By The new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus meets many requirements for high-end computers. It is lightweight and thin, performs quickly and effectively daily, and has a large and attractive OLED display. It is one of the Chromebook Plus variants, which include greater RAM and storage in addition to speedier processors. Despite Samsung’s impressive performance with this Chromebook, there are still some issues. For starters, it is somewhat pricey for a Chromebook, particularly one without a touchscreen. The offset keyboard is the other, and I had trouble using it. Putting nitpicks aside, Samsung deserves praise for producing one of the thinnest Chromebooks I have ever used. It is no little accomplishment!
Specs and features
As far as I know, there is only one configuration available for the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. An Intel Core 3 100U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage are all included. A 15.6-inch 1080p screen, a 1080p webcam, and a 68Wh battery are all included. At the moment, Samsung is selling it for $699.99. See the specifications list below for more information:
- Number of model: XE550XGAA
- CPU: 100U Intel Core 3
- 8GB of memory
- Intel Graphics is the graphics card.
- Display: 15.6-inch non-touch AMOLED, 1920 x 1080, 60 Hz
- 256GB SSD for storage
- 1080p webcam
- One HDMI, two USB-C, one USB-A 3.2, microSD, and one 3.5mm audio port are all connected.
- 68Wh of battery capacity
- Weight: 2.58 pounds; Dimensions: 225.8 x 355.4 x 11.8 mm
- MSRP: $699
I was truly taken aback by the Galaxy Chromebook Plus’s thinness when I took it out of the package. Michael Crider, my coworker, who had the opportunity to view this laptop before I did, could not help but remark on how elegant it looks. The laptop’s thickest point is 0.46 inches, and it weighs 2.58 pounds. I work remotely, therefore I prefer to work in different areas during the day, thus the laptop was never heavy or difficult to carry. Even carrying it in one hand is manageable, though I do not advise doing so with any laptop.
Like Princess Aurora’s changing garment in Sleeping Beauty, the stunning “Neptune Blue” colorway changes based on the lighting. The chassis looked dark blue like the deep ocean when it was under natural lighting, namely when the sun was shining through my kitchen window. However, the laptop’s chassis appeared more silver than blue when I took a picture of it with the flash switched on. It is a cool effect. Bravo to Samsung on that one, as I do not think I have noticed that kind of effect on other laptops.
Because it is larger than the keyboard I often use (my laptop is 13 inches), the offset keyboard (number pad included) took some getting used to, but once I settled in, I was typing at my typical pace with ease. Despite this, the backspace key, which is located just next to the number pad, continues to irritate me.
Every time I erased an error, I kept inadvertently pressing the plus and minus keys because my laptop keyboard lacked a number pad. For someone like me who works mainly with words, the number pad is superfluous, but it is fantastic if you are into crunching numbers.
Since I am a millennial and have a contractual obligation to be well-versed in the art of the gif response, I felt compelled to utilize the Quick Insert key, also known as the caps key. A little (approximately) menu will appear when you press the insert key. You have instant access to gifs as well as Google Drive and Google AI, which can assist you in writing a thank-you note. Although it is a useful function, I just used it to email gifs and determine a few mathematical equations.
The trackpad is huge and occupies a large amount of room underneath the keyboard. It is not a haptic trackpad, which simulates the feel of real buttons by vibrating. It is merely a conventional one. I did not mind it because I do not have strong feelings about either haptic or regular trackpads, although some people are adamant about the latter. The trackpad reacts effectively to swipes and touches when in use. I found the trackpad to be easier to use than the keyboard.
The trackpad is huge and occupies a large amount of room underneath the keyboard. It is not a haptic trackpad, which simulates the feel of real buttons by vibrating. It is merely a conventional one. I did not mind it because I do not have strong feelings about either haptic or regular trackpads, although some people are adamant about the latter. The trackpad reacts effectively to swipes and touches when in use. I found the trackpad to be easier to use than the keyboard.
Display, webcam, and speakers
At 15.6 inches, the 1920 x 1080 AMOLED screen is big and impressive, and the bezels are so thin that they are hardly noticeable. Given that Samsung is renowned for producing high-quality displays, it is not surprising that the image it generates is crisp and vibrant with color. When I watched Beetlejuice, a film with a lot of dark scenes, I was quite aback by how much detail I could see, particularly when the camera first moved over Adam Maitland’s model village. Yes, Beetlejuice is already accessible to stream.
