Samsung NP930X5J / NP940X5J ATIV Book 9 (2014) 15.6" Haswell announced Jan 6, 2014

Samsung official spec sheet for the NP930X5J-S01US here:

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/co...np930x5js01us/COM-ATIVBOOK9B2BDSHT-MAY14T.pdf

 

Does anyone know the release date for the 940 in the UK?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

There's nothing in the SW Update database (and while two UK versions of the NP930X5J have been listed for a couple of months, nothing has arrived).

I've just been reading Notebookcheck's English version of its NP930X5J review and see that the -K02DE is another version without the 2nd SSD slot.

John

 

Planning to pick up the AB9 2014 when it arrives in AZERTY setup in Belgium.
Leading retailer informed me that they plan to have it in stock end june.

Guess I can wait a bit longer. Let's just hope they're right...

 

Did anyone actually get a NP940X5J with a 2nd SSD slot ? In other words, is the second SSD slot only applicable to the NP930X5J ?

 

My NP940X5J definitely did not come with a second SSD slot. I uploaded a picture of the MB on the previous page.

 

Not mine (NP940X5J-K02US) either, but I wouldn't care since I usually don't save data on the internal HDD or SSD, including backup images of an entire hard disk for restoration.
I preordered and got mine a week ago. I'm LOVING IT so far! Quality is brilliant, very nice and smooth to touch, and works perfectly.

 

I still haven't pulled the trigger and bought one.
Now I am looking at the Dell XPS 15 and wondering about that.

Pros:
The XPS 15 has a cpu with a faster clock speed and more cores although it uses more power.
PassMark - CPU Performance Comparison[]=2046&cmp[]=1937

The XPS 15 has an SSD that is twice the size (512 MB vs 256 MB).
I don't know the make of the Dell drive to compare.

The XPS 15 has twice as much RAM (16 GB vs 8 GB).

Cons:
The XPS 15 is more expensive ($2400 vs $1900)

The XPS 15 is slightly heavier (4.4 lbs vs 3.9lbs)

The XPS 15 has a shorter battery life (~5.5hrs vs ~8hrs)


I'm not sure if the display is a pro or a con as some people say that a 3200 x 1800 display is amazing and others say everything becomes hard to read.


The weight and battery life are very important to me as I travel a lot and carry it so I am drawn to the Samsung.
However, my job involves a lot of Java development which makes the XPS performance appealing.

What to do? What to do?
If only Samsung had put 16 GB of RAM and a 512MB hard drive I would have snapped it up.


How much can you angle the screen backwards on the Samsung?
Does it go 180 degress and lie flat?

 

The Samsung screen does not lie completely flat. The SSD drive is replaceable, but the 512GB drives are backordered right now. Read the Dell forum on this board to find out more about the XPS 15. I decided not to buy it because many people are reporting problems with a coil whine that Dell has not been able to fix yet. I also looked at the XPS in the store and it is thicker as well as heavier than Samsung. It would not have fit in my bag along with my work laptop.

 

I just received one of these from Amazon (NP940X5J-K01US) and can confirm lack of 2nd SSD as well.

Following Hubert's lead, I ordered a Crucial m550 512GB SSD from Amazon as upgrade. Upgrading the K01US model to 512GB was cheaper total cost than buying a K02US model with 256GB SSD. Seemed the way to go given that performance difference between the i5-4200U and i7-4500U is quite small.

I have followed this thread from the beginning while waiting for this computer over the last 6 months. I haven't had much time to dig into things yet, but some initial impressions are below. I draw comparison to the MacBook Pro, since this is the computer I've owned and primarily used over the past 3 years.

Trackpad:
- The trackpad has excellent build quality (as does everything about this computer!). Its surface has less friction than MacBook Pro (feels more slippery) which I think is great. I never liked how the MacBook trackpad would drag on my finger at times, especially if my hands became clammy in a warm environment.
- There does not seem to be any interface to the trackpad driver! I haven't found a way to control the trackpad settings (sensitivity, tap-to-click, vertical scroll direction, etc.). It doesn't appear in mouse properties, and no other interface software is running that I can see. I will be contacting Samsung Support about this -- hopefully they have an update on the way.
- Trackpad usability is ok, but not outstanding. There is an occasional jumpiness and response is not as robust as I would expect from this premium device. I believe this can be fixed however -- I blame current driver since the build quality of the trackpad itself is very good.
- I have no problem with palm detections however. I find it difficult to make the trackpad respond to my palm even when trying!

Keyboard:
- The keyboard is truly amazing! Even more comfortable and smoother than MacBook Pro IMHO.
- Developers will appreciate this keyboard even more (have done C++ coding with it already and loving it!)
> Fn Lock key (with LED) enables swapping F1-F12 or Fn Functions as primary for the Fn keys. Primary F1-F12 is very helpful for coding; but when adjusting volume while sitting on sofa with cup of tea in one hand -- then Fn Functions as primary becomes helpful. With Fn Lock key you only need one hand to switch between and use the two modes!
> Home, Pg Up, Pg Dn, End buttons are also great for coding!

