Samsung Notebook 9 Pen for 2019: Made to please creative pros
Debuting just ahead of CES 2019, the updated two-in-one gets a premium redesign and improved pen functionality.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
With its updated Notebook 9 Pen two-in-one laptop, Samsung is targeting creative professionals who want the flexibility of both a laptop and a pen-enabled tablet without needing separate devices or paying extra for a pen.
Like with the 2018 model, Samsung will include one of its S Pens, an active pen that can be used to write and draw on the convertible's full-HD display. It's a new pen, too, designed to work the instant the tip meets the screen with reduced latency, Samsung said in its announcement.
The pen will also come with three different tips to adjust the feel of the pen on the display. And like past S Pens, it gets stored in the body of the laptop and doesn't need to be charged. Samsung will also include a three-month subscription to the MyScript Nebo app, which can convert written notes to digital text as well as clean up hand drawn charts and diagrams.
Specifications
| Samsung Notebook 9 Pen 13 | Samsung Notebook 9 Pen 15 | |
| Weight | 2.47 pounds (1.12 kg) | 3.44 pounds (1.56 kg) |
| LCD | 13.3-inch Full HD | 15-inch Full HD |
| CPU | Intel 8th-gen Core i7 | Intel 8th-gen Core i7 |
| Graphics | Integrated | Nvidia GeForce MX150 (2GB) |
| Storage | PCIe NVMe SSD | PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Wireless | 802.11ac 2x2 (Giga Wi-Fi) | 802.11ac 2x2 (Giga Wi-Fi) |
| Camera | HD IR Camera | HD IR Camera |
| Security | Facial and fingerprint recognition | Facial and fingerprint recognition |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 3 (2), USB-C, UFS and microSD combo | Thunderbolt 3 (2), USB-C, UFS and microSD combo |
Exact pricing isn't available yet, but it will come in 13.3- and 15-inch versions when it arrives next year. Other than screen size, the biggest difference between the two models will be the availability of entry-level discrete graphics on the 15-inch version. Samsung is promising up to 15 hours of battery life and fast-charging capabilities for each.
When we reviewed the 2018 Samsung Notebook 9 early this year, one of its main shortcomings was its design, which was particularly bland for a premium-priced two-in-one. With the 2019 version Samsung stepped up its game, giving it an all-metal chassis with a blue diamond-cut finish.
Samsung also used narrower bezels around the display, which has become the hallmark of a premium laptop. Though the company said the screen's maximum brightness will be 500 nits, it didn'tspecify color gamut coverage. Competing systems, such as Dell's XPS 15 2-in-1, generally deliver 100 percent sRGB color gamut.
Other features will include instant Windows Hello sign-ins with a built-in fingerprint reader or facial recognition with its IR camera, and improved audio with speakers tuned by Samsung subsidiary AKG and new ThunderAmp smart amplifier technology.
CNET's Holiday Gift Guide: The place to find the best tech gifts for 2018.
5G is your next big upgrade: Everything you need to know about the 5G revolution.