Al precio de $700, el Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus es uno de los Chromebooks con mejor sensación de este año. Sin embargo, pese a su pantalla de calidad, chasis, y sensación, carece de algunas áreas clave. He disfrutado muchas de las nuevas características introducidas a los Chromebooks en los últimos dos años. Pero, ¿son estos dispositivos ahora los auténticos portátiles de inteligencia artificial, gracias al Gemini de Google? No, por supuesto que no.

Me gusta un buen Chromebook tanto como cualquiera, y los modelos Chromebook Plus en su mayoría han sido una sólida actualización para lo que aún son laptops ultra-baratas. Hay algunos lugares donde puedes conseguir un portátil “Plus” para navegación básica, streaming, y potencialmente más tareas en la nube por unos $350, como el Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11. Con su chasis de nivel empresarial, este dispositivo cuesta lo mismo que el Asus ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus. El dispositivo de Samsung también es el primer Chromebook en usar la nueva Tecla de Acceso Rápido (justo donde encuentras tu botón Caps Lock). El acceso rápido a la IA de Gemini ciertamente no vale el costo adicional, entonces, ¿qué lo vale?

Lo que destaca del Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus es su gran sensación, desde el chasis hasta la selección de puertos I/O hasta el espacioso teclado. Es tan delgado; un representante de PR de Google estaba feliz de mostrar cómo el nuevo Galaxy Chromebook Plus era tan grueso como dos tarjetas de Pokémon graduadas. Es una métrica muy específica, ciertamente, pero con 11.8 mm de grosor, no hay bolsa o grieta en la pared donde no encaje.

Tiene una batería sólida que dura un poco más de 10 horas tras un uso periódico. El Chromebook de marca Samsung también cuenta con una pantalla AMOLED de casi 16 pulgadas que se siente lujosamente amplia. Eso, más el teclado con teclado numérico completo y puerto HDMI con una selección sólida de I/O, lo convierten en un gran todoterreno. También viene con 256GB de almacenamiento para tu contenido fuera de la nube, más de lo que normalmente obtienes en otros lugares. El rendimiento en el chip Intel Core 3 es donde necesitas que esté con un CPU de Chromebook tan común. Al mismo tiempo, tiene un mínimo de 8GB de RAM para calificar para el estado de Chromebook Plus.

No obstante, sin pantalla táctil ni ninguna otra característica destacable, salvo por el chasis delgado, no hay mucho en este Chromebook que me entusiasme recomendarlo por $700. No puedes conseguir mucho mejor si lo que buscas es un Chromebook sólido y no te importa el costo.

Reseña del Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: Calidad de construcción y usabilidad

El Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus se sitúa en un cuerpo de .47 pulgadas de altura y pesa 2.58 libras. Sí, es liviano, muy liviano, pero incluso mejor, todavía se siente sólido. El chasis tiene cierta flexibilidad hacia el centro (no tan mala como el Acer Swift 16 AI), especialmente alrededor del reposapalm. Por lo demás, el portátil emana calidad premium, y tú

The appealing rich blue hue of the cover is an added bonus. However, the gadget’s tendency to display smudges from greasy hands necessitates regular cleaning. There’s also the advantage of numerous I/O slots, comprising two USB-C, one USB type A, an HDMI, and a micro-SD card reader.

See Galaxy Chromebook Plus at Samsung

The keyboard and trackpad provide a satisfactory experience. The thin keys are neither overly rigid nor too soft but do produce a clicking sound. Although the clickpad-style trackpad offers a smooth feel, it doesn’t match the fineness of a glass surface. There were just occasional issues with palm rejection, not significant enough to cause concern for prolonged usage. Overall, it’s a standard affair, particularly since this model lacks a touchscreen.

The experience hinges on the ChromeOS platform. Amongst the new features, the Welcome Recap stands out the most for me. It launches whenever you start up your Chromebook, displaying recent activities along with small widgets for your Calendar, Weather, and Docs. As for the Quick Insert key, it primarily served me for texting emojis or swift access to GIFs, a benefit for the meme connoisseurs, but not much beyond that.

