The 2012 Samsung Series 9 13.3" (NP900X3B)

I think Samsung don't have pre-production models lying around to give out to reviewers. Once a model goes into production then they are put on (r)etailer shelves as quickly as possible. Perhaps Samsung divert a few to reviewers but it doesn't seem to be a priority. Come to think of it, my Dell E6400 review (link in my signature) was one of the first to be published anywhere because I ordered the model on the first day it could be ordered. Apple, on the other hand, have a month's production sitting on the sheves waiting for an avalance launch, so they can afford during that period to give out a few for review. With Apple's profit margins then having a mountain of stock sitting waiting to be sold doesn't matter.

John

 

your wallet hole is much larger with a Sony Z. so this seems to be a good value for money book...

 

Shame

Intel pushes back Ivy Bridge processors until June | News | PC Pro

 

I inquired with J&R about their ETA on the new 'books. They say:

"We have a small waiting list that should be filled in 1-2 weeks."

 

If I could get a german keyboard afterwards, i would take the one from John Lewis and review it. But I know Samsungs service and typing without umlauts isn't that great at all. Any information on ETA in Germany?

 

I am not expecting to see the Ivy Bridge S9 before August. Part of me thinks even August is optimistic.

 

Hi, how many years of warranty Samsung offers for this series in US? Someone says 1, someone 2 ....

 

so, its not coming out today afterall??

 

Well, if you don't want to wait: these guys ship to US as well: Buy Samsung NP900X3B Laptop, Intel Core i5, 1.6GHz, 4GB RAM, 128GB with 13.3 Inch Display, Black online at JohnLewis.com

 

yes, for only 1,900 USD

 

I feel like the fact that it's shipping and retail-available in the UK and Asia is a good sign for the US... it indicates that everything is nearly on-schedule, no production issues holding up release, as isn't this usually what holds up electronics from hitting the shelves when first estimated... it's just a matter of transit time shipping units to resellers in the US probably.

 

You might want to check out the thread on the NP900X4B 15-inch regarding the "reported" new delay from Intel. I'm less certain that a delay in Ivy Bridge would affect this 13-inch model, but maybe....

 

Does this mean that for the people that pre-ordered, they will get the laptop in 1-2 weeks?

 

I was going to buy this laptop from Amazon.com but Samsung told me that they, in the US, offer only one year of international warranty. Here in Europe Samsung offers three years so I'll wait some months when, also I hope, price will descend to arount 1000€.

1400€ (or £1,200) it's crazy high for an ultrabook that miss WWAN and TPM module (and fingerprint reader).

Ciao

 

Speaking of TPM module....I sure wish they would release official models/specs. On the 1st generation, configs that shipped with Windows 7 Professional included TPM but those with Windows 7 Home did not. Hopefully that is the case for this one as well as I require TPM for disk encryption and vpn client.

 

It is actually less, around $1600+shipping. For international orders, they subtract the VAT, but I don't know how much customs is in the USA. I was considering that for a different purchase a while back from JL. Anyhow, the UK laptop does have a UK keyboard, not USA one, so I am waiting for that.

 

A cnet UK first take:

Samsung Series 9 NP900X3B | Blogs | ZDNet UK

Although it seems as though the section on the ports is referring to the old model. Strange....

 

They might be referring to the "flip-down to open" ports rather than the "doors" that covered the old model.

 

I see. Thanks. However he says it has a microSD slot, where it actually has an SD according to another member in this thread. It sounds like Consumer Reports is currently working on their review:

Sound Byte: The Samsung Series 9 ultrabook laptop

 

ok, so its probably coming shortly but isnt it strange that no one can see the official release date anywhere?

 

You could harass them on twitter. that's what I did.

 

good. just did it. if you get any information...share with us

 

Not strange for Samsung, they don't know what a release date means. Only Apple has their **** together for releasing products, like the iPad 3. As soon as the curtain comes back on March 7 and it is announced, you can walk into any Apple store and it will be there right then.

 

Yes... while Apple does have their product available the day of or shortly after they announce it... actually being able to walk into an Apple store and get it is a little more painful.

