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    The 2012 Samsung Series 9 13.3" (NP900X3B)

    Discussion in 'Samsung' started by wow400, Jan 12, 2012.

  1. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thors.Hammer, Jan 19, 2012
    #51
  2. xzybit

    xzybit Notebook Geek

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    Ok, thanks...but I really am not interested in what die or now many nanometers or whatever a CPU is, or what the name of all these chips or tick/tock bs it is.

    So, what will Ivy Bridge actually do? Be faster? Quad core? Theoretically longer battery life? Less heat? Faster USB 3.0?
     
    xzybit, Jan 20, 2012
    #52
  3. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    A tick is a major change (eg integrating the GPU into the CPU in the Sandy Bridge platform. A tock doesn't have such big changes (eg a die shrink).

    Pretty well all those, but perhaps not together. Actual CPU speed boost is likely to be small but quad core should be feasible within the current 35W dual core power rating. Power consumption should be lower so that means less heat (unless the CPU is worked harder) and longer battery time. USB 3.0 will not be faster but it will be supported by the Intel chipset which avoids the current overhead of a separate USB 3 chip and, I hope, USB 3.0 will be supported at the BIOS level. The other main Ivy Bridge feature is a further boost to the Intel graphics performance and capability to further encroach into the discrete GPU territory.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 20, 2012
    #53
  4. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is Thunderbolt going to be in the IB silicon?
     
    Thors.Hammer, Jan 20, 2012
    #54
  5. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    It's not mentioned in the Anandtech article liked to above. However, this clarification says featured, not integrated so it's up to notebook manufacturers whether or not to include it.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 20, 2012
    #55
  6. Pseudorandom

    Pseudorandom Notebook Evangelist

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    There are lots of manufacturers making sleek ultraportables with standard voltage CPU's.
    -Sony Z
    -Fujitsu SH771
    -Toshiba R830

    Personally, I think the weight of the new series 9 is the step in the right direction. What's the point of a thin laptop if it weighs the same as my thicker X220, runs slower, and has less battery life? 2.5lbs is good, though I hope by the time I buy my next laptop, there will be sub 2lbs laptops...
     
    Pseudorandom, Jan 20, 2012
    #56
  7. 1994F7PT

    1994F7PT Notebook Evangelist

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    R830 isnt full voltage, the older R700 was ;-)
     
    1994F7PT, Jan 21, 2012
    #57
  8. Pseudorandom

    Pseudorandom Notebook Evangelist

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    R830 is standard voltage. Z830 is ulv.
     
    Pseudorandom, Jan 21, 2012
    #58
  9. coldmack

    coldmack Notebook Virtuoso

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    Old R700 was ULV C2D, with maybe the option of LV C2D.

    I would think if Samsung went full voltage with the Series 9 they would have to increase thickness, no?
     
    coldmack, Jan 21, 2012
    #59
  10. Pseudorandom

    Pseudorandom Notebook Evangelist

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    I think that the Series 9 design would scale up well with thickness. It wouldn't have to be much thicker either. The Sony Z manages 17mm which isn't much thicker than the current 13 inch Series 9, and has a standard voltage CPU. Fujitsu and Toshiba are a bit thicker, but the Fujitsu has an optical drive and the Toshiba starts at under 1kUSD.
     
    Pseudorandom, Jan 21, 2012
    #60
  11. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    ^ trouble is, battery life suffers!
     
    wow400, Jan 22, 2012
    #61
  12. stylinexpat

    stylinexpat Notebook Evangelist

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    I have a customer who works for and at Intel. she said they are behind with their Sandy Bridge and it is not ready yet. Claims there are still many problems with development.. :confused:
     
    stylinexpat, Jan 22, 2012
    #62
  13. alexyfoot

    alexyfoot Notebook Consultant

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    Surely you mean Ivy Bridge!? And of course it isn't, if it was ready, it would have been on the market...
     
    alexyfoot, Jan 22, 2012
    #63
  14. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    I guess we'll find out 2/27 which is supposedly the launch date.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Jan 22, 2012
    #64
  15. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    Not necessarily. It makes commercial sense to keep Sandy Bridge producing good revenues for as long as possible (hence the current focus on Ultrabooks) and then switch over to Ivy Bridge. There's no significant pressure from competitors in this segment at the moment and once Ivy Bridge arrives the price of Sandy Bridge parts will have to shuffle downwards.

