Samsung 9 Series laptop (ZX310 / 900X3A) unveiled

kalahari

Thanks for letting me know. What brightness level are you using on battery? I'm on the minimal setting to save battery life plus I don't like a bright screen and that's when the changing brightness (or maybe contrast setting?) is really noticeable. Its not too bad when the brightness setting is on 3+ bars (Fn+F3) so maybe I'll just have to put up with it or take it back to the shop

Dave

 

I have not really having fiddled with the settings much so I don't know if I have mine on optimal settings for me yet. Fn+F3=3 bars.
Here's some pics of the settings that I currently have. Most are just default ("Samsung Optimized" power).

 

I'm almost sure that it's your ISP and/or your router problems. 6230 is stronger adapter, and if it works with the same performance as your Broadcom, it's something else. Have you tried to take your laptop to the store where you've seen the perfect sample, and try the connection there?

 

I would love to install this one: OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" SSD, SandForce Equipped, SATA, 7% Over Provisioning
Any info on what type of cable?

 

Nice! Another place to disable adaptive brightness: total of 5 now. We'll see if it works in the long run...

 

With all those bugs it's still the best Windows ultra-portable up-to-date

 

That's exactly the way I feel as well. So...I return the Samsung, and then what?...is there ANY good alternative?

Even assuming I was willing to go with a Mac, the MBA has similar wifi strength (or weakness, if you prefer), I have compared directly with my wife's new MBA...no question the Mac wins in build quality, AC adapter and possibly screen quality, but OSX and two-generation-old internals make it a "no go" for me.

X220 was on the possibles list, but the screen is smaller, the profile is much thicker and uglier, and there are still plenty of complaints about issues such as backlight bleed. X1 is bulky and has terrible battery life.

I considered Vaio S series, but it's significantly heavier and bulkier, plus it has build quality issues.

If a new Viao Z was imminent I would most likely get that, but nothing on the horizon thus far.

So, for all of you returning this laptop, what are you going with instead?

Short of waiting for the next generation, which I can't do because my previous Vaio was stolen, I have still been unable to find any acceptable alternatives... to me, the Samsung 9 (even with a USB wifi dongle in the bag as a road-trip back-up, tho I have had no issues) is still the only game in town

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndroidDeer
Not much difference because both exceeded my data limit (20Mbps down/5 up).

6230 has a good bluetooth range though, with back cover on.

With back cover on, mine couldn't reach 20Mbps 3 feet away from the router. It's always half the speed, occasionally reached 15Mbps. I'd say it's unstable. I don't know why, but I guessed it's to do with how the antena is connected to the body. I'm sure some are doing well in their original state. I saw a perfect sample in store. Speed was 20Mbps on speedtest.net.

It is strange that AndroidDeer's did not reach 20Mbps even when close to the router. Samsung recommends changing the Bandwidth Capability, on the adapter's settings, from 11b/g:20MHz to 11b/g:20/40MHz if you have a "weak wireless signal".

As I posted earlier, I did not see any difference in performance between the Broadcom and the 6230 in my testing.
Both, when they were close to the router got the same speeds on speedtest.net (11+Mbps) as my networked PC on the same network (and my iPhone 4 and Dell E6400 which were both wireless).
When they were tested far from the router, neither adapter could connect (while the iPhone 4 could). With the back off the notebook, both adapters performed marginally better i.e. 1 Mbps difference.

I have given up on the Centrino 6230 because I spent hours trying to get Bluetooth to work right on it. I could only get it partially working. I have 4 bluetooth devices that I currently use -- the most important is the great Razer Orochi mouse. Also, as stated, I could not find improvement that the 6230 offered over Broadcom.

If Samsung releases wireless and bluetooth drivers for the 6230, I might consider adding it again. It does not play nice with the standard bluetooth drivers from Intel in this Sammy.

 

These have to exist since the Intel 6230 comes standard on the Canadian version. This also begs the question as to why the Intel card was not included for the other versions, perhaps there was lack of 6230 cards available? Cost difference would have been minimal so its hard to believe this was the issue on a high-end laptop.

In any case, I would also like to install the 6230 to enable Widi, but only if bluetooth works well, otherwise better to just go with the 6200 or 6300 which seem more widely available anyway (can't seem to find the 6230 in the UK)

 

One would think so... I spent considerable time searching international web sites (especially Canadian as I had heard it was in use there) but could not find any Samsung drivers for the Intel 6230...

I'm still surprised that some people seem to want to install the Intel 6230 for WiFi reasons though. I could not find any difference to the Broadcom for WiFi. To install for Intel WiDi is understable.

 

Dave,
I know it's an older post of yours but I tried this and backlight did not change when I minimized and then restored "mostly white" Explorer window.

