My Samsung NP9004XC is slow and choppy

It's running windows 8 - 8GB ram, 256GB hard drive. My web browsing is slow and choppy, as is gaming, with an external mouse and keyboard. I was "upgrading" from a Dell XPS 1647, and I've had this system for two days now - but the Dell is much faster, and this shouldn't be. PCMark benchmarks the Samsung at 33% better... but yet my system is laggy, choppy, and is generally driving me crazy.

So just wondering... Is it Windows 8? Windows defender perhaps?

I'm un-installing as much software as possible, but I thought if this was a known issue, someone might save me some time.

Next up is installing a fresh Windows 7 OS, to see if the hardware is the issue.

I'm not having any issues with wifi, and I've tried updating the graphics drivers from Intel directly, and they haven't helped.

Ps, this is using the high-performance setting while plugged in.

 

I´m having the same problem with my 7 days old NP900X4D, lagging and display rendering is chobby (when scrolling).
I have updated it running SW Update, and uninstalled Norton, IntelliMemory, the PROSet/Wireless software and disabling Defender real time protection, but it didn't change much. Nor did using high performance plan or increasing minimum processor state percentage.
I hope someone in here can help to fix it, if nothing else give directions on how to do a clean install of Windows 8 free of bloathware, without deleting the recovery partition.

 

Which SSD is in your machine?

 

Samsung MZMPC256HPGJ .. ?

The SSD in the 1647 was an Intel x-25M 160GB. Wonderful SSD.

 

The X4C should be a smooth runner so it's a matter of homing on on the cause of the problem. Personally, I use the Samsung Optimised power plan to make sure there's no unnecessary heat generated while on idle.

1. The Samsung SSD should be a good performer, but run CrystalDiskMark and post the result here.
2. What CPU usage is shown in Task Manager (Processes tab)? It should be no more than about 2% on idle. If more than that, what processes are using the CPU?
3. What is the memory usage shown by Task Manager (Resources tab)?
4. Run HWiNFO and check that the CPU speed is behaving properly.

John

 

1) Mine is Sandisk U100 SMG2.

2) CPU usage is 0-3% idle
3) 1,4 of 3.6 GB
4) Starting e.g Spotify CPU goes from 798 to 1396 taking 4-5 seconds

 

There is the problem. The Sandisk U100 is a terrible SSD.

 

In addition to the underwhelming SSD (one should only buy this model of the X4C after adding in an SSD upgrade to the cost), is the 4GB RAM one module or two (CPU-z will reveal). If only one module then the RAM is running as single channel, so get a second 4GB module.

John

 

1.



2. Generally around 2-5%

3. 86%. Trying to determine what this is. Nothing in task manager indicates this kind of usage. Not certain if this was present before.


4.

 

So, the "intelligent memory service" was the culprit for absoring all of the free memory. Unfortunately, setting this service to manual, and restarting, still did not resolve the issue. Web browing is still "choppy", and I'm not apt to try gaming until at least web browsing is at least half-decent.

 

There is only one module ram installed (Samsung PC3-12800 800MHz). Should i buy a similar or can you recommend better ones?
Is the SSD really that bad, and can single the RAM & the U100 really do that screen rendering is choppy, scrolling a simple webpage?
I would like to be certain that new parts will do the trick before i buy them (and jeopardize the warranty).

 

Intellimemory is best uninstalled completely. It didn't last very long on my computer when I discovered its appetite for RAM. Loading another program means time wasted while Intellimemory hands over some space.

Any of the 4GB PC3-12800 modules will work. I've got a pair of the Crucial 1.35V parts in my X4C which gives a small power saving. However, you probably need to replace both modules to get the benefit of the lower voltage.

My review of the Crucial m4 mSATA SSD attempts to show the impact of a better SSD on performance. I ran my X3B (only 4GB RAM) with a U100 for a couple of months and loading a program + data could cause the computer to freeze for several seconds until the backlog on the SSD writes (dumping RAM to virtual memory) and reading data off the SSD at the same time is cleared.

My view about the warranty is don't break anything and keep removed parts so that the computer can be restored to the supplied condition before calling for service. There are no seals.

Both of you: Read through the Series 9 Windows 8 thread. I recall there being some issues with some web browsers (which are you using?).

John

 

Multiple. Chrome/Firefox. "Choppiness" is evident on both. Also, sometimes when I click my mouse.. it takes a while to register. I've updated to the most recent Elan drivers, and this is using an external mouse via the USB port.

Maybe I just have a "lemon".

Trying windows 7.

