Samsung Chromebook Plus (V2) review: A speedier premium Chrome 2-in-1
Chromebooks — laptops managing on Google’s browser-based Chrome OS — are generally planned for affordability, making the term “premium Chromebook” something of an oxymoron. In fact, market research firm NPD Group defines any Chromebook that’s $400 or more as premium, which is a starting price considered “budget” for Windows laptops and, well, nonexistent for Macs.
Samsung is the front-runners in the premium Chromebook market, according to NPD, and looking at its updated Chromebook Plus it’s easy to see why. Though some remarkable balk at paying $500 for a Chromebook, Samsung invents it worth your while with better design, build quality and features than you’d find in cheaper options. (There’s no official UK or Australian pricing yet, but that trace converts to roughly £375 or AU$660.)
The Chromebook Plus V2 is a two-in-one, which means you can use it as a laptop or flip the mask 360 degrees and use it as a tablet. Or you can use it in tent mode, which is nice for video chats, or set it up like a kiosk for watching movies or giving presentations. Basically, it gives you the flexibility to do more with this Chromebook than the typical clamshell design.
Samsung Chromebook Plus V2
| Price as reviewed | $500 |
|---|---|
| Display size/resolution | 12.2-inch, 1,920×1,200-pixel touchscreen |
| Processor | 1.5GHz Intel Celeron 3965Y |
| Memory | 4GB |
| Storage | 32GB |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 615 |
| Networking | Dual-band 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
The two-in-one build makes even more sense when you consider the Plus’ wait on for Android apps through Google Play in addition to apps from Chrome’s Web Store. That means if having apps like Microsoft Office or AutoDesk’s SketchBook are important to pulling your work done, you can use the Android versions on this Chromebook.
Not all apps are optimized for a bigger mask, so if there’s a must-have app for you, you remarkable want to check with the developer first. Also, there are apps such as Facebook that you’re easily better off using the web interface for than comic the Android app version.
Enough performance for most tasks
Samsung dropped the slower Arm-based processor spurious in the 2017 model for a better Intel Celeron 3965Y CPU. This Celeron is smooth low-end, but it keeps the system feeling snappy with both Android and web apps. Bear in mind, notion, that with 4GB of memory, power users who like flowing multiple apps and browser windows with lots of tabs will slow it down.
The new processor didn’t hurt battery life at all. It actually above up outperforming the 2017 Chromebook Pro we reviewed, running for 9 hours, 33 minutes on our streaming video test. That’s with the 12.2-inch, 1,920×1,200-pixel display set to 50 percent of its full 300-nit brightness.
Aside from the updated processor, Samsung put an f1.9, 13-megapixel camera with autofocus ended the keyboard in addition to the 1-megapixel front-facing camera at the top of the point to. It’s an OK camera — your phone’s camera is most probable better — and maybe it’s not a feature everyone contains, but for students who need to make quick videos for a project or professionals who want to snap a fast photo on a job site, the fabulous high-resolution camera will be appreciated.
Finishing touches
Combine the new camera with the Plus V2’s puny, battery-free pen stashed in the side of the body and you can mercurial mark up photos for work, school or sharing on social. You can use the pen for writing or getting on the screen, signing documents or easily capturing specific sections of the screen just by drawing a box throughout it.
Along with the pen on the sides you’ll find a microSD card slot, so you have more storage situation when you need it, plus two USB-C ports for remarkable, data and driving a 4K-resolution display, a USB-A port (so you don’t need dongles for everything) and a 3.5mm headphone and mic jack. Volume systems and the power button are also on the side, so they’re accessible in tablet mode.
About the only pulling that feels a little less than premium is the keyboard. The keyboard feels a little small and there’s not a ton of fade to the keys, which can make the overall typing accepted uncomfortable until you get familiar with the feel. It’s not backlit, which would have been nice at this price, but at least Samsung put some protection alongside spills underneath it.
The touchpad is small, but works well. You can, of jets, use the touchscreen instead if you want. You can even long lifeless on text to highlight and select it just as you would on a requested or tablet touchscreen.
At 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg), it’s luscious enough for a daily commute and since it charges off a USB-C port, you can fill up its battery off a multipurpose remarkable bank instead of carrying around its power adapter. The metal lid and plastic body scholarships it a nicer feel than cheaper all-plastic Chromebooks. It does make it somewhat top heavy, however, and you definitely have to hold down the body when you lift the lid.
A better Chromebook experience
With its two-in-one build, the extra performance from the new processor, the uphold high-resolution camera and the built-in pen, the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 is well-behaved paying extra for if you want to get the most out of Google’s Chrome OS. Or at least more than you would with a typical lower-end Chromebook.
The best laptop bags and backpacks
: From sleek shoulder bags to campus-friendly backpacks, check out these top picks.
The best of AmazonBasics PC accessories
: From a cheap mouse to a price gaming keyboard, everything you need, for less.
Geekbench 4 (multi-core)
4968
Lenovo 500e Chromebook
3882
Samsung Chromebook Plus
1986
3DMark
42839
Lenovo 500e Chromebook
28802
Samsung Chromebook Plus
19922
Google Octane
30415
HP Chromebook 13
27178
Samsung Chromebook Pro
22586
Samsung Chromebook Plus
13244
Acer Chromebook 15
11214
Lenovo 500e Chromebook
10263
JetStream
179.72
HP Chromebook 13
154.68
Samsung Chromebook Pro
120.79
Samsung Chromebook Plus
69.992
Acer Chromebook 15
64.651
Lenovo 500e Chromebook
53.108
Streaming video playback (in minutes)
825
Lenovo 500e Chromebook
656
Samsung Chromebook Plus
573
Samsung Chromebook Pro
537
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Chromebook
495
