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

Excellent. Thanks again!

 

Sounds like we're on the same page here

 

Yep, and I also thought 60GB for the Windows partition was a great suggestion. But that *does* raise a question:

Sometimes, when installing a new app, you have the luxury of choosing which partition or drive to place it on, while other apps will look for Program Files (or Program Files (x86)) and park themselves there. With 60GB it might not be an issue, but on some machines you might be more constrained, e.g., a 32GB mSATA. In that case, it might make sense to install Windows on the faster drive, but install other programs elsewhere (e.g., because they won't all fit on the OS drive). Is there a way to manage that, or do you think it's best to to try estimate in advance how much room you'll need for Windows *and* your other programs? Of course, that's not exactly the same thing as dividing one drive into separate partitions, which can be resized later on....

-Matt

 

Matt, sorry I didn't get to respond sooner. That's a great point you mention.

When creating a Windows partition on an HDD, I normally prefer to make it fairly small, because any space allocated "just in case I need it some day" is just dormant and wasted until then. On the other hand you don't want to make it too small either. On my 3 year old HP HDX18, the Windows partition is only 28GB. On my Z3A it's 48GB -- far bigger than needed, but it's the smallest size that still allows Recovery restore.

I would consider a 32GB SSD sufficient for Windows 7 (even Windows 8). But if space becomes an issue, there are ways to save -- such as installing large and/or less demanding apps on another drive.

What takes up most space on a Windows drive are:

1) Windows itself (including Windows, Program Files and a few other folders). Service packs and updates can take up a lot of space as well. I empty Windows/SoftwareDistribution/Download from time to time, but Windows/Installer and.NET folders can grow huge, not to mention winsxs -- and little you can do about it.

2) Hibernation file, matching your RAM size. 12GB of RAM requires 12GB hibernation file. (My old PC with the 28GB Windows partition only has 4GB RAM.) Unfortunately it cannot be moved to another drive. (See THIS article to understand why). But if you never use hibernation, it can be be disabled with the command line POWERCFG /HIBERNATE OFF and save the disk space.

3) Pagefile. Default size is way too big for current PCs (in my opinion). With 8 or 12GB of RAM you'd have to run some real monster software (or have bad memory leaks) to ever need much paging. I personally reduce initial pagefile size to RAM/16 (512 MB on an 8GB PC) but it needs room to be able to grow to at least 4GB. Of course it can be relocated to any drive. I often see suggestions to put pagefile on the iSSD, but I don't see the point (for performance) unless there is no other use for the iSSD.

4) System recovery. Admittedly, I am not typical here because I keep it disabled (instead making regular image backups). I don't recommend others to disable it though. If your PC has been at a stable point for some time, it makes sense to reduce the amount of space allocated to System recovery, thus weeding out older restore points.

5) Temp files and Temporary Internet Files. Use CCleaner and/or Disk Cleanup regularly.

6) Large applications. Of course if you know you'll be installing games or other large apps, that's a reason to make a bigger Windows partition. On the other hand, I actually WANT those to be installed on another drive (Applications folder on my Data drive) so they don't have to be included in every image backup of the Windows drive. Also, some apps place a lot of data on the C: drive and I always try to get those relocated to the Data drive if possible. E.g. I use a trading platform that caches tons of streaming market data, by default on the Window drive. Fortunately I can redirect it to the Data drive so it doesn't "pollute" my Windows drive.

For apps that insist on installing into C:\Program Files, I wonder if you can trick them by changing the ProgramFiles environment variable temporarily while they install. I never tried it. Of course it assumes they don't rely on the same environment variable during runtime...

To sum it up, again, I think 50-60GB should be plenty for a Windows partition, except in very extreme cases. And there are workarounds if you grow out of it in a few years, it's not like you're stuck forever.

You already knew all this, Matt. Maybe it'll be useful to others

 

Guys, is it possible to oc/bios mod the 640m in this system to get 650 performance? Seems crazy that the le version in the sony is outperforming the full on version in the samsung.

Had a look back through the thread but cant find any mention of it?

 

Hello,
I'm a little new to this forum. Maybe this question has been answered but I will ask anyways. I want to upgrade the RAM on a NP700Z5C-S01US from 6 to 12. So will I need to get an 8gb RAM stick or do they only make 4x2 sticks? Or are they the same thing?....Anyways, what kind and brand should I install in it? Also, If there is a tutorial out there that someone knows about I would greatly appreciate it.

 

That was super helpful, thanks!

