Introducing The 2013 Series 7 Chronos with AMD HD8870M!

Hello!

I've been reading comments and I'm about to buy the Series 7/Ativ Book 8.

I know they are basically the same but which you consider to be better to buy now? I think I like the S7 with the metal natural color (It should scratch less I guess) but I've read that the AB8 has 8gb soldered. Also I read ther S7 can't turn off the keyboard backlight.

Which you recommend me buy?

 

The only difference is the ram configuration and the color. (The ativ might be more expensive) So pick which colour you like the most or go for the ativ book 8 if you need 16 gigs of ram.

 

Thank you Pranktank, the difference in price is only 50€ so not a deal breaker.

does your version seem to scratch easily? Also, I'm a programmer and I use some CAD programs and play somtimes. Do you think that 12Gb will be enough for at least 5 to 6 years? Right now I use 4gb and goes fine but I worry that in the years to come 12gb could not be enough.

I almost forget. Your version can turn completely off the keyboard backlight?

Thank you.

 

Gigabyte P35K has GT765m and Haswell i7 4700HQ, IPS FHD screen, it has support for Quadruple-Storage System (2XmSSD + 2X2.5"bay), it has even support for Blu-Ray burner and ecstatically is good as Samsung Chronos/Ativ.
GIGABYTE - Notebook & Netbook - Notebook & Netbook - P series - P35K

Unfortunately Gigabyte doesn't sell in every European market, so in Europe you can buy it for sure only in UK and Germany (this is important for keyboard and warranty), also price in this moment is unknown so it's not easy to compare with others products.
According to Notebookcheck chart GT765m seems much better than 8870m, in 3dmark11 GT765m obtains 4116 vs 2993 from 8870m.
Obviously a comparison made by a simple chart it's not enough to say something, because today many others factors have a great influence on performance first of all the throttling.

Another laptop with interesting aesthetic is the Razor Blade Pro (GT765m) but it's of range because its price and another time because is not distributed in every market.

So it seems that the only competitor with same market availability was Asus UX51VZ, but thanks to stupid Asus choice like proprietary connector for SSDs, and low end SSD and display with not great performance, so for me Samsung rests a better choice.

The Samsung delay to updating Chronos/Ativ Book could be an advantage for customers, because from July, Intel will start to supply the revision of Haswell chipset, so without the USB3 bug.

 

That P35K looks promising then indeed! What's strange is that the 8870m scores only 50 points less on 3Dmark fire strike gpu at all stock clocks compared to the 765m, while the 8870m is much more behind in 3dmark11 gpu scores.

Edit: I do yet have to see a laptop with this kind of performance come close to the chronos' battery life.

 

Scores are useless, you can't play games with scores. Check the gaming performance:
Computer Games on Laptop Graphic Cards - NotebookCheck.net Tech
About battery life,
p35k's battery: 75.81Wh
chronos's: 91Wh

 

Off course not, I know the 765m is a better gaming card, I just found it curious.

 

This looks much nicer... and hopefully more available

 

Is there anywhere that sells replacement UK keyboards for the 15 & 17 inch models? At this point I'd like to get my hands on a German 17" model and just replace the keyboard - they're going quite cheap if bought from Europe

 

Intel is claiming that Haswell can add a 50% in battery life respect Ivy Bridge, so until a review about P35K isn't out we can't say which laptop has greater battery life between P35K or Ativ Book 8 (with Ivy Bridge).
There are others notebooks interesting from Gigabyte, for example P34G: i7 Haswell 4700HQ+ GT760m + Dual-Storage System (mSSD+ HDD) it's a 14" available even with FHD screen, it weights 1.76Kg
GIGABYTE - Notebook & Netbook - Notebook & Netbook - P series - P34G

It's interesting to evidence that Ativ Book 9 is already affordable after few days from official launch.

 

I guess I'll wander over to the Gigabyte section of the forum and see if quality has improved any as of late...

 

Do you know if an Haswell refresh would need a new motherboard too? Or they can just throw the new CPU in?

 

i have just returned from Best Buy in the US and the ATIV Book 8 here has the Radeon 8770. i thought someone posted a link to Best Buy .ca with the 8870 version, but now there are no Samsung laptops there at all. does anyone know an online store selling the correct spec'ed version for import? i don't want to feel like i paid more for less, so i want to see what other options there are. i would prefer to buy it on sale if it's going to have the same video card as the old model.

 

Well they'll need to implement botj a new socket and chipset so I suppose it's a whole new motherboard.

 

i managed to find the Book 8 model with the 8870, but it was 1599 euro, which equals over 2000usd before shipping. i think i will be fine with the 8770 at 1200usd + tax. ;p

i plan to wait until August to see what else comes out, but this is my #1 choice if nothing is better. i'm tempted by the 25% off coupon and HP Envy Touchsmart 15, but not a fan of Beats and i don't know about the screen quality. i really want higher resolution, but i need a 10-key pad.

