Go Buy A Different Laptop

The Galaxy Book Go is a light-weight, reasonably priced pc from Samsung that’s powered by way of a Qualcomm chip – as a substitute of Intel – and provides the choice of 4G connectivity.

On paper that sounds nice, however in apply this pc is abominably gradual, with Windows nonetheless refusing to play properly with Qualcomm’s Arm structure. The result’s a pc that’s tough to suggest, and undeniably outclassed by way of maximum Chromebooks on the identical worth.

Design and construct

• Slim and light-weight construct
• Made of plastic
• Only to be had in silver

While I’ve my proceedings in regards to the Galaxy Book Go’s efficiency, I will be able to’t in reality fault how it appears.

Only to be had in silver, this can be a beautiful graceful and engaging pc for the fee. Samsung has saved it slender (simply 14.9mm thick) and rather mild (only one.38kg), which is spectacular taking into account that it comes with a somewhat expansive 14in show.

It’s partially that mild for the reason that frame is plastic, which is beautiful inevitable at this worth. That does make the pc really feel slightly affordable – however hi there, it’s affordable. So you’ll be able to’t in reality bitch an excessive amount of about that.

Display and audio

• 14in HD show
• Quite dim
• No touchscreen

The 14in show right here is huge for a pc of this worth, but it surely comes with drawbacks.

It’s Full HD, at 1920 x 1080, so a minimum of Samsung hasn’t taken any shortcuts there as we’ve from time to time noticed in different funds laptops.

Unfortunately, it’s no longer a perfect display in different respects. Using a SpyderX to evaluate the display’s efficiency, I discovered it capped at a max brightness of solely 225 nits – about part of what the most efficient pc’s organize, regardless that admittedly higher than a couple of different affordable choices.

It additionally provides a restricted color vary, managing solely 62% of the sRGB gamut. That approach it’s no longer in a position to exhibiting a complete vary of colors, leaving you with inferior symbol high quality. It’s wonderful for elementary paintings duties, however films and footage merely gained’t glance their best possible in this display – made worse by way of restricted viewing angles that imply the show suffers in the event you’re no longer taking a look at it head-on.

It’s additionally a disgrace that there’s no touchscreen choice. That’s no longer utterly strange for the fee, however it will have helped make up for one of the most pc’s different shortcomings.

There are stereo audio system constructed into the pc, however as you’d be expecting they’re beautiful susceptible and tinny. They’ll do the task in the event you’re on a video name or wish to watch one thing on YouTube, however for song and even Netflix viewing, you’ll unquestionably wish to attach your headphones.

Keyboard and trackpad

• Spacious keyboard
• Slightly tender really feel to typing
• Large plastic trackpad

There’s little to mention in regards to the keyboard and trackpad right here, that are each par for the path for the cheap laptop.

The keyboard is beautiful giant, stretching lots of the technique to the edges of the tool, regardless that it’s a disgrace that Samsung has most commonly completed that by way of spacing the keys out slightly than making the person keycaps greater.

In typing the keyboard feels a bit of comfortable and tender, no longer helped by way of somewhat brief key trip, but it surely’s responsive sufficient and will get the task achieved.

You’ll additionally discover a energy button sitting above the keyboard, regardless that in contrast to many trendy laptops there’s no integrated fingerprint sensor. The 720p webcam additionally doesn’t beef up Windows Hello, so there’s no biometric login choice in any respect right here – you are going to be typing a password or PIN in each and every time.

The trackpad may be conventional. It’s huge, which is welcome, however understandably comprised of plastic. That makes it really feel a bit of slow and provides a bit of friction as you drag your finger throughout, however you gained’t to find any higher with out spending a lot more.

Specs and function

• Powered by way of Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
• Almost unusably gradual
• 4/8GB RAM & 128GB garage

And right here’s the rub. So a long way the Galaxy Book Go most probably turns out wonderful – a bit of tough across the edges, however that’s what you get for a pc that prices lower than £500/$500.

The downside is all within the efficiency. This is one among a burgeoning vary of Windows on Snapdragon laptops – units powered by way of Qualcomm chips as a substitute of Intel or AMD.

Qualcomm is most probably best possible identified at the present time for its Snapdragon smartphone chips, which energy an enormous selection of Android telephones and tablets annually. It now additionally produces pc parts the use of the similar Arm structure – the similar elementary tech that Apple has used to nice luck in its personal in-house MacBook processors.

The Galaxy Book Go is powered by way of the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2, the most recent model of Qualcomm’s much less tough tier of pc chip. I’ve discovered it slow virtually past the purpose of being useable, with elementary duties and easy apps striking and freezing. Even operating a unmarried Chrome tab proved an excessive amount of for this pc from time to time.

If the rest, the pc’s benchmark effects flatter it. They display an identical efficiency to the Acer Swift 1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3i, however in our trying out we discovered that each the ones laptops, whilst elementary, treated day by day internet surfing and electronic mail with no hitch. I will be able to’t say the similar for the Galaxy Book Go.

