Last year, I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a 2-in-1 laptop that comes with a stylus and features an AI-boosted Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor.
Since doing the review, I’ve really liked using this laptop for both work and personal use. So, when I was at CES 2025 and saw that Samsung was releasing the Galaxy Book5 Pro, I knew I had to be the one to review it.
As denoted by the lack of “360” in the title, the Galaxy Book5 Pro is not a 2-in-1, and it does not come with a stylus. However, it’s still very slim and comes with an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor. After spending several days using it for work, I can say it is a great AI PC laptop. Here’s why I recommend it.
Rebecca has been reviewing laptops for a few years now and always runs each device through a gauntlet of benchmark testing to see how it compares against other options out there.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Samsung. Samsung had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Pricing and specifications
- This laptop qualifies as not only an AI PC laptop but also as a Copilot+ PC.
- It reached store shelves in February 2025 and has a starting MSRP of $1,649.99.
- Value rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Reviewed configuration
• Price: $1,649.99 at Best Buy
• Display: 16-inch WQXGA+ AMOLED Display (2880 x 1800), touch screen, 120Hz
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (8 cores, 8 threads, up to 4.8 GHz)
• GPU: Intel Arc (8 cores)
• NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPS)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X @ 2,133MHz (Soldered)
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
• Ports: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x microSD card reader, 1x headphone jack
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Battery: 76Whr, 65W USB Type-C fast charging
• Dimensions: 5.2 (W) x 35.5 (D) x 1.27cm (H) (9.86 x 13.99 x 0.49 in)
• Weight: 1.56 kg (3.44 lbs)
The specific Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro configuration I received features a 16-inch AMOLED touchscreen that can reach up to a 2880 x 1800 resolution and houses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU (central processing unit), Intel Arc integrated GPU (graphics processing unit), 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD. This is a very thin AI laptop despite its 16-inch touchscreen. Samsung also offers this laptop with a 14-inch AMOLED touchscreen and your choice of 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD, 16GB + 1TB SSD, or 32GB RAM + 1TB SSD.
It is both a Copilot+ PC as well as an AI PC laptop due to the fact that it has a Copilot button as well as an AI CPU complete with an NPU (neural processing unit) that can reach more than 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second).
You can purchase this AI PC laptop from Samsung, Best Buy, or other major retailers. More than likely, these laptops will eventually also get listed on Amazon sometime down the road. It has an MSRP of $1,649.99 at Best Buy. If you want to save some money, the 14-inch AMOLED with Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD sells for $1,349.99 at Best Buy. This is a bit pricier than some similarly configured competitors by about $200 to $300.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: What’s in the box?
In addition to the laptop itself, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro comes with a couple of manuals, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and an outlet adapter.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Design and build quality
- This laptop has an elegant and durable design that looks good in any location.
- There is a healthy range of ports for connecting displays and accessories, but it’s a little harder to insert and eject a microSD card.
- Design rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Almost everything that I’ve previously said about the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 applies to the Galaxy Book5 Pro. They both feature an elegant metal casing that’s imbued with sophistication and class. I also love how the display bezel is rounded at the corners, providing a subtle stylishness to the panel. Whether you’re in a formal or casual setting, this laptop will look good and fit in.
Image 1 of 2
Port-wise, there is a good selection at your disposal for connecting accessories and displays. On the right side, you’ll find an HDMI port and two USB-C ports. These latter two can be used for charging or display purposes. Meanwhile, the left side of the laptop has a microSD card reader, a USB-A port, and a headphone jack.
During my previous Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 review, I noted that it was a little harder than usual to insert and eject microSD cards. Unfortunately, the same is true of this model. Rather than just pushing it in and out with my fingertip, I need to use my nail or something with a thin end, like a stylus. It’s not the worst thing, but something to be aware of.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Display quality
- This 16-inch, OLED display does very well in all metrics.
- It offers a great color gamut, high resolution, decent brightness, and good contrast.
