The Samsung Galaxy Guide S is not any unusual laptop computer because it accommodates certainly one of Intel’s model new “hybrid” processors designed to provide PCs smartphone-like battery life whereas operating common Windows 10.
The Guide S follows the Book Flex in Samsung’s return to the UK PC market, however is confusingly accessible in two variations each costing £999: the Galaxy Guide S Intel (as reviewed right here) and the Galaxy Guide S Qualcomm, which is barely older and has a very completely different sort of chip.
The Guide S Intel seems to be like a reasonably customary Home windows 10 laptop computer, besides it’s tremendous skinny and lightweight at simply 11.8mm thick and 950g in weight. For comparability, the Guide Flex is 1.16kg and 12.9mm thick, whereas the Apple MacBook Air is 1.29kg and 16.1mm thick.
The backlit keyboard is nice, with well-spaced, responsive keys with sufficient journey – how far down it pushes – for many. The trackpad is vast and exact, however makes fairly a loud click on when depressed.
There’s a small fingerprint sensor embedded within the energy button within the high proper of the keyboard, which is a way more wise place than taking up half the shift key, as was the case with its sibling.
The 13.3in full HD touchscreen is nice, however not fairly as vibrant and vibrant because the Guide Flex, protecting solely 80% of the DCI-P3 color palette. It will probably get tremendous brilliant with a devoted outside mode that enhances the brightness from 350nit to 600nit, making it simpler to see in daylight. The mannequin examined lacked automated brightness management, however simply setting it to 70% brightness labored nicely in most situations.
The display screen is noticeably much less crisp than higher-resolution rivals, and being within the 16:9 ratio (matching your TV) means there’s much less vertical house to work with. I discovered myself scrolling up and down much more than I’d on taller screens with 16:10 or 3:2 ratios.
Specs
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Display screen: 13.3in FHD (1080p) LCD touchscreen (166PPI)
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Processor: Intel Core i5-L16G7
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RAM: 8GB
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Storage: 512GB
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Graphics: Intel UHD
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Working system: Windows 10 Dwelling
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Digital camera: 1MP
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Connectivity: Wifi 6, Bluetooth 5, 2x USB-C, microSD, headphones
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Dimensions: 203.2 x 305.2 x 11.8mm
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Weight: 950g
Hybrid Intel chip
For a while ARM chips, akin to these operating in all smartphones, have promised to ship higher battery life and comparable efficiency than the Intel processors utilized in nearly all laptops. They haven’t but delivered on that promise in Home windows computer systems, but it surely hasn’t stopped Intel designing chips in an analogous strategy to ARM fashions in an try to move off the competitors.
The Intel Core i5-L16G7 operating within the Guide S is without doubt one of the agency’s first to attempt a so-called big.Little design. What meaning in English for this explicit mannequin is that you’ve got one, high-power processing unit paired with 4 smaller, lower-power and decrease efficiency models on one chip.
The concept is that the decrease energy cores deal with the easy issues, and the high-power core handles the necessary issues. The explanation you’ve gotten this kind of design is that for easy issues the chip consumes much less energy than the equal customary twin or quad-core chip, but it surely nonetheless has the poke to do heavy lifting when required. It additionally means this machine is fanless, relying completely on passive cooling, and making operation completely silent.
In actuality the Guide S has very blended efficiency. Whenever you’re doing an excessive amount of the laptop computer actually bogs down, feeling sluggish and ponderous. It was notably noticeable when first establishing the machine, performing updates and downloading apps – an analogous factor occurred with the Core i3 processor within the latest MacBook Air.
As soon as setup was full, if I wasn’t operating any updates, efficiency was fairly good. On a par with most common laptops, dealing with Chrome, Home windows Mail, Evernote, Nextgen Reader and a bunch of chat apps simply high-quality.
It began to come back unstuck once I opened a few pretty giant images in Affinity Photograph. It managed the photograph manipulation duties OK, however was pretty sluggish doing it. It additionally struggled a bit of right here and there once I linked it to an exterior 4K monitor and went into complete meltdown once I tried to open a spreadsheet whereas holding a Google Meet.
However that isn’t the purpose of this laptop computer. It’s designed for use as a light-work laptop computer that lasts a very long time between prices. When used this fashion with all of the apps open as above it lasts comfortably over 10 hours between prices, which is lengthy by most laptop computer requirements, though overwhelmed by an hour by the Guide Flex.
Charging the laptop computer with the included tiny 25W USB-C charger takes 2.5 hours from useless, reaching 50% cost in an hour, which is fairly sluggish so it is perhaps value shopping for a extra highly effective energy adapter. The Guide S has two USB-C ports, one all sides, and a headphone socket on the left. There’s a microSD card slot hiding in a small pull out tray on the left too.
Sustainability
The Guide S can typically be repaired by authorised service centres. Samsung charges the battery for at the least 1,000 full cost cycles whereas nonetheless sustaining at the least 80% capability. Samsung additionally has battery lifespan-extending choices on the laptop computer, akin to people who restrict the utmost cost to 85% to extend its helpful life.
The battery might be changed out of guarantee by authorised service suppliers. The laptop computer isn’t constituted of any recycled supplies and whereas Samsung does provide trade-in and recycling schemes for different units, it doesn’t accomplish that but for laptops.
Home windows 10 Dwelling
The benefit the Guide S Intel has over ARM-based laptops, such as the Surface Pro X, is that it ships and runs common Home windows 10 Dwelling and due to this fact any customary Home windows app.
On the time of writing, the Guide S has nonetheless not acquired the Might 2020 Home windows 10 function replace, as there are some incompatibility points for Microsoft to unravel.
There was some unwelcome pre-installed software program, together with McAfee LiveSafe, Clonix RansomDefender and the standard Sweet Crush Pals and Farm Heroes Saga, which I uninstalled on first use.
Worth
The Samsung Galaxy Guide S Intel costs £999 with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in both gray or gold.
The Galaxy Guide S can also be accessible in a Qualcomm model with an ARM chip for £999.
For comparability, the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex prices £1,349, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 prices from £999, the Dell XPS 13 prices from £1,399 and the Apple MacBook Air prices from £999.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Guide S is a modern laptop computer with a brand new sort of processor that’s neither a house run nor an abysmal failure.
It was disappointing to see a £999 laptop computer battle with updates and video conferencing, however exterior of these higher-demand duties, efficiency was pleasingly snappy. Battery life was additionally excellent for a laptop computer this skinny and lightweight with a comparatively small capability battery, and with out the compromise in app compatibility that an ARM chip imposes. Due to this fact it’s not a foul begin for the Core i5-L16G7, the primary of Intel’s hybrid chips.
The keyboard is nice, the trackpad too. The fingerprint scanner is in the appropriate place. Two USB-C ports are welcome, as is microSD card help. The display screen is nice and the outside brightness mode actually does make a distinction.
The Guide S is due to this fact higher considered road-warrior’s laptop computer. One that may simply be packed, lasts a very long time and will get the fundamentals performed with the minimal of fuss, simply don’t anticipate it to be a premium energy laptop computer. Whether or not anybody truly needs a road-warrior laptop computer within the present pandemic stays to be seen.
Execs: tremendous skinny and lightweight, lengthy battery life, regular Home windows 10, two USB-C, headphones socket, tiny charger, microSD card slot, fingerprint scanner, good keyboard and trackpad, brilliant display screen.
Cons: processor struggles when doing a bit an excessive amount of, pretty sluggish to cost with included 25W energy adapter, 16:9 display screen ratio, decrease decision display screen.