    This news from last year (albeit 29th December) suggested an April release date. If that date is for chips to manufacturers then it will be a month or two before they reach the shelves in notebooks.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 22, 2012
    #65
  16. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Who are you referring to, AMD (from Intel's perspective)?

    I think the PC makers feel the pressure to sell. They have pressure on all fronts. Pressure from smartphones and slates. Pressure from Apple.

    And lets not forget Apple isn't likely sitting still and resting on the laurels of the MacBook Air. There are of course rumors of the 15" MBA.

    So I'd say Samsung and everyone else feels the pressure to hit a home run with SB or IB.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Jan 22, 2012
    #66
  17. SoundsGood

    SoundsGood Notebook Virtuoso

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    I'm sure the 15" MBA will be quite impressive -- and desirable, too. Well, for those that are okay with Mac, that is (I'm not).
     
    SoundsGood, Jan 22, 2012
    #67
  18. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    Yes, in the context I was writing about. Intel and the notebook manufacturers can spend a bit longer trying to get us to buy the current SB models, including the ultrabooks before hittings us with the IB versions in the hope we will upgrade to them.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 23, 2012
    #68
  19. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    wow400, Jan 30, 2012
    #69
  20. yknyong1

    yknyong1 Radiance with Radeon

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    So early!? Guess I will wait then. :D
     
    yknyong1, Jan 30, 2012
    #70
  21. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    It'll be the reviews I can't wait to read to help me decide if this is to be my new laptop :)
     
    wow400, Jan 30, 2012
    #71
  22. nike2020

    nike2020 Newbie

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    I am planning ot get this ultrabook.

    The default comes with 4GB - can I upgrade it to 8GB?
    Is the RAM soldered onto MB as in Macbookair or its repleacable
     
    nike2020, Jan 31, 2012
    #72
  23. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    Not sure yet - it's one of the things I'm waiting for the reviews to reveal (plus if the SSD is upgradeable too)
     
    wow400, Feb 1, 2012
    #73
  24. dejacky

    dejacky Notebook Consultant

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    Some websites are reporting this 13.3" has an IPS display screen. Has anyone confirmed this?
     
    dejacky, Feb 3, 2012
    #74
  25. SoundsGood

    SoundsGood Notebook Virtuoso

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    Which websites?
     
    SoundsGood, Feb 3, 2012
    #75
  26. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    Yet to read that myself....
     
    wow400, Feb 3, 2012
    #76
  27. isosunrise

    isosunrise Notebook Evangelist

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    I preorder mine from Amazon and got an email last night.

    We now have delivery date(s) for the order you placed on January 27, 2012 (Order# xxx)

    "Samsung Series 9 NP900X3B-A01US 13.3-Inch Laptop (Titan Silver)" Estimated arrival date: March 01, 2012 -March 14, 2012
     
    isosunrise, Feb 3, 2012
    #77
  28. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    ^ cool,
    be interested to read what you think of it when you get to play with it!
     
    wow400, Feb 4, 2012
    #78
  29. dejacky

    dejacky Notebook Consultant

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    dejacky, Feb 5, 2012
    #79
  30. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    Appreciate that!!

    To be fair though, it is only 1 review (they are pretty much identical!).
    Who said plagiarism is dead?
     
    wow400, Feb 6, 2012
    #80
  31. Don Blubb

    Don Blubb Notebook Enthusiast

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    Don Blubb, Feb 6, 2012
    #81
  32. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    I hope the display is IPS and that it is high quality with excellent color gamut support. The HP Envy 15 (new version) has an IPS screen but it is plagued with quality issues in the color space.

