2013 Ativ Book 9 13.3" Ivy Bridge NP900X3E / NP900X3F

There's this recent thread http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/723676-linux-series-7-2013-ativ-book-8-a.html

John

 

Does anyone have some benchmark numbers about the GPU performance of the 900X3F? I wonder how much the single-channel configuration impacts performance. For reference, the 900X3B with Sandy Bridge i5 scored 3629 points in 3D Mark 06, the 900X3C with Ivy i7 CPU scored 5096 points.

 

Hello all,

Ok so I recently pulled the trigger on the NP900X3E-A02US. I had intended on buying the K01 model due to the larger HDD but couldn't resist the $999 offer on the microsoft webstore at the mo. However I'm now wondering if my assumption that the A02 and K01 are exactly the same other than the HDD size is true. First of all on Amazon the marketing materials are different for the two models, this is also the case on the samsung website where the K01 is marked as "new" but the A02 is not. Some of the differences appear to be in software "sidesync" etc which I don't really care about but is it possible that there could be hardware differences too? I noticed on the Amazon reviews that the A02 does not seem as flawless as the K01 eg many people complain of wifi issues in the former but not the later. And on the Samsung website technical info the k01 is listed as 12.35 rather than 12.3 inches ( Specs - Laptops NP900X3E | Samsung PCs) as well as being a tiny bit heavier. Am I fretting over nothing?


Also - for when my machine arrives - can anyone recommend a list of things to do (software to get rid of/install, settings to change etc.)

Thanks

 

I believe both models have the same Intel 6235.

Perhaps there are fewer reports of WiFi problems with the K01 because it is newer and Intel have been releasing driver updates which have addressed some of the WiFi issues (and promise something more within the next month). There's more discussion about WiFi issues here.

Regarding software, many people find that IntelliMemory does more harm than good.

Run Samsung's SW Update program to find any Samsung software and driver updates. However, it is less worrying to do any BIOS update using the stand-alone BIOS update program (link in first post here) than to do the BIOS update in SW Update.

And there's Samsung Recovery Solution to make a full backup of the Windows installation.

John

 

Thank you John - and for clarification purposes I obviously meant SSD rather than HDD above.

Re the recovery solution - would you recommend this only for people who remove the partition and do a clean install otherwise whats wrong with the partition?

 

It's always good policy to have a backup in case something gets corrupted.

John

 

'A' was released before 'K'. However both models are now in production concurrently. You can see the fabrication date printed on the back of the device. I believe newer productions come with slightly faster CPU. (i5-33 37U instead of i5-33 17U / i7-35 37U instead of i7-35 17U)

The only known general difference between 'A' and 'K' is that 'A' still has the Battery Life Extender feature.

 

Hi, Navegador
I'm also from Brasil, and I'm thinking of buying the NP900X3F-KD01BR but I can't check it personally. I would like to know your thoughts about the build quality and performance of the NP900X3F-KD01BR.
I found it with average price of R$ 3500 and I think it's a reasonable price (given that a Dell XPS 13 with same processor/720p screen is roughly R$ 5000).
Thanks.

 

John and oled already clarified on the WiFi and CPU questions.

For general bloatware removal and optimization, use this post as guidance, and click the links within it.

Regarding Recovery, it has a number of features, including backing up and restoring system images. But it's main function is that it allows you to restore the disk to complete factory state, which is useful (A) if you mess things up, (B) if you suspect you have a hardware defect, but want to check if you merely messed things up, (C) you need to contact Samsung about hardware repair and have to convince them that you didn't just mess things up, and (D) you want to sell the PC someday.

This recent post explains how to back it up so you can free up some space on your SSD.

 

Thanks Dannemand. Is bloatware removal followed by partition removal more advisable than performing a clean Win8 install as outlined here http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/710380-tutorial-how-reformat-do-clean-install-windows-8-samsung-series-9-laptops.html

 

If you have Win8 install media, and backups of your Recovery, a clean install generally achieves a slimmer install. And Samsung makes clean installs fairly easy -- although there is still a complexity with Win8 delivered PCs about whether you want to stay in UEFI/GPT mode or convert to the good old BIOS/MBR mode (which will wipe your disk in the conversion process).

