Samsung Galaxy Book2 Review: Scores high on utility

A big-screen laptop is not everyone's choice when it comes to ease in handling, especially because of its heavy weight. But to break this notion, Samsung has come up with Galaxy Book2 having a 15.6-inch screen and of course, it is thin and lightweight. With a price tag of Rs. 65,990 for the Core i5-1235U model (the one I am reviewing right now), the Galaxy Book2 seems to be Samsung's commendable attempt to create a space of its own in the mid-range laptop segment in India. It is giving tough competition to Dell, Lenovo, HP, and more. After using it for a while now, here is how Samsung Galaxy Book2 fares.

Samsung Galaxy Book2: Design

Elegant, minimalist, and classy are the words that can describe the Samsung Galaxy Book2 in terms of its design and looks. Though having a big display, the laptop is sleek (15.4mm thick) and lightweight (1.6kg), hence making it easy to carry and use. With the aluminium body, the build quality is also decent. You will also find all the required I/O ports like a couple of Type-C ports, HDMI, Type-A port, audio port, a microSD card reader, among others, placed on the sides of the Galaxy Book2.

Samsung Galaxy Book2: Display and Keyboard

The display of the Samsung Galaxy Book2 is one of the best in the segment. As soon as you open the lid, you will see a big LED-backlit LCD screen of 15.6 inches with a refresh rate of 60Hz. Yes, the laptop misses the AMOLED display which is provided in the premium Galaxy Book2 Pro model, but that's something you can compromise at this price. The lid of the laptop can fold 180 degrees, providing you with the flexibility in viewing the screen. It also has thin bezels, and a webcam placed exactly at the top center. The screen has adequate brightness levels, good contrast and popping colours.

Coming to the keyboard, the Galaxy Book2 gets a keyboard with a dedicated numpad. The keys are neatly placed with an apt amount of spacing and are easy to read and find. You are also provided with white backlighting to help you locate the keys and type in dark. However, while typing you will feel the requirement for a little more travel. The trackpad is good and responsive, leaving no place for complaints. Also, the power key integrates a fingerprint scanner which works impressively.

Samsung Galaxy Book2: Performance and Software

Perfect for the daily workflow? Well yes, the Galaxy Book2 handles everyday tasks smoothly and with ease with the help of its 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U processor paired with 16GB RAM. It also comes preloaded with Windows 11. From web browsing, using WhatsApp web and other social media handles, attending video calls and meetings, to around 10-12 tabs running simultaneously for around 9-10 hours daily, the Galaxy Book2 can easily manage the regular office workload. I did not notice any lag or web browser getting slower during my usage.

The large display also makes entertainment fun by letting you enjoy movies, web shows, among others with great picture quality and colours. Coming to the audio, the speakers are placed at the bottom, hence you may sometimes struggle to get the full quality audio experience as the volume tends to get lowered.

Similar to Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro, the Galaxy Book2 comes with Samsung Settings. It allows you to save battery consumption by letting you change modes, make changes to the display, among others. You can even control keyboard backlight brightness and choose a timeout duration for the same using Samsung Settings.

Samsung Galaxy Book2: Battery

Battery life is something Samsung could have improved here. Though the company claims to provide a long-lasting battery, the output was disappointing. The battery lasted for mere 4-5 hours of continuous usage. The only respite is that Samsung offers a 65W charger which fills the battery from 10 percent to 100 in around 2 hours. The charger can also be used with other Samsung devices and can charge them fast too!

Verdict

At a starting price of around Rs. 66,000, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 is at par with most of its competitors that you can buy. This is a handsome-looking laptop providing decent performance, especially for working professionals. Though you may miss a good battery backup, a fast charger fills the need. Samsung could have broken the trend and stuffed it with a bigger battery, considering its large 15.6-inch display. Also, the audio output could have been better with nicer speakers. Nonetheless, if you have a budget of Rs. 66000 the Samsung Galaxy Book2 is a solid laptop for consideration.