-Matt

 

It has 4GB on board (Fixed, not replaceable/removable), there is another 4GB in slot & you can replace that with 8GB stick.

 

My new laptop just arrived, looks very nice i must say and i am happy to report my spacebar works too lol.

Only slight blemish i can find, is that the top 'lip' of the touchpad is higher than the other sides. Others are almost flush with the casing but the top has a tiny gap if you will. Do other people have this? I think i can live with it so am not sure whether to send it back or not as a result? Its only the center of the top, if i push down on the casing it flexes so its likely the same on all of them? If someone can take a quick look at theirs i would appreciate it.

 

My recollection on mine is that when closed, the right side of the lid did not sit as flush as the rest of the lid. It was pretty minor and didn't bother me much.

-Matt

 

I see no problems with the screen either. Granted i am colorblind anyway but it looks fantastic to me. Dont appear to have much bloat on it either only norton and some games thing?

Could someone give me the rundown on what i should be doing to create a restore disk, i assume thts just to reinstall windows and important drivers and not all the bloat?

Also, is there a rundown somewhere of the various touch gestures that can be used with the touchpad? Have never owned a laptop so am not familiar with any to try. The two finger scrolling works a treat on webpages, also appear to be able to pinch to zoom too, though i dont know how to get that back to defaults as i made my page look a bit awful lol.

 

A couple hints on the trackpad -- first, pressing CTRL0 (control plus number 0) will take your webpages page to the original zoom/font level when things start to look too small or too big (the keyboard shortcuts for zooming in and out are CTRL+ and CTRL-). Second, check out this post for a "hidden" trackpad utility that offers better options than the stock one.

-Matt

 

Thanks very much mate =)

Still just a little worried about the casing above the track pad being slightly raised compared to the other sides of the pad. Can anyone confirm this is the same on theirs?

 

Ah, I had the same issue with mine. I think many units (>50%) come this way -- just call it variation in the assembly process. If you haven't stumbled over the short "review" I wrote, feel free to check it out.

-Matt

 

You wouldnt send it back over this though i assume? as there is a good chance would get another the same. Also doesnt seem to affect usage in any way at all.

Is there any reason i need to format this laptop at all to improve performance? Like i say i only uninstalled norton and the games that came with it, i couldnt find any other rubbish on there. But want to be sure before i start installing my important apps ready for uni.

 

Also still looking for a good sleeve that will fit this laptop snugly. Not be too big that it rolls around in there and offer some protection from scratches etc. There is a well recommended one on amazon in 15.4" range but not sure that would work with this laptop.

heres the sleeve.

 

I didn't want to say, but that's *exactly* why I sent it back. But since, I've tried out the Sony SVS1511 and the Asus N56VZ, and in hindsight, you're right -- if I got another (which I'm VERY tempted to do, except I don't need a new machine urgently) and it had the same issue, I would definitely keep it. Personally, it's kind of a small thing to complain about since I would use the 2-finger tap for right click anyway!

Formatting the machine is another issue. I think buried back in this thread was an observation by me that after doing so, it ran cooler and smoother. But: I wipe my machines as a rule. I'm not 100% convinced the Samsung needs it. My advice would be: if you've done it before and feel comfortable, then definitely do it. If it's the first time, then definitely don't worry about it. Sorry for the mixed message -- but some other owners will chime in with their thoughts.

-Matt

 

Like Matt, I always make clean installs, but I don't think you really need it with this one. There are several things you can uninstall, though, which will make it leaner.

I'm on my phone right now, but later today, when I get to my pc, I can send you a list of candidates to uninstall. Shouldn't prevent you from installing other software till then.

If you DO decide to format and clean install, I strongly suggest you first backup Samsung System Software to a DVD (using Samsung System Recovery). It'll make clean install a snap. And DON'T delete your Recovery partition, even if you delete everything else.

 

Its not the right click issue you listed matey, my right click works fine. Its purely a cosmetic thing, like the bit of casing just above the touchpad center is very slightly raised compared to the rest of the touchpad surround thats all. Just wasnt sure if could lead to issues down the line is all.

As for formatting, i format my desktop pc quite often using usb stick as i like to keep it clean and freshen it up. Problem i have with laptop is i am not sure what drivers are essential/hard to get hold of. Dont wanna format it only to find out half the stuff like the trackpad/wireless doesnt work anymore if that makes sense

 

For me the aesthetic and functional issues were linked: it *looked* like the right edge of the pad was sunken (like you described) and I also found that it took twice as much force to register a right-click on that corner. Strangely, if I moved straight left, and clicked toward the center (some pads have a small vertical line at the center point), the right click was effortless. But don't let me beat the horse dead!

