15" Series 9 NP900X4D discussion

You are right, is the NT900X3C. Not a good example. Anyway i am still trying to enable AES on the NP900X4D but seem that anyone misses this feature searching on google.

 

According to ARK | Intel® Core, AES-NI is implemented in the CPU present in my NP900X3D-A02US. HWiNFO64 shows it grayed out, but I am no sure that utility is actually reading the implemented feature set correctly.

 

Same in cpu-z...

Open Truecrypt and benchmark AES, you will be disappointed.

 

I am going a bit nuts trying to find a sleeve for my 15 inch new Series 9.
The official Samsung sleeve AA-BS3N14B Black Leather Sleeve Carrying Case lists Dimensions (WxDxH) 271 x 441 x 29.5mm
The computer itself measures just 357 x 240 x 14.

It the sleeve really 84mm wider than the computer? Does it include cable space or something?

I am looking for a snug-fit leather or neoprene case if anyone can recommend one.

Many thanks in advance
W.

 

Lots of sleeves for 15 inch mentioned in the accessories thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/659271-series-9-accessories-4.html

I am using this one:
Samsung Series 9 15" NP900X4B Slim Laptop Notebook Case Sleeve Protection Bag | eBay

 

Please excuse my ignorance but I am completely confused about the difference between the Samsung NP900X4C and Samsung NP900X4D.

The only difference I can see is that the 4C comes with Windows 8 and the 4D with Windows 7. Other than that they can both be configured with 4G or 8G RAM and 128 or 256G SSD. What else am I missing? Is the 4D newer than the 4C?

Many thanks for any clarification on offer.

Neville

 

At least in the US, the 4D comes with a 3 yr warranty and Windows 7 Professional while the pre-Windows 8 models of the 4C came with Windows 7 Home Premium and 1 yr warranty

 

Here in Australia the NP900X4D-A02AU includes Win 7 Pro 64-Bit and a 1 year International warranty. The NP900X4C-A05AU has Win 8 and a 1 year International warranty. The 4D weighs 1.5kg and te 4C 1.65g?

 

Most sites list the 4D as 1.58kg and I think that weight has been confirmed by users. I think the slightly lower weight is due to magnesium being slightly less dense than aluminium.

John

 

Has anyone done a RAM upgrade on their machine or have any recommendations for 2x4GB sticks that run flawlessly in the X4D/X4C?

 

I tested Newegg.com - CORSAIR 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 Laptop Memory Model CMSO16GX3M2A1333C9 and had no issues with the NP900X4B. I'm sure someone here can give you a more current recommendation.

 

Awesome, thanks for the link. 16GB is overkill for me though so I might look into the 4GB sticks.

Is there any advantage to using 1.35V modules over 1.5V?

 

I'm running a pair of the Crucial 1.35V modules in my X4C. I tried to measure the impact on power consumption by monitoring mains power and observed:
CPU max speed = 800MHz, maximum power drops from 14.76W to 14.47W.
CPU max speed = 1700 Mhz, maximum power drain drops from 19.74W to 19.12W
The idle power differences are less but could be similar proportion of overall system consumption. This provides a modest (?3%?) increase in battery run time (potentially 15 minutes with the X4's big battery) and a little less heat for the cooling system to dissipate.

John

 

Thank you, exactly the response I was looking for. Good enough for me, picked up two 1.35V sticks.

 

Good evening to every one , I two questions about Samsung Series 9 NP900X4C and Samsung Series 9 NP900X4D 01US/01US
1)What is the main difference between thems. Is it only magnesium case?
2) Why does Samsung Series 9 NP900X4D cost more than Samsung Series 9 NP900X4C

 

The 4D comes with a three year warranty in some locales.

 

And the Pro version of Windows.

The underlying hardware is the same but there is a tendency for the D to be more expensive because it is newer (but for some countries Samsung have made some cheaper versions using Sandy Bridge hardware).

John

 

First post on this forum:

Just purchased a NP900X4D in canada for 889 (996.99 with taxes and fees). Been using it for a few days and I'm astonished at how fast this machine is. It cold boots Win 8 in a ridiculous 3-5 seconds, and the screen looks quite nice after calibration with a Spyder 3. As touchy as the touchpad can be it is still a pleasure to use. I graduated from a ThinkPad T410 which was a powerhouse with the heft to prove it. Carrying this thing around is such a nice change, especially when using a messenger bag -- my shoulders have never felt this unpainful carrying a laptop ever. The magensium-aluminum chassis is very very very good at making fingerprints invisible, and gives it a very very very nice premium feel.

