2015 Ativ Book 9 13.3" Broadwell NP900X3K

That's really disappointing to hear. Can you post some photos of your machine with the screen both off and on? Or maybe a short little youtube video?

 

I'll get back to you. Have to run now

 

No prob. Here's some photos an owner posted of the new 12.2" black model (NP930X2K). In his last photo, you can see just how glossy and reflective it is compared to his old silver NP900X4D..

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=2bc4...3!280&ithint=folder,&authkey=!AIrUnUtzLLFvh0g

Just wondering if your 13.3" NP900X3K has the same mirror-like reflections regardless if the display is off or on.

 

Mine is bad, but idk if it's as bad as his. Pics of the NP900X3K-S02US: http://imgur.com/a/7d4Jd

Btw, about the youtube video you asked, I just watched one. It's quite bad, especially in dark scenes. Freaking mirror

 

Thanks for the pics. Yeah, that's pretty bad. I'll never understand the point of a glossy display if it's non-touch. Reflections are such a killer distraction to deal with. Over the years, the absolute beauty of the Series 9/ATIV Book 9 up until this point has been its matte display.

It appears that since Samsung wanted to upgrade this model to a QHD+ display, they cut corners by deciding to use the same QHD+ panel that the ATIV Book 9 Plus has. The difference being that the 9 Plus model has an additional glass layer for touch capability (hence it's heavier weight).

How's the trackpad, keyboard, and wifi signal?

I'm guessing you haven't had enough time to really test the battery over various cycles, but I wonder how close to 10 hours it gets while still having to push the extra pixels.

 

No comments on wifi (my router is in the same room).

I can't comment much on the battery life, but on 100%, the pop-up box says it'll run about 11hrs 30min. Of course that was on idle.

I had an NP900X3C before, and sold it to my roommate.

(So, vs NP900X3C)
No stylish silver edges (or was that brushed aluminum?).

The trackpad is still the best in the world.

Keyboard and overall feel is flimsier.

The keys tilt more and thus give out more noise when touched (I ran my fingers across the board, without pushing the keys), giving that 'cheap' feel.

The display panel is flimsier, shakes more when flicked.

Pic: http://i.imgur.com/uJMmDau.jpg

 

Edit: I don't really care about IPS anymore.

I'm sorry if this is off-topic, but which models exactly have matte and IPS (or PLS) displays? I mean Samsung 13.3" US models. I thought all of the Series 9 and Ativ Book 9 do (except the touchscreen ones, of course).

So, if anyone knows, please complete this list:

(model; matte/glossy; IPS/PLS/others)
900X3C: matte PLS
900X3D: matte ???
900X3E: matte BOE Hydis
900X3F: matte BOE Hydis
900X3G: matte BOE (Hydis or whatever idk)
900X3K: glossy! ???

 

Good to know you're already familiar with the Samsung 9.

The last black (with aluminum edges) model they made in non-touch matte was the NP900X3 E/F model (Ivy Bridge). I got a used one on eBay for $600 last year and love it. Its only potential 'downside' is 4GB of RAM, but I haven't run into any issues. Its 1080p matte display is awesome and gets super bright in any environment.


Here's some other non-touch matte display options should you ultimately decide to return..

- Last year's Samsung NP900X3 G model (Haswell chip) is non-touch 1080p matte. It's an all-black chassis (no aluminum edges however) and it comes with 8GB of RAM. There's still some small retailers out there who sell it via Amazon and eBay.

- But, if you must have a current Broadwell chip, the 2015 Dell XPS 13 offers a non-touch matte 1080p option in a pretty slick design. Not the same overall craftsmanship as Samsung, but a decent bit cheaper.

- There's also the 2015 Lenovo Carbon X1 with Broadwell. It offers a non-touch matte QHD option. It's a 14" notebook however, if that matters.

Overall, it's just very hard to find matte displays on notebooks these days.

 

I didn't see that you added this pic before my last reply.

Thanks for providing it. Clearly shows that Samsung has abandoned its awesome matte display on the Series 9/ATIV 9. Why would they do this? (rhetorical question lol)

I highly doubt anyone from Samsung reads this forum, much less this thread, but I really think this was a bad decision on their part. If someone really preferred a glossy display for some strange reason, they could've just got the 9 Plus with touch.