The tutorial you linked assumes that you have an MSDN/Technet subscription (in order to obtain Win8 install media) and doesn't go into any detail about the MBR conversion -- although there is some discussion later in that thread.

This post (and following ones) discuss the considerations you should make. And this install guide details the MBR conversion steps.

 

After a few hours of googling and reading forums and reviews, this is my understanding from the differences between the E (NP900X3E) and F models (NP900X3F). Please note that is not based on any insider or first-hand knowledge. I would really appreciate if someone that really has compared the E and F models side-by-side could confirm (or deny?) this assertions.

1) the E is really the "premium" product, and the F model is a specced down (both internals and chassis) version. This is the same situation as with the C (NP900X3C) and D (NP900X3D) models a year ago.

2) chassis : the E is based on the C (aluminium) and the F on the D (magnesium). I am not a materials expert, but from the reviews, I understand that the aluminium is a really nice finish (no gaps between screen and chassis, nice touch if you hold it, etc.), and the painted magnesium has a more "plastic" feel. Magnesium is actually lighter (hence the 30grams weight advantage for the F), but also more "brittle" (dents more easily?). I think many "premium" models (from Lenovo, Dell, HP ?) use Magnesium for the frame, but then have a plastic coating (and not paint as the samsung), which gives a better feel. I guess if you just see the F, it looks/feels great, but if you would see the E next to it, this even feels/looks better...

3) internals : the E can be found with i5 and i7, and with 128, 256, 512 SSD; the F is only (?? - I have not seen any other configurations) offered with 128 SSD and with i5. Wifi card (non-intel) and SSD (non-samsung) brands are different also (but from what I understand, the F model components are therefore not worse?). But the F can be had with the 3G/WWAN; not existing on the E.

4) battery/keyboard/touchpad/screen/graphics : identical !

5) price : F 10-20% cheaper than the E (comparing the 128SSD versions). The F sits in the price-range of the Vaio Pro, the Dell, etc. The E is really expensive...

Ok, so now what to choose ??? Premium E or budget F?

I confess I suffer from the "I want the best" syndrome, so I would love to own the E...
But, rationally, the F offers the same form factor, the same key components (screen, keyboard, touchpad), the components that are different (wifi, SSD) are not really worse (or even better, according to some posters), and only the chassis has a slightly less "premium" feel and is less well-finished (some gaps, misalignments?) [but is this perception or reality?]

The only rational element in favor for the E is the possibility for a higher capacity SSD drive (I don't want to upgrade the SSD myself; and not sure what i7 offers against i5 for business use). And, less rational, the beauty and the touch of the brushed aluminium...

(difficulty in getting a firm idea is that the F is actually very good in itself, and that I never find a direct comparison between the E and the F; also, I did not found one "professional" review of the F on the web, all raving reviews are of the E).

I'll check out the F in a store here, but I have no idea where to find a E (I just find it on a few webstores).

Any advice / comments / nuclear destruction of my analysis ?

 

Some other minor differences in terms of finish are the touchpad which is differentiated in the E and contiguous with the body in the F and the edging which is silver in the E (personally i love the look this gives) and black in the F.

I ordered the X3E (i7 128SSD)from the microsoft webstore a couple of days ago for $999 which is an unbelievable bargain in my opinion and way cheaper than anywhere else I could find it online. If its still available then I assume this could work for you as I can't imagine the F is cheaper than that. But hurry cos this deal won't last long....

 

I have never seen a confirmed picture of the F's touchpad, so I cannot comment whether I would prefer the E or the F, but I don't see any disadvantage to have it differentiated...
The silver edging is nice indeed. If the F would be the same aluminium chassis, with just the lining also in black, this would be cool as well, as this would be some differentiation from previous models.

Great choice; unfortunately, the US model does not work for me. I need a keyboard with french language keys, so I have to buy in France (or Belgium or Switzerland). Also the plugs are different, so I would have to buy some other cables or a new charger (no big deal of course; with the price difference I can probably buy 25+ chargers , or always carry a converter plug.
I tried the French and Belgium MS Webstores, and neither does carry any Samsung products...

