UPDATED 15:19 EDT / OCTOBER 18 2018

APPS

Samsung debuts the Galaxy Book2, a new challenger to Microsoft’s Surface Pro

Fresh off the Galaxy Note 9 launch event, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today unveiled another addition to its mobile lineup that directly challenges Microsoft Corp.’s Surface Pro.

The Galaxy Book2 is a Windows two-in-one that functions as a tablet on its own and can be turned into a laptop using accessories included in the box. The peripherals include an adjustable, hinged kickstand similar to the one Microsoft offers for the Surface Pro, a detachable keyboard and the same S Pen that Samsung ships with the Note 9.

The Galaxy Book2 sports a 12-inch display that provides a 2160-by-1440-pixel resolution with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Samsung has included a 5-megapixel camera above the screen and another 8-megapixel unit at the back, along with a rear fingerprint reader. The sensor gives users the option of logging in with the Windows Hello biometric authentication feature.

Samsung’s decision to support the capability should appeal to enterprise users, a group that also happens to be a key target audience for the Surface Pro. Another detail that should catch the attention of corporate buyers is that the Galaxy Book2 comes with Windows S Mode enabled by default. S Mode is a feature that limits users to downloading software from the Windows Store and their companies’ internal app catalogs, which can reduce the risk of malware infections.

The Galaxy Book2 is powered by a Snapdragon 850 chip, a more powerful variation of the Qualcomm Inc. processor inside the Note 9. It’s paired with 4 gigabytes of memory, 128 gigabytes of storage and a “multi-workday” battery that Samsung said enables the machine to last up to 20 hours on a single charge.

Samsung will make the Galaxy Book2 available on Nov. 2 for $999. That’s 10 percent pricier than the base model of the latest Surface Pro 6, which Microsoft unveiled at an event earlier this month. The company also introduced new iterations of the Surface Laptop and Surface Studio, a desktop powered by an Intel Corp. Core i7 processor.

Photo: Samsung

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