This monitor has great visual quality, however I am disappointed that it lacks a touchscreen. I had higher hopes right away because the Samsung Galaxy costs $699.99 at MSRP, which is pricey for a Chromebook. It is a little disappointing in my opinion, but it is not a huge deal-breaker, especially if you prefer a non-touch display. Yes, it is advertised as a high-end Chromebook. Samsung ought to have gone above and beyond.
Every Chromebook Plus model has a 1080p webcam, making it ideal for Team or Zoom meetings. I was happy to see that I did not appear half-dead when I activated the Samsung Galaxy’s 1080p webcam! Because I have exceptionally fair skin, I tend to absorb light, which makes me appear to be a pale monster from the shadows. My sweater’s orange portion also stood out. Although it occasionally appears darker at the borders of the picture, overall, I was really happy with the webcam’s performance.
The speakers are decent but not outstanding. Although that may seem like a lukewarm response, laptop speakers frequently fall short. You lose the punchiness and clarity because many of them (including the Samsung Galaxy) fire downward. Nevertheless, the speakers work well for listening to podcasts and viewing YouTube videos. For a better sound experience when watching a movie, I suggest plugging in a pair of headphones.
Performance
This computer is powered by an Intel Core 3 100U mobile processor, which is fast and effective. My daily activities, such as writing emails, checking social media, writing in Google Docs, and binge-watching Netflix’s Outlander, provide proof of that. I did not observe any latency or sluggish renderings when switching between open tabs. The Raptor Lake-U architecture, which was initially unveiled in January 2024, is used by the CPU. It contains eight threads and six cores in total. Up to 4.7GHz of boost is possible, depending on your task.
- 0318 CrXPRT 2: 170
- Kraken: 428.7ms Basemark Web 3.0: 1335.19
- The speedometer 2.
- Second Jetstream: 294.324
These scores are excellent! Performance is on par with the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, which has an Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, based just on those figures. With a CrXPRT 2 score of 177, the Lenovo Flex 5i outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus by 4.1 percent. The CrXPRT 2 benchmark, by the way, assesses how quickly a Chromebook does daily tasks like doing homework projects, editing photos, and so forth. However, the change is negligible. I do not think you could tell the two machines were performing differently.
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus offers equally good daily performance as the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, despite the Lenovo being somewhat faster. In terms of hardware, the Samsung Galaxy is well-equipped.
Battery life
In my daily use, I did not quite receive the 13 hours of battery life that Samsung promises this machine can provide. My final time was more like eight hours, which is by no means a bad outcome. Nevertheless, I have a lot of tabs open and I turn up the brightness because my eyesight is terrible, both of which eventually reduce battery life. However, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus performed better when I ran it through the battery benchmark of CrXPRT 2.
In roughly twelve hours, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus perished. Although it is quite close to Samsung’s first claim, I may have caused the rise by turning off the keyboard’s backlighting and reducing the brightness to 50%. In contrast, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is priced similarly to the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, has comparable performance, and lasts 15.1 hours between charges. Should I hope for a longer battery life? Of course! Given Chromebooks’ reputation for having extended battery lives, I was a little taken aback by this outcome. I expected better for a $700 Chromebook, but it is not the end of the world.
Conclusion
An intriguing, if not spectacular, addition to the Chromebook market is the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. It is so light that you will not even realize it in your bag, and because it is nearly paper thin, it is a great portable choice for people who are constantly on the go. There will be a learning curve with the keyboard, and the Quick Insert key is barely an essential function, even while daily performance is lightning quick and the distinctive colorway will draw attention. Despite producing a stunning image, the AMOLED display lacks touch capabilities, which is disappointing considering how expensive this device is.
Although the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is an almost flawless computer, its MSRP of $699.99 is a bit excessive for a laptop that lacks a touchscreen, a feature I would anticipate seeing in this price bracket. The marble statue always has a crack, don’t you think? Prior to pressing the “purchase” button, wait for a sale. Until then, you might want to look into the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714, which has a touchscreen and a 2-in-1 form factor and costs the same as the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus.