 

The keyboard difference is a problem (they are no longer an easy swap).

However, the charger is a standard part and the only difference is the cable between the charger and the wall outlet, which is another standard part.

If you are willing to have the 1600 x 900 display then iIt's also worthwhile check in your country for any remaining stock of the X3C / X3D.

John

 

Thanks for your reply, John.

Yes, the keyboard is a nuisance. A Canadian keyboard would work (for the french language) and I could get used to the QUERTY lay-out, but as I use other computers in the house (all with french keyboards), it would become quite messy (I am a quite proficient "blind" typist, but not proficient enough to memorize different keyboard lay-outs ...).

Indeed, the charger is not really the problem. I am actually waiting for some regulation (as they did in Europe for phone chargers) to harmonize the plugs between laptops. As I have had quite a few Dell computers for work, and I have one for personal use as well, I have enough chargers in the house to make it really convenient (one next to the couch, one in the home-office, one at work, and one in my travel bag), so Dell is of course on my shortlist for my next pro-computer (I travel a lot).
I want as small/light as possible, so my shortlist has no surprises, but all have some downside : XPS13 (no Haswell), E7420 (old matte screen, same as my 2-year old E6220; Full HD is not yet out in France, and probably will be glossy), S7-392 (not yet available in France), Vaio Pro13 (bending too much; too-high resolution, too small keyboard), X240 (not yet available). And all touchscreens are glossy, which I don't like. So the Samsung seems perfect, even with the 3rd gen CPU. However, if they would just upgrade the E with Haswell, and keep this non-touch model in the line-up; or make a touch-matte screen with same thickness), then it would become an absolute no-brainer...

I am not really willing to buy the C (or budget D), as I would like the latest screen, and some other components were upgraded as well (CPU/GPU, keyboard, ...). It is going to boil down to the E or the F...

 

Yes, those are pretty much exactly my thougths too. But if you want as light as possible you might want to give the Vaio Pro 13 another look, resolution is the same as on the Ativ Book 9 but it is much lighter and has Haswell. It's the only option available if you want Haswell and a matte screen AFAIK. But of course the design is way better on the Samsung. Also on my list are the Asus UX21A and UX31A.

 

I have a problem with my x3e running windows 7. I ran a bios update suggested by the SW update software and now all of my internet adapters are not being detected. There is no network adapters listed at all in device manager.
The bios version is P08ABK. I need help locating previous bios versions for the laptop so i can reflash it and hopefully fix this problem. Ive tried reinstalling the 6235 drivers but nothing happens. I haven't tried to reformat yet. The laptop was running fine for months until this happened and now its just paper weight with no internet capabilities.

 

Asus and Acer are not high on my list. I played with the top-of-the-range models in a store, and was not impressed. The Samsung just looks/feels so much better, more solid, better keyboard, etc. Again, maybe it's snobbery or just perception, but Samsung seems ahead of these two.

The real choice for me is indeed between the Samsung (E or F, still waiting on some insights from forum members whether my assessment of the F is correct or not??) and the :
- Vaio Pro 13 : the sharp edges, the reported wifi issues (are they solved yet?), and the bending do scare me a bit. And the quality of the touch-pad is not great apparently (probably linked with the bending?). I tend to work a lot with the notebook on my knees (on the couch at home, in the train, in airport lounges, etc.), so I am not fully convinced yet by the Sony (probably I have to try it in a store). But yes, it is in my top-3.
Compared to the E or F, the advantages are weight, Haswell (but it does not seem to have a battery life advantage compared to the Samsung; Sony probably put in a smaller battery, so Haswell just gives the weight advantage), and possibility for 8Gb RAM.

- Dell XPS : I have to check the reviews again, but it did not seem to be the best choice: glossy screen (main deal-breaker), no hdmi, no SD, ...
Compared to the E or F, the advantages are only the price (compared to the E), the possibility for 8MB RAM, and the abundance of Dell chargers I have at home ;-)

The Dell E7420 seems a sensible choice, but it looks so similar than my current Dell (and the matte screen is low res; no info on the touch, but probably glossy?) ...
The X240 probably would be great, but I need to have my computer operational by the second half of September, and this model only is available by the end of October. Although I am curious whether Lenovo will manage to offer a matte touch screen, or have to revert to glossy. In that case, they probably will offer a matte non-touch as well.

