My Samsung Series 9 Review - 1 year on..

I purchased the first iteration of Samsung's Series 9 laptop, a NP900X3A-A03US.

Why review now?
I read many reviews about the build quality being very high, which I guess has inspired me to post this review after so long after buying it. I have owned many laptops over the years, including a few netbooks, and I would say this is made out of ticky tacky like no other. My 10 year old brick of a toshiba notebook is in better condition.

I used the notebook for travelling for 6 months, and it's had minimal use since then. I'm a programmer, and was using it moderately over the 6 months I was away overseas (30-40 hrs per week).

So I'll flat out say that the Series 9 is totally sub par in terms of build quality, especially as it is being marketed as a premium notebook, and where the cosmetic element is important.

Keyboard
- Keys losing their paint. About 20% of the keys have their paint flecked off, showing white underneath. It looks pretty horrible on such a nice design.

Touchpad
Has always been erratic. The touchpad is big but it is totally inconsistent, particularly the left/right buttons.

Screen and internals
Pretty good so far. The topic has been gone over heaps, so I won't bother with that.

Other
- Creaks like an old barn door.
- There are a number of places on the notebook where cheap plastics are used, not the duralumin. This gives the notebook a feel of economy, and corner cutting.
- The external wrapping on the power cord is pulled away from the power connector, exposing the wires.


Sorry if this has had a rant-like feel. My intention is to hopefully debunk the perception that the s9 has some sort of superior build quality over other laptops. I don't think this was simply a bad batch, as there are too many elements that are at fault here. I think there was a lot of corner cutting, and no attention to detail. The ability for the notebook to take wear and tear is really the issue here, something that product reviews generally don't touch on. Anyway, the new series 9s might be better, but I won't be buying one, or any Samsung product.

Have any other S9 owners had similar issues?

 

Thanks for your observations. I am also interested to hear what the other first generation Series 9 owners have to say. While we know that Samsung are reluctant to admit to defects, as such, I get the impression that that they addressed some of these issues in the 2012 Series 9s. As such, they may be one generation ahead of the other ultrabook manufacturers.

John

 

John,
What's your gut feel about the paint coming off keys and the creakiness developing with the 2012 machines? Are you aware of design changes that might address these.

I'm wary because I have owned several Sony Z's which are just superb and held up well physically and mechanically - except paint coming off palm rests and hinges that get lose and eventually can snap and make it creaky.

I'd like to think today someone could make a laptop that would last well past one year - other than you-know-who!

 

honestly if you want build quality. Apple is the way to go,

 

Perhaps some people pummel the keys with their finger nails but, nonetheless, manufacturers should be able to design for such treatment. I had no problem with chipping paint on my Dell Latitudes (they were just a bit too heavy for me). I have no inside knowledge of what / where Samsung have fed back experience with the X3A into the later Series 9s but I would be surprised if they did not.

John

 

The paint on these keys are peeling from the edges, where the key meets the notebook case, rather than where your fingers would hit on the keystroke.

Here are a couple of quick pics, with my phone. Sorry for the dust and the focal point!

 

What is difficult to see, is how the paint is flaking off. If you look at the left part of the space bar in the first pic, or the right of the shift key, you can see what I mean.

 

Apple is good build quality, but the Air screen does not seem to compare to the S9, and although Windows now runs ok on the Air, there is no preferred support for it, and things like startup take a long time.

Has anyone else seen such horrible wear on a Samsung notebook? I mean, at least if the plastic underneath had black color???

 

The white plastic is to allow the backlighting to shine through. Looking closely at my X4C keyboard I see that the lettering is slightly indented which suggests that it is a similar paint job. I just hope that they got the process right this time.

A note to the OP is that it is best to raise such issues after around 9 months. That gives time to find out if your experience is abnormal and, if it is, pester Samsung to replace the keyboard under warranty. The warranty covers manufacturing defects and failure of the keyboard paint to survive a year of use should fall under that category.

John

 

Makes sense, would think that Samsung would try to exclude "cosmetics" from their coverage, but this would seem to exceed the bounds of "normal wear and tear".

 

Hi John,

Thanks. I did start the warranty issue process with Samsung, and I wasn't planning on getting into the warranty issues I have had on the review here.

I did mean to submit this in for warranty awhile back when I got back from my travel. Life continued on and I forgot to send it away prior to the year. However I didn't rush it, because the laptop advertises a 3 year warranty, the only s9 model that did, and the model I specifically hunted out.

It's advertised as a 3 year international warranty on a lot of sites including amazon, ("3 year warranty" on samsung's site), however after wasting about 8 or 10 hours with support center staff in two separate countries, where samsung US said yes yes yes, it is 3 year international, I was finally told it was only 1 year international, and they wouldn't honor it overseas.

I'll have to live with it until I'm back stateside which will be 9 months or so maybe, and hope that they will repair/replace it. I'm fairly disgusted with the whole process, and I had to contend with downright rude Samsung support staff in my home country, and totally incompetent support staff in the US (which I assume is outsourced somewhere like Phillipines anyway).

 

First gen or not, paint coming off like that is unacceptable. They gotta do better quality control on their premium models. I hope the warranty comes through for you buddy.

 

Interesting, thanks for the review.

I have the same model; mine is now going on 14 months old. I've used it every day, probably for 8+ hours on average - it has been my main computer, and is used primarily for day-trading and writing. I've also used it quite a lot for films etc when in temporary residences. I carry it with me almost every time I go out. I've dropped it twice, and one rear corner is slightly bent (the curved metal acted as a bumper).

The keys are fine - I didn't realize they were painted until I saw those pictures. Otherwise, I loved the feel of the keyboard when I first got it, and still do. If they started to peel like that I'd definitely send it in for warranty repair.

The touchpad required adjustment (in settings) when I first got it, but has been fine since. It's the best I've used - except that it seems very easy to double-click when I intend a single click.

I commented on the power adapter being a weak point in one of my first posts in the original threadl, and it has indeed worn through at both ends. I have had to tape it and shrink-wrap it. Samsung offered to cover it under warranty, but I would have to send the computer in, so I bought a generic p.s. as backup. (Incidentally, I'm in Canada now, and Samsung US would pay the shipping to the US both ways, though they won't do that if you're overseas.)

The mini-HDMI output works but the connection is temperamental; periodically I also have to buy a new cable for it, even though the old ones work fine on other computers.

It creaks occasionally if I pick it up by one corner (while holding it horizontally), but it's still very solid. I've been thinking of tightening the screws, but haven't got around to it.

The screen is still wonderful, and the machine still performs as well as ever.

All in all, it remains my favorite of the many notebooks I have owned. I'd like to get the new 15", but can't justify it while this continues to perform so well.

 

You would have to send the complete notebook in when your power supply cords are coming apart, after telling Samsung that the notebook itself is fine???

I had read PC support rankings for 2011 suggesting that Samsung's support has improved quite a bit, but perhaps not???

 

I have exactly the same problem with paint peeling off.
Power cable easily damaged and the computer lid creaking.

 

Please clarify whether you have the original Series 9 or a newer model.

John

 

The paint thing sucks, but how is the laptop operating as compared to when you first bought it? Is it working properly? Or are there electronic problems. Keys failing, falling out, or any other failures? Hinge ect....

The flaking paint does suck.

Regards,

Mike