This large laptop is lightweight, offers some unconventional features & a QLED display. Is Samsung back at the top of its once abandoned laptop game?
Well, well, if it isn’t a Samsung laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Book Ion marks a rare sight in Europe — because the Korean company pulled its laptop products out of the region back in 2014. You could call it a six year hiatus. You could call it a reinvigorated confidence in the sector. Whatever you decide, however, it’s clear that Samsung is back with intended boom.
The Galaxy Book Ion isn’t an especially conventional laptop. It’s large, yet it’s really lightweight. It’s dressed in a finish that you won’t see on other competitors. It’s endowed with unusual features like post-purchase RAM and SSD storage expansion. It also pulls on Samsung’s highly successful TV prowess by utilising a QLED display.
But after so long away, does the Ion — if you’ll excuse the pun on the name — represent a positive charge in the laptop market, or are there still negatives to consider? DesignDimensions (15.6in): 356.1 x 228 x 14.9mm / Weight: 1.19kg1x HDMI,1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 3),2x USB-A (3.0)1x 3.5mm headphone out/mic inputAura Silver finish
The Ion, here in its 15.6-inch format (there’s a smaller 13.3-inch model too), is a big ol’ beast — but when first plucking it from its box it’s immediately clear just how lightweight this laptop is. It’s just shy of 1.2kgs, making it about the same as a MacBook Air’s mass — but in a much larger footprint. Pocket-lint
This large-yet-light feature isn’t the only immediate point of attraction. Indeed, the almost eggshell-like finish — Samsung calls it Aura Silver, which is like a pink-blue two-tone sheen right across the lid and interior panels — is unlike anything we’ve seen on any laptop, well, ever. Whether you find it tasteful or leaves a bad taste in the mouth is down to preference — we would prefer a less plasticky feeling and more traditional finish really. Still, it’s certainly eye-catching.
Samsung isn’t aiming for record slimness in this model, but its sub-15mm measurement means the Ion can encompass a range of ports. There’s an HDMI out, one USB-C (capable of Thunderbolt 3, i.e.40Gbps transfer speeds), two full-size USB-A (3.0, i.e 5Gbps), plus a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack.1/2Pocket-lint
Importantly there’s also a DC input for power, so the one USB-C port isn’t utilised for charging when it’s needed. This separate power source also doesn’t come with a whacking great plug or transformer attached to the cable. Best laptop 2020: Top general and premium notebooks for working from home and moreScreen15.6-inch QLED LCD panel, slim bezel designFull HD/1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution600 nit max brightness16:9 aspect ratioNo touch control
While Samsung hasn’t been pushing its laptops in Europe for these six years, it most certainly has been going in strong when it comes to TVs. As a brand that shuns OLED for its own ‘QLED’ technology — the onus is on big brightness, deep blacks and extra colour pop — it’s been doing rather well in this area of the market. So, but of course, the Ion imports a QLED panel to add to its show-off feature set. Pocket-lint
However, just because QLED is stamped on the box doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the be all and end all best screen ever.
