Samsung NP900X3B or X3C or X3D

Hi All,

I'm just bought a Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5B & HP DV7, due to the DV7 is too huge over my wife liking, I had sold it off.

So now I'm giving my wife to use the Series 7 for surfing, movie & I'm planing to get the Series 9, usually only use for surfing, music or movie.

So I'm come to the difficulty of choosing the below 3 model, can some expertise to help to point out the good & bad, why you choose that.

NP900X3B - used or display unit, but price similar to NP900X3D

NP900X3C - similar price of the other 2, but got some problem with the laptop which intermittent cannot boot up & unable to restart, but once it's able to boot up, it work as normal & if to shut down, it do not have problem at all. Anyway, sine this model release not more than a year, it should be Nader warranty.

NP900X3D - similar or lowest price among 3 & is new unit, but understand the build quality, material & the processor is lower compare the other 2 model

 

The X3B uses the Sandy Bridge platform and was superseded by the X3C (Ivy Bridge platform) in mid 2012. Both have similar physical appearance with a very dark blue painted aluminium alloy. Some of the X3Bs have a battery which is vulnerable to premature wear (which only becomes evident after running the battery calibration).

The X3D uses unpainted magnesium alloy but I would not consider the build quality or material to be inferior. Some people prefer the unpainted finish. Some, but not all versions, of the X3D contain the Sandy Bridge platform, presumably to offer a lower price.

Are you able to check the CPU and SSD type for each option? Most likely they all have the 128GB Sandisk U100 SSD but if any has a 256GB SSD then that's a major attraction. Otherwise, if the prices of each are similar then I would probably opt for the X3D.

John

 

Thanks John, all come with SSD 128GB hard disk & processor as below

X3B - i5-2467m
X3C - i5-3317u
X3D - i5-2537m

 

You can compare the CPU speeds at notebookcheck (#134, #109 and # 165 respectively) but I think that for your proposed usage you wouldn't notice the difference.

If it were my choice, I would tend to go for the X3D because it is new and is fit for the purpose although I personally prefer the mineral ask black to the silver. The pricing of the alternatives may be discounted relative to their original pricing but not sufficiently to make them attractive.

John

 

Keep in mind the X3D model you are looking at is the Sandy Bridge A01 version. I have the A02 version with the Ivy Bridge chipset.

 

Thanks Joh & Thors for the value feedback, actually i prefer ask black more than silver which the NP700 i have was the Silver color, i believe it should be the similar material of the X3D.

i had check with Samsung, the warranty of the X3C is valid until Mid of Q3'13, so any issue, i still can return for warranty claim, i susect the problem of intermittern cannot boot up & cannot restart could due to the bios or mainboard issue.

since is faulty, I'm negotiating the price with the seller, do your have any idea how much it would? a X3D I that some one selling is USD850 include international postage.

 

New x3d-a01 are going for $799 here in the USA. The x3d-a02 is $1450.

 

Thanks Thor, that's the price i get it as well for the X3D-A01, but with intenational postage, it need to add in additional USD 80-100

 

Hi All, really appreciate your comment, i had just purchase the X3C, even it intermittern cannot boot up & cannot restart, but it still have warranty from Samsung until 31/08/13, so I give it a try which the price include postage is USD850.

I choose this compare to X3D is due to I like the Ask Black design & the processor is the latest now, as for price, compare to here is very attractive as well.

 

In reference to the X3D-A01US, a couple questions:
1.) Other than appearance and the lighter color, what difference between a notebook made of magnesium alloy vs aluminum alloy?
2.) I understand that Samsung chose a "later sounding" model number with older Sandy CPU, but why the slower clock speed with turbo speed the same?
Purely price-point, or is the CPU cooling done differently, i.e. active vs passive?
3.) Is the U100 a virtual guarantee on the less expensive X3D?
4.) Any other known cost cutting on the less expensive X3D, i.e. same screen panel, trackpad, keyboard?

Thanks a lot!

