Samsung 2012 Series 7 Chronos (NP700Z3, NP700Z4 & NP700Z5 series) Owners Lounge

Coincidently a colleague also bought one from here

SamsungSeries 7 Core i5 6GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive Laptop | Woolworths.co.uk

Also without the ATI chip but stated in product description.

Must be becoming quite popular as the word gets out about the VAT back offer.

 

Anyone problems with BSOD? I have problems with my usb ports. I hear that my usb port "resets" itself. Like you plug and unplug an usb device. When I got a blue screen it says that "asmtxhci.sys" caused the problem.

Is it possible to downgrade to bios 10FD?

 

Might want to reinstall the USB 3.0 controller. That BSOD related to the driver that is the control host of the USB 3.0. Normally, USB 2.0 does not need any specific driver because they are all support natively. On the other hand, upto Windows 8, we need to install specific driver for USB 3.0 to get it working. That is a problem because the driver might not stablized for a long time like the one that written inside the OS.

 

Good Day to everyone!

I have recently joined your ranks by getting a Series 7 Chronos with the specifications: NP700Z5A-S05UK. Instead of waiting for the refresh I just went ahead with this due to the vat cash back and I am very happy with it so far its performing far more than its price class.

However I have a little niggle, the mouse pad. It is all fine and well with the multi touch inputs etc. However as a gamer I have noticed that when I am holding onto some buttons that the mouse pad stops tracking. It is very noticeable with the WASD buttons. Just to be clear for example when I am walking forward in crysis 2 I am unable to move my mouse while i am still holding onto the "w" button, but here is what's weird, sometimes i can move my mouse but sometimes I cant.. but if i hold the shift and "w" together then i can aim without any problem whatsoever.

I have updated to the latest elan drivers and made sure to go over all the mouse settings, I even looked for a palm check (which btw isnt present). So am I the only one that is having this issue or is this common?

I am just really confused on why it works sometimes and then other times it doesnt :S I mean the mouse pad should not be affected by any key inputs on the keyboard...

(I made a thread about this too, I just needed a reply asap I am considering returning it if it is not fixable :S)

 

What you experienced is touchpad not working while typing. You will find the solution in this topic if you go back for some pages. The setting for that is hidden, but you can show it by going to registry.

 

Thank you I tried the registry change, but it would only work if I reverted back to the factory driver for the touchpad, for some reason using the latest drivers and changing the registry doesn't have any effect.

Also since i can now use the touchpad while typing, for some weird reason now the two finger tap command doesnt work, though the three finger tap commands work :S

 

Personally, my only problem with the touchpad is that the entire right half of it counts as a right-click, and I'm having to stick with tapping for single click. On the plus side, two-fingered tapping for right-click works a LOT more reliably than on my previous Asus. Anyway, I wish there was a few extra config options, like making the entire click pad a left-click and a tap the right click. Or even vice versa.

 

Ok, I just picked this bad boy up today, and one thing I'm wondering about... I hit the function key and try to adjust the screen brightness, and nothing happens. What am I doing wrong lol?

 

There's two sets of function keys for brightness, make sure you're hitting the ones or the screen (F2 and F3) and not the keyboard (F9 and F10).

 

I don't know if it's because I had removed Easy Settings, but I reinstalled that and it's working now.

I also just downloaded the latest driver for my touchpad, and I've lost two finger scroll. What gives?

edit: This touchpad is really bad :-/

 

Yeah, EasySettings is required, it acts as the hotkey driver.

Have you checked the settings in the touhpad driver? I'm using the latest one from the site and it's there, but I think I had to set it, don't think it's on by default.

The touchpad isn't bad at all, I just wish that clicking anywhere but the right button counted as a left-click, instead of the left half being left click and the right half being right click.

 

1. On what basis do you think it is the latest? Newest on the download site or newest offered by Easy Settings. I think the newest Elan driver package is 10.7.13.1.

