Official NEW SVZ Z series Owners Lounge

Is there a way to buy the SVZ at an off-line store in the UK? Or at least get it sooner than 3 weeks after placing an order.

 

Drivers are exactly the same as the onr installed.
Tryed the registry patch also, did not changee anything

not for me

 

too bad it didn't help. maybe you should consider sending it in as others here do not have those problems.

On a side note though, I had a BSOD today out of nowhere... something power_driver_issue bull. first time and I hope its the last time also... Damn, I hate BSODs more than anything...

 

Hi,

Something that a commenter to my blog had noticed: Sony advertises that with the new "Rapid Wake + Eco" technology, "For the Z series, battery life in sleep mode is up to 170 days." I made a quick test and saw that in 4 hours in sleep mode, my new Z3 was actually losing 5 % of its battery charge. That would roughly translate to c. max 80 hours in sleep mode - c. 3 days, rather than 170! Have any of you noticed the same, or found a solution? (See the claims in: Sony Global - Sony and the Environment - Products - VAIO® Computers Z Series).

- Frans

 

Just speculating, but there is probably a deeper sleep mode that either isn't enabled in your options, or it didn't get the chance to achieve it within 4hrs.

 

Out of curiousity why does there seem to be such an interest in Sony's rapid wake technology? Why does anyone want to put their laptop to "sleep" when Windows now has the "hibernate feature" especially now that we have fast SSD's? I doubt it would be that much faster to go to sleep and wake vs hibernating and waking up and your laptop is completely off at the time meaning no battery drain whatsoever! And you can resume exactly where you left off! The only thing I can think of is USB charging but the Z3 does that on the USB3.0 port even when powered off now doesn't it?

On both my Lenovo X220 an X230 I have been using hibernate mode exclusively and it is fantastic even if it adds a few more seconds to shutdown/boot up. If I put my laptop to sleep I run the risk that I'll forget it and drain the battery.

 

Hibernates writes 8GB to disk, and on resume reads 8GB back. It's a lot slower than sleep/wake even with SSD.

 

Hey guys, any idea how to create the recovery media to an external HDD?

 

I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I watched a Vaio YouTube video about this technology and it was especially appealing given the battery life claim (the claims was something like 1% loss per day). But, like you, my new Z seems to drain really fast in sleep mode. I wonder if there are some default settings that need to be altered to make this work better.

 

Thanks for your help. I'm probably going to go with the Carbon Fiber lid, which is a $50 charge ontop of the matte black. Also, I don't know the price difference in the US, but in Canada the i7 is $250 more than the i5, is this extra cost really worth it? If it is, I don't mind shelling out the money, but if it is something that isn't necessary I think I should settle for the i5. I'm looking to purchase the Vaio Z3 very soon, but now the i7 is out of stock on the sony style US website.

 

I'm not sure what your requirements will be and to what extent you need to push your Z. Some have said that there's little difference you will notice from everyday use and that you can only see the difference through benchmarks.

But, I think, the NEW Z4's (totally redesign) may be around the corner. Can you wait to see what Sony announces January 2013 CES?

By the way, the Carbon Fiber lid, it's the model that has /XX at the end is my favorite choice. It's the one with the sheen finish.

 

Has there been any indication on when the Z4 would be released, and what do you mean by total redesign, has it been made public what the Z4 will have. I really wanted to get a laptop within the next month or 2, but if there are going to be huge changes I might be inclined to wait.

 

Hi guys,

Please check the following video according to the "WHiTE NOISE" problem..
It's quite hard of course to listen to a white noise, but you should be able to hear it well.

1) With the realtek drivers : the white noise starts after any sound / music is launched, and stays until I close the program (here WMP)
IMG_2622 - Vidéo Dailymotion

2) Without the realtek drivers: it's even worse : the noise is CONSTANT !!
IMG_2626 - Vidéo Dailymotion

3) Without the realtek drivers: The white noise with speakers sets to MUTE !!
IMG_2627 - Vidéo Dailymotion


Has the one people having this issue being able to fix anything ?
This noise is giving me headaches I cant' even stand it anymore (it's a real pain)

It is clearly a drivers problem, since it's quite different when I swith from realtek to windows 7 drivers....