 

Hey everybody – Here is SensationXe from Germany – so please excuse my bad English.
In the past few weeks i’ve been observing this threat exactly.
I ordered a new Samsung NP900X3B-A01 from John Lewis in UK
Today it arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

So – first impressions were very fine. The quality of material is very good. The display is sharp and very bright ( see photos from mcsven few posts earlier).
What I have to say – perhaps interesting additional information for other potential buyers:
SSD: Sandisk U100 -> Windows Benchmark 6,2
WLAN: Intel 6230 with Bluetooth
RAM: 4GB not extendable
Scratching fan (mcsven mentioned it): YES – its true!!!!

BUT: I solved the problem … Noise doesn’t come from bearings! Noise is caused by one or two wings of the left fan. These wings are scratching at the case of the fan.
To solve the Problem: start stresstest. While fan is spinning in upper speed, take the notebook and move it a few minutes slowly left side up and down – and the back side (where display is fixed)up and down. You will hear, that the wings are scratching a little bit more while you are moving the notebook in those directions.
I did it 3 minutes and the wings now have enough space to rotate without a noise.

Everything was fine till I’ve tested Wlan …. Connection is good … 5 bars … sitting 3 meters next to the router.
Router is Lancom 1781EW (300Mbit Wlan business-router)
Status of Intel 6230 shows me 130 Mbit connection speed …. But maximum data transfer is only maximum 5 Megabyte per second.
All other wlan-devices of my home network don’t have those problems.
If I’m starting downloading file (for example Window 8 beta image), transfer rate decreases TO
500 KILOBYTE per second!
ITS AWFUL!!!!
And YES: I checked all settings of the 6230 card. I know what I have to do … I’m a qualified IT specialist. Dell has had a similar problem with this card … I think Wlan-drivers or hardware-damaged. I’ll try to change the Wlan-chip

Finally I have a goodie for you: Look at the fotos (only serials are censored)


Any questions? Ask me ;-)

 

awesome. thanks. So I guess we have no hope for 8GB Ram in the 256GB i7 13" version which makes me a sad panda.

 

@sensationxe
I'm also from Germany and as I need a new laptop within the next two weeks I'm thinking about ordering it from the UK as well, but as reviews are still non- existent i'm still hesitating...Could you tell us more about the battery life? How many hours can we expect in an average usage scenario (browsing the internet and office work)?

The wlan problem is an absolute ko criteria for me, so if it's not possible to solve that on the driver/software side I'd have to look at other options :-(

 

Batterylife with maximum economy-settings: 5:56 hours .... wifi OFF!
With Wifi on I think I'll be 5 hours.

But I don't know how the life-cycle of this battery is - I mean, that some batteries get their full power after 4th or 5th charge.

So I don't know if future brings a bit better batterylife.


Because of wlan: I'll hope that I can fix this problem too in the next 2 days - the I'll inform you!
Anthother information: After standby, Wlan-reconnect needs 3-5 seconds to connect (different wlan-networks tested)

 

That's a SanDisk mSATA SSD drive? Really?

Samsung makes their own SSD devices and doesn't use them in their own machine?

WOW

 

Yes I'm sorry - Its an Sandisk U100!

 

Hi Sensationex.

Thanks for the info!
Have a question.
I take it that you are saying there is no room to add another 4gb Ram stick
By can someone remove that one in the notebook and replace it
with a 8GB stick or is the current one soldered in?

Thanks again. Nick.

 

@sensationxe

how do you like typing on the keyboard? Can you compare it to other laptops that you have owned?

 

I dont't know if somebody can remove this 4GB chip ... I don't think so. Cause it's soldered on the platin. I hope you can understand what I mean.

 

I like typing on this keyboard. Feedback from the keys is really good.
I would say feedback of the keys is like Lenovo X301 ... but the keys don't get so deep.
Keys of 900X3B are getting 2 mm pushed down.

 

Thanks sensationxe! Can you explain again how you fixed the fan wings problem please? Do you just move the notebook around? Not sure how that works!

 

thanks from germany for your first impressions. hope someone from samsung is reading what you are saying about wlan and the scratchy fan. if not I think it would make much sense to report this to them.

what does it help when the notebook is getting back from sleep but needs another 5 seconds to re-connect with wifi.

is the u100 from sandisk a good drive? haven't heard too much about it.

sensation, would you mind showing us the windows perfomance benchmarks?
thanks for all your input!

edit: found a benchmark for the u100 which seems to be also in the asus ux31.

