Samsung Series 7 Lovers - Here's The NP700Z5C Ivy Bridge!

I'm not sure about the canadian variant, but the US S01US is listed as having a backlit keyboard.

I tried out the Sandy Bridge version of this laptop, and it was able to push the desktop and all content in full 1080p. WiDi is recognized by Windows like any other connected monitor, so you can use the WiDi display to extend your desktop or mirror your screen. Presumably, you can set it as the primary adapter.

 

It seems like if the only difference between the S01 and the (02, 03 and 04) is the extra 2GB of RAM, then the best deal is an S01US with an aftermarket RAM upgrade.

 

I had the same concern with the S01US (arriving today) -- but after checking the specs on Samsung's site, I also saw (review by "Barnok"):

www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series-NP700Z5C-S01US-15-6-Inch-Laptop/product-reviews/B0083S3OWW/

So I'm pretty confident about the keyboard. I'll post back if I'm wrong.

-Matt

 

It has a backlit keyboard - typing on it now.

 

well, nvidia released a new set of beta drivers (304.79-notebook-win8-win7-winvista-64bit-international-beta) in the past day or two and it seems that they work with the 630M on Samsung devices. at least it did with mine.
attached is a screenshot of the control panel. best buy's website nor samsung's box sticker were incorrect. unfortunately, the best buy version of this machine does in fact come with a weaker video card...

 

This is what I did, I grabbed the ram upgrade here. It should be arriving in a few days...

Newegg.com - Patriot Signature 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model PSD38G16002S

 

Just got i5 version notebook and really happy with it so far! It cost me 850eu

 

Damn. Is it worth the $100 savings, or are you thinking about returning it?

-Matt

 

Just discovered the S02US on Amazon being sold by Beach Audio. A brief scan of the product details seems to indicate that the only spec differences between the S01US and the S02US are 8GB of RAM instead of 6GB and, strangely, Windows 7 Professional instead of Home Premium. Go figure on that one.

Samsung NP700Z5C-S02US Series 7 I7-3615qm 2.3g 8gb Syst 750gb 15.6in W7p W/1yr Warr

 

Yea found the SO2 on the Samsung site and it looks like that's right.

Features - Series 7 NP700Z5CH | Samsung Laptops

Sooo looks like there is no model with a 2gb 640M or a FHD screen?

 

Thanks for the confirmation! Indeed the Samsung's website is wrong in its specification
Specs - Series 7 Notebooks NP700Z5CH | Samsung Laptops

 

Woah, not so fast-- it's the S03 that supposedly has the 2gb 640M, so we should still keep our fingers crossed for that, but I would definitely stop holding my breath for a full HD screen on any of the 15inch series 7s.

 

I agree on the screen, I was told however that the SO3 and SO4 have the same technical specs by a SO4 seller, but that didn't seem to make sense to me or why would there be separate models. I just emailed Samsung again to see if they could provide the SO3 specs to me.

 

honestly, i've been pleased with the laptop other than this hassle of samsung not having drivers. i don't game so much so the 512 card should be enough for my needs.
after installing the drivers, i still have no clue how optimus is supposed to work. is it behind-the-scenes selecting which card to use? i don't see any installed software named optimus. thanks.

 

Yeah it's behind the scenes and automatic.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/optimus_technology.html

 

Right click on the desktop, and select:

NVIDIA Control Panel -> Manage 3D settings -> Program Settings (tab)

That's where you can assign programs to the Intel integrated GPU or the NVIDIA card. You can also select "High-performance NVIDIA processor" on the Global Settings tab, which should run the NVIDIA all the time.

And now my question:

Running idle, Hardware Monitor reports CPU temps on the cores around 65 C, while the GPU is upper 50's. Can you guys check and report back? The CPU temp at idle seems a bit high to me (to other laptops in the same room are in the 40's).

-Matt

 

If the extra 1gb of vram is the only difference then it would be silly to either wait or pay extra for it. Anything above 1gb is a complete waste on something like the 640m.
There are two use cases for 2gb vram, gaming at resolutions above 1920x1200 and games with massive textures. Neither of which will a lowly 640m handle anyway. Memory bandwidth will be the bottleneck way before the amount of memory.

 

Unless I'm missing something, the S04 appears to be available on Microsoft's website, and it doesn't look like it has a 2GB 640M.

Buy Samsung Series 7 700Z5C-S04 - 15.6 inch notebook PC with Intel Core i5 processor, HDMI, and Intel Wireless Display - Microsoft Store Online

Not sure what the difference between that and the S02/S03 really is...

 

I don't see why it's such a big deal for the company to just release the specs...The laptop is out. Just let us know what we need to know to make a purchase.

 

I sent an inquiry to the company selling the S03 on Amazon (apparently, it's actually an S04), and they sent me this photo back.

Samsung 700Z5C-S04 Label

But yeah, you'd think it would be pretty easy to put current, accurate specs up on your website. In fact, it probably would earn you more sales, instead of having customers jump ship due to lack of information...

 

If i was looking to upgrade it to 12gb of ram what would be a good 8gb stick to buy?

