One of the great promises of modern times is that – in theory – it should be possible to work anywhere. Whether you’re working from a coffee shop in Manhattan or connecting to a business Zoom call from the beach in Bali, as long as you have your laptop handy, you can get some serious work done. That’s the theory anyway.
In reality, our laptops may be underpowered, slow to respond, and no longer able to do everything we demand from our technology today. If you haven’t upgraded in a few years, now could be a good time to pick up something new, with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 series – a collection of laptops designed to meet the demands of life in 2024 comply.
Here’s our guide to the laptop trends that make a difference, whether you’re processing data, editing videos or relaxing after a hard day’s work by turning on a game.
Thinner, faster, quieter
The most striking thing about modern laptops is how slim they are. Even compared to models from just a few years ago, the latest devices manage to squeeze more power and storage into an increasingly smaller aluminum frame. And the chips inside are also becoming more powerful.
The 14-inch version of the Galaxy Book4 Pro, for example, is just 11.6mm thick – barely wider than the USB ports on the edge. And its big brother, the 16-inch Book4 Ultra, is just 16.5mm thick and still manages to pack in a full NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, meaning you can game anywhere as if you were on a console or a computer. desktop pc.
Incredible screens
When we think about screens, we often only think about technological leaps in terms of physical size or perhaps the leap to HD and Ultra-HD. But the truth is that screen technology has improved on many other levels. Take the Galaxy Book4 Pro and Ultra models. They each pack in a 16-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen. This means it’s ultra-thin, as AMOLED pixels generate their own light so doesn’t require a backlight, and it’s ultra-sharp and vibrant with incredible color accuracy.
Perhaps what makes the displays truly impressive is that they are intelligent, meaning they will respond to lighting conditions and subtly adjust the colors on the screen to suit the environment you are in. So whether you’re in a dark room or in sunlight, the screen will appear bright and visible – without straining your eyes.
Flexible shape
Not all work is best accomplished with a mouse pointer and keyboard. Sometimes we need to take notes, sketch a diagram or use a highlighter. And it’s for these reasons that many modern laptops embrace flexibility – literally.
For example, on the Galaxy Book4 360 and its Pro counterpart, you can use it in clamshell mode just like a regular laptop. When you’re working on a report or working through your emails, that’s what you need. But what about when you need to read through that huge PDF or brainstorm with your colleagues over lunch?
To do this comfortably, you don’t need any other device. You can simply pull the screen back so it wraps around the back of the keyboard and use the Galaxy Book4 360 in tablet mode. The screen has touch controls, allowing you to scroll with your fingers. And when you want to take notes, simply take out your S Pen stylus and scribble on the screen.
The AI revolution
As ChatGPT, Bard, and other tools have made clear, AI is changing everything we thought we knew about how computers work. And this is why in the Galaxy Book4 series, Samsung has chosen to build in Intel Core Ultra processors as the brains of the operation within the Ultra and Pro series.
What makes these new chips special is that they are the company’s first with a dedicated ‘neural processing unit’ – or NPU – specifically designed to handle AI workloads. And this is important, because AI tasks place very different computing demands on a system than traditional calculations. And this is what you need if you want to take advantage of the latest features.
In the most recent update to Windows, Microsoft added a new AI companion, “Copilot,” which is like having an assistant that helps you throughout your computer. You can ask it to display personalized searches, generate images, compose text and messages, or even help you plan a vacation.
There are also other apps that benefit from AI. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, Adobe has built generative AI tools right into Photoshop1to make it easier to remove backgrounds, change details, or even generate new images from scratch.
But crucially, to make all these functions work quickly and effectively, you need the computing power, not just in the cloud, but locally in the machine on your lap. And this is something that only the latest chips, such as the Intel Core Ultra processors, can handle. So if you want to join the AI revolution, you need a new machine.
Everything about the ecosystem
A great team is capable of more than the sum of its parts – and the same goes for our digital devices. Whether we’re taking photos with a phone or preparing documents on our PCs, we want to have access to our apps, media and our files wherever we are and whatever device we’re using.
That’s why the latest trend goes beyond the laptop – and is about making your laptop no longer just about working in isolation. What makes it really special is that it can work as part of a team and exchange the data you need so you can use and access it anywhere.
If you have a Galaxy Book4 series laptop and a Samsung Galaxy phone in your pocket, you only need two apps to take advantage of the mobile connectivity. Microsoft Phone Link lets you mirror apps to your laptop and transfer files between the two. And you can even handle your phone notifications on your computer, without having to pick up your phone2.3.
And even better: Samsung has also just launched a Samsung Phone app, which connects your phone and Book4 even more closely. Once installed, you can take calls from your phone directly on your PC2.4 – or even use your phone’s high-quality camera as a webcam2,3,5. It all means that when that important call comes in while you’re working on the beach in Bali, you don’t have to reach for your phone because you can record it on your laptop. Don’t let your boss completely realize how much you’re living your best life.
Fascinated? You can start your digital nomad journey with the Samsung Galaxy Book4 series at samsung.com/uk/galaxy-book
© Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other names and marks may be claimed as the property of others.
AI features may require additional software purchase, subscription, or activation through a software or platform provider, or may have specific configuration or compatibility requirements. Details op intel.com/performanceindex. Results may vary.
1 Adobe subscription required.
2 Galaxy smartphone with One UI 1.0 or later required.
3 Microsoft account required.
4 Samsung account required.
5 Position available in March.