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

Yeah that's actually a pretty sweet deal. I think the biggest thing the Series 7 missed out on is the ability for bluray. Also you might want to check out the new Dell XPS 15z, it looks pretty sweet: Dell a adus în România noul ultrabook XPS 13 alături de notebook-ul XPS 15 (FOTO)

However it might be bigger than what you're looking for. I'm sure the Y480 is a sweet machine, I just can't imagine myself spending 1k on a laptop with a 3 hour battery life and 1366x768 screen. But, to each his own. Just be wary of the graphics performance.

 

Just an update about my "attempted" screen upgrade. Had ordered an AOU b156HW01 V.4 and told it was compatible, it was not! Not only was the 40 pin connector to high, it was also to thick. Needless to say i was very disappointed since i ad already took apart the screen assembly. This was not all bad, the screen wasn't that bad to disassemble, it is not the same way as another poster had showed with pictures, but not very bad you just have to be very careful with the glued on bezel. Well working on finding a working upgrade screen fix. Will keep yall posted, if anyone knows please chime in, i want to do a full YouTube instruction video

 

Sounds good, I'm interested in seeing the final result. Honestly I saw the current model at Best Buy and I really didn't mind the screen. When compared to the new Z7C next to it, it definitely looked worse, but I'm coming from an HP DV6-2088dx (not very good) and its screen sucks as well. Furthermore, I've read that changing the display settings to "Sharp" in the Easy Settings alleviates the issue, as well as downloading the .icc file from the forum.a

 

I would propose creating a separate thread out of this and keep it updated. Will you please?

 

Ok well I cancelled my Y480 order, I hope you're happy! Actually after going over all the details with a fine toothed comb I became concerned with user reports of excessive heat (58C) in the center of the unit:


If true, temps like that will kill the performance and performance is my #1 criteria. So once again I'm leaning towards the NP700Z5C. My problems with it are:

- Crappy screen
- No Blu Ray
- Heavier than I want
- Wider than I want
- Crappy Trackpad
- 12GB Max RAM
- Need adapted to connect monitor

I need to get over these issues before I can pull the trigger

 

Way ahead of you!
http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/668871-display-upgrade-series-7-a.html#

 

Haha I'm sorry man I didn't mean to make you totally change your mind. The heat thing is kind of bad though, but luckily I haven't heard of any such issue on the Chronos. And yeah for those issues I guess it just comes down to preference. I'm coming from my old DV6 with a crappy screen so the Samsung's is actually quite an upgrade. Plus there are some tweaks to fix it. Also I didn't really find an issue with the trackpad on the Best Buy model. It worked quite well for me actually, but I only care about 2 finger scroll, 2 finger click, and tap to click. And regular clicks of course. 12Gb of ram isn't enough? Are you using a RAM disk or something? Aaahhh decisions. I really want the Samsung, I just can't afford it yet.

 

Hi fellow Samsung fans-- I've been lurking on this thread for weeks and finally decided to get involved in the conversation. I have also been lurking on Amazon and discovered this morning that the S03 variant is now shipping in 3-6 weeks instead of accepting pre-orders.
Amazon.com: Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S03US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver): Electronics

 

I ordered mine from CDW 2 weeks ago. EST ship date is around the 27th.

 

I can't find it anywhere on their site. Does anyone even know what the specs on the S03 is versus the S01? Is it just the extra system and GPU RAM?

 

Seems like it. The extra GPU vram was confirmed by a Samsung rep earlier right? Otherwise there's nothing in the specs page that says anything about it of course. Not that in my opinion that extra 1gb matters for 1600x900 anyway. Maybe the s01 drops the expresscache like the Sandy Bridge models did on certain ones? Just a thought. I really wish Samsung would have them up on their website. They've got the new Ivy Series 5 laptops and still no sign of the 7s.

 

The S02 showed up on best buy's site, 8GB system RAM but only 1GB GPU RAM:
Samsung - 15.6" Laptop - 8GB Memory - 750GB Hard Drive - Silver - NP700Z5C-S02US

$1250

 

Haha already sold out. Impressive.

 

Hi Guys,

Was already confirmed that the new 15" SB variant will get a better display as the 17" version has?? As we all know the display quality of previous moddels was rubbish.