 

Whatever's cheap. Faster RAM shows virtually no difference (about 0.5-1.0% in certain applications) so whatever is the most reliable, etc. Kingston are usually a good brand in this regard.

 

So, you asked for S03 specs and they literally send you a photo with the S04 specs on it... Are these companies dumb or do they think customers are asking questions that they really don't want to answer to? :I

 

Did you have the Intel driver installed as well? I have the same system (NP7005ZC-S01UB) - I cant get even the new drivers to install - they show the message "this graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware". The device manager shows the display adapter with the Intel HD graphics 4000. But, under other devices, I have a "3D Video Controller" with no driver. Was considering a full reload of Windows Ultimate 64 then try the nVidia beta driver... all the confusion over the specs along with the video driver issue...so annoying..

 

OK well, one problem solved. Wiped the drive and did a clean install of Win 7 Pro -- my CPU idle temps are now ~40. That's great.

Next question: trackpad defect? On the front-right edge of the trackpad (i.e., farthest from the keyboard), there is a noticeable gap/dip where the pad meets the wristpad area. Twice as deep as the left side, as if it's sunk in. I also noticed it takes about twice as much force to produce a right click. Any others with a similar issue?

-Matt

 

yeah, intel graphics were already installed with the driver from samsung's site. i had the 3d video controller entry in device manager also. run the .exe from:

NVIDIA DRIVERS 304.79BETA

 

My trackpad is constructed identically. Registering right clicks is a real pain because of this; the area that registers as a right click is vaguely defined it seems and it is difficult to press down the lower right hand corner. No idea why the trackpad was designed this way.

 

Hey, I noticed the EXACT same thing on mine I ordered from amazon. I returned the first thinking it was a defect, but the second one was set up the exact same.

As far as I can tell, I was assuming that the trackpad would be secured along the top with the click pivot toward the bottom, but it actually seem like the pad actually clicks along the left side regardless of a left or right click, the pad just notes where your finger is to define either.

I have noticed with a little use that the right clicks get a little easier, but I really can't explain why it was designed this way...

 

Thanks guys, that's SUPER reassuring. I'm stupidly OK with the concept if it's a design intent, and not a build issue -- I was this close to sending my first back to Amazon too. Seems like it's a keeper then.

But while I have you on the line: I played with a NP700Z5A before buying the NP700Z5C, and it had a decent, multi-tab menu for setting the trackpad features. But the Z5C has the dumbest-looking menu (with one tab). I've downloaded the most recent version from Samsung (Elan) -- am I missing something, or is that it (e.g., it's missing options like two-finger click which I'm sure the Z5A had)? I don't have the machine at the moment, but can post a screenshot next week.

-Matt

 

There's another thread on this site that details people's woes with the trackpad and it's software. Long story short, Samsung and Elan have tried several different iterations of the control panel, the latest of which provides basic functionality control from the mouse menu, and then advanced settings in a totally different program that is buried somewhere deep in the program files.

 

You will find the program "ETDAniConf.exe" in the X64 folder of the touchpad installation package. It's slightly more comprehensive than the default control panel. Unzip it and put it somewhere you can find.

John

 

Hi, i'm italian and i'm thinking to buy this laptop... the new model mount the same screen panel of the old model?
Someone can post the model number of the screen?
thanks

 

yep, rather than going to mouse settings in control panel, go to touchpad. there is only one page of settings but i found them satisfactory. it even includes two-finger click as the original asker wanted.

as always, i'm attachment happy, so here it is

 

Anyone have an issue with the webcam being way too dark? Image is incredibly dark in Skype unless "low light compensation" is turned on (in daylight mind you), and unfortunately there is no way to set low light compensation as default so you have to keep changing it.

 

Quick question for anyone else with a 700Z5C: Can anyone get HWMonitor to report and stats? I'm only getting a bunch of battery stuff. Nothing on CPU or CPU temps, not even anything on the hard drive or motherboard.

 

Anyway to replace the screen with a 1080p screen? Has anyone tried it?

 

I'm getting all major temps with HWMonitor including CPU, but I'd recommend HWiNFO64 for more detailed data. I do notice however, that it sometimes fails to see the NVIDIA card.

EDIT: another feature of HWiNFO64 that I really like is that you can use the configuration menu to add any of the sensor readings to the system tray. In my case, I added battery percent, CPU/HD temps, and CPU%, and configured it to autostart/minimize on startup. I normally use Speedfan to do the job, but since it tends to bork CPU temp readings, this looks like a better solution.

-Matt

 

Awesome, thanks.

OK, now a bit confused again. THIS ^ is the configuration panel I have. Looking for the one with more options. I have the feeling that ETDAniConf.exe is the one I want, as the one above (I think) has "simple" in the name.

EDIT: not entirely sure, but I think "two-finger tap" and "two-finger click" are different animals (I learned the distinction on the Z5A thread). I presume with a 2F click, you actually press down on the pad and register a click, rather than the kinder/gentler tap. While playing with the "multi-tab" configuration menu at Best Buy, I found it had a really impressive number of permutations of fingers, clicks, taps, swipes, etc.