- Display rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
While working on projects in Adobe Photoshop, streaming movies, and just going about my day-to-day usage, it was easy to see that the 16-inch OLED touchscreen offers an amazing viewing experience. It’s very responsive to fingertips, too.
Not just wanting to leave this display analysis to anecdotal observations, I also pulled out a colorimeter and ran a few tests on the screen. In a color gamut test, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro display produced 100% of sRGB, 96% of AdobeRGB, and 100% of P3 — a fantastic result and one that’s expected for an OLED panel.
| Setting | Brightness | Black | Contrast | White point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 3.9 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 7200 (0.305,0.311) |
| 25% | 28.9 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 7200 (0.305,0.311) |
| 50% | 93.9 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 7100 (0.306,0.311) |
| 75% | 222.0 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 7200 (0.305,0.310) |
| 100% | 411.5 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 7300 (0.303,0.310) |
After the color gamut test, I ran a brightness and contrast test, which is how I know that the screen gets very dim (around 4 nits) on 0% and decently bright with max brightness going higher than 400 nits. Some OLEDs don’t get very bright, so this is a good range with respectable brightness increases between percentage settings.
Since this is an OLED display, it produces true black, which turns black pixels off entirely. This allows colors near black pixels to really pop in comparison and helps provide better detail and contrast in imagery. It looks really impressive in person.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Performance and thermals
Image 1 of 8
- This laptop runs well, with no throttling or overheating issues.
- While not the most powerful laptop out there, it can easily handle day-to-day office work, creative programs, and even some gaming.
- Performance rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The latest batches of Intel-powered AI PC have the newer Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, which tend to have much higher NPU performance over Series 1 processors. Regardless of what tests I ran, the Galaxy Book5 Pro’s Ultra 7 256V scored better than the 360’s Ultra 7 228V that I previously tested.
To start things off, I ran the Geekbench 6 CPU test, in which the Book5 Pro earned a single-core score of 2,682 and a multi-core score of 10,886. Then, I ran Cinebench R24 to check the CPU’s rendering abilities to which it got a single-core score of 121 and a multi-core score of 597. These scores are very similar to other Ultra 7 256V devices we’ve tested, which is what we want to see.
Since this is an NPU-toting CPU, I also ran a couple of Procyon tests. In the Intel OpenVINO NPU test, the laptop got a score of 985, which was the second-highest score we’ve seen so far, and only trailed ASUS Zenbook S 14 by one point, so that’s very good. After that, I also ran the Windows ML benchmark in Procyon. Interestingly enough, this is the highest Ultra Series 2 score we’ve seen so far, but several Series 1 devices outscore it.
Moving onto the Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, I ran 3DMark Time Spy to see how it performs. Now, this is not an overly powerful gaming processor, but the GPU got a very respectable 4,411 score, which is the highest Arc 140V score we’ve seen so far. In other words, while not an intensive laptop, it does offer a solid GPU for work, school, or home use. It’s more than capable of handling creative programs like Photoshop.
Because the laptop handled graphics tests so well, I decided to download Cyberpunk 2077 on it and run the in-game benchmark. To my surprise, the Galaxy Book5 Pro managed to produce an average of 33 FPS (frames per second) at the low preset graphics settings. This isn’t amazing, but it meets the 30 FPS standard for console gaming, which is respectable.
From here, I used CrystalDiskMark to analyze the Book5 Pro’s SSD transfer speeds. It got a read speed of 5,053 MB/s and a write speed of 3,586 MB/s. This isn’t a horrible result, but it is slower than the Galaxy Book4 Ultra and Galaxy Book3 Pro. I also had the laptop transcode a 4K version of Tears of Steel in Handbrake. The process took 3,092 seconds, which is a little on the longer side. Still, it was nowhere near the slowest device we’ve tested.
To wrap up my analysis, I ran CrossMark to check overall system performance. In this test, the laptop got a score of 1,700, which is basically the same score that the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 received but otherwise higher than any other Samsung Galaxy Book laptop we’ve ever tested.
