First Impressions: Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360
An early look at Samsung's new touchscreen laptop
First Impressions
The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 could be the most versatile new entry in Samsung’s 2023 laptop range.
Availability
- UKRRP: £1549
- USATBC
- EuropeTBC
- CanadaTBC
- AustraliaTBC
Key Features
- Display3K, OLED, 360-degree hinge
- PerformanceIntel Xe graphics, i5 or i7 processor options
Introduction
Samsung has just introduced three new laptops alongside the Galaxy S23 range of smartphones, and I have had a chance to try out the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 ahead of launch.
The Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 sits aside the Galaxy Book 3 Pro but below the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra in Samsung’s exciting 2023 laptop lineup.
I spent around an hour with the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 ahead of its unveiling at Unpacked, and here are my initial thoughts.
Screen and Design
- Included S-Pen
- 360-degree display
- The only model in the Book 3 family with a touch display
The differences between the Galaxy Book 3 Pro and Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 are mostly related to its screen – but those changes will also alter who this laptop appeals to. As the 360 moniker suggests, you can flip the display around here, propping it up on a table to hide the keyboard when you’re watching a film or showing photos to someone.
It’s also the only member of the Book 3 family with a touch display and an S-Pen included for doodling, drawing or note-taking on the display. This adds some extra versatility, though it does have a slightly bulbous hinge and it’s not quite as sleek as a result.
While there are two size options for the regular Galaxy Book 3 Pro, the 360 sticks with the 16-inch size. It’s big as result but still fairly light at 1.71kg and thin at 12,8mm.
The screen itself is great, just as you’d expect from Samsung. It’s an AMOLED panel, so expect inky black and exceptional contrast. The 3K resolution (2880 x 1880) results in very sharp images and there’s a 120Hz refresh rate to smooth out motion.
The keyboard looks to have a good amount of travel and the trackpad is large and responsive, though I will need more time with the laptop to properly judge these aspects.
Specs and Performance
- A choice of Intel i5 or i7 (28w) chips
- Intel Xe graphics
- Tight integration with Samsung phones
Internally, the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 is very similar to the Galaxy Book 3 Pro and it sits below the far more powerful Galaxy Book 3 Ultra. There’s no option for Nvidia GPUs here, with integrated Intel Xe graphics the only option.
In terms of CPU, there’s a choice between 12th Gen Intel i5 or i7 chips (28w) which offer some strong performance for the size of the machine. There’s a 1080p webcam for video calls, plus a good port selection, including HDMI, 3x USB-C (these are also used for charging) and a single USB-A – you won’t find that on a MacBook Pro.
There’s a Micro SD slot too, though it’s a shame it’s not a full-size version that would be a lot more useful.
Having the pen inputs improves the creative skills of this laptop, and Samsung is playing up the software a lot here – especially how it integrates with the rest of the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem. Apple does this exceptionally well, so it’s no surprise those who build Windows laptops are now trying to do something similar.
You can, for instance, extend a phone’s data connection to the laptop to aid working on the go. If you want to improve on-the-go working even more, there’s a 5G variation of this machine too.
Another clever software trick plays into Samsung’s partnership with Adobe. You can import shots from the Galaxy S23’s Expert RAW app directly into Lightroom for editing – and Samsung will give six months’ use of the service for free, too.
Other software tricks include copy and pasting between devices and the ability to extend the display over to a tablet.
Early Verdict
With its 360-degree screen and additional 5G connectivity, the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 manages to set itself apart from the other members of the family. Its large screen might put some off, but it does feel like a good choice for more creative folk.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360
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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.
