When we met with Samsung at CES 2019, it made it clear its new Notebook 9 Pro as well as the previously announced Notebook 9 Pen are about design just as much as performance.

For the Notebook 9 Pro, Samsung conducted a US-specific design study that influenced its choices on bezel design, profile taper and corner radii, a spokesman told CNET. The result is a very different design from its previous models.

Corners are sharper and its diamond-cut edges remind me of the chrome edges of a retro dinette. The thin aluminum body looks clean and modern, and with the thinner bezels around the 13.3-inch full-HD display, you're looking at mostly screen whether you're using it as a laptop or tablet.

With the keyboard, Samsung enlarged the key caps and reduced spacing between them to improve the typing experience and appearance. Looking to attract creatives, Samsung is including a full-size active pen this time instead of the smaller S-Pen. If you'd rather have the latter, you can find one tucked into the body of the Notebook 9 Pen, which the spokesman said takes its design cues from the Galaxy Note 9 phone.

Samsung expects the new Notebook 9 Pro to be available in early 2019, with no pricing available yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it started upward of $1,000.

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