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Samsung’s new $800 Galaxy Book6 could be the MacBook Neo rival we’ve been waiting for

Samsung’s Galaxy Book6 is crashing the MacBook Neo's party with 25-hour battery claims

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Samsung Galaxy Book 6 (5)
Samsung

Samsung just dropped a brand-new laptop that wants to be your next “budget” premium laptop purchase. Samsung has introduced a new 14-inch Galaxy Book6 starting at $799.99 in the US, bringing its latest laptop family below four figures for the first time. The company’s other Galaxy Book 6 debuted earlier this year for a little over $1,000, and the new model is aiming to be more approachable.

But this isn’t just a $250 price cut, the company has built a more modest configuration specifically for everyday computing, with Intel Core 3 or Core 5 Series 3 processors, integrated Intel graphics, 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X memory, and up to 512GB of storage in the US. And at $800, it is in a standoff with Apple’s cheap MacBook.

Samsung Galaxy Book 6 (3)
Samsung

The MacBook Neo has another Windows rival

After the announcement of the MacBook Neo, major Windows laptop makers, like Acer and Dell, were scrambling to get more affordable premium notebooks out in the market. The MacBook Neo currently starts at $699 with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage, after Apple raised its price earlier this year. Its 512GB version costs $799, putting it directly alongside Samsung’s new price bracket. To achieve this price point, the new Galaxy Book6 uses a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD rated at 350 nits, rather than the gorgeous AMOLED panels found on the Galaxy Book 6 Pro and Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy Book 6 (4)
Samsung

There’s also a regular clickpad, integrated graphics, and—somewhat painfully on an $800 laptop—a non-backlit keyboard. Samsung claims up to 25 hours of battery life from the 61.2Wh battery, while 45W USB-C charging can restore roughly 33% in 30 minutes. The laptop weighs 1.35kg (2.98 pounds) and measures 15.7mm thick. Unlike Apple’s minimalist port selection, Samsung also gives you two USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI 1.4, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Samsung Galaxy Book 6 (2)
Samsung

The Galaxy experience is front and center

The hardware isn’t really what separates this laptop from the increasingly crowded field of inexpensive Windows machines. The new Book6 gets AI Select, AI Cut Out, and Note Assist, alongside Quick Share and Storage Share for moving files between Galaxy devices. Multi Control lets one keyboard and mouse operate compatible Galaxy phones and tablets, and Second Screen can turn a Galaxy Tab into another display.

Samsung Galaxy Book 6 (1)
Samsung

Samsung has already built some excellent Galaxy Book6 machines, but the Pro started at $1,599.99, and the Snapdragon-powered Book 6 Edge arrived at $2,099.99. So the new model finally gives someone with a Galaxy phone a much cheaper way into that ecosystem. Samsung says the 14-inch Galaxy Book6 will be available through Samsung.com and Amazon by October 5, starting at $799.99. US buyers can choose 8GB or 16GB of RAM, 256GB or 512GB of storage, and Gray or the much more interesting Violet Silver finish.

Vikhyaat Vivek
Vikhyaat Vivek
Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience covering consumer hardware, with a focus on…
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