NP900X3G - Successor to the ATIV Book 9 (not Lite or Plus) with Haswell

Have you tried using the touchpad control panel?

There are actually two, as discussed in this thread. Two finger scroll (and many other features) should work.

John

 

Thanks a lot for reporting this. Very helpful. So it's like all the original Win7 models delivered by Samsung, which I guess was predictable, and makes for easier support (both for Samsung and for us).

The big surprise (and disappointment) is that they even went back to the old SRS5 Recovery -- which means we don't have the nice backup features of the newer SRS6, and instead have to rely on the hacky manual Recovery backup. For those interested, the difference is described here.

On the positive side, I don't have to update a single one of the hundreds of posts about Windows installation and Recovery and cloning. It's all the same procedures and the same pitfalls

Thanks again for sharing this!

Edit: Almost forgot, there is one difference: It has the new BIOS with full UEFI/SecureBoot implementation, whereas the old Win7 models had a much simpler implementation with just a single UEFI Boot Support toggle setting.

 

Dannemand, as a potential future buyer of this laptop would it be simpler for me to buy one with win 8/8.1 installed? Will that even be an available option in the U.S? I would prefer avoiding the hassle of updating if I can.

On another note, what are the main differences between this and the AB9+? Just the screen?
There are so many specific models for each unit ...guess samsung doesn't care about making things simple to understand.

 

For anyone who prefers Win8.x, I would recommend buying one with that OS pre-installed (if available). That said, upgrading a Win7 model to Win8.x is not nearly as tricky as downgrading a Win8.x model to Win7 (which generally requires switching away from UEFI for most stable operation, and wiping and converting the disk, thus losing Recovery). If installing on a new SSD it's not an issue, though.

Personally I would buy a Win8.x model because I slightly prefer Win8 over Win7 -- despite the Metro/Start Screen thing, not because of it, and only when used with a 3rd party "real" Start Menu. I don't expect I will be going back to Win7. But people have different preferences.

From what I have seen, the AB9+ is stunningly beautiful, but that UltraHD touchscreen is a double edged sword: It is razor sharp, and has touch capability -- but it adds weight, and some apps scale poorly on that resolution (Win8.1 supposedly helps with that). I would expect a little more bang-for-the-buck with the AB9+ because it is aimed at consumers, whereas these new AB9s seem aimed at business buyers (which translates to higher MSRPs).

But I don't have firsthand experience with either model, so I should leave advice to actual owners

 

The AB9+ is thicker and heavier but does have a bigger battery. However, the extra capacity may only compensate for having to drive a higher resolution display. [We could benefit from some NP900X3G owners reporting their battery run time.]

The other key difference on the display is not just the pixels and touchscreen - the NP900X3G's display is not glossy and doesn't the associated reflection problems associated with glossy displays.

Also, the AB9+ uses an M.2 SSD while the NP900X3G uses an mSATA SSD which you can upgrade as far as 1TB with Samsung's EVO mSATA range.

Another question for the NP900X3G owners: Is Battery Life Extender present? What is the battery model? Is it still the 44WHr AA-PLXN-4AR used in the NP900X3C / X3D?

John

 

what u mean about Battery Life Extender? Can't say anything about the model, but it has indeed 44570mWH capacity.

Does anyone know how hard it is to exchange the battery?

 

Thanks Dannemand and John.

I've gotten used to windows 8 so I would definitely stick with it. Also doesn't win8 have big improvements with battery usage and have a smaller overall OS size?

I'm still holding out on this for now, I really want to see it in person so hopefully a retailer will have it in physical stock.

 

If you have BLE then there should be an on/off switch on the General page of Easy Settings (Fn+F1).

If the NP900X3G is like my NP900X3B then it's 10 screws (Philips size 0) to remove the base and then take out a few more screws to be able to remove the battery. Samsung dropped BLE on new models in mid 2013 claiming that improved battery technology rendered it unnecessary. However, if this new notebook has an old model of battery and no BLE then it confirms that Samsung just had a change of heart.