 

We need to keep an up to date first post on this thread or something, people just don't read through each page

 

Sorry, but this would be a good idea. I just made my way through this thread (~200 pages) to find my next notebook. I was a bit exhausted to be honest. Still hoping for an answer or a link...maybe!? :-/

Sadly Dell will fail with the new XPS. 1920x1080 and 640m which is just not powerful for this resolution. That's why I am now (again) interrested in the new Chronos. But I already wonder why they do not use the i7-3612QM after checking the first post :-/

 

I ordered the Ivy i7, so guess I'm going with a Sammy after all. Does anyone have a good ICC profile to get the best out of the stock display?

 

Unfortunately it's the same display as the Sandy in the Ivy version, here are the basic specs:

14.2 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
5.3 lbs with battery
15.6-inch HD+ display (1600x900)
2.3 GHz (overclocks to 3.3 GHz) Intel Core i7-3615QM Ivy Bridge (quad core x 2 threads each)
Up to 9.2 hours battery life

750 or 1000 GB SATA @ 7200 RPM with ExpressCache 8 GB SSD
DDR3 1600MHz, 6 or 8 GB installed RAM (max 12GB, 4GB soldered + one user slot @ 8GB max)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics GDDR5 1 GB (possibly 2GB option)
Wifi 802.11b/g/n + WiDi + Bluetooth 4.0

DVD±RW Super Multi dual-layer drive (no blu ray option)
2 x USB 3.0 + 1 x USB 2.0
HDMI output, VGA requires dongle ( not included)
1.3-megapixel HD webcam

JBL Stereo speakers
Built in SD / MMC Card Reader
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (possibly pro option)

 

Tell me what you want to put in OP.

 

my laptop starts the OS with one colour pattern and 15 or 20 seconds later changes... does this happens with some of you?

 

Hey BlakeRoss check out this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/629656-samsung-series-7-chronos-np700z4-np700z5-icc-profile.html#

^^ They help out with the screen issues. And DvP I've been keeping up with the L521x thread as well but I'm not disappointed in the gt640m at all, so far everything I've seen about it is quite good. Performance is comparable to the desktop GTS 450, which at 1080 gaming can handle plenty at medium-high settings, so I don't really see the problem. Don't forget there's always a little overclocking headroom to possibly match the gt650m. On the chronos however, you're sure to get a framerate bump at 900p if that's what you're looking for.

 

Just picked up a 256 GB Samsung 830 SSD drive for $225
SAMSUNG 830 256GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6.0Gbps SSD MZ-7PC256D BARE DRIVE NO KIT | eBay

This puppy is going to be blazing fast. I'm going to put the stock 750 HDD into the optical bay in a caddy and keep it disabled except when I need to look up archived files

 

Regarding the resolution issue I suspect the image quality with the XPS 15 & NP700Z7C down-scaled at 900p might be more enjoyable than on the obviously crappy-by-comparison display Samsung put on the NP700Z5C...

 

my laptop starts the OS with one colour pattern and 15 or 20 seconds later changes... does this happens with some of you?

 

just curious if the ivy S7 has a kepler 640m, or a rebadged fermi?

 

The new Series 7s have Kepler cards with GDDR5 memory no less. If you're comparison shopping, the rebadged fermi card you want to watch out for is the 640M-LE.

 

So, I have the NP700Z5C-S01US in my Amazon cart, but I came here for my final overview before a purchase and almost EVERYONE is complaining about this screen. I had the previous Sandy Bridge version of this laptop and the screen was perfectly reasonable for what I was doing. Has the Ivy Bridge version of that laptop completely destroyed the quality of the screen (meaning that the Ivy is worse)? Or is everyone just upset that they didn't make the screen BETTER with this revision?

I can easily deal with that same screen if I get the 640m, I returned the last laptop because I had mistakenly purchased the weaker Bestbuy 6490m version. Granted I used it for 5 months and it was alright, but I longed for a more powerful graphics card. Regardless, my big question is:

Is the NP700Z5C-S01US screen significantly worse than the older Sandy Bridge model screens, or the same quality, but people are complaining because it's newer?

 

It has the same poor screen as the previous sandy bridge version, if you're okay with it, sure go for it!

 

Thank you, OC-Freak. If ANYONE can somehow get their hands on both and post up a screen comparison, that would be fantastic, but I'm going to try my luck and purchase the laptop.

