Not content with just announcing the latest and greatest in Galaxy phones, Samsung has also used its 2023 Galaxy unpacked event to announce the latest in its series of Galaxy Book laptops – the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro and Galaxy Book3 Pro 360.
With these latest Book3 models, Samsung is pushing new ways to wed connected experiences & high-performance hardware. Using its expertise and extensive ecosystem in phones and tablets to extend the laptop experience across devices. But will it be enough to be among the best photo-editing laptops?
New multi-control capabilities allow Galaxy Book, Galaxy phone, and Galaxy Tab users to use the keyboard and trackpad from their Galaxy Book3 device seamlessly with other Galaxy devices, including drag and drop, and copy and paste between devices and operating systems.
Second screen capabilities allow Galaxy Book3 models to extend their screens wirelessly with minimal setup increasing the screen retail available while working on a Galaxy Book3 device.
Phone link is a new companion app for Windows to get an instant WiFi hotspot from a connected Galaxy phone's 5G network, as well as providing a list of recent websites from the phone that can be instantly opened up in the default web browser on the Book3.
Samsung Pass offers a password manager application that is stored in the Samsung cloud and protected by Samsung Knox. Samsung Single Sign On can instantly sign into any app linked to a Samsung account.
Galaxy Book3 Ultra
The Galaxy Book3 Ultra is the highest-specification Galaxy Book ever produced and is designed for creatives who require a lot of power from their computer but still value a lightweight and compact chassis.
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The Galaxy Book3 Ultra comes with a 13th Gen Intel Evo 45W processor either in an i7 or i9, with up to 32GB of RAM and the choice of an NVIDIA RTX 4070 or 4050 GPU to accelerate creative tasks for light gaming. Samsung claims this the Book3 Ultra is up to 50 percent faster in multicore performance and 15% faster in single-core performance than Galaxy Book2 Pro.
The Book3 Ultra comes in a 16" screen size, with a full keyboard with a numerical keypad. The Book3 Ultra measure in at just 16.5mm at its thickest point, and weighs just 1.79kg.
Galaxy Book3 Pro
The Galaxy Book3 Pro is a traditional clamshell laptop and comes with the option of a 16in or 14in screen. The 14in model measures 11.3mm thick and weighs 1.17kg, with the larger 16" model measuring up to 12.5mm thick and weighing 1.56kg.
Both the 14in and 16in models feature 13th Gen Intel Evo i5 or i7 (28W) processors, with Intel Iris Xe graphics.
Galaxy Book3 Pro 360
The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is designed for creators on the go, with optional 5G a built-in S Pen, and a 360-degree hinge, the screen can be flipped into a tablet and can be used for drawing, annotating images, or taking notes. The Book3 Pro 360 has a 16in screen and measures 12.8mm at it's thickest point, weighing in at 1.66kg or 1.71kg for the 5G model.
The Book3 Pro 360 comes with the same 13th Gen Intel Evo processor as the non-360 Pro, with a 28W i5 or i7 calibration, both with the latest Intel Iris Xe graphics.
Galaxy Book3 Key Features
All three new laptops feature the same AMOLED 2X 3K display, with a screen ratio measuring 16:10, this fits in 11 percent more than laptops with a 16:9 ratio. The screen has a 120Hz refresh rate for an improved experience watching content and very light gaming, with the screens on the Book3 Pros being VESA clear motion certified for faster response time and moving image quality.
The screens have a max brightness of 500 nits, with a 1M:1 contrast ratio, and a 0.0005 nit true black rating. The Book3 screens also carry a VESA True Black 500 certification, demonstrating the screen's ability to achieve rich blacks, while controlling highlights and shadow details.
The Book3 range is ready for the office with full HD 1080p cameras, and dual studio quality microphones with active noise cancellation, it should ensure that you are both seen and heard clearly on video calls.
The Book3 can also offer a little software trickery, with optional automatic lighting correction it can use HDR processing to make you appear better lit, even in dark or poorly lit environments. And eye contact correction in calls, the software can maintain eye contact even if your eyes stray away from your screen.
A four-speaker array tuned by the sound experts at AKG and with Dolby Atmos certification also aims to guarantee a loud and bold listening experience.
All the Book3 models charge with USB-C charging and can use the latest chargers that power Samsung's range of Galaxy phones. For ports, the Book3 also has a MicroSD slot, HDMI 2.0, audio mic, 1x USB 3.2, and 2x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4.
Samsung continues its big push on eco-conscious design, with more recycled parts than ever before used in these devices. With recycled aluminum, glass, and plastics in its construction, with recycled plastics sourced from fishing nets, water barrels, and PET bottles.
Price & Release Date
The Book3 Pro and Pro 360 will be available to preorder now and available in-store on February 17th, with the Book3 Ultra coming about a week later. The laptops will be available in beige or graphite coloring.
The Book3 Pro starts at $1650 in the US, and £1,299 in the UK, with the Book3 Pro 360 at $1900/£1549, and the Galaxy Book3 Ultra costing $2400/£2449. In the US you can preorder the laptops directly from Samsung US or from Best Buy.
There are a number of preorder savings and bonuses depending on your region. The whole range of Galaxy Book3 devices comes with two months of free access to Adobe Lightroom.
If you are interested in finding your perfect editing laptop, you can find out more in our guides for the best laptops for photo editing, the best laptops for video editing, and the best Ultrabooks.