-Matt

 

OK John, mystery solved. In search of screen shots, I stumbled on your earlier post:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...01us-laptop-i7-3615qm-650m-review-75.html#744

This is what I needed, thanks!

I'm still puzzled why it was the default configuration screen on the unit I demo'd...I guess (like you said) that Samsung used it on some units, then "hid" it on others.

-Matt

 

Hello I'm thinking about buying this series of laptop( NP700Z5C-S01UB) and I just wanna know from anyone who purchased/used it..well is it worth it?I also been looking at the Dell XPS 15 but after past problems with Dell(HDD would always crash within months) don't really wanna purcahse from them again.Also how is the speakers on the laptop cause I listen to ALOT of music and does the laptop stay cool especially when just surfing the web? Thanks

 

Keep in mind that the Best Buy S01UB you're looking at has an unusual spec: instead of coming with the NVIDIA 640m (at 1GB) it instead has the slower 630m (at 512mb). If you're not planning to game much, for the most part the NVIDIA card will stay idle while the integrated Intel 4000 will handle the graphics, and you will get better battery life and a cooler machine. Also, your unit comes with 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB on the S01US ($1,100) at Amazon. EDIT: and a 1TB hard drive -- 5400RPM I would assume (vs. 750GB @ 7200 RPM on the S01US).

A few people here (e.g., slicnic) noticed that the Best Buy version of the S01UB and the version on Samsung's website are slightly different, esp. the video card, so remember that Best Buy's specs are the ones you'll actually get.

Anyway, as a new owner of the S01US, I have to say I'm very impressed and very happy. I had some concerns about heat (see a few pages back) but that was sorted out by a fresh Win 7 install. I'm also not pleased with the front edge of the wristpad (esp. the "notch" for lifting the lid), e.g., "IT CUT MY WRISTS!!!" LOL Seriously, it will require some changes in wrist posture but not a big issue. Otherwise the build quality and ergonomics are super.

Reading this and related threads, I expected screen quality to be an issue. It's true that blacks look different than on a glossy screen. Overall though I am not a screen "connoisseur" and so far I think it's excellent (of course I also thought the screen on the Viewsonic gTab was OK and learned to hate it, so...).

Lastly, I wish I could comment on sound quality but I almost always use headphones. For kicks I decided to run a few Youtube videos at max volume, though, and I IMMEDIATELY earned the dirty look and "TURN THAT DOWN!" response from my wife, so I can confirm that volume level is not a problem.

Oh, let me come back to the temperature question: after updating Windows, I found that the CPU cores idle at low-40 C, which is awesome (with ambient temps at 80F). I can check but I'd imagine that light browsing should take you up to 45 C. Palmrests stay very cool.

-Matt

 

Thank you for answering all my questions.So far this laptop seems like the best laptop for me.Also how is the touch pad cause I read some post people complaining its to sensitive.Thanks again.

 

Ah, the touchpad is another interesting topic. I'd have to say so far it's superb and works perfectly -- and now that I know to use the "hidden" configuration screen, if I run into sensitivity issues I can adjust it.

The only lingering question for me (which I thought was resolved) is the right edge of the touchpad takes a pretty hard press to work. I can finesse the issue by programming a two-finger tap as a right click, but...

...today I stopped into Best Buy and played with two units. One was the S01UB you mentioned, and the other was the 17" S01US. The trackpad on the S01US was pretty much like mine -- however the pad on the S01UB was really perfect. So I'm thinking about calling Amazon and trying my luck on a second unit. But to be honest, I've only had it a few days and it's a minor issue. But like a new car, even the tiniest scratch can drive you crazy!

-Matt

 

Hello,

Does anyone whether 640M Nvidia is on DDR3 or DDR5 in this model? Also, is it Kepler?
Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S01US 15.6-Inch Laptop

Amazon.com: Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S01US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver): Computers & Accessories

 

This has been answered multiple times in this thread. It's a GDDR5 version and it's Kepler. From my understanding all the 640Ms are Kepler designs, it's the 640M LE that you should be wary of, but this is not present on the Samsung.

 

True, but Amazon/Samsung both told that it's DDR3

Confused

 

I'm guessing the "DDR3" you're looking at is the system RAM specification -- I didn't find any mention of the memory specs on the graphics card by Amazon or Samsung. If you want some additional details check out the Amazon reviews by Barnok and Rdawg:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S01US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver)

I also found the review by Yano pretty enlightening, e.g., "At 1600x900, the GDDR5 640M can outperform a 650M at 1920x1080." I wonder if that's true.

-Matt

 

I talked on live chat

 

My sense from reading the Samsung threads is that you'll probably get a different answer each time you talk to a CSR. Anyway, no worries on the 640m, it's definitely DDR5. I don't have mine in front of me, but I'll post a GPU-Z screen shot on Friday if you want more details.

-Matt

 

@gadgetrants:

Thank you very much dude. I never trust on any sale representative whether it's from Dell/HP/Samsung or Amazon etc. You are right, we get different answers from different representatives from same desk

Anyway, please don't forget to post GPU-Z screen. I am ready to order it on amazon as it's $50 OFF

Also, any reviews will be highly appreciated.

Best Regards