Official 2012 Sony S Series Owners Thread

Ok I've updated the first post in the thread with some of my findings, tips, etc. If anyone else wants me to post something there let me know.

Thanks,
Petrov.

 

Damn, should've jumped to the end after all... just spent the last couple of hours reading the whole thread!!

I am very interested in the S15, but I am still a little unsure about the 640 LE. The UK Sony website lists it as the 640 but from what I've read here, would I be right to think that it is actually the 640 LE? To get the system I want I'd be looking at spending in excess of £1200, which is a lot for a low-mid range graphics card

Has anybody had any luck getting any discounts in the UK/Europe? I can get 6% cashback via Quidco but doesn't really soften the blow too much!

 

Hello. I am also looking at the Sony Vaio S13 or S15 version. I contacted sony Denmark regarding gfx, and even though it is only named "Geforce Gt 640m" on the website, it is the same "Geforce GT 640M LE" as in rest of the world.... Side note: It is DDR3 ram.

 

very nice.

a couple of more questions;

1) how is the wireless reception? is it a good wi-fi card?

2) sound.. how good are the speakes?

3) if you got the slice battery, how much added weight do you think it added?

 

interesting. I noticed that more and more people are having problems with their Momentus XT drives. Mine has become slower over time too.

 

I'll try to do that later on.

The battery did have a charge from the factory. As soon as I powered it up with the charger plugged in, I unplugged the charger and it ran on battery. After the initial setup, first boot into desktop the battery showed 69%.

I've been running some transcoding tests which I do often. Same title at identical settings, it's just under 1/2 the speed of my i7 rig (see my sig) which is very impressive to me, and this is over wifi, my i7 does it over gigabit. CPU temp during transcoding is low-mid 60's.

 

1) I find the wireless reception very good, But I have very little to compare it wth. I have full coverage in my home, with the wireless router located on one end of the house. On the same floor clear on the other end I have "Excellent" The PS3 that came with the unit has fewer bars of reception. I guess overall I would be surprised if someone called the Wifi reception anything other then great.

2) The sounds is fairly minimal, even with xloud or dolby enabled I find the speakers on full volume to be fairly limited. It sounds fine, but there is certainly almost no bass. With it on ones lap I wold say the volume level is fine, and perhaps within 20 feet it is fairly clear, but my 10 year old dell laptop seemingly had better overall sound. Then again that dell was probably 4x the weight.

3) Not sure

 

Ok! Thanks

 

It defaults to non full range in Windows (i.e. removes all bass) - see 'Configure' button in windows sound settings

 

I am pretty sure it is with SATA II

I remember someone saying windows installation was only 6 mins... Mine came close to that with about 12mins (that is including all when i starting rebooting from DVD to the completion after reboot) I did time it with my iphone....

It is my first SSD and I felt this is the best-spent 230 dollars on electronics I have ever spent.

One strange thing, I read others saying the built-in speakers are decent and loud. For me, the maximum volume is unpowerful. I could barely hear things when i watch videos and I have to hook it up with my speaker set. Does anyone also have this problem?



PS: where could I find the wallpaper that came with VAIO? or does anyone mind sharing it online? (the blue and the green smoke wallpaper) thanks

 

so i was checking out a T series in person today by my local electronics store

it said that the chasis is also alluminium and magnesium just like the S series. however the main body of the laptop felt very plasticy and cheap to me...can anyone confirm if the S series has a similar build?

 

HAHAHAA, amazing

thanks for the laugh.

 

some romanian review with pics of the white and black s13 next to each other for those who are undecided on color choice: Sony VAIO S13 și S15 - galerie foto, datele tehnice și primele impresii - Gadget.ro - Hi-Tech Lifestyle

i chose to pay extra to get the black one, cuz i didnt want to have my laptop looking like a wannabe macbook, but im starting to wish i had gone with white

 

Anyone tried OCing the GT640M LE to GT640M clock speed yet?

As for the 3Dmark11 result, what do you get for the Graphics score?


Thanks!

