Samsung unveils new Notebook 7 / Force laptops

Designed to offer similar esthetics yet better value compared to Apple’s MacBook Pro and Microsoft’s Surface models, the new Notebook 7 / Notebook 7 Force from Samsung come with ultra-slim chassis, generous battery life, plus slim bezel displays.

The more affordable Notebook 7 models include 13-inch and 15-inch variants without dedicated GPUs and a 15-inch variant sporting Nvidia GeForce MX250 GPU. As far as looks go, the Note 7 lineup is very similar to Apple’s MacBook Pro models, featuring slim silver chassis and sizeable trackpads. While not particularly lightweight, these models strike a decent balance between portability and battery life, with the 13-inch model weighing 2.84 lbs and the dedicated GPU version weighing 3.95 lbs.

The list of standard features for all Notebook 7 variants includes:
•    unspecified gen 8 Intel CPUs (presumably at least quad-core)
•    up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB NVMe SSDs (+ 1 free slot for the Nvidia dGPU version)
•    FHD displays with 720p webcams and dual array mics
•    Dolby Atmos stereo speakers
•    Dual Wi-Fi
•    Fingerprint sensor
•    Backlit keyboard
•    Ports: 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB-A 3.0, HDMI out, microSD reader, headphone/mic jack
•    55 Wh battery

Samsung only offers a 15-inch model for the Notebook 7 Force lineup. It does come with more powerful features geared toward media editing and light gaming, including a GTX 1650 GPU, 16 GB of RAM, dual SSD slot and a 2.5” HDD bay and Gigabit Ethernet, but the battery is only limited to 43 Wh capacities. To differentiate the two lineups, the Notebook 7 Force models come with a black chassis and weigh 4.1 lbs.

All Notebook 7 models will be available for pre-order on July 12 (shipping July 26). Prices for the more affordable Note 7 start at US$999, while the Note 7 Force will get a starting price of US$1,499.