Samsung 9 Series laptop (ZX310 / 900X3A) unveiled

and the charger is different in the new b01?

 

^^ mine sticks straight out and looks like it if my dogs hit it or something it will get broken in a hurry, especially with the tiny pin. I really don't understand why samsung didn't at least do a right angle power plug.

I'm going to heat shrink tube around the end at the computer and the brick to help protect agaisnt the covering from pulling out of the plug end and fraying.

 

So what's everyone's consensus on the Series 9? Is it worth its $? I'm planning to buy a laptop for my sis, and so far all the ultrabooks released seemed to have problems (wifi, touchpad, keyboard, etc). She really liked series 9 but the Wifi problem couldn't be tolerated. But it looks like Samsung fixed it, so I'm planning to make a purchase from the Microsoft's store for $999. Would you recommend us to wait for the next batch of ultrabooks (when do they come out?) or would you recommend Series 9?

Thanks for your opnions.

 

If you are buying now, I looked at everything and ended up with the series 9 because of the fixed wifi, a nice keyboard, a trackpad that works. The only thing it doesn't have but isn't the end of the world is a higher resolution ie 1600x900. Still plenty of real estate for a 13.3" laptop though. So far it's definitely worth the money IMO. The big thing for me about the series 9 is the ability to upgrade the ram. On the others everything is soldered in.

I doubt youll see many more ultrabooks until ivy bridge is out which will probably happen in April or so, then a few more months for product refreshes meaning you'll likely see new machines shipping with ivy in june or july.

I think I saw a rumor of a zenbook update to fix some of the issues with it by sometime in January.

 

What do you guys think about this Samsung vs. the Toshiba Z830/835 Ultrabook?

 

Z830 is cheaper but IMO less "pretty."
Series 9 is pricier but prettier.

 

For me it isn't even a comparison. The toshiba looks & feels cheap next to the series 9. The only place the z835 is better is that it's .3 lbs lighter at 2.5lbs versus the 2.8 of the series 9.

 

the tosh is much more practical, far more connectivity and less issues reported thus far, the samsung is prettier and much more of a gadget imo.

i plugged for the tosh in the end as it does everything it should and weighs absolutely nothing, i put mine on some scales and it weighed in at exactly 2.38lb (1.08kg). as for cheap look and feel..................dont agree at all, the tosh looks and feels like a premium product to me, and i've played with both side by side, same quality feel to both

 

Z830 vs series 9.

Honestly don't go with either. The Z830 has a fan that simply won't stop and the Samsung (tried one for the first time over here in a UK PC World) flexed when I picked it up from the bottom left corner... not good. It felt cheap, full of plastic (I thought this was made from something else?) and the apparently amazing screen is NOWHERE near as fantastic as the Envy 13 radiance.

For the money skip both and wait for what appears when Windows 8 hits. We're the beta testers for this early kit in all honesty.

I returned the Z830 due to fan noise. Don't get me wrong it was a very nice machine but for the cash... nope.

Samsung 9: Quite a good looking machine with flex and a screen that isn't anything special
Tosh Z830: Annoying fan in a quiet room, reasonable looks, ultra light.

If I really had to pick one I'd pick the Samsung. Or if GPU performance isn't all that for you I'd most certainly go back towards an Envy 13.

 

is the samsung 9 cpu soldered?
is it possible to upgrade?

 

To the poster who said the Envy 13 screen beats the Series 9, he must have been looking at a S9 screen that was set on the dimmest setting or he has a Envy and is jealous of the S9 screen. I have a S9 and compared it to a friends Envy side by side and there is no comparison. At 400 nts the S9 screen blows away the Envy and its completely usable in the sunlight versus the Envy screen which washes out as its not as bright.

The Envy also does not have a SSD and the bootup time is much longer than the S9. I admit the graphics card is better and the colors may seem a bit more realistic, but the nice bright screen blows away the Envy or any other current laptop/ultrabook.

If you get a new S9 with the 6300 Intel then you don't have any wireless issues, so its a pretty good deal especially at the Microsoft Store for $750 after taking the 25% discount.