So, therefore my preference for the Samsung. But E or F ???

 

Pick up for $1 at any hardware store...


... or set layout to US International

 

I presume you did the BIOS update within SW Update. There are occasional reports of this method having unwanted side-effects. The path to the previous BIOS is "htt p://sbuservice.samsungmobile.com/upload/BIOSUpdateItem/ITEM_20130418_1088_WIN_P07ABK.exe" (note: remove the formatting I have added to confuse the autolinker.

Read http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/698094-samsung-bios-update-problems.html and http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/696197-samsung-laptops-roll-back-bios-updates.html if you haven't read them already and the reset options discussed in http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/706510-samsung-laptops-bricked-using-uefi.html may also be worth trying.

I'm surprised to see the BIOS is the same as on my X4C (which means that I have this BIOS file on my SSD).

John

 

Is there a way to retrieve downloads of all drivers that way John? Shame on Samsung and there SW Update Bloatware doing nasty things in the background!

Whats the device manager saying in regard to existing network adapters?

 

I don't think so. The BIOS Updates have their own server and I had taken note of the path when I last downloaded the update using the BIOS Update program and then substituted the name of the previous BIOS. There may be a way to figure out what SW Update does in the background but I'm not planning to try.

But something I have just discovered is that Samsung still put business model updates on their website: Support - Laptops NP600B4C | Samsung PCs.

John

 

thank you so much john, you're a life saver.

 

So have you fixed the problem or is just getting hold of the older BIOS is one step in the process?

John

 

actually i was able to download the older version of easy settings from the link you posted and installed it over the new one that sw update had me install and that restored my internet function..

 

I think you are overthinking the differences between the E and the F. Screen, keyboard and touchpad are the same. Personally i would go for the F because i like that it's all black and 30g lighter.

 

I bought x3e-a02us in August from amazon. Unfortunately, my sammy has a lot of back light bleeding. This makes watching movies pretty awkward as I tend to notice the light bleeding all the time
Anybody is facing a similar problem?

Also, original os have a lot of bloatware program. I uninstalled most of it but still computer is sluggish. What do you guys recommend I do?

 

Re the backlight issue, see http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/731256-backlight-bleeding-ativ-book-9-np900x3e-k01.html

Bloatware: Did you show IntelliMemory the exit?

Also note that if you enabled Silent Mode or Eco Mode then the CPU will be running at minimum speed.

John

 

See if this post (and the ones linked in it) can help you clean out some more and optimize the installation a bit.

 

Overthinking? Yeah, you are probably right. But I guess that is true for many people on this type of forums... (it's fun to discuss, and get other people's opinions, so I thank you for yours !).

But the two models have a different chassis and are made from different materials, that feel and look different. Exactly as with the C and D before, but as these models stayed for a longer time in the line-up (and are still available), you find many reviews (both from "pro's" and users) that comment on these differences, and results are quite unanimous (C=premium; D=lower specs / cheaper feeling finish). And the E has the C chassis, and the F has the D chassis...

However, as the AB9+ (Haswell) was launched very quickly (a few months) after the E & F, all reviewers and many of the "enthusiasts" on forums focus on these newest models, and "nobody" cares anymore about the E and F... (just check the NBR forum : 112 pages in the AB9+ thread; 13 in this one ; as of today).

I understand you choice, and I agree that lighter is better, and all black is cool.

However, for me these two arguments are outweighed by the difference between a high-grade anodized aluminum finish (E), and a painted magnesium finish (F). I acknowledge this is a pure "look and feel" argument, so everyone can have his/her own opinion on this, but for me it is kind of important (I will use this laptop multiple hours per day, and I like using "nice" things, and I will also use it to make presentations during small meetings with customers and prospects).