Thanks a lot..

 

hi guys
im about to purchase a sony vaio z3 and, as a product designer, i have to work with programs like photoshop, illustrator, solidworks and 3ds max... im wondering if sony vaio z can handle well with these programs... I'm also thinking in purchasing it with the power media dock...

do you guys think its a good laptop for 4/5 years?

thanks

 

I use my Z2 for solidworks stuff at uni - nothing particularly technical, but it all runs perfectly well with the PMD plugged in. Not quite so great without it, but the Z3 is a lot more powerful so should be fine.

 

and 3ds max? anyone already tryed out? thanks a lot

 

Hey Guys,

I have one last question before I make my purchase. Are any of you guys getting the extended warranty or ADH warranty from Sony. Both of these options are very expensive, and apparently Sony allows you to purchase the warranties before the 1 year is up, I'm just curious what would be the best option here. Is there anywhere else I can purchase the ADH warranty in Canada for a cheaper price, as it costs $519.99 on the canadian sony style website.

 

Use your America Express. The will extend the one-year warranty that Sony covers - 2 years. I believe it covers ADH, but call AmEx toll fee no# to make certain. It's free insurance so why not.

 

Since I am from Canada, that option is not available to me. At $399.99 for the extended 2 years, and $519.99 for 2 years extended with Accidental Coverage, I believe these prices are just too expensive. I will probably buy the laptop, and maybe get the 2 year extended warranty after using the laptop for a year.

 

I received my Z3 two days ago. Last night I had my USB mouse plugged into the USB port closest to the A/C adapter input jack. When I try to unplug it and move it to the other USB port (the one with the lightning bolt which I assume is the "offline" charging port) it won't fit. What gives? Are these ports physically different or do I have a defective port?

 

What does everyone think of the Waterfield Sleevecase for the Sony Vaio Z, This has been the sleeve I've been looking to get, how is it protection wise?

 

It's what i got, and it's lovely. Since they're made here in San Francisco, and they accidentally sent me the wrong design, I rode my bike over and exchanged it. Nice folks, local business.

And yes, it feels quite cushy enough.

- Tim

____________________
Sent via TapaTalk

 

Awesome. Now I just have one last thing I am debating on the Z3, whether I should get the i5 or i7. The i7 costs $250 extra and I don't think I will be doing any tasks that are going to require all 4 cores, and I actually heard for simple tasks the i5 performs better than i7 because the higher clock speed. Is this true? I want this laptop to last around 3 years and am also worried getting the i5 isn't "future-proofing" it enough. What do you guys think

 

The ports will be fine. Mine were really tight for the first few weeks but after that they will loosen up and will work fine. I was concerned when I first got it as well so its not a defective unit. I think they make them tighter to insure the PMD won't be accidentally disconnected. I noticed that the pmd usb slot was tighter on mine but they are both pretty tight for a while.

 

Hi Guys, I bought my Vaio Z just over 1 year ago (Model: VPCZ21C5E) and ordered the 128GB SSD model and have started to wish I went for a larger capacity!

Under Disk Management I can see that there are other partitions on the drive that have been reserved for various different things and wondered if anyone has had any experience in trying to make these 'useable' to open more storage capacity on the laptop?

Hope you can help, I'm desperate for storage on this thing!
Many thanks,
Dave

 

Thanks for the response. I was really nervous because I felt alot of resistance and it even felt like I was pushing the actually interface back into the chassis (and this was with a decent amount of force) but after reading your post I tried it again with just a little more heft and it slid right in hahaha . Mouse is detected and works fine. Was afraid I'd have to ship this thing back after three days of use, whew. Thanks again

 

Personally, I always go for the most powerful processor i can afford. Since i do some heavy duty software engineering, the more memory and fastest processor with the most cores i can get, i usually get. Especially with a model like this that is difficult to upgrade.

