TechComputers & PCsLaptopsSamsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review: an ultra-lightweight laptop that’s hard to topThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G packs a lot into a thin and light form factorWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Samsung)T3 VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassisReasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprintsWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechComputers & PCsLaptopsSamsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review: an ultra-lightweight laptop that’s hard to topThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G packs a lot into a thin and light form factorWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Samsung)T3 VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassisReasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprintsWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G packs a lot into a thin and light form factor
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Samsung)T3 VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassisReasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprints
(Image credit: Samsung)
(Image credit: Samsung)
T3 VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassisReasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprints
T3 VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.
T3 Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is perfect if you need a sleek, lightweight laptop that can go anywhere with you and last the day – it’s particularly impressive when it comes to its superb display and the always-on 5G connectivity you get if you slot in a SIM card.
Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassisReasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprints
Reasons to buy+Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display+5G cellular connectivity to stay online+Lightweight and polished chassis
Stunning 15.6-inch AMOLED display
5G cellular connectivity to stay online
Lightweight and polished chassis
Reasons to avoid-Not the most powerful of laptops-Slightly cramped keyboard-Chassis case attracts fingerprints
Not the most powerful of laptops
Slightly cramped keyboard
Chassis case attracts fingerprints
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TheSamsung GalaxyBook 2 Pro 5G is designed to be one of thebest lightweight laptopsaround. Not only is it super-thin and super-light, it also has a SIM card slot in it, which means you can stay connected to the web wherever you go, Wi-Fi network or not.
As you can probably gather from the name, it’s the successor to the originalSamsung Galaxy Book Prothat launched in 2021. Samsung is looking to followApple’s lead and build an ecosystem of devices (phones, laptops and more) that work together seamlessly.
This comprehensive Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review will tell you everything you need to know about this particular laptop, from its battery life to its specs. You might also want to check out our guides to thebest laptopsaround and thebest student laptops.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review: price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is available to buy now: check the widgets embedded on this page for the latest prices.
If you’re buying it with the same spec as our review unit, you can expect to pay around £1,250 in the UK, where it’s available from online outlets includingAmazonandSamsung.
The 5G-enabled version isn’t on sale in the US, but the Wi-Fi-only model starts at $949 at the time of writing.
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G deals
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price information
No price information
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review: design and screen
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Samsung has been making laptops and display panels for many years now, and that shows through in the polish and precision of the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G. It’s a really well put together laptop – while it’s thin and light, it never comes across as flimsy or in any way cheap. Pick it up (which you can do in one hand), and you can immediately tell that this is a premium portable computer, and that extends across the typing and touchpad experience as well.
The matte plastic chassis feels great to the touch and will thrill fans of minimalism: note the subtle and small Samsung logo on the laptop lid. We also like the simple but crisp backlighting behind the keys of the keyboard. And the overall wedge shape of the laptop, which is thinner at the front than at the back. There’s no arguing that this is a classy device that oozes style and sophistication.
We’ve got a very respectable selection of ports here for a laptop that’s so lightweight: one Thunderbolt 4, one USB Type-C, one USB Type-A, even an HDMI port, plus a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo port. When it comes to the actual specific dimensions, you’re looking at a laptop that measures 355.4 x 225.8 x 11.7mm and weighs in at 1.16kg – so you’re not barely going to be able to tell whether this is in your backpack or not.
The screen is an absolute joy as well: sharp, bright and vivid. Remember this is Samsung we’re dealing with, a manufacturer known for its stunning displays across phones, TV sets and more, so it’s no surprise that the 15.6-inch screen here is so impressive. The 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution isn’t best-in-class, but it’s certainly crisp enough, and means you save on battery life. With AMOLED technology, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a 120% colour volume, both bright colours and deep blacks look fantastic.
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G review: performance and features
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
You can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G in a number of variations, but our review unit came with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. If you’ve got a bit more to spend, then you can upgrade every spec in that list and go for a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage instead. That’s quite a significant upgrade, but for most people and most computing tasks, the lower-spec option will do just fine. You also get integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.
This isn’t a laptop built for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. It’s primarily for writing essays, browsing the web, working on spreadsheets, watching movies, editing photos and other everyday computing tasks. That’s reflected in a PCMark score of 4669, which means the basics are well covered but you’re going to start struggling if you have a 4K movie to edit together. You won’t be able to play high-end games on this either, so serious gamers will need to look elsewhere.
