Samsung Chromebook Pro Reviews – Versatile Chromebook Review on Chrome OS

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Incredible Samsung Chromebook Pro – Reviews TehnObzor

Samsung Chromebook Pro design

Pair of Thunderbolt ports and more

The keyboard is cramped, the trackpad is small, but there is a stylus

Great display

Speakers are not that good

Runs fast, but Intel processor has limits

Time to play

Fairly portable

Samsung Chromebook Pro Warranty & Alternative

Should I buy?

Despite some oddities, SamsungThe Chromebook Pro moves Chrome OS into a new era. We have long been Chromebook fans for several reasons. They are easy to use, minimalist, lightweight, and inexpensive.

See also: Testing Lenovo N22 Chromebook – Laptop review for 10,000 rubles

Incredible Samsung Chromebook Pro – Reviews TehnObzor

Spending less than $500 on a Windows laptop will be disappointing. Spending $500 on a Chromebook is one of the best devices on the market with Chrome OS.

Samsung Chromebook Pro and Plus models in 2017,this is the next stage of evolution in this direction. The Samsung team has partnered with Google engineers to produce Chromebooks specifically designed to run apps from the Google Play Store, with motion control, and a multi-touch display.

This does not mean that the laptop is not fully functional.device. The Samsung Chromebook Pro has a fast Intel Core M processor, a 2560 x 1600 pixel screen, and multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports. At $549, the Chromebook Pro is one of the more expensive options on the Chromebook market. Is it worth the price, or is it too early to switch to Chrome OS? Let's find out...

Samsung Chromebook Pro design

The magnesium alloy body feels solid to the touch. It is important to know that there are two models of Samsung Chromebooks, Pro and Plus, the differences between the two are only in the CPU and colors.

Our reviewed Pro model includedIntel Core M processor and silver cases, this is actually the color for the Plus, with a six-core ARM processor. The final Pro will have a dark tint. In any case, the Pro version is a simple yet elegant machine. It doesn't stand out, but it's not harmless either.

The hinges are strong and open 360 degrees.If you try to tilt the screen, the hinges will easily hold the panel in place, allowing the device to work in any mode. Fold it the other way around and you've basically got an Android tablet, although it's not that simple. The power and volume buttons are located where the keyboard unit is, in tablet mode, you will need to turn the equipment over. It's not an easy use case, but it's far from the most clumsy either. The device's small size and light weight make it easy to handle.

Pair of Thunderbolt ports and more

Samsung Chromebook Pro has limitedconnections and number of ports. There's a Thunderbolt 3 port on each side, one port and a microSD slot on the left side, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Even though it may seemA limitation for many, one or two Type-C ports are now becoming the standard for compact and lightweight systems. However, if you frequently need to stream data to a projector or TV without a Chromecast, you'll need an adapter.

The keyboard is cramped, the trackpad is small, but there is a stylus

Of the two important qualities of a keyboard, size andreaction, Samsung Chromebook only has the latter. Each key here responds reliably and with a click, providing a pleasant experience that is hard to find on smaller systems.

However, the Samsung keyboard layoutThe Chromebook Pro is a bit cramped, people who are moving from larger Windows and Mac laptops will immediately feel it. Important keys, too narrow, which is not uncommon on a Chromebook. There is no backlight, which is not normal considering the price.

Trackpad Samsung Chromebook even moredisappointment. It's small, especially when compared to the hardware of an XPS 13 or Apple's MacBook. Some Chrome OS gestures can be a little cramped, but thanks to the presence of a touch screen, you can use the screen.

Samsung is the only manufacturerwhich offers a stylus along with the Chromebook. It's tucked away in the back right corner of the base of the laptop, and pulling it out will bring up a pop-up context menu that allows the user to customize the functionality. In addition to the standard touch writing modes, there is a laser pointer mode, a magnifying glass, and a selection mode for capturing screenshots.

The stylus may not be useful in all situations,especially in chrome web apps, but it will help with accuracy in android apps. The stylus has handwriting recognition with Google Keep, allowing you to quickly jot down notes or search Google search.

Great display

For high-end device, Samsungprovides a 2400 x 1600 pixel display that boasts a pleasingly high 235 PPI. The Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA only offers a 1080p screen, while the HP Chromebook 13 ups the resolution to 3200 x 1800.

But, Samsung equipment has an advantage with3:2 aspect ratio that we have already seen on touch devices. This ratio makes the display much closer to a square than most, allowing for a more tablet-like feel that gives Android apps plenty of room in both landscape and portrait mode. A very important detail that the best Android tablets have.

In terms of display quality, we use programs that are not compatible with Chrome OS when measuring effective display power, so we will rely on subjective impressions.