2. There is a touchpad control panel in Windows Control Panel which offers a lot of options. Perhaps the update cleared the selection for 2-finger scroll.

John

 

How do I check the settings in the touchpad driver? I actually just downloaded the driver again and did the setup again and 2 finger scroll is back.

My biggest gripe about the touchpad is that I keep clicking and dragging stuff completely by accident. Now that this is updated though it seems to be working better.

1. Yeah I just re-ran it, and it's working again. Thanks!

2. I'm really struggling finding where the touchpad control panel is... where is it lol?

 

On my NP900X3B (same Elan pad) there are two ways, both in Windows Control Panel (which you can find if you type "control" into the search box on the start menu). Then change your control Panel window to View by Small icons (in top right corner). (i) There should be a Touchpad icon (which takes you straight into the configuration panel) or (ii) the last tab on the Mouse control panel says "Elan" which takes you to the same place. Note that this version of the Elan control panel does not offer a sensitivity option. If you want to change that then Google for a program called "ETDAniConf.exe".

John

 

Great, thanks!

Now I have to figure out why my graphics card isn't kicking in during league of legends!

 

Can you run 2 external screens with the 700z5?
One from the hdmi and one from the mini-vga? (+ the laptop-screen)

 

Theoritically, yes. But it depends on the driver from AMD. Since the VGA driver is known for issues, I doubt about that. But you could try that.

 

Can anyone confirm whether Crysis uses the AMD card?

I'm getting very poor performance (15 - 25 FPS on medium settings, 1440 x 900, no AA, less than 10 FPS at native res on high settings).

This is MUCH lower than the benchmarks for the 6750M listed for Crysis here:

AMD Radeon HD 6750M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

and here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...amd-radeon-hd-6750m-benchmarking-results.html

It's only really playable (25-30 FPS) on medium settings at 1024 x 768, which is pretty bad. So, I'm wondering if it is using the integrated GPU instead.

Any suggestions? Cheers in advance.

 

You should know that is just not the card, but the CPU and the temperature of each components. Bottleneck can happens on most laptop because of the heat. You need to check to make sure the laptop is not overheating. Try to update to some patch to Crysis to see if it is working or not. Remember, most of the benchmark do not reflex the actuall gaming experiment. You'll get different results with different configurations.

 

Thanks for the reply. Crysis is fully patched as it was purchased through Steam.

 

Is it normal that I am getting up to 95 degrees Celsius on some of my cores while gaming (bf3, just cause 2, crysis 2) and also my gpu goes around 85 deg c. I am not holding it on my lap, leaving it steady on a clear table. My usual idle temps are all around 50 degrees c, so i am a bit concerned about why the big difference :S

 

Don't feel too surprise with those numbers. All games that you listed are considered graphic killers. Even if you run those on desktop, with max settings, VGA can get hot as 80-90 degree. Because of the thin chasis, CPU can get hot as that even with cooler. I once running debugging Visual Studio at 80 degrees.

 

I have a custom built pc, with a 2600k and Geforce 570 along with my well ventilated case, cpu never went above 65 degrees and gpu never above 70 degrees celsius. I always expected laptops to be a lot higher, due to compact size and not much air flow etc. But having some cores run 5 - 8 degrees celsius close to the Tmax of 100 degrees celsius, isn't that something that needs to be looked at? This is my first laptop, so I am a bit of a noob when it comes to what is okay for a laptop or actually bad :S

I did a 20 minute stress test today and I just need some reassurance that the Idles of 50c and Loads of 90-95c for cpu and 80-85 degree c for gpu is acceptable or not?

 

Prolong use of that temperature will be really bad. This laptop is unfortunately not quite design for gaming imo. If you really want to play video games, I do not think this laptop is for you.

If you do want to play games. I would recommend getting a notebook cooler would help even if it's a few degrees.

 

Please really get a cooler if you find the bottom is excessively hot.

