Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE Review – Intel Core i5-1335U

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE is a mid-range laptop computer that goals to stability efficiency and affordability. With a value level of  £599 TTP however typically accessible at vital reductions, it competes immediately with different mid-range laptops from manufacturers like Acer, HP, Asus, and Dell. The important thing specs embody a 15.6″ Full HD show, Intel Core i5-1335U processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD.

Associated Critiques

Specification

Samsung Galaxy Book4 vs Galaxy Book3

Throughout my preliminary analysis into this laptop computer, it rapidly grew to become clear that the Samsung Galaxy Book4 is sort of similar to the Galaxy Book3.

So far as I can inform, the one distinction is that the Galaxy Book4 included a collapsable RJ4G port, which is a pleasant addition however hardly value branding it as a brand new mannequin.

Unboxing / Design

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE reveals a clear and minimalist design. The laptop computer is housed in a smooth gray chassis that feels sturdy and well-constructed. Its 1.57 kg weight makes it fairly moveable for a 15.6″ laptop computer, appropriate for college students and professionals who want to hold it between residence, workplace, or classroom.

The Galaxy Book4 FE presents a good collection of ports for a contemporary laptop computer:

• 1x USB-C port (with DisplayPort performance)
• 2x USB-A 3.2 ports
• 1x HDMI port
• 1x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
• 1x microSD card reader

The inclusion of a Gigabit Ethernet port is a notable function, particularly for customers who require steady wired web connections, which is more and more uncommon in fashionable laptops. The twin USB Kind-C ports and HDMI 1.4 be certain that connectivity choices are versatile, though the absence of Thunderbolt ports may be a downside for some customers in search of quicker knowledge switch speeds and extra connectivity choices.

Total, the construct high quality of this laptop computer is great, and it feels fairly gentle contemplating the scale.

Upgradability – Soldered RAM & WiFi Module

I purchased this laptop computer realizing that the spec was not satisfactory for my wants. I want 16GB of RAM as a result of quantity of apps I run on the similar time. I want way more storage, and I would like WiFi 7 so I can benefit from the elevated throughput from my Netgear Orbi RBE973 mesh system.

Frustratingly, as soon as I took the again panel off the laptop computer, I realised that each the RAM and WiFi module have been soldered and, due to this fact, not upgradable in any respect.

One saving grace is that Samsung has included a further M.2 slot. So you possibly can preserve the 256GB drive for the OS and simply add a further drive for extra storage.

Show

The 15.6″ Full HD PLS LCD show gives clear and vibrant visuals. The anti-glare coating is especially helpful for decreasing reflections and bettering visibility in brightly lit environments. The 60 Hz refresh fee is commonplace for many duties, although it could fall quick for these wanting into high-end gaming or extra demanding graphical purposes.

Keyboard & Trackpad

The Galaxy Book4 FE incorporates a full-sized keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is a welcome addition for customers who ceaselessly work with numbers. The keys provide a snug typing expertise with satisfactory journey and suggestions.

The keyboard lacks backlighting, which can be a downside for customers who typically work in low-light circumstances. This omission is considerably stunning given the laptop computer’s value level and goal market.

The touchpad is spacious and responsive, supporting multi-touch gestures for simple navigation. Its clean floor permits for exact cursor management, enhancing the general person expertise.

Efficiency

Powered by an Intel Core i5-1335U processor, the Galaxy Book4 FE delivers stable efficiency for on a regular basis computing duties. This Thirteenth-generation chip options 10 cores (2 efficiency cores and eight effectivity cores) and 12 threads, offering stability between efficiency and energy effectivity.

The laptop computer comes with 8GB of DDR4 RAM, which is ample for many customers’ multitasking wants. Nonetheless, energy customers or those that ceaselessly work with memory-intensive purposes could discover this quantity limiting.

Storage is dealt with by a 256GB NVMe SSD, providing fast boot occasions and quick utility loading. Whereas this capability could also be satisfactory for a lot of customers, these with giant media libraries or who work with giant information could have to depend on exterior storage or cloud options.