We were impressed not only by the contrast andcolor accuracy, but also the overall quality of the screen. Colors had a full, vibrant quality while avoiding neon blues and greens. Black levels are deep and crisp, giving highlights a chance to really shine.

This is a good achievement of Samsung engineers,especially in a category where displays aren't necessarily as good as other laptop categories. The Samsung Chromebook Pro screen can shine brighter than its closest competitors. The screen is the best reason to consider buying a Chromebook Pro.

Speakers are not that good

The Samsung Chromebook Pro suffers from the sameproblems that many small systems have is sound quality. With a pair of downward-facing speakers, it was immediately clear that it would bring nothing more than basic sound reproduction.

On the other hand, we found that the speakersLoud enough to fill a small room with sound. You don't want to listen to them at the maximum volume at which they crackle, but at a lower volume it was comfortable enough to watch videos on Youtube.

Runs fast, but Intel processor has limits

Our reviewed Samsung Chromebook Pro, workedusing Intel m3-6Y30 cores, dual-core chip with 900MHz base frequency 2.2GHz Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading. This is good hardware for a Chromebook. The same chip is found in the Asus C302CA.

Another option, the Samsung Chromebook Plus, is powered byfrom ARM based on a six-core OP1 CPU. This is a promising move that will save $100 off the price, but it's hard to say how it will translate into performance.

We found that laptop performancemore than enough for most users and also for most daily use cases. The system sometimes stuttered or froze for a few moments, but only if there were many tabs open.

m3 core chip is faster than inmostly on standard Android tablets, so that even the most demanding Google Play apps run smoothly at maximum settings and resolution.

Time to play

Chromebook Pro and Plus have the first Chrome systemOS designed with Google Play in mind, with accelerometer, gyroscope for tilt and steering in games, the stylus is perfect for taking quick notes.

Android apps work great as wellAs expected, the fact that Android already supports mouse emulation largely helps smooth the transition. However, tablet mode pairs perfectly with Google Play apps, and trying to use some of them in laptop mode can lead to unexpected situations.

Fairly portable

With a thickness of only 0.55 inches (14 mm), ChromebookSamsung's Pro is right up there with the thinnest systems we've tested. Its compact size should not be a problem for any user, even those with small work portfolios. It's also 150 grams lighter than the competitor from Asus.

In terms of battery life, this devicehe Samsung is not impressive. Its 39 Wh battery is not big by today's standards. However, we get a modest five hours and 14 minutes in the browser loop test, the most demanding battery test in our arsenal. Asus stayed alive for an hour longer. Some of the Chromebooks we tested, like the Acer Chromebook 15, Lenovo IdeaPad 100S, and Acer Chromebook R11, had six and about seven hours.

The Samsung Chromebook Pro has respectable butan unremarkable 9 hours and 37 minutes in our video test, with 1080p video looping. That's better than the Asus Chromebook C302CA, which lasted eight hours and five minutes. However, the best Windows laptops can last 10 hours or more.

Samsung Chromebook Pro Warranty & Alternative

Like almost every laptop, the Samsung Chromebook Pro comes with a 12-month warranty. This is the standard, even for the cheap category of Chromebooks.

There are several other Chromebooks with a similarprice from the category of high-end devices. The main competitor is the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA, which has a similar form factor and high-end design, but we don't like the screen and its keyboard.

The HP Chromebook 13 is endowed with 3.200 x 1.800 screen panel, backlit keyboard, and main m5 CPU. It lacks the 360-degree foldout feature, but might be a better fit if you don't play a lot of games or if you already have an Android tablet.

You can spend much less on anotherChromebook, but you'll have to make compromises with a worse processor option, less RAM, and probably a 1336 x 768 display. You'll save a couple of hundred dollars, but you'll be saddened by the experience day in and day out compared to the Samsung Chromebook. You also have to forget about fancy features like stylus support, an accelerometer, or support for Google Play apps. Not all Chromebooks will receive an update that does this.

The Samsung Chromebook Pro isthe next big step for Chromebooks. It's already built with some of the latest hardware available in a rich feature set that you can consider choosing a laptop for years to come. So far, the Chromebook Pro and Plus are better equipped than any other Chromebook on the market to accept new features and software.

Should I buy?

Yes, Samsung's new Chromebooks arethe cutting edge of Chrome OS development, and probably support features we won't see on other systems for a long time to come. In addition, the devices have some of the basic high-end elements of Chrome OS, including a high-res display.

Although the Samsung Chromebook Pro has a fewrough edges, and more traditional or less expensive competitors may be a better choice for users who just want a very simple and intuitive laptop. But those who like Chrome OS will love its extras.

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