Samsung revealed on Wednesday, December 13, the latest refresh of its Samsung Notebook 9 family slated for 2018 in North America. There will be three units in the refresh along with a new 2-in-1 labeled as the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen. This model will include Samsung’s S Pen and sport a 13.3-inch screen, while the refreshed Notebooks 9 units will consist of a 13.3-inch model, and two 15-inch models.
According to Samsung, all four units rely on Intel’s eighth-generation Core i7 processors with integrated graphics. But one of the 15-inch models will ship with a discrete GeForce MX150 graphics chip built for laptops, promising four times better performance than integrated graphics. This chip is good for running PC games on medium detail settings, and at a 720p resolution.
First, let’s dig into the hardware specifics:
| Notebook 9 13 | Notebook 9 Pen 13 | Notebook 9 15 | |
| Screen size: | 13.3 inches | 13.3 inches | 15 inches |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Color space: | sRGB 95 percent | sRGB 95 percent | sRGB 95 percent |
| Max brightness: | 500 nits | 450 nits | 450 nits |
| Hinge: | 180 degrees | 360 degrees | 180 degrees |
| Processor: | Intel 8th Gen Core i7 | Intel 8th Gen Core i7 | Intel 8th Gen Core i7 |
| Graphics: | Integrated | Integrated | Integrated GeForce MX150 |
| Memory: | Up to 16GB DDR4 | Up to 16GB DDR4 | Up to 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage: | Up to 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD |
Up to 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD |
Up to 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD |
| Audio: | 2x 1.5-watt speakers | 2x 1.5-watt speakers | 2x 1.5-watt speakers |
| Camera(s): | 720p | 720p, infrared | 720p |
| Connectivity: | Wireless AC Bluetooth 4.1 |
Wireless AC Bluetooth 4.1 |
Wireless AC Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Ports: | 1x USB-C (Gen1) 2x USB-A (Gen1) 1x HDMI 1x uSD card slot 1x Audio jack |
1x USB-C (Gen1) 1x USB-A (Gen1) 1x HDMI 1x uSD card slot 1x Audio jack |
1x Thunderbolt 3 2x USB-A (Gen1) 1x HDMI 1x uSD card slot 1x Audio jack |
| Battery: | 75WHr | 39WHr | 75WHr |
| Dimensions: (inches) |
12.18 x 8.18 x 0.58 | 12.22 x 8.13 x 0.57/0.64 | 13.69 x 9.03 x 0.60 |
| Weight: | 2.19 pounds | 2.19 pounds | 2.84 pounds |
| Security: | Fingerprint scanner | Fingerprint scanner | Fingerprint scanner |
| Color: | Titan Silver Crush White |
Light Titan | Titan Silver Crush White |
The Samsung Notebook 9 Pen version provides a built-in holder for the S Pen peripheral. Once its removed, Samsung’s Air Command utility automatically launches on the notebook, providing access to Autodesk Sketchbook, Samsung Notes, and other S Pen shortcuts.
Meanwhile, all four models are based on a premium magnesium aluminum alloy called Metal12. It’s supposedly lighter than aluminum, but durable enough to withstand everyday use. The bezel surrounding all four Notebook 9 screens measures just 0.244 inches thin, providing more viewing area and less frame.
The notebooks provide up to 16GB of system memory, PCI Express-based NVMe SSDs, HDMI output, and fingerprint scanners. The 15-inch models add a Thunderbolt 3 port while the S Pen-based unit includes an infrared camera for facial recognition. In turn, the benefits of using the S Pen means the 2-in-1 has a smaller battery than its pen-free 13.3-inch clamshell brother.
All four Samsung Notebook 9 models will hit Korea in December followed by a launch in North America in the first quarter of 2018. Samsung has yet to provide pricing, but we’ll likely find out more during the CES technology show in Las Vegas in early January.
