Samsung gives the 13-inch Notebook 7 Spin a few modest updates


Well, Samsung seems hell-bent on revealing all its new laptops before CES even starts. First there was the trio of Notebook 9 models announced last month, and now the company is talking up a new version of its Notebook 7 Spin. For those not aware, the original 13.3-inch Spin debuted in 2016 as a relatively inexpensive laptop that turned into a slightly unwieldy tablet, and this refreshed version doesn't stray far from Samsung's original formula.

There's no firm word on pricing or availability yet — all we know is that the machine will land in the US sometime in Q1 2018 — but changes here are mostly what you'd expect. Samsung dumped the i5-6200U chipset from the original Spin in favor of a more modern, 8th-generation i5 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It also packs a fingerprint sensor for quick logins (thanks to Windows Hello), a feature that has quickly become de rigueur for mid-range machines. And like those tweaked Notebook 9s, the 2018 Spin packs a handful of arguably useful software features, most notably a tool that uses a built-in far field microphone to capture recordings from "meetings or lectures."

We're a little less thrilled that the 2018 Spin has one fewer full-size USB port (leaving just one Type C port, one USB 3.0 port and one USB 2.0 port) and a slightly smaller battery than its predecessor. Here's hoping those omissions are reflected in the machine's final price tag. The Spin's design is slightly different, too — while the original had one long hinge that spanned almost the entire length of the display, the 2018 version has a more traditional two-hinge setup. This probably won't pose problems for too many Samsung fans, but the original's long hinge design was a neat flourish that also helped the machine feel a little more stable.

Oddly enough, there's no word on a refreshed 15-inch Spin model, but hey — using a machine with a display that big as a tablet felt pretty clunky anyway. Neither of the new 15-inch Notebook 9s are 2-in-1s either, so if you're itching for a big slab of a Samsung machine that doubles as a tablet, the only real option available is the Notebook 9 Pro released earlier this year.

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