 

If you don't see any difference - it's something wrong with your setup. Even comparing the specs we will see 5Ghz compatibility band available only in 6230. And as we all know, 5 Ghz = huge improvement in throughput over 2.4 Ghz. I already posted it, but it's a nice example: it's the same as if you would say that there is no difference between Toyota and Ferrari because both are driving great at 65Mph speed limit.

I assume your ISP speed is a bottleneck in your tests. I do realize that a lot of people are happy with a satisfactory connection capable of browsing Internet web sites, and that's it. And there are tons of netbooks on the market, light, sleek, and much cheaper than Series 9, which are the perfect devices for it.

If you go one step up, looking for a performance to at least watch 1080p videos on your laptop without a hassle, your wireless network card should be able to handle it. And I'm pretty sure stock Broadcom adapter would barely be able to handle 1080p stream even at 15 feet from the router. If you want to compare it to speedtest.net results - it's 30-40Mbps. In other words, to see the difference between those two adapters in your setup you will need to upgrade your ISP to 50+ Mbps connection and run your tests again - and you'll see it!

I'm not going to return to this again. For anybody stating that there is no difference between Intel Centrino and Broadcom adapters - please post your REAL MAXIMUM WIRELESS NETWORK SPEED, not your best ISP speed... Otherwise, it's pointless.

 

Samsung screwed it up again. Try Canadian site in French

Étonnamment léger. Incroyablement solide. - NP-900X3A-A01CA - Rendement - informatique mobile | SAMSUNG

Select "pilote"

3rd line from the top: http://org.downloadcenter.samsung.c...0127094746608/WLAN_Intel_64bit_14.0.0.113.ZIP

 

You are absolutely right! I am going to resolve that any metal enclosed laptop is going to suffer same reduction if it is a complete metal unit. The plug...they have one on the way and, well...


Off to Computex Tx all!

 

This is only partly true. If the cause of all these wifi problems is antenna placement or metallic casing that acts as a Faraday cage that blocks wifi frequencies, changing adapter or drivers will not help much. Changing the adapter may give some boost in random occasions but does not resolve the main problem.

I still strongly believe that the reason for lousy wifi is the duralumin case. Duralumin is a very good electricity conductor (better than steel) which makes it consequently a very efficient blocker of electromagnetic signals such as wifi. There is a reason why most laptops are made of plastics.

 

I thought of that either. Since I am not a physicist, there is only one observation that I can present here: it looks like 5.2 Ghz bandwidth deals with the duralumin case much better than 2.4 Ghz, although in theory it should be opposite.

 

Just curious if anyone has installed the latest intel HD graphics drivers (and if it's worth it) Looks like I have 8.15.10.2266, 12/16/10

8.15.10.2361, 4/13/11
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...rs&ProductProduct=Intel®+HD+Graphics&lang=eng

 

I suppose the consolation would be the greatly increased strength over the regular aluminum used in the Apples. There was a post in one of the Lenovo threads by someone who had gone through several, in which he talked about how susceptible the Air was to dings, bends and crumples.

 

Actually it's only one major bug; I expect all the rest will get ironed out.

Having had the chance to compare this directly with all the possible competition, the only one that I'd even consider as a replacement is the X220 with IPS screen. But that has a smaller screen, as well as noise and screen issues.

My wifi is probably good enough for most of my use, and I can add an antenna when I'm doing critical work. So I'm keeping the Samsung.

 

For those interested in the i7-2617 version of the Samsung 9, it looks like the 900X3A-A04 edition (128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, W7P) is now available from some sellers (no luck on finding 900X3A-A05 anywhere yet). Amazon is showing the A04 in stock from two sellers (Beach Audio and Tech U Store), and Provantage is showing it in stock as well (77 on hand). Here are a couple more sellers: ANTOnline and NEOBITS.com.

As soon as anyone receives the A04 or A05 editions, please report back on initial impressions, especially performance, WiFi strength, etc.

One more note, it doesn't look like any of the sellers so far will accept returns on Samsung products, so purchase at your own risk.

 

Sitting in Pearson Intl with the wife beside me. I have my Series 9 and she has my old M1330. My wifi is bouncing from 2-5Mbps and very slow and she is at 54mbps with no problem at all.

These are the pitfalls of loving your new machine. Worse part is I have an external and forgot it!

Oh well....HK next stop.

 

I didn't see the difference because I didn't bother to try beyond my data limit. It's not my router's problem, it's because my data is capped at 20/5 Mbps. So any speed faster than that doesn't affect my usage.

However, with the back cover closed, both adapters gave me the same speed, which was about 8Mbps. Again, my router has no problem because my other computer (HP) reached full speed. And FYI, I used ASUS N16.

I've returned my sammy so I didn't try it at some other store. Plus, I won't be able to try it because they don't give out their wifi password.

 

So is there a model not affected by the wifi issue?

