Samsung Galaxy Book S with the Lakefield processor is too expensive

After the Galaxy Book S with the ARM processor, we were able to review Samsung's compact laptop with the new Lakefield hybrid processor from Intel. These two laptops cost pretty much the same, but there are big differences. This starts with the display, and even though both versions are equipped with a very similar 1080p touchscreen, only the Intel SKU is equipped with a special Outdoor+ mode, which increases the luminance by around 75%. This also affects the power consumption, but we really don't see a reason why the ARM model dd not get this mode. Another issue, at least for German customers, is the lack of the LTE modem on the Intel version.

While the ARM processor was not compatible with 64-bit apps, Intel's Lakefield CPU is a regular x86 processor and can handle all applications, so you can just use the Lakefield Galaxy Book S like a "common" Windows laptop. The Lakefield processor itself is a hybrid chip, which combines four efficient Atom cores and one faster Sunny Cove core (also used for Ice Lake CPUs). The performance results fluctuate quite a bit, because the application has to support the hybrid CPU. Otherwise, you just get the performance of a quad-core Atom CPU, which is hard to justify for a price of more than 1100 Euros. The lakefield Galaxy Book S also consumes more power, which results in significantly lower battery runtimes.

The biggest problem, however, is just the competition in this price range. Yes, most rivals are a bit heavier, but they just offer much more performance and even have advantages in terms of battery runtime. They are also equipped with an active cooling solution, but most modern laptops are silent during light workloads anyway. The general performance of the Lakefield laptop is good right now, but the difference to faster CPUs will be more noticeable in the next couple of years.

Please see our comprehensive reviews of the two Galaxy Book S models for more information:

• Samsung Galaxy Book S ARM Review
• Samsung Galaxy Book S Intel Review