Samsung’s Galaxy Book Surface Competitor Launches April 21st From $629

Part of the reason why Microsoft decided to get into building hardware was to give its partners inspiration on how best to utilize Windows 10. That led to the Surface line, which Microsoft continues to update today. What is different, however, is that its hardware partners have Surface-like systems of their own. That includes Samsung with the introduction of its Galaxy Book, a premium 2-in-1 Windows 10 device.

Like the Surface Pro, Samsung's Galaxy Book is a tablet that can be used as a laptop. It comes with an S Pen, which is Samsung's version of a stylus, but unlike the Surface Pro it also comes with a keyboard cover. Neither accessory ever needs to be charged.

"Today’s young professionals and entrepreneurs require a device that allows them to work without any limitations" said Alanna Cotton, vice president and general manager of product marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "We are excited to bring to market the Samsung Galaxy Book LTE and Wi-Fi models, offering a 2-in-1 PC portfolio that delivers on power and performance."


The Galaxy Book is offered in two sizes—one with a 10.6-inch TFT Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display, and a 12-inch model with a Super AMOLED 2160x1440 panel. Both come with 802.11ac 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, GPS support, a microSD card reader, various sensors (accelerometer, hall, and light), and of course Windows 10.

There are differences beyond screen size and resolution between the two. The smaller Galaxy Book is powered by a 7th generation Intel Core m3 dual-core processor clocked at 2.6GHz and 4GB of RAM. It also has 64GB of 128GB of eMMC storage, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, a single USB 3.1 Type-C port, and a 30.4W battery that's good for up to 9 hours.

Samsung's larger 12-inch Galaxy Book upgrades to an Intel Core i5-7200U dual-core processor clocked at 3.1GHz paired. It comes in Wi-Fi and LTE flavors. Both are offered with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of solid state drive storage, with the Wi-Fi version also available with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

The 12-inch Galaxy Book also gains a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, and additional USB 3.1 Type-C port (two total), and a larger 39.04W battery that is good for up to 11 hours of run time.

All of the Galaxy Books feature Samsung Flow. This allows Galaxy smartphone owners to wirelessly connect their handset to transfer and sync documents, messages, and notifications. When connected, users can read and respond to messages and notifications on either device.

You'll be able to pre-order a Wi-Fi Galaxy Book starting tomorrow, April 21. The 10.6-inch model will run $630, while the 12-inch variant will cost $1,130. General availability is slated for May 21. Both sizes will ship in silver nationwide, with a black model exclusive to Best Buy.