Samsung Chromebook 15.6" Galaxy Chromebook Plus 15.6” Neptune Blue Review
This Chromebook offers a fantastic OLED screen and every port you could want, but its slow processor and low RAM make it a niche pick.
Overview
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus 15.6" is a weird one. It's got a killer OLED screen and a port selection that beats 99% of laptops out there, but it's powered by an Intel Core 3 processor that lands in the 19th percentile for CPU performance. You're looking at a machine that's fantastic for watching movies and plugging in all your gear, but you shouldn't expect it to keep up with heavier tasks.
Performance
Let's be clear about what this is. That Intel Core 3 CPU and 8GB of RAM put it in the bottom 20% for raw power. It's fine for web browsing, streaming, and basic Chrome OS apps, but you'll feel it slow down if you push it. The GPU is right at the median, so don't even think about gaming. The star here is the screen. That 15.6" 1080p OLED panel is bright at 400 nits and sits in the 70th percentile for display quality. It makes everything look great, which is perfect because this thing scores a 29/100 for entertainment. It's a media machine, not a workhorse.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Port selection is elite, ranking in the 99th percentile with Thunderbolt, three USB-A ports, and HDMI. 100th
- The 15.6" OLED screen is beautiful and ranks in the 70th percentile for display quality. 97th
- It's surprisingly light for a 15.6" laptop at just 1.17kg. 75th
- Build reliability is solid, scoring in the 76th percentile. 71th
- The backlit keyboard is a nice touch for a Chromebook.
Cons
- CPU performance is weak, sitting in the 19th percentile. 21th
- Only 8GB of RAM, which ranks in the 18th percentile, limits multitasking. 29th
- Storage is small at 256GB UFS, landing in the 12th percentile.
- Gaming performance is abysmal, scoring a 7.5/100.
- Battery life is an unknown, which is never a good sign.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core 3 Series 1 |
| Cores | 6 |
| Frequency | 1.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | Intel Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 8 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Storage Type | UFS |
Display
| Size | 15.6" |
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
| Panel | OLED |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 400 nits |
Connectivity
| USB-C Ports | 2 |
| USB Ports | 3 |
| Thunderbolt | 0 |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
Physical
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.6 lbs |
| OS | Chrome OS |
Value & Pricing
At $750, this Chromebook asks a lot for what you get. You're paying a premium for that OLED screen and excellent port selection, but you're getting bottom-tier specs for CPU, RAM, and storage. For the same money, you could find Windows laptops or even other Chromebooks with much better performance. The value really depends on how much you prize that screen over everything else.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to something like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you lose the dual-screen versatility and get far less power. Against a base MacBook Pro, you're in a completely different, much slower league. Even compared to other Chromebooks, the specs here are underwhelming for the price. The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s, while more expensive, offers professional-grade performance and build. This Samsung's only clear wins are its screen and ports against most competitors.
Verdict
I can only recommend this Galaxy Chromebook Plus if your needs are very specific. You need a big, beautiful OLED screen for media consumption, you absolutely require every port under the sun, and you don't plan to do anything more demanding than stream videos and browse the web. For anyone else, the weak core specs at this price make it a hard sell. Look at more balanced Chromebooks or step up to a budget Windows laptop for better all-around performance.