Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Review: The One Everyone Forgot About

Summary

The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 base model offers a solid, budget-friendly laptop for general productivity. Featuring a sleek metallic design, an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 15-inch Full HD display, it's a lightweight option with decent performance. While its build quality, thermals, and gaming performance are commendable, the display falls short with poor color accuracy and low brightness. The webcam is outdated, and the lack of modern ports like Thunderbolt 4 is a drawback. Ideal for basic tasks, but those needing better media quality or upgradeability might want to consider the Pro or Ultra models.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 base model is a budget-friendly option, offering a balance of performance and build quality, but it has limitations compared to the Pro and Ultra models.
• 😀 The base model comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, a 256GB SSD, and Intel integrated graphics, making it suitable for general productivity tasks.
• 😀 The design is premium for a base model, featuring a full metallic exterior with a clean, minimalist aesthetic and a dark gray color that enhances the premium feel.
• 😀 Ports are diverse but outdated, with no Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1. Ports include USB-C, Ethernet, USB-A, HDMI 1.4, and a MicroSD card reader.
• 😀 The display is a 15-inch Full HD IPS panel, but it's criticized for being washed out with only a 65% sRGB color gamut, a low 60Hz refresh rate, and 300 nits of brightness.
• 😀 The keyboard has a decent typing experience with large keycaps and built-in backlighting, but the layout has issues, such as compressed Shift and Arrow keys.
• 😀 The trackpad is made of plastic and lacks the premium feel of metal, but it is fairly tactile with minimal flex, making it functional overall.
• 😀 Despite having only 8GB of RAM, the laptop performs well for everyday tasks like web browsing and word processing. However, demanding tasks like 3D animation or video editing may struggle without additional RAM.
• 😀 Gaming performance is surprisingly good for a laptop with integrated graphics, with Fortnite running at nearly 60 FPS on medium settings.
• 😀 Thermals have been significantly improved, with the laptop staying cool under load, with surface temps around 35-38°C, and fan noise is moderate, peaking at 51-52dB under heavy use.
• 😀 The laptop has a removable bottom lid, offering some potential for storage upgrades, but the RAM is soldered, so it cannot be upgraded later.
• 😀 The webcam is disappointing, with a 720p resolution that's blurry and struggles in low light, which is an issue in 2024 for a laptop in this price range.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the review for the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 base model?

The review focuses on the base configuration of the Samsung Galaxy Book 4, specifically assessing its design, performance, display quality, and limitations compared to higher-end models.

What are the key specifications of the base model of the Galaxy Book 4?

The base model of the Galaxy Book 4 comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM (expandable to 16GB), a 256GB SSD, Intel integrated graphics, and a 15-inch Full HD display.

How does the Galaxy Book 4's build quality compare to higher-end models?

Despite being the base model, the Galaxy Book 4 features a solid, all-metallic exterior with a sleek dark grey finish that resists fingerprints, offering a premium feel similar to higher-end Ultra and Pro models.

What is the performance like for general productivity tasks on the Galaxy Book 4?

For general productivity tasks like web browsing and word processing, the Galaxy Book 4 performs smoothly. However, its 8GB of RAM can cause slowdowns in more demanding applications.

How does the display quality of the Galaxy Book 4 measure up?

The display on the Galaxy Book 4 features a Full HD resolution but has a 65% sRGB color rating, making it lackluster for color-sensitive tasks like photo or video editing. The brightness is only 300 nits, which may not be sufficient in bright environments.

Are the ports on the Galaxy Book 4 up to modern standards?

While the Galaxy Book 4 offers a variety of ports including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI 1.4, and a Micro SD card reader, it lacks Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1, which limits its compatibility with newer devices and high-bandwidth tasks.

What is the experience like with the keyboard and trackpad on the Galaxy Book 4?

The keyboard is generally good, offering decent key travel and tactile feedback, although the layout is cramped in some areas like the arrow keys. The plastic trackpad offers reasonable tactility with minimal flex.

What are the gaming capabilities of the Galaxy Book 4?

Despite having an Intel Core i5 processor and integrated graphics, the Galaxy Book 4 delivers surprisingly good gaming performance. For instance, Fortnite runs at around 60 fps on medium settings, which is a notable improvement over previous generations.

How does the battery life of the Galaxy Book 4 perform?

With a 54Wh battery, the Galaxy Book 4 provides a solid 11 hours of general productivity usage, making it a good option for day-to-day tasks and moderate use.

What are the biggest drawbacks of the Galaxy Book 4 base model?

The biggest drawbacks of the Galaxy Book 4 base model include the outdated 720p webcam, the low-quality display with poor color accuracy, and the lack of upgradable RAM, which can lead to performance limitations in more demanding tasks.