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- Review count4
- Helpfulness votes274
- First reviewAugust 15, 2017
- Last reviewMay 14, 2018
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- Average rating4.5
- Review comment count2
- Helpfulness votes14
- First review commentNovember 9, 2017
- Last review commentDecember 6, 2017
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- First answerNovember 18, 2017
- Last answerDecember 6, 2017
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Jeff's Reviews
Explore open-world environments with this 15.6-inch MSI Stealth gaming laptop. Its VR-ready NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics card produces immersive visuals, and its hexa-core Intel Core processor and 16GB of RAM run Windows 10 smoothly. Store and access large applications efficiently thanks to the 512GB solid-state drive of this MSI Stealth gaming laptop.
Customer Rating
5
An excellent business travel gaming laptop
on May 14, 2018
Posted by: Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Powerful Hex-Core i7 9th generation Intel processor
+144hz screen with minimal backlight bleed
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Thunderbolt 3 port
+Very good build quality
+Relatively quiet under load (fan noise is much lower than Aero 15x V8)
+Microsoft Precision drivers for touchpad
+144hz screen with minimal backlight bleed
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Thunderbolt 3 port
+Very good build quality
+Relatively quiet under load (fan noise is much lower than Aero 15x V8)
+Microsoft Precision drivers for touchpad
Cons
-Battery life has been a bit inconsistent, but still above average
-A ton of bloatware (but relatively easy to uninstall or start fresh)
-Speakers could be louder, have more bass, and be positioned better
-Case gets pretty warm under load
-No Windows Hello support
-No SD Card reader
-Battery life has been a bit inconsistent, but still above average
-A ton of bloatware (but relatively easy to uninstall or start fresh)
-Speakers could be louder, have more bass, and be positioned better
-Case gets pretty warm under load
-No Windows Hello support
-No SD Card reader
Summary
This is a very good thin and light gaming laptop from MSI. The closest comparison is the Gigabyte Aero 15x V8 which was also recently released. I have used both machines and while I prefer the GS65, both are very good machines. The Aero 15x has slightly better build quality with a worse screen due to backlight bleeding. The GS65 has a more comfortable keyboard layout, uses Microsoft Precision drivers for the touchpad, is quieter, and has much less significant backlight bleed.
My Best Buy number: 0219533498
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Create multimedia presentations with this Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop. It has 16GB of RAM and an Intel i7 processor, so it can run all the latest applications and programs, and its 15-inch PixelSense touch screen display delivers amazing image quality. This Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop has a 512GB solid-state drive for ample storage of files.
Customer Rating
5
The best Windows device of 2017
on November 18, 2017
Posted by: Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Powerful 8th gen quad core "U" processor
+Excellent gaming with 1060 graphics
+Excellent keyboard
+Excellent touchpad
+USB-C port
+Premium build quality
+Battery life
+Excellent display
+Powerful 8th gen quad core "U" processor
+Excellent gaming with 1060 graphics
+Excellent keyboard
+Excellent touchpad
+USB-C port
+Premium build quality
+Battery life
+Excellent display
Cons
-Expensive
-No Thunderbolt 3 port
-Does not include Surface Pen
-Expensive
-No Thunderbolt 3 port
-Does not include Surface Pen
Summary
Hands down, this is the best Windows laptop/2-in-1 of 2017. The worst thing I can say about it is the price, having to buy a pen separately, and no Thunderbolt 3 port. Everything else about this machine is sublime. Prior to this, a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 was my daily driver. The Surface Book 2 15 has equivalent build quality, a better keyboard, similar touchpad quality, and far better dedicated graphics with the Nvidia 1060 6GB versus the Radeon 560 4GB. As someone who uses both Windows 10 and MacOS regularly, Microsoft has finally done it and created a true Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro 15. While there may be similar options like the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 or Dell XPS 15 that cost less money and are better values, spending the extra money on the Surface Book 2 is well worth it in my opinion. After a few years of primary MacBook use, I am back on the Windows train and could not be happier about it. This review is based on my experiences with the Surface Book 2 15 inch as my daily driver and as someone who travels roughly half the year for professional work (meetings, conferences, etc.). I tend to favor premium devices and this is my favorite device of 2017.