EDIT: Also, can someone please tell me the exact specifications of the RAM in this model if possible, or direct me to the location where I can find the answer (I'm not adverse to looking), but I would like to upgrade to a 4GB stick (for 8GB) and then to a 512GB SSD harddrive. Is the upgrade anymore difficult in the 15.6 than in the 17.3 which looked fairly easy.

 

There's an SSD upgrade guide somewhere I thought, but take a look at this it may help: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...ies-7-chronos-np700z5a-disassembly-guide.html

I don't know what the RAM specifications are, although I can't imagine them being different than the Sandy Bridge model.

 

Alright, so I received my Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S01US earlier today.

15.6-inch HD+ display

2.3 GHz Intel Core i7-3615QM quad-core processor

750 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM)

6 GB installed RAM

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics (1 GB)

After removing all of the bloatware (besides the important Samsung stuff), I defragged with Defraggler and ran Ccleaner so that I could "benchmark" a few games that I have. lol. Honestly, I don't have a huge collection, but after the Steam Summer Sale, I can probably benchmark some more intense games.

These are WITHOUT any upgrades being done to my laptop in the RAM or HD departments. I'll come back and upgrade with those specs after the upgrade potentially. Also, I'll add some games since my list is terribly puny.

For people wondering I received these average frame:

Just Cause 2: [25 - 35] (min 21 and max 50)

--Completely maximized settings at the native resolution. Verdict is playable but not ideal. I lowered AA to 2x and it jumped up about 5 or 6 fps to hold a more stable 29-40fps. I'd say this would be ideal. If you lower the resolution slightly, or even just turn shadows down, you'll probably be upwards 40fps.

I haven't test medium settings, but I put everything to low and it's a steady 55-60fps

Civilization 5: [27 - 45] (min 12 and max 52)

--Completely maxed out again in DX10/11. Civ 5 is playable at like 12fps average, so the game is VERY playable. The older Sandy 4690m S7 I had averaged at around 10fps with all settings maxed. I didn't reveal a terrible amount of the map to REALLY bench it, but these are my impressions.

Mass Effect 2: [55-60] (min 40 in menus where I think it caps the FPS and max 60)

--At what I believe is fully maxed out specs at native resolution, the game ruins pretty much flawlessly. It makes me excited to try out Skyrim...

Sadly, I don't have any very taxing games to test this computer with. Downloading the ME2 demo. Any suggestions on Steam will be nice. I hope to buy Skyrim in a few days as well (or wait to see if it goes on sale on Steam). But so far, I'm very happy with this laptop, though if it's anything like the last one, it'll attract dust like crazy!

If anyone has requests, I'll look into the game and maybe buy and test it out. Haha. I'll primarily be game developing on this laptop though; I bought it for college studying Game Design and it seems like it should hold up with my programming, art, and gaming needs during the strains.

Also, Windows Experience Index:
Processor: 7.6
RAM: 7.7
Graphics (Aero): 7.0
Gaming Graphics: 7.0
Primary HD: 5.9 (With an SSD, this may actually bring this laptop to a 7.0 WEI) haha

 

Greeting everyone!

I just joined. I was about to throw down on the NP700Z5A-S0AUS, but I am happy I read through all 44 of pages of this thread. I have now decided to go with the newer NP700Z5C-S01US, which seems like a better deal. 50 bucks less for a slightly better GPU and CPU with Ivy bridge with a faster hard drive with the only loss being 250 gb of data on the HDD.

I am about click the “submit” button on amazon and I have decided to make upgrading this laptop into a little project. Here is my goal:

-upgrade RAM to 12 GB (not sure if the max is 8 or 12)
-make primary drive 256 GB SSD
-remove optical drive and install current HDD as a data drive
-convert optical drive into external usb drive
-upgraded screen (if ever possible)

I estimate the total cost to be around $1400, give or take.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed for all the information!

 

Pretty much same as me!

I bought the NP700Z5C-S01US off Amazon:
Amazon.com: Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S01US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver): Computers & Accessories
$1100 incc shipping no tax

256GB Samsung 830 SSD on eBay:
SAMSUNG 830 256GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6.0Gbps SSD MZ-7PC256D BARE DRIVE NO KIT | eBay
$225 inc. shipping no tax

+8GB 1600MHz stick on newegg:
Newegg.com - Patriot Signature 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model
PSD38G16002S
$55 inc. shipping no tax

Looking at this caddy to replace the DVD module with the 750GB drive"
Amazon.com: Protronix® SATA 2nd HDD Hard Drive Caddy for 9.5mm Universal CD / DVD-ROM Optical Bay: Computers & Accessories
$14 inc. shipping

Then I just need to find a good second AC adapter and I'm all set. Total cost will be around $1425. I'll do the screen next year, and don't care much about making the optical module external

 

Awesome! I just ordered off amazon. My bro let me use his .edu email so I got 1 day shipping for $4.