 

It happens to me again!
During a game of WoW (I have the S13 with 1GB), the FPS drops down from 60 to 15... and I need to switch from speed to stamina and reswitch to speed to recover the FPS (@ mikelsbid, i made a test with balanced mode).
When I put the fans option to balanced, it happens. But if I configure it on priority to ventilation, it seems that it never happen, maybe it's the chance but is there someone with the same problem (except you Mikelsbid^^)?
Do you thing that it's a throttle issue? I don't think so because when I did a reswitch the FPS grows up instantly, so it seems that the HD 4000 take the place of the 640.
A solution? (I have ever put the wow launcher in Nvidia control panel with high performance graphics).

 

I ordered this Samsung 830 SSD for my S13. I just realized that there's a notebook upgrade kit as well.

Will I still be able to install the SSD? I heard the only difference between the package I ordered and the notebook kit is that the latter comes with a SATA to USB cable to help transfer files from an old HDD.

 

3dmark11 graphics score: 1239

Petrov.

 

have you downloaded speedfan and checked the temperatures? post results!!

Download SpeedFan 4.47 Beta 2 / 4.46 Free - A small application that shows you fan speed, voltage and chip temperature - Softpedia

 

is this the case for fresh installs as well?

 

You will be able to install it fine without the notebook version. I have just the bare drive version installed in my S15.

 

Hi! I have few questions about the S13P. Sorry if some of these have already been asked numerous times, but the damn search function doesn't work .

1) UK users: Will upgrading the HDD void the warranty? I asked a Sony sales rep a few weeks back and he said it will. However I've also seen users state that it doesn't. Is there anything in Sony's T&C's?

2) Is disassembly similar to the old SA? ( Like this). Are there any warranty stickers etc, to show that you've opened up the laptop?

3) Will I need a separate Win 7 install disc for a clean install?

4) What is the battery life like when running everyday programs e.g. browser, music, office productivity @ reasonable brightness.

5) What are CPU/GPU temp figures when idle, HD flash content (youtube) and when gaming? I've read that the noisy fan is no longer an issue which is great!

Cheers!

 

Not sure, only basing on what was said earlier in the thread

However recently did a fresh install of Windows 7 on a Dell Inspiron 1545 (terrible laptop) and it had full range disabled by default too, so presumably yes.

 

Is the 1366x768 display on the s13 IPS?


Sent from my GT-I9100

 

it's interesting that ZDnet in their review got 8300. 1000 points less than you: Sony S13A: Das erste LTE-Notebook im Praxistest | Notebooks | Mobile Business | ZDNet.de

could it be immature drivers?

 

No. 1366x768 = poo.


The only IPS display is on the 15 inch S


Not even the 1600x900 premium display on the S13A is IPS. But TN.

 

1. I asked this earlier, and someone said it didn't matter. you just put in the old HDD the machine shipped with if you need to send it back in.

4.

zdnet: Sony S13A: Das erste LTE-Notebook im Praxistest | Notebooks | Mobile Business | ZDNet.de

so it says that their stress test took 83 minutes before the computer was completely empty. with energy saving mode, lowest brightness and all that they got a bit over 7 hours of it.

i think that means that light-medium school/work with browsing, word processing and so on it should last 4-6 hours. more or less depending on how much you youtube and use flash, or how many programs.
but if you need to stretch it and just work with processing you can get alt of it.

this is without the sheet battery(they said it was not released).




their review makes a BIG deal out of the LTE. They say its the first LTE enabled notebook that works in Germany, and the speeds in their tests are insane. i wonder if the entire world will get those internet speeds at one point. damn.

but the LTE upgrade is expensive for sure.

 

Thanks.

Anyone have a GPU-Z screenshot handy? Or willing to take one?

 

Thanks Petrov!

Hmmm... Compared to a GT640M(scored 17xx), that is like a GT640M is 40% faster than a GT640M LE, or a GT640M LE is 30% slower than a GT640M.

While if we compare the clock speed(625MHz vs 500 MHz), the GT640M is 25% faster than a GT640M LE, or a GT640M LE is 20% slower than a GT640M.

Same here in Malaysia.

Went to a Sony Store yesterday and asked about the HDD.
The sales guy said that it will void the warranty.
I asked if I change it back when send for warranty, he said that Sony will be able to detect that?