Other Observations:
- screen is brilliant and beautiful -- 1920x1080 looks great and no eye strain at 15.6".
- screen tilts back to ~135 degrees
- As Hubert mentioned, glossy level is same as MacBook Pro
- I'm happy that front side of laptop does not cut into my wrists while typing on a lapdesk. I hated that MacBook Pro did this and would also bruise my palm while trying to hold it forward on a lapdesk. ATIV9 is much more comfortable in this regard IMO.
- Build quality is outstanding!
- I am very happy with it!

 

I too was researching about Xps13 and Xps15, both have that unfixed coil whine issue. It has been a number of months and DELL has still not figured out the root cause of the issue affecting a large number of folks.

 

I see a couple of people here considering Dell XPS 15 instead of Samsung NP940X5J. To me, the extra convenience of the Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys to the right of the Enter key is worth so much in terms of usability, that it's the #1 reason I would not get the XPS 15. I use those keys all the time, as well as shortcuts like Ctrl-PgUp/PgDn that is standard in many tabbed applications. (I know they can be imitated by Fn+Arrow, but that's a 2-handed operation that's much more work to type, especially when it's used in combination with say the Ctrl key.)

I haven't pulled the trigger only because I don't know if all the hardware will work on Ubuntu. I read one post a while back that said the trackpad doesn't currently work in Ubuntu. That's the main thing that gives me pause.

 

It is worth mentioning that the XPS15 has displayport so can drive a much higher resolution external display, while the AB9 is limited to the HDMI1.4 spec. Unfortunately, it lacks gigabit so you're stuck with usb3 for that. I couldn't understand why they didn't opt for some sort of docking interface and the coil whine is truly disappointing. There are two flavors: One with both SATA+msata and a smaller battery and another with only msata and a larger battery. ASUS also unveiled some 4k 15" models this week:

Hands-on with ASUS' Zenbook NX500: The MacBook Pro meets its match

ASUS crams 4K gaming into sleek and distinctive laptop

AFAIK, Samsung remains the only OEM with a 15" ultrabook (with ULV CPU) but lets hope even more choices come to the market. Given the competition Samsung would be wise to refresh the AB8 (and trim some weight off).

 

The NP930X5J / NP940X5J supports external monitors up to 4096 by 2160 pixels through HDMI 1.4. Is that not good enough for you?

 

The Samsung comes with a Gigabit Ethernet dongle that uses a proprietary connector (not USB). You can also a purchase a VGA adapter for it that uses a proprietary connector if your monitor or projector does not support HDMI. I bought the VGA adapter even though I don't have an immediate need for it. The 512GB M550 continues to be back ordered. I think I can live with the 256GB drive for a while and cancelled my order. Perhaps they will come out with a 1TB M.2 SSD drive soon.

 

30Hz is not good enough for a 4K monitor.

The Dell does not have gigabit on board though. It is nice that Samsung provides it, even if only through the dongle.

 

Those 15 inch notebooks have enough space to fit a normal tenkeyless keyboard.



I never really understood why there is so much wasted space left and right on the bigger notebooks that don't have a numpad.

 

Good news:

I don't have a 4096x2160 monitor, but I plugged a 2560x1600 Dell monitor into my NP930X5J just now.

The Intel Graphics Control panel shows that it works on either 59Hz (default) or 60Hz with my 2560x1600 monitor.

Perhaps the NP930X5J / NP940X5J supports HDMI 2.0?

 

2560x1600 up to 75MHz is supported all the way back to HDMI 1.3 (anno 2006). 4K@30Hz is supported by HDMI 1.4, while 4K@60Hz requires HDMI 2.0 (as pointed out by go45cvi).

I often have a hard time remembering exactly which HDMI versions support which resolutions, and rely this lovely table in Wikipedia's HDMI article to aid my memory.

Previous Series 9 models were officially restricted by the 1920x1080 limit of Micro-HDMI, but starting with last year's AB9+ Samsung broke free of that (see this report of 4K@30Hz on AB9+). And interestingly, some members found that even earlier Micro-HDMI models were not hardware restricted after all (see this report of 2560x1440@56Hz on NP900X4C).

The 1920x1080 limit of Micro-HDMI never made much sense to me since it is an HDMI 1.4 feature, just a different connector.

Oh, and thank you for that report, huberth

 

Since most movies are shot at 24fps, what's the big deal?

How can i find out which HDMI version my NP930X5J supports? Maybe it is 2.0?

 

I am so glad the ATIV9 does not have a numpad! I don't know about others, but I prefer having both hands centered while typing whereas a numpad forces either positioning one's hands to the left or sliding the laptop to the right. On the other hand, I never use the numpad even on a regular keyboard, so others may appreciate it more.

