SAMSUNG GALAXY CHROMEBOOK REVIEW

In a market packed with laptops that are getting thinner and faster each year, a Chromebook’s comparative advantage is usually in battery life and price. Sure, a number of companies make Chromebooks that are meant to compete with Windows machines on specs and performance, but those “premium” Chromebooks (aside from the 2017 Pixelbook) don’t carry starting prices above $650, and many (such as the Asus Chromebook Flip C434) are under $500.
And then there’s the Galaxy Chromebook, which is not at all cheap (it’s $999) and has battery life that leaves much to be desired. Samsung has taken a wrecking ball to what have traditionally been the two strongest arguments for buying a Chromebook. It’s clearly pushing a different vision for what a Chrome OS product can be: a premium device for power users.

Unfortunately, I think those power users will have to wait a bit longer. I have to credit Samsung for making this beautiful and bold bet. But it’s a bold bet that’s not ready for its $999 price tag.

I’llI’ll start with the good things. The Galaxy Chromebook has a few standout features, but the most notable is what Samsung and Google are referring to as “craftsmanship.” At just 9.9mm thick and 2.29 pounds, this is the thinnest Chromebook in the world. The chassis is aluminum and comes in “Mercury gray” or a bold “fiesta red” color that looks orange in bright light. I had the red model, and the silver panels on the sides add a modern, chic touch. It’s a really beautiful device. My one nitpick about the build is that the 360 hinge isn’t terribly sturdy, so there’s a bit of a bounce every time your finger or stylus taps the touchscreen while it’s not in tablet mode.
The keyboard, while clicky, is a bit flat — but the keys and palm rests feel so nice that I am more than willing to forgive the shallow key travel. Similarly, the trackpad is somewhat stiff compared to those on some premium Windows laptops, but the smooth material made using it a good experience overall.

A unique design choice is that Samsung has placed an 8MP camera on the top right corner of the keyboard deck. If you fold the Chromebook into tablet mode, you can use it to shoot photos with the screen as a viewfinder. I’m not sure how many people actually want to take photos with an 8MP camera, but I can see it being a fun trick during video chats.