The $830 Samsung Galaxy Flex Alpha is a cheaper 2-in-1 for CES 2020
Meanwhile, the Qualcomm-based Galaxy Book S shipping date has slipped to some time before March.
Following the Galaxy Book Flex announced in October, Samsung is launching its less expensive $830 sibling for CES 2020. The Galaxy Book Flex Alpha is slated to ship it by June. (Sorry, it's "Galaxy Book Flex α" because we all use the Greek letters, right?) To hit that price, Samsung made the Pen optional, dropped Thunderbolt 3 support and shrank the battery. It also has a lower-end set of memory, storage and processor options and comes in silver, rather than blue.
At least the Alpha has a price. The Flex has not gone on sale yet anywhere except reportedly South Korea, where it's supposed to start at 1.75 million won (that's equivalent to about $1,500, £1,150 and AU$2,165 at current exchange rates).
Specifications
| Galaxy Book Flex Alpha | Galaxy Book Flex (13-inch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $830 | Still TBA |
| Display | 13.3-inch QLED 1,920x1,080 display | 13.3-inch QLED 1,920x1,080 display |
| CPU | 10th-generation Intel Core processor (unknown, but likely Comet Lake) | 10th-generation Intel Core processor (Ice Lake) |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics Memory | Intel Iris Plus Graphics or Intel UHD Graphics |
| Memory | 8GB or 12GB (DDR4) | Up to 16GB (LPDDR4x) |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD (NVMe) | Up to 1TB SSD (NVMe) |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers (2x 1.5W) | AKG Stereo Speakers with Smart Amp |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ (802.11ax 2x2) | Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ (802.11ax 2x2) |
| Ports | 2x USB-C, microSD reader, combo jack | 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, microSD reader, combo jack |
| Battery | 54 Wh (rated at 17.5 hours) | 69.7 Wh (n/a) |
| Dimensions | 12 x 8 x 0.5 in (305 x 202 x 14 mm) | 11.9 x 8 x 0.5 in (303 x 203 x 13 mm) |
| Weight | 2.6 pounds (1.19 kg) | 2.5 pounds (1.15 kg) |
So what does it keep? The same unremarkable two-in-one design highlighted by Samsung's unique-for-the-moment 400-nit QLED screen -- that's a VA LCD with a Quantum Dot color array between the LCD and the backlight, which you'll find in the company's gaming monitors as well as TVs -- boostable to 600 nits for better viewing in bright light. QLED delivers a wider color gamut than the typical IPS-based screen you'd find in a laptop at this price. And despite the smaller battery, Samsung says it lasts up to 17.5 hours, which isn't bad.
The company also took the opportunity to provide an update on the status of the Galaxy Book S, its traditional clamshell laptop based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx platform announced in May. It was originally supposed to ship in September, but Samsung is now targeting sometime before March 2020.