 

Hi,

I just received my NP940X5J-K02US. The review on notebookcheck.net indicated that the fan was very quiet: "The fan is usually deactivated during idle. It is occasionally activated when you stream a YouTube video with 1080p, but you can only hear it when you get pretty close to the notebook." I have to say that is not my experience - the fan sounds really loud too me and it turns on even doing basic tasks (like typing this up). I'm curious whether others are experience this issue or whether I just got a lemon.

Thanks!

 

A new computer may not be idle but busy doing a lot of housekeeping in the background.

What CPU utilisation is Task Manager showing? It should be less than 5% when on idle. If that is OK then use a program such as HWMonitor or HWiNFO to check the CPU temperature which should be no more than about 55C when on idle.

John

 

I finally pulled the trigger on the NP940X5J-K02US after seeing the $1799 price tag on Amazon. Can't wait!!

 

I'm not having any fan issues with my NP940X5J-K01. My fan did run occasionally (at audible levels) during the first couples hours after initial setup, but was not loud or obnoxious by any means. In the half hour I've used it this morning, I haven't heard it at all -- wouldn't even know it had a fan.

 

True. But I'm thinking more from a productivity standpoint, since hardly any 4K content is available. A 28" 4K monitor would be great. These would run at 60Hz (or even 120Hz) natively, and cutting down to 30Hz is not ideal if you're staring at it all day. They are still expensive, but I imagine they will plummet in price in the next two years. We're already seeing 5" 1080p screens in smartphones so the tech is there and already cheap for the OEM. Of course they will try to milk it for as much as they can. I just think Samsung is being shortsighted in not including an interface that supports 4K and am sure it is merely a cost-saving measure. This is a premium machine, it should be compatible with the latest and greatest components. Anyone who buys it can probably afford a 4K display in a year or two, so it's worth considering. The industry is also dragging their feet on rolling out HDMI 2.0.

 

Seriously? They already dropped the price $100 since I got mine last week? I bought mine from BH Photo, but they are still listing it for $1899.

 

I couldn't agree more: A 28" 4K monitor would be great for my work, they should be common within the next few years (if not sooner), we really want to just plug them in and run them natively at 4K@60Hz -- and Samsung is holding out on us for not giving us DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0.

However, I would assume that any 4K monitor will refresh at 60Hz (or possibly even 120Hz as you mention) even when fed a 30Hz signal. It's not like old CRT tubes that would flicker when fed an interlaced 30i signal. Admittedly, I haven't tried any 4K monitors, but if that holds true, feeding it 4K@30Hz should be OK for productivity, even if not ideal -- and of course it'll be fine for movies. Games is another matter, though, and will probably be the market that drives the industry to HDMI 2.0.

 

How can i find out which HDMI version my NP930X5J supports?

 

I doubt if it is 2.0 given that version was officially released in September 2013 but you can check if your notebook claims to offer any of the new HDMI features. A version of 1.4 is most likely.

John

 

Yeah, the Spec Sheet just says "HDMI"

samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/np/93/0x/np930x5js01us/COM-ATIVBOOK9B2BDSHT-MAY14T.pdf

(The Spec Sheet also says the NP930X5J comes with "S Player+" - but it does not!)

PS: Anyone wishing to return their NP930X5J within the 30-day return period without paying a re-stocking fee could just do so based on the fact that the NP930X5J does not come with the "S Player+" - Media player as promised in the Samsung Spec Sheet.

Perhaps this will get Samsung's attention to include the S Player+ and the Touch Pad Control Panel.

 

Yeah, I even see $1792 from another seller...

Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Samsung ATIV Book 9 2014 Edition 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop, Mineral Ash Black

 

Have you contacted Samsung about this? I'm receiving my NP930X5J next week. I'm disappointed it will not come with the S Player+!

 

My NP940X5J came with S Player+. It is listed under the menu option "Other". There is also a Touch Pad Control Panel. You can find it under Settings/Change PC Settings/PC Devices/Mouse and Touchpad.

 

Where do I find the menu option " Other"?
And where do I find "Settings/Change PC Settings/PC Devices/Mouse and Touchpad" ?

It appears that Samsung forgot to include it for the NP930X5J but not the NP940X5J.

 

That is too bad. The NP940X5J came with Windows 8.1. Is yours Windows 7? On Windows 8.1, Settings is on the charms bar on the right hand side. You then select Change PC Settings on the bottom.

S Player+ seems to be a Windows 8 Metro App and not a desktop app. If you have Windows 7, I don't think you would be able to run that either. It is made by Arcsoft, Inc and appears to be available for free in the Microsoft App Store.

