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Samsung's Galaxy Book Flex gets 5G and Intel's 11th Gen Core
- Samsung has unveiled a 5G version of its Galaxy Book Flex 2-in-1 laptop.
- The convertible also gets Intel’s 11th Gen Core and a 13MP rear-facing camera.
- Pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet.
Samsung had a lot to reveal for IFA 2020, but it wasn’t quite done after the deluge of phones and tablets.
The tech firm has introduced a 5G version of its Galaxy Book Flex that will keep the 2-in-1 laptop online wherever you go — when it’s safer to travel, anyway. This is Samsung’s first 5G-equipped notebook.
It’s a significant upgrade even if you stay at home. The new Flex is one of the first laptops using Intel’s 11th Gen Core processors, which promise significant leaps in performance without compromising on battery life. Samsung didn’t outline the exact processors in use, but they’ll be higher-end Core i5 and i7 models with Intel’s speedier Xe integrated graphics. You can also expect Thunderbolt 4 support.
The new Flex also adds a 13MP rear-facing camera. It’s pitched as ideal for taking photos of notes and recipes without reaching for your phone, but it should also be helpful for video chats where you want to share more than your face. A “720p” front-facing camera is still in place.
This is also one of the first laptops to earn Intel’s Evo badge, the successor to Project Athena. On top of the specs, the Evo label guarantees at least nine hours of battery life with a 1080p screen, waking from sleep in less than a second, responsiveness on battery power, and fast charging that provides up to four hours of extra runtime in less than 30 minutes.
The system is otherwise much like the Galaxy Book Flex you remember, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The 13.3-inch system boasts an S Pen (with the latest version of Samsung Notes), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to a 512GB solid-state drive. It’s light for a laptop at just under 2.8lbs, although that puts it on the heavier side for tablets.
Samsung hasn’t detailed where the Flex 5G will ship or how much it costs, although you can safely presume it will carry a premium over standard models. Given how few 5G laptops (let alone convertibles) are on the market, though, that extra cost might be justifiable if you expect to be away from Wi-Fi in the future.