The New Samsung Series 7 Chronos Thread #2

Unlike desktop computers, typically, video drivers for laptops have to come from the laptop manufacturer, not the maker of the video card. Kind of sucks when the maker of the video card keeps improving the video driver but the laptop manufacturer doesn't release new versions.

 

Yea but you can download custom INF files to make it so that the maker's drivers work

 

I didn't know this. How can I do it? Or where can I read more about this?

Sent from HTC HD2 with Tapatalk

 

In this case, between having talked to Samsung and Best Buy, the 8700 series graphic cards in the Samsung Model #NP780ZE-01UB is in pre-release mode. You can't access the hardware information, or software information in the cataylst control center because it is time sensitive information. As long as the device driver general tab is telling you "device is working properly" and you assign a program to run in high performance in the cataylst application center and it continues to function, thats all anyone can do with that graphics driver until its officially released as a product. As it stands now after talking with all 3 entities, it is a BETA "pre release". Until we are sent post release updates, we are limited in access to certain aspects of this graphics driver.

Your Intel 4000 Graphics driver is the default driver, unless you tell the cataylst to use the AMD. I just can't tell if when I change it to high performance, its really using the AMD and not still in Intel default. In this respect, I'm a total noob.

 

Okay so I had re-downloaded the graphics driver update after having gotten rid of it due to losing brightness control. Then it slowed down the computer incredibly to the point where I could not even type and disk usage is 100%. So I had to go back and use system restore again. Now the problem is gone except SW update does not work properly. I got online Samsung support and was told SW update has not been working properly for weeks............

 

On recovery, make sure all windows updates are installed before using SW Update. In a previous post, I wrote steps that worked for me. Online support is a waste of time. They told me to return my laptop.

 

Really? Why is that the case? Won't the drivers work if you just download it straight from NVidia? I updated my drivers from the SW Update but after that I got the updates straight from Nvidia and it seems to work fine.

 

Speaking from past experience. If you can download them from the video card maker and install them, that's great. It depends on the laptop model and the video card maker. This particular computer has an AMD video card. From the looks of their web site, Nvidia seems to be more open than AMD to providing video drivers for laptops. The AMD site recommends getting video drivers from the laptop manufacturer. This is my first new computer in a few years, but in the past, I was only able to install video drivers (from the video card maker) on my laptops by hacking the installation.

The reasoning/rationalization is that the laptop manufacturers do more customization than the makers of desktop computers.

 

Download and install GPU-Z. Run it in the background with logging when you run applications/games assigned to High Perforance/AMD card. If it shows variable/high load on the card, it is working with that application.

 

AMD has provided driver downloads for laptops for ages. There's even an assess/download/install tool linked right off the landing page. On my primary laptop (Alienware M17x) I've been getting drivers from the AMD site for about two years. At the moment, there are no drivers available for 8000 series GPUs because, puzzlingly, they are not officially released. It is fairly likely that the 13.2 beta drivers will work though, as AMD beta drivers typically work for a wider range of cards than the WHQL drivers.

 

Samsung support confirmed to me today that the Graphics driver for the AMD Radeon™ HD 8770M Series GPU is NON functioning in the Samsung NP780Z5E model. The driver will only work once AMD has released an update to Samsung. It is being held up by a problem with Windows 8 compatibility. They do NOT have a time estimate on resolving this. So if you buy one, the intel graphics card is all you get for now!

 

They're wrong lol
The intel hd4000 gets 750ish in 3dmark11, where as the chronos with 7770m gets around 2k

 

They aren't wrong. They are admitting the driver is non functioning. It's a pre-release driver with no updates other than the manufacturer install. It doesn't have the ability to work as is. If you have Samsung Series 7 model#NP780Z5e the AMD HD Radeon 8700 Driver has a compatibility issue with windows 8. You can return it, or wait for the post release updates to come flowing in once they are released. I worked with Best Buy and Samsung today to get a firm answer, I literally had best Buy tech dept. support on the phone with Samsung support. This is a widespread issue with the product, especially if you bought it through Best Buy. They are getting tons of complaints and returns about this issue. The AMD driver in the computer Isn't even available through AMD.

 

Yes, but the 8770m is still functioning, just not well.
If it weren't functioning the laptop would get 3dmark11 scores of well under 1000, yet it gets over 2000
The driver's don't work properly yet, but that doesn't mean they don't work at all.
Either way the only reason I'm getting the 8770m version is to test out the chassis, but I'm definitely returning it before the 15 days are up as I want the 8870m version.

