Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus - NP940X3G

Yes. usually upon opening the lid and signing into windows from sleep. No persistent noise issue though. My keyboard randomly stops working too and requires a powercycle of the machine. Neither of these issues have happened a lot but it is a tad disconcerting.

 

There still is too much off topic traffic and non value add Samsung hate to justify an owner's thread, unless under heavy moderation.

 

That is actually one of the best arguments for a "proper" Owners Lounge thread: It would be for posting and exchanging actual experience between owners (and prospective owners) of the models covered by that thread. Anything else would be deleted or moved.

Other chatter would have to be kept in this thread -- where it is acceptable, as long as it stays respectful of other members, doesn't use foul language, and otherwise stays within forum rules. And yes, I did notice that tempers were rising here earlier; John and I read all posts that come through the entire Samsung forum. But we generally give a little more leeway in pre-release threads like this: It's not uncommon that frustrations are vented when participants are waiting for product release or for real information.

But you guys have been good at getting the discussion back under control without heavy handed moderation

Edit: Just to make it clear: If a NP940X3G owner decides to create an Owners Lounge and take ownership of the opening post, he/she will not have to worry about it being filled with off topic nonsense. We'll see to that. Again, following are examples of such Owners Lounge threads:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...unge-np770z5e-np780z5e-np870z5e-np880z5e.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...book-9-13-3-ivy-bridge-np900x3e-np900x3f.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...wered-ativ-book-9-lite-np905s3g-np915s3g.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/650581-samsung-15-series-9-np900x4c-ivy-bridge-cpu.html

 

in one of the shops here in Switzerland the i7 model is listed. Available from October 18 for about 1850$ (the shop prices are usually higher than other shops here in Switzerland). The model is listed as NP940X3G-K04CH (the i5 is the K02CH)

Specs are:
ATIV BOOK 9 i7-4500U
13.3"QHD+
Touch
8GB RAM
256GB SSD
Win8Pro(64)
black

 

I´ll take it got dammit - Axl Rose Axl Rose Jumps Into the Crowd (St. Louis 1991) - YouTube

AB9+ owners lounge: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...-np940x3gi-03-np940x3gi-04-a.html#post9384527

 

The k04 is also listed in the usa on online shops. Good to see that it may come with 256gb as I expect it should with I7 and 8gb. Excited to finally update in October.

 

I can see this being at least £1499+ in the UK online retailers.... shocking!

 

Are all of you running chrome per chance when this happens (screen flicker)? If you are I would look at that as the culprit.

 

It is an option to turn the fan off so the pc can burn up.

 

Everything I see in the US with a model number of K04US seems to only be 128GB though.

 

I had this happen once to me the other day, and it freaked me out. I'm also glad I'm not the only one. Hopefully we can collaborate to figure out why it happens.

I was not running Chrome at the time, if I recall correctly. I've switched to Firefox because it handles the resolution better, and use that just about 100% of the time.

 

You were probably joking, but just to make sure: Fortunately Samsung are not that stupid, and Silent Mode is actually a very convenient feature if you know how to use it. Please see my post here from last night.

 

Hello,

I have been following this thread for a while but this is my first time posting. I got my AB9+ today (UK version) and I think its great. The screen is very sharp and after some slight colour calibration even better. However, I have noticed it might be a little slow when switching between open apps in windows 8. I opened the task manager and noticed something interesting. In the performance under memory it says "slots used: 2 of 4." I know it has been said 1000000 times the ram cannot be upgraded but does this mean that there are 2 2gb ram sticks soldered in and 2 additional available slots?

Here is a screen shot of it:

 

Hello Wax, welcome to NBR. And congrats on your new machine.

Member paulreedsmith started an actual Owners Lounge for the NP940 series earlier today, linked below. If you want, we can move your post there. It's your choice, just let us know.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/733030-2013-ativ-book-9-plus-owners-lounge-np940x3g.html

 

My X4C with 2 x 4GB SODIMMS is reported to have the same 2 of 4 slots free. Unfortunately, the other two slots don't exist.

John

 

I was joking and I have an earlier S9 and have always been hesitant to use that feature. Samsung themselves say it is there for people who take their laptops into the board room for meetings. (seriously)

 

Yes, of course I agree that's a silly distinction for models that are already as quiet as these.

I have set my Power Saver and Samsung Optimized profiles to use Silent Mode as a quick toggle between normal and power frugal operating modes: If I am at a Starbucks, and finish working my charting platform (which demands more CPU), just doing email, web browsing, writing or forum work (neither of which require much CPU), I just hit Fn-F11 to increase my battery time by about an hour. If I go back to charting (or other demanding work) I just hit Fn-F11 again. I find that convenient; and I can easily ignore the fact that fan noise vs silence has nothing to do with it for me.

 

it's not browser dependent. I don't even have my browser open when it occurs.

 

We've got ourselves a hero. Guess this is my last post here then. Thanks for all the info. Have a good one!