 

Hello fellow 9 Series owners from Down Under, I've owned a 9 Series now for about 6 months and other than the well known WiFi issue which I resolved by using a usb dongle I absolutely love it. I have been experiencing a problem of late and was hoping someone from here might have a fix. My problem occurs at least once a day sometimes more, my trackpad completely freezes and the only way to resolve it is to turn the system off completely and do a system restart. If anyone else has experienced similar issues and have found a way of resolving it, I would appreciate any information that can be provided. Happy New Year

 

anyway of getting the discount online or by calling them and having it shipped? i live nowhere near a MS and I called customer service about the discount and it was a no go...

 

I have somewhat the same problem. My scroll up and down feature doesn't work temporaryly and I just have to refresh the page and hope it comes back up. Sometimes it works however most of the time, I just wait a minute or so. I hope someone has a solution for this.

 

im using my samsung 9 that i recently bought down under and its working great, i havent had any wifi issues or nething, hopefully it stays that way.

I got model 900X3A-A03AU which has the old antenna not the new intel centrino ultimate 6300.

When i first bought it i thought that i wud have problems but right now i havent had any problems connecting to my wifi with full speed or any trackpad issues, its blooody faster then my computer and my computer is rated 7.6 on windows rating thingo

 

I'm 99.9% sure it is soldered. Using a socketed CPU would add to the thickness of the computer.

John

 

Happy New Year everyone!

Just bought myself the Series 9 and I'm thrilled with it! still getting used to the touchpad, but that's a training thing.

I've got more questions, but I'll go back through the forum before posting them.

It is soldered on...




From a fascinating site where ZDnet takes apart the Sammy so you can see what each component looks like and how to remove it. (Kind of like Mr. Machine, for those of you who remember that)...

Cracking Open the Samsung Series 9 (13.3-inch) ultraportable notebook | ZDNet

On another thought, has anyone tried the Zagg Shield for the Sammy?

Samsung Series 9 Notebook 900X Skins | invisibleSHIELD by ZAGG

Any thoughts?

 

hello, first of all happy new year to everyone!

I have an strange doubt.
my brother bought a new np900x3a 01b, with wifi issue solved and the new core i5 2467m

the situation is that i formatted both to compare the performance, i installed the same windows 7 and the same drivers, everything the same, but what i don't understand is why the old np900 (the one with core i5 2537m) according to 3d mark06 is faster than the new with core i5 2467
- core i5 2537 -> 3040 3d marks
- core i5 2467 -> 1980 3d marks

also games run better in the 2537m samsung 9

why this happens? i don't understand, it is supposed to be better the i5 2467m

maybe in the new series 9 it could be undervolted or something like that?

 

What was the RAM configuration for those two tests? The GPU uses the system RAM and full dual channel will give the best results.

John

 

both have the same ram, the included 4gb stick

 

could you give more detail on this error? Does the cursor just stop moving or you stop having click action? (sorry for my english)

what has happened to me a few (very few) times is this: after any gesture involving two-finger actions (scroll, click-drag, etc.) suddenly i find there's no left-click anymore; it's easy to fix though, just do another two-finger gesture and you recover the left-click.

hope this helps

 

Anyone seen information on the next generation of the Series 9?

 

I would wait for the CES on Jan 10th. Supposedly 30-50 ultrabooks are getting announced.

 

Concerning Widi on the 900x3a, has anyone actually tried this?

Really interested in this solution but don't know if either one of these receivers might work...
Netgear Push2TV PTV2000
D-Link DHD-131

 

Happy New Year to all!

It's probably easier to apply on the big surface like a computer but I tried this on an iPhone and never managed

I also have doubts if it will last because of the (kind of) brushed surface of the Sammy. The texture might cause air under the skin...

Bye,

Ton

 

Hello and Happy New Year!

First post. Great forum you got here, and this an especially great thread!

Just bought a Series 9 for my father. I did a bunch of research and gathered that the wireless had been fixed on the new I5 models.

We just got a B01US model from Amazon. But we've had some experiences that suggest the wireless performance is still inadequate.

When performing speed tests, the Samsung consistently gets ~75% of the speed of a new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. If the Macs get 10+megabits, the Sammy will get 7ish. We can live with that. But sometimes it seems the sammy dips to 2 or 3 megabits, but we can't confirm it's not our cable connection.