If you're not doing lots of software development that requires server-like functionality, or doing media transcoding or stuff like that, the i5 should be fine.

____________________
Sent via TapaTalk

 

The Z will be discontinued..
Sony's iconic, limit-pushing, and expensive VAIO Z on the way out, 'very limited' numbers left | The Verge

 

Well that sucks - I have absolutely NO interest in a touch-based laptop. Software development works much better for me when I can keep my hands on the keyboard at all times (which is why I prefer Thinkpads with their trackpoint - never leave the home row ).

Oh well.

- Tim

 

I'm so sad that Z serie will not be upgraded.. Maybe Sony is palnning to start a new serie...

So, I ordered mine today, with 3632QM, 256Go SSD, FullHD, 8Go of RAM for 1822€ (SSD is at half price).

For me, the Z is the best ultraportable notebook, 1.1Kg, powerfull, HD4000 for occasional game, gorgeous screen, why sony, why ?! With the e-GPU concept, you have a killer feature...

The Duo 11 is not gonna replace the Z in my heart, even if it seems like a beautoful machine...

 

This is my 4th Z, somewhat sad

 

So I heard and read the Verge Article on the Z ending it's course. I don't think Sony will replace it. The high-end Z will now be the SVS (S-Series) - bummer. I'm going to head to SonyStore tomorrow to buy an SVZ - 256ssd, i7, the one for $1999.99. MicroCenter has 2 left system-wide, but they won't ship it. I'd even consider the 128ssd i5 as a back up. This is not good news. With everyone on the ultra book and tablet bandwagon, I can see, why Sony would eliminate the Z, and focus, maybe, on making their S, the flagship model.

 

How credible is that source? How sure are we that they won't make another Z? Because if it's true, like Geeee, I think I'll order an SVZ now before it's too late. I was looking forward until the Z4 but if this is the end of the line, I guess Z3 it is.

 

Are you familiar who BEAUPS is? He has inside info. into Sony.

He made a casual comment that the current Z was it, that there was not much Sony can do with the Z3, but gave the impression, that there would be a replacement - perhaps, a Z4. His word holds value and credibility, but now I'm just not too confident, because of the Verge article I read. If BEAUPS can just CONFIRM that there will definitely be a Z replacement/redesign, I will wait. I don't need to know specs. As long I know there is one coming next year - I can wait. But, he can't seem to give a definitive answer to this, so I'm going tomorrow to get an SVZ - 256ssd i7 to play it safe.

I was just looking at the specs on that DUO 11 and it looks like Sony ventured off to offer a powerful hybrid Tablet/Notebook, yet offer the S-Series as an alternate "traditional" choice, rather than keep the Z (and get rid of the S instead). Uggggh!

BEAUPS! CAN YOU CONFIRM IF THERE'S A Z4, P L E A S E !!!

 

I was looking to grab the SVZ13 this week, but on the Canadian website they removed a $150 coupon that was once there. Do you guys think there will be any more sales on the Z within the next month, since now they aren't making more and they'll have to sell out there inventory? Or do you think it's wise to just grab one ASAP if you really want one?

 

I'd assume they'd lower prices to get rid of all units though, seeing as they aren't refreshing the line, and the Z isn't selling that well to begin with.

 

From my experience, SonyStyle and Brick and Mortar Stores don't discount, just the ones that have been returned as "open box". There are still Z1's for sale today at 2299.00 believe this or not? Usually after a while, a long while, when inventory is to a minimal, they'll do a closeout sale. I saw in the past a Sony Z went from 1999.99 to 1599.00 as their final close out sale. But not all stores practice this.

 

Geeee did you end up grabbing the SVZ? I think I'm going to wait it out at least a month and see how the prices look. I at least want Sony Style Canada to put back the $150 coupon they had on it before. I won't feel right paying $150 more now than if I were to purchase it 2 weeks ago.

