Samsung’s Notebook 9 was one of the thinnest and lightest 15-inch laptops we tested in 2017 and it had one of the longest battery run-times at more than 12 hours. For 2018, it looks like more of the same (great!), but with more power and performance (even better!).
Like the 2017 model, the Notebook 9 (not to be confused with the Notebook 9 Pro) is wrapped in metal, though this time Samsung used a magnesium-aluminum alloy called Metal12 to keep it light, yet durable, weighing at most 2.84 pounds (1,288 grams).
The crux of the update is a jump to an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a version with Nvidia GeForce MX150 discrete graphics in exchange for integrated Intel UHD graphics. Along with the new processor, Samsung says it added its “largest and most powerful battery placed inside a notebook.”
Other key features include:
- Up to 16GB of memory
- Up to 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD storage
- Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (15-inch only), USB-C, USB-A (two), HDMI out, microSD card slot
- Backlit keyboard and Precision touchpad
- Fingerprint reader for log-in through Windows Hello
Samsung added a set of potentially handy software tools, too, such as Studio Plus for photo and video content creation, Samsung Message that lets you send messages from the laptop to contacts saved on your phone and a voice-activated note-taking app.
The Notebook 9 also comes in a 13.3-inch size that weighs in at just less than 2.2 pounds (995g) with a full HD display available with an eighth-gen Intel Core i7 processor. (There’s just integrated Intel UHD graphics available at this size, though.)
No pricing was announced, but Samsung expects the Notebook 9 Pen to be available in the US in the first quarter of 2018.
