Points +65%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
5224 Points +58%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
4748 Points +43%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
3313 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
3313 Points 0%
Geekbench 4.4 / 64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (15240 - 43897, n=11, last 2 years)
32353 Points +193%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
17534 Points +59%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
14733 Points +33%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
11047 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
11047 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
9090 Points -18%
3DMark 11 / Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +403%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
4279 Points +169%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
2809 Points +76%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
2578 Points +62%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1941 Points +22%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
1593 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
1593 Points 0%
Jetstream 2 / Total Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (159 - 478, n=39, last 2 years)
257 Points +250%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
118.2 Points +61%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
73.5 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
73.5 Points 0%
JetStream 1.1 / Total Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (last 2 years)
348 Points +160%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
249.8 Points +86%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
249.7 Points +86%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
240 Points +79%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
208.7 Points +56%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
134.1 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
134.1 Points 0%
WebXPRT 3 / Overall
Average of class Subnotebook
  (119.2 - 448, n=63, last 2 years)
281 Points +142%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
194 Points +67%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
175 Points +51%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
175 Points +51%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
162 Points +40%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
116 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
116 Points 0%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
1464 ms *
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
1464 ms * -0%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1063 ms * +27%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
965 ms * +34%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
924 ms * +37%
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
924 ms * +37%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
886 ms * +39%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (363 - 1913, n=67, last 2 years)
598 ms * +59%
Octane V2 / Total Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (49893 - 98093, n=33, last 2 years)
80655 Points +175%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
39043 Points +33%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
Intel Core i5-1035G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
35150 Points +20%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
34726 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
29364 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
29364 Points 0%
Speedometer 2.0 / Result
Average of class Subnotebook
  (154 - 674, n=27, last 2 years)
318 runs/min +436%
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Intel Core i3-1000NG4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
98.8 runs/min +67%
Samsung Galaxy Book S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm Adreno 680
59.3 runs/min
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
 
59.3 runs/min 0%
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Intel Core i5-1035G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
58.1 runs/min -2%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices - Galaxy Book with eUFS storage

Similar to its smartphones, Samsung uses eUFS storage. You can use around 196 GB from the 256 GB drive after the initial set-up. The storage is obviously superior to conventional hard drives, and especially the fast access times are noticeable in practice, but the PCIe-SSDs of the comparison devices are much faster, especially in terms of 4K operations. The sequential write performance is also much lower compared to PCIe-SSDs.

Samsung Galaxy Book S
256 GB NVMe
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
Apple SSD AP0256
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
Average 256 GB NVMe
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
246%
399%
319%
278%
5%
Write 4K
30.59
34.57
13%
121.9
298%
120.6
294%
112.3
267%
35.8 ?(19.1 - 69.2, n=4)
17%
Read 4K
20.26
28.48
41%
50
147%
46.88
131%
42.13
108%
16.2 ?(11.6 - 20.3, n=4)
-20%
Write Seq
421.4
1026
143%
1497
255%
1044
148%
630
50%
362 ?(210 - 429, n=4)
-14%
Read Seq
1232
1109
-10%
2111
71%
1147
-7%
1023
-17%
726 ?(438 - 1232, n=4)
-41%
Write 4K Q32T1
39.17
178.4
355%
365.9
834%
332.4
749%
336.6
759%
63.1 ?(39.2 - 95.8, n=4)
61%
Read 4K Q32T1
41.14
557
1254%
384.6
835%
443.3
978%
399.6
871%
62.7 ?(31.6 - 121.8, n=4)
52%
Write Seq Q32T1
420.9
970
130%
2748
553%
1052
150%
821
95%
455 ?(217 - 729, n=4)
8%
Read Seq Q32T1
1047
1513
45%
3119
198%
2171
107%
2030
94%
761 ?(528 - 1047, n=4)
-27%
AS SSD
25%
205%
137%
66%
1%
Seq Read
1069
1135
6%
2328
118%
1370
28%
1387
30%
984 ?(471 - 1413, n=3)
-8%
Seq Write
382
1090
185%
1137
198%
1019
167%
504
32%
393 ?(382 - 405, n=3)
3%
4K Read
16.64
14.87
-11%
48.07
189%
50.8
205%
42.35
155%
15.6 ?(8.99 - 21.1, n=3)
-6%
4K Write
35.99
26.27
-27%
120.6
235%
111.2
209%
120
233%
38.5 ?(29.8 - 49.9, n=3)
7%
4K-64 Read
415.1
585
41%
899
117%
770
85%
497.4
20%
376 ?(235 - 477, n=3)
-9%
4K-64 Write
229.5
154.6
-33%
1220
432%
713
211%
354.9
55%
256 ?(176 - 364, n=3)
12%
Access Time Read *
0.126
0.085
0.055
0.05767 ?(0 - 0.173, n=3)
Access Time Write *
0.093
0.058
38%
0.033
65%
0.034
63%
0.093
-0%
0.08467 ?(0.076 - 0.093, n=3)
9%
Score Read
539
713
32%
1180
119%
958
78%
678
26%
490 ?(291 - 639, n=3)
-9%
Score Write
304
290
-5%
1455
379%
926
205%
525
73%
334 ?(246 - 453, n=3)
10%
Score Total
1086
1365
26%
3189
194%
2370
118%
1520
40%
1047 ?(683 - 1371, n=3)
-4%
Copy ISO MB/s
764
497
Copy Program MB/s
256.1
307
Copy Game MB/s
368.4
386
Total Average (Program / Settings)
136% / 124%
302% / 291%
228% / 218%
172% / 161%
3% / 2%