I've read most of this thread but I'm still confused. Is the B01US "fixed"? What is the difference between the B01US and the B03US and B06US and Best Buy models? Can someone give a breakdown of the improvements made to the various sub models?

Ours was made in September 2011. Should we send it back for another model or can we have confidence this is as good as it's going to get?

 

Look on your Series 9 under the network adaptors in Device Manager and see if the Intel 6300 is there. It uses 3 antennae.

John

 

Thank you, John!

Nope, we have the intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230. Are we screwed?

I was under impression the model originally shipped with a Netgear. Is the 6230 better than the net gear but still worse than the 6300?

Which sub models have the 6300?

Cassidy

 

See here for the differences between the Intel WiFi adaptors. The 6300 uses 3 antennae (3 x 3) whereas the 6230 is 2 x 2. However, the 6230 includes Bluetooth. I don't know how / if Samsung have put Bluetooth on the model which is shipped with the 6300. Start reading this thread around here. The model referred to there is not the US model (the last two letters of the model number indicate the country).

John

 

The cursor itself freezes on the screen and all right and left clicks actions are lost until I do a system restart.

 

I would uninstall/reinstall drivers (if you have the installer handy). If that doesn't work RMA it.

 

I just popped in a 4gb gskill memory stick to bring the total up to 8gb. Everything is definitely snappier now thanks to dual channel being enabled. With ram being only $15-20 for a 4gb stick it's definitely worth it to upgrade.

 

Truly hard to believe how cheap RAM has become.

 

Anyone else experiencing the battery drain (a few percent overnight)?
Bios 07H. Enabling/disabling chargeable USB does not make a difference.

Occurs in both "fast sleep" (drains faster) and "shutdown" modes.

Any ideas?

PS. Anyone got the two finger touch/click working (i.e. "right click")?
PPS. With the latest symantic update two finger scrolling does not work anymore (the scroll sign is displayed on screen, but no scrolling action...).

 

Question for anyone who has purchased the B06US model of the NP900X3A (the one sold at the Microsoft Store) Do you know if the screen is the same as that of the other models (e.g. the B01US)? Reason I ask is if you compare the specs on the Samsung website you'll notice a difference in their description of the screens:

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-B01US-specs
Mentions the screen is LED backlit and anti-glare

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-B06US-specs
Mentions neither LED backlit nor anti-glare

It's probably just a typo as I can't imagine they would offer two different screen technologies within the same model family, but when I emailed Samsung support about this they simply quoted the above online specs and said that the B06US wouldn't have LED backlit or anti-glare based on what was stated on the website.

If anyone can shed light that would be great as I've had a mate purchase the B06US and it's being shipped to me in Australia. I'm hoping I'm just being paranoid/stupid

 

Same screen

 

Long thread. I am mostly interested in the wireless capability.

I own an early verision of the 9-series with Broadcom and two antennas. The wireless connection is as stated bad a few meters away compared to other computers and even phones. Close up the wireless connection is fast even though I find it unstable at times (regardless of battery or plugged in). It is disapointing not to find or be able to use wireless in places where all other equipment can.

However I really like the computer in all other aspects. So I am thinking of upgrading to...the same computer but with a different wireless card.

WEBHALLEN.com - Samsung 900X3A-B01SE Core i5-2467M / 4GB / 128GB SSD / 13,3" LED / Windows 7 HP
with Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300, 3x3 802.11 abg/n

How much better reach is likely with the Intel 6300 with 3 antennas?

In my kitchen for instance iPhone and other computers have about 4 Mbit/s and sadly the Samsung has none connection at all or a few times shaky with very low speed, less than 1 Mbit/s. Will I be able to use the connection in a spot that now is nearly out of reach with the 6300 and 3 antennas? Other computers and phones manage.

Since the third antenna is supposed to be in the screen it should improve more than a "home built" 6300 with two antennas or a third in the bottom part.

Oddly it seams as if the upload is better than the download at far distance. (Close to the router the download speed is about 15-20 Mbit/s but it rapidly decreases. Upload is steady at 1 Mbit/s.)