    I also hope the 15" Sammy Series 9 has a great IPS screen but Samsung hasn't released official details.

    I need a 256GB SSD model so I figure many questions will be answered long before I order and get mine.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Feb 6, 2012
    #82
  33. SZQ

    SZQ Notebook Guru

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    LG make most of the IPS panels I believe so I would be very surprised if Samsung use them (they are arch rivals!).

    Maybe it uses Samsung's new PLS technology which is supposed to be their IPS equivalent?
     
    SZQ, Feb 7, 2012
    #83
  34. laidback

    laidback Notebook Consultant

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    Its either going to be the new Series 9 or UX31 for me. One thing annoying me is the weak feedback from the keyboards on the UX31. Other than that, the UX31 is perfect for my needs. Planning on using it as my main computer.
     
    laidback, Feb 9, 2012
    #84
  35. scrappygolucky

    scrappygolucky Notebook Enthusiast

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    Would recommend taking the UX31 for a spin before you settle on it. I returned mine due to a very glossy screen, really mediocre keyboard, and other nagging issues.

    I'm down to the Sammy or the MBA if they can refresh it in the next month or so.
     
    scrappygolucky, Feb 9, 2012
    #85
  36. wow400

    wow400 Notebook Consultant

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    Likewise - I was going to get a UX31 but too many bad reviews... Now waiting on this to come out & get a few reviews!
     
    wow400, Feb 10, 2012
    #86
  37. matthewf123

    matthewf123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Received the following email from Amazon last night:



    Hello,

    We now have delivery date(s) for the order you placed on February 08, 2012 (Order# 102-8715017-1078639):

    "Samsung Series 9 NP900X3B-A01US 13.3-Inch Laptop (Titan Silver)"
    Estimated arrival date: March 19, 2012 - March 30, 2012
     
    matthewf123, Feb 16, 2012
    #87
  38. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sounds like a computer generated canned notification. It should read something like:

    "Hello, we have not received our first shipment from <insert vendor name> and don't know when we'll receive it. Lead time for new hardware is typically 4-6 weeks. We'll send another update in two weeks."
     
    Thors.Hammer, Feb 16, 2012
    #88
  39. isosunrise

    isosunrise Notebook Evangelist

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    I preordered mine, and the last update I got was below, but that is a week or two ago.

    "Samsung Series 9 NP900X3B-A01US 13.3-Inch Laptop (Titan Silver)" Estimated arrival date: March 01, 2012 -March 14, 2012
     
    isosunrise, Feb 16, 2012
    #89
  40. dipdeol

    dipdeol Notebook Enthusiast

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    Does anybody know what color Titan Silver actually is? Is it the black one shown in the pictures, or the silver one in some of the CES videos? I remember reading somewhere that the different colours were for different regions. I hope we get the black one in NA.
     
    dipdeol, Feb 16, 2012
    #90
  41. laidback

    laidback Notebook Consultant

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    Titan Silver looks like a dark grey matte finish. I think its nice. BTW, black will be more prone to scratches and fingerprints - if aesthetics matter to you.
     
    laidback, Feb 17, 2012
    #91
  42. dipdeol

    dipdeol Notebook Enthusiast

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    The dark grey matte version is what i was referring to as black. This is what I mean by silver. Perhaps it is just he lighting and they are in fact the same color, but I'm quite certain I read somewhere that it will come in different colours for different regions. I very much prefer the dark matte finish, and I don't think I will end up getting this laptop if I can only get it in silver.

    Edit: Take a look here. It definitely looks like there are two different colours.