 

Using your numbering:
1. The magnesium alloy version is slightly lighter.
2. Some versions of the X3D (or X4D) have Ivy Bridge inside. I think Samsung cut a deal with Intel to get some left over Sandy Bridge parts at a good price, which has been passed on to customers. I suspect that if we compared the finer details of operation of the 2467 and 2537 CPUs we would discover that the latter can't safely sustain 1.6GHz under full load but could still turbo to 2.3GHz under part load. Intel have a track record of creating new CPU models from the chips which failed the original testing.
3. Can't be sure, but there's a high probability of the U100 on the 128GB versions of any Series 9.
4. As far as I know, the other key components are the same. I suspect that in addition to the cheaper platform from Intel, Samsung have reduced their own profit margin in order to have an Series 9 that is more competitive on price but expects quite a few potential customers to then prefer one of the more expensive models with Ivy Bridge.

In reality, under light to moderate usage there's not much obvious difference between the two platforms although Ivy Bridge is also slightly more power efficient and will handle 3D graphics better. I have and use both an NP900X3B and the NP900X4C. The differences are discussed in my X4C review. The main reasons for getting the bigger machine were (i) The 13.3" display was too challenging for my old eyes for prolonged usage and (ii) sometimes I needed more than 4GB RAM (the bigger battery was a welcome bonus).

John

 

I think you are right about Intel, but a quick check of ark.intel.com shows that they have rolled some newer tech into the new, slower Sandy chip that the faster, older one did not have.

As you indicated, Samsung seems to be competing against themselves and others by trying to create new price points, likely realizing that a $1,200 USD notebook is about to be a thing of
the past in most cases.

 

Yea, but the NP900X3D-A01US routinely sells for $700. See Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Series 9 NP900X3D-A01US Ultrabook

Sandy Bridge i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, slick magnesium chassis, 13.3" 1600x900 matte PLS screen, etc.

Nice machine for that price.

They are definitely cannibalizing themselves. The NP900X3D-A02US I bought was twice the price. I am not real happy about that. I wanted the improved gpu, battery life and three year warranty, but there is too big a price gap at moment to warrant the more expensive model.

Of course Samsung could be selling off the lower end experiment to make room for the coming 1080p models.

 

I swear, this video was made for this thread

Samsung Series 9 - model comparisons - YouTube

If you look 10 mins in, I think the lack of magnets in the lid of the X3D really detract from the susceptible build quality.

 

If there are no magnets along the top edge of the display then what holds the display shut?

John

 

My NP900X3D-A02US has magnets and snaps shut.

My A02 is smooth and doesn't have the rough edges the video reviewer cites with the A01.

It was funny watching the video reviewer pressing F2 continuously to get into the BIOS, to no avail. Gotta love Fast Start.

The WEI run on the 3D-A01 appeared to be faulty. The video score was really low. Probably driver related.

 

Or does the model reviewed have only a single RAM stick? Single channel RAM reducess graphics performance.

John

 

FYI as of right now (Sunday, 4:44 EST) this model is sold out at Newegg. It is available at Amazon but for $800, which is a $100 increase over their price just a few days ago!

 

Aw man I'm bummed I missed that. The Series 9s are the most beautiful ultrabooks on the market but there's no way I will ever pay more than $700 for a laptop. And now it's going in the wrong direction

 

Finally get the notebook, is in excellent condition, just like new.

check the Bios, the purchase date is on Dec'12, but manufacture warranty until mid Q3'13, since i got no receipt, than i have bear with the manufacture warranty.

as for the problem that this notebook have, it resolved by just update the bios & is work well not, I had try power on, restart several time of the notebook, it wok well without fail, anyway, now i need to install back all the samsung software, else those function on the keyboard will not work.

anyway, found out that this notebook mouse pad is more easier to use compare to Series 7 & it more reseponsive as well.

 

After install back the software "easy setting" & using it for several time, I really fall in love with this little baby, is light, solid build, nice design, slim, i think is similar or slimmer than Mac AirBook, is not very fast, but sufficient for me to perform surfing or movie or office work, touchpad better & easier to use compare to Series 7.

After watch the movie above, I know i make a right choice to not choose the X3D which due to it color, the lid cover cannot closed firmly & the speed & OS...

above just my personal usage feeling, not sure about your....