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The Notebook 9 Pen gets a complete redesign for 2019.
Samsung
With its updated
Notebook 9 Pen
two-in-one laptop,
Samsung
is targeting creative professionals who want the flexibility of both a laptop and a pen-enabled tablet without needing separate devices or paying extra for a pen.
Like with the 2018 model, Samsung will include one of its
S Pens
, an active pen that can be used to write and draw on the convertible's full-HD display. It's a new pen, too, designed to work the instant the tip meets the screen with reduced latency, Samsung said in its announcement.
The pen will also come with three different tips to adjust the feel of the pen on the display. And like past S Pens, it gets stored in the body of the laptop and doesn't need to be charged. Samsung will also include a three-month subscription to the MyScript Nebo app, which can convert written notes to digital text as well as clean up hand drawn charts and diagrams.
Specifications
Samsung Notebook 9 Pen 13
Samsung Notebook 9 Pen 15
Weight
2.47 pounds (1.12 kg)
3.44 pounds (1.56 kg)
LCD
13.3-inch Full HD
15-inch Full HD
CPU
Intel 8th-gen Core i7
Intel 8th-gen Core i7
Graphics
Integrated
Nvidia GeForce MX150 (2GB)
Storage
PCIe NVMe SSD
PCIe NVMe SSD
Wireless
802.11ac 2x2 (Giga Wi-Fi)
802.11ac 2x2 (Giga Wi-Fi)
Camera
HD IR Camera
HD IR Camera
Security
Facial and fingerprint recognition
Facial and fingerprint recognition
Ports
Thunderbolt 3 (2), USB-C, UFS and microSD combo
Thunderbolt 3 (2), USB-C, UFS and microSD combo
Exact pricing isn't available yet, but it will come in 13.3- and 15-inch versions when it arrives next year. Other than screen size, the biggest difference between the two models will be the availability of entry-level discrete graphics on the 15-inch version. Samsung is promising up to 15 hours of battery life and fast-charging capabilities for each.
When we
reviewed the 2018 Samsung Notebook 9
early this year, one of its main shortcomings was its design, which was particularly bland for a premium-priced two-in-one. With the 2019 version Samsung stepped up its game, giving it an all-metal chassis with a blue diamond-cut finish.
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Samsung also used narrower bezels around the display, which has become the hallmark of a premium laptop. Though the company said the screen's maximum brightness will be 500 nits, it didn'tspecify color gamut coverage. Competing systems, such as
Dell's XPS 15 2-in-1
, generally deliver 100 percent sRGB color gamut.
Other features will include instant Windows Hello sign-ins with a built-in fingerprint reader or facial recognition with its IR camera, and improved audio with speakers tuned by Samsung subsidiary AKG and new ThunderAmp smart amplifier technology.
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