The vast majority of super users and business users will always seek-out matte displays for the best working conditions. The Series 9/ATIV 9 provided a perfect solution for that need. Ah well..

 

No problem.

Yeah it's Murphy's Law. The 900X3C was the best ultrabook I ever saw. Then of course they had to hop on the gloss bandwagon.

And I'm returning this, will be looking for a NP900X3G. The only reason I sold my 900X3C was insufficient DRAM and storage.

 

FYI - The NP900X3G (just like this year's X3K) had a limited sales distribution, so it was tricky to find even when it came out. You'll most likely have to settle for a used one now, which isn't a big deal IMO if you trust the seller and they offer a return policy.

At quick glance, here's a couple "like new" ones on Amazon and eBay (top-end i7/8/256 model):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00HWHWFUM/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NP900X3G-S0...978?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa6844eea


And here's a more expensive brand new one on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Samsung...145?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf6094411


Also, here's the general owner's thread for the NP900X3G:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-book-9-not-lite-or-plus-with-haswell.739152/


And an unboxing video of the NP900X3G to better see the design:

 

Thank you for confirming the NP900X3K is glossy :-(. I was planning to upgrade if it was matte. Guess the only good thing out of this is that I don't have to spend money on this laptop and stick with my X3G.

 

Thanks! Though I have to hold off for a while until I return this one and get the refund

No problem You're definitely better off with the X3G

 

Storage is easily upgradable. RAM is not of course, unless you had a 4GB version, I think 8GB is more than adequate.

 

The thing about this issue (matte vs glossy) that really gauls me is that there is absolutely no reason that a touch screen has to be glossy. There are numerous matte/touch displays, have been for years, such as all the tablet PCs from Lenovo, HP and Fujitsu from 2008 - 2013 at least, and a smattering of non digitizer models with capacitive touch and matte finish. It is true that fingerprints on a matte screen are somewhat more obtrusive than on a glossy screen (when both are backlit with equivalent brightness) but a little more frequent cleaning eliminates the problem and, in any case, that should be a consumer choice, not one made for us by the vendor. It really irritates me when anyone - professional reviewer, blog poster, etc - perpetuates the myth/lie that touch screens have to be glossy, yet in 2015 it continues. Best bet: coose the model that suits you best overall and if you want a touchscreen version and they only make it in glossy, get it and buy one of the very high quality semi-matte screen protectors out there (semi-matte because it will eliminate all glare/mirror effect while full matte will tend to darken images and show "screen door" effects.)

My summary comment on the whole affair: Sheesh!!!

 

Have to agree about the glossy vs matte thing. Must be Apple's fault lol. Never saw a touch laptop with matte though.

And please, could you link me to the semi-matte screen protector that you mentioned? I wanna try it on my X1 Carbon Touch. It already has a screen protector, but I'm pretty sure it's the full matte type. Because as is, it only works to "darken images and show 'screen door' effects"

 

Sorr, but I haven't been in the market for one of these in a long time, but you can find plenty recommendations in other threads in this forum focused on accessories .

 

Yes, very true.

Another good example of matte touch displays are those that you'll see on a retailer's register/POS (Point Of Sale) system. Bars, restaurants, dept stores.. they all use them. And they're not reflective or glossy with gorilla glass, hah. Granted, the UI's on these POS screens are very basic (just square items to tap on), but the concept is still the same.

Yet since the introduction of Win 8, not a single OEM has integrated any version of a matte touch display for a notebook. Why not? Likely because they believe glossy sells better due to its perceived "better colors and contrast".. i.e. more eye catching. Basically, notebook displays have followed the glossy trend of TVs and smartphones.

 

I think you're right. Call it the best buy showroom appeal. Probably because Samsung has little interest in being a business retailer like Dell/HP with an online store. Though I've seen some particularly terrible displays from HP in particular. The Dell XPS13 is certainly worth considering, it also has 4k@60hz support via displayport, which Samsung never puts in.