Lesen=Read
Schreiben=Write
Gesamt=Total

here is also a result from the ux21 vs. ux31 ssds. it seems that the perfomance of the sandisk is mediocre.

 

Here is Windows 7 benchmark of my 900X3B (with original Samsung image)

 

I found another problem ... can't fix it!

Lan-network adapter is Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller RTL8168 ... all settings checked and only 100Bits possible .... perhabs the reason is
extra RJ45 adapter? New driver dosn't fix it.

 

Its hard to discribe this in english .... its like in this video at 1:19min but without "twisting around" and turning up and down you shold do slower

Kreisel ORION II Holzspielzeug - YouTube

Hope you can unterstand what I mean?

 

ok asus ux31 has higher perfomance rates. i5 2557M 1.7 GHz

 

Shame on you Samsung for equipping their high end machines with slow Sandisk SSDs instead of their own 830 series SSDs, so for me it's probably going to be an Asus UX31 which I can get for around 400 bucks less with the same specs.

 

it's really a shame. powerhouse product in their sexiest shell with poor interiors. wlan issues, gigabit issues, scratching fans, slow ssd. don't know why they don't do their homework and get the basics right. great screen, size, package and weight, but issues that shouldn't be there... :/

 

I've gotta admit, you'd think their high-end flagship model would get the best materials. Especially when it's their own materials.

 

After optimized Windows 7 settings SSD Benchmark is 7.5

Information to fingerprints on materials:
Ist much better than 900X3A!
But problem is NOT solved to 100% ...

On keyboard-keys you can see fingerprints and where hand is lying on while typing there are places getting "shiny"

 

Wlan-problem:
I think problem comes from antenna which is located directly under the display behind F5 - F10 keys of the keyboard .... problem is different if notebook is standing an a table or on my knees ....

tomorrow I'll get different wlan-chips ... I'll check them an give you further information

 

thanks for all your updates! can you run a chrystaldiskmark for the ssd? cheers!

 

Here is Crystaldiskmark (with censored serial)

 

Haha... Can't believe they use SANDISK instead of THEIR OWN SSD!!! That's a fatal mistake and If the 15 inch version has the same SSD , I WON'T buy this one anymore and I go with Apple... that's just a real real shame... they're asking 1400$ and more and offer us crap? What do they think who we are?

 

Like many others here, I had my sights set on this new SS9, either the 13 or 15. However, (in the US) there still doesn't seem to be a firm release date. And the 15-inch, (I wrote this in that thread) CDW said their Samsung Rep confirmed it would be 3-4 weeks, or even April. And so, no release in sight.

Unfortunately, I cannot wait longer than another week – 2 at the most. (If I could, I would just wait a little while longer to see the difference with Ivy Bridge and to better evaluate this snazzy new SS9.)

Today, I stopped by a Best Buy (No! Not to purchase, but just to put my hands on) to see the Asus UX31, and the Samsung 5 and first Gen Series 9.

The most important elements to me are
(1) the least weight possible
(2) longest battery life (again its about not carrying extra weight and adapters)
(3) good (backlit) keyboard
(4) at least one 3.0 USB port (I don't care about an optical drive or all the other HDMI, etc ports)
(5) SD card slot is a must
(6) Reliable Wi-Fi is essential

I am completing my dissertation and so I teach as an adjunct on many campuses and travel a great deal throughout the week. I have to work on the fly any chance I can get. Given all the texts, etc. I carry, the lightest notebook really matters.

I use the Internet and MS Office on a very regular basis (many times a day), but it will also be extensively used for data (so I need as much RAM as possible). I can live with a 128 SSD, but would 'like' a 256 GB. Definitely do not want a spinning HD even if it does have more GB.

I've looked at these three above, and still do not see a clear winner. I’ve been reading reviews and of course, the discussions here, but would like to hear from some of you.

Any thoughts? Any input would be really appreciated.

 

im with the exactly same problem mate. Wont be able to wait more than one week. Been working hard and need something quick....
so u said the 15" is coming soon...anything about the 13"? just dont wanna waste any more time.