 

I'm still puzzled about the WLAN performance: sometimes only 1MBit/s throughput is reported (6M distance, 2 walls) which makes transferring files take very long indeed...
Placing the laptop next to the modem/router ups this to 82 MBit/s, which is much better- can't move the modem (fiber) because that would involve relaying several cables.
Has anyone tried to install an external antenna instead of the one inside the lid?
Or found a different solution ? (tried a repeater already).

 

Have you checked the advanced power settings for your Wifi device, and made sure it is set to High Performance for all of the power schemes you use?

 

CPU load at 90-95 is really bad for a new laptop like this. For old laptops, about 2-3 years, that could be acceptable due to old hardwares and dirt, but for brand new laptop, especially the SB cpu which has low voltage and release less heat than older generation. You know on desktop, we have those big fans that run much faster than the fan in the laptop. Also, because every component is soldered in one board, that would increase the heat. I suggest you open the laptop and try to reapply the thermal paste. Make sure you know how to do that or you could let someone who know about that to do it for you. It would help to cool down the CPU a little bit. However, it would get hot back after awhile, but check for the temperature. If the temperature for load is not under 90, then you have some serious defective laptop. If it still has warranty, send it back to Samsung to service. Also, 80-85 for GPU is not really bad, because of the heat from the CPU, GPU temperature also increases. Another thing to concern is that for most application, try to set silent mode. It will help to decrease the heat. Because most application does not need to run at 2.8 or 3.0 Ghz and we have 8 threads, but almost they only use 2-4 threads, so there is no need to use more core frequency.

It could depend on the router. Mine is performing really well at home network. N wireless and speed is up to the maximum speed of the ISP. But when I go to my school, which use G network, then speed drops significantly and moreover, I could not connect to the network. So I would say if your router is N, then try to reconfig the wifi. Repeater won't help in this case because it would just increase the range, not the speed. However, if you have some issue with range, repeater and booster can help you to solve that.

 

hi- new on here so forgive me if im doing anything wrong, however, i just took delivery of my smasung 7 series np700z5a- a01dx, and i am disappointed as it does NOT appear to have a backlit keyboard!!! is this correct as i cant seem to find any info that this model "should" have it? any help would be appreciated. thanks.

 

The A01DX is a model specific to the Dixons group and, in compensation for its lower price a few features may have been left out. Another thread here ascertained that it did not have the ExpressCache. Not having the backlit keyboard may be another. Does the User Manual mention it?

John

 

hi john- thanks for your response. unfortuntely it does not state anywhere in the manual??? i have been seraching on the web regards to the backlit keyboard and it seems to state that there was a "bestbuy" version with lower spec....sorry but just getting used to the trackpad and tried searching this forum but couldnt find a thread related to this- if you could post a link that would be apprecaited. guess i now have to decide whether its a deal breaker as i was really looking forward to the lit up keyboard. thanks.

 

Here is the trackpad thread. You will find other relevant threads in the list here.

John

 

thanks for that, i think i will eventually get used to the trackpad. i guess it comes down to personal taste but not having a backlit keyboard with a lower spec model, makes me think i should return it and get the right spec, got 7 days to decide i suppose.

 

That's your choice. In addition to the backlit keyboard, the ExpressCache should give a useful boost to performance (check the specs carefully to be sure of what you are getting).

John

 

thanks- i will. i suppose i just want some advice or someone to convince me that either what i paid(£450) with a 6 months warranty is a good deal or i should spend twice as much and get a brand new model with all the extra key features......and this form being the best place to get an informed opinion.

 

Unless, of course, you're planning on replacing the HDD with an SSD.

 

Yes, with the recent big drop in SSD prices then that is a more affordable upgrade.

At that price I think you got a good deal even when eligibility for the Samsung VAT refund is considered.

Putting an SSD into your cheap S7 will boost the performance and still save you money while giving everything except the backlit keyboard. How much value do you put on the backlit keyboard?

