Smashing Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: Unleashing Performance

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: A Solid, But Not Perfect, Chromebook

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a great-feeling Chromebook that lacks in some key areas, making it a tough sell at its $700 price point. While it excels in terms of build quality, display, and performance, its thin, tinny audio quality and lack of AI features that truly add value hold it back.

Pros:

• Excellent, bright AMOLED display
• Chromebook features like tasks and focus are excellent additions
• Plenty of ports
• Good performance and adequate battery life

Cons:

• Thin, tinny audio quality
• AI features don’t add too much
• 60 Hz refresh rate is okay, but below what I want for game streaming
• Costly for a Chromebook

Build Quality and Usability

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus has a great feel, from its chassis to its I/O port selection down to its spacious keyboard. It’s so thin, measuring just 11.8 mm, that it’s easy to slip into a bag or crack in the wall.

Performance and Battery Life

The laptop uses an Intel Core 3 100U Raptor Lake processor, which is good at its level. However, it doesn’t have the battery life of more recent laptops. The fan is quiet, but it can get warm under stress. The laptop has 8GB of RAM, which is more than usual for a Chromebook Plus model, making it speedy for most tasks.

AI Additions

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the first Chromebook to feature the Quick Access key, which gives you immediate access to AI writing capabilities. However, I have serious doubts about whether anyone should use this for anything beyond outlining or brainstorming. The proofread function is also less helpful than it should be.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a solid Chromebook that lacks in some key areas. While it excels in terms of build quality, display, and performance, its thin, tinny audio quality and lack of AI features that truly add value hold it back. If you’re looking for a Chromebook without compromise, you may want to consider other options.