Samsung introduced its new lineup of personal computers for the Indian market earlier this year. The list at the time included a total of six laptop models, including the Galaxy Book 2, Galaxy Book 2 Pro, Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360, Galaxy Book Go and Galaxy Book 2 Business. The list also includes the Galaxy Book 2 360 laptop, which sits between the vanilla GalaxyBook 2 and the more premium Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 laptop.
The Samsung Galaxy Book2 360 offers everything that the Galaxy Book2 has to offer and much more. This means that with the Galaxy Book 2 360, you get 12th generation Intel processor, Intel Iris XE graphics, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage space, stereo speakers and multiple connectivity options including Bluetooth v5.1 and WiFi 6e. Also available in Galaxy Book 2 laptop. Apart from this, you also get an AMOLED display and a bigger battery.
But the main factor that sets it apart from its slightly less smart sibling is its 360-degree display, which turns this PC into a massive 13.3-inch tablet. In case you haven’t understood – with the Galaxy Book 2 360, you also get a touchscreen display.
At a starting price of Rs 99,990, the Galaxy Book2 360 offers everything you could want in a…well…smart PC (after all, it’s 2022!). But the question is, is what looks good on paper also good in use? We’ll try to answer this in more detail in the review below. so stay tuned!
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360: Specifications
Before getting into the details, let’s quickly talk about the specifications. Samsung Galaxy Book 2 sports a 13.3-inch FHD AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and Intel Iris XE graphics. It is powered by 12th generation Intel Core i7 chipset coupled with 16GB LPDDR4x RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD storage space. It runs on Windows 11 operating system and has a 61.1Wh battery. It has a 720p HD webcam, dual stereo speakers, a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint sensor that’s embedded in the home screen button. Connectivity options include Bluetooth v5.1, Wi-Fi 6E, an HDMI port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB Type-C port, a USB 3.2 port, a microSD multi-media card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360: Design
Now that we’ve got our basics sorted out, let’s talk design.
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360 Convertible Laptop has pretty simple features. There is nothing that catches your eye from afar. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The Galaxy Book 2 comes with a gray metallic chassis which is just 12.9 mm thick. On the back side of the display panel, you will find the Samsung logo stacked on the right side. On the left side of the laptop you’ll find HDMI, Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-C ports and on the right you’ll find USB 3.2, microSD port and 3.5mm jack. The display is attached to the keyboard with two rectangular hinges that rotate the display 360 degrees – as the name suggests. While most of these seem pretty standard, its 360-degree rotating hinge coupled with the touchscreen display makes all the difference. It gives this plain laptop a certain depth and some character. And it helps that the overall frame is quite sleek and relatively light.
Coming to the keyboard, the Galaxy Book2’s backlit keyboard’s keys are quite large and responsive, which is especially good for those with larger hands or those accustomed to working with desktops. Despite their size, the keys are soft to the touch and almost as easy to use. The absence of a separate numpad allows Samsung to free up more space for the keys. The trackpad is also quite large and responsive.
Simply put, you can use it as a laptop. You can use it as an alternate screen. Or you can use a tablet. The options are many. That said, the back of the laptop is a fingerprint magnet and it’s not easy to keep clean.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360: Display
Speaking of displays, if there’s one thing (among many others) that Samsung has mastered over the years, it’s the display. Samsung’s premium smartphones, i.e. Galaxy S-series devices are a classic example of the company lighting up any dull imagery and Galaxy Book 2 Ultra is no exception to this rule. It’s bright and vibrant and its AMOLED display manages to reproduce colors beautifully even in old and faded images. During my time with the laptop, I took a trip down memory lane with my long-forgotten digital albums and believed it was a welcome change to see all those photos with such clarity. The OTT viewing experience on this device was equally good.
If you like a bright display with a decent amount of contrast then you will definitely enjoy using Galaxy Book2. And it certainly helps that the touchscreen display is responsive enough.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360: Performance
In terms of performance, the Galaxy Book2 360 is a great performer that is capable of handling almost anything with ease. From office grunt work, which involves a lot of typing, calls, and browsing for me, to weekend movie marathons, it handles everything with grace. And when things get tough, it keeps going and working without interruption. Lastly, it heats up on the sides, which makes it a little difficult to use if you’re not using the table in the middle.
The Galaxy Book 2 360 also includes a fingerprint sensor that is cleverly embedded in the home screen button. This fingerprint sensor works flawlessly every time. Coming to the audio, the dual speakers of this laptop deliver a decent performance, but not an exceptional one. Unless you attach a pair of headphones, the sound isn’t loud or clear enough for you to watch movies.
Lastly, the battery. Well, the Galaxy Book 2 360 offers a long battery life. If you are someone who spends most of his time on his laptop, the battery will easily last for six to eight hours depending on your usage. There’s an Eco Mode that minimizes the use of system resources and displays brightness to preserve battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360: Verdict
Now, the most important question: is the Galaxy Book 2 360 worth buying or not? In a word: Yes.
Priced at around Rs 1 lakh, the Galaxy Book 2 is a bit expensive in comparison to the laptops offered by the rival brands, but almost all of them make trade-offs to reduce the prices of their machines. The Galaxy Book 2 360, on the other hand, combines looks and power in a single device, which makes all the difference. Simply put, this is a machine for your work and your home.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360 after review: One PC for all your needs first appeared on BGR India.
