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How does Samsung's Galaxy Book stack up?

Is Samsung's latest Windows 10 tablet any good? We compare it to what else is out there.

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Xiomara Blanco Associate Editor / Reviews - Tablets and monitors
Xiomara Blanco is an associate editor for CNET Reviews. She's a Bay Area native with a knack for tech that makes life easier and more enjoyable. So, don't expect her to review printers anytime soon.
Xiomara Blanco
2 min read
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Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Book tablet has its sight set on the Microsoft Surface

Samsung's new Galaxy Book is a Windows 10 tablet that comes bundled with a stylus and keyboard case. Sound familiar? That's because it's a pretty common trend these days among two-in-one tablet PCs .

The Lenovo Miix 510 and Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 (both start at $600) are comparable two-in-one tablets that also include a keyboard cover in their base price. The Samsung Galaxy Book is the latest to jump on the bandwagon and, in at least one respect, it has a slight leg up on the competition; it includes a stylus (sold separately for the Lenovo and Acer ). It also has a significantly slimmer design than the rest.

Samsung Galaxy Book is one of the sleekest Windows 10 tablets you'll see

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Additionally, according to Samsung, it should also outlast its competition in a binge-watching marathon thanks to a 10.5-hour battery life. It comes in 10- and 12-inch models, but the bigger one is the most impressive, thanks to its better processor and razor-sharp Super AMOLED screen.

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The revamped S-Pen stylus now has a rubber tip.

Josh Miller

But what about the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 , the most popular tablet to fuse an elegantly versatile design with Windows 10 PC-like power and a thoughtful keyboard accessory? Its keyboard is infamously sold separately, so the total cost of ownership can jump past Lenovo and Acer. Note that the still-popular Surface Pro 4 is close to 18 months old, and we expect an updated Surface Pro 5 version sometime this year.

One thing the Samsung Galaxy Book doesn't have that the Lenovo and Acer do is full-size USB ports and a built-in adjustable stand (which is partly why it's so skinny). Samsung's new tablets, including both the Galaxy Book and the Android-based Galaxy Tab S3 are also currently lacking price and release date info.

While the Samsung Galaxy Book looks like an attractively sleek alternative to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, we won't know how good a deal it is until we know how much it costs. Considering the least expensive Surface Pro 4 model with the keyboard easily balloons the total cost beyond $900, and the fact that Samsung typically prices their devices on the high side, I wouldn't be surprised if the two end up with comparable pricing.

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Accessories included.

Josh Miller

Below is a chart on how the tablets compare spec-wise. We'll update with pricing information for the Samsung Galaxy Book as soon as it's announced.

Samsung Galaxy Book specs compared

Samsung Galaxy BookMicrosoft Surface Pro 4Lenovo Miix 510Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12
Starting price TBD$799$599$599
Price with keyboard TBD$929$599$599
Display 12-inch 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution12.3-inch 2,736x1,824-pixel resolution12.2-inch 1,920x1,200-pixel resolution12-inch 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution
Pixel density 216267186216
Dimensions (imperial) 11.47x7.87x0.29-inches11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches11.8x8.1x0.4-inches11.5x7.9x.06-inches
Dimensions (metric) 291.3x199.8x7.4mm292.10 x 201.42 x 8.4mm300x205x9.9mm292x200x15.2mm
Weight 1.66lbs (754g)1.69 lbs. (766g) for Core M, 1.73 lbs. (786g) for Core i1.98 lbs (900g)2.76lb (1,252g)
Operating system Windows 10Windows 10 ProWindows 10Windows 10
Processors 3.1GHz dual-core 7th-gen Intel Core i5Up to 6th-gen 2-core Intel Core i7Up to 6th-gen Intel Core i5Up to 6th-gen Intel Core i7
Graphics N/AUp to Intel Iris 540Intel HD Graphics 520N/A
Storage 128GB/256GB128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB128GB/256GB128GB/256GB/512GB
RAM 4GB/8GB4GB / 8GB / 16GB4GB/8GB4GB/8GB
Battery Up to 10.5 hours playback, fast-chargingUp to 9 hours video playbackUp to 8 hours Up to 8 hours
Networking 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1 BLE802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports 2x USB-C, microSD up to 256GB, 1x headset jack1x USB 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x SurfaceConnect (charging and docking), 1 x headset jack1x USB-C, 1x USB 3.0, 1x headset jack1x USB-C, MicroSD up to
Cameras 5-megapixel front, 13-megapixel back5-megapixel front, 8-megapixel back, Windows Hello face authentication2-megapixel front, 8-megapixel rear2-megapixel front, 5-megapixel rear
Hinge NoFreely positionable to 150-degreesFreely positionable to 170-degreesFreely positionable to 165-degrees
Touchscreen YesYesYesYes
Extras Included stylus and keyboard coverIncluded stylus, $129 Type Cover, $159 Type Cover with fingerprint sensorIncluded keyboard cover, stylus sold separatelyIncluded keyboard cover, stylus sold separately