The newest Galaxy Books have caused quite a stir in the laptop market, but are they good enough to beat Microsoft’s Surface line?
Samsung’s new Galaxy Books have caused quite a stir in the market for Windows laptops, but are they good enough to beat Microsoft’s Surface line?
We think the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 are the best models to compare. Both can be bought in similar ways and for similar prices, and both can use stylus pens for creative tasks or taking notes.
Even though both laptops can be set up in different ways, we chose to compare them based on the following features:
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 13.3-inch
- Intel Core i5 (12th Gen)
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5-inch
- Intel Core i5 (11th Gen)
- 8GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
Galaxy Book Pro vs Surface Pro: Design and weight
- Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 comes in silver, graphite, or burgundy, has a finish made of aluminum alloy, and weighs 1.04kg.
- Surface Laptop 4 comes in Platinum and Ice Blue with an Alacantara finish or Sandstone and Matte black with a metal finish. It weighs 1.28kg.
The Galaxy Book 2 Pro is slim and simple, with a focus on being light and easy to carry. It is surprisingly light at only 1.04kg, but despite this, it feels pretty sturdy. It comes in graphite, silver, and burgundy finishes, all of which look great and go well with the “Pro” name. However, we found that the graphite and burgundy models show fingerprints the most.
The Surface Laptop 4 has a little more style with an optional Alcantara keyboard surround and a few more colors to choose from. But it does this without looking over the top, and it wouldn’t look out of place in any modern office. It feels very sturdy and well made, but that also makes it heavier. It’s still very thin and light, but not as light as the Samsung model.
Galaxy Book Pro vs Surface Pro: Display
- Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 is 13.3 inches, AMOLED, 1920 x 1080 16:9
- Surface Laptop 4 is 13.5 inches, PixelSense, 2256 x 1504 3:2;
The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 has a beautiful AMOLED touchscreen display that is made of glass. Even though it only has a 1080p resolution, it looks plenty sharp at this size, and the AMOLED technology makes the colors look very true and bright.
The Surface Laptop 4 also has a glass touchscreen display, but the 3:2 aspect ratio makes it feel like you have a lot more screen space. It also has a higher resolution, but it uses a Samsung-made PLS panel, which is a much less common type of screen. PLS panels are a little better than IPS panels, but they can’t match the contrast ratios and accurate colors of AMOLED panels.
Both laptops can be used with styluses. The Samsung model works with the S Pen, and the Microsoft model works with the Surface Pen. The 360 hinge on the Galaxy Book makes it much better for both touchscreen and stylus use, while the traditional hinge on the Surface Laptop can make using a touchscreen feel awkward.
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Hardware
- Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360: 12th Gen Intel i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD – Up to 21-hour battery life
- Surface Laptop 4: 11th Gen Intel i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD – Up to 17-hour battery life
Since the Galaxy Book is newer, it has Intel processors from the most recent generation. This means better performance, more efficient use of power, and a longer battery life, though we haven’t tested this yet.
It’s important to note that the Surface Laptop can have a Ryzen processor, which makes its already good battery life even better. The Galaxy Book, on the other hand, can only be set up with Intel options.
We tried to match the specs of our models as closely as possible for this guide, but the Surface has double the storage at 512GB, which is a big difference. You would have to buy an i7 model of the Galaxy Book in order to get the same amount of storage space.
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Galaxy Book Pro vs Surface Pro: Connections and ports
- Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360: Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax 2×2, Bluetooth 5.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C x2, Headphone, microSD
- Surface Laptop 4: Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-A x1, USB-C x1, Headphone, Surface Connect
When it comes to connectivity, the newer Galaxy Book shines again because it has Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, and Thunderbolt 4, which are all very modern standards. We have two USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 4, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader.
Even though the Surface Laptop 4 has been out for a while, it’s still up to date with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. It doesn’t have the most cutting-edge connections, but it does have the most popular ones. The Surface line has never had Thunderbolt connectivity. This could be because Microsoft wants people to use its own Surface Connect port. The only ports are a USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a single USB-A port. But we’re glad it has a USB-A port because it means we can use it without a dongle more often.
When it comes to charging, the Galaxy Book uses one of its USB-C ports and can be charged with the same 65W USB-C adapter that many modern smartphones use. The Surface Laptop comes with a charger that plugs into the Surface Connect port. But it’s interesting that the Surface Laptop can also be powered by a 65W adapter plugged into its USB-C port.
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Ecosystem and accessories
If you already use a lot of Samsung products, the company has worked hard to make sure that the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 works well with them. With a Samsung account and a single sign-on, you can use apps like Samsung Gallery and Notes on your Galaxy device and connect your Galaxy Buds right away. The S Pen also comes with the 360 models, so sketchers and people who like to take notes can start using it right away.
Most Surface products are made to work well with all Windows devices, so of course they also work well with the Surface Laptop. If you care about how things look, they look great with the laptops. The only things that are only made for Surface devices are the pricey Surface Dock and the Surface Pen, which is also a pricey extra.
Software
Since both computers run Windows 11, the software is pretty much the same. As we said, Samsung has added some software integrations with its other ecosystem products, like SmartThings, Samsung Multi Control, and the ability to use your Samsung account to access apps on your Galaxy device.
If you use a lot of Samsung products, these integrations could be very useful. If you don’t use a lot of Samsung products, they might feel more like bloatware. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop gives you a plain Windows 11 experience. It’s up to each person to decide which one they like better.
Galaxy Book Pro vs Surface Pro: Price
Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 as configured: MSRP £1099 / €1299 / $1250
Surface Laptop 4 as configured: MSRP £1269 / €1449 / $1299
On paper, the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 is the better deal. It has more features, better connections, and better performance, and it costs less. But when you consider that the Surface Laptop 4 has been out for a lot longer, you’ll see that it’s often on sale for a lot less than the MSRP.
The Surface Laptop has other good points, too. We think it looks better, and the Alcantara lining gives it a unique and expensive touch. The 3:2 screen’s higher resolution is also great for getting work done. But it can’t compete with the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 in terms of performance, battery life, connectivity, or portability. If you can’t find a great deal on the Surface device, the new Galaxy Book is the obvious choice.