Ive goen through this thread and am under the impression that the RAM and mSATA SSD can be upgraded. Is this true for the X4D? (I ask because I have a hard time believing that it's possible at this price point) If it is then I am really psyched to upgrade both at some point to 16GB and 256GB, respectively. On that note, once the ten screws are popped off from the bottom, what direction do you pull the bottom plate so that the plastic tabs unclick and are not damaged?

 

Yes. The RAM can be upgraded to 16GB currently. Supposedly 16GB DDR3 SoDIMMs are coming this year. I don't know if the Ivy Bridge dual slot machines will be able to use them.

The most common mSATA upgrade right now is 256GB, but 480GB mSATA drives are now on the market. Actually only one drive at the moment but more are coming.

Regarding the plate removal, the back along the exhaust vents are the hook like clips. The front edge has no such nonsense. So basically you can lift from the front edge. Just inspect is carefully on removal and it will be clear how they designed the cover plate.

Regarding the 3-5 second boot, keep in mind that is a hibernation resume if you are using the default Windows 8 design. Even if you turn off Windows 8 fast start, it still boots in 10-15 seconds from a cold start. Yes, the Series 9 rocks.

I too love the silver fingerprint hiding design and color. I also like ash black but prefer the silver.

Welcome to the club.

 

Welcome. One of the other useful features of the X4 is the decent sized battery. This is the key thread relating to the mSATA SSD upgrade. Someone has just identified the 480GB Mushkin as a possible option. The physical replacement of the SSD is less hassle than getting it to work if you have Windows 8 with UEFI enabled in the BIOS.

John

 

thanks a bunch for the mega helpful replies!
I had no idea fast startup was enabled, or a thing. Tested a for real real cold boot this time and it was done in 13 seconds, which is amazing. I was able to carefully open the bottom to find the one free RAM slot, the mSATA drive, and the gargantuan battery that should last 7hrs easy. Is there a PDF of a repair manual for the X4 anywhere? I'm used to having them readily available for my ThinkPad. I will definitely be installing 16 GB of RAM within the next few weeks if I happen to catch a good deal on them. Since mSATA SSDs are a bit pricey I may settle on getting an SDXC card for storing videos and music (which I have a collection of that is continuously in progress) until my wallet is welcoming of a 480GB. As for the UEFI issue, are you saying that the UEFI will have difficulty recognizing a new SSD?
I've posted pictures of the innards of the X4D in case anyone wanted to see them
MOBO:

http://i.imgur.com/f6ItxUt.jpg
mSATA:

http://i.imgur.com/iW7Dhat.jpg
RAM:

http://i.imgur.com/VRQIYbd.jpg

 

Hey just wondering if you think this is a good deal

Samsung Intel i5-3317U 1.7Ghz/8GB DDR3/128 NP900X4D-A05US B&H

Otherwise will go with a NP900X4C-A01AU for 1199 from Australia.

Also, does Samsung offer international warranty?

 

John put samsungparts.com to my attention a couple pages back. If you're in North America, you can get the service manual for a little less than $40 including shipping, here's an exemple:

SM-NP900X4DA01US - SERVICE MANUAL

I do not know whether the manuals for each sub-model (A01US, A02US, etc.) are actually any different. I'm suspecting not, as sometimes the differences are limited to warranty, or OS version...

 

See here for the details.

I'm sure there is only one hardware manual (which could well cover both the X4C and X4D). Model differences may be due to CPU, SSD, RAM and Windows but all models use those components in some form.

John

 

I went ahead and purchased a "new, open box" NP9004XD-A02US for $1275 on eBay (w/ shipping). That's the silver model with 8GB memory, 256GB SSD, i7 3517U and Windows 7 Pro. I was having trouble finding info about this specific model because it's less common than the x3 series. I based my purchase on those reviews, then I found this thread and found all of these complaints.

I was..pretty suspicious of the price, but the seller has amazing feedback and similarly criminally low priced electronics for sale. Assuming all goes well and the laptop arrives here in one piece, I have a few questions for people who own an x4d.

While I can understand the complaints from people bought this model at $2000, assuming it gets here and is as described, does anyone think these issues would be a big deal if they paid this price? For me it was a choice between this laptop and the x1 Carbon. I'm a student so my needs are a computer with long battery life and lifespan that can take a bit of a beating and not add too much weight to my backpack. Above all, though, I need something that is quiet because my ears are very sensitive and fan noise can actually be painful for me.

Can anyone comment on how loud this model is in a very quiet environment? How solid does the magnesium-alloy case feel?

I've read that some of the models with 4gb memory include a single-channel 4gb stick. Have the 8GB models included 4+4 or just 8?

Most importantly: how do I know whether I got a SanDisk drive and how likely am I to really notice it, coming from a laptop with 5400 RPM HDD and a 32 bit processor?


