Samsung today (June 3) unveiled the Galaxy Book Go, an inexpensive ARM-based laptop that promises to deliver good battery life and optional 5G connectivity in a slim 3-pound package.
The Galaxy Book Go is the latest entry in Samsung's Galaxy Book line of laptops, which spans the gamut of modern ultraportables. While other Galaxy Books offer beefier components, better displays, and tablet functionality, none can match the Galaxy Book Go in one key metric: price.
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Samsung's new ARM-based Galaxy Book is clearly aimed at kids, students, and anyone who needs a cheap laptop for light work. That said, here's what we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Book Go.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Price and availability
Samsung released the Galaxy Book Go on June 10 in the U.S. via its website, with a starting price of $349.
The company also plans to release a version with 5G connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G, later this year for an as-yet undisclosed price.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Specs
| Starting price | $349 |
| Display | 14-inch TFT, 1920 x 1080 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno GPU |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB (eUFS) |
| RAM | 4GB, 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Ports | USB Type-C (2), USB 2.0 (1), 3.5pi Headphone/Mic, MicroSD, Nano SIM, Nano Security slot |
| Webcam | 720p |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5, 802.11 ac 2x2, Bluetooth v5.1 |
| Battery | 42.3Wh (up to 18 hours advertised battery life) |
| Dimensions | 12.7 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches |
| Weight | 3 pounds |
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Design
The Samsung Galaxy Book Go appears to have a pretty simple design, with a thin profile (just 0.6 inches thick) and a uniform silver finish on all models.
The 14-inch 1080p display looks to have some sizable bezels on the top and bottom, with more appealing thinner bezels flanking it on either side. The hinge beneath it allows for 180-degree extension, meaning you can push the screen all the way down until the laptop lays flat and open on the table. The laptop's speakers are built with Dolby Atmos technology, so you should expect decent audio quality to boot.
Samsung claims to have designed the Go with durability in mind, subjecting it to MIL-STD-810G tests to make sure it stands up to high temp, low temp, thermal shock, vibration, low pressure, and humidity, so it should stand up to wear and tear pretty well.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform powering the Samsung Galaxy Book Go isn't exactly known for beastly performance. So don't order this laptop with the expectation of playing the latest games.
However, if you just need something to browse the web, watch movies, and do some light office work, the Galaxy Book's Snapdragon 7c should be more than up to the challenge.
The big selling point of these Snapdragon chips is battery life: they're designed to provide long-lasting performance, and Samsung claims the Galaxy Book Go can offer up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Of course, manufacturer's battery life claims rarely hold up under real-world conditions; we'll have to get one in for testing ourselves before we can say for sure how much battery life you should expect from the Galaxy Book Go.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Display
The 14-inch TFT display built into the Galaxy Book Go should be good enough for daily use, as it's capable of delivering 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, it's a far cry from the AMOLED displays on the Galaxy Book Pro and the Galaxy Book Pro 360, two more expensive laptops in Samsung's Galaxy Book lineup.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Ports
The Galaxy Book Go offers a reasonable selection of ports, including a throwback USB 2.0 port for hooking up older accessories.
You'll find that USB 2.0 port on the right side, alongside a USB-C port and a nano SIM slot (only on the 5G version). Along the left side you'll find another USB-C port, a headphone/mic jack, and a microSD card reader.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go: Outlook
The Galaxy Book Go is the cheapest entry in Samsung's 2021 lineup of Galaxy Book laptops, and with a starting price of $349 it's shaping up to be a competitive option for kids and students seeking low-powered, durable laptops for school.
Of course, if you don't mind the comparatively low power and performance of the Snapdragon chip driving the Galaxy Book, it could be a great choice for those in need of a laptop for light work and web browsing. If you already own some of Samsung's other Galaxy hardware, you may also appreciate the Galaxy Book Go's built-in apps for sharing sharing files, screens, and in some cases even calls and notifications from other Galaxy devices.
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