Hands down, this is the best Windows laptop/2-in-1 of 2017. The worst thing I can say about it is the price, having to buy a pen separately, and no Thunderbolt 3 port. Everything else about this machine is sublime. Prior to this, a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 was my daily driver. The Surface Book 2 15 has equivalent build quality, a better keyboard, similar touchpad quality, and far better dedicated graphics with the Nvidia 1060 6GB versus the Radeon 560 4GB. As someone who uses both Windows 10 and MacOS regularly, Microsoft has finally done it and created a true Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro 15. While there may be similar options like the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 or Dell XPS 15 that cost less money and are better values, spending the extra money on the Surface Book 2 is well worth it in my opinion. After a few years of primary MacBook use, I am back on the Windows train and could not be happier about it. This review is based on my experiences with the Surface Book 2 15 inch as my daily driver and as someone who travels roughly half the year for professional work (meetings, conferences, etc.). I tend to favor premium devices and this is my favorite device of 2017.
Design
This is a premium device. The build quality is absolutely on par with a MacBook and is head and shoulders above other Windows devices from other vendors. The 2-in-1 capability "just plain works" and provides a variety of options in how to use this device.
This is a premium device. The build quality is absolutely on par with a MacBook and is head and shoulders above other Windows devices from other vendors. The 2-in-1 capability "just plain works" and provides a variety of options in how to use this device.
Display
The touch enabled 15 inch display is a 3:2 aspect ratio with a native resolution of 3240x2160, pleasing to the eyes, and a joy to use. It gets plenty bright and the touch response works as expected.
The touch enabled 15 inch display is a 3:2 aspect ratio with a native resolution of 3240x2160, pleasing to the eyes, and a joy to use. It gets plenty bright and the touch response works as expected.
Input devices
The 3-stage back-lit keyboard is fantastic and has just the right amount of travel to be comfortable to type on for long periods. The touchpad uses Microsoft Precision drivers and is the best Windows touchpad I have used to date. It is on par with the fabled Mac touchpad, though I wish it was just a tad bit larger.
The 3-stage back-lit keyboard is fantastic and has just the right amount of travel to be comfortable to type on for long periods. The touchpad uses Microsoft Precision drivers and is the best Windows touchpad I have used to date. It is on par with the fabled Mac touchpad, though I wish it was just a tad bit larger.
Audio
The speakers are fairly good for a laptop of this size. They fire from cutouts on the side of the display and have good separation. Bass isn't the best, but they are clear and comfortable. Not as good as the recent MacBook's, but still quite capable.
The speakers are fairly good for a laptop of this size. They fire from cutouts on the side of the display and have good separation. Bass isn't the best, but they are clear and comfortable. Not as good as the recent MacBook's, but still quite capable.
Performance
8th gen Intel-U processors are a significant upgrade from the 7th generation in that they added 2 more cores making it a true quad core processor. The 25watt i7 processor in the Surface Book 2 15 inch is on par with a 45watt 7th gen Intel quad core processor from a performance perspective. The main difference is that there may be some throttling during extended loads, but the performance will still be equivalent for the vast majority of people. The Nvidia 1060 dedicated graphics allow most games to be played at medium/high detail at 1920x1080p. I generally play League of Legends and Overwatch and both perform well. As League is an older title, I am able to play that at high detail on my 35 inch Dell ultrawide monitor's native resolution at over 100fps. Glorious!
8th gen Intel-U processors are a significant upgrade from the 7th generation in that they added 2 more cores making it a true quad core processor. The 25watt i7 processor in the Surface Book 2 15 inch is on par with a 45watt 7th gen Intel quad core processor from a performance perspective. The main difference is that there may be some throttling during extended loads, but the performance will still be equivalent for the vast majority of people. The Nvidia 1060 dedicated graphics allow most games to be played at medium/high detail at 1920x1080p. I generally play League of Legends and Overwatch and both perform well. As League is an older title, I am able to play that at high detail on my 35 inch Dell ultrawide monitor's native resolution at over 100fps. Glorious!
