Samsung Notebook 9 Pen Tries To Challenge Microsoft Surface Pro And Apple MacBook
Samsung has been pretty reliable when it comes to smartphones. However, that hasn’t been the case with PC notebooks. The Korean company has decided to take things up a notch with the Notebook 9 Pen, and the reviews have been mixed. Engadget seems to like the stylus, but believes the device makes too many compromises.
“After a week of testing, it’s clear that the Notebook 9 Pen has its uses, but most people won’t miss out by skipping it.”
The article adds that the Notebook 9 Pen features a troublesome design that could have been avoided if Samsung approached the making of the laptop hybrid more thoughtfully.
However, Dan Ackerman of CNET gave Samsung’s hybrid four stars.
“With the Notebook 9 Pen, Samsung works some key features from the Galaxy Note 8 phone into a premium two-in-one laptop,” the author says, adding that the notebook only weighs 2.2 pounds.
One of the things most critics don’t like about the Notebook 9 Pen is that although most 13.3 inch notebooks include a Quad-HD resolution display or higher, Samsung has decided to just include a regular HD screen. As noted by the Inquisitr last month, the new Dell XPS 13 laptop includes a 4K screen. And it appears that despite the extra resolution, the XPS 13 has a better battery life than Samsung’s new device.
The Notebook 9 Pen has received a mostly positive response on Twitter.
#Samsung’s Notebook 9 Pen is a reasonably capable convertible. The company’s not doing a great job mitigating brand confusion, it is delivering some solid devices — and the Notebook 9 Pen is no exception. pic.twitter.com/9USLaUEwqw
— Eiosys Private Limited (@eiosys) February 18, 2018
Samsung is hoping to take away some market share from Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft’s most recent Surface Pro was released last June and has become a huge success. Tech Radar recently gave the 5th-generation Surface Pro four-and-a-half stars.
“While it should come as no surprise, to just the extent of how deeply improved this Surface Pro is over the previous model and how it maintains its lead over competing 2-in-1 laptops or tablets is worth reiterating.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaqBkuQdIMQ
The review especially complimented the Surface Pro design and improved battery life. However, TechRadar, like other sites that reviewed the latest Surface Pro, didn’t like the fact that you have to purchase the keyboard and Surface Pen separately. The Type Cover costs at least $129, and the Surface Pen costs $99.
Besides going after Microsoft’s device, Samsung is aiming toward Apple’s MacBook and lower-end MacBook Pro as well. On paper, the Notebook 9 Pen is more powerful than the MacBook or the low-end MacBook Pro. It’s also true that unlike Apple’s device, Samsung’s has a stylus. However, even though the MacBook and MacBook Pro have created some controversy, actual reviews of both units are, for the most part, very positive.
Still, nobody should count Samsung out. It took a couple years before the Galaxy Note became a mainstream device. The same could happen with future versions of the Notebook 9 Pen.
