Product Description
Designed with mobility in mind, Samsung's durable, ultra premium, lightweight Series 9 laptop (model NP900X3A-A03US) offers mobile professionals and power users a sophisticated laptop equally suited for work and entertainment. Featuring a minimalist look that is both simple and sophisticated, it's highlighted by a dramatic enclosure made of super-strong duralumin. This Series 9 laptop also includes a brilliant 13.3-inch LED display with HD resolution, 128 GB Solid State Drive (SSD), and 4 GB of system memory.
Made from durable, lightweight duralumin.
It's powered by a second-generation, low voltage Intel Core i5 dual-core processor ("Sandy Bridge"), which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. With updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the latest Core i5 increases speed automatically for whatever you're doing. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual PC experience with no additional hardware.
This Series 9 comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. You'll also experience new ways to deliver your best work with Office Starter 2010 (learn more below).
Key Features
Duralumin, the New Definition of Lightweight
The Series 9 laptop features the dramatic duralumin enclosure complete with arching curves and remarkable durability. Typically found in advanced aircrafts and offers construction quality, duralumin is twice the strength of aluminum, despite being light in weight--and helps keep the Series 9 laptop under 3 pounds.
The naturally flowing design takes cues from the sleek styling and sophisticated beauty of a premium sports car. The silhouette evokes thoughts of speed and performance with an ultra-thin 0.64 inch profile. Additionally, the naturally flowing arch maximizes the laptop's ergonomic appeal, making it easier to use and a natural fit for the human grip. Elegant from every angle, the Series 9 also includes backlit keyboard, a brilliant LCD display screen and a large multi-touch SuperButton clickpad.
See Vivid Content, Wherever You Go
If you live for the latest HD movies and games, then Samsung's SuperBright screen, with 400nit brightness, will transform your mobile experience. You can enjoy HD movies, games and other favorite media even when viewing in direct sunlight with no annoying reflections.
Powerful Processing
The 13.3-inch Series 9 has a state-of-the-art Intel Core i5 processor so you get optimized power management when you are playing the latest 3D games, editing and compressing large-size photos or HD video, or multi-tasking. It has Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which accelerates your PC's performance by intuitively allocating CPU processing power when you need it the most.
128 GB Solid State Drive
A 128 GB solid state drive (SSD) provides plenty of storage, lower power consumption and improved performance with less noise and heat output. The chance of losing data is also decreased due to the SDD having no moving parts. And it boots up 60 percent faster than a hard disk drive (HDD). You'll get less power usage, faster data access and higher reliability.
Power Back up in 3 Seconds with Fast Start
You no longer have to shut down your Samsung computer, just close its lid and it goes into a special powerless sleep mode. When you open the lid your computer comes back to life in 3 seconds and you are exactly at the same place as when you shut the lid. Fast Start saves your data and system configurations to your hard drive and PC memory. So, when you power it back on it is just like you left it.
Longer Battery Life and Life Span
The Series 9 delivers mobility and freedom with its power efficient performance and extensive battery life of up to 7 hours. Its advanced Lithium-Polymer battery and Samsung's innovation PowerPlus charging technology make the battery lifespan last up to three times longer than the typical notebook battery so you can keep going, without worrying how much battery life is left.
Intuitive Navigation
Samsung's new multi-touch clickpad is stylish, user-friendly and convenient. It features a glass coating and image sensor, which means no more cursors disappearing or jumping around on the screen. This intelligent multi-touch gesture pad, which is located in the center of the palm rest, features 21 types of gesture support such as pinch, swipe, and rotate, and also has advanced 3D image sensing for intuitive navigation.
Specifications
- 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with 1366 x 768 resolution and 400-nit high brightness.
- 1.4 GHz low voltage Intel Core i5-2537M "Sandy Bridge" dual-core processor for smart performance with a speed boost (2.3 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology; 3 MB L3 cache). It also includes Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. And it comes equipped with Intel Quick Sync Video, which provides accelerated encoding, decoding, and transcoding features (for converting video for portable players or online sharing).
- 128 GB Solid State Drive (SSD)
- 4 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (upgradeable to 8 GB)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000 delivers built-in performance for casual and mainstream gaming with no extra graphics hardware needed.
- Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capability provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers).
- Next-generation Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity provides faster throughput while minimizing on power requirements. It's compatible with new Bluetooth 3.0-enabled devices as well as backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as printers and cell phones.
- 1.3-megapixel HD webcam
- Built-in stereo speakers (1.5 W x 2) with HD Audio
- Up to 7 hours of battery life
- Weight: 2.88 pounds
- Dimensions: 14.8 x 13.9 x 2.7 inches (WxHxD)
- Warranty: 3-year international warranty, 24/7 US-based tech support, and two way free standard shipping.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
- 1 USB 3.0 port, 1 USB 2.0 port
- Micro HDMI high-definition audio/video output
- Microphone input port plus headphone output jack
- MicroSD memory card reader
- Fast Ethernet (10/100)
What's in the Box
Series 9 laptop with 13.3-inch screen (model NP900X3A-A03US), 40 watt AC adapter, rechargeable battery, operating instructions
What People Say
By Andrew B.