 

I only asked because with the latest version of chrome (or maye java) I have three different pcs that experience a flicker or two about once an hour with it opened. I had this about a year ago too with a different version of chrome (or java) and it mysteriously went away after a month or so.

 

The i7/8GB RAM/256GB SSD model (NP940X3G-K04US) is available on amazon and sold by amazon for $1645.45. It is temporarily out of stock, however.

Amazon.com: Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus NP940X3G-K04US 13.3-Inch Laptop (Mineral Ash Black): Computers & Accessories

 

Very nice, thank you! Totally just ordered one, we'll see when I actually get a ship date! x3

 

nice, guess everyone should be happy now.

this will be mighty tempting if it can be had for ~$1500.

 

Just pre-ordered mine too. Samsung came through, it does come with both the 8GB and 256GB SSD.

 

Given that the last generation i7 with 4GB with FHD still runs about 1500 on Amazon this is not a bad price. Especially since it has the added costs of touch screen and 8GB of ram. We are only talking about 150 dollars more for something that has additional hardware and the newer generation Haswell. Too bad that there is no mention of this with a matte screen. Can you imagine what the battery life could be if they put the FHD matte on the newer plus with haswell and the larger battery? I'm thinking another hour of battery life. Unfortunately, the software has not caught up to the scaling issues of this quad screen. I'm not regretting buying the older book 9 with 4gb ram and i7 with the matte. I have no issues with scaling on this and its so light its crazy. The screen is still the best I have ever used. I can't imagine ever going back to a glossy screen. I just wish manufacturers would offer it more. It would be really nice if they offered the FHD matte on the 15 inch book 9.

But 1645 is a good price for the upgraded plus model. If that's what you want go ahead and order it. Its a fair price IMO.

 

I have never pre ordered with Amazon before, do you know if they will charge my card right away, or do they wait until the item is ready to ship before charging? I am not comfortable paying with no shipping date. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Amazon charges your credit card only when it ships.

 

Just pre ordered mine as well. The 256gb ssd is a bigger deal to me than the RAM, I dont tend to do anything too intensive. But I wanted to make sure that the device was relatively spec'd out, since I am planning on using it as my primary device. My Series 5 Ultra is getting handed down to a friend because I really wanted to switch to SSD and upgrade to a much better screen. The Series 5 has upgradeable RAM so I have been rocking 8gbs for awhile, and I was hoping to stay at that memory level even though it may be more than I need.

 

Sweet! Didn't want to wait until I get home to pre-order it, so I pre-ordered it through my phone. Now we play the waiting game! :-D

 

The few swiss stores who have listed the K04-model are expecting the notebook around October 20.

 

I wonder if the i7/8GB version will have the same flickering/stutter issues, maybe the larger ram count will help handling the high resolution better?

 

I'm still torn between the the 9+ (with i7 and 8GB) and the Acer S7-392.

The Acer will be shipped with a 2560x1440 resolution here in Europe. Guess that would be a nice ultrabook too.

 

Does anyone know if this model (i7, 8GB, 256GB) is available to order anywhere in the UK? It doesn't appear to be on the Amazon UK site....

 

Well, there it is, $400 for the i7+256GB+8GB bundle upgrade. Too bad there won't be an i5+8GB for $100. If you've been waiting for this model in the US, you had better preorder before it goes up to $1799.

 

Well I pre-ordered. Now I get to test the return policy on the MS store. ( I currently own the 4GB/128)

edit to add: return process was a breeze. Money refunded within 15 days of return.

 

Although these reports of stutter and flicker are not show stopper issues, I would consider them to be deal breakers if I were still in the market. My last generation FHD book 9 has zero issues that I have seen. Everything is fluid as can be. No driver issues have popped up yet after almost two months of daily use. I thought I may be regretting jumping the gun too early on the ivy model but glad I did now. My eyes are not super great and the FHD scaling works really well. I have not had any issues adjusting my apps to my liking. And the matte has come in handy so many times in not so great lighting.. Its always easy to view no matter where I am. But I expect over time Samsung will iron out the driver issues/stutter/flicker etc.. But sometimes issues can linger for months and sometimes things never get properly fixed. On a premium machine like the plus, stutter and flicker are unacceptable. Its the top of the line ultrabook and the word stutter should not exist at that level. The screen appears to be overly taxing the system and I really wonder why so many pixels are needed on a 13 inch screen. I think FHD would improve both performance and battery life on the plus. Its development was more to have something at a higher spec then the retina. More of a talking point to say we have bested Apple.

This is just my thoughts so far from what others have reported. I have never used the plus so I could be full of it Its looks like a beautiful machine and for photos is no doubt nicer then the older FHD but I have to say, the FHD saturation/contrast is mind blowing. Can imagine it getting any better the this.

 

If you want to stay with new current technology, you will have to deal with some early hiccups like the screen flicker. I am sure a software update will fix it.

 

I'm 100% with you. I'd much rather see a FHD screen on this 13" ultrabook. The ivy bridge model is really good I think and it's the safest/cheapest bet, but my gf really wants a touchscreen...