In the end, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro isn’t the most powerful AI PC out there, but it is very respectable and can easily handle day-to-day workloads and creative programs with ease.
Thermals and fan noise
Image 1 of 4
Even when running more CPU-stressing programs, the Galaxy Book5 Pro manages to keep rather quiet. While sitting in front of the laptop with my decibel meter, the loudest I ever heard it get was 41.2 dB, not very loud at all.
As for its cooling abilities, the Book5 Pro keeps itself at a good temperature without throttling the system. When I took pictures using my thermal camera, I found that the hottest areas were the usual suspects — the back vents, which peaked at 113 degrees F (45 degrees C), and the area above the keyboard, which peaked at 110 degrees F (~43 degrees C). Again, this isn’t very warm, and it never felt overly hot to the touch.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Battery experience
- This AI PC laptop has excellent battery life that lasts longer than a workday.
- You can expect around 15-18 hours of real-world usage.
- Battery rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Samsung states that the Galaxy Book5 Pro’s battery life can last up to 25 hours. To test this, I used the laptop on battery power for a few workdays in a row and then ran a Windows 11 battery report.
When the screen is set to around 200 nits, the laptop typically lasts up to 17 hours and 44 minutes while performing basic tasks like surfing the web, typing up documents, and streaming shows.
I also ran the gaming PCMark 10 battery life test, which stresses the GPU as if I’m playing a video game. In this test, the laptop only lasted about three hours and minutes, which is typical when running more demanding programs. In the end, if you’re using this laptop for basic programs and workloads, it will easily last longer than a workday before needing to be charged back up.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Keyboard and touchpad
Image 1 of 2
- The touchpad is large and makes it easy to navigate around the screen.
- The keyboard has short travel distance, and so it might not feel good to everyone.
- Keyboard & touchpad rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While the touchpad is large and makes display navigation easy on this laptop, the keyboard is a bit more divisive. Let’s talk about the good first.
There are plenty of helpful function keys along the top row as well as a Copilot button near the arrow keys, which quickly brings up Microsoft’s AI assistant. These controls and functions are all very responsive and don’t make me wait long. I also love that there’s a full number pad at my disposal, making it easier for me to enter numerical data into spreadsheets or documents.
Additionally, the power button in the upper right corner doubles as a fingerprint reader. I set up this biometric login method when I first booted up the laptop, and it has always worked without issue. I definitely prefer its faster method compared to a PIN login.
The one way that this keyboard might fall short for you, quite literally, is with travel distance. This was also an issue that I brought up in my Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 review. Basically, the keys don’t move very far when pressed down. I’m a rather quick and confident typist, but in my own experience, this keyboard makes it harder for me to type the right letters and know that my fingers are in the right places. But this might not be the case for everyone. That said, the longer I spend using it, the more I adapt to the keyboard.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Everything else
- This laptop’s camera, mic, and speakers are all decent.
- It features the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to keep up with your connection needs.
- Other hardware rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While they don’t offer the very best experience ever, you’ll easily be able to participate in video calls and enjoy listening to music with this laptop’s speakers, webcam, and microphone. Unlike the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, the Pro’s webcam didn’t capture overly saturated images, and they are decently crisp, too.
You’ll want to note that there is no physical camera shutter, only a digital button for enabling or disabling the webcam. What’s more, this laptop does not support Windows Hello face recognition. So, you’ll only be able to use PIN and fingerprint login methods.
The speakers point down beneath the laptop allowing sounds to bounce off of any surface that the Galaxy Book5 Pro is placed on. They can get relatively loud and have decent audio quality. As usual, if you want a more full listening experience, you might want to use one of the best PC headsets.
Connectivity-wise, the Galaxy Book5 Pro offers the latest Wi-fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, which makes for a good wireless accessory experience.
AI Select and other Samsung programs
Image 1 of 2
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro comes loaded up with various Samsung programs. You can access this suite from the blue and white Galaxy Book Experience icon on the taskbar. Many of these programs have been available for a while now, but I was eager to check out the new AI Select tool.
