Delightfully Light: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro & Galaxy Book Pro 360 Design Story

In order to match today’s lifestyles, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro lineup were designed to be used comfortably and enjoyably for as long as a user requires.

A laptop is essentially instilled with values of portability. Usability without constraints in space is the intrinsic feature and purpose of laptops. In the New Normal era where work, hobbies, and interaction are mainly performed online, highly portable laptops have become as necessary as smartphones in daily lives.

By observing these changes in trends and society, designers at Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics enhanced laptop mobility and refined its shape and design to suit the new lifestyle. Weight and thickness were reduced for better portability, and colors and materials were selected to leave only the essence behind. The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 were built with a design that allows frequent use and a longer life cycle to have more significance in a user’s everyday life.

* The images shown is for illustration purpose only and may differ from the actual product. Product specifications may vary by country, region, and model.

A Smarter Way to Be Minimal
Laptops should be capable of free transport. It should not cause discomfort when carried throughout the day and available for usage at any moment. Designers of the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 have prioritized lightweight design, minimizing the weight and thickness of the laptop. Technical limitations have been improved to maintain high performance while being thin and light. The details in design have also been enhanced to feature an overall slim and flat appearance. Once again, the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 redefines the identity of the laptop with an even thinner and lighter design.

Effortlessly Portable
The challenge was to maintain battery power, computing performance, and durability while reducing weight and thickness. AMOLED panels and new battery packs were applied, processing techniques to prevent poor durability were implemented, and the internal design structure was appropriately modified to accommodate the changes. As a result, the 13-inch Galaxy Book Pro 360 is only 11.5mm thin and the 13-inch Galaxy Book Pro weighs as less as 868g. Both laptops can be held easily with one hand, are highly portable, and fit perfectly in your bag.

Slimmer Yet Sturdier
The more refined and simpler the appearance, the higher the degree of completion. To include every detail with a thinner design, designers have elaborately polished the model by minimizing the gap between each component. Aluminum and magnesium materials were used, and their processing methods have been enhanced to reduce even more weight. The utmost effort was put into finding the appropriate thickness and securing the unique durability and luxurious look of metal. In collaboration with the engineering team, Samsung designers tested countless samples and reinforced rigidity each time to delicately elevate the overall quality and integrity of the product.

The Art of Reduction
The lightweight feature does not only apply to the laptop itself. Designers considered the behavior of users carrying chargers with the laptops and have redesigned the laptop’s peripherals and package as well. Each accessory, including the charger and cable, was newly designed to reduce its size and weight. The method of storing the adapter, mouse, and laptop has been modified to allow storing them in a single layer instead of stacking each component in multiple layers. As a result, the package size has been reduced by approximately 39% for the 13-inch model and 32% for the 15-inch model compared to the previous Pro 360 series.

Designer Comments

1. What is the identity of the laptop you want to emphasize through this design.
Youngmi Shin A design that allows users to experience the quality of being slim and light. Portability has always been an important factor in laptops and is now a greater necessity as digital lifestyles evolve and diversify. Under this circumstance, the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 centered on the design concept of ‘Incomparable Slim’.

2. How is the concept of ‘Incomparable Slim’ implemented in the design.
Hoyoung Seoc Besides the important aspects, everything was rearranged as concisely as possible. The top is flattened, gaps between each component are minimized, and the body is trimmed with the port untouched. The power key and the fingerprint sensor have been integrated for better visibility and simpler use.

3. What was the key to achieving a breakthrough in weight reduction.
Dongseok Lee The key was to increase performance and level of completion while reducing size and weight. We tried making the characteristics of slim and lightweight products more effective in design by overcoming technical limitations of the past, including component changes and processing methods.

Thoughts on Timelessness
Laptops usually have a longer life cycle than smartphones. Designers regarded durability as an intrinsic value of the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 since users do not often replace laptops. Colors that are not likely to become obsolete over time were studied and observed from the user’s perspective, and the keyboard layout and size were carefully considered for long-lasting comfort.

Enduring Colors
Timeless values can withstand the test of time and always have meaning in the present. Designers of the Galaxy Book Pro have chosen a timeless color family for users to experience the opulence of the product that stay relevant and resonant throughout the course of time. Lightweight and slim design concepts were expressed while the sensibility and gloss of metal materials were implemented. Allowing many variations, the classic Mystic Color of the Galaxy Book Pro Series was constructed with these concepts.

Harmonious Combinations
The Galaxy Book Pro 360 embodies a heavy color scheme to correspond with its premium design that links the exterior and interior in a single color. Mystic Navy is sturdy and neutral, Mystic Silver best reveals its original metallic aspect, and Mystic Bronze is robust and emotional.

The Galaxy Book Pro is lighter and more casual with a slightly mixed white color that adds brightness. The two-tone concept was implemented by combining Mystic Blue, Textured Silver, and Mystic Pink Gold with the solid black and white colors in the bottom area. The combination of the top and bottom with different tones contributes to weight reduction in terms of functionality and visually emits a thin, light silhouette.

Better Usability
A product should first be convenient to be comfortably used for a long time. Like a tablet, the Galaxy Book Pro 360 can be drawn on, written on, and operated with the S Pen. Exactly 1.4 times longer and 2.5 times thicker than the previous model, the S Pen has a firm grip feel and a wider touch pad that induces a more natural interaction. The power button and fingerprint sensor have been integrated, while the shift key area has been widened in the user’s favor.

Designer Comments

1. What meaning is captured in the Mystic Color Series.
Yoojin Kim I chose a color that is stylish, timeless, and always pleasing to the eye. Since the product lasts a long period after being purchased, we focused on choosing a color that can deliver consistent emotions and highlight the beauty of the metal (AL) material by expressing optimal brightness and tone.

2. The Galaxy Book Pro 360 and Galaxy Book Pro have different colors in the same series. Is this because of the difference in materials.
Minyeong Jeong There are differences in materials because the aspects of the two products are fundamentally different. Since the Galaxy Book Pro 360 is a premium model, the material and color are solid and heavy. The Galaxy Book Pro, which is lighter, is brighter in color and finished in magnesium.

3. What is the experience delivered by the package that corresponds with the ‘Incomparable Slim’ concept.
Hyeryoung Lee The front of the package is shown first when users unbox it. I wanted users to tangibly experience the slimness and lightness of the product. We also modified the inner layout and components to reduce the general size and weight of the package to capture the values of ‘reduction’ across the spectrum of product.

The significant values of durability and free usability in modern laptops have been incorporated into the design of the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360. Products designed to fulfill their purposes can naturally permeate into the daily lives of users to enhance convenience and broaden experiences. The burden in our daily lives is lightened, and joyful moments last longer. Samsung Electronics will continue to create designs based on deep understanding of the nature of products as a way to thoughtfully cater to today’s users and lifestyles.

* You can find more details at Samsung Design.