I haven’t been on the bleeding edge of technology for a while, but here we are on the precipice ready to fall off. This afternoon, UPS delivered Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, which I ordered on May 20, 2024, when Microsoft and its OEM partners announced ARM-based Windows laptops packing Qualcomm chips.
Oh, I will review this beastie, and for a couple reasons: I am heavily invested in the Samsung ecosystem, and Qualcomm is a local company (here in San Diego). Out-of-box experience: Outstanding. Display: Superb. Keyboard: Tactile and responsive (contrary to reports from some professional reviewers). Performance: Sportscar, compared to my Surface Laptop Studio. Battery: Too soon to say. Trackpad (okay, so far, but needs more use). Applications: I will let you know about native vs non-native.
Galaxy Book4 Edge is a compromise. I was reluctant to acquire a laptop with only 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. My soon-to-be-retired Studio packs 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD—and there is discrete Nvidia graphics (GeForce RTX 3050 Ti). But other benefits matter, if realized as promised—such as overall smoother performance; larger display (16inches) with higher resolution (2880 x 1800) and better panel (AMOLED); longer battery life; Samsung device interoperability; and promised Galaxy AI and Copilot capabilities.
Another reason for choosing the Edge: Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100, which is the top-performer for this release cycle, and I couldn’t find the chip on any of the other OEM laptops or Microsoft’s.
Fittingly, I used Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to quickly capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f1.7, ISO 160, 1/60 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 8:37 p.m. PDT. Composed as shot; no edits.
Oh, yes, I wrote this post on the new laptop. Okay, that’s a wrap.