Surface Neo vs Galaxy Book S: If the Surface Neo is anything to go by, laptops could be about to get strange. By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Book S looks a lot more conventional – but they do have one big thing in common.
The Surface Neo looks like it could be a world-first device in a couple of ways. The most obvious one is its folding design – but it could’ve also been one of the first laptops to bring a new processor to market.
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Both the Surface Neo and Galaxy Book S sport Intel’s new Lakefield processor – a new hybrid CPU. However, we know the Galaxy Book S will be available before the Surface Neo – releasing a Lakefield machine first.
The new hybrid processor looks set to take on competitors like the Snapdragon 8cx – which is also available as an option for the Galaxy Book S – as CPUs move towards striking a new balance between power and battery life in smaller form-factors.
If you’re excited to pick up a device with the new Intel Lakefield processor then these machines will be among the top choices – let’s take a more in-depth look.
Surface Neo vs Galaxy Book S – Specs
Beyond both devices housing a new Intel Lakefield processor (with the option of a Snapdragon 8cx for the Galaxy Book S), we don’t know a whole lot about the internals of these products.
The Intel Lakefield processor uses a combination of the performance-focused 10nm Sunny Cove CPU along with several smaller 10nm Tremont Atom cores, which are more power-efficient.
The Galaxy Book S will offer Intel LTE support on the Lakefield version of the device – but there is no confirmation if this is also the case on the Surface Neo.
Some specs of the Snapdragon version of the Galaxy Book S have been revealed and many are expected to carry over. This model has a 13.3-inch FHD display and claims it will have long-lasting battery life.
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With a longer wait until the release date, details about the Surface Neo are even more scarce. We know the new foldable from Microsoft will run the company’s new Windows 10X – aimed at better accommodating folding and 2-in-1 form-factors.
Surface Neo vs Galaxy Book S – Design
Let’s crack on with the obvious talking point in this category – the unique design of the Surface Neo.
Rather than a folding screen like Samsung’s mobile device, the Galaxy Fold, Microsoft is opting for two touchscreens connected via a hinge. The new form-factor will be implemented with both the Windows-based Surface Neo and the Android-based Surface Duo.
The Surface Neo will weigh in at just 655g and just 5.6mm thin. The entire device is surrounded by Gorilla Glass – this allows for a Surface Pen to be attached to the back magnetically and receive charge.
There will also be a keyboard that can attach to the device and be flipped around to sit on top of one of the dual-screens for a more laptop-like experience. The Surface Neo will recognise this and display a contextual menu – similar to the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro – in the remaining screen space.
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The Galaxy Book S is a lot more conventional-looking device but it does look to push that form-factor to its limits.
Samsung’s new laptop looks strikingly thin – increasing in thickness slightly on either side to offer one port that appears to be USB-C with a headphone jack also on one side.
The design of the lid is quite interesting and offers a feature becoming more common on laptops. The lid extends into a slight curve where it meets the other half of the laptop – meaning that the keyboard raises up from the surface for a better typing experience when the device is fully open.
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Surface Neo vs Galaxy Book S – Price and release date
The Galaxy Book S is expected to launch sometime in 2020 in the UK. The Snapdragon version of the laptop is already available in the US for a price of $999.
There is no pricing information for the Surface Neo just yet – but we’d expect it to cost a pretty penny. The new folding device will be launching in the “Holiday season” of 2020.
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Editorial independence
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.