 

Thank you for the reply, thats disappointing. I assume the NP930X5J (non-touchscreen) is going to be also lighter / thinner. The reflections on the Sony Z2 I used to also own was driving me crazy when working outside or on the train. I guess I will stick to my 13" S9 for now.

 

Yes, I have Windows 7. Samsung will have to compile Windows 7 versions of the S Player+ and the Touch Pad Control Panel to keep what was promised in the NP930X5J Spec Sheet.

samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/np/93/0x/np930x5js01us/COM-ATIVBOOK9B2BDSHT-MAY14T.pdf

I am sure Samsung is monitoring this forum and will start working on it right away ;-)

 

Hi all! New to this forum here!

(1) Just wondering if the SSD is upgradable? Im thinking of getting the 128 and upgrade later on...

(2) Also, I heard that there may be a second SSD slot... is this true? (im getting the touch screen version)

(3) Lastly, how hard is it to replace the SSD?

Thanks!

 

They may just be monitoring this forum. There aren't many other discussion forums on the web for their laptop products. Or maybe they don't care anymore if they are pulling out of the Windows laptop business. Since S Player+ is developed by Arcsoft Inc and not Samsung, I suspect there is very little they can do to bring it to Windows 7. Arcsoft seems focused on developing mobile apps. Have you considered upgrading/downgrading to Windows 8.1? I am not seeing much benefit to Windows 8.1, but the user experience can be pretty close Windows 7 with some tweaking.

 

The SSD is upgradeable and some models have a slot for a second SSD (not the NP940X5J though). It uses the M.2 interface.

 

why does NP940X5J not have a second ssd? does the i7 version have the second ssd?

Is it still possible to upgrade the NP940X5J replacing the original SSD? If so, does it mess up the computer at all?

Sorry im a noob when it comes to replacing parts on a pc... thanks!

Also what is a M.2 interface??

 

Yes, the OEM drive can be replaced, but there seems to be a backorder on the 512GB drives from Crucial. I ordered one, but I ended up cancelling it a couple of days ago. I will live with the 256GB drive until they come out with a 1TB SSD for M.2. M.2 is a specification for expansion cards and devices (like PCI or SATA) and defines the interface and form factor for those cards.

Amazon.com: Crucial M550 512GB SATA M.2 Type 2280 Internal Solid State Drive CT512M550SSD4: Computers & Accessories

MTA: I have the i7 version of the NP940X5J and it does not have a second SSD card slot.

 

Interesting, thanks for the explanation!

Sorry one more question. Does exchanging the SSD void warranty or mess up the computer in any way? I am weary of upgrading things on a laptop since Ive never done this before... the i7 version is too expensive for me and I dont really need the i7, so buying the i7 just for the storage doesnt make sense to me.

 

I haven't read the warranty. Even if it did, you could just set the OEM drive aside in case you need to swap it back in before sending the laptop in for repairs. There is no seal you have to break to open the bottom of the laptop, just eight small screws to remove.

 

sweet thanks so much! Im pulling the trigger later tonight. This laptop is a dream come true for me. Hopefully it will be as good as I hope it is.

 

I won't upgrade/downgrade to Win 8.1.
Especially not for a touchpad contol panel.
I can live without S Player + for the time being.

 

Just pay the little extra money and get the i7 with the 256GB SSD you want. You will like it!

 

According to the Intel Driver Update Utility ( http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect ), a new driver (June 2, 2014) for the Intel® HD Graphics 4400 is available from the Intel site:

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/23885/eng/ReleaseNotes_GFX_64.pdf

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=23885

NEW FEATURES :
Intel Graphics Control Panel has now been updated with below improvements
- Improved responsiveness and faster launch
- A new tile - ‘profiles’ has been introduced in the Graphics control panel to allow users to save/share/import settings
- Intel graphics control panel now offers an option to allow user to disable driver reporting Multi-Sample Antialiasing (MSAA) capabilities to applications. Some applications automatically enable MSAA, if the driver reports support for it. Enabling MSAA makes the workload more intensive, it can impact the frame rate/smoothness of animation for certain applications. In such cases, this option provides the user the ability to disable MSAA. The option appears in the 3D tile of Graphics control panel, under Anti-aliasing sub section.
- Optimizations in the driver binary size for DirectX* user mode driver DLL files. This implies a smaller disk footprint for the graphics driver.
- This driver enhances support for 4k2k (or Ultra Hi Definition) panels by adding the capability of an overlay plane (generally used for video playback) to be utilized for 4k2k panels.
- HEVC decode now supported by the driver and video players can now take advantage of the GPU accelerated decode support offered by Intel

EDIT: I tried to install it, but got the message that "this driver is not validated for this computer".
I guess I'll have to wait for a Samsung validated driver.

 

If they are, they are ignoring all the complaints that have been made here.

Windows 8.1 isn't bad and next month they're supposed to bring the start menu back. There will be little reason not to use W8 if you have it at that point.