 

Thanks for that site. Unfortunately, it has the Intel Wireless driver but does not have the Intel Bluetooth driver. It was the "generic" Intel Bluetooth that was giving me problems after my install of the Intel 6230.

I did find one thing when I went back to my Broadcom. I had to re-install Broadcom wireless (which is expected as I had installed it) but Broadcom bluetooth drivers were still on the device. Maybe if I'd been able to remove those, the Intel bluetooth drivers might have worked.

 

Hi Everyone,

I just recieved my 900x3A looks to have a build date of March 2011 (bottom next to serial).

In reading through all the "issues" on the forum I just wanted to state that none of these have manifested themselves on my laptop.

No Wifi issues, no adaptive brightness issues, etc. So far it is a very nice very sleek machine.

I did have to adjust the mouse pad for typing, made an image using paragon, deleted the recovery partition (paragon), and merged it into the main partition (windows admin tools).

I think though this thread is getting to large and should be broken up into different issues. I spent sometime looking for a hdmi to vga connector with no luck. I will start a new thread on this.

Tight Lines,
Javy

 

for anyone interested in keeping figerprints off the laptop. It works pretty good.

moshi neato Screen Cleaning Kit
Amazon.com: moshi neato Screen Cleaning Kit: Electronics

 

Actually, as I understand it, the 5ghz should work better because higher the frequency, the more tight cage you need (as the wavelength is inverse of frequency). If we totally oversimplify, the 2,4ghz needs at least 5 inch diameter holes to pass through (the plastic keyboard is barely in the limits and it has some conductors too) but 5ghz needs only 2,5 inches.

However, the radio frequency world is much more complex and this is not a B&W thing. There may be also other RF interference effects present as well.

 

Hong Kong Airport... 54Mbps and working great, much better than Toronto and the XPS M1330 is 54Mbps as well so I am going to guess their max is that and they have a strong signal throughout the airport.

FRUSTRATED!

Allow me to retract last because I must have been sitting right underneath their wifi antenna. We are now sitting upstairs by the departure gate and I am watching tons of people use the internet while the Samsung is being choked out at 2.2Mbps max. I got so frustrated after waiting anything to download after 15 minutes I shut it off and am now using the wies XPS M1330. While typing this she is getting 48Mbps and I can work on it wirelessly. I cannot with the #$%^&$^&%^%& Samsung Series 9.

I guess the upside is that I have lots of bat life left on the Series 9 but it is crap that, in order to use it in normal wifi areas, I might have to throw on an external wireless.

Further, I have a close connection with Samsung and each laptop is exactly the same. There have been no changes and although some may say that theirs is exhibiting no weak wifi signs now, you will feel different getting away from your strong home signal and into a normal environment.

Boarding in HK...later.

 

Hi Javy,

did you find a way to adjust the pad sensitivity to avoid movement from accidental palm brushes?

Also, I've been trying to decide what to do about the existing recovery partition. If you delete the partition, what is left to merge?

 

My 14mo daughter pulled my wrongly left Sammy off the almost 3' high counter top and it fell on the tiled floor... Not even a scratch! Bravo, Samsung!!!

That's a fair pay off for a weak wireless - I am almost sure that my XPS m1330 as well as nearly any other plastic case laptop with the replaceable battery would at least fall to pieces after such an incident.

 

I have been fine tuning it under control panel->mouse->Device settings tab->settings->smart sense (click on gears)

I have my smart sense set at 5 (pad sensitivity), and restrict tapping zone, which is much smaller than default. I have the right, left, and top tapping zone bounding box is almost as small as allowed. Just reduce the size and move your finger over the pad and you will see it turn green when you are in the tapping zone.

As far as the partitioning, I deleted the recovery parition and then recreated it as a new partition (paragon). Afterwards I extended the C partition into the new empty partition (admin tools in contol panel). All free. I believe it was over 23GB of added storage.

 

try this,
go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Samsung\Easy Display Manager\WifiManager.exe

and then select adaptive brightness option and turn it off

lot of times manufacturer software will do the trick

let me know if it works

 

No, it doesn't. Btw, Easy display manager is available by Fn+F1.

 

I guess I do notice the minor change in backlight on battery power still, but only if I have backlight on absolute min. I prefer about 3 clicks up on backlight, cause it just looks better.

Has anyone installed the latest generic intel HD graphics drivers, and is it ok to do so? I wonder if it would make a difference.
Looks like I have 8.15.10.2266, 12/16/10

Latest are:
8.15.10.2361, 4/13/11
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...rs&ProductProduct=Intel®+HD+Graphics&lang=eng

 

Intel Centrino 6230 install #2 completed successfully! Wireless and bluetooth working 100%!!! WiDi installed too but not yet used.