    Edit2: found the quote from here: "It has a matte finish on its 100% aluminum body, which will be mineral ash black for the US and silver for the rest of the world." The name titan silver is ambiguous and confusing. I guess I'll have to skip the pre-order and see how they look once they come out.
     
    dipdeol, Feb 17, 2012
    #92
  43. dgsdm

    dgsdm Newbie

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    I think those are the pre-production models you are looking at. If you look at the trackpad there are no chrome linings around them. From what I know and at looking at several Korean sites, the release models are all black and have a subtle chrome lining around the trackpad.

    Here's an unwrapping link: »ï¼ºµô¶óÀÌÆ®¼¥ °ø½Äºí·Î±× :: ³×À̹ö ºí·Î±×

    Does anyone know where I might be able to buy the 13 or 15 inch in person once it releases? I kind of need a new laptop soon as I am leaving for Korea next month. I've been looking at the Macbook air and the series 9.

    And as you guys all know prices in Korea are jacked up for some reason... so I need to purchase it in the U.S.

    Can anyone give me some advice on what I should do here?
     
    dgsdm, Feb 17, 2012
    #93
  44. xzybit

    xzybit Notebook Geek

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    Best Buy will probably sell it

    That doesn't look like a chrome ring around the trackpad, it looks like the guy didn't take the plastic off the palmrest
     
    xzybit, Feb 17, 2012
    #94
  45. laidback

    laidback Notebook Consultant

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    @dipdeol thanks for clearing that up. The silver one looks strikingly too similar to a macbook for my tastes.
     
    laidback, Feb 17, 2012
    #95
  46. isosunrise

    isosunrise Notebook Evangelist

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    Material-wise, I am a big fan of the durilium. My laptop did not suffer from any wifi issues, but I wouldn't mind if they decide to bring it back sometime and better place the wifi antennas. The dark aluminium looks nice too though.
     
    isosunrise, Feb 17, 2012
    #96
  47. laidback

    laidback Notebook Consultant

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    All-new Samsung SERIES 9 Hands-on Review - YouTube Not a REVIEW, but an official AD.

    Samsung Series 9 13.3"
    Intel Core i5-2467M 1.60GHz / 4GB DDR3 / 128GB SSD / Intel HD Graphics 3000 / 802.11AGN / WiDi Capable / Bluetooth / HD Webcam / USB 3.0 / Windows 7 HP

    $1399

    Samsung S9 is priced higher than both the Macbook Air 13" and Asus UX31 13"; I really have a hard time justifying in buying it as my next laptop and desktop replacement. The specs are comparable to the Macbook Air and UX31 (minus the backlit keyboard). It doesn't live up to the promise as being a premium laptop in my eyes. It is essentially an overpriced ultrabook.

    Samsung is going for a niche market just like how the Sony's Vaio Z laptops are aimed at 'business users'. The new Vaio Z's are currently priced at $1699 and offers faster processor speed, 1gb dedicated graphics card, and external optical drive.

    However, when choosing a new laptop - I am mainly concerned about the screen and keyboard. MBA - Love it, but hate the OS. UX31 - uncomfortable keyboard. Z830 - no 1600 x 900 res. Vaio Z - uncomfortable keyboard and I don't like the external dock. Despite having not tested the S9, I truly think I will like the matte screen and keyboard.

    I really think that all this ultrabook hype is getting to me. After reading countless reviews and articles about current, and upcoming ultrabooks; I've somehow convinced myself that I need one. Hell, this laptop will have the same fate as my current laptop - being plugged in and hooked to my 24" monitor most the time - with the occasion of being brought to school twice or thrice a week.
     
    laidback, Feb 18, 2012
    #97
  48. CJP2

    CJP2 Notebook Enthusiast

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    CJP2, Feb 19, 2012
    #98
  49. dgsdm

    dgsdm Newbie

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    Is it possible that Best Buy will have the new series 9 on the 27th?
     
    dgsdm, Feb 19, 2012
    #99
  50. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sure. But it probably be $1899. :D
     
    Thors.Hammer, Feb 19, 2012
    #100
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