Battery Life
Battery life is excellent due to the large battery in the base as well as the usage of a lower watt 8th gen "U" processor that uses less power than the 7th gen HQ processors. Standard work use comprising of Chrome web browsing and Office 365 apps saw me get an amazing 13 hours of use. It does chug battery when the dedicated graphics are being used, but that is the same of every laptop. Coming from my 2017 MacBook Pro 15, the battery life has been significantly better than the 6 hours I typically get with the MacBook. There have been reports of the Surface Book 2 15 inch draining battery even when plugged in while gaming, but I have not experienced this. Tablet only mode lasts 3-5 hours based on what you are doing.
Battery life is excellent due to the large battery in the base as well as the usage of a lower watt 8th gen "U" processor that uses less power than the 7th gen HQ processors. Standard work use comprising of Chrome web browsing and Office 365 apps saw me get an amazing 13 hours of use. It does chug battery when the dedicated graphics are being used, but that is the same of every laptop. Coming from my 2017 MacBook Pro 15, the battery life has been significantly better than the 6 hours I typically get with the MacBook. There have been reports of the Surface Book 2 15 inch draining battery even when plugged in while gaming, but I have not experienced this. Tablet only mode lasts 3-5 hours based on what you are doing.
Webcam
It has a 5.0mp front facing camera and the image quality is excellent. By far the best I have seen on any laptop, including Mac's. There is an 8.0mp rear facing camera that also works very well (but please do not be that person holding up a tablet at a concert to take a picture). For taking pictures of whiteboards or slides at a conference, it does the job very well.
It has a 5.0mp front facing camera and the image quality is excellent. By far the best I have seen on any laptop, including Mac's. There is an 8.0mp rear facing camera that also works very well (but please do not be that person holding up a tablet at a concert to take a picture). For taking pictures of whiteboards or slides at a conference, it does the job very well.
Heat & Fans
Heat is well managed as are the fans when really pushing the device. It makes a soft whooshing noise at maximum and is not at all obnoxious.
Heat is well managed as are the fans when really pushing the device. It makes a soft whooshing noise at maximum and is not at all obnoxious.
OS/Bloatware
The device does not ship with any bloatware, which is a great thing. It is a standard Windows 10 Pro install, but it strangely does not ship with fall creator's update already installed.
The device does not ship with any bloatware, which is a great thing. It is a standard Windows 10 Pro install, but it strangely does not ship with fall creator's update already installed.
My Best Buy number: 0219533498
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Travel lightly with this 15-inch Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop. It converts to a tablet when needed, navigable with the included stylus or the responsive touch screen, and its powerful Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM let you multitask smoothly. This Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop saves files and finds them quickly on the 256GB solid-state drive.
Posted by: Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
Cons
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
Summary
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
Background
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
Design
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
Display
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
Input devices
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
Ports
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
Audio
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
Performance
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
Battery Life
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Webcam
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
Heat & Fans
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
OS/Bloatware
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
My Best Buy number: 0219533498
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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232of 239voted this as helpful.
Work and play in the office or on the road with this Razer Blade gaming laptop. This notebook has an advanced 14-inch UHD-capable display and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, which work together to produce a stellar visual experience. Its 2.8GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM make this Razer Blade gaming laptop genuinely powerful desktop replacement.