When reviewing a pc I typically make it my major tool for the week, however I’ve to confess that I couldn’t deliver myself to make use of the Galaxy Book Go a lot, both for paintings or surfing the internet within the evenings.

It’s most probably value flagging that my assessment style runs with simply 4GB of RAM. This is the best choice in america, regardless that the United Kingdom and a few different markets additionally get an 8GB RAM variant. Perhaps this may occasionally have awesome efficiency – regardless that with a £100 surcharge for the additional RAM (with out a different spec adjustments) I in my opinion wouldn’t pay the top rate to determine.

The deficient efficiency is made worse by way of the truth that Windows nonetheless doesn’t have complete compatibility with Arm chips, that means that some apps can’t run in any respect on Windows 10. This pc is eligible for a loose improve to Windows 11, which does a minimum of come with an Arm emulator – however that may upload an additional layer of efficiency problem that I merely don’t consider this pc to fulfill.

The downside is that Windows is a fancy working machine, and it merely can’t run smartly on such low-powered chips. At this worth you’d be a lot taking a look at an affordable Intel chip in the event you in reality want Windows, or turning to a Chromebook. Samsung’s personal Galaxy Chromebook Go is set the similar worth and is derived with a much less tough chip than this, however as it runs the light-weight ChromeOS it provides a lot smoother efficiency.

Battery and charging

• Excellent battery existence
• Sluggish charging

For all its faults, Qualcomm’s 7c Gen 2 does deliver one main energy: battery existence.

In our trying out the Galaxy Book Go lasted over 15 hours of continuing video playback – no longer the best rating we’ve ever recorded, however considerably higher than maximum different funds competitors.

It’s a an identical tale in common use, the place you in reality gained’t want to price this pc greater than as soon as each and every few days.

The drawback is that whilst you do price, it’s gradual. The pc comes with a 25W USB-C charger, however this solely crowned the pc up by way of an embarrassing 6% in part an hour. That approach you’ll most probably want to be within the dependancy of charging this up in a single day, as a snappy plug-in gained’t get you a lot.

Connectivity

• Impressive vary of ports
• 4G LTE

Connectivity is any other key energy. For one, regardless of the slender construct Samsung has baked in a stunning array of ports. There’s a USB-C port on every facet for charging and information (one among which handles video output too), one USB-A 2.0 port, a three.5mm headphone jack, a microSD card slot, or even a Kensington Nano lock slot.

Just as importantly, there’s a SIM card tray, as a result of like every Qualcomm laptops this helps 4G LTE. You’ll want an additional SIM card – you’ll be able to’t piggyback to your phone’s knowledge plan, disappointingly – however in the event you don’t thoughts the continued outlay it’s extremely handy to get get admission to to knowledge even if there’s no just right Wi-Fi round.

You may have additionally noticed a Galaxy Book Go 5G round – do word that those are other laptops. In addition to 5G, that style features a extra tough processor and a few different spec upgrades, so in flip instructions a miles upper worth. This style is 4G-only, so gained’t care for connections which are somewhat as rapid – however there’s nonetheless little to bitch about there.

There’s additionally Wi-Fi in fact (regardless that no longer the most recent Wi-Fi 6 or 6E requirements) and Bluetooth 5.1 to glue up headphones or different equipment.

Price and availability

The Galaxy Book Go is broadly to be had, and begins from £399/$349/€499. You should purchase it directly from Samsung, or from Amazon and different outlets.

It’s most probably a a lot more interesting choice in america, the place that worth is affordable sufficient to most likely make you fail to remember the efficiency issues – regardless that I’d nonetheless hesitate.

In the United Kingdom and Europe on the other hand, the fee seems like sunlight theft for what you’re getting. The efficiency merely isn’t just right sufficient, and rival laptops – each Windows and Chromebooks – conveniently outshine the Galaxy Book Go.

Check out our charts of the most efficient funds laptops and the most efficient Chromebooks for some higher choices round the similar worth – or the most efficient funds pc offers we now have discovered at this time to snatch an affordable pc even inexpensive.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Book Go would possibly have the benefit of a gorgeous sufficient design, various ports, and perks like very good battery existence and 4G connectivity, however its efficiency issues overshadow all of them.

All the ports on the planet don’t topic when a pc is that this gradual and irritating for elementary, on a regular basis duties, or even at a rather reasonably priced worth that is in reality a false financial system.

You’re a lot spending a bit of bit extra for higher efficiency somewhere else – or turning to a Chromebook for the cheap pc you gained’t wish to throw within the bin.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
• 14in FHD LED Display (1920 x 1080), Anti-Glare
• 4GB LPDDR4x Memory
• 128GB garage
• Stereo Speakers ( 1.5 W x 2 )
• Internal Digital Mic
• 720p HD Camera
• Bluetooth 5.1,
  Wi-Fi 5
• 4G LTE
• 2x USB Type-C
• 1x USB 2.0
• MicroSD Multi-media Card Reader
• 1 Headphone out/Mic-in Combo
• Nano Security Slot
• 42.3Wh battery
• 25W USB-C charger incorporated
• 324 x 225 x 15mm
• 1.38kg (3.04lbs)
• Windows 10/11 Home