Samsung’s Galaxy Book range has been considered one of the perfect MacBook alternatives thanks to its portability and versatile character. Last year’s Galaxy Book 4 Pro 360 even won our in-house NDTV Gadgets 360 awards in the Best 2-in-1 laptop category. This year, Samsung has taken the all-new Galaxy Book 5 series a step further by incorporating Galaxy AI features into the mix.
The range comes in three SKUs – Galaxy Book 5 Pro, Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360, and Galaxy Book 5 360 – all packing Intel’s Lunar Lake processor. Talking about the prices, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 1,31,990, while the cost of the Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 model starts at Rs. 1,55,990. The Galaxy Book 5 360, the cheapest in the range, launched at a starting price of Rs. 1,14,990.
I got the Galaxy Book 5 Pro for this review. And what do you get out of the box? A reliable package that should suit all work demands and packs in an excellent display and decent speaker setup for your multimedia needs. But does it beat others in the same price segment? Let me answer that in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro Design and Display: Designed for everyday productivity
- Weight – 1.23 KG (14-inch)
- Thickness – 11.6mm
- Screen resolution – 2880×1800 pixels WQXGA+ AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate
The Galaxy Book 5 Pro is Samsung’s latest offering in the premium, thin-and-light category. At 1.23 kilograms, the 14-inch machine is lightweight, prioritising mobility for target consumers. Measuring just 11.6mm, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro can slip into some of the smallest backpacks. It comes in a single Grey colour option, and it is minimalistic in design. It should be loved by those who love muted colours.
The laptop weighs 1.23 kilograms
The retail box includes a Type-C to C cable alongside a charging adapter, and I appreciated the overall packaging of the Galaxy Book 5 Pro due to its understated branding. At first glance, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro feels like a premium laptop and means business. The lid is easy to open with just one hand, and the metal finish provides a solid feel. Compared to the 16-inch version of the Galaxy Book 5 Pro, the 14-inch is way easier for portability and on-the-go tasks. While reviewing the laptop, I had the opportunity to use it while on the move in the Delhi metro, and it was easy to handle during the commute.
The hinge feels solid as well and doesn’t wobble while typing. Overall, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro (non-360-degree) model has been designed with work professionals in mind, and it doesn’t disappoint.
One of the reasons people would prefer this laptop is its display. The 14-inch 3K AMOLED display is top-notch and flagship-grade. Samsung is known for its displays, and the Galaxy Book 5 Pro doesn’t disappoint either. The display supports touch, which is an added advantage at this price point – a feature that’s missing in the entire MacBook lineup. To top it off, Samsung has added a 120Hz refresh rate, making the display on the Galaxy Book 5 Pro ideal for multimedia. It also has an anti-reflective coating, which means using it under direct sunlight will be smooth. The panel is bright, the text appears sharp, and colours pop – making the Galaxy Book 5 Pro an ideal choice for binge-watching or browsing the internet for your work assignments. The bezels around the display, though, are still same as Galaxy Book 4 Pro.
At 11.6mm, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro is slim
Long story short, if you’re in the market for a laptop that offers a solid design and uncompromising display quality, then look no further than the Galaxy Book 5 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro Keyboard, Touchpad, speakers, and webcam
- Keyboard – Full-size with numeric key (Backlit keyboard)
- Touchpad – Clickpad
- Speakers – Quad Speakers (woofer max 5 Wx2 and tweeter 3.3Wx2) with Dolby Atmos
- Webcam – 2-megapixel (1080p FHD) camera, Internal dual array digital mic
Moving on to the keyboard experience, the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro features a full-size keyboard on the 14-inch model. The 16-inch model, on the other hand, offers a number pad to the right of the keyboard, thanks to the additional real estate. It provides a white backlight that can be adjusted and even turned off. For typing, the keyboard feels nice thanks to good key travel, although it isn’t as good as some of the thicker models available on the market. For example, Lenovo’s ThinkPad models pack a better keyboard.
The trackpad area is huge, and there’s enough area to rest your palm while typing. The trackpad is nice, offering quick action and not getting in the way of typing – extra brownie points for this.
The 14-inch model gets an AMOLED 3K display with a 120Hz refresh rate
Samsung says that the Galaxy Book 5 Pro features a quad-speaker setup, which is sufficient for streaming or watching videos on YouTube in a medium-sized room. It also features Dolby Atmos, which is reassuring. However, due to the laptop’s slim profile, the audio output lacks bass, although it is loud, and I had no issues with clarity. I guess manufacturers have to compromise on some aspects in order to keep devices slim.
Talking about the webcam, the 2-megapixel camera is decent for work calls, and you also get additional tools from Samsung to enhance the quality. I wish Samsung offered a physical shutter to disable the webcam – it could have been a neat addition for privacy. It is one of the best webcams available in this price bracket and is significantly better than what Macs offer at the same price.
The microphone on the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro is great for meetings and can handle ambient noise in the background.