Not sure if it's true though.

 

Here's a gpu-z screenshot of the gt 640m le



EDIT: Whoa, just noticed its using 296 graphics drivers :/ that's pretty out of date.

 

My order says completed, and when i click on it it says Payment processed after about 4 days of "your vaio is being built."

Does this mean my computer is about to ship?

 

Hi, I'm doing a clean install of Windows 7 with my new SSD installed, and I heard someone earlier mentioned that the drivers from Sony's Website have to be installed in a certain order or they wont work properly. Does anyone know what the order is? I looked all over Sony's site and couldn't find it. Thanks in advance!

 

Does anyone know how long the 'Free Playstation" deal will last? I know its a 'back to school thing' so I'm hoping for at least the next few weeks. I cant seem to find a date on the promotion page.

 

Sony - Intel® Chipset Driver 9.3.0.1019 (reboot)
Sony - Intel® 7 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI / SATA RAID Controller 11.1.0.1006 (reboot)
Sony - Intel® Management Engine Interface 8.0.0.1262
Sony - Intel® SATA Driver Registry Patch 120417 (reboot)
Sony - Synaptics® PS/2 Port TouchPad 16.0.0.5 (reboot)
Sony - Microsoft® Hotfix KB2708549 Update 6.1.7601.17832/6.1.7601.21854 (reboot)
Intel - Intel Wireless Driver & Tools - Wireless_15.1.1_s64.exe
Intel - Intel Graphics Driver - Win7_64_152612.exe 8.15.10.2761 (reboot)
Intel - Intel USB 3.0 Driver - Intel®_USB_3.0_eXtensible_Host_Controller_Driver.zip 1.0.5.235 (reboot)
Intel - Intel Wireless Display Driver - Setup 3.1.29.0
Sony - NVIDIA® GeForce® GT640M LE Driver 8.17.12.9618 (reboot)
Sony - Intel® Centrino® Wireless Bluetooth® 4.0 + High Speed Adapter 1.0.13.30079 (reboot)
Sony - Realtek® PCIe GBE Family Controller 7.53.216.2012
Sony - Realtek® PCIE Card Reader Driver 6.1.7601.92 (reboot)
Sony - Realtek® High Definition Audio Driver 6.0.1.6570
Sony - Audio Driver Registry Patch 20120308 (reboot)
Sony - Sony® Firmware Extension Parser Device Driver 8.0.2.3 (reboot)
Sony - Sony® Shared Library 5.10.0.12150
Sony - Hotkey Utilities 1.0 (reboot x 2)
Sony - WebCam Companion® 4 Software 4.0.21.457
Sony - VAIO® CPU Fan Diagnostics Software 1.1.0.09200 (reboot)
Sony - VAIO® Hardware Diagnostics Software 4.5.1.1424000 (reboot)
Microsoft - 3-4 passes of Windows updates after all of the above

Until supplies last or mid-September I'd expect.

 

Oh awesome! I'm gonna bite in a week or two but trying to get rid of my current Alienware first. I'll be joining the family soon!

 

I'm using 304.48 beta on my S15. I did the .inf hack and installed 301.42 WHQL, then it automatically found the 304.48 beta and prompted me to download and install it. Once you've done the .inf hack once on any driver to force install it, subsequent updates can apparently occur without any further driver modding. Very convenient, actually.

 

During the days of 8600m and 8400m gt, some companies released drivers that reduced performance on purpose to keep cooling in check.

Is it possible that these sony drivers downplay the performance to keep the machine running cooler, as where more effective newer drivers might make it too hot?

 

link/guide for this hack? I'm very interested.

 

Still not happy that its a ddr3 card.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

Start here:
v301.42 Windows 7/Vista 64bit | NVIDIA Mobile OEM - 30x Series GeForce Driver release - LaptopVideo2Go Forums

Download the driver, and then download the modified .inf. Extract the driver installer, and then place the modified .inf in the directory which has the driver setup.exe. You know you have placed the modified .inf in the right place when launching the install results in it finding your hardware and proceeding with the install.

