Samsung's Galaxy Book3 Pro Series Gives MacBook Pro Some Sleek Competition
When it comes to high-end notebooks, Apple's Macbook Pro series has dominated the market for quite a while. Offering high performance, seamless integration with the company's other products, and a stylish package to keep everything together — the MacBook Pro has been very hard to compete with. The company's switch to in-house silicon has also provided a significant performance boost. But now, in 2023, Samsung might finally have a worthy challenger.
The Galaxy Book3 launches later this month, and from what Samsung has unveiled, it could be exactly what's needed to take the fight to the MacBook Pro. Yes, it doesn't pull ahead in all departments, but there are some areas where it matches the MacBooks' capabilities, and others where it dominates. In terms of raw specs, it brings Samsung's premium notebook lineup right up to date.
Three laptops are launching in total: the Galaxy Book3 Pro, Galaxy Book3 Pro 360, and the exceptionally powerful Galaxy Book3 Ultra. The base-tier Galaxy Book3 Pro models are getting a 14-inch and 16-inch version, while the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is available in 16-inch only. The Ultra, with its high-end specs, has its own in-depth preview. If you're debating dropping Apple, or you're a Samsung user who feels as if they've been missing out for a long time, this could be the device you've been waiting for.
The Galaxy Book3 offers impressive performance, but is it enough?
Both the Galaxy Book3 Pro and the Pro 360 come with one of Intel's 13th Gen Core processors. At the most basic level, you'll get an i5 — with a Core i7 version of the notebooks available for those with a greater budget. Faster network speeds are also an option, with Wi-Fi 6E support bringing the potential for Gig+ internet speeds to Samsung's laptop range. Bluetooth v5.1 is also included as standard, and several physical ports are also there; including two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, a USB Type-A, HDMI 1.4, microSD, and a port for headphones and/or a mic.
In terms of memory, buyers can opt for 8 GB,16 GB, or 32 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, as well as 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1TB of SSD storage. Unlike the "Ultra" edition, both Pro models miss out on a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics card. Instead, Pro models have Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics instead — which is better than integrated graphics used to be, but still not the best option if you're editing large amounts of high definition video or are into games. It's directly competing with Apple's powerful M2 chip, and while the gulf isn't as vast as the last generation of Intel silicon in MacBooks, the M2 is a lot to overcome.
In terms of display, both laptops feature a 3K (2880x1800) Dynamic AMOLED 2 X Display, which Samsung claims "shows incredibly fine details." The laptop also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate. This is by no means a bad display, but it isn't as good as Apple's offering in terms of resolution, and also lags behind in refresh rate.
Seamless integration isn't just an Apple thing anymore
One of the best things about Apple products is how they all work together seamlessly. Now, Samsung owners may be in for a similar experience. The Galaxy Book3 plays nicely with any other recent Galaxy devices you have. This includes Samsung's range of tablets and smartphones: You can use multiple devices to complete tasks on the move, or even rig a phone or tablet up as a second screen to help your workflow on the Galaxy Book 3.
The Galaxy Book3 Pro and Pro 360 may have an edge on Apple's MacBook Pro in one department — portability. Weighing in at just over 2.5 pounds for the 14-inch Pro, 3.4-pounds for the 16-inch Pro, and 3.7 pounds for the Pro 360 — the Galaxy Book3 Pro series of devices are all significantly lighter than Apple's 4.7 pound MacBook Pro. At under 13mm, they're also thinner than the MacBook too.
Galaxy Book3 Pro is priced from $1449.99, and is available in two colors: Graphite or Beige, with either a14-inch screen or a 16-inch display. Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 starts at $1899.99, and is only available in the 16-inch size. The Pro 360 is also available in Graphite and Beige color options.
Those wanting to get their hands on a Galaxy Book3 Pro or Pro 360 can place pre-orders starting today. Samsung says the laptops are launching in "select markets" on February 17, 2023. If you're looking for an Apple alternative, then the Galaxy Book3 Pro is a reasonable option. However, if you want something truly standout, you might have to take a look at the Galaxy Book3 Ultra.