 

Damn...no hope to see an Haswell refresh anytime soon, then...

Sent from HTC HD2 with Tapatalk

 

Nice review dude!

 

This laptop is also not bad MSI Notebook Official Website | G Series - GE60 2OE-003US Gaming Notebook / Laptop

 

I would be very surprised if the board doesn't already exist. Samsung will have received a limited supply of sample Haswell chips months ago and I'm sure that the boards will have already been designed and tested.

What we don't know is whether Intel is shipping adequate quantities of the middle to high end Haswell chips appropriate for use in this model.

John

 

man, i hate the look of those gaming laptops. Im also now sold on multitouch screens. This is the one on my radar:
Acer upgrades its PCs with Haswell, new models include the Aspire V7 Ultrabook

 

Thanks for that link, that comp is on my radar now too. It's sad to see Samsung struggling so much with getting the 8 out the door.

 

I previously had a "gaming notebook" in the form of an Asus G73JH. It was great provided that I never had to take it anywhere or use it on battery.

I am so enamored with my NP780Z5E - it provides better battery life than my retired mid-2010 MacBook Pro as well as similarly stylish, and it can handle any of the games that I play well. I am now using it as my primary computer. At work and on the road I just have the notebook and an external mouse and at home I have a 27" external monitor, 4TB USB 3.0 media drive, and an external logitech solar keyboard. Ah... simplicity.

 

Thanks bro!

I just uploaded my Gaming Test & Review today.

Windows 8 Chronos Series 7 Gaming Test & Review I LOVE THIS LAPTOP - YouTube

 

I've been following this forum thread for months now and wanted all of your advice. I'm not a gamer but I've been looking at gaming laptops simply because I run my laptop hard. It's on 24/7 and I often have multiple internet windows open along with multiple programs.I have been waiting on this Chronos for months and felt that it was everything I wanted but without Haswell I'm not sure it's a move I'm willing to make. I've looked at Acer Aspire V7 and S7 as well as Gigabyte (which seems a decent option except I'm not sure when or if they'll release in the US). I thought the Acer S7 looked more powerful than the V7 but with some of you suggesting the V7, it has me confused. What would you all recommend in replacement of this Samsung for my purposes? I want a very strong graphics card, very fast computer, good at cooling, preferably thin and lightweight, around 14-17" screen. I'm open to any and all suggestions as to what is closes to this computer and what I would be compromising in making that switch (please talk in layman's terms - I'm not a computer person! Just trying to keep up!). Thanks so much!!!!

 

the V7 hits shelves at the end of the month supposedly (even though its the end of the month now), im holding back for reviews. it has a 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GT750M GPU, 12GB of RAM, and a Haswel processor.... with multitouch IPS screen, and 1TB hard drive, for $1300. this is the model #: V7-482PG-9884-U

 

The S7 is a much thinner and lighter ultra book than the V7, and it lacks a dedicated graphics card. The V7 will be more powerful but a bit bigger. Also, the S7 only comes in 13.3",which puts it outside of your range. For what you have said, the V7 will be the one to look at (at least when it is released).

Just a side note, it's actually Acer making these laptops, not Asus.

 

I meant Acer! LOL, see...I'm really not a computer person! I'm a work-from-home consultant and pregnant soon-to-be-mom. I have no clue about these things. I just know when my computer isn't working and when I've surpassed it's capabilities so I know I need something amazing!

Thanks for the clarification on s7 vs v7. I knew the s7 is small which I wouldn't enjoy but if it were otherwise better and faster, I would consider it.

It also seems like many people are still willing to do the Chronos and maybe I am too...I just feel like I'd be buying old technology. I know battery life on the Chronos is pretty good as it is but is Haswell supposed to also help with keeping the computer cooler and working better with Windows 8? Or is it literally all about battery life?

 

Thing is... it's missing the 1080p screen option

 

Just wanted to ask - the Samsung Ativ Book 8 (NP880Z5E) hasn't been released yet correct? I also assume the difference between the ATIV Book 8 and the Chronos 7 is that it is mineral ash instead of silver (looking at this youtube video: watch?v=uJU9IvNDAFw).

I know the ATIV Book 8 is a rebrand of the Chronos 7, but not sure whether it is supposed to be an upgrade or not. I also cannot find the ATIV Book 8 anywhere in Canada (only checked web stores so far).

 

ATIV Book 8 has been released in Australia and Italy for sure; I don't know if other countries got it though, but not US for sure. It's a rebrand but there is a little difference from the Chronos, other than the color: it comes with 8 GB RAM soldered, with a free RAM module which is user upgradable. So it supports 16 GB RAM (and not 12 like the Chronos)

Sent from HTC HD2 with Tapatalk

 

You can use SW Update's Find Models option to see what is in production. Search for the NP870Z5E on the NP880Z5E and it will list all the versions.

