Samsung Notebook With Pen - First look & Review
Just in time for, or before CES 2018, Samsung unveiled three new laptops in their Notebook 9 family, starting with the Notebook 9 Pen. The Pen is a 13.3-inch 2-in-1 notebook with a 360-degree convertible hinge, includes the built-in S-Pen for mixed laptop/tablet functionality. The other new laptops are updates of its Notebook 9 devices, the 13.3 and 15-inch models. They, like the Pen, will include 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processors and enhanced graphics capabilities as well as a larger battery for extended use while mobile. The new Notebook 9 models have exterior changes as well and are built out of a magnesium-aluminum alloy which Samsung calls “Metal12” which should give the laptops a more premium look and feel fitting for the updated internals inside.
A Microsoft Surface rival, the Notebook 9 Pen and its full metal alloy chassis provide a durable and lightweight shell with the unit weighing in at a mere 2.2 pounds. The convertible 360-degree hinge gives users the flexibility to convert from a tablet to a laptop by simply rotating the keyboard behind the screen. The Notebook 9 Pen, as its namesake surely implies, includes a built-in S-Pen for digitizing doodles, writing, sketching, and more. The S Pen is a battery-free device with a 0.7mm tip and able to recognize 4096 levels of pressure for a smooth writing/drawing experience. When the pen is removed from the notebook (its home is a hole in the front), the Air Command software will launch providing S Pen shortcuts for Samsung Notes and Autodesk Sketchbook to create immediately.
Hardware wise, the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen, will use a quad-core 8th generation Intel Core i7 Processor with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM. Storage options are listed up to a 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD. Graphics duties are handled by Intel HD Graphics. The integrated GPU sends the pixels to a 13.3” Samsung RealViewTouch FHD (1920x1080) monitor able to display 95% of sRGB with a maximum brightness of 450 nits. This is the only screen option; no 4K UHD is available.
The 2-in-1 also includes integrated 720p and IR cameras supporting Windows Hello and facial recognition, two 1.5W speakers, as well as a fingerprint sensor for access security. Keeping the device powered on is a 39Wh battery and a 45W adapter. Last, external connectivity on the 9 Pen includes a USB 3.0 Type-C and Type-A port, HDMI for video, an SD Card reader, as well as a microphone. The Metal12 shell comes in one color, dubbed Light Titan which appears to be a lighter silver/white.