Wi-fi connectivity is dealt with by Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1, which is greater than satisfactory for many eventualities, however it’s lagging behind newer WiFI requirements. WiFi 7 is turning into more and more widespread, and this may obtain speeds of as much as round 2000Mbps from a single band vs round 800Mbps with WiFi 6.

Benchmarks

3DMark Time Spy

The 3DMark Time Spy point out that the CPU has loads of processing energy to your wants, however the GPU could be very poor. This isn’t a laptop computer that will be good for gaming.

• Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE – Intel Core i5-1335U:  1420 (CPU: 4257 GPU: 1271)
• Acer Swift Go 14 (2024): 3413 (CPU: 6261 GPU: 3160)
• Acer Swift Edge 16: 2856 (CPU: 6875 GPU: 2589)
• Acer Swift 5 2022: 1596 (CPU: 6212 GPU: 1411)
• Acer Aspire Vero: 1607 (CPU: 4493 GPU: 1444)
• Acer Swift 3X: 1890 (CPU: 4408 GPU: 1717)
• Matebook 13: 1276 (CPU: 2673 GPU: 1169)

PCMark

• Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE – Intel Core i5-1335U: 4830 (Necessities: 8681 Productiveness: 6498)
• Acer Swift Go 14 (2024): 6100 (Necessities: 8775 Productiveness: 7771)
• Acer Swift Edge 16: 4878 (Necessities: 8541Productivity: 7614)
• Acer Swift 5 2022: 4991 (Necessities: 8631 Productiveness: 6451 )
• Acer Aspire Vero: 5030 (Necessities: 9279 Productiveness: 6812 )
• Acer Swift 3X: 5014 (Necessities: 9468 Productiveness: 6846 )
• Matebook 13: 3970 (Necessities: 8759 Productiveness: 7224 )

3Dmark: Further Checks

• 3Dmark CPU Profile:
  • Max Threads: 2849
  • 16 Threads: 2618
  • 8 Threads: 2204
  • 4 Threads: 1739
  • 2 Threads: 1310
  • 1 Thread: 779
• Storage Benchmark: 1958
• Steal Nomad Gentle Rating: 2536

Geekbench

• GeekBench 5:
  • Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE – Intel Core i5-1335U: 1,610 (single-core); 6,623(multi-core)
  • Acer Swift Go 14: 1,575 (single-core); 11,384 (multi-core)
  • Acer Swift Edge 16: 1,858  (single-core); 7,704(multi-core)
  • Acer Swift 5 2022: 1,681 (single-core); 9,097 (multi-core)
  • Acer Swift 3X : 1,426 (single-core); 5,581 (multi-core)
• Geekbench 6:
  • Samsung Galaxy Book4 FE – Intel Core i5-1335U: 2,274 (single-core); 6,742(multi-core)
  • Acer Swift Go 14: 2,129 (single-core); 11,851 (multi-core)

For the 256GB PCIe SSD, you get respectable learn/write speeds of 3379MB/s and 1293/s.

Audio

The Galaxy Book4 FE options twin 1.5W audio system that ship satisfactory audio for a laptop computer on this value vary. The sound high quality is obvious for video calls and informal media consumption, however it lacks the depth and richness present in higher-end laptops.

The audio system are downward-firing, which may generally end in muffled sounds when the laptop computer is positioned on smooth surfaces. For the perfect audio expertise, exterior audio system or headphones are really helpful, particularly for listening to music or watching motion pictures.

Webcam and Microphone

The laptop computer is provided with a 720p HD webcam, which gives nearly acceptable video high quality for video calls and on-line conferences. Throughout one video name, I discovered the picture high quality fairly grainy, and the picture was a bit washed out, however it’s completely satisfactory for issues like Zoom or Groups calls.

The built-in microphone presents clear audio seize for voice calls and video conferencing. Noise-cancellation expertise helps scale back background noise, bettering the general name high quality.

Battery

The Galaxy Book4 FE is provided with a 54Wh battery, which Samsung claims can present as much as 12 hours of utilization. In real-world testing, the laptop computer manages to ship round 8-9 hours of mixed-use, together with internet shopping, doc enhancing, and media streaming.

This battery life is respectable for a laptop computer on this class and must be ample for a full day of labor or research for many customers. Nonetheless, energy customers or those that ceaselessly use resource-intensive purposes may have to hold the charger for longer durations away from an influence outlet.

