Samsung has announced that its latest Galaxy Book S is now available to purchase. It’s the first device to offer Intel’s new “Core processors with Intel Hybrid Technology.” Previous Galaxy Book S models have run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform.
The new Intel processors (referred to as “Lakefield”) are designed to power ultralight devices; we’re also expecting to see them in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold and the dual-screen Surface Neo. They’re essentially Intel’s answer to ARM.
The way these things work is that Intel combines one powerful core with four lower-power cores (for a total of five cores and five threads) on a single die. That allows smaller devices to offer a multithread-capable structure without requiring a hefty amount of power or decimating battery life.
Intel debuted two 7W Lakefield chips to start: the Core i5-L16G7 and the Core i3-L13G4. Both chips share architecture with the Ice Lake generation and include Intel’s Gen 11 integrated graphics and support for Wi-Fi 6. The Galaxy Book S comes with the i5.
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The Galaxy Book S is meant to be used on the go. It’s just over two pounds and 0.7 inches at its thickest point. There’s a specific Outdoor Mode that boosts the screen up to 600 nits of brightness. Samsung claims the 42Wh battery will deliver “long-lasting” juice. The US model is Wi-Fi only, but LTE will be available in other markets.
The Intel Galaxy Book S starts at $949.99. It’s available on Samsung’s website and Best Buy.
