Samsung has updated its Notebook 9 line-up with powerful new hardware and several minor design tweaks.
The Samsung Notebook 9 in 13.3-inch and 15-inch variants will soon be available with Intel’s new 7th-generation processors – the Kaby Lake series.The smaller model will be available with Core i5 and Core i7 variants, while the larger 15-inch version only ships with an i7 Kaby Lake CPU.
The new Notebook 9 (2017) now also comes with faster storage and memory. On the larger model, you’ll be able to get up to 8GB of of DDR4 dual-channel memory, while the 13.3-inch i7 model can be configured with up to 16GB of DDR4 dual channel RAM. And the 15-inch model comes with up to 256GB of storage – specifically, a PCIe NVMe solid state drive.
As far as the display goes, both models ship with Full HD resolution screens that have a maximum brightness of 350 nits. You’ll get relatively wide 178-degree viewing angles, and a 95% sRGB colour gamut. There’s also an outdoor mode that knocks the peak brightness up to 500 nits, as well as a High Dynamic Range mode for video playback.
Both laptops come equipped with two 1.5W speakers, a 720p camera, and support for various connection methods, including 802.11 ac (2×2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. The keyboard is backlit, and features a fingerprint sensor to boot.
But it’s the slick design that could woo many buyers, with Samsung flogging the 13.3-inch model at a weight of just 1.8 pounds – that’s less than 1kg, and Samsung claims it makes the Notebook 9 the lightest notebook on the market. The laptops also feature an “ultra-slim bezel” with a near edge-to-edge display.
Unfortunately, it’s not clear when Samsung plans to begin selling the laptops – or at what price they’ll be available.
The move could be seen as curiously timed, as we’re now so close to Christmas, and also very close to January’s CES 2017 – the annual Las Vegas technology tradeshow. It would have seemed likely that new notebooks would be announced at the show, but Samsung may still decide to showcase the laptops on site in any case.
Related: Best Laptops 2016
Watch: CES 2017 – What to expect
What do you think of the new Notebook 9? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
