Samsung refreshes its Notebook 9 laptops for 2018, adds model supporting S Pen

Samsung revealed on Wednesday, December 13, the latest refresh of its Samsung Notebook 9 family slated for 2018 in North America. There will be three units in the refresh along with a new 2-in-1 labeled as the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen. This model will include Samsung’s S Pen and sport a 13.3-inch screen, while the refreshed Notebooks 9 units will consist of a 13.3-inch model, and two 15-inch models.

According to Samsung, all four units rely on Intel’s eighth-generation Core i7 processors with integrated graphics. But one of the 15-inch models will ship with a discrete GeForce MX150 graphics chip built for laptops, promising four times better performance than integrated graphics. This chip is good for running PC games on medium detail settings, and at a 720p resolution.

First, let’s dig into the hardware specifics:

Notebook 9 13
Notebook 9 Pen 13
Notebook 9 15
Screen size:
13.3 inches
13.3 inches
15 inches
Resolution:
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
Color space:
sRGB 95 percent
sRGB 95 percent
sRGB 95 percent
Max brightness:
500 nits
450 nits
450 nits
Hinge:
180 degrees
360 degrees
180 degrees
Processor:
Intel 8th Gen Core i7
Intel 8th Gen Core i7
Intel 8th Gen Core i7
Graphics:
Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
GeForce MX150
Memory:
Up to 16GB DDR4
Up to 16GB DDR4
Up to 16GB DDR4
Storage:
Up to 1TB
NVMe PCIe SSD
Up to 512GB
NVMe PCIe SSD
Up to 1TB
NVMe PCIe SSD
Audio:
2x 1.5-watt speakers
2x 1.5-watt speakers
2x 1.5-watt speakers
Camera(s):
720p
720p, infrared
720p
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
1x USB-C (Gen1)
2x USB-A (Gen1)
1x HDMI
1x uSD card slot
1x Audio jack
1x USB-C (Gen1)
1x USB-A (Gen1)
1x HDMI
1x uSD card slot
1x Audio jack
1x Thunderbolt 3
2x USB-A (Gen1)
1x HDMI
1x uSD card slot
1x Audio jack
Battery:
75WHr
39WHr
75WHr

Dimensions: (inches)

12.18 x 8.18 x 0.58
12.22 x 8.13 x 0.57/0.64
13.69 x 9.03 x 0.60
Weight:
2.19 pounds
2.19 pounds
2.84 pounds
Security:
Fingerprint scanner
Fingerprint scanner
Fingerprint scanner
Color:
Titan Silver
Crush White
Light Titan
Titan Silver
Crush White

The Samsung Notebook 9 Pen version provides a built-in holder for the S Pen peripheral. Once its removed, Samsung’s Air Command utility automatically launches on the notebook, providing access to Autodesk Sketchbook, Samsung Notes, and other S Pen shortcuts.

Meanwhile, all four models are based on a premium magnesium aluminum alloy called Metal12. It’s supposedly lighter than aluminum, but durable enough to withstand everyday use. The bezel surrounding all four Notebook 9 screens measures just 0.244 inches thin, providing more viewing area and less frame.

The notebooks provide up to 16GB of system memory, PCI Express-based NVMe SSDs, HDMI output, and fingerprint scanners. The 15-inch models add a Thunderbolt 3 port while the S Pen-based unit includes an infrared camera for facial recognition. In turn, the benefits of using the S Pen means the 2-in-1 has a smaller battery than its pen-free 13.3-inch clamshell brother.

All four Samsung Notebook 9 models will hit Korea in December followed by a launch in North America in the first quarter of 2018. Samsung has yet to provide pricing, but we’ll likely find out more during the CES 2018 technology show in Las Vegas in early January.

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