John

 

I'm not sure the X3G will ship with W8.1 at all. Both US models come with W7 preinstalled, since it is a business class notebook this makes sense as many IT departments have not gotten on the W8 boat. W8 should be pretty good when they bring back the start menu in the next update. Don't forget you do have a 3-year warranty as opposed to the 1-year on the AB9+.

How difficult do you think it would be to swap the motherboard from the X3G into my X3B? Seems like it shouldn't be too difficult. It's currently $750 so doesn't make a lot of sense but if it gets to down to $400 like the X3C it could be a viable option. Have to marinate on that.

 

No, the option to only charge the batterie up to 80% is nowhere to be found.

I hope someone can open his 900x3g to confirm ssd format,batterie model etc as I have no clue, which screwdriver I have to buy in order to open this thing.

 

I think users have done that already, check back a few posts

 

i could only conclude that the ssd is probably mSATA, but regarding battery change and modell i couldn't find definite information.

 

I did tons of researches and also contacted samsung technical support: this useful function is no longer avaiable and there's no way to add it, as it has to be supported by BIOS/UEFI

 

i think the back light bleeding on the lower edge is common. some devices have it more then others.
i got 2 replacements and kept the third one with minimal back light bleed. i`m a bit sad about this decision but i think for this price there are no alternatives with less bugs and quality problems.

 

For future references: i finally managed to make a clean install of windows 8.1 on my NP900X3G. If you come from an original 8.1 installation and you install a package (or a single iso) that contain exactly the same version you already had, window installer will automatically retrive the product key embedded into the UEFI and activate window as soon as you connect to inernet. Few considerations:
1) Remember to save somewhere WiFi drivers: after clean install you won't be able to use wifi
2) If you want to create a USB drive with the factory restore partition don't use a Sandisk. A 16Gb will be enough.
3) I am sure battery consumption got better after the clean install (with battery at 65%,CPU at 40% and brightness at 35% the forecasting is 10 hours left),

 

Hmm. I wonder why, do you think Samsung purposely installs a lot of unnecessary bloat?

 

Hi,

i played around with the energy settings but it seems that maximum brightness is limited while running on battery (automatic brightness off). When plugged to the power supply the maximum brighness is noticeable higher. Or did i miss something?

 

Check what it says in the user guide. I think I read in the guide for one of the recent Samsung notebooks that by keep pressing the increase brightness control the limit will be overridden.

Also check in (Easy) Settings if there is a switch for the auto brigtness. If that's the one you have already found then you have have to do battle with adaptive brightness. See this thread which probably touches on related issues such as the power saving options in the graphics driver.

John

 

Is there any accompanying documentation inside the box that states the 3 year warranty? I've seen it listed in the specs, but am curious what exactly the warranty covers and if it's transferable to a new owner if you ever sell it. I assume you'd also have to register your serial number on the Samsung site for warranty purposes?

Some of the reports here of noticeable light bleed and various keyboard issues is quite concerning.

 

I'm getting mine tomorow and want to install a clean windows 8.1 too.

So you can't use this SW-Updater since you need the WLAN driver to get access to the internet for download, right? Where do i find this single WLAN driver?

EDIT: nevermind, download them all on another pc.

 

This light bleed that people have mentioned, is it visible only during startup? or also when watching a full screen movie that has black edges?

 

Before doing a clean install first make sure that the computer works as supplied and then make a full backup of the SSD. Samsung Recovery Solution should be able to do this.

If, in future, you encounter a problem then Samsung may want you to reload the factory image in order to confirm that the problem still occurs with the supplied Windows / software configuration.

John

 

thanks a lot John,

but i returned the ultrabook, strong backlight bleeding and a faulty USB 3.0 port. loose contact to usb 2.0 devices like Note2/8. Ultrabook lost connection to these devices after gentle touch of the plugged calble.

@dkukade
Yes also while watching movies, but with my unit only when screen was near maximum brightness.

 

Thats quite disappointing.
I was under the impression that business-line laptops are supposed to be more sturdy; however, this one appears to be plagued with bent casing, light bleeding, and iffy keyboard issues. I assume perfection still can't be expected but are these flukes in the line or is the quality of Samsung truly this bad?