 

So from what I have read I am starting to accept that the Samsung Ativ Book 9 NP930X2K 12.2 inch with Core M is not going to provide enough computing power for my needs. This means I am looking towards the Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus NP940X3K with the Core I7 5500U and 256GB SSD. While not excited about the glossy screen which admittedly I have not seen in person I do have some concerns about the 3200 by 1800 screen. I read on these forums I can use 1600 by 900 without sacrificing quality. With the VAIO Z820 I recently sold it was a 1600 by 900 screen but was used a lot of the time connected to a 23 inch Asus 1920 by 1080 external monitor. I am wondering about 27 inch external monitors that have 2560 by 1440 resolutions and if everything will look normal. My normal uses are maybe 15 tabs open on Chrome, with a video playing on You Tube, and the normal background stuff with Windows updates and any Norton Internet Security stuff that may occur. Thank you for some input.

Edit: I was directed to the Samsung NP900X3G with its 1920 by 1080 matte screen and Windows 7 Pro but it is a bit pricey for last gen tech. While I have reservations about Windows 8.1 which obviously this Ativ Book Plus has it seems Windows 10 may be something that is okay.

 

Everything will look normal on the external LCD if it's running at its native resolution. It doesn't matter what the resolution is of the LCD built into the laptop. The LCD on the laptop could be 1366x768 but plugged into a 2560x1440 screen will look perfect at that resolution. 15-20 tabs will be fine. And "new tech" vs "old tech" this time around doesn't amount to much difference. The Broadwell i7-5xxx series may be a bit more power efficient, otherwise performance is comparable.

 

Sorry for the confusion, it's tough to find a machine that ticks all the boxes these days.

For the laptop display, you can either set scaling to 150-200% and all modern apps will look extra crisp at 1800p but menus/icons will be about the size they are on your sony's screen. Alternatively, you can decrease resolution to 900p @100% scaling so that four pixels render as one for any older apps that do not scale well. And I believe the mhdmi port can handle 1440p@60hz for your external monitor. You probably would want scaling at 100-150% there. The only issue is if you use both displays at the same time, it can be tough to find a scaling setting that works for both at once, that might be a non-issue. Or if you decide to step up to a 4K monitor, in which case I would not recommend any Samsung.

I would think an i-7 haswell can be had for the same price as an i-5 broadwell. If so, I would opt for the former. Unless max battery life is most important. Fanless Core M is a cool development, but I think it's best to wait for the second/third generation. Heat can be a concern. I actually prefer W8.1 + classic shell to W7, but YMMV.

 

I respect and am thankful for HTWingNut's generous replies and to you go45cvi this is what I was looking for. I probably failed earlier to communicate more effectively my dilemma on what to buy but thanks to you I have a greater understanding of my next steps. I will soon be buying the NP940X3K with the Core I7 Broadwell 5500U with the better graphics and the 256GB SSD. The extra hour of battery life will be good as well. As for "main" use it will be on the desk attached to the Asus 27 inch PB278Q that has 2560 by 1440 resolution which I will also buy. My VAIO Z with its 1600 by 900 screen was attached to my current 23 inch Asus PB238Q which is a 1920 by 1080 screen and it was scaled at 100 percent, using only one monitor at a time. And when I disconnected the VAIO there was no changing anything as it was already 1600 by 900. With the Samsung NP940 I was not sure how that would all work when using an external monitor and without due to much higher resolutions that I have never used up to this point and these "scaling issues" I have read about but have been somewhat addressed with Windows 8.1.

Edit: After looking at a Haswell version of the NP940X3G I see it is around $270.00 cheaper than the previously described Broadwell version. This I will have to really think about. Thanks again.

 

Just registered here to express my great disappointment with Samsung over putting a glossy screen into the NP900X3K.

I have a 900X3C from 2012 of which I think it is the best ultrabook made yet but unfortunately it is having memory corruption issues (already had to have the motherboard replaced once because it wouldn't power on anymore) and it now crashes once about every 6-10 hours of continuous operation. I am also starting to need 8GB of RAM due to my work (software development) so was really hoping the 900X3K could be my new machine. However, now that I know the 900X3K is glossy that is completely out of the question.