* ... smaller is better

256 GB NVMe
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1047 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 420.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 41.14 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 39.17 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1232 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 421.4 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 20.26 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 30.59 MB/s

Gaming Performance

The Galaxy Book S is hardly suited for gaming. We had problems with crashes even when we tried older titles, so we cannot list any benchmark results. You will have to focus on simple titles from the Windows store. We tried the trial version of "Minecraft", for example, and it worked reasonably well in the starting area. You should not have any problems when you only want to play card games or things such as chess, for instance.

Emissions - Always a silent companion

System Noise

The Galaxy Book S is cooled passively, so the notebook is silent in every situation. We did not notice any electronic sounds (such as coil whine), either.

Temperature

The Galaxy Book S hardly warms up during light workloads, despite the passive cooling solution. The temperatures will rise to more than 40 °C (~104 °F) at some spots when you really stress the CPU and we can determine almost 47 °C (~117 °F) at the bottom. However, this scenario is not very likely for such a device. The performance during the stress test is still reasonable, because the CPU clock only drops from 2.3 GHz to 2.2 GHz after our one-hour stress test.

Max. Load
 42.5 °C
109 F
43.9 °C
111 F
40.6 °C
105 F
 
 40 °C
104 F
40.6 °C
105 F
39.1 °C
102 F
 
 35.2 °C
95 F
34.1 °C
93 F
33.4 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 43.9 °C = 111 F
Average: 38.8 °C = 102 F
40.3 °C
105 F
46.8 °C
116 F
45.7 °C
114 F
37.8 °C
100 F
42.9 °C
109 F
42 °C
108 F
32.4 °C
90 F
34.5 °C
94 F
34.9 °C
95 F
Maximum: 46.8 °C = 116 F
Average: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.7 °C = 105 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.9 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.8 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.6 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35.2 °C / 95.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-6.9 °C / -12.5 F).
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)

Speakers - AKG modules are really good

The two stereo speakers are located at the front of the two sides and were created with the help of AKG. We already know this combination from the Galaxy S tablets of the South Korean manufacturer. The result is, especially for such a compact laptop, surprisingly good. You get a rich stereo sound, only the bass is a bit on the weak side. Music and video playback is enjoyable, and you do not necessarily need external speakers. The stereo jack also produced a clean signal.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203129.72529293129.7344030.131.25033.130.96325.433.18024.33410025.239.712522.847.816023.45520024.455.925022.257.731522.260.840020.862.450019.862.363019.364.480018.968.310001870.8125017.470.416001768.8200016.466.5250016.668.2315016.267.4400015.966.5500015.965.863001663.5800016.163.51000016.164.3125001655.11600015.843.2SPL29.679.2N1.346.5median 17.4median 63.5Delta35.94244.129.731.131.133.832.332.629.33029.233.325.837.924.548.824.759.724.863.622.261.22261.821.864.820.670.319.56918.862.818.46418.466.118.169.718.267.517.767.117.866.417.964.117.76517.865.217.965.518.16218.158.118.156.218.257.430.578.11.445.9median 18.2median 64.11.23.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Book SApple MacBook Air 2020 i5
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy Book S audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 70% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook Air 2020 i5 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 4.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - Galaxy Book S is very efficient

Power Consumption

The Galaxy Book S does not consume a lot of power in our measurements. We determine up to 5 Watts while idling, and only 1.61 Watts at the lowest luminance. The maximum consumption under load is 18.3 Watts before it levels off at around 16 Watts over the course of the stress test. The included 25W power adapter is therefore completely sufficient.