Install only the driver, the Nvidia Update, and the PhysX software. You won't need the 3D stuff, and Nvidia HD Audio does nothing since the laptop outputs over HDMI using the Intel Display Audio and through it's built-in speakers and headphone jack using the Realtek HD Audio controller.

Perform the install and reboot your laptop. You've just converted to Nvidia Verde drivers and you can use the Verde drivers from here on out. I don't think Sony did anything to their own drivers because the laptop works exactly the same as it did before you did this, the Speed/Stamina switch still works like it did before. The clock speed of GT 640M LE was 500/900 before the change, and remains the same after the change. If you run Nvidia Update now and check the Beta drivers box, it will find the 304.48 beta and prompt you to download it. You can install it without changing anything and it will just work.

 

Just curious, how long did the "processing" step take?

 

Has anyone ordered with the sony RAID 0 ssds? Would be interesting to see some performance benchmark differences compared to user-upgraded ssds. I believe they're now dual ssd raid not quad- like in the previous generation?

 

1. The UK sales rep told me over the phone changing the HDD would void the warranty. I've not read the T&Cs.

2. I can't compare it to the old SA, as I didn't own one. However there are no warranty stickers that need to be removed to change the HDD. I can't see any reason why one couldn't just pop the old HDD back in before a warranty claim.

3. No. I made a clean Win 7 install flash USB drive. Google "Win 7 USB install" and you'll see many guides. However, installing from USB did force me to use Legacy boot mode - UEFI wouldn't recognise the o/s

4. Can't comment on battery life yet, apologies, as I've not run this thing that long at once, yet.

5. I've not run temp monitoring software yet, apologies. Anecdotally, it does not seem to get very warm even running 3dmark benchmarks. Slighty warm at the bottom/centre/back, but certainly not "hot".

Petrov.

 

What are the benefits of updating the drivers? Still waiting for my tracking details. Hope to get my S13A on Wednesday or Thursday.

 

mine took 2 days

 

The promotional material at Sony retail stores lists July 21, 2012 as the end date for the promotion. I can't say whether the web promotion ends on the same day.

 

Sony won't update their drivers nearly as quickly as Nvidia does, and eventually Sony will just quit entirely, probably when the 2013 S series launch.

 

Working on it.

 

Hi all,

Great thread. I am seriously considering the 13 inch premium (UK) for use with Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom (no games). I also intend to drive a 1920x1200 IPS panel by HDMI but I have a couple questions:

1) Are there any disadvantages to getting the discrete graphics (GT640)? More specifically does the laptop generate more heat with the card present (even if its not running?).

2) I intend to drive a 1920x1200 external display for photo editing work. Would there be any advantage to getting the 2GB card over the 1GB card? Historically my answer would have been "no" because I rarely see the benefits of 1GB over 512MB but I may be a it out of date now.

3) Now the real teaser for me - I can get the lowest-end version of the S13 (HD 4000 graphics, core i5, 1366x768). It costs £680 and I'm seriosuly considering it as the HD4000 is supported by CS6 and I think the latest ivy-bridge i5s are probably powerful enough for my needs (even though the graphics uses it as well). However I have very little info about the 1366x768 screen. Sounds a bit to low a resolution for me but what do you guys think of the package for my intended usage? If I didnt care about the screen I think I would go for it but I keep reading very good things about the premium screen....

Hi Petrov,

Dont know if this info is too late but I use a program called ABR (free). It extracts the pre-activated serials/certificate and system files from windows onto a usb key. You can then install a clean version of windows 7 and then "re-insert" the activation certificate again - no need to activate online/by the phone, etc.
I've done it loads of times with HP laptops but never a VAIO but I assume the procedure is the same. Its specifically built to extract the manufacturers activation so you don't need to use the serial from the sticker underneath (which will be different). So it doesnt work with Retail licences.

Hope that helps someone.
Cheers.

 

Hey guise! I got this guy recently with the 2GB version of the 640m LE. Is there any way to force the GPU instead of using my Intel i7 HD 4000? So far I tried one game and it was super laggy. I'm thinking it's using the Intel for graphics.. I've already set the settings to all max. =[

EDIT: Yea my Windows Score is 4ish. Definitely not utilizing the GPU. How do I fix it? Btw I installed an SSD and did a fresh install.