Customer Rating
3
Slim and powerful, but runs very hot and very loud
on August 15, 2017
Posted by: Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Powerful quad core processor
+Excellent gaming with 1060 graphics
+Colorful keyboard
+Thunderbolt 3
+Excellent build quality
+Powerful quad core processor
+Excellent gaming with 1060 graphics
+Colorful keyboard
+Thunderbolt 3
+Excellent build quality
Cons
-Battery life is only about 5.5 hours
-Runs hot
-Gets loud
-OS stability issues
-Secondary keys are not backlit
-Touchpad is just ok
-Battery life is only about 5.5 hours
-Runs hot
-Gets loud
-OS stability issues
-Secondary keys are not backlit
-Touchpad is just ok
Summary
I was on the hunt for a thin and light laptop that travels well, had dedicated graphics, good battery life, and doesn't scream "I'm a gamer!" in the boardroom. The Razer Blade 2017 almost was that laptop. The build quality is excellent and is still the closest to a Mac that I have seen on the Windows side, save the Surface line. Unfortunately, it runs hot, it runs loud, and the battery life was not very good. I also encountered something I rarely see - blue screen critical errors in Windows 10. I have literally gone months without seeing those on multiple systems from different vendors, but encounted 5 in the first 3 days of using the 2017 Razer Blade. While performance and build quality is excellent, I simply cannot tolerate a system that is not stable. Considering what you pay for the Razer, it's not a buy for me. In the end, I feel there are other similar options like the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 or Dell XPS 15 that cost less money and are better values. I really wanted to like this, but I ended up returning it as I could not justify paying a premium for this compared to the similar Gigabyte and Dell offerings.
I was on the hunt for a thin and light laptop that travels well, had dedicated graphics, good battery life, and doesn't scream "I'm a gamer!" in the boardroom. The Razer Blade 2017 almost was that laptop. The build quality is excellent and is still the closest to a Mac that I have seen on the Windows side, save the Surface line. Unfortunately, it runs hot, it runs loud, and the battery life was not very good. I also encountered something I rarely see - blue screen critical errors in Windows 10. I have literally gone months without seeing those on multiple systems from different vendors, but encounted 5 in the first 3 days of using the 2017 Razer Blade. While performance and build quality is excellent, I simply cannot tolerate a system that is not stable. Considering what you pay for the Razer, it's not a buy for me. In the end, I feel there are other similar options like the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 or Dell XPS 15 that cost less money and are better values. I really wanted to like this, but I ended up returning it as I could not justify paying a premium for this compared to the similar Gigabyte and Dell offerings.
Design
This is a gorgeous device. Think of a MacBook that you wish was matte black and that is essentially what you have here. It's thin, light, and looks every bit of a $2000 computer. Unfortunately, it attracts fingerprints just by looking at it, so you will want to keep a cloth handy or apply a skin to it. The biggest detraction from the design are the huge bezels around the display. I really hope Razer looks at the Gigabyte Aero 15 and Dell XPS line to see what they are doing with their bezels. They could easily fit a 15 inch display into the same casing if they shave the bezels down.
This is a gorgeous device. Think of a MacBook that you wish was matte black and that is essentially what you have here. It's thin, light, and looks every bit of a $2000 computer. Unfortunately, it attracts fingerprints just by looking at it, so you will want to keep a cloth handy or apply a skin to it. The biggest detraction from the design are the huge bezels around the display. I really hope Razer looks at the Gigabyte Aero 15 and Dell XPS line to see what they are doing with their bezels. They could easily fit a 15 inch display into the same casing if they shave the bezels down.
Display
The 14 inch display is 1080p and pleasing to the eye. I didn't notice any issues with it and it gets bright enough for any sort of indoor use. Thankfully, it is a matte display so reflections are not an issue. It is also not a touch display, so you will be using the touchpad or mouse to get things done.
The 14 inch display is 1080p and pleasing to the eye. I didn't notice any issues with it and it gets bright enough for any sort of indoor use. Thankfully, it is a matte display so reflections are not an issue. It is also not a touch display, so you will be using the touchpad or mouse to get things done.
Input devices
The keyboard has the always very cool chroma effect and the keystroke is fine. The worst thing I can say about the keyboard is that the backlight does not show up for secondary functions on keys (like punctuation, volume, or brightness controls). A work around for that is to create a custom chroma key color for the functions you want (and then remember your color scheme). The touchpad uses Elan drivers and is average. It has good gliding characteristics, but sometimes registers false taps and two finger scrolling isn't as smooth as you can find on other machines.