 

So I've figured it out. I set the "Silent mode" to "auto" in easy settings, which apparently was a mistake, as it limited my CPU to 800Mhz. Now that I've disabled, web-browsing and gaming is normal.

What a PAIN IN THE butt that was. For the love of all things holy.

 

That setting bumped me up to a score of 4750 in PC mark, which is 54% than my previous XPS system.

Details here (in case you're curious)

XPS 1647:

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i5-450M Processor,Dell Inc. 095X73 score: 2580 PCMarks

S9 with Quiet mode set to Auto:

Intel HD Graphics 4000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3517U Processor,SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. NP900X4C-A03CA score: 3363 PCMarks

S9 with Quiet mode set to off:

Intel HD Graphics 4000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3517U Processor,SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. NP900X4C-A03CA score: 4747 PCMarks





btw, John, thanks for pointing out HWinfo to me - that made the difference in terms of being able to observe the CPU constraint issue.

This difference is night and day.

 

Thanks for the update. HWiNFO's dynamic CPU speed display is very useful and CPU being locked at lowest speed (for whatever reason) is something that has to be checked. It would also be useful if Samsung provided a few words of explanation about how Silent Mode works (ie reduces performance). It's not something normally needed.

John

 

Unfortunately mine is choppy even though Quiet mode is set to off. But since this solves the problem for justpete and he is running 4Gb dual channel, it seem plausible that it will solve my problem installing dual channel RAM.
The one I have installed seems to be 800 Mhz PC3-12800, Will 1333 or 1600 Mhz be better or what?

Furthermore he is having a better SSD. I've looked at the available SSD's and to me it seems like Mushkin Atlas MKNSSDAT120GB-DX - Mushkin Enhanced is the fastest available at the moment, and the price tag isn't much higher than Crucial or ADATA. Have anyone experiences with this SSD?

 

800MHz is actually 1600MHz because DDR means Double Data Rate, so the data moves at twice the RAM clock speed.

I would get a bigger SSD. 120GB doesn't give much spare space. Check the mSATA SSD upgrade thread for any comments about the Mushkin.

John

 

So I've ordered the two Crucial 4GB RAM modules and the Crucial 256 GB SSD, and they should arrive today or tomorrow.

I managed to solve another reason to why laptop was so slow and choppy. It seemed that software versions that SW Update was providing, didn't correspond to the ones showed using "Find model" in SW Update. The software versions found there where newer!
After installing those versions the response of the CPU became much faster!
So I expect the laptop to become blazingly fast when I've installed the new components.

Regarding the disassembly, are there a guide in the forum for this somewhere?
Or are there anything I shall be particular cautious about doing it?

 

See this thread for discussion about changing the SSD.

There's an inside photo in my X4C review.

John

 

I've reciewed the Crucial SSD, but the Crucial RAM got lost in the mail, but they have reshipped it and I should get it today or tomorrow.
Since I don't want to disassemble the laptop again I'll wait installing Windows 8 until I get the RAM. I am however trying to plan the installation.
I would like to make use of the UEFI in the bios, but I haven't succeeded finding a complete guide.
I've also been searching the forum to find a guide for a clean install of Windows 8 with the latest non-bloathed drivers but I haven't succeeded finding a complete guide.

Is there guides some where for this or is it recommended just using Windows 8 standard drivers or just the ones SWUpdate provides?

 

Sorry if I'm bringing up an old post but if I were to buy the Crucial SSD, would the increase in performance stop the choppiness of the machine? Or do I need to upgrade my RAM as well.

 

The RAM upgrade is worth doing: Increasing the RAM will reduce the need to use the swap file while dual channel memory access is faster than single channel.

Regarding the SSD, I would note that the Crucial M500 runs quite hot (which means higher power consumption) so the older m4 or other brands of SSD may be a better choice. The SSD upgrading is discussed in this thread.

John

 

Is there a guide for replacing the RAM? (Installing and purchasing). And does it void warranty if I do?

 

If you ask Samsung they will say that taking the base off the computer voids the warranty. However, proceed carefully with the correct screwdriver, do no damage and, if you need warranty service, replace the parts supplied by Samsung and they won't know that you have been inside. Disconnect the PSU and poke an unbent paperclip through the battery disconnect hole in the base before starting work.

The RAM can be clearly seen in the internal photo in my X4C review. There's a useful guide to replacing the modules here. Note that the X4C can use the lower power 1.35V modules.

Check that the computer boots before replacing the base (remember to plug in the PSU in order to reconnect the power). If it doesn't remove then replace the modules making sure they are fully pushed into the slots.

John