Samsung 15" Series 9 NP900X4C with Ivy Bridge CPU

It's look more and more like I'll have to get something while I wait, unfortunately the 1st Gen Series 9 is way to expensive for me here in Korea. Think I saw it for the equivalent of 1400 - 1500. Samsung really has a premium pricing over here. I really wanna wait for the Ivy Bridge version, but I'm guessing that even with the best case scenario (were they swap out the CPUs like John said and run down the existing Sandy Bridge inventory) that laptop won't available for 3-4 months.

 

That's good to know, you figure the HD3000 would support civ4 as well?

 

Insight UK's eta for the X4C, which yesterday showing at 20 March has now slipped to 5th April.

John

 

LOL. Like we didn't know that was going to happen. The next "slip" will be to July.

 

One intriguing aspect is that the current eta of the X4C (Ivy Bridge) in UK is about the same as the eta for the X4B (Sandy Bridge) in US. The only rational explanation of is that Intel is promising Samsung a limited number of Ivy Bridge CPUs in the near future and Samsung is putting those into models to sell in a smaller and more profitable market. Intel is talking of ramping up IB production during Q2 which would match progressive release of IB notebooks.

John

 

I stopped second guessing all of this and ordered the 13" from buy.com. I still think I am not going to be happy with the 128GB SSD, but I will decide while I am using a machine instead of sitting on the sidelines. I figure the 15" will be shipping in the states before the 13" return period expires.

 

The return period is still usually only 2 weeks, right?

 

45 days at buy.com
30 days at amazon.com

I actually cancelled the buy.com order and ordered from amazon because I had a stash of Christmas gift cards I wanted to use.

 

I am really interested in getting the Series 9 laptop with Ivy Bridge but I am just wondering if there is any actual confirmation that the Series 9 will be getting Ivy Bridge?

 

After Intel officially announces it.

 

Insight have updated their web page with some additional specifications and there is now no reference to the CPU model No.

John

 

It will, but not at full settings.

 

Ivy Bridge launch has been confirmed for April 29. The good News is that the mobile processors will be released at the same time as the desktop processors.

Source: http://hardocp.com/news/2012/03/28/intel_ivy_bridge_launch_confirmed_for_april_29

knight_killer

 

Only the 45W mobile i7's will be out on April 29th. The mobile 17W i5's (as in the NP900X4C) won't come until June.

Source: Revised Ivy Bridge launch schedule confirmed

 

One thing is for sure, they just killed any notion of me buying a SB based 15".

IB or bust.

 

You got that right

 

Just curious, is the current 15 inch SB model using a 17 Watt chip? And do we know for certain that the Ivy Bridge model will be using a 17 Watt chip?

 

The 17W chips are designed for Ultrabooks. The SB NP900X4B uses the 17W i5-2467M: Intel® Core? i5-2467M Processor (3M Cache, up to 2.30 GHz)

 

Ah ok... Thank you...

 

The UK etailers who had listed the NP900X4C as arriving on 2nd April have now changed their listings to "no date". Insight UK still currently thinks one will arrive on 5th April but I expect that to change within a few days.

**Edit**: Someone posted a Samsung VAT cashback offer. I find it intriguing that among the notebooks listed as eligible is the NP900X4C-A01UK and the promotion period is 28th March to 7th May 2012. This could mean that the first batch of the X4C could show up in late April as part of the first batch of Ivy Bridge products and whoever is quick to buy could get 20% back from Samsung.

John

 

"Tech-Buyer" (never heard of them!) NP900X4C-A01UK are listing 8th May as their stock date.

 

multitronic.fi (never heard of them either...) are listing NP900X4C-A01SE with a i7-3517M (i think this is the i7-3517U) on 2012-04-24 as stock date.

i7-3517U Quick Specs:

• Frequency: 1900 MHz
• Turbo frequency: 3000 MHz (1 core), 2800 MHz (2 cores)
• L3 Cache: 4M
• TDP: 17 Watt

 

Cool! Looks like you Europeans might be get the Ivy Bridge machines this month. That would be great because it means the folks here in the states might be a month after that.

 

128GB SSD? What the heck crap is that. I want a full hard drive, give me the 700Z5A-S03 Chronos with an Ivy Bridge CPU, better wifi reception, and better display

 

Well, we know Samsung has 256GB models because they flaunted them at CES 2012 and the Korean launch. But then again they also flaunted the silver finish, too.

Grrrrrr.

 

I think they have sold all the 256GB SSDs to other manufacturers. Besides, having now seen the 13" S9 PLS panel I want PLS on the 15". Also Win 7 Pro since I have a few old programs that need XP mode.

John

 

FYI,

After backing up the 13.3" with TrueImage and the version of Ghost that came with the SS9, I flattened the machine and nuked all of the partitions then re-installed Windows 7 x64 Ultimate. The factory partitioning leaves a lot to be desired.

I haven't seen the 15" screen yet, but the 13.3" PLS is simply stunning. It's very good and makes the 1600x900 resolution at 100% DPI very usable even for my poor eyes. I'm sure my wife will crank up the DPI % some, but most people won't need to.

