Galaxy Book 3 The Ultra is Samsung’s answer to its main competitor, the MacBook Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends). Like Apple’s most powerful laptops, this new Ultra machine is luxurious, powerful, and pricey.
The device wasn’t a home run for Samsung; its limitations were predictable. But if you’re looking for a MacBook Pro-like device that opens up the world of gaming to you, it’s well worth your consideration.
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If you’re familiar with the Galaxy Book line, the Ultra won’t surprise you. Samsung isn’t taking any chances — it’s the same, but bigger, with the same metal body and understated looks. The thicker device features a 16-inch 3K Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, a bright and rich display with the added benefit of a 120 Hz refresh rate.
Don’t be fooled by the large screen—it’s a very portable machine that’s more comfortable than its 16-inch MacBook Pro rival. They’re similar in size, but the Ultra weighs almost a pound less at 3.9 pounds (1.8 kilograms) than the M2 Max version of Apple’s machine. Aside from needing a bag big enough to store it in, this is definitely a laptop that can be transported between work and home.
Happily, portability doesn’t lead to a lack of power—the combination of the Intel Core i9-13900H chip and Nvidia RTX card makes for a powerful combination. My $3,000 review model has an RTX 4070, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD. The cheapest version costs $2,200 (£2,449) and features an RTX 4050, i7-13700H, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. Strangely, you won’t be able to buy the 32 GB RAM model in the UK, only 16 GB is available.
Those are some high prices, but the top-of-the-line model I’m testing is $500 less than the comparable 32 GB Unified RAM and 1 TB SSD M2 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, and $200 less than a comparably configured Razer Blade 16 — albeit with a more good processor.
Games and Creative Stamps
Photography: Samsung
The Galaxy Book3 Ultra’s performance isn’t quite as good, but it’s solid. For gamers, games that focus on quality and detail are popular, Assassin’s Creed A comfortable 60 frames per second at Ultra settings on this 3K monitor.Also applies to Borderlands 3, 3K Low setting or QHD Medium up to 60 frames per second.exist pinnacle herowhere frames per second is king, you’ll have to drop down to the QHD Low setting to hit the maximum this 120 Hz panel can deliver.
A surprising result is that this machine was bested by one of the few big games running on macOS: Shadow of the Tomb RaiderThe 16-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro hit 120 frames per second on the QHD Ultra setting, compared to the Samsung’s 74 frames per second. If luxury design and portability aren’t priorities, those looking at this as a gaming rig can certainly get more value elsewhere.
For creatives, the picture is more rosy. When comparing the performance of Adobe Premiere Pro, Samsung’s highest-spec Ultra is second only to the MacBook Pro. The laptop is very capable as a creator’s tool for demanding editing work, but it falls short of the capabilities of the M2 Max, and crucially, unlike Apple’s machines, it needs to be powered for full functionality. Use this laptop unplugged and you’ll notice a significant drop in performance.