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/659271-series-9-accessories-17.html

One great thing about the older FHD book 9 is the touch pad really works flawlessly. Its as good as apple's if not better. I really don't miss not having touch and for the most part, modern apps are a joke. Only really use a couple like iheart radio and the twit app. And those work easily without touch. I think touch is not really needed on conventional notebooks. If you never have used W8 on a notebook you may agree. I used to think that W8 would be frustrating to use without touch screen but on a system like the book 9 FHD I don't miss it at all. In fact, I'm glad I don't have to reach for the screen and dirty it all the time. I even bought a skin for the keyboard that fits perfectly on the book 9 that keeps the oil off the keys (look on the accessories thread for a picture of that). My machine always looks new.

 

FYI, in regards to the flicker issue and the concern over overloaded resources and high display resolution, I am investigatng the issue now and after discussing with Samsung support overseas and in the US, it may very well actually be a driver conflict. I am attempting something and waiting to see if the problem ocurrs again. I have NEVER actually considered this to be an issue that stems from the inability of the CPU/GPU to handle the higher resolution. Technically, the machine still works perfectly (other than the display flicker) while the screen is flickering, so it does not resemble on overload of any sort. It does act more like a driver conflict issue.

As I have yet to come across any issue of screen lag or delay switching between apps. I routinely have Chrome and Firefox running, with 12-20 tabs open in each, and several other apps running (I'm horrible about closing windows and I just minimize everything. I hardly ever reboot my machine.

 

I must respectfully disagree. I have the AB9 and the AB9+. Most reviewers claimed the AB9 to have the best touchpad of the entire Series 9 cycle (prior to release of the AB9+ which I think is identical to the AB9), but I don't think either is quite as good as the touchpad on the mid-2010 Macbook Pro I was forced to use this summer for my job at Mozilla (I am not an Apple fan, AT ALL). I have wanted a machine with a really great keyboard and touchpad, and I will say that the AB9 has perhaps the best combination of these two of any Windows machine I have tried (I never got my hands on an X1 Carbon, which might be better), but these Samsung Book 9 touchpads are not quite as good as those on Macbooks, including my girlfriend's 2013 Macbook Air. They are certainly quite good, though.

 

I agree macbook touchpads are really good, then again my best touchpad has been on my Sony Vaio Z back in the day. I don't know why these darn manufacturers come out with a $1400 MSRP laptop and go cheap with an Elan touchpad. Synaptics is the best and if i purchase a laptop, I'd want the touchpad to be the best since it's the primary way i interact with my laptop. My Vaio Z and my Sager NP9130 both came with Synaptics touchpad and I've had absolutely no complaints about them. I just don't understand why these companies would sacrifice good customer experience (and increased sales and good reviews) to save pennies on the dollar.

fyi, macbook touchpads are synaptics if you didn't know.

 

I tried the np940x3g-k01US for a few days but returned it because I really prefer the larger SSD and RAM -- my chief concerns with this beautifully crafted device (best looking laptop I've ever owned -- and I had 2 MBA) are the qhd+ screen which was the principal reason I went for it in spite of lower ram and ssd -- looking for more display real estate. Some software scales nicely but some has such tiny text I couldn't read it -- very frustrating -- and I found battery life well below predicted -- 5-6 hr and I don't think I was pushing it that hard. I'm watching the Amazon listing for the more advanced version of this but also considering the Thinkpad T440s, not sure which way to land.

 

Amazon has already listed it: Mentioned in a post on page 149

 

Samsung told me:

"In Europe the upgrade will come in the end of october for €1699."

...

Why the "qwerty" (US) version is always cheaper - i don't know.

 

I think its because of the VAT and the warranty is different in Europe. But correct me if I'm wrong.

 

VAT is a factor in the European prices. The US price is without any tax which may then be levied at the state level. I recall the standard warranty in Germany is 2 years but is only 1 year in UK.

To compare the UK price (£1,299) and the US price ($1,299) for the 4GB + 188 model. At current exchange rates £1 = $1.61 so £1,299 = $2,091. Deduct 20% VAT and it's $1,742. The notebook market (and most other electronics) is bigger and more competitive in the USA. Maybe if Europeans could agree on a standard keyboard then consumers might benefit from a larger and more competitive market. It would be interesting to see how wholesale prices compare but I expect we would see similar differentials as with the retail price. Samsung would probably claim that they need higher prices to justify all their European offices.

John

 

Hey I got a question regarding amazon pre-orders,
Can they change the price of the laptop if I already pre-ordered it? I just don't get why would Amazon sell the laptop 150 dollars cheaper than the retail price and I'm tempted to preorder it, but I'm
kinda skeptical...

 

No they can't raise the price once you have a placed an order. That is how some of us got the AB 9+ at $1200 and not $1400.

My guess is they like to show the pre-orders on their books and it helps their buying power w/ Samsung.

 

This, Lenovo Yoda 2 Pro, or the new Asus Zenbook?