Samsung 900x3B/C or Asus UX31A

Hi,

I know this could go in the "What Notebook...Buy?" thread but I have to imagine that many of the 900x3B/C owners have deliberated between these two very similar models. The Asus clearly has a far, far better screen (IPS, FHD, 600 nit) but the Samsung's is no slouch and before the Asus came out the Samsung's was second only to the Sony Z - i.e., pretty darn good. Otherwise they seem quite similar. There are the usual list of gripes of early adopters of both models and plenty of accolades, likewise the "professional" reviews are similar, all pretty much 4-star.

The Microsoft store is currently selling the 3B for $800 (on sale for $999 and a 20% off coupon for in-store purchases. Likewise, I have an opportunity to buy a pristene 1 month old UX31A (both have 4GB/128GB) for $850.

I'm pretty sure the Asus does not have an mSATA slot for adding SSD capacity as the Samsung does.

Advice please? I have to make the decision soon or I lose the opportunity on the Asus - for now anyway.

Many thanks

 

I don't think there is any consensus on the ASUS screen being better. Most of the comments I've seen about the screen are complaints that the resolution is too high for that size screen thus forcing the use of a high DPI setting. I have yet to see it for myself, but I keep checking the local BestBuy.

Most of the reviewers have also indicated the ASUS trackpad still has issues.

 

looking through this and other fora & reviews, i can say the Samsung has a better build quality. I sure hope so as I've held the Asus and was unimpressed - and ordered a x3c... The Samsung is of course also slightly lighter.

 

I had the x4c, x3b, AND ux31a for a few days, to compare them.

I took a bunch of photos of the screens side by side. See them here. The np900x4c annihilates the ux31, and the x3c beats the x4c.

You made the correct decision.

 

Thank you all. I did go for the 900X3B net price $999 new, with a brand new Xbox 4G to sell or have a new toy (leaning towards the former!)

I hope people will keep comments coming though, as these two models, perhaps along with the MBA, have got to be the major either/or's among many UB buyers - at least until someone else comes out with a remotely competitive offering. Also, perhaps this is a good thread to log longer term problems/fixes that lower/raise a model's place in the pecking order.

As for the comments on the screen, I consider you a "leading expert" Thors, well earned, but I am fairly well read about these displays because I have had a Sony Z13 (2010 model) with a 1080p screen and have been reluctant to replace it because, until this year, nothing even came close despite it having a TN panel. FWIW I rarely have problems with the text being too small to read; when I do, I just zoom in.

What does make the UX31A's screen so superior not only to the 900x3B/C, but every other 13" screen, including the venerable Sony Z (both the 1080p and the 900p versions were amazing) is that it has over 600 lux brightness for outdoor or bright light use, over 1,200:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks and way over 100% of the sRGB color gamut, and over 75% of Adobe RGB (while the X3B/Cs comparables are 450 (no slouch!), 860 (same) and 63% and 40% (surprisingly low; color-wise, not much better than lots of the somewhat better than average 768p screens out there. Still, though I haven't seen it by all reports the screen is adequately colorful and accurate for all but graphic design or high end photo editing, which a UB is not made for anyway. One thing is for certain: the UX31A screen or the Sony Z is the one to buy if you plan on watching a lot of video/movies/tv on it. I don't.

My bottom line came down to the build quality, the ability to upgrade the mSATA SSD the amazing thinness (without wrist lacerating palm rest of the UX31 and MBA!) and a few secondary things like audio quality. Oh, and then there was price

Looking forward to receiving it from the MS Store on Wednesday. Anyone want an Xbox 4G?

 

I need to see the ASUS screen myself to really know how to advise. The main reason I have not put the ASUS in my list for consideration is the 4GB limit on RAM. Combined with the proprietary SSD implementation, it just isn't up for consideration no matter how good the screen is.

If I could get one with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, it would be very different. I would likely own one right this second. I have long wanted an ASUS notebook but they continue to fall just short of my needs.

The ONLY reason I have the Sammy is the 3B price drop. $799 seemed like a no brainer.

 

Where do you see the coupon for 20% off in store on the SS9-X3B?

 

You can get the coupon on line for 20% off anything over $1,000 but it has to be at a physical store. Now the bad news: the stores have sent all their inventory of the 900X3B back to the warehouse when the 3Cs came in, so no $999 - 20% available

Here's what I did: bought the 3B online and used my daughter's .edu to get the free X-box which nearly everyone says can be resold for $150. I'll be happy to get $100 and buy the 3B for $899 net.