The laptop computer helps quick charging via its USB-C port, which may replenish the battery comparatively rapidly. This function is especially helpful for customers who have to prime up their battery throughout quick breaks.

OS and Software program

The Galaxy Book4 FE comes pre-installed with Home windows 11 House, offering entry to the most recent options and safety updates from Microsoft.

Samsung additionally consists of its personal suite of software program, corresponding to Samsung Notes and Samsung Gallery, which may be significantly helpful for customers who personal different Samsung units.

The laptop computer helps Samsung’s ecosystem options, together with Fast Share for simple file switch between Samsung units and Second Display screen, which permits customers to make use of their Samsung pill as a further show.

Whereas these options add worth for Samsung ecosystem customers, some could discover the pre-installed software program pointless in the event that they don’t use different Samsung units.

Worth and Various Choices

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 is offered from Currys for £599.

On the time of writing, the Samsung retailer had a 40% low cost voucher (BOOK4), which took the worth down to simply £449.40. Very had the same low cost, taking it all the way down to £453.09 with the ten% voucher that was accessible on the time (VTQ9T).

Trying on Currys for related choices, there’s:

• Acer Aspire Vero AV15-53: £579
  • With 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB of storage, and WiFi 6E, however it weighs extra.
• HP Envy x360 15-fe0550sa 15.6″ 2 in 1 Laptop computer: £599
  • A convertible laptop computer with 8GB of DDR5 RAM and 512GB storage, 2x Thunderbolt ports and WiFI 6E
• Asus Vivobook S 15 S5504VA for £599
  • With 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 512GB storage, an OLED show, 1x Thunderbolt port, and Wi-Fi 6E
• Asus Vivobook 15 X1504ZA for £479
  • With 16GB of RAM, 1TB storage and WiFI 6E
• Dell Inspiron 14 5430 Laptop computer for £479
  • With a 14” 1920×1200 show, 8GB DDR5, 1TB storage, WiFi 6E and one thunderbolt port

Not one of the above choices have an Ethernet port just like the Samsung.

Total

On the full RRP, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 is of poor worth for cash, with loads of choices from respected manufacturers which have superior specs at a cheaper price level.

For a similar value because the RRP, you will get the Asus Vivobook S 15 S5504VA, which has a superior OLED show, 16GB of RAM, which can be quicker than DDR5, double the storage, WiFi 6E and superior connectivity due to the Thunderbolt port.

For a a lot cheaper price level, there’s the Dell Inspiron 14, which has a smaller show however 1920×1200. Then 8GB DDR5, 1TB storage, superior WiFi and this additionally has a Thunderbolt port.

Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Ebook 4 seems to be accessible with vital reductions semi-regularly. At £449.40, the laptop computer is way more interesting, and I might say that’s the most value this laptop computer must be and even then among the different choices nonetheless look extra interesting.

I used to be very dissatisfied on the soldered RAM and WiFi module, however these have gotten more and more widespread, and I think many of the different choices can be related.

The Samsung laptop computer does have some good options. I like the best way Samsung combine different Samsung units seamlessly with the laptop computer. I usually use Home windows Telephone Hyperlink on my PC, however the Samsung options are higher ultimately. I’m significantly keen on having the ability to copy and paste between units.

Whereas the £449.40 value should be a contact excessive, I feel the general efficiency for the worth you pay is sweet. That is no gaming laptop computer, however I discovered it carried out nicely in all my regular work. I don’t do something too demanding, however I’m a heavy multi-tasker, and even with the restricted 8GB of RAM, it carried out nicely.

Total, I wouldn’t advocate this on the full RRP, however I feel it’s a good laptop computer at £450 and it could make an ideal laptop computer for college students or anybody needing a piece laptop computer.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Enthusiastic about all issues expertise, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cell, wearables, and good residence units.

As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related expertise, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My various pursuits permit me to deliver a novel perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the most recent tech traits.

In my educational pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Techniques Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior research additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the expertise curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has persistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many prime expertise blogs within the UK. With my dedication to expertise and drive to share my insights, I purpose to proceed offering my readers with participating and informative content material.