John

 

thanks for that.
to be totally honest- probably a bit of aesthetics and quite a lot of use in low light....so lit keyboard would be quite practical. so SSD upgrade will help specs(i'll pretend i know how to do this) but would you say a 6 month warranty is worth the risk? or has this model been reasonably reliable?(i5 btw)

 

The work-around for not having a backlit keyboard is one of these. £1 from your local Poundland (and you might find a £1 sleeve while you are there).

The SSD upgrade will make your computer feel much faster because less time is spent getting data off the hard disk. When you fell like trying the upgrade check back here for advice from those who have done it.

As for warranty duration, most notebook problems arise either within the first 6 months or after a couple of years. So the difference between 6 months and 1 year doesn't carry much risk.

John

 

thats an awesome solution even if not exactly what i had in mind....but great suggestion.. i think you have answered my questions so thanks for all your responses. i will defo keep an eye on this forum to see what else i can learn, as i am sure there will be lots!! cheers.

 

Hi guys, my NP700Z5A-S03US finally arrived!! (I'm based in the Philippines, I ordered it through my friend in the U.S., and she had it shipped here)...

The threads here are really long already but I seem to remember several posts on optimum settings for the computer. Would anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction? Would love to get the best out of my computer.

 

What kind of settings are you talking about? If it is for the screen, go to the main topic and look for a Series 7 Profile. If it is for Wireless, make sure you set the wireless power to be maximum performance even in the battery. For VGA, there is a link to download the most suitable driver in the first page. For touchpad, use the newest possible driver to eliminate older bugs.

 

Owners Lounge now serves Z5C and Z7C owners too. If you find any useful threads or information worth displaying, PM me.

 

I'm looking to get the 14" chronos model for a friend. Have been skimming threads about the 7 series for the past month, but still not as informed about all the little details as I am with my Series 9. Can anyone please confirm if these general problems are resolved or still present in the current model that I'm about to get? Seems like there are a lot of complaints for the Series 7 Chronos. I plan to buy this one:

Samsung Series 7 NP700Z3A-S06US 14-Inch Laptop (Silver): Computers & Accessories


1) Is there still wifi issues? Samsung updated the broadcom found in older models with an Intel wifi card, so did this solve any wifi connection problems?

2) Does the palm rest still somehow hurt people's wrist while resting on it?

3) I'm assuming samsung still has not implemented the "fixed mode", and will this be a huge problem if he won't be gaming much? He will do some light gaming on rare occasions though.

4) I'll be upgrading the hard drive to a SSD right away, so I can just completely dissable the ExpressCache, correct?

5) Any other general problems this notebook has that I need to consider first before buying today? Thanks in advance!


PS - this thread includes the NP700Z 4, but when I did a quick google search of it, there is no such model. I'm assuming it's just a typo and it's actually NP700Z 3A, correct?

 

Thanks for this reply. Actually, I was hoping for the actual links to these drivers and updates.

 

For graphics driver, use the download link posted here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...s-push-samsung-implement-fixed-mode-bios.html

For all others, use Easy Software Manager on your S7.

 

Thanks!

 

The NP700Z4B appears to exist. Certainly the Z4A did. Note that Z3 = 14 display, Z4 = 15.0" display and Z5 = 15.6" display. So the Z4 with thin bezel has much the same width as many 14" notebooks with wide bezels. If the 15" PLS panel that we hope to see on the NP900X4C actually exists then I hope that Samsung will have the prudence to make an NP700Z4C with the same display.

I will leave others with hands-on knowledge of the recent 7 Series to answer your other questions.

John

 

Well in that case, then the 14" model of this chronos (NP700Z3A) can also be discussed in here right? I haven't seen much talk about the 14" model.

 

Of course you can.

The reason being the 14" does not have many issues.

BTW, John, can you edit the title to include Z3 series too? Thanks.