Having glossy non-touch (!) displays on work laptops is so misguided I can't even imagine what the designers of these machines must be smoking. It's about as stupid as putting the "Fn" key in the bottom left corner of a keyboard instead of Ctrl (yes, I'm looking at you, Lenovo) or the power button in the top right corner instead of Delete (yes, Asus)...

Guess I'll have to get the current Dell XPS 13. I've also used the 900X3G for a few months and it is a great alternative to the 900X3C but paying more than US$2000 on Ebay for it is asking too much.

In any case, Samsung have just lost another customer.

Edit: After some more research, I'm sure my new machine will be the non-touch, matte screen Dell XPS 13 (2015 edition). They even have a "developer edition" that comes preinstalled with Ubuntu. This is exactly what I need.

 

It is too bad, but I think you've made the best choice. You can also run a 4K monitor @60hz off the Dell, something Samsung has neglected for far too long.

Also, when are you getting back to work Jack?

 

The only slim hope is that Samsung will see this thread and take note for the future. However, with the push for retina/QHD+ and upcoming 4K displays, it's hard to imagine they'll dedicate resources to manufacture matte versions of such high-res displays. (They're not Dell, Lenovo, or HP who focus solely on computers and consumer options.)

Matte just seems to be viewed as 'old tech' and 'unsuitable' for post-Win 7, so it's essentially a marketing and 'form over function' decision on their part which unfortunately hurts the super user types.

I wouldn't be shocked if they ultimately did away with the ATIV 9 completely, as it no longer fills a specific need. They could just maintain the ATIV 9 Plus, which is their only mass production notebook anyway.

 

Fwiw I just purchased an open box Thinkpad Yoga S1, MS Signature (6 mos left on wtty and can buy up to any Lenovo NBD up to 4 yrs) which has a 12.5" FHD *Matte Touch Screen! * (with Wacom active digizer +pen in silo) 350 nit, decent 75% sRGB, Haswell i5-4300u, 8GB (soldered) dual channel RAM and a 128GB SATA SSD (wich can be upgraded as 2.5" or m.2. Decent ports (but no RJ45 :/)

So, I guess youll want to know what it cost me, eh? First, let me tell you that MS is closing them out (new ones) for $1, 099. Me, I got this open box, looking essentially untouched for $567. But wait.... the only problem I've found is that the Intel 7260AC p.o.s. Wifi cuts out when you restart from total shutdown. (fix is to go to device mgr and toggle any insignificant wifi setting and you're back in business in 3 secs until next time you do a full cold shutdowm (wake from sleep is fine.) The real fix for this is $31 for a new wifi card.

Why did I bore you with all of this about the wifi garbage? Coz when I called vendor to report it they offered:

1) Replacement (they have 73!)
2) Full refund (up to 30 days, even if not defective)
3) $150 refunded for me to hassle with myself.

Final price: $417.

(PS: this model had lots of complaints of image retention but after 9/14 new screen source.)

Moral: You can get an excellent FHD Matte touch screen with many other goodies thrown in (bonus: not having to deal with Samsung!) not for $2,000 but for around $500! Vendor is Blinq.com and they eill always offer $100 - $200 extra discount for entirely unimportant "defect" (I've purchased sbout 10 devices from them in past 2 years (including my 9 Plus (sig) for $875 last year because battery showed 94% of capacity. Even if you just wait a few weeks they will probably drop the ask to around $500. I would never lie about a defect, but how often isn't thete something - til you mess w/drivers etc for days? (John Ratsey told me to run the Samsung battery calibration in the BIOS and since then it's shown 104% of capacity!

Peace.

 

I'm looking forward to the XPS 13 but the developer edition apparently won't ship until mid May where I live (Central Europe).

No plans to go back on duty as Jack Bauer though at this time

Yeah, it really is too bad. I absolutely couldn't care less for touchscreens on a laptop and due to the usually glossy screens it is actually immensely counter-productive. I write code for a living, stare at a grey workspace with colored text all day and spend time remotely logged into Linux servers with a black console and white text. The last thing on earth I want is to look at myself and office lights reflecting back at me in the screen, obscuring the content I actually need to work.