The keyboard has the always very cool chroma effect and the keystroke is fine. The worst thing I can say about the keyboard is that the backlight does not show up for secondary functions on keys (like punctuation, volume, or brightness controls). A work around for that is to create a custom chroma key color for the functions you want (and then remember your color scheme). The touchpad uses Elan drivers and is average. It has good gliding characteristics, but sometimes registers false taps and two finger scrolling isn't as smooth as you can find on other machines.
Audio
The speakers are fairly good for a laptop this size. They fire upwards and get loud enough that I did not have any issues hearing them, unless I was playing a game when the fan drowns out everything.
The speakers are fairly good for a laptop this size. They fire upwards and get loud enough that I did not have any issues hearing them, unless I was playing a game when the fan drowns out everything.
Battery Life
It has a 70wh battery, but the quad core processor really takes a toll on that and I suspect the system is not as optimized in this regard despite me creating a custom power plan that focused on energy savings. I averaged about 6-7 hours of office style use (Chrome, Office apps), which isn't as good as I had hoped for. Doing any sort of gaming will drain the battery in 2-3 hours. This is decent, but you can get similar performance and better battery life out of the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 (94wh) or Dell XPS 15 (97wh). Each of those easily got me 8-10 hours of real world office-style use.
It has a 70wh battery, but the quad core processor really takes a toll on that and I suspect the system is not as optimized in this regard despite me creating a custom power plan that focused on energy savings. I averaged about 6-7 hours of office style use (Chrome, Office apps), which isn't as good as I had hoped for. Doing any sort of gaming will drain the battery in 2-3 hours. This is decent, but you can get similar performance and better battery life out of the Gigabyte Aero 14/15 (94wh) or Dell XPS 15 (97wh). Each of those easily got me 8-10 hours of real world office-style use.
Webcam
It has a 2.0mp camera, but the image quality isn't as good you would expect. If you are big on this, you will want to look elsewhere.
Heat & Fans
Here is where the issues start to add up and become more noticeable. This thing runs warm to the touch, even just sitting at idle with no open apps on a Windows 10 desktop. Once you start to put a little bit of load on it, the heat becomes far more noticeable and the fans rev almost immediately. The fans get LOUD. Having used a similar device in the Gigabyte Aero 15 that has the same video card and processor, the Razer is significantly louder and will drown out any sound in the immediate vicinity.
It has a 2.0mp camera, but the image quality isn't as good you would expect. If you are big on this, you will want to look elsewhere.
Heat & Fans
Here is where the issues start to add up and become more noticeable. This thing runs warm to the touch, even just sitting at idle with no open apps on a Windows 10 desktop. Once you start to put a little bit of load on it, the heat becomes far more noticeable and the fans rev almost immediately. The fans get LOUD. Having used a similar device in the Gigabyte Aero 15 that has the same video card and processor, the Razer is significantly louder and will drown out any sound in the immediate vicinity.
OS/Bloatware
The device does not ship with any bloatware, which is a great thing. It is a standard Windows 10 Home install with just the Razer Synapse software on top to control the keyboard chroma effects and miscellaneous system tweaks.
The device does not ship with any bloatware, which is a great thing. It is a standard Windows 10 Home install with just the Razer Synapse software on top to control the keyboard chroma effects and miscellaneous system tweaks.
My Best Buy number: 0219533498
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
+10points
10of 10voted this as helpful.
Jeff's Review Comments
Travel lightly with this 15-inch Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop. It converts to a tablet when needed, navigable with the included stylus or the responsive touch screen, and its powerful Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM let you multitask smoothly. This Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop saves files and finds them quickly on the 256GB solid-state drive.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5A very good 15 inch convertible
By Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
Cons
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
Summary
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
Background
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
Design
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
Display
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
Input devices
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
Ports
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
Audio
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
Performance
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
Battery Life
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Webcam
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
Heat & Fans
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
OS/Bloatware
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
Jeff
Chicago, IL, USA
SSD is upgradeable, RAM is not.
