The Notebook 9 Pen aspires to be Samsung’s version of a MacBook, with a pricey, potent mix of components powering some unique app experiences. But its bland, plasticky exterior will probably suggest a Chromebook instead, though with an iconic S-Pen stylus that’s always ready to jot a quick note.
It’s a difficult dichotomy for this 13.3-inch, 360-degree convertible to reconcile, made even more challenging by the Notebook 9 Pen’s MSRP: $1,400. To be fair, we’ve recently seen it for $100 or so less on some sites. Unless you love Samsung’s S-Pen, though, the Notebook 9 Pen is vulnerable to like-priced (or cheaper) competition.
Still, you may consider some of its weaknesses to be strengths. For example, Samsung manufactured the entire chassis out of a special custom magnesium alloy, with the look, weight and feel of plastic. Yet the light 2.14-pound weight (just under 2.5 pounds with the charger) is something your shoulders will appreciate when you carry this laptop in your bag. Likewise, we don’t consider its numerous customizable settings and apps to be truly useful, though they offer a degree of configurability its competition lacks.
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