[Interview] Form Follows Function: The Value of Galaxy Book Series’ Design

Samsung’s designers share how they created three unique designs for three unique devices.

From the Galaxy Book Flex, featuring the first QLED display with a 360-degree hinge, to the Galaxy Book Ion’s multifaceted coloration and the Galaxy Book S’s network connection support even without Wi-Fi, the Galaxy Book Series is equipped with a range of multifaceted design options to meet the needs of all users.

(From left) Dongseok Lee, Haesung Park, Hoyoung Seoc and WonJoon Shin, the designers and product planners of the Galaxy Book series

Given that aesthetic and functionality considerations are both important factors in product design, the designers of Galaxy Book Series undertook extensive deliberation in order to maximize each device’s advantages while eliminating all unnecessary elements so as to focus on each product’s core offering. Samsung Newsroom sat down with designers from Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Business to hear more about the development process behind designing the Galaxy Book Series.

Ultra-Light, Ultra-Solid and Ultra-Innovative

(Clockwise from left) Galaxy Book Flex Royal Blue, Galaxy Book Flex Royal Silver, Galaxy Book Ion Aura Silver

The design concept behind the Galaxy Book Flex and the Galaxy Book Ion is one of solidity, a concept executed through the devices’ shape and sturdy design that brings out the functionality that is at the core of the two devices. The Book Flex and Book Ion’s designs mark a bold transformation from existing curved designs, with this new look being characterized by a straight rectangular shape, unified material choices and compact detailing.

However, given that the Galaxy Book Flex features a display equipped with a 360-degree hinge, realizing this sturdy and compact design aesthetic was not an easy feat. In order to preserve the device’s design and ensure the smooth rotation of the screen, the collision of connecting surfaces had to be avoided by the design team, who also had to come up with a way to minimize the gaps between surfaces.

“A device that features a rotating screen as well as straight rectangular sides makes for a conflicting design concept,” explained Dongseok Lee, the designer of the Galaxy Book Flex. “There were numerous areas we had to innovate in in order to realize its design. We shortened the diameter of the 360-degree hinge to minimize any interference with other surfaces on the device and managed to ensure a high-quality user experience by halving the gap between the connecting sides of the screen and the laptop body.”

A great deal of effort also went in to realizing the design aesthetic of the Galaxy Book Ion. The majority of the device is built with magnesium to ensure both lightness and solidity. “Compared to aluminum, the main material used for the Galaxy Book Flex, magnesium is much lighter but still has the same sense of solidness, meaning that the Galaxy Book Ion weighs only 970g¹,” noted Hoyoung Seoc, the designer of the Galaxy Book Ion. “We fashioned the body of the device with magnesium, and then applied oxide coating to enhance its solidity and finished it with pearl paint, which shifts color under different lighting angles to provide an aura effect.

In order to further provide users with a singular laptop experience, the designers applied an unusual royal blue shade to the device. “We reinterpreted the signature blue color of Samsung into a color with high chroma in order to capture the attention of younger, more trend-conscious consumers,” noted product planner WonJoon Shin. “Royal blue was a color favored by the royal families of Europe, so we chose this color also to provide our users with a sense of regality.”

Galaxy Book Flex Royal Blue (left), Galaxy Book Ion Aura Silver

“We also applied this blue shade to the hinge of the Galaxy Book Ion,” added Seoc. “Nano films with different reflectivity patterns on the device, too, mean that it shines with a diverse range of colors.”

A Design that Integrates Into Everyday Life

Galaxy Book S Earthy Gold

The Galaxy Book S is a new type of computing device that integrates the advantages of both mobile devices and PCs. “Since the Galaxy Book S provides users with internet connectivity even without Wi-Fi, our main task was to create a design that would blend seamlessly into users’ day-to-day lives,” said Haesung Park, one of the designers of the Galaxy Book S. This led to the selection of earthy gold and mercury gray hues for the device’s main colors.

“We carefully combined pigments to generate shades that would blend well with surrounding environments, whether it be a café, a park bench or an airport lounge,” explained Park. “Depending on the environment where the laptop is being used, the perception of colors can change; earthy gold can also look either pink or brown depending on the tone and color of users' surrounding, for example. We anticipate users will enjoy using the laptop for a long time and look forward to seeing how the market responds to the Galaxy Book S’s timeless aesthetic.”

Another key feature of Galaxy Book S is its impressive compactness. In order to highlight its portability, all the edges of the Galaxy Book S are carefully fabricated to give the device a thin and light look. “We visited the factory along with the developer of the Galaxy Book S and had many discussions around how to successfully manufacture the product to the highest possible quality,” noted Park. “We even ended up extending our stay to change the original manufacturing process in order to ensure the high-level design quality we stand for.”

Designing a User-Oriented Laptop

A side-view look at an open Galaxy Book Ion

“As more and more people are transporting their digital devices with them whilst working, personal laptops have become more than just IT devices,” said Seoc. “They have found their way into our daily lives as a personal item.”

The important role laptops now play led the design team to put in every effort to ensure the Galaxy Book Series offers utmost user convenience. Both the Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion are equipped with a lattice keyboard, a keyboard that is 10% wider than those seen on conventional laptops, to enhance typing accuracy. Furthermore, the Galaxy Book Ion has been designed with a slight lift to the underside of the device when opened at a certain angle so that users can use the keyboard with more stability. “In the case of the Galaxy Book Ion, the hinge features an empty space below it in order to promote better airflow around the device,” explained Shin.

Despite their considerable journey to completing the latest Galaxy PC devices, the designers are already looking ahead to designing the next Galaxy Book Series. “The development of any product is completed by the user,” affirmed Lee. “Our goal is always to provide a flawless quality and user experience to our users as well to provide innovative technologies that can help them be as productive as possible.”

¹Samsung Galaxy Book Ion 13.3”. The weight may vary according to mounted components or manufacturing conditions