November 9, 2017
Just clarifying - the SSD is upgradeable, but the SSD is not. Sorry about that.
+12points
12of 12voted this comment as helpful.
Travel lightly with this 15-inch Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop. It converts to a tablet when needed, navigable with the included stylus or the responsive touch screen, and its powerful Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM let you multitask smoothly. This Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop saves files and finds them quickly on the 256GB solid-state drive.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5A very good 15 inch convertible
By Jeff
from Chicago, IL, USA
Pros
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
+Flexible as a 2-in-1 and very portable
+Included S-Pen works well and stores in the case
+Comfortable keyboard and accurate touchpad
+Has a USB-C port that supports charging
+Excellent build quality
Cons
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
-Battery life is only average
-Some bloatware, especially Samsung apps
-Speakers could have more bass
Summary
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
This is a very good 2-in-1 from Samsung. It doesn't have any noticeable weak spots. It has a good mix of ports that includes USB-C, is light, and very well constructed. The pricing is on par as well when compared to others with similar build quality. This device is recommended for daily use, business travelers that want an ultrabook but with a larger screen, and students.
Background
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
I picked up the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 with Intel 8th Gen CPU from my local Best Buy. I wanted a travel friendly Windows 2-in-1 with a good screen, keyboard, touchpad, USB-C compatibility, and battery life. My daily driver to this point has been a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with Touch Bar and I have been testing out many recent Windows laptops including the 2017 models of the Dell XPS 13 (regular and 2-in-1), 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 2017 Surface Pro, 2017 Galaxy Book, 2017 Spectre x360 13, and others. My thoughts are based on being a frequent business traveler that spends a lot of time in Microsoft Office & Office 365 and the web. I also play some light games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends.
Design
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
I really like the design. It's a professional and clean silver aluminum body with a dark interior that makes the key lettering pop. The hinges are sturdy and fairly firm to minimize screen wobble. Fingerprints tend to show up on the inside in the keyboard deck area, but are easy to wipe clean. The rounded edges of the body make it easy to carry and nothing digs into your hands. It weighs under 4 pounds, is thin, and very easy to carry around or toss into a bag. The fit and finish is excellent.
Display
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
The laptop comes with a 15-inch touchscreen at 1080p resolution. It looks good and I think is still an adequate resolution for this screen size. A higher resolution would draw more power and I don't think the tradeoff is worth it for a mobile device. Plus, there is less of a chance of running into Windows text scaling issues. While it doesn't have the thinnest bezels, they are still quite slim and look good. Light bleed is a little more noticeable on this model versus the 13.3 inch model I also own. Text and video are both clear and HDR is supported. The panel is pleasing to look at and is plenty sharp for standard use.
Input devices
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
The 3-stage backlit keyboard has a good amount of travel, is relatively quiet, and is easy to type on. My biggest gripe with it is the fact that functions like volume and screen brightness are not the default action for the function key row. I checked the BIOS and there doesn't seem to be a way to enable these by default. The touchpad glides well and makes a satisfying click. It supports gestures and tracks accurately. The device includes the S Pen that slides into the case which is very convenient so you always have it with you and you don't have to worry about figuring out how to attach or secure it to the device like other similar devices. The S Pen does not require batteries and while thin, provides a good mark-up experience. Having used the Apple Pencil and new 2017 Surface Pen, I find it works just as well as those two for casual use.
Ports
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
2 USB 3.0
1 HDMI
1 DC Power (1.5mm)
1 USB-C that supports charging and display port - Note - I use the Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter to charge the device and plug it into my monitor with one cable.
1 Headphone/Mic combo port
1 micro SD card
Audio
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
There are two downward firing speakers on the bottom of the case that get loud enough. The audio is clear, but there is a distinct lack of bass that is common in most laptops. They are fine most casual use, but not as good as the newer MacBook Pro models which have amazing audio.
