High-performance? A laptop for steel? Samsung Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A

slow I used an old laptop and thought it was inconvenient over and over again. But I endured. Aside from being old, this was a laptop for personal use from the start. The identity of a laptop for personal use was a kind of rationalization method. Of course it’s slow because it’s cheap.

However, there is no need to rationalize laptops for in-gang use anymore. The Core i3 processor, which is mainly installed in laptops for ingang use, is 6 cores and 8 threads based on the 12th generation. It works surprisingly well. In line with this, Samsung Electronics introduced a high-performance laptop for steel use.

Based on the 11th generation Intel Core processor, the Core i3 processor had 2 cores and 4 threads. It provided a comfortable environment with 2 cores and 4 threads for listening to Internet lectures or for assignments. However, the limitations are clear. It was about half the performance of the upper family, the Core i5 processor (4 cores and 8 threads).

However, this 12th generation Intel Core i3 processor has significantly improved performance. The 12th generation Elder Lake processor has a hybrid structure of high-performance P-core and high-efficiency E-core, and this 12th generation Intel Core i3 processor has 2 P-cores and 4 E-cores. So this Core i3 processor operates with 6 cores and 8 threads.

However, you might think that the E-core is a high-efficiency core, so it is not very useful, but that is not the case at all. It is known that one E-core is about not significantly inferior in performance compared to one Skylake core. That’s why E-Core is a huge help in tasks that require multi-threading. This is also the reason why the performance of the 12th generation Intel Core i3 processor has been greatly improved.

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A is a 15.6-inch laptop for lecturers and students with a focus on cost-effectiveness. Based on the previous generation, it can be seen as a successor product of Notebook Plus 2 NT550XDZ. The Notebook Plus 2 was a great office and classroom laptop. Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A is the same. A mouse is also included.

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A (hereinafter referred to as the Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A) is apparently a trace of the Notebook Plus 2. So it is excellent value for money. However, the name of the Galaxy Book 2 is not for nothing. You can now use the unique technologies of the Galaxy Book.

What about the specifications? Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A consists of Core i3-1215U (6 cores and 8 threads), DDR4 8GB memory, NVMe SSD 256GB, and Wi-Fi 6 AX201. The Core i3-1115G4 (2 cores, 4 threads) installed in the previous work also enjoyed Internet lectures and simple photo editing, but the Core i3-1215U with an increased number of cores and threads is better than that. There is no slowdown even if you have several Internet windows open.

The Galaxy Book 2 series has a slightly different design depending on the lineup. The flagship product, the ultra-light laptop Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360, has greatly reduced its thickness and has a smooth image by using a curved design on the side. The Galaxy Book 2 NT750XEW, the basic product line of the Galaxy Book 2, is a little thicker than this, but it can still be classified as a thin laptop.

Then what about Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A? The Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A is 18.5mm. It is about 0.2mm thinner than the previous laptop Plus2 NT550XDZ. So, it is not an ultra-light laptop, but it has a simple design in its own way.

It is also slightly different from its predecessor. Unlike the previous work where the length of the side part was constant by emphasizing a straight line, this time the thickness decreases toward the front part of the notebook. When the laptop is closed, the thickness of the top and bottom plates of the laptop is consistent based on the front part.

To put it simply, the design has been changed in a good direction to make it look thinner and cleaner. The port configuration has also changed, and the vents on the bottom have also changed a bit. Looking at the design change alone, it is not strange that the name of the Galaxy Book 2 is given. The bezel is also a slim bezel, so you can immerse yourself in the screen well.

It weighs 1.8 kg, less than 2 kg. The adapter is about the same as a cell phone charger, so it’s not too heavy. It is not difficult to carry with a backpack. The adapter is a 45W product family, and it is a USB Type-C adapter type. The battery is 43Wh, so if you want to use it outdoors for a long time, you need to actively use the battery saving mode.

The display is an FHD wide viewing angle LED display. Color gamut is not described. In other words, it is suitable for lectures or office work where content appreciation is the main focus rather than work where accurate color is important. In addition, it is an anti-glare type and does not dazzle even when used under fluorescent light. There is also a 720p webcam that can be used for meetings and other purposes.

Connection ports are HDMI x1, USB 3.2 x1, USB 2.0 x1, USB Type-C x2, MicroSD multimedia card reader, headphone output/mic input combo x1, RJ45 x1. USB Type-C has increased to two. The reason is to use the Type-C port for charging. So this Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A supports PD charging.

The keyboard is fully arranged and suitable for productivity work. Unlike foreign laptops, the right shift size makes it easier to adapt to the normal size. The depth at which the key is pressed is low. The touchpad is moderately large and placed a little to the left. Thanks to this, it is not inconvenient to write with your hand on the palm rest. It is convenient when typing on the existing keyboard instead of the part on the right number key that is not used often.

Upgrading is the easiest among the Galaxy Book 2 family. On the bottom of the laptop, you can see the memory and hard disk slots right away. After removing the corresponding slot, you can add memory or hard disk.

Dolby Atmos functionality is also provided. When the effect is applied, the sound reverberates in all directions. The location of the sound changes according to the sound. You can hear the other party’s voice clearly even during a video call or meeting.

The Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A is also included in the Galaxy ecosystem. In other words, it works with Galaxy Tab, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy Watch 4, and Galaxy Buds 2.

With Quick Share, you can transfer files such as photos, videos, and documents after wirelessly connecting a laptop and a smartphone. It can be connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and can be used on devices with One UI 2.1 or later installed. The second screen is a function that links the tablet (Galaxy Tab S7, S7+, S7 FE, S8, S8+, S8 Ultra) with the PC screen. You can use the tablet display as an extended screen for your PC.

Of course, the link function with a smartphone is also supported. You can use a smartphone app or file on the Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A. If you link the Windows user phone app with your smartphone, you can use apps, messages, photos, and call functions.

We tested the Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A. The power plan is set to ‘High Performance’. I set it to high performance in Samsung settings. It is used for lectures and students, but a blender benchmark or temperature benchmark has been added to check the performance improvement.

The performance of the Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A has been greatly improved compared to the existing laptop for steel use. In terms of the Blender benchmark, the performance of the 11th generation Intel Core processor is comparable to that of a Core i5. The desktop processor is similar to the Ryzen 5 1600. This is not much of a frustration even in multi-threaded work.

As with the Galaxy Book 2 family, it is well connected with Samsung smart devices. The display is also anti-glare, making it easy on the eyes. As of June 22, 2022, the price ranges from the late 700,000 won to the early 800,000 won range. If you need a high-performance laptop among domestic laptops, the Galaxy Book 2 NT550XEZ-A38A can be a good choice.