Taking advantage of Microsoft’s avowed focus on security with Windows 11, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro and Book2 Pro 360 are both bringing enterprise security to everyone. While not much has changed in terms of looks in the second generation, the devices stay true to their thin and light profile while featuring the expected suite of hardware upgrades.
Both devices weigh under 2 kg and can be purchased with either a 13.3″ or 15.6″ FHD display (AMOLED on the Book2 Pro, Super AMOLED on the Book2 Pro 360) — on the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, that display is attached to a 360-degree hinge that turns it into a tablet (and has S Pen stylus features to match). Internally, both are packing 12th Gen Intel Core processors with up to 32 GB of RAM. Storage onboard can max out to 1 TB.
That all makes these devices your typical go-to highly mobile devices, just in time for it to be maybe, just maybe, OK to work out of coffee shops again. And, if you’re going back to playing the sketchy public Wi-Fi game, you might just be interested in the new security features in both devices.
Debuting as the first consumer PCs to meet Microsoft’s secured-core PC requirements, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro and Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 are able to provide enterprise-level security and protection, the likes usually found in devices marketed to folks in finance, healthcare, and government. The anti-hacking chops are rooted in hardware improvements that Windows 11 makes full use of, so at they very least, hackers are going to have a much tougher time ruining your day.
Perhaps more practical is a Private Share feature that uses blockchain technology to allow you to share sensitive documents while keeping them read-only if necessary, and preserving your ability to verify the contents of the documents as they get passed around to more people.
Going back to Wi-Fi, if your favorite coffee shop decided to upgrade their router, you’ll be set to take advantage of it — both devices have Wi-Fi 6e connectivity built in. Hard to say how many folks out there actually have Wi-Fi 6e routers to take advantage of that, but if nothing else, you’ll be all set for years down the road when they’re a little more commonplace. Wi-Fi 6e uses 6 GHz frequency, like 5G, to provide much faster upload and download speeds, albeit at the cost of range.
And, while they’re Windows 11 PCs, they’re still Galaxy devices, and that means they’re part of the ecosystem. Getting the devices on your Samsung account allows for easier data transfer from an old device, easier pairing with accessories like Galaxy Buds, and syncing with services like Samsung Gallery and Samsung Notes. As with many Galaxy devices, you can also use either the Galaxy Book2 Pro or Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 as a control hub for smart home devices connected to Samsung SmartThings.
Like with most laptops and 2-in-1s we saw coming out of CES 2022, there’s a lot of video call features here, too. Samsung is now using 1080p webcams on both models, both with wider angle lenses. On the processing side, tracking enables the camera to shift to keep you in the center of the frame if you’re doing a walk and talk, and the device can blur out the background and help make look you a little more camera-ready, although in 2022, I think maybe a lot of us are past trying too hard to look our best for Zoom.
On the audio side, the speakers are supported by AKG and Dolby Atmos processing tech, while the microphones are paired with AI-based noise cancellation to help better block out background noise during calls.
The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro and Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 are both available for preorder on March 18 and will be in stores April 1. They will be priced at $1,050 and $1,250 respectively, and there will also be a lower-spec model of the 360 without the Pro designation priced at $900 and only available with a 13.3″ display.