Dannemand's comment was spot on: if you slide in a blank DVD, and use Samsung's recovery system to create a system disk, it will copy all the latest drivers and utilities on to the disk for you. It is (bar none) the easiest wipe and reinstall I've ever tried: (1) create the system/driver backup disk, (2) install a clean version of Windows, and after the installation is done (~20 minutes?), (3) put the Samsung driver disk back in and let it reinstall all the necessary drivers (you can opt for which utilities to reinstall). The cool thing is that it doesn't repeatedly restart as it reinstalls drivers. Very fast. And you don't have to go hunting for any additional software!

-Matt

 

@rheeley (and others who might be interested):

As promised, here is my list of bloatware candidates for removal from a Samsung factory installed Series 7. It's based on my NP700Z3A (Sandy Bridge) but I think the differences to your Ivy Bridge are only a few device drivers (Nvidia vs AMD, TPM driver) which aren't candidates for removal anyway.

Absolutely must go (uninstall with Easy Software Manager)
- Norton Internet Security (30 day trial)
- Norton Online Backup (30 day trial)
- CyberLink Media Suite (trial only, I believe)
- CyberLink Youcam (watch video of yourself at the PC)
- Multimedia POP (Samsung - play it once if you like, then lose it)
- Interactive Guide (Samsung - play it once if you like, then lose it)
- Kies, Samsung (manage Samsung phones)

Keep if you like it, otherwise lose it (uninstall with ESWM)
- Samsung Screensaver (a 250MB screensaver)
- EasyFileShare (Samsung, share data between PCs)
- Easy Migration (Samsung, migrate data between PCs)
- Software Launcher (samsung, yet another way to load programs)
- Racing theme (wallpaper etc)
- Super Bright theme (wallpaper etc)
- AllShare (Samsung's own DLNA)
- Samsung AnyWeb Print (print web pages)
- Samsung Universal Scan Driver
- Samsung Universal Print Driver
- Easy Support Center (help fix PC problems)
- Microsoft Bing toolbar
- Microsoft Windows Live utilities
- Skype (if you never use Skype)
- Adobe Reader (if you never read PDFs)

MAYBE lose it depending on needs (uninstall with ESWM)
- Intel Wireless Display (if you never use WiDi)
- Media Center Update (if Windows Media Center is turned off - see below)
- Intel Bluetooth Highspeed driver (you'll still have Windows BT functionality)
- Samsung Recovery Solution 5 (backup System Software first, can be used to image Windows drive)
- Easy Software Manager (Use to install drivers after clean install, periodically looks for updates)

Further Optimization (Windows Programs & Features)
- Intel My WiFi Technology (part of Intel PROSet/Wireless Setup)
- Adobe Flash PLayer ActiveX (if you never use Flash, or just hate it)

Windows features that are candidates to turn off
- Games (don't take much space though)
- Internet printing client
- Windows fax & scan
- Tablet PC components
- Windows DVD Maker (if you never make video DVDs)
- Windows Media Center (if you never use PC with a TV remote, reduces background tasks)
- Windows Media Player (if you use another media player, reduces backgrund tasks)

Uninstalling Microsoft .NET Framework can provide a significant speed boost and avoid TONS of Microsoft updates (google .NET cleanup tool). But unfortunately it is used by so many apps nowadays that you probably want to keep it.

The attached screen shows what the Installed tab in Easy Software Manager looks like on a cleaned (or clean installed) Z3A.



Also, I am attaching what it looks like in Windows Programs and Features. I've kept Easy Software Manager here although I personally don't keep it after finished installation.



If you choose to perform a clean install (as described by Matt) just use this same list to determine which items to install when you first load Easy Software Manager.

Hope it is useful.

 

Appreciate it guys, think i will graba blank disk and do the wipe. Isnt easy software manager one of the installed bloatwares or am i dumb? I have always just used add/remove software in control panel?

Oh and i am so sorry to keep asking amateur questions that were likely already answered. But does this laptop have a key to disable the touchpad at all when i decide to use a mouse as i can imagine this one being a bit of a nightmare when typing a lot of code.

 

You could say Easy Software Manager is bloat, but it makes driver installation and automatic updating incredibly easy. If you want, you can uninstall it after you're done, then check for updates manually after that.

Fn-F5 disables the touchpad (at least on my 14" ).