 

Yes, I'm very familiar with who Beaups is. I've been following this forum for the last two years and was excited every time he posted a blurb on the then to be released Z2. I didn't see him say anything of the sort that this Z2 is it. All I've seen is that we'll have to wait until next year for another Z and that it seems like not much is known about it at this time. That's why I asked about how credible THE VERGE's article is. I'm basically getting conflicting answers and it'd be greatly helpful in determining if I should go all in on a Z2 now or to wait.

 

TIM or anyone, did you got any solution to the webcam? mine never worked, it doesnt appear in "device manager". Thanks!

 

I went to SonyStyle today. I know one of the sales person in this store from going in there frequently. She said, she had quite a few left. She put one on hold for me for a few days, and said she would monitor inventory. If it gets down to 2-3 left, she'd call me and reserve me one. I'd have to decide then whether to move forward with the purchase. I just need some certainty as to the integrity of that Verge article. As mentioned, all I need to know is if Sony will have a Z equivalent next year. I don't need a notebook. I have a Z135 and a MBA, but if this means this is the last of the Z Series, I wouldn't mind selling my Z1 and shelling out for an SVZ to have the latest.

 

Random comments and thoughts...

So since I got my Z earlier this week I've been using it mostly at night. Today I'm sitting at my desk and there's some dim light creeping in from the windows behind me and bam, reflection all over the screen. I guess I should have thought about this before I bought it. Any suggestions on how to keep it to a minimum? How is this thing hold up outside on a sunny day?

One thing is for sure, my Lenovo X220 has a VASTLY superior keyboard in terms of both feel and layout. Better battery life with the 9 cell battery vs the Z3's internal. But its noticeably heavier, and I'm sure the Z3 is lighter even with the sheet battery...

 

I just noticed that the keys on my keyboard are not all resting at the same height. If I hold the laptop at eye level and stare straight across the keys (keyboard facing straight "up") I can see some of my keys are at an angle and some keys are at very different heights. For example my F8 key is almost flush with the laptop cover to the point where I can't see its backlight at all. The F10 key rests much higher as though its going to spring off. Is this deliberate or poor assembly?

 

Re: SF WaterField case. The first one I got did not fit that well - but they exchanged it no problem. Get the 25-17 for the Z with the sheet battery. Fits fantastic, looks great. Amazing customer service! I've been lusting over their Muzetto bags for a while...

 

I had this problem and gave up and sent the laptop back for repair. They replaced the entire webcam module and it works fine now, but the turnaround was terrible. They also gave me a new screen because my old one had "dead pixels" (it was perfectly fine; I think they broke it while replacing the webcam). However, the new screen has more defects now. I'm going to milk this warranty until they can make me happy.

 

Any comments/tips for battery life? I get around 3-4 hours w/ web browsing, occasional YouTube or word processing. Hopefully with the sheet battery that'll be at least 7-8.

 

3-4 with just web browsing? That seems awfully low. I usually get 5-6 with web browsing. What are your brightness settings?

 

lower your screen refresh rate to 40hz, helps when on battery.

 

Guys,

I have spent 2-3 months researching my new laptop and i settled on Vaio Z3 and now i am seeing that Z series is discontinued. I am terribly disappointed. I am hardcore Lenovo fan but not seeing good resolution/screen/processor coming out in X1. I still want to go for Z3 but i am not sure how long will it last as my last lenovo T400 i have been using for 3 years and i want my next lappy to last at least 3 years. Any suggestions please?

 

This is probably one of the most future proof laptops out there, with the exception of not being able to upgrade ram and upgrading the hard drive is difficult and expensive. Other than those to things you get a great processor that isn't ULV, an amazing screen, and options to increase the life. If you end up needing a little more graphics power (or ports, or a disc drive) you can just grab a PMD, if the battery life is decreasing over time you can replace it and/or get a sheet battery. Every review I have read about this laptop has commented on how future proof it is. And the X1 carbon with decent specs comes close to the entry level z3, which has much better specs (I haven't checked since the X1 carbon came out though). No option for a dedicated graphics card with the X1 either.