The short story is that I re-installed the 6230 after removing Broadcom wireless and bluetooth drivers, and installing the generic Intel wireless and bluetooth drivers. It took quite a while as I had a number of "quirks" in my configuration such as bluetooth linking to my iPhone 4 -- that required the installation of "Microsoft Mobile Device 6.1 for x64" to solve the "Bluetooth Peripheral Device" error. I had a couple of missteps along the way but those were mostly user error/impatience

While I was doing these changes, I also installed the latest Intel HD Graphics drivers which v8.15.10.2361 from Intel. There are working with no problems and graphic scores on WEI are higher. If you do this, make sure you the download the Win 7 Premium one or Win 7 Pro one as appropriate.

I updated the Intel Chipset as I saw that a newer one was available for this processor.

The installation order of the Intel updates were chipset > HD graphics > wireless > bluetooth > widi.

Tomorrow, I'll start traveling for a couple of days so will get a chance to try out this Series 9 in airports, hotels and other locations...

 

After upgrading my ram to 8gb (cosair) and install the new intel generic drivers for both chipset and hd graphics my wei score jump up.

 

Congrats on resolving your BT issues. How and where were you looking for a chipset drivers? Intel web site & Mobile Intel® 6 Series Chipset ?

P.S. Offtopic - is there any way to delete a post?

 

Finally pulled the trigger and bought mine. Kicking myself I didn't buy it sooner, as it had been sitting in the same place for the long three-day weekend. Should have it by Friday and I'm excited to lock myself into a room with it.

Got it from Circuit City since there was no sales tax for California. Anyone else get their S9 from them?

 

So..... is Samsung going to have an official fix for the weak wifi problem? I am waiting for their fix to pull the trigger.

 

Can you provide us the link you used for the wifi/bt, widi, HD graphich and chipset. It would really help us.

I got everything running fine but bluetooth display exclamation but it still works.

 

My take after a few weeks:

It's such an Air rip-off, and ultimately a slightly flawed one at that, and it actually upsets me a little that they've thrown in the towel in this manner. The Q series weren't as derivative as this for example.

There's nothing particularly objectionable about the performance of the machine in my view (except for the dreadful trackpad) but carrying it is basically tantamount to a declaration of 'I really want an Air, but I need to run Windows / have 'issues' with Apple' - and I don't want an Air.

Not for me.

 

Yes, I plan to make all these links available -- I didn't have time when I posted about my successful installation. I have all the links saved but I have to go through them and a whole lot more that I saved too. I'll try to do that tomorrow night.

What is the bluetooth device looking for when you try to resolve that exclamation? It's not "Bluetooth peripheral device" is it?

 

That's the one. see the attachment. Only way to get the intel 6230 wifi was to use some drivers from HP. I couldn't get it working with drivers from Intel. That's why if you don't mind posting the driver you used it would really help out. thanks!

 

Thanks! (I'd got as far as the settings window, but thought there were only demo videos.)

 

Hope it helps:

INF Update Utility - Primarily for Intel® 6, 5, 4, 3, 900 Series Chipsets - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20019&ProdId=3301&lang=eng

Intel® Wireless Display Software for Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit (2.1.39.0) - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19782

Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows 7 64-Bit (14.0.0.0) - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19819&lang=eng

Intel® PROSet/Wireless Bluetooth Software for Windows 7 64-Bit (1.0.2) - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19890&lang=eng

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Windows 7 64-bit 15.22.1.64.2361 (8.15.10.2361) - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20037&ProdId=3319&lang=eng

Intel recommends to install packages in a listed order.

 

New review of Samsung Series 9. Guy thinks the wi-fi is fine. Hmm....

Samsung Series 9 Ultraportable Review… Part 1

 

Thanks Phil. Those look like all the same versions that I have installed. I haven't had time to find my links.

 

You need to install Windows Mobile Device Center x64 (which is still for Vista) but it works just fine. Here's a great link with instructions on how to download and then fix all the bluetooth errors.

 

Glad to help. Also make sure you have the latest driver. The last update seems to work better.

Samsung

(Mind the model number)

 

Why did you post? (That's a rhetorical question that I would ask of trolls.)

Yes, it's a MacBook Air competitor but calling it a "rip-off" is just ridiculous! And yes, I want to run Windows as I have been doing for last 20 years or so. There's a lot of good programs that run on Windows 7. Am I anti all the Apple fanboi's? Definitely not! I have an iPhone 4 and will get an iPhone 5 as soon as it's available. I can't count the number the number of iPods and iPads (including itouches etc.) that we have in our household.

Am I happy to have a laptop like this Samsung Series 9 that runs Windows 7 as well as it does??? Hell, yes!!! I have no reason switch to a MacBook Air. Actually, I wouldn't even consider an Air as the MacBook Pro is the one that I would want if I want an Apple computer...