John

 

Okay, awesome.. Thanks a bunch for clearing that up for me. Now here's to hoping it will come out for the US soon

 

Portugal too as of late may it's currently selling at (in some stores) about €1185 which is pretty sweet (given our 23% VAT)

 

It does actually have a 1080p option, see this link.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/acer-aspire-v7-hands-on-eye-popping-screen-meets-comfy-keyboard

 

yeah the option is there. waiting for release to see full options and pricing

 

That's actually pretty cheap as it's €1599 everywhere here in the Netherlands (although I got it for 1399 with student discount).

 

yeah, when I saw the prices on other countries I was shocked. But then again, we're poorer (most of us at least..) than Netherlands so in order for them to sell a few units they have to cut their margins a bit

 

Anyone been able to send out to an external monitor at 2560x1440, with HDMI at 60hz?

If not with HDMI, is there any other way to do it that you have successfully achieved?

also how much speed is lost by having a mechanical HDD as opposed to a SSD?

thanks

 

Just gave Windows 8.1 test and when running SW Update it said no updates available even though there were drivers missing and no samsung apps. Is that normal when a new OS is released? Do we have to wait for Samsungs support?

FYI I'm not keeping 8.1 as I don't want to reinstall for the RTM but as I'm changing the HDD for an SSD on Monday it was worth a quick look

 

I'll leave others to confirm what can be done through the HDMI port, but I think it should be possible.

2.5" hard drives read data from the platters at up to about 100MB/s (perhaps faster for the 7200 rpm drives and slower from the inside tracks), plus there is the access time (typically 17 microseconds needed to move the head to the right track and wait for the data to come round. Manufacturers try to improve the performance by using caches that are getting larger with each release. The new Seagate SSHD includes 8GB of solid state memory so that some files (but only a few percent of the drive's capacity) can be accessed very quickly. In contrast, an SSD has an access time to find a file that is close to zero, which is the main performance benefit by making the computer feel more responsive, while read speeds are typically in the 500MB/s range.

It's possible that the 8.1 is confusing SW Update, although the drivers should be the same. You can manually get the Windows 8 drivers using the Find Model option in SW Update.

John

 

I just bought an NP770Z5E-S01SG, and I have a question: how do you create a copy of the recovery to a USB? I will be replacing my HDD with an SSD (waiting for the shipment now). I bought a 32gb thumb drive (SanDisk), but I am always getting an error when I select the "create boot disk" using the Samsung recovery software. I am only able to copy the files if I turn off the "create boot disk" part. Is it supposed to be off? I have tried doing the recovery thing inside windows, as well as thru F4 during boot, but I am encountering the same error message.

 

Where have you guys been buying this laptop from? I mean here i EU and a online shop that you can trust That ships in Eu . I need a new laptop and founded that this would be the perfect one. But now with haswell out is there any other that could be as good as this? I mean. I will going to engineer school after summer. And will do some hevy CAD stuff. And i really need good battery life. So this was the perfect one. I saw some shops in germany that sells it for about 1200€

 

Windows 8.1 is not released yet (it's just a preview) and Samsung hasn't updated their drivers yet. In particular do we need an updated Settings since the current one doesn't work properly in 8.1 -- not even the latest Settings version 2.0.0.55.

There has been some discussion in another thread, starting here. I tested the 8.1 Preview myself this weekend and posted my findings there. They pretty much align with everybody else's.

 

Samsung Series 7 Chronos review | PC Pro

 

Has anyone found an ATIV Book 8 in the Mineral Ash Black color? I looked at the ATIV Book 8's at BestBuy this weekend and they were silver just like the Chronos 7. BestBuy's description says Mineral Ash Black but with a little looking the Samsung page says "Bare Metal (Silver)".

I had the Chronos 7 and did not care for the silver keyboard with blue back lighting. I was hoping that the Book 8 was going to be an improvement in that area but so far that is no looking likely.

 

Bought it from Amazon IT, great service.

 

Here's one to keep on your radar too
Asus N550 / N550JV review - a sleek multimedia notebook

 

thanks. that and the acer aspire v7 are both at the top of my list. waiting on official pricing and reviews

 

I am seriously starting to doubt that the North American (Canada/US) release of the ATIV Book 8 will employ the new Haswell processor.
The ATIV Book 9 that was released recently is stuck on Ivy Bridge, and the current releases of the ATIV Book 8 (Au) are stuck on Ivy Bridge also.

What is Samsung doing, or even thinking these days ??

I would absolutely HATE it, if I bought the ATIV-8 (with Ivy Bridge), only to have Samsung very soon afterwards - release a Haswell refresh - (after) my 15 day return period had expired already !

 

ATIV BOOK 9 PLUS was launched with Haswell, and is already available for purchase in many online store in my country.
Others producers are still launching Ivy Bridge laptops, for example some ThinkPad by Lenovo.
Dell, usually the first brand that update its model lines, still maintains XPS lines with Ivy Bridge.