I'm still waiting to see if a store in NYC gets this model so I can go check it out in person.

 

Thinness does create extra challenges but Samsung overcame these fairly successfully in the NP900X3B /C /D /E and /F. The limited travel of the keyboard is another side-effect of the thinnesss and something, in my experience, that one can get used to. And if you can see the display then you will probably discover that you don't need to use the upper end of the brightness range unless outside. Many notebook manufacturers side-step the uneven brightness by using a lower maximum brightness.

John

 

I fully agree with John.
Sometimes I wonder if for some people there will ever be a machine perfect enough.
Every commodity is a balance of pros and cons, and there will always be features that are not ideal to all users.
But honestly, display bleeding, which is, if at all, visiable while the 5s of boot up and if the screen is 100% dark, is a KO-criterion to some of you on a business notebook?
If you watch movies 24/7 in a perfectly isolated room, maybe you should buy a 4K projector and screen instead of a notebook.

 

I often compare my NP900X4C with my T420s. The latter has much nicer keyboard action (but the layout isn't as good) but for anyone who complains about the X4C's display not being good enough then I shown them what the T420s is like: At maximum brightness it isn't as bright as the X4C on half brightness. Add the pressure marks on the display that I reckon are caused by squeezing the computer when closed then I concluded long ago that the X4C is the better machine out of these two.

John

 

i probably wouldn't returned it, if the USB 3.0 port had been ok.
but something was wrong with my screen too. Touching the left down corner of the screen made a clicking sound. The bleeding was strongest in this corner

But you are both right, the bleeding is not visible under normal use.

 

what is "normal use"?

my "normal use" is watching videos when i`m traveling, most time in a dimmed hotel room and also using a black terminal window or shell in linux. in both normal cases i always see the light bleed.
also the light bleed is from device to device different and has something to do with uneven pressure of the frame / glued bezel. when you press on another point, it will leave the usual place and will be visible where you press. one device had nearly no light bleed but a dead fan. so i think this is a quality problem and not by design.

my 3rd device got from one day to another a white (hot) pixel and so it went back to the seller. i hope my forth device will have nearly no back light bleeding like the second one with dead fan i got.
this thing isn`t cheap so i have no problem with exchanging it this often. they have to learn to do better quality control for a "premium" priced product!

 

I can't recall many problems with backlight bleed on previous AB/S9 models. But that doesn't mean Samsung hasn't found a new way to cut corners, they have a history of doing that even in their premium line. I imagine it could be distracting when watching a movie on a flight at night as well. They are charging a premium so it is reasonable to expect minimal defects.

 

On mine is visible only for a couple of seconds during startup. No problem with brightness set to maximum on black pages as it's already running

 

I read somewhere on this website that what users experience as light bleed during startup is actually just screen powering up

 

I openend the back of my 900x3g k02 (german) today. Here are some pictures:

Full View - Imgur

ssd has a mSATA format and battery is the same as in the 900x3c series and thus exchangeable. (AA-PLXN4AR)

The screen is brilliant and without doubt one of the best of all notebooks. You won't notice the bleeding at all if you use it normally. Complaining about the screen is just ridiculous.

The biggest weakness of this notebook is the keyboard imo. I also like the design of the Samsung 940x3g a lot more, because it has the silver finish on the sides and looks much better. Sadly i can't stand the WQXGA+ resolution reflective screen.
This notebook is clearly designed as business notebook. I don't have any issues so far as it runs perfectly with a newly installed stock windows 8.1.

 

Thanks very much for the photos. Some parts of the main board layout (eg the SSD under the ribbon cable) are the same as the old NP900X3B but the CPU has moved nearer the back thus shortening the heat pipes which saves a bit of weight and should move the heat better. I'm wondering what the squarish silver object with black rim next to the WiFi cable is.

How is your WiFi signal strength? This was one of the less good features of the previous Series 9s but it looks like Samsung have redesigned the antennae module (between the fan exhausts) and that module is probably compatible with the previous 13.3" Series 9s.

John

 

Thanks a lot!
Do you happen to have a higher resolution one as well? You can also just upload them here to the forums.

 

... and finally the sad confirmation that WiFi is indeed soldered. What a shame!