The laptop is available in a single Grey colour option in India
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro Performance: Matches everyday needs
- Processor – Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor (Series 2)
- RAM and storage – 16GB RAM and 512GB
- Supports Copilot (Dedicated key)
- Graphic – Intel Arc 140V GPU (8GB)
- Ports – 1xHDMI 2.1, 2xThunderbolt 4, 1xUSB3.2, MicroSD Multi-media Card Reader, and 1xHeadphone out/Mic-in Combo
The Galaxy Book 5 Pro is an ideal everyday companion, meaning it can withstand all that you throw at it related to your workflows, whether it’s multitasking, multiple tabs in the browser, a bit of Photoshop editing, or more such tasks. The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) processors are renowned for their task mastery for these purposes.
The laptop gets a Copilot+PC experience
However, the moment you try graphic-intensive AAA titles, you see the Galaxy Book 5 Pro stuttering and struggling to catch its breath. This one is not strictly made for gaming purposes. The laptop can handle light games, but the moment you try loading AAA titles onto it, you will see how quickly the laptop gets warm, and even the fan noise becomes audible.
I tested the Galaxy Book Pro using our suite of synthetic benchmarks, and here’s how it performed.
| Benchmark | Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro | Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition | Asus Zenbook S 16 (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 Single Core | 1457 | 1850 | 1917 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi Core | 10233 | 10467 | 15,776 |
| Geekbench 6 Single Core | 2876 | 2690 | 2,712 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi Core | 11898 | 11119 | 12732 |
| PC Mark 10 | 7345 | 7253 | 4451 |
| 3DMark Night Raid | 32983 | 33860 | 27,358 |
| 3DMark CPU Profile | 6023 | 5861 | 7,446 |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad Light | 3456 | 3227 | 3,287 |
| CrystalDiskMark | 6081.22 MB/s (Read)/ 4233.32 MB/s (Write) | 6151.16 MB/s (Read)/ 4662.65 MB/s (Write) | 5066.63 MB/s (Read)/ 3609.52 MB/s (Write) |
Apart from regular tasks, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro also excels in functions that you can continue from your Galaxy smartphone. Yes, the seamless connection enhances the overall workflow when in the same ecosystem. Features like Multi Control, which enables drag-and-drop functionality across your Galaxy smartphone and laptop, Quick Share, AI Select, and File and Call Syncing make the Book 5 Pro a true everyday companion. Most of the AI features are gimmicky and won’t be something you will use often. The AI Select is a Circle to Search-inspired feature for your laptop, enabling search with a single click. Photo Remaster, on the other hand, uses AI to enhance images when enabled.
If you’re already using a high-end Samsung Galaxy device, it’s much better to opt for the Book 5 Pro, as it offers numerous continuity features on the laptop. The Samsung Settings app on the Book 5 Pro will remind you of the One UI Settings screen on your Galaxy phone. Familiar toggles and options make it great for everyday use. If you don’t have a Galaxy smartphone, then you will miss out on most of these features. In that case, you can only use features like Phone Link, which allows you to mirror your screen and receive notifications from your phone. The battery setting in the Samsung Settings screen enables battery protection and allows you to set the charging stop at 80%. You can also choose modes on the same settings page, including High Performance, Optimised, Quiet, and Silent.
The Galaxy Book 5 Pro comes with a decent number of connectivity ports, so you shouldn’t feel a lack of them. The fingerprint scanner on the power button is quick, and it is one of the most reliable biometrics we have used on a laptop in a long time.
The laptop gets a quad speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support
Overall, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro is an ideal work machine for all your professional needs, and you can bet on it.
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro Battery: Decent, at most
- Capacity – 63.1Wh (Li-ion)
- Charger – Fast charging adapter (included in the box)
The 14-inch model packs a 63.1Wh battery that lasts 6-8 hours at max. It’s good enough to get you through your entire work shift, and that’s not bad. However, when compared to the Mac with Apple silicon then, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro lags behind.
However, the addition of a fast-charging adapter means that the Galaxy Book 5 Pro can charge from 0 to 60% in under 60 minutes, which is impressive. In multiple charging tests I conducted, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro managed to charge up to 35% in less than 30 minutes. The Galaxy Book 5 Pro takes approximately 80-90 minutes to fully charge, according to my internal tests. A bonus is that the charging adapter is lightweight and not a hefty brick, which is usually the case with laptops in this price bracket.
The Galaxy Book 5 Pro gets a full-size keyboard
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro Review: Verdict
The Galaxy Book 5 Pro is a great work laptop for all your professional needs. It is even an excellent pick for students working on assignments related to their studies. The laptop offers a great combination of a solid build and an impressive display, while the Intel Lunar Lake processor will not let you down in everyday tasks.
However, if you’re into gaming, then look elsewhere, as the Galaxy Book 5 Pro has its limitations, and gaming is its biggest Achilles’ heel. It is currently retailing at as low as Rs. 126,990, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro is an excellent Windows 11 machine for those looking for Mac alternatives. It ticks all the right boxes and emerges as a laptop designed for users who are always on the go. The battery life isn’t the Galaxy Book 5 Pro’s biggest strength, but it’s not a deal breaker in any way.
For those already in the Galaxy ecosystem, the addition of the Galaxy Book 5 Pro will be a bonus, and you will love the continuity features. For alternatives, you can consider the 15-inch MacBook Air, available at Rs. 124,900, or the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i, available at Rs. 125,000 running Windows 11.
