The Galaxy Book 3 Ultra, a powerful 16-inch laptop that competes directly with Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro for creatives and gamers, is the highest model in Samsung’s new 2023 laptop series.
A laptop with the name Ultra obviously isn’t inexpensive; it starts at $2,200, which is roughly the same price as Windows 11 competitors from Dell and Razer but a little less than Apple’s best models.
In contrast to frequently flamboyant gaming PCs, the Ultra has an appearance that is remarkably similar to Samsung’s other minimalist Galaxy Book laptops from recent years, only larger. With a weight of 1.78kg, which is significantly less than most of the competition and surprisingly thin and light for a 16-inch laptop, it isn’t noticeably heavier than many smaller computers.
The breathtakingly gorgeous 16-inch 3K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate is the star of the show. One of the nicest screens I’ve ever seen, with deep blacks, incredible contrast, and true colors that almost seem to jump off the screen. The LCD-based MacBook Pro handily outshines it with its blistering brightness, but its peak brightness of roughly 500nits for HDR content is comparable to OLED competition and unquestionably bright enough to look fantastic.
A large, excellent keyboard with reliable typing and a fingerprint scanner built into the power button is located below the screen. Gamers might want more comments, but the writing was superb. It boasts a 1080p webcam with different tricks like auto-panning and blur effects at the top of the screen, although it is not the best in its class. The four speakers are quite immersive for a laptop, and the mics are excellent.
Specifications
- Screen: 16in 3K AMOLED 2880 x 1800 (120Hz; 201 PPI)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H or i9-13900H (13th gen)
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX4050 (6GB) or 4070 (8GB) laptop GPU
- RAM: 16 or 32GB
- Storage: 512GB or 1TB
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- Camera: 1080P
- Connectivity: wifi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, headphones, microSD, HDMI2.0
- Dimensions: 355.4 x 250.4 x 16.5mm
- Weight: 1.79kg
The Ultra is available in a small choice of configurations that vary by country, including models with an Intel Core i7-13700H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX4050 graphics card, or a Core i9-13900H and RTX4070 at the top.
The Ultra is a very powerful device, as you might expect given the technology, and it consistently outperforms Apple’s best laptop and gaming systems in a variety of tests. With 1080p resolution and strong graphics settings, it can create high frame rates in a variety of demanding games, which look wonderful on the gorgeous screen. However, since the laptop’s base gets quite warm, I wouldn’t recommend using it for gaming on a lap. For creative applications, it also expertly manages tough activities like transcoding, complicated picture and video editing, and other demanding duties.
However, it can only operate at full capacity when plugged in and in high performance mode. That is characteristic of the type of PC hardware it contains, but not for Apple’s rival.
Compared to some laptops that sound like hairdryers, the Ultra’s fans manage to remain reasonably quiet even while operating at full speed. It operates essentially silently during more routine daily productivity work, which is really welcomed.
With a balanced workload of browsing, video calls, and writing, the battery life for productivity lasts around seven hours, which isn’t quite enough for a workday. Under heavy loads, it holds up better than the competitors, pushing out just under three hours. Using the supplied 100W power adaptor, a full charge takes roughly 75 minutes.
Sustainability
The battery’s estimated lifespan is not specified by Samsung, although it should withstand more than 500 full recharge cycles with at least 80% of its initial capacity.
The laptop is typically repairable but cannot be upgraded. Prices vary depending on the situation. The laptop’s case is made of recycled plastic. For some outdated devices, Samsung offers trade-in and recycling programs. The corporation does not disclose impact analyses for specific goods, only annual sustainability reports.
Windows 11 + Samsung
The Ultra comes pre-installed with a wide variety of Samsung apps and utilities and runs Windows 11 out of the box. In general, it went off without a hitch.
Many of the 22 Samsung programs that are included may never be used, so you can uninstall them without risk. However, some, like the fast settings tool, are really helpful and let you quickly and easily alter system settings, performance modes, screen modes, and other things.
The majority of them can connect to and sync content with other Samsung devices, which is useful if you already own a current Galaxy phone or any of the company’s peripherals, such earbuds. For instance, you can operate a Samsung phone using the laptop’s keyboard and mouse.
Given that this is a power-user system, some of the other tools, like the Intel connectivity performance suite, provide you far more control over the hardware inside the laptop.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is the first laptop from Samsung to truly compete with Apple’s large MacBook Pro on an equal footing, offering the sheer power, premium construction, and gorgeous screen that both creatives and gamers need.
It is a truly remarkable computer that can function as a good gaming setup at the end of the day in addition to performing significant photo and video editing tasks throughout the day without looking out of place. Few devices can do it as well as this one, especially in a body that is as small and light as a 16-inch laptop.
Although the big trackpad and the keyboard are excellent for writing, gamers would like a little more input. Even though it is reasonably priced for this kind of gadget, it is still incredibly pricey. It could use a battery with more productivity.
The Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is right up there with the top options for individuals searching for a Windows alternative to a 16-inch MacBook Pro for creative work or a more covert gaming PC they can bring to the workplace when necessary.
