One of the best laptops I've tested for work and play isn't made by Apple or Dell

I have largely ignored Samsung's Galaxy Book laptop series, but recently I learned that was a mistake. I should've been paying closer attention to the lineup because the tech giant offers some impressive tech. The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a convertible laptop with a stellar design, has opened my eyes.

Also: I tested Samsung's flagship laptop and it gave my MacBook Pro a run for its money

It sports a 16-inch 3K touchscreen running at a 120Hz refresh rate and covers 120% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Colors are vibrant, shadows are deep black, and on-screen animations are velvety smooth. This laptop has one of the nicest displays I've looked at in a while.

Samsung's device even passes the one-finger test, where you lift the screen up with your index finger, signifying even weight distribution. In short, the laptop won't wobble around when you work on it.

ZDNET RECOMMENDS

Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360

The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 promises all-day performance courtesy of its long-lasting battery.

View at Samsung

I'm also a fan of the large trackpad. It's smooth to the touch, and its large size allows me to move the cursor across the screen without lifting my hand off.

Alternatively, I can use the accompanying Galaxy S Pen. Navigating the internet with the S Pen feels like a dream. Jumping from webpage to webpage is seamless. Not too long ago, I tested the HP Omnibook Ultra Flip, which came with its own stylus. I found the Omnibook's pen frustrating to use. The responsiveness of Samsung's S Pen, on the other hand, is like a breath of fresh air.

Also: This work laptop with one of the best displays is not a ThinkPad or MacBook (and it's $300 off)

As much as I like the design of the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, it isn't perfect. I don't like the keyboard very much. It's mushy and doesn't feel good on my hands. I prefer laptop keyboards with long travel distances as they feel more responsive when typing.

I am also not a fan of the placement of the stylus magnet. Thin, 2-in-1 laptops often have strong magnets on the side. The Galaxy Book5 Pro's magnet feels less powerful and secure. The S Pen even fell off a few times when I took the computer out of my bag.

The Galaxy Book5 Pro is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, an integrated Intel Arc 140V graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. The laptop's overall performance is solid; I had a blast using it.

Also: This 13-inch laptop I recommend for business travel is not a Lenovo ThinkPad or MacBook

Benchmark tests show that the Galaxy Book5 is fast and can easily handle productivity workloads such as web browsing and video conferencing. I tested 50 tabs open with browser games, videos, and a livestream, all playing simultaneously alongside several open apps. The laptop handled everything well. There wasn't a single drop in performance, although I did notice the machine became warm to the touch.

The battery life is absurdly good. Samsung's model ran for about 16 hours before I needed to run for the charger. I began testing first thing in the morning at 8 a.m. and ran nonstop past midnight. I attribute this longevity to the energy-efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 chipset.

While my overall experience testing the Galaxy Book5 was pleasant, I did run into a bug. I left the machine in tablet mode for several hours, and it became stuck in that orientation. No amount of opening or closing the laptop fixed the issue until I restarted the machine.

After looking online, it seems I'm the only person to have encountered this bug. It's possible this isn't a widespread issue and was exclusive to my review unit. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if other bugs are lingering in the system.

Also: I tested the M4 MacBook Pro for a week - and even the base model beat my $3,000 laptop

To use the Galaxy Book5 Pro to its fullest potential, you will need a Galaxy smartphone. Features like turning your phone into a webcam, Quick Share, and Transcript Assist can only be accessed with a supporting mobile device. According to the product listing's fine print, you must own at least a model from the Galaxy S22 series running Samsung One UI 6.1.

ZDNET's buying advice

Samsung's Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 sells for $1,700 on Samsung's website. I recommend this laptop to professional users who want a well-performing work laptop and who own a Galaxy smartphone so they can access the model's full range of features. Of course, non-Galaxy smartphone owners will still get a lot from this machine. The hardware, battery life, and OLED touchscreen are all top-notch.

If you want an alternative, I recommend the Lenovo Yoga 7i Aura Edition. It isn't as large, but it does offer a similar experience at a cheaper price.