And based on the opinion of a few posters in this thread that have seen/handled the F, it is not only the "look and feel", but the F has a generally slightly worse finish (some gaps, dents, misalignments, etc.) than the E or C. Again, nothing major, but I prefer it to be perfect for the amount of money they ask for these !

And finally a rational argument : the F is only offered with a 128Gb SSD which is really tight for me (I have today a 256Gb SSD on my work E6220 - the one to be replaced - , and the drive is almost full).

 

The NP900X3F-K01AT has 256, and so has the G version. only the K01DE has 128.
I think it is impossible to tell if you "emotionally" prefer the F or the E. If you live in Europe, order both and send back one, or ask in MediaMarkt etc. if they have happen to have both, or at least one of the two.

I have investigated with tdcomponents regarding matte options for the yoga 2, the AB9+, and the Infinity. They say replacing the screen is not possible, but they can put laser-adjusted permanent foils onto them. They do this with IPads all the time. I think one should at least rule out that it might indeed be a solution, considering the fact that matte screens are getting very rare and 8GB 1080p matte not available. Also consider you will retain the touch functionality with these foils.

One problem is that the larger the distance of the LEDs to the foil, the worse (the thicker the glass etc.) I asked them if it is possible to test their permanent foil without permanent adhesion - this would be great. One could then simply buy a AB9+ and see if it will work.
I also wondered if they could just send an old IPad One for customers to see how it works, preferably with half only of the screen with the foil. That service would perhaps cost say 30 euro and you could e.g. get 20 back if you actually ordered s.th. Will see how this goes. I'll ask them about this and will report their answers.

 

I disagree. I believe it is especially the "enthusiasts" who care about this model. Heavy glossy touch is mainly for the mainstream.

This thread was started about half year into its release while the AB9+ thread was started way before its release (even prior to this one here). The outcome is that the majority of the AB9+ thread deals with questions about its release date, while this one actually holds a little information.

 

So you have the touch layer, a glass layer and another foil on top. Poor wrapped up panel...

 

So what? We are too emotionally attached to hardware here, anyway.

 

The Lenovo X240 could be something for you. About as heavy as the AB9+, but with CTO configurations including a lot of business features and a 12.5" matte 1080p IPS screen.. If I was going to upgrade to Haswell, that's what I would most likely choose as of now.

 

Ok, my mistake. I had only seen the F with the 128Gb SSD. This is the only one that I have seen in France/Belgium/UK.
I am not aware of any shops that have both the E and F on display. Mediamarkt Belgium does not have any of the models; the German website only lists the F and AB9Lite (maybe not surprisingly the non-premium models, but maybe my perception of Mediamarkt is too biased...).
Thanks for the suggestion to order both, and send one back. Although where I live in Europe, this is indeed legally possible, but a lot less commonplace than in the US (much more hassle, e.g. for smaller webstores you often have to pay for the return delivery), so I prefer to only order my first choice.

 

Ok, my comparison was too much of a shortcut. But I think the basic premise (you find much more info/reviews/discussion about the AB+ , and also about the C & D, than about the E & F) is still true. In your OP you mentioned only 2 serious reviews, both from the E. I found a grand total of zero serious reviews about the F. And although you are of course right about the starting dates of this two threads, and the total # of pages cannot be compared, since yesterday, the AB+ has 3 more pages, and this thread has 1 more ...

And I also want to thank you for starting this thread in the first place, because it helped me a lot !!

This would also be very high on my list, but I need to order my laptop asap, and I cannot wait until the X240 is launched (announced for end October, if I remember well).

 

readers here might be interested in this post of mine http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...-book-9-plus-haswell-new-130.html#post9376256 regarding fan noise in X3A, B, C.

