[Contest] Samsung Galaxy Book 12 LTE in the workflow test: Tablet as a notebook replacement?

Mobile workflow of the future?

Overview

I have tested laptops and tablets more often in the past. I was never really impressed with the mobile workflow: Either the devices were too big and too heavy or like the Samsung ATIV Tab 3, the combination of tablet and keyboard was too fragile and thus unsuitable as a working device.

Now I've been on the road in recent weeks with a Samsung Galaxy Book LTE that the manufacturer had kindly made available to me. And I have to say: Convertibles, the combination of tablets and laptops, have become much better. The Galaxy Book is a very practical work tool.

First impression

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The Samsung Galaxy Book certainly looks chic and the combination of tablet with protective cover and keyboard looks very stable.

This is because unlike previous convertibles, the tablet is no longer simply connected to the keyboard via a Bluetooth connection, but plugged in via a USB connection - that's stable, but it's easy to disconnect at the same time. Or the very flat keyboard is simply folded back in tablet mode. Another plus: The Bluetooth channel remains free, for example, for the connection of other devices such as headphones.

Convertible or laptop?

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For me, however, was the basic issue in the test: Can a convertible tablet with keyboard replace a netbook or a laptop and be a complete mobile workstation solution?

My Answer: The current state of the art is so mature that I look at the convertibles with their combination of tablet and keyboard even as the better option, which is mainly due to the lower weight of the device and especially power supply.

The equipment

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Let's take a look at the components, components, and dimensions that the Galaxy Book brings.

measures and weight

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• Weight: 640 g
• Product dimensions: 30,5 x 0,6 x 24,2
• Batteries: 1 lithium ion batteries required (included).
• Color: silver
• Form factor: Convertible notebook

Product information

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• Brand: Samsung
• Model / Series: Galaxy Book 12 LTE
• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro

memory

Overview

• Main memory 2 GB
• Memory Type 2 GB DDR2L - 800MHz
• Breakdown Main Memory Onboard 1 x 2 GB

Graphics and display

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• Screen size: 12 inches Screen resolution: 2160 x 1440 Max. Screen resolution: 2160 x 1440
• Graphics coprocessor: HD Graphics 620
• Chipset manufacturer: Intel
• Description graphics card: Intel

storage media

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• Memory size: 8 GB
• Memory Technology: LPDDR3-SDRAM
• Memory Type: DDR3 SDRAMMax. supported size: 8 GB
• Size hard drive: 256 GB
• Hard Drive Technology: SSD Hard Drive Interface: Solid State

Communication

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• Connectivity Type: 802_11_ABGNAC
• WLAN Type: 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac

Power

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• Power supply (V) 40 Watt
• Standard battery 2 cells (25,6 Wh)
• Battery life * 8 hours

Connections

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• USB: 1 x USB C
• Audio: Headphone / Microphone 3,5 mm Headphone / Microphone combo

Processor

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• Processor brand: Intel
• Processor Type: Core 2 Duo
• Processor speed: 2.5 GHz
• Processor socket: BGA 1356
• Processor cores: 2

Accumulator

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• Battery charging time: 2.5 hours
• Average battery life: 11 hours
• Capacity Lithium Battery: 10 watt-hours
• Weight lithium battery: 150 grams

Working with keyboard

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My first concern is the question of whether you can write and work with a tablet next to the keyboard as with a netbook the same size. The answer: Yes, this works great with this device. Typing on the keyboard of the Galaxy Book is as easy and smooth as on other keyboards.

It even works if I have the device on my knees or on a small folding table on the train. However, the tablet is of course much heavier than the keyboard and the stand does not stand on unstable ground.

Battery life and Bluetooth connection

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Practical, but also battery-consuming is that the keyboard is directly charged via USB port on the laptop. In this way, the supplied power supply of the device is completely sufficient, you do not need about a second power supply. At the same time you can confirm the battery from both keyboard and tablet really excellent runtimes.

Practical is also the low weight of the supplied power supply - this consists practically only of a cable and a power plug, which is connected via USB. A shortcoming: The Galaxy Book invites practically only with this power plug, which leads to confusion with other power supplies, especially when traveling.

Mouse or stylus?

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A sticking point is the function of the mouse: After all, the Galaxybook has a touchpad on the operation of the left mouse button is easily possible. Only the right mouse button is a bit difficult to use, here you have to occasionally use the fingers or the stylus.

After all, you can attach the stylus using a tab directly on the device and thus put down at any time. In previous devices I had to solve this problem so that I wrote the stylus clamped behind the ear while writing and used as needed as a mouse pointer. Probably not quite in the sense of the inventor, so that the solution with the tab when working is now much easier and practical.

Alternate Workflow?

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This aspect shows how much we, the generation of today's 40 yearlings, are already overgrown with keyboard and mouse work. It strikes me that while typing I always want to use a mouse in between as usual, and can mentally switch badly.

In fact, I even tried to write by hand only with the stylus. Because the text recognition works amazingly well, you can even easily insert the written text into a document. But de facto, typing with the keyboard is more convenient and faster for me.

Voice input and sound

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Also the Windows own speech recognition system Cortana could be a possibility of the text input - for my needs this is simply too cumbersome. Overall, I like Windows 10 but much better than its predecessors, the operating system is just umswitchen between laptop and tablet mode super.

On the other hand, I am enthusiastic about the great sound that makes music on the way and also at home a great pleasure.

Advantage of Windows 10

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In addition, a Windows tablet has the unbeatable advantage over Android, that you can install and use its usual programs as usual and does not have to deal with any apps.

However, if you consciously do without the installation of Microsoft apps, as I do, you also have the disadvantage of having to fiddle on a touchscreen with the small, mouse-buttoned buttons of the standard software. Only with his chunky fingers you have no chance, without stylus it does not work.

Work and disk space

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Another advantage of the Galaxy Books is the generous main memory of 8 GB RAM, with which even graphics and video applications are easily possible.

The hard disk space, a 256 GB SSD, is now common in PCs, but calculated for my needs a bit small, because I can not save all the data that I would like to go there. An external hard drive makes the whole Forkflow unfortunately more unwieldy.

Display with weaknesses

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As a special feature, the AMOLED screen in 3: 2 page format and a resolution of 2160 x 1440 is highlighted everywhere. He offers excellent contrasts and a great color rendering with unfortunately a hint of reddish, high contrasts.

The practical thing is that the screen display with its own menu can be adjusted - for example, in the brightness or zoom. It is recommended 150 magnification, ultimately, the choice of the right size depends on the application and varies with me constantly.

Where there is light is also shadow

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However, the AMOLED display has one big drawback: High brightness causes the organic molecules to age faster. The more often the Galaxy Book is operated with high brightness, the worse the screen brightness will be over time. Screen savers and built-in dimmers can only prevent this problem to a limited extent.

Therefore it is recommended to operate the device as dark as possible. This is also the battery life significantly contrary to vary depending on the screen brightness for several hours.

Summary

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The Samsung Galaxy Book is an ideal work tool for me: small and light enough for the backpack, but big enough to work well in the display. A big plus there is from me for the light charging cable.

For the future, I think working with the stylus or by voice - the tablet as a notebook or drawing device on which could also work directly on the text would be a good alternative to laptop with keyboard for me. Only at the price of 1629 Euro Samsung could still work to improve the price-performance ratio significantly.

Raffle

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The Samsung Galaxy Book 12 LTE will be raffled as part of a raffle: All members who subscribe to 30.06.2018 under https://berufebilder.de/member / register, automatically participate in the raffle.

Update

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The competition is closed. We thank all participants for participating in the campaign!

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