Let me say this: there's a reason why the Samsung 9 Series was so popular at CES 2011.
I'm going to start with the looks of this laptop (shocking beginning for this brief review, wouldn't you say?). The first thing I said to my self after opening the box was, "WOW! This is truly a work of art." It definitely is a work of art, even the box was stunning. The metal look, the silver trim on the sides, and the thinness creates an absolutely stunning looking laptop. To top it off, I like how the Samsung logo isn't 'in your face.' I feel like so many companies now constantly try to put their logo all over the laptop - Samsung has it tucked to the side for pleasant viewing. The ports are also in the 'looks'/hardware category for me. The ports are tucked into secret compartments on both sides of the laptop. For those afraid those may become loose over time, it doesn't seem that way to me - they are very sturdy. The duraluminum body is magnificent - it is sturdy and will be able to withstand a lot of use. The battery life is also very nice - lasts a looong time, especially for this category of laptop.
As for the inside of the laptop, the fantastic look/hardware factors continue. The screen is beautiful, and its matte screen is just what I was looking for. The webcam performs just as you would expect. It's a webcam. The keys seem solid and feel like they will last quite some time. I like how difficult it would be to accidentally remove a key while using it (unlike my previous Dell Inspiron 1525 where I was always weary about that happening). When pushing on the plastic (yes, plastic) between the keys, there seems to be very little movement, demonstrating the strength of the keyboard. As for typing, everything feels great - little to no learning curve to type like a pro again!
Now comes the touchpad. First few uses were fantastic. It really feels natural using it. Moving two of your fingers up/down scrolls through a webpage (however, it seems not as smooth as on a Mac, sorry to say), four fingers DOWN minimizes everything ("very nice!", using a Borat voice), and four fingers UP will put you into aero - windows' eye-candy for switching between open applications (though I'll just stick with ALT+TAB). Also, the touchpad is large, which is very nice. Imagine a normal touchpad with left and right buttons, but not separated from each other, and made of very good quality = very natural feeling while using it (hope this was clear enough...); left click is bottom left, right click is bottom right, as usual. After the first few uses, I started running into problems, but this problem hasn't occurred for awhile (see my minor gripes at the end of this review).
Overall, though, I was pleasantly surprised with the touchpad's performance.
This baby boots really fast thanks to its SSD. I experience little lag while computing (i.e. browsing, office, and video viewing). Eventually, I'll probably uninstall most of the bloatware Samsung supplied. Also, I'll probably dualboot Linux soon, as I have been using that for a few years and am used to it (I can only imagine the boot speed after installation O.o).
Here are some of my minor gripes (I didn't think the sum of these deserved a negation of a star): touchpad has been unresponsive a few times for like 5 minutes each time (I reinstalled the touchpad driver...hasn't happened since, though I don't know if this was because of the driver I installed - may have just needed a little more use to function properly), attracts fingerprints, no media keys (not a big deal), and no light on the outside showing that it is charging (also not a big deal).
Not a very organized review, so I'm sorry lol. But for those looking for something to read about it, I hope I supplied a decent enough review.
By
I. Wan (Los Angeles, CA)
First impressions:
Quite impressive. It is gorgeous, it is light, it is sturdy.
It's an elegant piece of hardware. It's not "look at me". It just exudes elegance with its lines and color.
The weight is quite amazing. Obviously, not as light as a tablet (I own an ipad), but for a laptop, core i5, it's quite amazing they packed so much power into such a small form factor.
The material they used for this is impressive. I can hold the laptop with one hand on one of the sides, like it was a tablet, and the laptop does not bend at all.
Performance:
I also have an Envy 17 from work, with core i7 (first gen) with 6gb RAM. So far, performance has been quite comparable. The fact that this baby has SSD helps a ton. It "feels" speedier than my Envy. You can check benchmark tests on other blogs/sites, but from a user perspective (I'm s software engineer, so I always have Visual Studio open with multiple other programs), you'll feel almost no difference compared to a machine with higher specs (I haven't tested video encoding, etc, but for most users, I expect that's a minor part of their use).
Because this is a "travel" laptop and it has work related stuff, I've encrypted the system drive with TrueCrypt. Did not notice any performance hit.
Heat:
My envy 17 is HOT. I mean REALLY HOT. The desk it sits atop gets quite warm on the left side where the vent is. But I can place this computer on my lap and it barely feels warm.
Trackpad:
I'm a mouse guy. Even with laptops, I'm always using a mouse. However, given the limited number of usb ports on this machine, I've decided to give the trackpad a try. It's quite comfortable. I still rather use the mouse, but the single panel trackpad (that's clickable) is good enough for me to use full time. Microsoft, with its Signature, removed the multi touch features. I've only realized that after I read reviews here mentioning them, so I went to the control panel and enabled them. They're awesome. Three fingers click makes it much easier (for me) to use this track pad.
