Microsoft
might want to keep an eye on Samsung: The Korean tech giant today
announced a new Windows 10 productivity tablet that will compete
directly with the Windows maker’s Surface Pro slate.
On
top of that, Samsung also showed off a pair of 13- and 15-inch laptops
that are so light you’d swear they’re just empty shells rather than
fully functional notebooks.
A Surface fighter in the making
The
Samsung TabPro S is a 12-inch tablet that runs full versions of
Microsoft’s Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro. To say this thing is slim
is an understatement: Measuring 11.5 x 7.8 x 0.24 inches and weighing
just 1.5 pounds, the TabPro S is thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 4.
Heck, it’s even thinner than Apple’s 13-inch iPad Pro.
Related: More coverage of CES 2016.
Notably,
the TabPro S doesn’t use a micro-USB connector; instead it has a new
USB Type-C port, which it uses for both power and video. Samsung says it
will offer a separate dongle for connecting the tablet to an external
monitor, so you can use the TabPro S as a makeshift workstation.
Beyond
its svelte frame, the TabPro S’s showstopping feature is its gorgeous
12-inch screen. With its Super AMOLED display (it’s the first Windows 10
machine to have one), colors really pop.
I
didn’t get to see any movies playing on the TabPro S. But based on how
the Windows desktop screen looked, I’m fairly confident they’ll look
equally impressive.
The
TabPro S comes wrapped in a magnesium body, with a magnetic rear that
connects with the included keyboard case. That’s right: Unlike Microsoft
and Apple, which both make you buy their keyboards separately, Samsung
is actually including a keyboard with its productivity slate.
Unfortunately,
that keyboard’s keys felt a bit stiff during my brief typing test, and
some keys didn’t register my inputs. The keyboard case’s two-stage hinge
also felt a bit flimsy when I was using it. Ideally, Samsung will
address these issues before the tablet hits the market.
Inside,
the TabPro S packs an Intel Core M processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 128 GB
of storage. For basic word processing and Web browsing, the Core M
processor should be fine, but if you need to do anything more demanding,
the Core M might not be enough machine for you.
Unfortunately,
Samsung doesn’t offer the option to upgrade the TabPro S to a faster
processor. That’s because the tablet is built around a fanless design; a
more powerful processor would require a fan to keep the tablet cool.
On
that count, the Surface Pro wins. While the base version of the Surface
also comes equipped with a Core M processor, you have the option of
upgrading to a faster Core i5 or even a Core i7 processor. So if you
want serious performance from your Windows 10 tablet, you’ll be better
off with the Surface Pro.
A ridiculously lightweight laptop
In addition to the TabPro S, Samsung also introduced its ultralightweight Book 9 13-inch and 15-inch laptops.
The
13-inch is the star of the show, thanks to its ridiculously lightweight
1.85-pound design. That makes the Book 9 the lightest 13-inch notebook
in the world, beating out Lenovo’s LaVie Z. It’s even lighter than Apple’s super-small 12-inch MacBook. I really can’t stress how light the Book 9 feels: I’ve held empty dinner plates that feel heavier than this laptop.
The
Book 9 isn’t just lightweight — it’s also incredibly thin. At 0.53
inches thick, it’s a hair thicker than the MacBook (0.52 inches) but
thinner than the LaVie Z (0.70 inches).
To
make the Book 9 so thin and light, Samsung built it with a magnesium
body. It feels completely solid, particularly compared to Lenovo’s
flimsy-feeling LaVie Z. The Book 9 is stable and doesn’t flex when you
push down on it.
The
Book 9 comes with a 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution display. While I
didn’t have time to thoroughly view movies or photos on the screen, on
first glance it was certainly colorful and bright.
In
terms of performance, the 13-inch Book 9 can be outfitted with up to an
Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. For
inputs, it gets two USB 3.0 ports, a micro-HDMI slot, mini Ethernet,
mini VGA, and a three-in-one media card reader.
While
heavier, the 15-inch Book 9 isn’t too shabby either. Its 2.84-pound
body feels just as impressively solid as its 13-inch sibling’s, and it
packs the same high-powered components. The biggest difference between
the two laptops, beyond their screen sizes, is that the 15-inch Book 9
comes with a USB Type-C port, which is faster and more versatile than
standard USB ports.
Samsung
hasn’t provided any information on pricing or availability for the
13-inch or 15-inch Book 9, but we’ll keep you updated when we find out
more. Stay tuned.
