The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is still a few weeks out, but Samsung is getting the jump with the refreshed Notebook 9 Pen in both 13 and 15-inch editions. The laptops are not slated to hit until sometime in early 2019, but you can learn what's new starting today.
The Notebook 9 Pen carries on Samsung's existing PC design language – modest, sleek, and modern – with some refreshed hardware while also keeping system weight down.
As the name implies the Notebook 9 Pen ships with an improved Samsung S Pen, which is slotted in the device much like its Galaxy Note 9 phone (it's even yellow). The company is also throwing in a three-month trial of the Myscript Nebo app from the Microsoft Store (opens in new tab), which is an excellent inking program. Samsung claims that new S Pen has a reduced latency of up to 2x from the previous model.
The more significant changes with the Notebook 9 Pen for 2019 are (as you can guess) the processor. Samsung is opting for 8th generation Intel Core i7 ones although the exact models were not detailed (likely quad-core 15W "Whiskey Lake").
| Category | Notebook 9 Pen 13 | Notebook 9 Pen 15 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home |
| Display | 13.3" Full HD | 15.0" Full HD |
| Processor | 8th Gen Intel Core i7 | 8th Gen Intel Core i7 |
| Storage (SSD) | PCIe NVMe SSD | PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Memory | 8GB or 16GB LPDDR3 RAM | 8GB or 16GB LPDDR3 RAM |
| Graphics | Intel Graphics UHD 620 | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB) |
| Front camera | HD IR Camera | HD IR Camera |
| Security | Facial and fingerprint recognition | Facial and fingerprint recognition |
| Speakers | AKG stereo speakers with ThunderAmp | AKG stereo speakers with ThunderAmp |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 3 (2) USB-C (1) HP/MIC UFS & microSD Combo | Thunderbolt 3 (2) USB-C (1) HP/MIC UFS & microSD Combo |
| Keyboard | Backlit | Backlit |
| Pen | S Pen built in | S Pen built in |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Color | Vibrant ocean blue | Vibrant ocean blue |
| Weight | 2.47lbs 1.12kg | 3.44lbs 1.56kg |
| Dimensions | 307.9 X 206.2 X 14.9 — 15.9 mm | 347.9 X 229.1 X 16.9 mm |
The 15-inch Notebook 9 Pen also features a modest NVIDIA GeForce MX150 with 2GB of video memory – a common GPU to make up for the lack of an Intel Iris Plus option.
Other nice features include dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, Gigabit Wi-Fi, and narrower display bezels for the full HD screens.
There's also for the first-time support for Windows Hello via facial recognition instead of just a fingerprint reader (both are included here).
Compared to the last version of the Notebook 9 Pen the 2019-edition is thinner, sleeker, more colorful, and packs much more modern I/O.
As to pricing, well, Samsung is not revealing that just yet as well as specifics for configuration options but they usually start around $1,299. And, like usual, these laptops will only be available in the United States when they launch sometime in early 2019. We're sure to catch them, and other Samsung devices at CES for a hands-on so stay tuned for that.