In normal, Samsung’s new Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 affords a captivating mixture of beautiful {hardware} and software program experiences that attempt to elevate each work and play. But deep down we discovered two hidden options—one which we’d like to see extra of and one other which we’d be comfortable to by no means see once more.

To be truthful, it’s not clear whether or not both of those options are ones that Samsung enabled or in the event that they’re merely a quiet tweak by Microsoft to push out new options we haven’t seen earlier than. Our Book3 Pro 360 overview unit consists of Windows 11 Home 22H2 construct 22621.1194 and the default configuration of my private PC is Windows 11 Home 22H2 22621.1105.

The function I like most is the “time to empty” gauge that accompanies the precise battery share on the taskbar. Knowing how a lot battery you’ve left is helpful, in fact, however an estimate of precisely how lengthy you’ve earlier than it is advisable to plug in is handier nonetheless.

This explicit function was once extra frequent in older variations of Windows with certain utilities dating way back to Windows 7. Windows 10 added it, then subtracted it, and it hasn’t actually appeared since. Certain laptop computer makers—Lenovo involves thoughts—have made this a part of their customary utility configuration.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Yes, there’s the query of whether or not the gauge itself is correct. We didn’t got down to particularly check this function, however even when it’s not correct to the minute, it does provide you with some thought as to how lengthy you’ll have. Fortunately, our assessments present the Book3 Pro 360 supplies effectively over 12 hours of battery life, so that you received’t have to fret an excessive amount of.

…and one we hated

We’re rather less enthusiastic a couple of function that confirmed up early in our overview… after which by some means vanished in a while.

When you configure a brand new PC, Windows assumes you wish to migrate from an older PC by providing to breed your outdated setup. It does so as a result of Windows and OneDrive try to again up information from three key areas—the Desktop, Photos, and Documents. It’s additionally conscious of whether or not or not you’ve a Microsoft 365 account keyed to your Windows account.

When we overview PCs, we go for a “clean” PC as a substitute—simply the default apps that the laptop computer maker supplies. Otherwise, we’d danger clogging up the laptop computer with a bunch of extra information that would decelerate efficiency. To accomplish that, we flip down Microsoft’s request to arrange the PC as an present configuration and ask OneDrive to cease syncing with the cloud. The latter permits OneDrive to again up the laptop computer in query, however it additionally prevents OneDrive from sending down placeholder information from all the paperwork and photographs we’ve beforehand backed up. Normally, this isn’t an issue.

Initially, nonetheless, we have been dismayed to seek out that this wasn’t attainable. OneDrive insisted on syncing all three areas, which occurred to incorporate a folder of storage-intensive purposes that I had copied onto the desktop and instantly began backing up. When I attempted to cease this conduct, Windows knowledgeable me that these folders have been needed and that I couldn’t stop syncing them. My solely choice was to stop OneDrive from syncing, which it solely agreed to do till I rebooted my PC—when syncing would start once more.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Not solely would this undesirable syncing kick off a background process I had no need to run, however it threatened to monopolize my broadband connection. My house broadband suffers from a knowledge cap and if I lived in a rural space, likelihood is that backing up multi-gigabyte information would take a number of hours on a gradual connection.

Fortunately, as soon as I used to be in a position to set up what I wanted to check on the laptop computer, I used to be in a position to shut off OneDrive in addition to isolate the laptop computer by way of its Airplane Mode. When I got here again to doc the “feature” additional… the objection disappeared? As I sat right down to snap a screenshot, I decided that I may disable the automated backup of the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders as soon as once more. Unfortunately, the folder during which all my benchmark information have been positioned was nonetheless designated for backup, so I’ve disabled OneDrive in the meanwhile.

It’s not fairly clear whether or not the OneDrive sync was a glitch, a check function, or some bizarre interplay between the laptop computer, a Windows account, or perhaps Samsung’s personal backup providers. I definitely respect the improved battery gauge. OneDrive’s heavy hand? Not a lot.