We spent several days testing out the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G, and didn’t come across any problems with lag or stuttering – even with dozens of applications open, and plenty of browser tabs too. The fans do spin up quite often, but they’re never a problem in terms of their volume, and the laptop never got overly warm to the touch. In other words, this is a laptop that you can actually use on your lap, making it even more appealing if you’re looking for something you can use on the go.
The ability to connect to 5G networks could revolutionise your working life too. It depends on how many 5G-enabled phone masts there are in your area, of course, but we can tell you that getting online is very straightforward as long as you’ve got a compatible SIM card to slot in (and a suitable data plan attached to it). Even with Wi-Fi as ubiquitous as it now is, being able to get online anytime, anywhere definitely has its appeal.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
When it’s time to get some work done, the typing experience is a pleasure as well. Keys are soft to the touch with just the right amount of travel for some speedy text input, and Samsung has even managed to squeeze in a number pad here – that does mean some of the other keys (especially the cursor keys) are a little cramped for room, but it’s not a huge issue. After a few hours of using the laptop, your fingers and muscle memory will soon work out the layout, and the large trackpad is suitably sensitive and intuitive in operation as well.
Windows 11 is Windows 11 of course, and if you’re interested in the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G then we’re assuming you’ve already chosen Windows over macOS (and alternatives like theMacBook Air). Two additional touches that we do like are the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard and a 1080p webcam built into the display frame, either of which can be used to quickly log into the operating system (via fingerprint or facial recognition respectively).
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G: verdict
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
It’s impossible for a laptop to pack in desktop-like specs and still be thin and light – when it comes to laptop shopping, you need to decide where on the line between power and portability to want to look. If your priority is a laptop that can be carried around with ease while still providing a decent-sized screen, then we think the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is absolutely worth a place on your shortlist of potential purchases.
Besides the thinness and the lightness, there’s lots more to recommend this portable computer too: the 5G connectivity, the stunning colour quality of the screen, the luxury and high-end feel you get from using the laptop, the impressive thermal management, the decent speakers, and more besides. We used the laptop to write the bulk of this review, and we have to say it was difficult to go back to our normal computing device when the loan period was over.
When it comes to downsides, there’s not much to say beyond the obvious: this isn’t a super-powerful laptop that’s going to blitz through demanding tasks or going to be able to run the best games for Windows. It’s also fair to point out that you can get decent everyday computing laptops for a lot less, and you are paying something of a premium for not only how thin and light this device is but, of course, for the on-the-go 5G connectivity option.
It’s hard to find much better out there – and we don’t think that anyone who puts down money for the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G is going to be at all disappointed.
Also consider
If you’re after an alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G then theSamsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360is an obvious contender: as you can probably tell from the name, you lose the 5G connectivity but you do get a screen that you can fold all the way over. You also get a stylus and a touchscreen display – so there are advantages there, whether you’re doing some creative doodling or propping up the laptop and its display in tent mode to sit back and watch some films.
When it comes to thebest 15-inch laptopson the market at the moment, we also have to mention theDell XPS 15, which is something of a stunner. It costs a bit more than the Samsung reviewed here, and it’s not quite as thin and light, but you do get a 4K screen and there is the option of a discrete Nvidia GPU as well.
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5g, Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 and Dell XPS 15 9520 dealsSamsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all pricesDell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5g, Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 and Dell XPS 15 9520 dealsSamsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all pricesDell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5g, Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 and Dell XPS 15 9520 dealsSamsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all pricesDell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5g, Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 and Dell XPS 15 9520 deals
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all pricesDell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all prices
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all prices
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360$959ViewSee all prices
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360
$959View
$959
$959
See all prices
Dell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all prices
Dell XPS 15 9520$1,675ViewSee all prices
Dell XPS 15 9520
Dell XPS 15 9520
$1,675View
$1,675
$1,675
See all prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
TOPICSSamsung
TOPICS
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
This case turns your iPhone or Android phone into an e-reader, but there’s a catchActually, there are a couple…
Actually, there are a couple…
Traeger’s new Woodridge pellet barbecues have got me excited for grilling seasonTraeger debuts three new wood pellet grills
Traeger debuts three new wood pellet grills
How to watch the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and what to expectWe should get a deep dive and more details on the Switch 2 in April
We should get a deep dive and more details on the Switch 2 in April
