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Samsung appears ready to unveil a high-end Chromebook code-named “Nautilus” at CES 2018 in Las Vegas during the week of Jan. 8, but the Korean electronics giant isn’t neglecting Microsoft Windows users.
Before the massive tradeshow officially opens its doors, Samsung announced a trio of new Windows 10 laptops that will be on display, including the 2018 edition of the Notebook 7 Spin. Like its predecessor, the device’s screen can be flipped back to work in tablet mode.
For 2018, the Notebook 7 Spin will ship with Windows 10 Fall Creators update when it arrives in the U.S. and select markets sometime in the first quarter. The convertible notebook features a metal chassis, a backlit keyboard and a touch-enabled 13.3-inch display with Active Pen support, allowing buyers to jot down notes and make use of Windows Ink’s other capabilities if they buy the company’s optional stylus accessory.
The device’s built-in far-field microphone enables users to record lectures and meetings. For added convenience and improved user security, it boasts a Windows Hello-compatible fingerprint reader. Windows Hello is Microsoft’s suite of biometric login technologies and one of the company’s weapons in its war on passwords.
Inside, the processor has been upgraded to an eighth-generation, quad-core Intel Core i5 chip. It also packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of speedy solid-state storage.
Joining the updated Notebook 7 Spin on the CES show floor will be Samsung’s new Notebook 9 Pen.
First unveiled on Dec. 13, 2017, and scheduled to go on sale in the first quarter of 2018 in the U.S., the 12.3-inch hybrid notebook is wrapped in “Metal12,” a lightweight magnesium aluminum alloy. It features a slot for the included S Pen stylus, which may remind users of a similar setup used in the company’s Galaxy Note 8 smartphone. According to Samsung, the S Pen stylus features tilt detection, a 0.7mm tip and supports up to 4,096 levels of pressure for detailed doodling and other high-precision inking tasks.
The high-end notebook packs a powerful, eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor and can be outfitted with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of NVMe (non-volatile memory express) SSD storage. Like the new Notebook 7 Spin, Notebook 9 Pen includes a fingerprint reader but takes things a step further with a front-facing infrared camera that allows users to login using Windows Hello’s facial recognition feature.
Finally, Samsung will also be showing off the 2018 edition of the Notebook 9.
Unveiled weeks ago alongside the S Pen-equipped model, this notebook runs on an eight-generation Intel Core i7 processor. Unlike the Notebook 9 Pen, this model can be ordered in two screen configurations, 13.3 inches and 15 inches with up to 1TB of NVMe SSD storage.
Of course, Samsung isn’t the only Microsoft hardware partner showing off their Windows 10 wares at CES.
Dell will be demonstrating its fashion-conscious XPS 13 laptop and the barely-there bezels that surround the device’s 13-inch display. For those who prefer Linux, the PC maker is also offering an Ubuntu developer edition of the XPS 13 in the U.S. and Europe.
Lenovo, meanwhile, is ready with a new assortment of thinner and lighter ThinkPads. CES attendees can expect to see plenty of hybrids, a hardened yet slim ThinkPad X (X280) notebook and a new Lenovo Tablet 10 with nine hours of battery life.