Samsung is known for making phones and TVs, but did you know that it also manufactures Chromebooks? Through the Samsung Chromebook Pro, the company has tried to integrate the Chrome OS and Android system more fully, creating a hybrid that possesses the simple charms of a tablet and the wider functionality of a laptop. The Samsung Chromebook Pro brings the convergence of the two operating systems a step further. Is it successful though? Read on to find out.
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The Samsung Chromebook Pro looks undeniably high-end and solid. Its magnesium alloy chassis feels sturdy to the touch, even though it is super thin and weighs a measly 2.38 pounds. The hinge also appears sturdy and rotates the screen to 360 degrees, turning the Pro into a tablet.
The touchscreen display is gorgeous and responsive, with a 2,400 x 1,600-pixel resolution. Colors are vivid, contrasts are rich, and everything looks sharply detailed. Unlike most of Samsung’s laptops, the Pro has a 3:2 display that’s typically seen on tablets. You get more vertical space, so you’ll appreciate viewing photos and webpages in portrait orientation. Unfortunately, because of its squarer shape, movies and TV shows tend to have thicker black bars above and below the picture.
Another consequence of this unusual proportion is the keyboard gets cramped. Important keys like the backspace and tab are too narrow, and there’s also no backlighting. The power button and volume rocker are found on the keyboard, so using this on tablet mode can be a little awkward. Fortunately, the keystroke is comfortable and very responsive, and so is the trackpad. The Pro also comes with a digitizer stylus.
What makes the Samsung Chromebook Pro recommendable is its surprisingly fast performance. Powered by an Intel Core m3-6Y30, a dual-core chip with a 900MHz base clock, 2.2GHz Turbo Boost, and Hyper-Threading, this Chromebook is well-equipped for juggling multiple tabs opened. The stylus also works seamlessly, with no noticeable lags or stutters.
Because of its Android integration, the Pro supports a lot of apps found on the Google Play store. You can now see Instagram in all its full-sized glory instead of the teeny-tiny version on a laptop browser. Not everything is available though. Snapchat and Uber installed successfully, but we couldn’t get past the login page. Another major downside is its middling battery life, a clear consequence of its ultra-thinness. In our Peacekeeper browser benchmark loop, it was only able to last five fours. It fared better in our video loop test, lasting nine and a half hours.
Despite the shortcomings, the Samsung Chromebook Pro is still worthy of recommendation for its solid build, beautiful display, and fast performance.
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