After a week of use, the new Focus functionalities impressed me. You can set it to limit focus session interruptions by minimizing notifications. It can be activated with YouTube Music, although there’s a limited selection of “Focus Sounds.” Options include tracks mimicking a thunderstorm, or a “classical” track featuring gentle strings and brass for a soothing work atmosphere. A wider selection of playlists with more user control would have been welcomed. Google has incorporated Google Tasks above the calendar tool on the taskbar, a simple yet effective addition for those who need frequent reminders of task objectives.

The audio quality is remarkable, especially with headphones. The display is exceptional, though its slender framework doesn’t lend itself to being a comprehensive entertainment hub.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: Display and Sound

A key selling feature of the Galaxy Chromebook is its 15.6-inch AMOLED screen. It’s adequately sized, and the 1080p resolution suffices for streaming platforms like YouTube or Netflix. The bright display proved useful when I initially relied on it in my sunlit living area.

Sure, it looks impressive, but the panel’s 60Hz refresh rate is limiting. While it’s adequate for video streaming, should I want to indulge in gaming via Game Pass or Geforce Now on this vivid display, I’d prefer a 120Hz panel akin to the Acer Chromebook 516 GE.

Sadly, the audio doesn’t match the visual appeal of the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. While it can produce loud sound, it remains quite tinny, falling short of the quality desired for watching films in an intimate setting.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: Performance and Battery Life

This laptop incorporates an Intel Core 3 100U Raptor Lake processor introduced in January, prior to the buzz surrounding Qualcomm Snapdragon, AMD Strix Point, and Intel Lunar Lake architectures for lightweight PCs. As an entry-level chip, it performs well within its category. However, it lacks the battery endurance found in newer laptops priced over $1,000.

The fan noise is not loud, but I was startled to hear its buzz while managing three distinct Chrome windows alongside an external monitor. Although the laptop could become warm during heavy usage, the heat is only noticeable if grasped from below. I didn’t encounter any issues where the heat impacted functionality.

The Galaxy Chromebook Plus also comes equipped with 8GB of RAM, a deviation from the standard offering in Chromebook Plus variants. This allows the Chromebook to execute most tasks efficiently, though running numerous windows and excessive tabs led to some cursor lag and occasional stuttering.

Once famous for their impressive battery longevity, Chromebooks have since been outperformed by compact Windows PCs. Samsung asserts a 13-hour battery life, although this was gauged using their Chromebook power consumption test. In my experience, I achieved between six and seven hours before a recharge was necessary. Considering my usual habit of operating with numerous tabs open, it’s decent, but not suitable for multiple days without charging.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: AI Additions

Many new Chromebook Plus models boast a Quick Access key situated in the Caps Lock spot where the former “G” key was (no worries, the Launcher button found a new place adjacent to the left Alt key). The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the foremost model hosting this feature. It provides quick access to previously opened files and identifies potential URLs to link with highlighted text. Nonetheless, its primary function is facilitating immediate entry into AI-powered writing tools.

That said, I harbor reservations about its usability for anything more than outlining or developing ideas. When I tasked Google’s Gemini with crafting a paragraph about the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus specifications, it generated several options but included numerous errors concerning the display, processor, and dimensions. This misrepresentation of facts is a significant issue.

The proofreading tool also doesn’t quite meet expectations. It fails to indicate which sections of a highlighted passage are subject to change. This review utilized a Gemini Advanced subscription, which is Google’s most advanced language model offered to Chromebook users through the desktop.

Additionally, there’s Gemini Advanced. New Chromebook Plus buyers receive a one-year subscription to Google’s enhanced chatbot, coupled with 2TB of cloud storage. Gemini Advanced presents several “Gems” such as code collaborators, which might prove beneficial depending on the user. Following Google’s prompt, I requested the “Brainstormer” Gem to help generate present suggestions for a friend fond of Baldur’s Gate III, only to be disappointed by mundane ideas such as gift cards or T-shirts from local gaming stores.

Avoid purchasing this or any other new Chromebook solely for its AI offerings. Nonetheless, if you often use on-device voice recording, you’ll find the AI-generated transcripts and summaries on ChromeOS Recorder App satisfactory.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Review: Verdict

The more time I spent with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, the more it grew on me. It’s a conceivable replacement for traditional laptops. With a satisfactory number of ports and decent display quality, though lacking in premium features such as a higher refresh rate or superior audio system, it might feel somewhat incomplete. For the price, a Chromebook without significant compromises would be ideal.

See Galaxy Chromebook Plus at Samsung