 

Which stick of ram did you get? I am going to pop in another 4 and change my wifi to the centrino 6230. I have the original Broadcom adapter and the wireless is okay, but subpar.

 

I'm new here but have kept up with all the posting. I have a upgrade question:

Has anyone tried to upgrade the ssd HD with "Samsung MZ-7PC512D/AM 512GB SSD SATA-3 2.5 inch 830 Series" or another ssd HD?

I am sure it is possible. Regards JJ

 

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Laptop Memory Model F3-10600CL9S-4GBSQ

Worked with the OEM ADATA chip with no problem. I only buy gskill memory, it's a great value and always performs.

 

Thanks SilverForum, that's a relief. Also for those considering the B06US at the Microsoft Store, note that the price has gone back up to $1,299 (from $999). Not sure if any online or in-store discounts apply.

 

When I had my 900X3A, I did extensive testing trying to get the Netgear PTV2000 to work with it. I had significant issues getting it to properly connect (most times it would connect and immediately disconnect). Other times, when it actually worked, it did that poorly. I returned the PTV2000 (and eventually all the 900X3A's too). Netgear were no help as they said the Samsung Series 9 is not on their supported list.

I blame the weak and erratic WiFi in the 900X3A for it not working with the PTV2000.

I have a ThinkPad X220 now and have purchased another Netgear PTV2000. It works well (although not as good as wired connection).

 

You should't any WiFi issues if you get that new model. It has the Intel 6300 with the 3x3 antenna -- a lot of the European models have that configuration now. It's just not common in the USA yet.

 

_GZ_, I guess you are from Sweden too. How do you plan to get the new B01SE model, can you return the old?
I have the Intel Centrino 6230 card on mine bought from Siba in July. Thinking about switching to the 6300 card to get the most out of the wifi to enable widi with the D-link receiver WEBHALLEN.com - D-LINK MainStage HD TV Adapter (DHD-131)

Se my post here about connection speeds
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...op-zx310-900x3a-unveiled-196.html#post7702438

brian5, thanks for the input. I have the Centrino 6230 so perhaps it might be sufficient.

 

Yes, I'm from Sweden (Göteborg).

I don't think it's possible to return the Samsung I own right now (with Broadcom). Close to the router the wireless works fine so the possibility for the store to accept a return and give a refund is very slim. I won't even bother to try, maybe I will try to sell it on Blocket, or most likely give it to my wife who has her desk close to the router.

If the wireless is good enough I will just buy it somewhere, perhaps at Webhallen. I might wait and see if a model with larger SSD arrives here too.

The best thing I think with the new model is the third antenna in the screen. You won't get the antenna in the screen if you just buy a 6300 card and mount yourself unfortunately.

 

Yes, but I thought I might add the third antenna myself. Won't get it through to the screen though.
One other possibility might be to hand it in for service and ask them to add the third antenna around the screen.

I'm also residing in Göteborg

 

Hello Here is a picture of the best buy model also I have tried this model with PTV2000 It works well at 720p but 1080p has some freezes. The wifi works well never had a signal drop and my speed has improved from my last laptop a 1215n.

 

I know this is a very long thread

There are multiple people that have put in an Intel 6300 with 3rd antenna. It hardly made any difference at all because the 3rd antenna is still enclosed inside the Duralumin base -- the 3rd antenna needs to get out of that to make a difference. I even thought of having of the end of the 3rd antenna come out by the hinge and sticking it on the bottom of the laptop but decided I couldn't live with that ugliness.

That why I, and others, were pushing Samsung 6 months ago to put a 3rd antenna into the LCD or under the keyboard or to modify the base so it's not Duralumin.

In the USA, I have been assured by Samsung Tech Support that they cannot retrofit the 3rd antenna into the LCD. The LCD is a sealed unit that they cannot service.

 

Good to hear it's working for you. I would expect it to.

The Best Buy model is one of the two fixed WiFi models in the USA so you have confirmed that it was most likely the weak WiFi in the other Series 9 models that I tested (1 x 900X3A-A03US and 2 x 900X3A-A05US) that were the problem.

 

I'm hoping the new model with the third antenna factory mounted in the screen should do the trick.

It would be interesting to hear from someone with the new model, especially if they have had the previous model before.