 

Worked, you have been a massive help thanks very much

Got no dvds to hand, gonna see if i can do this recovery using usb like i do for windows. Else i will just do it tomorrow when i can go grab some.

 

Well firstly there is a wealth of information here available on this forum. Big thank you to all the contributors and especially the mods.

I've searched around most everywhere but cannot find anyone anywhere asking how to install a graphics card into this laptop. I am new to graphics cards, comfortable replacing ram, hdd etc. but from what I can gather about this particular machine many of the parts are soldered in/require a lot of disassembly to access.

I can't afford the model with the dedicated graphics card so was just wanting top buy the i5 with Intel HD 4000, and buy a gfx card later so I can game.

Is this possible/practical?

Also does this laptop still commonly exhibit a flaw whereby the spacebar is only responsive to being pressed directly in the centre?

I have been searching for a new laptop for some time, and have returned two in the last two months as they broke, this Chronos is looking good..

 

I believe Samsung Recovery Solution can save your System Software to any location: HDD, USB etc. DVD is just very convenient to save it for future installs.

Remember: don't delete that Recovery partition when you wipe the disk.

And no problem, let's know how it goes

Update: Silly me: You actually don't even have to make a System Software backup (although I still recommend it for safety). As long as you don't delete your Recovery Partition, Easy Software Manager will load all the drivers from there. Just download ESWM and save it to a USB, then run it after you've installed Windows.

 

I believe the graphics is soldered in mate i dont think you will be able to upgrade at a later time. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can verify that for you.

As for the space bar, when i tried the model in the shop the right side of the space bar didnt work. However i have received my laptop today and it works fine so no worries there.

 

Has anybody managed to overclock the GPU core yet? I can overclock the memory and get some good gains. But I cant get the core above its standard mhz.

 

What tool are you using to overclock?

 

You cannot upgrade the GPU - you are stuck with what you buy.

The spacebar varies by machine - your machine may or may not have this issue.

 

Both MSI Afterburner and Nvidia's own Ntune software will overclock the GT640m memory speed and shader core and the changes will stick.

But if you try to change the core clock of the GPU itself, the changes wont stick. I'm assuming it can only be done in the Bios.

Incidentally, I have the .exe installation file for the Bios (not the GPU Bios, the actual PC Bios).

If someone can extract and mod the Bios from the executable I will upload it here?

 

Hello all,

Brand new to the forums here, but I've went through basically this entire thread (and a few others) before making my purchase. So far I am really happy with my NP700Z5C-S01US! The only thing keeping this computer from being absolutely perfect for me, like so many others have said, is the screen! I love the screen on the 17" S7, and I really, really wish Samsung had put a similar panel into this one. In fact I almost purchased the 17" version just for the screen, but logic got the better of me since I really need something a little more portable to lug around (I have a nice desktop rig for home use, this is more of on the road/university use). The image itself is nice and sharp but the color/contrast is just so washed out.

This brings me to my question. I have read a couple of other posts where people have attempted to upgrade the actual panel on this model. As far as I have seen though, the attempts failed due to the screen thickness, the 40-pin connector location and other aspects of the replacement/upgrade panels. Has anyone had any success at all upgrading the screen? I'm not even looking for 1080p or IPS; though either of those options would be best, a nice 900p screen would suffice for me.

The screen model that comes in my unit is SE0006, I'm pretty sure that's the case for a couple of the other latest revisions. Anyways, I hope someone can help me out! I was on the verge of returning it and going with a VAIO S15 just for the nice IPS screen and the slightly lower weight... but I am still leaning towards keeping this because I just like the build too much to let it go: metallic, sturdy, small screen bezel. Plus, this unit has faster RAM, a slightly faster processor, faster GPU, and a faster hard drive (though I might swap in an SSD at some point if I really need it). However, if someone has any way of swaying me toward the Sony, I'm all ears and open to suggestions. My first choice would be swapping the screen, though, so I look forward to some answers, thanks!

 

I can now finally say I'm the proud owner of a new NP700Z5C-S01US (after waiting forever for the right time). Convinced my roommate to get one as well. First impressions are good, the dull-ish screen is still a significant upgrade over my previous HP screen with 1366x768. Really that's the only con that truly exists for this laptop, it's got so many pros going for it. The viewing angles are also actually better than my HP so although they're not great, they're still quite a bit better. Resolution is sharp as well. Blacks are gray-ish but not enough to bother me. Loving it so far. Although I've got a 256gb Samsung 830 from my retired DV6 to put in, I was pleasantly surprised by the boot times offered by the Expresscache/7200rpm HDD combo; I counted 18 seconds cold boot. Near SSD speeds right there.