 

I'm not trying to discourage people from buying it, even in knowing I have to wait for driver updates to get the AMD graphics up to snuff, it's a fantastic computer. I'm merely annoyed it took 3 days of questioning and counter questioning to samsung and Best Buy to finally admit there is a legitimate issue. People are returning it, thinking the driver is defective, it isn't. Well, it won't be once we get the post release updates. Returning this model for the same model again will only give you the same challenge, just at a varying degree.. Might as well just hold onto it and wait for the driver updates. Every other aspect of the computer functions without a hitch, or a glitch. The product has been out for weeks now, Samsung had to have known by the time I started poking them what the issue was and simply given a direct answer.

 

I think you misunderstood why I'll be returning it.
If I wanted the 8770m version I would keep it and wait for proper drivers. However I want 16gb of ram, as well as an 8870m.

 

wrong, mine is working without flaws. Yesterday I was playing Dark Souls with the FullHD patch and I was getting above 30fps, also I have played Portal 2 with max settings. The driver works at least for me. I swaped the HDD for a SSD as alchemist proposed and I really like the best buy model.

 

Dammit. Can the 8870m version release already in the USA?

 

The amd gpu is def working for me ..I've even switched between gpus to see the difference ...and I'm pretty sure I saw u post this same thing on bestbuys review of this machine ...so if the drivers are not optimized that's good news for me since I'm already playing nfs and darksiders 2 @ 1600x900 and all high setting with perfect performance.. I also saw u post that you can't control the gpu besides switching between the hd4000 and the amd ..and that's false as well....there is the switchable graphics app and also a program called catalyst that allows you to control the gpu completely

 

Anybody experienced a high-pitched screeching noise from headphones or speakers intermittently when starting audio. I've had it happen maybe three or four times now and it's seriously annoying. But since it isn't dependent on the output source I'm inclined to think its a software problem...

 

I'm aware of those ways of being to manage the switchable graphics. What I am saying, is just because they are there, doesn't mean they function. Best Buy technicians, in the case of my computer, agree that it looks like its working, but when fully tested, any changes to use the AMD don't actually change anything. I apologize if I'm not using the most accurate word terminology for this, I'm no expert.

All I can do is relay the information that Best Buy and Samsung have given. If it's working for some of you, I'm glad to hear it. However, for a majority of people buying this product, there is a definite issue with this graphics card and Samsung support is saying that there are compatibility issues. Best Buy even compared my computer to another one of the same model and that model also shows the same setups in regards to the AMD graphics card driver. The catalyst Controller, while it lets you control the GPU, in the case cited to me, it's not actually doing anything. If you go to your devices menu and look at your AMD Graphics, what information do you have under the "events" tab? Do you see the word null? If not, what do you see?

Second question, if you go to the catalyst Graphics properties where there is a menu bar on the left that allows you to manage presets, gaming, power etc. , under information what do you have in the sub menu? AMD Home and Software Updates only, or do you see more?

You should be running version 9.3.5.0. of this card, if you have another number, what is it and what is the date of the last driver update?

I"m asking these questions only to see if you have a different version of anything that I may have which might aid me in determining the accuracy of my computers issue. I am being led to believe my driver will be fine once post release updates are sent. If I am being misled, I kind of want to know, so I can get this computer returned. This is the only issue I am having with the computer and if it weren't for this issue, I'd be singing nothing but praise for this laptop, because the rest of it is running flawlessly!

 

It has been suggested that this thread be closed and discussion continues in the original New Series 7 Thread.

Therefore please don't post more technical discussion in this thread but I will leave this open for 24 hours for people to express an opinion about whether or not to close this.

John

 

I did not like having to switch between both threads. Maybe this thread can be turned into the new series 7 chronos owner's thread or something like that. We'll need an owner's thread eventually I think.

 

I agree.
But it'd make more sense to just make a new thread, rather than turn this into it.

 

Interestingly enough, the most information I had found about this model was in this thread. However, I get you can't have multiple discussions on the same thing. Maybe break them out by model number? In the original thread, it's a mix of model numbers with varying internal parts. I had a hard time differentiating between the model number I had concerns about and a lot of other jargon.

 

The other thread has discussion about this model but also speculation on two other models the 8870 15 inch and a 17 inch. Need an owners lounge thread. Why not this one?

 

It's probably best to start owner's threads for the different new Series 7 versions (at least in size) so I'll close this thread.

Continue discussion here for the moment.

John