The light 25W power adapter only tips the scale at 91 grams...
The light 25W power adapter only tips the scale at 91 grams...
...and charges the battery in about 2.5 hours.
...and charges the battery in about 2.5 hours.
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.28 / 0.53 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.61 / 4.3 / 5 Watt
Load midlight 13.2 / 18.3 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 S
SD 8cx, Adreno 680, 256 GB NVMe, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
i3-1000NG4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), Apple SSD AP0256, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
i5-1035G1, UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.40
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
i5-1035G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Average Qualcomm Adreno 680
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
-54%
-120%
-68%
-154%
-8%
-184%
Idle Minimum *
1.61
2.1
-30%
3.4
-111%
3
-86%
4.4
-173%
1.955 ?(1.61 - 2.3, n=2)
-21%
4.9 ?(1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years)
-204%
Idle Average *
4.3
6.2
-44%
6
-40%
6.1
-42%
7.5
-74%
4 ?(3.7 - 4.3, n=2)
7%
8.4 ?(4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-95%
Idle Maximum *
5
7
-40%
10.2
-104%
8.4
-68%
7.8
-56%
5.3 ?(5 - 5.6, n=2)
-6%
10.4 ?(5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-108%
Load Average *
13.2
24.7
-87%
36.6
-177%
25.7
-95%
41.9
-217%
13.1 ?(13 - 13.2, n=2)
1%
46.1 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=62, last 2 years)
-249%
Load Maximum *
18.3
30.6
-67%
49.3
-169%
27.6
-51%
63.9
-249%
21.7 ?(18.3 - 25, n=2)
-19%
66.2 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=63, last 2 years)
-262%
Witcher 3 ultra *
40.8

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime - ARM notebook keeps on running

The 42 Wh battery in combination with the low power consumption results in very long battery runtimes. Samsung advertises up to 25 hours, but we cannot confirm this value. However, almost 22 hours during our video test at 150 nits is not bad, either. The Wi-Fi test at 150 nits runs for almost 16 hours or 15.5 hours when we use the integrated LTE modem, respectively. The Wi-Fi runtime will drop to 9:38 hours when we use the maximum display brightness. The minim runtime you can expect is 6:09 hours. All these results easily beat the competition. A full charge takes about 2.5 hours when the device is turned on; 50% of the capacity is available after one hour.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 83.0.478.45)
15h 53min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge 83.0.478.45)
9h 38min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
21h 52min
Load (maximum brightness)
6h 9min
Samsung Galaxy Book S
SD 8cx, Adreno 680, 42 Wh
Apple MacBook Air 2020 i3
i3-1000NG4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), 49.9 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9300 i5 FHD
i5-1035G1, UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), 52 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF313-52-52AS
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), 54.5 Wh
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13 Core i5-1035G7
i5-1035G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 45 Wh
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
-40%
-35%
-32%
-59%
-48%
H.264
1312
666
-49%
866
-34%
778 ?(426 - 1153, n=30, last 2 years)
-41%
WiFi v1.3
953
661
-31%
703
-26%
648
-32%
495
-48%
623 ?(303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
-35%
Load
369
205
-44%
112
-70%
115.4 ?(61 - 197, n=47, last 2 years)
-69%

Pros

+ stable and lightweight chassis
+ very long battery runtime
+ integrated LTE
+ great speakers
+ decent everyday performance

Cons

- not compatible with 64-bit applications
- only USB-C
- keyboard illumination is way too dark

Verdict - Mobile companion with limited app selection

In review: Samsung Galaxy Book S ARM. Test model courtesy of Samsung Germany.
In review: Samsung Galaxy Book S ARM. Test model courtesy of Samsung Germany.

The Samsung Galaxy Book S left a good overall impression during our review. We really like the combination of the extremely lightweight chassis, long battery runtimes, and the integrated LTE modem, which makes a lot of sense if you travel a lot and need a device for trade shows, for example. If you mainly use web applications and Microsoft's Office suite, you will hardly notice the limitations of the ARM processor. We still recommend to check if there are compatible versions of the apps you plan to use before the purchase.

The passive cooling solution and the great speakers are two other highlights. The input devices are average, but the keyboard illumination is only usable in complete darkness, because it is way too dark and turns on after a little delay. It definitely requires some fine-tuning. The screen is not bad, either, but the competition just uses better panels and Samsung's own Galaxy Book S with the Intel processor is also much brighter according to the official specs.

The Samsung Galaxy Book S is a great mobile companion with an extremely lightweight chassis, integrated LTE, and very long battery runtimes. You should consider the limitations of the app selection due to the ARM processor before the purchase though.

We are already eager to see how the Galaxy Book S with the Intel hybrid processor will perform. It should offer more performance and compatibility, but have shorter runtimes in return and there is no LTE modem, either.

Samsung Galaxy Book S - 06/22/2020 v7
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
60 / 75 → 80%
Weight
76 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
92%
Display
85%
Games Performance
46 / 78 → 59%
Application Performance
69 / 85 → 81%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
84 / 91 → 92%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
76%
86%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy Book S Laptop Review: Long battery runtime and under 1 kg
Andreas Osthoff, 2020-06-23 (Update: 2020-06-24)