Thanks for all the helpful posts gadgetrants.

 

That's awesome news, and I totally agree: spent another 10 minutes yesterday playing with my favorite floor unit, and as always -- if I don't peek out of the corner of the my eye at the 17" sitting next to the 15" -- I keep thinking, "what an all-around awesome machine." I'm also getting tired of waiting for the "right moment"...thinking I should jump in too!

-Matt

 

Hey all,

Still wondering about the panel upgrade, though after messing around with the color settings.. it really has started to look much better. Either way, I am still curious, because I'd definitely throw a new panel in this if I could.

 

My NP700Z5C-S01 is out for delivery as we speak! Any things off the top of your heads that I should check for to see if anything is defective? Think I'll be doing a clean install of Ultimate since it only comes with Windows Home.

 

First use Samsung Recovery Solution to make a backup of the drivers and software. Second, make a backup image of the Windows Home installation. If you hit a problem during the warranty period then it helps to be able to demonstrate that the problem occurs with the Samsung- supplied version of Windows.

John

 

Congrats, you'll have a great laptop there!

If you want to be paranoid like me D ) check this recent post of the steps I take with a new laptop, including the key steps that John already mentioned.

Also, this post lists some of the Samsung stuff that you do NOT have re-install when you do that clean Windows install.

Enjoy your new machine

 

By backup image of the Windows Home installation I'm assuming you mean using the Samsung Recovery Solution? The image made by going to Backup>Complete Backup? Sorry to be such a newbie at this but If I install Windows Ultimate I can still revert to the factory Windows Home with that image?

Thanks for all the info! I'll definitely be checking out all those links!

 

Yes. It will help you to quickly get back to the condition that Samsung supplied the computer. Many of the support scripts start with "Reinstall Windows" even if the problem looks to be with the hardware. And often the problem proves to be software.

John

 

Hello all, I'm from the UK

I've recently returned a Sony Vaio S15 and I've been thinking about buying this laptop instead, it looks perfect for what I'm looking for!

I'd be very grateful if someone could give me a run down of the pros and cons of this laptop?

Also, can you reformat this computer to factory settings without a disc? Like it's on a partition.

 

\beginshamelesselfpromotion

I began a thread a while back comparing the S15 and the Samsung Z5C:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/wha...30-impressions-sony-s15-samsung-np700z5c.html

Let me know if it helps!

-Matt

\endshamelessselfpromotion

 

LOL

Nothing shameless about that, if you ask me. Why rewrite an answer when you already posted it earlier?

You post some great information, but only a few people ever see it who happen to watch that particular thread the moment you post it. 12 hours later it's scrolled off the board into oblivion - unless you you (or someone) link to it next time that question comes up.

I don't even use /shameless prefixes when I do the same. Now THAT's shameless

 

I tried to hint to John that we could maybe make it a sticky thread -- but it was my fault for posting it in the "which one should I buy?" area. That damn forum scrolls faster than a stock ticker!

I guess it's "shameless" (OK, faux modesty here!) because I seem to point people back to it from this thread every 3-5 pages. LOL Damn, I know what I need to do: finish the last bit of the comparison and then add it to my signature!!!

-Matt

 

As long as you don't delete the recovery partition you can press F4 at the BIOS screen and replace the C partition with the factory image.

Tom make that thread easier to find I've added it (bottom of Series 7 list) to the sticky index at the top of this forum (and I'm open to suggestions about other threads to add to that list - I keep it permanently open).

John

 

Thanks John! Why didn't I think of that...doh.

-Matt

 

I received this laptop today but something strange I don't understand. The Displayport on it looks really odd size. It is neither mini-Displayport or full size Displayport. Can someone please tell me what connection I need to connect this to my monitor? I must use Displayport because of my monitor type. Thank you!

 

You're looking at a "mini-VGA" port -- I think it *might* be proprietary for Samsung -- afaik it's not compatible with Displayport:

Amazon.com: Samsung AA-AV1N12B/US Chronos Series 7 VGA Dongle: Camera & Photo



BTW, what are the input port options on your monitor? If you have DVI or HDMI the Samsung will work fine.

-Matt

 

Oh man, I have to return this laptop now! My monitor has Displayport and Dual-Link DVI and the resolution is 2560x1440. This means that I cannot use HDMI or VGA, only Displayport will work at that resolution.

 

Yikes, that's a lot of pixels. Sorry it didn't work out.

-Matt