Performance
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
A quad core i7-8500 powers the device and I have not run into any issues with daily tasks. It scored a 4883 on the single core and 14691 on the multi-core Geekbench 4 tests, which is on par with the 2017 MacBook Pro 15's i7-7700HQ processor. There are switchable integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics which are ok for light games, but you are going to have to turn details way down to achieve a decent frame rate. It also has a 2GB Radeon 540 dedicated graphics chip that helps run a bit better (about 50% more powerful than the integrated Intel chip) and both have no trouble driving my Dell 34 inch ultrawide monitor. The included 16GB of DDR4 RAM and SATA 3 256GB SSD are not upgradeable. Wireless performance is good and uses the Intel 8265 card. Bluetooth 4.1 works as expected.
Battery Life
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Battery life is just ok. It has a decent sized 54Wh battery and gets about 6-8 hours of casual use with battery saver on. It's not quite as strong as competitors in the early stages of ownership, so I may need to dig into the power plan settings to see if I can make some tweaks. Since the device can charge over USB-C, a portable power bank is an option to help augment the battery. It is worth noting that the 54Wh battery is a bit on the small side when compared to other 15 inch machines, but it also does not have to drive a 4k screen.
Webcam
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
The front facing 720p webcam can best be describes as serviceable. It's fine for web conferences, but it's not going to win any awards. Windows Hello facial recognition is supported and works very well.
Heat & Fans
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
The device gets warm towards the middle back when under load, but the keyboard and touchpad are still comfortable to type on. If you are doing some heavy processing, it will get warm on your lap. The fans are not audible doing normal tasks, but do ramp up if playing a game or other processor intensive tasks. I was not able to detect any coil whine (the bane of every Dell laptop I have used).
OS/Bloatware
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
The device ships with Windows 10 Home and the Creator Update. There is quite a bit of bloatware installed including McAfee, Samsung Apps, and various Windows store games. The first thing I did was clear all of that stuff off. I would much rather have the Microsoft Signature edition install that you typically only get from the Microsoft Store and other vendors like Lenovo, but a little time doing app housekeeping or a fresh install resolves this. Samsung includes an app for driver updates, but it can also pull from the standard Windows 10 update process. For whatever reason, this newer Samsung Update app is not as good as previous versions as I constantly have to remind it what model of Samsung laptop I have. It also doesn't seem to indicate very well what drivers need updates versus what is already updated. I'd much rather they go back to the old version which was simpler to use and worked very well.
Jeff
Chicago, IL, USA
Function Lock
December 6, 2017
The Function Lock key works fine for allowing the volume/brightness to become the primary button press, but it also affects the arrow keys which now become page up/down etc so you have to turn it off to restore them to standard arrow keys. In the end, the work around kind of works, but only if you don't use the arrow keys as much. I'd still prefer the option to set the function keys to control the system instead of the F-keys as the primary key press (or have dedicated brightness and volume keys).
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
Jeff's Questions
Jeff has not submitted any questions.
Jeff's Answers
Travel lightly with this 15-inch Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop. It converts to a tablet when needed, navigable with the included stylus or the responsive touch screen, and its powerful Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM let you multitask smoothly. This Samsung Notebook 9 Pro laptop saves files and finds them quickly on the 256GB solid-state drive.
How does AMD Radeon 540 in this compare to NVIDIA MX150? For example, fps when playing Overwatch in FHD High option...? Or anything, please. I have no idea how good 540 is.
The MX150 is better, but not by much: https://technical.city/en/video/GeForce-MX150-mobile-GT-1030-vs-Radeon-RX-540
If you want to game decently, look for a 1050 or better.
If you want to game decently, look for a 1050 or better.
6 years, 4 months ago
by
Jeff
Create multimedia presentations with this Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop. It has 16GB of RAM and an Intel i7 processor, so it can run all the latest applications and programs, and its 15-inch PixelSense touch screen display delivers amazing image quality. This Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop has a 512GB solid-state drive for ample storage of files.
fingerprint reader?
No fingerprint reader. It uses Windows Hello IR cameras for facial recognition (which work great).
6 years, 5 months ago
by
Jeff