Keyboard:
I'm also a natural keyboard guy (the one that has the keys you're supposed to use with your left hand separated from the right). I'm typing this review on the laptop's keyboard. While not as comfortable as my natural keyboard, where I don't have to bend my wrists to type, this keyboard feels quite nice as well. Probably wouldn't use it for long typing tasks, but for the most part, it should work well.
Battery:
Excellent battery life. Professional blogs will give you more detailed battery tests. But as a regular user, I can tell you, you'll get quite a few hours of use. Really, quite impressive. My Envy 17 can barely hold 2 hours of work on a charge. Most of the time, I'm plugging that monster in after an hour. This one, feels almost like my ipad. I can get a full day of work on a single charge.
Unfortunately, I couldn't see an easy way to replace its battery. I'll confess that I haven't read the manual or user guide. Just booted and started using it. But from the looks of it, you'll have to use a screwdriver to replace its battery, if that's even possible.
SSD:
This is my first system with a SSD. Unfortunately, the recovery partition takes some 20Gb, so you're left with 99.9Gb of available space. So you'll need to be careful with what you put in your system.
Overview:
This is an excellent piece of hardware. But, obviously, not a desktop replacement. It's not intended to be one. I leave my Envy 17 at work and bring it home occasionally, but now that I have this laptop, I don't think I'll be bringing that bad boy home anymore.
What I would change: Replace the micro SD with a full SD slot. Most digital cameras (that I'm aware of) still use SD cards.
UPDATE (04/29/2011):
I was able to watch a full NBA Playoff Game on TV and write some code (probably not the best code I've written) on a single charge. I still had plenty of battery life left. The light weight and battery life made this quite comfortable; something I couldn't have done before with my previous computers.
I will install Photoshop Elements and a game (possibly StarCraft 2) this weekend and update this review.
UPDATE (05/09/2011):
Regarding the heat. It will generate more heat if you're doing video intensive tasks. I wasn't able to place the laptop directly on my lap after a while watching several videos.
Regarding backlighting keyboard: Not really an issue with the laptop itself, but if you use Truecrypt to encrypt the whole system drive, the backlighting won't work on the truecrypt password screen. So if you're trying to use your computer in the dark bedroom while your wife is sleeping, you better know where your keys are in the keyboard :)
But after you're past truecrypt and into Windows, you'll be fine.
I have installed Photoshop Elements and Lightroom. No performance issues whatsoever.
By
Ryan Ellis (Ft Lauderdale, FL)
I'd say overall I'm very happy with the computer. Hardware wise, it's basically a Macbook Air but for Windows. That's a good thing, it has a great, big touchpad with excellent multi-touch, and the keyboard is really fantastic. It's a no frills laptop, it's not full of silly media pads and junk like that.
I was a little disappoined with the lack of aluminum, it's sold as an aluminum laptop but the ENTIRE bottom is plastic, the front face around the screen is plastic, and the keyboard area is all plastic. The outside of the lid is all aluminum and most of the top/keyboard area is aluminum, basically where your palms sit is all aluminum. It's not a deal breaker, but still worth mentioning.
There is a refreshing lack of bloatware as well, which was nice. As in, other than Norton, Samsung just has a few very low resource utilities (driver update, function keys) and that's it.
The SSD comes with 69GB free, yes, you read that right! I did find a simple way to get rid of the useless recovery partition (back it up) and recover another 20gb. There are also other obvious ways to increase space, you can purchase 32gb Micro SD cards for a mere $40, so if you want to carry some movies around with you, even just a couple cards would have quite a bit of entertainment. I personally have a 32GB MicroSD card that just stays in the laptop and a small external hard drive that I rarely use, but it's there. Overall the disk space hasn't been an issue.
The laptop is VERY light, you can pick it up with 2 fingers with almost no effort. Perfect!
Speedwise, I first noted how fast the boot was when I rebooted after removing Norton, FAST, I've never seen such a fast boot, a few seconds maybe? Closing the lid puts the computer in a zero-power mode, and when opening the lid it comes right back instantly. It's not clunky, and it works really well, everytime. I do quite a bit of multitasking including Adobe CS5 and this has handled it quite nicely.
The battery lasts a long time, I'm not timing it, but I'll find myself using it for several hours on end without charging and still having plenty of battery. It would surely make it through a trip from Florida to California, nice!
I purchased a small USB powered external DVD burner and a small external USB hard drive just to have the extra abilities when I need them - which is rare.
Compared to a Macbook Air, which I also considered (running OSX and Windows) - the price is pretty good. Keep in mind that if you add the 2 additional years of warranty on an Air and the extra 2gb of RAM, the Air actually costs more than the Series 9. The Samsung comes standard with 3 years of warranty and 4gb of memory, though I'll upgrade mine to 8gb sooner than later.
Is this laptop expensive? Yes. But it's for people who can afford it. If you are shopping for price/power, then this isn't for you. If you want a super thin and light laptop with adequate performance and long battery life, then it's fantastic.
Overall 5 stars, it's met all my needs with flying colors. It's sturdy, works great, and is just a great small laptop that I use several hours a day with zero stability issues.
