Samsung Galaxy Book Go Review: A Budget Laptop with Disappointing ARM Performance

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Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Book Go

Design and features

Display and multimedia

Connectors and keyboard

Iron productivity

Autonomy Samsung Galaxy Book Go

Total

Should I buy

Samsung Galaxy Book Go laptop - video

Mobile processor inside the Samsung Galaxy Book Godoes everything possible - the laptop does not make noise and does not heat up, it turns on instantly and works on a charge for a very long time. But loading it with serious tasks will not work, and Windows 11 compatibility with x86 applications is poorly implemented.

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Probably once a "Windows on ARM" programSamsung seemed promising, but now the Korean company is hardly satisfied with it. The new Galaxy Book Go didn't live up to expectations, and it's not just the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor that's to blame.

The question remains open why operationalmemory is only 4 GB - because of this, multitasking is almost impossible. The Galaxy Book Go is similar to a regular Windows laptop, but inferior in performance to many smartphones.

Read also: Review of Acer Aspire 1 A114-33 laptop - standalone and affordable

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Book Go

Screen

14" TFT Full HD (1920×1080) non-touch

CPU

Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 (8-core Kryo 468, up to 2.55GHz)

Graphics

Qualcomm Adreno

RAM

4/8 GB LPDDR4x

Inner memory

64/128 GB eUFS

Expandable storage

Microsd

Camera

720p HD, digital microphone

Connection

Wi-Fi 5 AC, 4G LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.1

Ports and connectors

2xUSB Type-C, 1xUSB 2.0, 3.5mm Headphone/Mic, Nano Security, Nano SIM

operating system

Windows 10 Home or Professional

Audio

2×Dolby Atmos

Battery

42.3 Wh

Charger

USB Type-C 25W

Colour

Silver

Dimensions

323.9×224.8×14.9mm, 1.38mm

Price

From 299 $ (23 thousand rubles)

Design and features

Judging by the appearance, Samsung spent a little time on the design of the Galaxy Book Go.

The case has a traditional silver-blackcolors without any additional visual elements. The device is thin and compact, the side bezels of the display are not wide, but the top and bottom are huge. There is a separate power button above the keyboard, although this can hardly be considered an advantage.

Alas, there is nothing more to brag about the Samsung Galaxy Book Go. Despite the plastic case, the laptop is quite heavy - 1.38 kg, it is easy to carry around, but it is felt in the bag.

It is clear that Samsung tried to save oneverything to make the laptop as cheap as possible. But even the display here is of low quality, even if the resolution is 1080p. The plastic case flexes at the slightest pressure, and there are few connectors.

There is no support for 5G, available even on a budgetsmartphone Galaxy A13. The only thing that saves the model is Windows, no matter how badly this operating system works here. If you wish, you can run any program that Chromebooks cannot yet boast of. As long as you don't open too many tabs, you can use web apps as well - no more than one at a time.

Display and multimedia

The LCD screen of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go has a matte finish and 1080p resolution, but the image quality is poor.

The contrast is so low that it seemsas if looking at the display through a smoke screen. The colors lack saturation and the refresh rate is 60Hz. It would be better if Samsung lowered the resolution, but worked on the shades.

The sound of the Galaxy Book Go's downward-firing speakersloud, but it clearly lacks detail. Support for Dolby Atmos is a bit ridiculous given this shortcoming. Any movement of the Galaxy Book Go, or even fast typing, causes the display to wobble slightly.

Connectors and keyboard

With Samsung Galaxy Book Go, we get a standard set of connectors for connection.

On the left side is USB-C 3.0 for charging and data transfer, combo audio jack and microSD card reader. On the right is another USB-C with video output, USB-A 2.0, Kensington lock and a nano-SIM card slot.

One more USB-A and an HDMI output are missing. However, modern problems require modern solutions - USB-C is also suitable for connecting an external display.

Difficult to open laptop with one handthe hinge here is very rigid. The surface of the case in the keyboard area flexes, although the key travel is quite deep. The trackpad is also cheap, although it does its job well.

Iron productivity

If you are familiar with the problems of Windows OS on ARM architecture, the poor performance of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go will hardly surprise you.

Although the basic functions of Windows 11 run withoutproblems, the emulation layer greatly slows down the work with the device. For example, Chrome still does not have native support, so the browser works terribly, which is unacceptable for a Windows laptop.

It is best to think of this laptop as a smartphonethe size of a laptop. The device works for a long time from a single charge, does not make noise and does not heat up, which is rare for a budget laptop. Samsung has also added many of its services here, which interact well with the company's smartphones. True, it is much more convenient to use the DeX mode, in which performance is higher.

The Galaxy Book Go only has 4 GB of RAM (max. 8 GB), which is even less than many smartphones. The laptop is intended only for web surfing and basic work tasks, nothing more.

Performance tests clearly demonstrateweak performance: on GeekBench 5, the Samsung model has only 508/1399 points in single-core and multi-core modes. Every other Windows laptop in this segment performs significantly better. In the Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core) test, the Galaxy Book Go scores only 359, one of the worst results.

Autonomy Samsung Galaxy Book Go

The main advantage of the Galaxy Book Go is its long battery life.

The laptop has enough energy for 11 and a half hourswatching videos, although with such a screen you don’t really want to watch anything dynamic. But, the device works on a single charge for a very long time, in this regard it surpasses many smartphones.

Total

Samsung Galaxy Book Go is worth buying only inone case is if you want to get up close and personal with Windows on ARM without spending a lot of money on it. But, acquaintance may not be the most pleasant - almost all programs slow down, even if they have native support.

The display is also mediocre - the colors are pale, andthe contrast is incredibly low. The build quality is such that it seems as if the laptop could break at any second. Connectors and ports are also lacking, and the speakers are weak.

At least you don't have to worry about frequentrecharging, because the device lasts longer than many smartphones. You can also put a SIM card here - there is no 5G support, so the device is limited in this regard.

Should I buy

The Galaxy Book Go looks good on paper, but in practice, its capabilities are unable to compensate for the dim screen and dismal performance. In general, it is difficult for me to recommend it for purchase.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go laptop - video Galaxy Book Go: Official Introduction Film I Samsung Peacock PandoraThe second name of Peacocks is Pandora.Not because it is dangerous, like a mythological box, but because of the passion for learning new and unknown. There is no topic that she would not be able to reveal, even if it brings disappointment. Why is she in TehnObzor? Here's the answer... "Not only have I been interested in technology and gadgets since I was a child, but also how they change people, their way of life or interpersonal relationships." Weak Samsung laptop on ARM Design and ergonomics95/100 Display and multimedia80/100 Keyboard and input devices90/ 100 Connectors & Ports85/100 Performance75/100 Connectivity & Connectivity85/100 Battery Life98/100 Total 86.9 It's a shame that Windows on ARM only works well with a handful of apps—besides, you can barely see it through the Galaxy Book Go's dim screen. Pros and Cons Affordable Instant StartupHigh battery lifeFast ARM compiled appsMediocre screen Sluggish performance