The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 continues Samsung’s tradition of delivering high-end notebooks designed for professional use. This sleek, lightweight laptop boasts an impressive OLED display, robust performance, and a comprehensive suite of features. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s delve into the details.
First Impressions and Initial Hiccups
Samsung’s fourth-generation Galaxy Book utilizes Intel’s Meteor Lake platform, featuring a Core Ultra 7 155H processor in our review model. This new architecture employs a modular design, combining individual chips for optimized performance. While marketed as an AI-powered processor thanks to its Neural Processing Unit (NPU), the Galaxy Book4 Pro doesn’t fully leverage this capability. Features like Copilot are absent, and beyond standard Windows Studio effects (auto-framing, eye contact, and background blur), NPU utilization is limited. This is a missed opportunity, especially considering the advanced AI features present in Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.
Initially, our review process was hampered by sluggish performance, with delayed mouse clicks and slow program loading. Benchmark results were also disappointing. The culprit? An outdated GPU driver. Manually installing the latest Intel Arc GPU driver resolved the issue, restoring the notebook to its expected performance levels.
alt text: Ports on the left side of the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro 14, including an HDMI output and two Thunderbolt 4 ports.
Performance and Graphics Capabilities
The integrated Arc GPU is a standout feature of the Meteor Lake platform. In system benchmarks like PCMark 10 and Crossmark, the Galaxy Book4 Pro outperforms previous generations, especially in GPU-intensive tasks such as rendering and video editing. This makes it a compelling option for multimedia professionals.
Gaming performance also sees a significant boost compared to the Iris Xe Graphics of previous CPUs. While not a dedicated gaming machine, the Arc GPU delivers playable frame rates in less demanding titles at lower resolutions and settings. For serious gaming, however, a dedicated GPU remains the preferred choice.
| Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro: Benchmark Results | |
|---|---|
| Speed in office programmes | 91 points (out of 100) |
| Speed in multimedia programmes | 75 points (out of 100) |
| 3D Mark performance | 63 points (out of 100) |
| Cinebench R23 | 8736 |
| Display: Brightness / brightness distribution / contrast | 415 / 92% / infinity |
| Anti-glare display | No |
| Display: Colour space coverage (in percent) | sRGB: 100 / Adobe-RGB: 98 / DCI-P3: 99 |
| Display: Colour fidelity (Delta-E deviation) | 0,61 |
| Battery life (hours:minutes): WLAN test | 12:42 |
| Battery capacity after 1 hour of charging | 81 percent |
| Operating noise under load | 38 dB(A) |
| Temperature top / bottom | 39 / 45° Celsius |
While the NPU offers some AI acceleration, its performance is comparable to the integrated GPU. Dedicated AI hardware, like Nvidia’s RTX GPUs, provides significantly greater performance for AI workloads. Furthermore, Samsung limits the Core Ultra 7 155H’s power consumption to 60 watts (28 watts standard), impacting overall performance compared to 16-inch laptops where the same CPU operates at higher wattage.
alt text: Ports on the right side of the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro 14, including a micro SD slot, a USB Type-A port, and an audio jack.
Battery Life and Portability
The Galaxy Book4 Pro’s efficient CPU contributes to impressive battery life, exceeding 12 hours in our testing. While the 62Wh battery isn’t the largest, its efficiency combined with the lightweight design makes this laptop ideal for professionals on the go. The compact 65-watt power adapter further enhances portability.
Thermals and Acoustics
Even under sustained load, the Galaxy Book4 Pro maintains comfortable temperatures and operates quietly. Fan noise is minimal, ensuring a productive work environment.
Display Excellence
The Galaxy Book4 Pro’s 3K OLED touchscreen is a visual treat. With vibrant colors, deep blacks, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the display delivers an immersive viewing experience. Excellent color accuracy and high brightness further enhance its appeal for creative professionals and anyone who appreciates stunning visuals.
Connectivity and Features
While the 512GB SSD might feel limiting for some, the Galaxy Book4 Pro offers a comprehensive selection of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a microSD card slot. The Full HD webcam and fingerprint sensor add to its appeal for business users. While it lacks Wi-Fi 7, the included Wi-Fi 6E provides ample bandwidth for most users.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience with good key travel and tactile feedback. The touchpad is responsive and supports multi-finger gestures, although the clicking sound might be distracting for some.
Specifications and Features
| Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro: Features | |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| Clock speed | Standard clock: 3.0 GHz (P-Cores); 1.7 GHz (E-Cores); 700 MHz (Low-Power-E-Cores); Turbo clock up to 4.8 GHz (P-Cores); 3.8 GHz (E-Cores); 2.1 (Low-Power E-Cores) |
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 22 (6 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 2 Low-Power E-Cores) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X (soldered) |
| Graphics card | Intel Arc Graphics (integrated in CPU) |
| Drive | NVMe SSD Samsung PM9B1 (PCIe 4.0 x 4) |
| Usable capacity | 456.26 GB |
| Format | M.2 2280 |
| Network: LAN / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | – / WiFi-6E (Intel AX211) / 5.3 |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home |
| Display: Diagonal / resolution / format | 14 inch / 2880 x 1800 / 16:10 |
| Pixel density / refresh rate | 243 ppi / 120 Hz |
| Weight: Notebook (with battery) / power supply unit | 1226 / 166 grams |
| Battery: Capacity | 62 Wh |
| Connections on the right | 1x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x audio, 1x memory card slot (micro SD) |
| Connections on the left | 2x Type-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x HDMI 2.1 |
| Further features | Front camera (1080p), face recognition, finger sensor (in power button) |
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a compelling choice for business professionals seeking a lightweight, stylish, and powerful laptop. Its stunning OLED display, robust performance, and all-day battery life make it an excellent companion for productivity on the go. While the limited AI implementation and initial driver issues are minor drawbacks, they don’t detract from the overall positive experience.