The heatpipe also doesn't cool the RAM anymore

Good question, on the 900X3F-G this is where the WWAN module is located. Maybe it's just a placeholder and we'll see a WWAN version in the future.

 

Why is this a shame? If it has a/c WiFi isn't that the latest technology? Just curious

 

Finally 900x3g review came on notebookcheck.
And my worst fears has become truth.This is definitely not 900x3c quality.
Keyboard gain only 78%,while 900x3c have 92%.Notebook is cooler then 900x3c but in same time I don't know why test with wifi only gain 5,43minutes which is whole hour les then 900x3c.I believe big resolution,more ram killed Hasswell advantage.
Is it possible situation to have two different quality battery with same Wh and because quality ,cheaper one give less minutes of life?Is that possible? Because if it ts possible Samsung probably installing now cheaper battery.
.

Test Samsung ATIV Book 9 900X3G-K01DE Notebook - Notebookcheck.com Tests

 

interesting...they are stating the screen has a TN panel?!

 

So any idea if this board would work in an X3B chassis?

 

It's the same BOE HF HN133WU3-100 panel as in the X3E. We think it is a VA type of panel that gives viewing angles as good as IPS or PLS.

That would require careful comparison of the two boards including the mounting screw holes. An internal photo of the X3B is in my review. You would also need the new cooling system for the new board plus there are potential obstacles such as the daughterboard and display connectors.

John

 

It might be top notch for now, but only for as long as the next generation shows up.
See the meanwhile 43 page http://forum.notebookreview.com/networking-wireless/716325-intel-7260-a.html thread to see how popular user upgrades are.

In some rarer cases users have also expressed their wish to replace the WiFi with a WWAN / WiFi combo card.

While notebooks were always quite limited in terms of upgrades, traditionally you had at least 3 options (RAM, WiFi, Storage). Now all what's left in the new Ativ Book 9 is storage, which I wouldn't be surprised will get soldered too in future notebooks.

YOUR choice is slowly taking away.


I'd probably agree to the change if it was to save some space to make the chassis smaller / slimmer, but the design is a couple of years old and there was no reason to. And it's still a whole card being soldered not just the chip.

 

Both models have been reviewed by different people so I wouldn't give too much about the numbers.


- Aluminium body?
- TN panel?
- CPU throttleing?

I can't quite believe this, not sure if I like that review. Also I wished he would have compared it to X3E/X3F and not to AB9+ / AB9 Lite

 

They also were wrong with the 870z5g review where they wrote about a TN panel. This is wrong. I got that model yesterday, and it is definitely an IPS or PLS panel.

Not sure what's wrong with NBC recently....

 

I can say Wifi antenna is more sensible then the one installed on my other 2 notebook (Lenovo X64s and HP compaq): in some places where the latter struggled even to have a couple of "bars", the X3G has full strength.

 

Maybe they couldn't easily find out more about the BOE panel. Our previous speculation suggests is it one of these.

Anything that helps reduce the display power consumption without reducing quality is worth having on an ultrabook even if there is a small cost penalty.

Thanks. Then it seems that either through better antennae design and/or the new Intel WiFi card they have finally fixed the previous signal strength problems associated with the antennae along the back of the chassis. [Although driver problems for the Intel 6235 WiFi were a major contributor to the previous problems but these were finally fixed about 6 months ago.]

John

 

anymore problems with this laptop not laying right on a Flat surface ?

and most agree the keyboard is not that good ?

Thanks

 

Actually mine had this problem initially (the second one i got, after i returned the first one for the same reason and a broken pixel): when resting on a table there was a kind of "ground clearance" beetween one edge of the lower surface and the table (i tried on many surfaces).With the passage of time this gap became more and more smaller, now it rests just fine on the same surfaces.

edit: The keyboard is good, but the one of a macbook i tried this afternoon is better. No drama however

 

I think the chassis is the same (you can see the wifi card securing screw hole is still there unused). However, you're right the cooling system wouldn't work and at least one daugtherboard is different. Oh well, it was just an idea.

 

Can any of you current owners who are talking about light bleed post some pictures?