I also noticed on the amazon page that this model comes with the JBL speaker, a nice surprise!

Let me know how the SSD, caddy, and RAM work out. I plan to order them after I have some time to play with my Chronos.

Quick question, you got 1600mhz ram? what is the clock rate of the on-board memory? I thought it was 1333. Also let me know if it recognizes the full 12 gb or if it limits you to 8.

 

From the previous Chronos generation several people on this site have mentioned that 12GB works properly. I can't recall where I saw the specs on the RAM but I'll pop open my new S01 and verify the speed. the Canadian S01 definitely has 1600MHz RAM:
Series 7 15.6" - TECH SPECS | SAMSUNG

FYI with that .edu email you can get a free XBOX with your purchase:
Microsoft Store Online
http://promotions.newegg.com/Combo/...EB1&AID=10444948&PID=2210202&SID=uuu258495295

I didn't see Amazon running the promo, but newegg has it and so does the microsoft store but the Z5C isn't for sale there yet

 

I looked at the free xbox offer. But newegg doesnt offer it on any of the series 7 models, the MS store only has NP700Z5A-S0BUS at $1250. When you add in taxes, it comes out to be about the same as NP700Z5C-S01US, plus I dont have the hassle of reselling it (already have a 360). On top of that, I am moving abroad for work in August (ironically to S. Korea), so I need to start moving my data now.

With you SSD/HDD combo, do you plan to setup SRT?

 

So, what version of Easy Software Manager should I use for the NP700Z5C-S01US.

Honestly, after my reinstall, none of the versions work. Haha.

 

Got my NP700Z5C-S01US today! Still testing it out. Did a quick Fraps on Skyrim. It tore it up. On Ultra High setting, I got a range of 27-60, an average of 49.

On another note, I contacted samsung, and unfortunately they stated that the RAM on this model is limited to 8GB and is clocked at 1333

 

You'll soon learn that Samsung representatives BARELY know what they are talking about 90% of the time. Performance Test rates the RAM at 1600mhz. And I'd follow that over a Samsung rep. Haha. What settings were you using in Skyrim?

 

Yeah that's bullsh|t, the Chronos can support 16GB RAM except that one chip is soldered so your real maximum is 12GB. 8GB is just what they put on the spec sheet and has been proven to be false.

The Canadian version Z5C is 1600MHz RAM, so I don't see why the US version would be any different. The Z5A was 1333 though

 

Is it just me or is there no US Z5C support page out there? I reinstalled Win 7 with the included disc, and I assume that I just need to get my hands on a copy of easy software manager and the program will seek out the right drivers?? Or should I just manually download everything from the Canadian site?

Also what's up with the driver version numbers, many seem to go down instead of up with later release dates?

 

Hi everyone, I have a quick question about the touch pad.

I ordered and received the NP700Z5C-S01US from amazon and when it arrived I noticed that the left and right click areas of the track pad didn't click the same way. The left click area feels like a good solid click, but the right click area is mushy and doesn't seem as distinctive. I returned the laptop because I also noticed that the touch pad was flush with the case on the left side, but on the right it dipped below the case, almost like it was stuck down.

I thought this was maybe a defect, but in the new unit I got the touch pad is the same way. Is this how it is on anyone else's? It just seems odd that they can't install a touch pad so that it is at least flush with the case and clicks reliably on both sides.

Maybe both of my units came from the same production lot...

*EDIT* I guess to describe this better: I can click from the bottom all the way up the left side of the track pad, but the right side seems to only click along the bottom.

 

I had it set to Ultra High, Antiali 8x, anisotropic 16x, everything else set to high/ultra and I had almost no lag, granted this is on a 1600x900 display...., tried it again today with all skyrim updates and it fell to an average of 32 FPS, still damn good on maxed settings

And on the RAM front, that is good, I just dont want to buy an 8 gig stick when I can only use 4. I tried different performance software (CPUZ, crucial) and none could calculate the memory clock rate for some reason. Anybody know any better software?