 

Hi guys,like you see this is my first post.I am in process of buying ultrabook ,so i have some question and i hope you can help me.
So,i definitely need ultrabook with wwan option and great keyboard.Only two that meet these requirements are NP900X3F-G01UK and X1 Carbon.T440S will also meet these requirements but i dont like it,i want slim machine.Also i want to say that we don't have here in Croatia NP900X3F with WWAN option only model:NP900X3F-K01HS.So i have to buy UK or DE model.
My questions are:
Will NP900X3F-G01UK read my Internet SIM Card? Now i have 3G dongle,when i put it in usb it install software from internet provider.How will this be manage when i put my SIM card in NP900X3F-GO1UK?Do i need to put my usb dongle just once so it can install software or Samsung have that kind on software already install?
Does somebody own this specific laptop on this forum?By the way there is no reviews on Amazon.uk and only one on Amazon.de ,so i guess there is no much owner of this ultrabook.
My second question is:
Of course if i buy this ultrabook it will have UK keyboard.But i plan to send it to service(of course when i see that everything is alright)so they can put me Croatian keyboard.
They will probably have to put me keyboard from NP900X3F-K01HS model.Is that possible?Are these two model same when it comes to keyboard?
P.S.I also need some information about X1 carbon that i will ask in X1 Carbon owner thread.If there is some owners here,can they please just check my question there.
Thank you in advance,Unit Igor.

 

I do not have the technical answer, but the fact that Samsung is not offering the WWAN version in Croatia is maybe for a good reason, so I would also approach Samsung directly to understand the reasons.

I remember reading on this forum the topic of keyboard swaps (use the search function). This is possible, but you have to exchange the entire "top cover unit" (I think it was called like that). The person asking was going to exchange the keyboards from two Samsung laptops in his possession. I think it might be an expensive affair if you have to buy the Croatian "top cover unit" separately. You can then of course try to sell the UK or DE keyboard on eBay, but it is a bit of a gamble how much of the money you would recover.

 

Thanks man
Yes you are right it would be best to ask seller on UK Amazon is this WWAN card unlock.

 

I also try to find Samsung UK support mail or somebody that can answer my question about WWAN,but without success.
Anybody know some good contact ?

 

There is zero mention on any of the descriptions about the WWAN on the NP900X3F-G01UK being locked to a particular network. I would only expect the locking to only happen if the notebook is sold by a network as part of a package where the hardware cost is subsidised by the expected revenue from the usage.

John

 

croatia has the same LTE bands as UK and most of EU (3,7,20), so it should work.

 

Thanks people.

 

Hi All,

maybe there is a better thread than this one for this question - if so maybe someone can direct me. Here goes:

I noticed something really weird with the samsung recovery app on my new np900x3e. When I open the program the "factory image" tab appears to be missing but all the others (disk copy, run backup server, help) are there. I chatted to to someone who didnt really sound like he knew anything via the samsung chat help who said there is a problem with the factory image and i should take it in for servicing. The weird thing is im pretty sure that when i set up the computer the other day im pretty sure it did appear and im pretty sure this was prior to SW update a) updating Recovery from v 6.0.9 something to 6.1, and also updating the BIOS so i'm pretty sure that may have had something to do with it. Any way to revert to older version of Recovery?

Also (im not sure if this is unusual) in the backup bit there are no points on the timeline - including to factory...

Any ideas anyone???

one other detail - are you supposed to be able to see the recovery partition because when i click on 'my computer' all i see is C - 67GB free of 98.8GB. the ssd is 128gb so there must be something else on there right?

update - i just got off samsung support chat (the proper one direct from the computer, not the one on samsung's website) with someone who looked like they know what they were doing. He restored the initial version of Recovery and it did'nt help. He reckons its a problem caused by either the BIOS or Windows updates I did. hmmmmm

should i just use windows 8 option for creating a bootable disk? whats the difference?

 

I can't help you with your other questions but if you open File Explorer - Right Click on "Computer" - Select "Manage" - go to Storage - Disk Management you will see all the partitions on the 900X3E, and indeed there are about 20GB used for recovery partitions. There are also 30GB used by the Windows Folder which is quite ridiculous, anyone knows what i can delete in there to get some storage back?

 

If you use Samsung Recovery Solution to make at least one (preferably two) backups and check that they work then you can safely delete the biggest Samsung Recovery partition.

John

 

We already had a lengthy discussion about the issue in this other thread which alps1706 created a couple days after first posting here. I am sorry, I should have posted a pointer here sooner -- or even deleted the duplicate post.