 

One interesting discovery: There's not just NP900X4B and NP900X4C listed on Samsung's global downloads site but there's also an NP900X4 D. I wonder what the D has that separates it from the C. Time will reveal. At the moment it's "No downloads are currently available".

John

 

That's the 256GB silver model I want.

And hopefully it isn't just wishful thinking.

 

I second that. After using the PLS screen for the last month, I don't know if I can consider another laptop w/out one :-(.

 

Notebook.de is listing the X4C at the bottom of this page. The first German version has Win 7 Pro but only 4GB RAM and the usual 128GB SSD. There are glitches with the info, such as the micro SD slot and offering a RAM upgrade to 8GB.

Talking of card slots, on the 13" S9 a card in the slot sticks out from the side of the computer (presumably for ease of removal because the slot isn't spring-loaded). I would expect the 15" to be the same in this respect which isn't convenient for those planning storage expansion using a big SD card.



John

 

FYI,

The NP900X4C-A01UK is listed at Samsung Spring for the Spring promotion. Must be coming before 7/5/2012.

 

I wouldn't be so confident. I think someone in the marketing dept added all the notebooks they had on their current list.

But if the X4C arrives before 7th May I will be tempted to grab one (having first checked that it is still on the list) and claim the discount. The cashback then half fund the cost of finding a 256GB mSATA.

John

 

I third that! Ever since I got my first Sony Z I have been unhappy with every other 13" screen I have seen. According to this review of the 900X4B in The Verge the 15.6"screen is not PLS and is not of the caliber of the new 13.3" on the 900X3B - it has the same resolution, but much poorer contrast, colors and viewing angles. So unless you can't read the text on the 13.3" there seems to be no advantage to getting the larger one (except possibly price, see below), and a several disadvantages. The Verge review of the 4B also calls the audio "a joke" while my understanding of the 3B is that it has outstanding audio. Me thinks Samsung is playing some tricks with model designations (A, B, C and D!) and sizes (3,4, ?) and using the same basic ultra-thin chassis but with apparently major differences in what's inside. I don't know what the 900X4C's pricing is, but I suspect it will be lower than the 3B's and therefore look like a steal, but likely to disappoint those of us looking for a premium+ caliber notebook. Perhaps the 900X4D will not just have 256GB RAM but also potentially better screen and audio?

One thing's for sure: "buyer beware" is most applicable to this model series; what you think you see is not necessarily what you will get. Having a full-refund return period will take the risk out, I suppose.

 

We do things different across the pond and I read the end date as mm/dd/yyyy but it appears you are right and it is dd/mm/yyyy thus May 7th. That seems like a short runway for a promotion of the Ivy Bridge model unless it starts selling this weekend.

On the bright side, lets hope they are clearing inventory of Sandy Bridge based machines to make room for Ivy Bridge.

 

With all these models that will float around, it is best if you can get to view a physical demo unit at a store or have an absolute no questions asked return period. Samsung can easily vary some components which some will be "downgrades".

 

CostCo.com is selling the Sandy Bridge 15" in the USA and has a no questions asked return policy. However, they do charge tax and shipping so it isn't going to be the lowest cost option.

If they had a 256GB SSD model I would have placed an order.

 

Some of the bigger Best Buy stores in the US also get them in - that's where I saw the older model and decided I needed one. It may take them longer to get them, but that should be a good place to get some hands on experience.

 

Any chance the 15.6" Series 9 would come with dedicated graphics? Would pick that up in a heartbeat... even if it comes with a middlnig 630M.

 

Considering this is the Ivy Bridge thread, and Ivy Bridge machines will have the Intel HD 4000, it's highly unlikely an Ultrabook class machine will have a discrete processor for gaming.

Never say never though. Someone might try to carve out a niche with the college crowd.

 

Buying-wise a reliable store, at least in terms of inland shipments. Can't say anything about how correct their info usually is.

 

Anyone can confirm if there will be a 13" ivy bridge refresh?

 

Google for 'NP900X3C' - plenty of hits, even on the Samsung website.

John

 

Insight have just update their NP900X4C page with a full set of specifications.

Interestingly, they list it has a i5-3317UM CPU (rumoured to be Ivy Bridge) with the HD3000 (current Sandy Bridge GPU)...

 

Tainted specs. Human error detected.

 

Looks like we're still some way off getting these - noticed Insight have a date again but it keeps getting pushed back (currently tomorrow, but I bet it'll change within the next 24 hours).

ultrabooknews.com suspect June will be the earliest we get these, and based on their logic I think I'd have to agree.

 

I can confirm this:

Sean Maloney, Intel’s executive vice president and chairman of Intel China said about the release date of the first Ivy Bridge chips, “I think maybe it’s June now.” Initially the release date was in April.
http://nvonews.com/2012/04/18/intel-ivy-bridge-processors-finally-coming-next-week/

So this is an Intel problem, not a Samsung Problem

 

but if you look over at the series 7 gamer thread, someones taken recieval of a core i7 IB machine already...............

 

The S7 and S9 use different class of CPU. S7 use mobile CPUs, S9 uses lower wattage ultrabook CPUs.

 

i figured that may be it, so the higher wattage IB are out then in the wilds of consumerdom