@Blackrose
I haven't found any support webpage at all, I am hoping Samsung will make it soon. It feels like they aren't really pushing this model, you have to search amazon pretty specifically to find it, and most of the other places that have it for sale are small tech shops I've never heard of.

 

Confirmed 1600MHz RAM for the Z5C-SO1US:



Don't take any stock tips from those turkeys at Samsung USA, if they don't speak Korean they don't have a clue

 

On a side note, hey BlakeRoss how have you been liking your laptop so far?

 

I can't say yet, I haven't had the chance to configure everything and migrate my files. But I can share some insight. Firstly, as I mentioned the RAM is 1600MHz, but I can also confirm that the unit supports 12GB:



Also, for you guys swapping in a different drive, MAKE SURE YOU RUN THE COMPUTER WITH THE STOCK DRIVE FIRST. Why? Because you'll need to make a recovery DVD first to have the drivers for the new drive. Just run the recovery utility and backup system software (not the entire drive).

Once you have the DVD, turn off and flip over the samsung, and unscrew all 10 holding screws (not necessary to remove the RAM screw). I recommend taking note of which is the center screw (apparently the machining tolerance of these screws isn't so exact and I had a hard time finding a screw that would go in easily for that center position).

Then run an old credit card along the seam starting at the back and around to the trackpad (do this once for each side) to pop the plastic snaps. The cover then comes off and you'll see the drive. Unscrew all four chromed screws and detach the zif connector holding the data ribbon to the motherboard. THE ZIF CONNECTOR IS EASY TO UNLOCK, you need to take your fingernail and pull up the BLACK PART, do not try to slide the white part it will not move.

Then all you have to do is detach the ribbon connector to the drive, unscrew all 4 screws on the caddy, and reverse all the instructions to put in the new drive. Just a note on re-snapping the back cover, make sure you are careful to get all the snaps properly lined up or you will have gaps along the edge and buckling, ESPECIALLY next to the optical drive slot.

Then you just need to reboot the computer with the supplied Windows 7 disc and install windows to your new drive (do not touch the 8GB express cache drive). Once installed, boot in and insert your recovery disc and autorun the main application on the DVD. You will have a menu of all the proper drivers and software to install one by one. Note that INTEL RST IS INCLUDED ON THE RECOVERY DISC, and moreover it is a later version than available from the Intel website (version 11.0.0.1032). Express Cache installation is also included.

I'm about to finish installing everything and my next steps are to:
- setup a good ICC profile for the display
- configure trackpad settings

I'll post again any more important steps I come across

 

@BlakeRoss, can you tell me what RAM stick you used to get the 12 gigs of RAM? I'd like to make sure I buy a decent stick, I was going to purchase the Samsung Ultra Low Voltage, 4gig stick, just to keep everything the same, but are there any good 8 gig sticks around?

Also, for anyone wondering, with an installed Crucial M4 256gb SSD, Windows Experience Index rates this computer at 7.0, a pretty incredible number for a sub-1in laptop.

Processor: 7.6
RAM: 7.7
Graphics (Aero): 7.0
Gaming Graphics: 7.0
Primary HD: 7.9 (with Crucial m4 256gb SSD)

Other benchmarks...

3DMark06 -- 12000-12500 (with and without SSD)
PCMark Vantage -- 9983 (before the SSD was installed)
PassMark Performance Test -- 2468 (with SSD) 1730ish without the SSD

Real-world usage seems to suggest, so far, that this is a monster of a computer, and after playing several games for around an hour, the heat output is negligible. I didn't run any tests because it was just not hot enough to bother me. Granted, my room is super cold, but I don't foresee problems as long as the surface is flat and the area is well-ventilated.

As with Blake, I'll be configuring my ICC profile next, though I'm also looking to overclock the 640m for a mild performance boost when I need it, but I'm not sure how to; does anyone have suggestions?

 

on my laptop, the right and left sides feel about the same, maybe the left side as just a bit more slack, but it doesn't go the entire length of the touchpad.

 

Hey you should check out MSI Afterburner. It's the program I use on my desktop and it's fantastic for temperature and usage monitoring, as well as official/unofficial overclocking. It'll even allow voltage adjustments, video capture, framerate monitoring, and a bunch of other stuff. Pretty awesome program.

 

1.5V Patriot $55
Newegg.com - Patriot Signature 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model
PSD38G16002S