I really appreciate this thread, it appears to be the only one on the internet about this model! When I get my laptop I'll post an update here with a report on which SSD was included.

 

At the price you are paying you will be willing to accept a few compromises.

Under light usage you will struggle to hear the fan but if you load the CPU and the fan goes to top speed it is very audible. If complete silence is important, Fn+F11 will enable silent mode. However, this locks the CPU to 800MHz and you may notice the impact on performance.

My X4C (aluminium alloy) feels durable. I expect the X4D to be the same. It doesn't need a heavily padded bag. The only build issue I wold point out is that if the computer is squeezed during carrying then the keys can touch the screen and leave grease-marks. There is a simple fix for this: Put a sheet of paper on the keyboard before closing.

I'm sure it will be 4+4. 8GB modules cost more per GB but have been confirmed to work in the Series 9 should you need to increase the RAM.

I recall only one report of a 256GB U100. Most of the 256GB SSDs in the Series 9 are made by Liteon and the performance is good. The weakness of the Sandisk U100 is a small cache and it chokes on concurrent reads and writes such as could occur if you are loading a big dataset and Windows needs to dump some RAM to the virtual memory. The sequential read speed is good.

Note that the X4D is almost the same as the more common NP900X4C. The difference is that the X4C is very dark blue painted aluminium alloy while the X4D is unpainted magnesium alloy and is slightly lighter. Hence most aspects of the reviews (including mine) and discussion about the X4C apply to the X4D.

John

 

Thanks for sharing this link. I also was beginning to find very annoying the Auto brightness!
It is supposed to be useful, but when you're at home with an artificial light on, is really annoying, because the brightness of the screen changes every 2 seconds!

 

I'm also trying to figure out the differences between the X4C and X4D versions before buying. The specs seem pretty hard to pin down. Some versions of the X4C have 6-cell batteries, and some have 8 cells. Most prominently, in the UK online stores,the X4C versions selling for under 1000 pounds all had the AZERTY keyboard, which is what you prefer.

 

My Samsung Serie 9 (NP900X4D ES1) didn't come with back up CDs. First days I used my laptop I saw a message telling me to créate back up CDs, I ignored it for a few days and now it doesn't appear again. I would like know if you can tell me how to créate them now. Thank you!

 

That's progress if Samsung have now included this message.

Try looking in the backup options of Samsung Recovery Solution.

John

 

Thanks, I'll try it.

 

FYI,

The 15" NP900X4D is on sale at amazon.com for $999 USD. Sweet price.

See Amazon.com: Samsung Series 9 NP900X4D-A05US 15-Inch Premium Ultrabook (Silver): Computers & Accessories

I am holding out for a PLS screen which may never happen. For those of you that are less picky, you'd be an idiot for not taking advantage of this. Remember, you can upgrade the mSATA SSD and the RAM if desired.

 

So I just bought the X4D from Newegg.com, and I went ahead and stuck in a 4GB stick of Corsair Vengeance 1600 mhz RAM, which definitely boosted the performance for the laptop all around. Has anyone tried installing a dual channel set of 2x4gb 1833mhz RAM or 2x8gb 1833mhz? Would either of those options boost the performance even more (because of the dual-channel)? I currently use the laptop for note taking in class/web browsing, but I have had success playing League of Legends smoothly(40-60 FPS at 1600x900 and low-medium settings).

 

Adding the extra 4GB will have put you into full dual channel: The BIOS will have checked the SPD data on each module and worked out the fastest timings supported by both. If you have any doubts about this run CPU-z. Dual channel dues have a big impact on the integrated graphics performance as shown by my table here. Running slightly faster RAM may give slightly better graphics performance.

John

 

Ordered NP900X4D-A03UK, but sent an A01 in error. Upgrade or return?


Hi,

I order a NP900X4D-A03UK off of Amazon which was sourced via one of the smaller suppliers. Unfortunately they sent a NP900X4D-A01UK instead. The notable differences that the A01 comes with 4GB memory installed (as opposed to the 8GB in an A03).

The supplier has apologised for the error and offered (a) a return and full refund; or (b) a £60 refund if I want to keep the model that has been sent.

Can anyone here advise on the following ...?
(1) are there any other differences between the 2 models that I should be considering?
(2) can an A01 be upgraded to 8GB of memory? [i read on one of the sites that memory had been soldered into some models]
(3) if I choose to upgrade is there a specific memory type I should be looking at using?
(4) and would the £60 refund be enough to cover the costs of the new/additional memory?

I appreciate this might be a big ask, but I would be very grateful on any pointers.