The AI Select icon is also on the taskbar, and clicking on it takes a screenshot. Then, I can use the touchpad or a connected mouse to draw a circle around anything on the screen. For instance, when loading up Cyberpunk 2077, I used AI Select to draw a circle around the game loading icon, and the laptop then proceeded to identify the image and run a browser image search. It’s pretty handy if you ever need to use it. Of course, I won’t be surprised if Windows releases its own Copilot image select tool down the line.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Also consider
If you like the idea of the Galaxy Book5 Pro but want to weigh alternative options then these are the ones I recommend most.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Score card
| Attribute | Rating & notes |
|---|---|
| Value | 3.5/5 — The Galaxy Book5 Pro has a pricier MSRP than some similarly configured AI laptops. |
| Design | 5/5 — It has a very classy design that looks good anywhere. Plus, there is a healthy range of ports to meet your connection needs. |
| Display | 5/5 — With a fantastic color gamut, crisp resolution, and great brightness and contrast, the Galaxy Book5 Pro AMOLED touchscreen is perfect for watching shows or working on creative projects. |
| Performance | 4/5 — There are some tradeoffs with the previous Intel Core Ultra Series 1, but in general, the Galaxy Book5 Pro offers very respectable performance and can even run games decently when they’re at low settings. |
| Battery | 5/5 — You’ll easily be able to use this laptop for a full workday and then some when running basic programs. |
| Keyboard & touchpad | 4/5 — The touchpad is large and easy to navigate with. While there are several helpful buttons and functions, the keys themselves have a short travel distance that some people might not like. |
| Other features | 4/5 — The camera captures crisp imagery with good coloring, the speakers produce decent audio, and the microphone captures good sound. Additionally, the programs and AI features that come installed can be very helpful. |
| Overall | 4.5/5 — Overall, this is a fantastic AI PC laptop that offers respectable performance, a gorgeous AMOLED touchscreen, and a stylish design. But some will balk at the costly price point and the short travel distance of the keyboard. |
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro: Final thoughts
You should buy this if …
✅You want a durable, 16-inch AI PC laptop
Samsung’s laptop chassis is durable and elegant, allowing it to look good in any setting without feeling fragile. Plus, it offers really good performance.
✅You’re looking for a laptop with a battery that can last through a full workday
As with the Samsung Galalxy Book5 Pro 360, this model has a very long-lasting battery that can easily operate through a whole workday and then some.
You should not buy this if …
❌You’d prefer a 2-in-1 AI laptop
As previously mentioned, the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 is very similar to the Galaxy Book5 Pro, but differs in that it can be used as both a laptop and a tablet. Plus, the 360 comes with a stylus for easier screen drawing and navigation.
❌You’re not interested in an AI PC laptop
More and more AI PCs and AI laptops are coming onto the market every day. It’s expected that these devices will make up the majority of the market by the end of the year. That said, there are still some non-AI computers out there if that’s what you’d prefer.
There are a lot of AI PC laptops currently on the market, and the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro is one of the most appealing choices you can get right now. Not only does it have a refined style, but it offers excellent performance to keep up with your daily workloads. The AI Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor offers better NPU performance than the previous Series 1 processor, and the Intel Arc graphics card is more than capable of handling creative programs and even some gaming. Plus, the gorgeous AMOLED touchscreen really shows off movies and art projects to great effect.
Just note that the keys have a relatively short travel distance that might not feel good for everyone. However, I do think it’s possible to get used to the feeling. Additionally, while you can log in with a fingerprint reader, the laptop does not offer face recognition. But if those aren’t issues for you, then the Galaxy Book5 Pro is a top-notch AI laptop that outshines many others.
This AI PC laptop features a 16-inch OLED touchscreen that can reach up to 2880 x 1800 with a 120Hz refresh rate. It houses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU with an Intel Arc GPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. Battery life is strong enough to last through a full workday and then some.