Thanks in advance.
Peter

 

The compare option on the Samsung UK website shows everything is the same except for (i) the RAM size and (ii) Windows. A01UK = Windows 7 and A03UK = Windows 8. If you want Windows 8 then I think the period for the cheap upgrade from Windows 7 expired at the end of January so replacement is the only option. If you are happy with Windows 7 then check the price you paid against the price here for the X4C (but note that this has Home Premium whereas the X4D has Pro).

Upgrading the RAM is feasible. The X4D is internally the same as the X4C and has two SODIMM slots (it's the 13" Series 9 that has soldered RAM). You will need a DDR3 PC12800 SODIMM such as this and a good quality Philips size 0 screwdriver (for removing the 10 screws).

John

 

Thanks for the very swift reply John.

The A03 I've been sent has Win8 installed. I'm happy to keep this, but from what I understand if Win8 it is more memory hungry which was one of my reasons for going for a 8GB machine in the first place. So I may have just got lucky on that bit.

I've also just been on the crucial site and tried their memory scanner. This only identified a single slot in the machine (occupied by the 4GB chip). And it also states 8GB would be the maximum for this machine. My original thinking was 8GB would be fine, but now I've investigated further I don't think I'd be happy to find that this was the maximum with no future upgrade path. I can see you're an expert in this area and I don't mean any disrespect, but how confident are you that there are actually 2 slots in the D range? Do you think the scanner is just missing the second slot because its not occupied or its disabled in the BIOS or some other issue?

Thanks again.
Pete.

PS on a related note, do you know how I can tell the Windows 8 Edition that has been installed?

 

I thought Windows 8 was meant to be more resource-efficient but don't have first-hand experience.

1. Try running CPU-z and see if it offers two slots in the selection box on the SPD page. 2. Other people have upgraded their 4GB versions of the X4D. 3. Samsung aren't going to complicate their own logistics by having two versions of the main board, with one and two slots.

The Windows 8 equivalent of Computer properties should tell you.

John

 

Thanks John,

I've decide to keep this one and upgrade it.

Appreciate all the help.

Regards,
Pete.

 

This Notebook in my area comes with Win 8. But how can i add pro while still keeping the all sammy apps and the recover image on the drive.

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

guys one question about ssd,i have intel 120gb 2.5 size,im using it in samsung chronos 7 right now,can that drive fit into series 9?

and how i can check whic ssd drive is on this model of series 9 NP900X4D-A05US?

 

No, you cannot use the Intel Series 520 SSD in the Series 9 notebook. You would need an Intel mSATA form factor SSD like the Series 525.

Regarding the drive checking, are you asking how to check before you buy? I don't believe anyone has ever identified a method. After you get the machine, sure. Beforehand, not so much.

 

Ok got it, well i have a chat with samsung represenative and they say that in model that i specified is samsung ssd not sandisk u100,but i dont belive them i was looking today in bh store same laptop i guess i will go again and check in device manager which ssd is installed no way i can live with sandisk ssd

 

Just bought the NP900X4D-A05US (currently $900 on Amazon) and I'd like to maximize the HD space. Is there a tutorial on how to do a clean install (not a recovery image) of the OS somewhere? In the past every computer I've purchased has come with OS DVDs which doesn't seem to be the case this time.

EDIT: Figured out how to do it! I wrote a tutorial here.

 

A few photos I took of the NP900X4D-A05US (right click the settings icon at the top right of each image to view in full resolution)

Video of boot time (4.08 seconds from power button press to lock screen):

 

So, how do you like your 4D?

 

Couldn't be happier This is the first multi-touch trackpad I've used so there was a bit of a learning curve with all the gestures and what not but I'm picking it up pretty quickly I think.

 

First off, fantastic information in this thread.

I'm coming to the end of a long and exhaustive laptop search. I've considered everything from vaio to the folio (which I almost bought).

Do you all have any opinion on the Samsung Series 9 seen HERE versus the Spectre seen HERE and the Folio seen HERE?

I mostly will be using it for web design and development, some excel vba heavy processing and your general office suite use. I travel quite frequently for work so portability is important.

Just your take if you can, thanks in advance!

 

I don't know much about the HP machines, but I do know the Samsung is upgradable. You can upgrade the RAM to 16GB and the mSATA SSD drive can be upgraded as well.

I would probably look at the reviews for all three and look closely at what people say about the screen. The Samsung is a matte screen and 1600x900 on the 15" is pretty easy on the eyes.

The Samsung is a chick magnet.

 

I have a problema with the Samsung "Support Center Agent" application. Everytime I begin to use the laptop a message that says "Samsung Suppor Center Agent stopped working"... Has anybody here had the same problema and knows how to solve it? Thanks.